What the soul is to the body, Christians are to the World

This past weekend I attended the Evangelical Theological Societies south-central meeting that was held at Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. There I purchased a book on Christian Mission History by a man named Scott W. Sunquist who is a dead at Princeton’s Theological Seminary. In reading the book I came across a quote on missions that blew my mind. It said…

            “For Christians are not distinguished from the rest of humanity by country, language, or custom. For nowhere do they live in cities of their own, nor do they speak some unusual dialect, nor do they practice an eccentric way of life. This teaching of theirs has not been discovered by the thought and reflection of ingenious people, nor do they promote any human doctrine, as some do. But while they lived in both Greek and barbarian cities, as each one’s lot was cast, and follows local customs in dress and food and other aspects of life, at the same time they demonstrate the remarkable and admittedly unusual character of their own citizenship. They live in their own countries, but only as nonresidents; they participate in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, and every fatherland is foreign… In a word, what the soul is to the body, Christians are to the world.” (The Epistle to Diognetus, in Michael W. Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers in English [Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006]. 295-96.)

            This past year God has dramatically changed my life and has taken me on an adventure in this

life that I’m beginning to understand what Paul says in Philippians 1:21 which he says “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”. I am beginning to understand this. Before coming to Dallas Seminar, I had a desire to become a small town pastor acting as either an associate minister or working in a larger church possibly as a connections pastor, never really going around the world. My plan was simply to go to DTS to be trained in the Bible and go back into the church I was apart of. I love the church I was with in Florida and the One I am apart of in Texas but know neither of these is where God is leading me to reach. Specifically this year God has placed this amazing desire to reach the Irish people.

            This desire to reach the Irish comes from a progressive love for the Irish beginning with their history to their culture to their people. Even to the extent that I will be serving with TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission) this summer in Swords Ireland (Ireland.team.org | team.org/givenow).  This week from attending the ETS meeting and reading this quote from the Epistle to Diognetus, it really broke down to me in the best words I can think of at this time, in what it means to be a Christian in this world and our specific role in society. All of us who have placed their trust in the risen savior Jesus Christ are on a mission, whether your aware of it or not.  I just pray that in some way I will be faithful to the ministry God has for me, whether that is in becoming a small town pastor, in becoming a missionary to Ireland with TEAM or in becoming a professor on day. I love the LORD and cannot imagine not serving Him.

Jonah 1:4 -- The Storm

            Jonah teaches us that this storm, whose physical causes are the same as those of all other storms, is there only for Jonah and because of Jonah. It has other effects. It sweeps the coasts, disperses fish, causes ships to founder. But its purpose is to smash inflexible Jonah. Thus the elements and many men, especially the sailors, are engaged in the adventure of Jonah with him and because of him. One sees here the weight and seriousness of vocation. God thinks his choice is so important, and takes the one elected so seriously, that he brings nature into play to see that this man fulfills his vocation.

... Jacques Ellul (1912-1994)

              Interesting quote today. I am in the process of studying Jonah for my Hebrew class and one of the verses is the one for the quote today. I never thought of the storm in Jonah's life before like this. God is willing to do what it takes to bring us back on the track to the ministry He has for us. He will even move mountains, relocate you to another part of the world or make things not work out the way you would like them. For me example, Im raising funds for a mission to Ireland and cannot seem to get the support as I would like it. I'm not sure what God is working here but I know that He loves me and has a plan for me. I just need to sit back and enjoy the ride.

        If interested in supporting my trip to Ireland, Simply go to www.team.org/givenow or click Here and search my name in the find a missionary. You too can be a part of the ministry God is taking me to in Ireland.

Thank you,

Your brother in Christ Jacob

Merry Christmas

What does Christmas mean? All around the world people spend countless dollars to items that will be thrown out by the end of the day. They purchase gifts even on the day after people say how thankful for things. One day they thank God for all that was provided to them and before they go to sleep they go wait in line to get the next thing that out, Freebie, iPad, iPhone 5 or tickle me Elmo. They are purchased with images of a man in a red coat who goes by the name of Santa Claus.

This Santa Claus has been used in countless adds, countless stories, countless movies, countless stores and even used in countless churches. The question remains where did Santa Come from. We all know he did not come from the North Pole. This jolly fat man we know today as Santa comes from a Coca-Cola Christmas Campaign. They used him to sell Cokes and they sold so well that Santa Claus became a national Icon, a world wide icon for Christmas. Even the United States Government takes part in this. They fake tracking Santa Claus around the world and have a dedicated phone line just for people trying to find out where Santa Claus "is at" in the world tonight. This man also is associated with a Catholic Saint. St. Nicholas.

This St. Nicholas is associated with two stories past down through church traditions. one of them occurred somewhere in the 4th century at a church council that was discussing the Deity of Christ Jesus. One man by the name of Pelagius (i think) or his disciple (i cant remember). This man doubted the deity of Jesus. When St. Nicholas heard this, being a bishop of the Church, got up an approached the man and slapped him for doubting who Christ was. For slapping he originally was stripped of his Bishop status but later was forgiven and was restored as a bishop. THis was because he stood up for Jesus. At the same time there is another story that definitely was not used for the Coca-Cola merchandising. In I think second century while Rome persecuted the church, St. Nicholas was thrown into prison and was given little to no rations resulting in a very thin and starving St. Nicholas. This certainly was not a man who was not a jolly fat man who give out gifts.

This brings me back to my original question, what is the meaning of Christmas. Churches around the world between the 23 of december to the 25 teach about Christ coming to the earth as a baby.The entire story they teach is about the miracle that God came to the earth so that we may live. THis is an awesome and powerful story of the Grace of God but it might be just me but i feel like the churches never tell the complete story. It seems they focus completely on the miracle and less on the meaning of this amazing gracious act by Christ.

For you see the story beings in the origins of the bible but I decided to being at Psalms 84:11-12: "For The LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!" You see in these verse David is very clear how Good God really is. He would not do anything that was not for the best for us. If it were Good for us to have a million dollars he would give it to us. SO for us He knew that the best thing we needed was a savior So he sent us his son to die on the cross so we would have the opportunity to spend eternity with Him. We now are fellow citizens with the saints in the Household of our LORD.

From there the Story of Christmas leads us to Isaiah 9:6 "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." This is the very promise the world received for the messiah of the world. The very hope for the salvation of the world from the death of Sin. We so very unworthy were given the best gift on could ever receive, the one we call our Prince of Peace. ITs is such an amazing thing, when we place our hope in Him we have such a peace over us that words cannot describe, where one does not worry about death itself for we know we will spend out lives with Him.
THe words in Isaiah were simply a promise to the things to come in Christ. But guess what...the promise was fulfilled on day on when the Angel of God Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary to give the words of hope, love and grace to the world. Luke 1:30-33 "The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." These very words are the words from God to Mary that Jesus, The savior, the Son of God, part of the Triune God will come to earth as man so we can have an eternal life through Him. Before Christ, all of mankind were to fall except the Jews who had the ability to sacrifice to God for the forgiveness of their sins. People in Britain had no way of ever making it into heaven for they were very lost.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16, 17 NASB). God sent His only son into the world knowing very well that the world would not accept him but destroy his Physical body on the Cross that very day. Christ loved us so much that For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. (1 Corinthians 15:3-11 NASB).

For the meaning of Christmas is yes to remember the day Christ came to us. It is on that Day the cornerstone of the church was being sent in place that we the church are build off of. But if feel if we do not direct it to the fact that Christ died, was raised and came back we fail to present the Gospel of Jesus. But one may ask how do we show this to others.
Now in this is the true meaning of Christmas is to show the love of Christ to others. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34, 35 NASB) For it is only through the Love of God are we able to show this love. There is no better way i can see showing this love than to be with those you love on Christmas. For Christmas was the Day we use to remember the day of the most loving Gift LORD God ever gave the world, Jesus Christ, His one and only son. Christmas is really a holiday of love not of materialism. So easily we fall into the materialism of the world but we all need the reminder of what Christmas is all about. It is about remembering the Love of God not the gifts we get in this world. 

My prayer on the Christmas Eve night, LORD God is that your love will alway stay on my mind, and if you were to ever ask me the same question you asked Solomon that I would live a life worthy of You. I know very well I will alway fall short of your glory because of the flesh i will deal with until the day i die. I love you lord and thank you for these wonderful people i get to spend Christmas with. Pablo, Ashley, Laura, Gloria, Cathy, David and Stephen Hutchinson, Chad Hall and my Crossing Church family. I love these people and love the opportunity to serve you more. You are an awesome God and thankful to serve you Lord. 

Thank you for your love!

Amen 

Logos Seminary/ Bible College scholarship

Going to Seminary is expensive. On top of that, finding a scholarship can be really difficult. That's why I was so excited to find this <a href="http://www.seminaryscholarship.com">Seminary Scholarship</a> website today. Not only are they giving away a $1,000.00 scholarship and a digital theological library, all I had to do to apply was watch a short video and answer a few questions! It took less than 15 minutes. What is best of all is that if you're in seminary and apply for the <a href="http://www.seminaryscholarship.com">Seminary Scholarship</a>, and put my name as the person who referred you, if you win the scholarship, so do I! <strong>We could both get a $1,000.00 scholarship and digital theological library.</strong> So, do us both a favor and go apply for the <a href="http://www.seminaryscholarship.com">Seminary Scholarship</a> today.

What's been going on the past few weeks

Where do I even begin to explain the last few weeks I have been here at Dallas Theological seminary? I have learned so much from the amazing professors on this campus and have run into things I never expected while at seminary. I learned ideas on thing s I thought I knew but did not before. I am so honored to be here and to have such a calling placed upon my life.

                       I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn about Jesus from these amazing God-fearing Professors. One of my favorite classes this semester (I actually love all of my classes) is Spiritual Life. I have been learning about Grace, the Flesh, Christian Responsibility and Holiness. Studying Holiness changed my view on God. It was something I thought I knew but didn’t. I learned that Holiness is perfection. Perfection is something we cannot even comprehend since there is nothing in this world that is perfect. The only thing that is perfect is the way the planets work in the universe. It is things like this that are changing my life and by understanding of the bible.

            Another one of my classes is Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. Hermeneutics is the disciple of interpretation of the bible. I’m being taught how to study the bible. For example I had an assignment to find 25 observations on only Acts 1:8. After we finished that assignment we had to find another 25 observations on that 1 verse. I found more observations on that verse than there are words in the verse and there are so many more that I never saw. This is an amazing class because I m learning skills to see things God says in the bible that have been there but never saw before.

            I have had the opportunity to experience things that I would not have back in Florida. For example, a few weeks ago I attended an Apologetics Conference at Watermark Community Church. I had the opportunity to hear pastors from around the country speak on how to defend the Faith. Heard Pastors like Greg Koukl, Ravi Zacharias, Dan Wallace and others. My favorite was Dan Wallace, who is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. He talked about textual criticism and explained the thousands of ancient manuscripts out there in just Ancient Koine Greek there on the bible.

            As for ministry, I decided to end up serving at Northwest Bible Church. God lead me to serve in the Children’s Ministry on campus. Northwest bible is a very traditional church that tries to focus on teaching from the bible and not from other sources. Serving in children’s is a hard thing for me. Over the years, I have loved children but forgot how to deal with them. When I met with their children’s pastor, I discovered they were in the need of an A/V guy and from experience from The Crossing Church in Tampa; it became a good foothold into the children’s ministry.

I appreciate all of your prayers while I attend Dallas Theological Seminary. Specifically can you pray for God to continue to provide for me, specifically for my finances? Thank you so much.

I'm praying for you,

Jacob Drew

2 weeks into Classes

So I have now survived 2 weeks at Dallas Seminary. I can’t believe I am here, in Dallas, Texas attending Dallas Theological Seminary. How is this possible? How can this be real…….?

There are some wondering why I choose to use these words. Its simple, how can a place like Dallas Seminary even exist? A place where I spend all my days learning about God and living in a community designed to help build up each other in Christ. It is such and honor being here to praise Χριστας Jesus.

Sturgeon

At the same time, I was on how unprepared for seminary I feel. I’m in classrooms where people are asking questions that I never would have thought of. I’m in situations where people talk about theologians like Piper and Sturgeon…. I have felt like a small fish in an ocean. Many times, I don’t feel like I should be here. I don’t know who Sturgeon and Piper are? I do now…kinda…but at the same time these conversations are so far above me that I just don’t know. I’ve got caught in conversations about Dispensationalism, covenant theology, eschatology, systematic theology and many times I do not even know what they are referring to.

For example, last night I realized I have spent all of my study time learning about Greek and little to no time studying for any other class. Greek out of all things feels like it owns my life. I spend probably a good 3 hours a day studying this language. I’ve learned vocab, articles, grammar and who knows what else so far and I have had only 4 classes and have 5 semesters of Greek ahead of me (including this semester).

The one thing I do know is this…I cannot make it through seminary. I cant plain and simple, this is something I will not be able to do in my own power. There is no study method; time management program, study aids that could help. I cannot do this. But the Grace of God can allow me to do this. He can help me learn, study, and master the classes I have to take.

Here is the thing I know…I am here not for me. I did not come to Dallas Theological Seminary so I could do something I want but something I need to do. I need to go where my savior wants me to be.  God spoke to me through John 17:18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. Jesus spent thirty years before he began his ministry. I am here for Him and Him alone, not myself, not for family, not for any church or organization and not for a pastor. I am here to learn about God only. This is a preparation stage for me.

Please continue to pray for God’s provision in my life.

1 More Day until Seminary Begins

Today doesn’t seem real… it feels like a dream. How is it possible I have been blessed with the Calling of becoming a Pastor and being trained a Dallas Theological Seminary? Why Jacob Drew and not someone else?

            Besides that Today marks the beginning of a new era or a new season in my life. Today is the last Day until I begin my life a DTS Seminary Student. Starting tomorrow I will be trained on the things of the bible so one day I will be able to speak Gods word into the lives of others. God has placed in my heart a love for people I have never had before. For example, The Batman shooting in Colorado, I prayed for the victims and the families of that senseless tragedy but I prayed even more so for the man who committed the crime. You see that is a man who is so lost in the darkness so vulnerable to the enemies bidding he listened to the enemy. It is our job of Christians to be the Salt and Light of the world.

            The salt one can think of a bag of potato chips you grab one you can’t help but grab another one and another one. Our lives should be so radically different in this world; people should want to know why we do what we do. Light should be that beacon of light that draws people from a far to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.           

          

                   As was saying earlier, today marks the end on one season and the beginning of a new season. Since my time here at DTS I have met some amazing people who are either attending Dallas Theological seminary as a student or as staff/Faculty. It is awesome to be here in this environment. I have met some people I believe we will be in regular contact for years to come. Then there are the classes. Of course this is a graduate school. I have a total of 13 credit hours registered for which equals to 6 classes. I will be taking…Introduction to Theology with Doctor Horrell, Spiritual Life with Ralston, Bible Study methods and Hermeneutics with Dr. Yarbrough, Evangelism with Doctor Cecil, Basics of Biblical Greek with Dr. Fanning and Spiritual Formation. I’m excited in taking all of these classes this semester. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for this area and me in this next semester.

            

Even from Dallas I miss the people I left in Florida. My best friends Pablo and Chad to the people I referred to as family and friends and my coworkers at McDonalds. God has something amazing planned for each of you in these coming months, and years. I wish I could be a part of it but God has something planned for me here in Dallas. I may not know what it is right now but I’m excited to see God work.