Covenant Magazine [Winter 2009] by Covenant Theological Seminary

Covenant The magazine of Covenant Theological Seminary

Winter 2009

�

GRACE

�

God’s Glorious Gift

WINTER 2009

FROM THE PRESIDENT

GRACE—GOD’S GLORIOUS GIFT

FEATURES

rusting the God T Who Goes Before Us

As Covenant Seminary looks to the future, our faith rests in the God who always provides for his people.

“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

— J ohn 1:16

A retired businessman musing about the need for water to sustain human life. A seminary professor reflecting on his illness through the mirror of poetry. A young husband whose life is suddenly changed by a devastating accident. A rap artist with a passion for using music to communicate eternal truths. These are just a few of the ordinary yet extraordinary people you will meet in this issue of Covenant, people whose lives have been touched— and changed forever—by the glorious gift of God’s grace. Grace is a funny thing. It touches each of us in different ways. It alters the flow of our lives and moves us in directions we had not previously anticipated going. It is entirely undeserved by us, yet our Lord lavishes his grace upon us as if each one of us were his most favored child. And that, indeed, is precisely what we are, for as believers we stand before our heavenly Father as if we were Christ himself. We are the favored sons and daughters of God, redeemed from sin and death, beloved and dear to him—and in that fact lies our greatest joy and our most glorious hope. Yet we often forget just what a wondrous gift the grace of God is. We too often take for granted not only our salvation, but also the many other blessings our Lord bestows upon us each day—each minute!—of our lives. My prayer for all of us is that God would open our eyes and our hearts more fully to the awesome and life-changing power of his grace and that he would give us a deeper appreciation for and more zealous desire to proclaim that saving grace to others. Everything we have, everything we are, and everything we will ever be comes from the gracious hand of God. May we be thankful for all his gifts, and may we learn to use them wisely and well for the glory of his name.

Bryan Chapell, President

Three Convenient Ways to Learn and Grow

Several online initiatives provide resources for people around the world to be encouraged spiritually and challenged academically.

Poems in the Park

Professor David Calhoun recounts the encouragement he received from various poets—including the psalmist—during his ongoing battle with lymphoma.

eadership Intersecting L with God’s Grace

Business and church leaders face similar opportunities and challenges leading their organizations. Intersect Forum creates a community for executives, pastors, and ministry staff to dialog about these issues.

9 Alumnus profile

As C ou

DEPARTMENTS

Dishon Knox

alumni news

seminary news & Events

114765 alts.indd 1

Wellspring A of Refreshment

The deep, clear, and convicting teaching by professors at Covenant Seminary reaches beyond the St. Louis campus.

B AC K COVER

student Profile

Jason Mirikitani

Vol. 24, No. 3

11/10/09 8:42:19 AM

Trusting THE

GOD Who Goes

As Covenant Seminary looks to the future, our faith rests in the God who always provides for his people.

B E FORE

in the Kingdom—with tools to learn he past year has been both about, live out, and communicate the exciting and challenging message of the gospel. for us at Covenant SemiAs Covenant Seminary looks to the future, To that end, I am delighted to nary. Despite the gloomy economic share with you somefor of what Lord situation, has been our faith restsGod in the Godfaithful who always provides his the people. by has been doing recently at and through to us in so many ways. Though we DR. BRYAN CHAPELL Covenant Seminary and where we have experienced some inconvebelieve he is leading us in the months niences brought on by the need to ahead. We covet your prayers and conserve our resources, the Lord’s support as we seek to follow him. grace has enabled us to maintain our programs and personnel at the high level of quality that our students, The Blessings of God’s Faithfulness our churches, and our denomination have come to We are grateful to God for his blessings to us in many expect. He has also grown us in some exciting new ways areas. Here are just a few examples of his goodness. Please as well! praise him with us for these. As we have done for more than 50 years, we continue to We completed our By His Grace, For His Glory capital train pastors and those who serve beside them to minister God’s campaign with commitments totaling more than $14 million— Word in the local church. Yet we are aware that not everyone well above our original campaign goal of $12.5 million—making who desires to know God more intimately is able to relocate to this the most successful campaign in our history! These funds St. Louis and become part of our living, learning, worshiping enabled us to build a new 43,000-square-foot academic and on-campus community. We are committed to equipping administration building that doubles our capacity to train future others—wherever they are and however they are called to serve pastors and church leaders. Funds were also targeted for faculty

2 114765 alts.indd 2

www.covenantseminary.edu

11/10/09 8:43:08 AM

chairs for the Center for Ministry Leadership and the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute, to help ensure continued leadership for these integral aspects of our mission. Other campus improvements completed during the campaign include new on-campus



As we seek to train pastors and those who serve beside them in ministry, we continue to evaluate and improve our degree programs. This fall we launched two new programs and revamped another to more fully meld a solid grounding in theology with real-world ministry practicality.  The Master of Arts in Religion and Cultures (MARC) prepares students for cross-cultural Kingdom ministry in a variety of settings around the world.  The Master of Arts in Worship and Music (MAWM) shapes students for service in the church through understanding, planning, and leading gospelcentered worship.  The Master of Arts in Educational Ministries (MAEM), which has been slightly restructured, trains students to integrate biblical principles with educational practice.

playground facilities, a renovated keyboard console for the historic organ in Rayburn chapel, and the adaptation of several existing spaces for more efficient use. Giving toward our Annual Fund finished above our yearly goal, and tuition dollars were up more than $300,000 over last year. These extra funds allowed us to increase scholarship support to help our students meet the financial challenges of seminary. Giving toward our free online classroom and resources initiatives was up $450,000 as well. This past year we saw our largest entering MDiv class ever—and we continue to experience increasing interest from potential students in a growing number of countries. Our Web sites for Covenant Seminary, Worldwide Classroom, Living Christ 360, and Resources for Life (see pages 7–8 for details), and our free course downloads on iTunes U have helped spread the gospel around the world at an astoundingly rapid rate.  Our sites received a combined total of nearly 500,000 visitors last year. Those users come from 178 different countries.  There have been 8 million downloads from Worldwide Classroom since it started three years ago. (Our related material on iTunes U averages 100,000 track downloads per month.) COVENANT | Winter 2009

114765 alts.indd 3

With the recent launch of the My Classroom registration feature, Worldwide Classroom now offers users a way to track their study progress and gives us a vehicle for measuring which courses are being accessed. More than 5,500 users signed up for this feature in the first three months after it debute. The response to our Living Christ 360 Webcast and devotionals has been extremely positive (see user comments on page 6). Each month this ministry reaches growing numbers of pastors, business executives, housewives, students, and others in need of daily encouragement and spiritual nourishment.

Moving Forward in Faith

All of these blessings are indeed indications of God’s faithfulness and provision for his people. As we pray, plan, and consider carefully the opportunities and challenges before us, here are some of the ways in which we feel the Lord is leading us. While maintaining our primary focus on training church leaders, we will further develop Web-related technologies that will help us:  Better support the ministries of church leaders wherever they may serve.  Bring the gospel to people yearning for Christ.  Reach a new generation of students and donors.

3 11/10/09 8:43:42 AM

To this end, we are working to obtain funds for a variety of exciting new Web components.  The ability to view and share online video  A social networking forum to provide My Classroom users with a more personal online learning experience  Applications to make our sites more accessible on mobile communication devices And, in addition to our usual Bible teaching on the Living Christ 360 Webcast, we plan in the year ahead to offer more content featuring Covenant Seminary faculty members and other Christian teachers.

power (in the form of his indwelling Spirit) for them to do as he commanded. The result was an amazing transformation not only of many individual lives but of the world as well. Our task as Christians today is no less daunting than that of our spiritual forefathers. Yet just as he did for them, our Lord continues to provide the means and the power to do as he asks. We may have different modes of travel and more sophisticated means of communication than our forebears, but we carry the same life-changing message and are empowered by the same life-giving Spirit. As we attempt to reach the nations and the generations for Christ in the context of our own times, I pray that we, like our ancestors, will keep our eyes focused clearly on the One whose message we carry—and that he would use even our humblest efforts to save many souls and bring honor and glory to his name.

Reaching Nations—and Generations—for Christ

First-century Christians had a tremendous challenge before them as they attempted to respond to Jesus’ Great Commission (see Matt. 28 :18 –20). Taking the gospel from Jerusalem to all nations would have seemed a daunting task for this small group of ragtag disciples. And yet the Lord provided both the means (in the form of an extensive system of Roman roads that made travel throughout the empire easy and safe) and the

DR. BRYAN CHAPELL Dr. Chapell is president of and professor of practical theology at Covenant Seminary. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which are Christ-Centered worship (Baker, 2009) and Ephesians (Reformed Expository Commentary Series; P&R, 2009).

4 114765 alts.indd 4

www.covenantseminary.edu

11/10/09 8:44:17 AM

A Wellspring S

everal months ago while on my way to Covenant Seminary’s Men’s Leadership Breakfast Bible study, I stopped at a local branch of a popular coffee chain. As I stood in line, I noticed a small display at the counter with a sign above a dozen plastic bottles of spring water. The sign advertised an upcoming Water for the World day. Alongside the caption was a photo of a group of people in an obviously impoverished place in the world bending down to fill water jugs. While waiting in line, I began thinking about humanity’s need for water. I and more than 6 billion other people require a certain amount of water daily or we die. As I inched my way to the counter, I continued contemplating the program’s idea that we should take specific actions to help ensure that there is enough water for everyone around the world to survive. How closely that water-relief program relates to the critical need for God’s Word and his truth—not only for survival in this world, but also for eternal salvation. Minutes later, while driving toward Covenant Seminary, I thought about the kind of water we need for life. Tainted, foul water can make us sick; we can die from drinking putrid water. As I pondered this, I was reminded that it is only the Living Water—the true Word of God—that can give us life and deliver us from death. It is the true, powerful, Living Word of God that is so critical for us to spread to a perishing world.

Covenant Seminary’s deep, clear, and convicting teaching reaches beyond the St. Louis campus.

Refreshment

When I think about the godly teaching that pastoral candidates receive at Covenant Seminary, I am always taken by the incredible blessing it is for these young students to learn the true and accurate Word of God and that through them his Word will be disseminated both here and abroad for decades to come. Thousands and thousands of thirsty people will hear the Word and be called by our Lord to their salvation. It is breathtaking to think of the exponential results that can happen because of what God is doing at this unique seminary. But not only are the students at Covenant Seminary drinking up biblical knowledge and deep spiritual insights, hundreds of other men in the St. Louis area are also quenching their thirst for truth as they participate in a Tuesday morning Bible study. Men who have attended describe the teaching as “deep,” “clear,” and “convicting.” Not long ago, access to the teaching of Covenant Seminary’s professors was limited to students and local community members. With growing technology and the Seminary’s commitment to sharing the resources they have been given, millions of people now have access to grace-based teaching and can continue to grow spiritually through the Seminary’s online ministries known as Worldwide Classroom, Living Christ 360, and Resources for Life. Praise God from whom all such good things flow! Jack Hughes Jack Hughes recently retired from the Hughes Group, a nationally known marketing communications firm in St. Louis, Missouri. He has been an involved friend and supporter of Covenant Seminary for many years and a faithful attendee of the Men’s Leadership Breakfast.

COVENANT | Winter 2009

A Wellspring S

Satisfied by the Waters…

Covenant Seminary’s deep, clear, and convicting teaching reaches beyond the St. Louis campus.

Babu Rao T India

Refreshment

Greetings in Jesus’ name. I praise God for your ministry, for the extension of his Kingdom. I am doing ministry in villages and among the poor and needy in slum areas in the city. When I came to the Worldwide Classroom, I praised God for your excellent ministry. I can’t express my joy with words. Thank you very much. I want to learn the Word of God more from your teachings.

Marlon Ponipon Launio T Philippines

I stumbled upon your Web site while looking for free teaching in the ministry field. I must say I cannot believe the quality and quantity of educational material available through your online classroom. I am overjoyed that I found your site; the recently launched My Classroom rivals the online study of the community college I attended. The fact that you make all this available to the public for free shows the strong commitment your school has toward advancing the cause of Christ. I plan to, over time, take all the courses offered. I am currently very much enjoying my studies on church history and the life of John Calvin and his Institutes. My only regret is I will not be able to attend your seminary in person, but due to your generosity I feel humbled and grateful to receive what I feel is a solid grounding in Scripture by teachers such as Dr. David B. Calhoun. Please accept my sincere gratitude and love in Christ.

Shalom! I am a member of the Presbyterian Church of the Philippines. I started to hunger for a redemptive/Christ-centered way of looking at the Bible and of applying it to myself and others under the classes of two missionaries from your denomination at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary Philippines. With what I learned from them, I graduated starving for God’s Word. Thanks for your Web site. My wife and I are feasting with your Worldwide Classroom resources. We started listening to them under your former format. We have not listened to all of them yet, but we are gratetful to the Lord that you offer them for free. Such action is a powerful manifestation of what it means to be gripped by God’s grace. Your resources equip us for biblical sanctification and for ministry. Soli Deo Gloria!

Fred T Canada

Jack Hughes recently retired from the Hughes Group, a nationally known marketing communications firm in St. Louis, Missouri. He has been an involved friend and supporter of Covenant Seminary for many years and a faithful attendee of the Men’s Leadership Breakfast.

I listen online to Living Christ 360 on a regular basis. It has quickly become one of my favorite sites. Our family is currently in an extended period of struggle, which affects most arenas of our existence. Living Christ 360 takes me back to my Father’s heart. I find precious grace and humility in your words, and I am refreshed and able to continue in spite of the difficulties that overwhelm.

Daniel T Country unknown

Jack Hughes

COVENANT | Winter 2009

Flossie T USA

About These Ministries

Your messages have been a tremendous blessing to me— and that is really an understatement. I have been struggling with our local church, where the messages gradually have been turning to “Shape up!” and the love of Christ for needy sinners is no longer proclaimed. How refreshing it was to “stumble” (in God’s providence) across your Living Christ 360 Web site and hear the wonder of God’s redeeming grace for needy sinners such as me. One of the first messages I heard was “Preaching the Power of Grace.” What a tremendous message. I am currently sitting here with tears in my eyes having listened to the message “Daring to Live.” All I can say is, “Hallelujah!” What an awesome God and Saviour!

Living Christ 360 offers grace-based daily messages, devotionals, and other resources to encourage you and your church. The program features the teaching of Dr. Bryan Chapell, president of Covenant Seminary, as well as discussions with Seminary faculty and other Christian leaders. www.livingchrist360.com Worldwide Classroom allows you to learn from wherever you are in the world. The free courseware includes classes to encourage you in life, ministry, and discipleship and to help you deepen your faith and understanding of the Bible. www.worldwide-classroom.com

www.covenantseminary.edu

Convenient Ways to Learn

www.worldwide-classroom.com

www.livingchrist360.com

IN-DEPTH PERSONAL STUDY

DAILY DEVOTIONALS

To begin, click here.

Encounter the gospel every day.

Create a My Classroom account.

Listen to our daily Webcast.

Select a study plan.

Read our daily devotionals.

MY CLASSROOM

COVENANT | Winter 2009

LIVING CHRIST 360

and

Grow

CATCH THE VISION Support the Mission!

YOU can make an eternal difference for our students and others around the world through your prayerful and financial support of Covenant Seminary. Here’s how your gifts help us.

www.resourcesforlifeonline.com

SEARCHABLE RESOURCES RESOURCES FOR LIFE

$7,000 PROVIDES

Find what you’re looking for.

A 50% SCHOLARSHIP! With your support, we are able to provide 50% scholarships to every incoming student who demonstrates a clear call to serve in the local church. Additional support would enable us to offer 100% scholarships to incoming Master of Divinity students with proven track records in ministry. Visit www.covenantseminary.edu to learn more.

$3,500 ADDS A NEW COURSE! Our Worldwide Classroom offers online master’s-level seminary course for free! Your partnership supports the production of these courses to provide a virtual seminary experience. Worldwide Classroom already reaches more than 2 million users; with your help we can reach even more! Visit www.worldwide-classroom.com to see what’s going on.

Use Search for complete results for your keyword.

$100 SUPPORTS

1 DAY OF TEACHING! Our Living Christ 360 Webcast features biblical teaching by Dr. Bryan Chapell and other Covenant Seminary faculty and friends, daily devotionals, and a host of other online resources that touch thousands of lives each day. Your support can help us reach 80 million people in five years! Visit www.livingchrist360.com to find out more.

Use Browse for suggested resources on select topics.

Join us in these or other Kingdom-minded ways! Call our Development staff at 1.800.264.8064 ,or give online at www.covenantseminary.edu/give.

www.covenantseminary.edu

ALUMNUS PROFILE

True to Reformed Faith Chorus excerpt: Faith for the Holy Scriptures; True to Reformed Faith. Presbyterian Church in America— Grow in grace. Verse excerpt:

1646 Confession Westminster—

Official document compiled by England’s best ministers. Covering such issues as: worship, doctrine and discipline; Along with church government, Short and Larger Catechisms.

HOLY HIP-HOP

Born2Di’s rap music encourages Christians and reaches new ears with God’s truth.

COVENANT | Winter 2009

-ip-hop music and faith first collided for Dishon Knox (MATS

’09) at Covenant Seminary when Dishon (a.k.a. “Born2Di”) crammed a semester’s worth of church history into a 3-minute-and-36-second rap titled “True to Reformed Faith,” which he performed at a Reformation Day chapel service at the Seminary. “This helped me realize a potential for intentionally proclaiming particular truths that I had not witnessed in my music prior to this song,” Dishon explains. Hip-hop and ministry may not be the strange bedfellows they at first seem. “There is no place for Christianity within hip-hop,” Dishon says, “but there is room for hip-hop in Christianity—so long as the elements of that subculture can submit to the lordship of Christ.” During his junior year at Washington University in St. Louis, Dishon found himself wrestling with his identity as a Christian—and as a budding rapper. One night he found himself asking, “Why am I born to die?” This question developed into a song—and from the song he took his stage name, Born2Di. The idea of presenting a homily or short sermon in the form of a rap has always been possible. The question has been, “Will someone do it?” In Dishon’s case, he had a desire to bring his growing excitement for Reformed theology into his art. Dishon grew up in a very traditional African-American church. He confessed Christ at age 13 but found his enthusiasm waning six years into this relationship. While a college sophomore, he realized he was living as a hypocrite. “I would go from ‘holy’ to ‘heathen’ in the span of one weekend—and sometimes one day,” admits Dishon. “To the world, I may have had a tame life because I was never locked up and I went to a good college, but I knew full well that I was grieving God.” Fortunately Dishon had accountability partners in his friends, his mom, and people in his church. Through these relationships and his study of Scripture, he came to a point of surrender to Christ. With the serious turn in his life came a serious turn in his writing of raps. Dishon approached each song as a minisermon, wanting to ensure that his messages were theologically sound. This desire drove him to consider seminary studies. Years before diving into his first preaching class at Covenant Seminary, Dishon was loosely following patterns for sermon preparation. He would pour over Scriptures that addressed a topic he was rapping about and carefully consider the full

context of the passage, scanning theological journals and books to gain further insights and then using his studies to develop a rhyme. It was through this pattern of studies that Dishon found himself gravitating towards theologians in the Reformed tradition. His desire to make sure his rhymes stood on solid doctrinal footing and his desire to properly exegete Scripture led him to Covenant Seminary. How does rap fit in the context of traditionally conservative Presbyterian worship? Dishon likes to say that rap and the PCA are almost like oil and water. “I ended up in the PCA because of the dreams and desire of a black PCA pastor to see Reformed theology reach and equip more black Christians for ministry,” he explains. “Currently I serve in my home church—which is not PCA, though I still hold diligently to Reformed doctrine.” Dishon’s CD, Apologia, takes its name from the Greek word for “answer or defense.” Dishon drew inspiration from 1 Peter 3:15, which instructs Christians to always be ready to give a defense or answer for the hope that they have. With Apologia, Born2Di desires to bring deeper meaning to the concept of apologetics. The driving force behind all Dishon’s music is the fall of man: sin. Seeing how dramatically the world, church, and humanity have been affected by the fall inspire him to want to try to provide the godly solution. The CD took more than four years to write, record, and release. Its progression can easily be tracked with Dishon’s studies at Covenant Seminary. “The goodness of the Lord and his character in general make me desire to better understand him and how our lives should relate in light of knowing Him,” Dishon shares. “I want to help others understand the character and goodness of God so that they too are drawn to him.” Dishon’s desire for the album was to paint a realistic picture of what life is like for many disenfranchised people in the world and leave his listeners with Christ’s charge to minister to these people. Additionally, he wants to help listeners embrace the fullness of life in Christ. Dishon’s songs use the tools of theological study and exposition learned at Covenant Seminary, yet these “mini-sermons” have the potential of ministering to a group of people far outside the church and even the Christian faith. Through the grace of God and the gifts he has given to Dishon, the hope is that some will come to know and believe in the Savior who died for them.

“There is no place for Christianity within hip-hop,” Dishon says, “but there is room for hip-hop in Christianity.”

MATTHEW HUNDLEY Matthew Hundley (MATS ’08) lives in St. Charles, Missouri, with his wife and four children. He serves as managing/contributing editor for CRITIQUE magazine and Notes from Toad Hall—both publications of Ransom Fellowship. He also assists several other ministries with marketing and creative endeavors. Dishon Knox lives with his wife, Kim, in St. Louis, Missouri, where he continues to write and perform.

www.covenantseminary.edu

“ We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. His power and the wonders He has done.” – P SALM 78:4

“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” – JOHN 20:31, NIV

COVENANT | Winter 2009

�

JOY

�

MOMENTS OF GRACE

“ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.” – D E U T. 6 : 4 - 6, N IV

www.covenantseminary.edu

POEMS PARK IN THE

My Cancer And God’s Grace

DAVID B. CALHOUN

COVENANT | Winter 2009

114765 alts.indd 13

13 11/10/09 8:56:16 AM

he most profound poetry—describing our joy and our suffering in their many dimensions and giving voice to our cries of lament—is the poetry of the Bible. Close to one-third of the Old Testament is poetry—comprising a little in the narrative books, more in the prophets, and large sections of Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, Job, and Ecclesiastes. Theologian John Calvin described the Psalms as “an anatomy of all the parts of the soul, for there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn to the life all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities . . . with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated.” Many centuries ago a great poet reflected on this life and what lies beyond it. His immortal words are found in the twenty-third Psalm.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overﬂows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

14 114765 alts.indd 14

Hebrew poetry is characterized by terseness, parallelism, repetition, chiasm, ﬁgures of speech, and sometimes assonance—most of which can be preserved in translations. We ﬁnd in the words of the psalms not only the wisdom to teach and convince but also the power to comfort and sustain. The Psalms provide us with thoughts to think and words to speak when we don’t know how to think and what to say.

POETRY’S MINISTRY During a period of intensive chemotherapy treatment some years ago, I found that it helped me to walk. Day after day I walked around and around a half-mile path in a park across the street from my house and next to a hospital. I usually took with me a little book of poems or a small hymnbook. As I walked, I read the poems and hymns slowly, out loud. As the medicine flowed into my body each week, so the words of the poetry flowed into my heart and mind every day as I walked, giving me a new infusion of courage, patience, hope, and trust. There was no plan to my reading in the park. My choice of books and poets was almost accidental—which is another way of saying that it was completely providential. The book had to be small, so I could hold it easily and read as I walked. And the poems had to be, for the most part, plain. The Lord commanded Habakkuk to “write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it” (Hab. 2:2). I did not have the mental energy to struggle over obscure poetry. The poets who helped me most were those who shared my Christian convictions. They represented many parts of the Christian tradition and reflected diverse theological and spiritual perceptions. I tried to avoid the sentimental, the falsely triumphant, the overly pious, the dishonest, and the sloppy in thought or language. Poetry did not have to be great poetry to help me, but it had to be honest and true.

www.covenantseminary.edu

11/10/09 8:56:29 AM

Through poetry I began to see and hear things in a new way. In his Reﬂections on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis describes the poetry of the Psalms as “a little incarnation, giving body to what had been before invisible and inaudible.” The Psalms, as well as hymns and the words of honest and thoughtful poets, can become little incarnations, enabling us to see the “manysplendoured things.” Those who have suffered and endured are often compelled to write about it. This is especially true for Christians. The meaning that many sufferers have found in poetry has given them hope and helped them survive everything from the relentless brutality of wartime prison camps to cruel persecution to the ravages of devastating illnesses. Psalm 23 shaped and organized the lessons that I learned through my reading of poems in the park.

MY SHEPHERD “The Lord is my shepherd.” Those words tell me who God is—and who I am. Human beings are not, as former Princeton professor Bernhard Anderson wrote, “the ultimate measure of things, the controller of their world, or the determiner of their destiny.” God is in control. I am not. He is the shepherd. I am one of his sheep. This basic truth (on which all other truths are based) is expressed in the Bible, hymns, and poetry in many different ways. Psalm 23 draws a lovely and peaceful picture (although it is not without deep trouble). The Shepherd leads his sheep into pleasant and refreshing places and along the best paths. He calms us down, strengthens our trust, and restores our souls. I walked, almost everyday, on the path around a small pond with ducks and geese. Above me were the sky and clouds; below, the grass and trees. In the spring the wildflowers grew in the sun and waved in the wind. In the fall the trees turned from green to a variety of colors, often on the same tree, almost overnight. In the winter ice formed on the pond and snow sometimes covered the ground, bringing its own freshness and interpreting God’s creation in yet another delightful way. The psalmists and the poets helped me to see God’s creation with greater appreciation and understanding. Was Jesus helped by the quietness and beauty of nature? Did he even notice the trees?

VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH The ﬁrst three verses of Psalm 23 describe the delightful experiences of the Christian’s life—green pastures, still waters, paths of righteousness. But in verse four the picture changes and we ﬁnd ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death.

COVENANT | Winter 2009

114765 alts.indd 15

The valley of the shadow of death is not death itself but a place of darkness, sadness, affliction, and trial. In John Bunyan’s book The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian came to this valley, and he “must needs go through it, because the way to the Celestial City lay through the midst of it.” “Now this valley,” Bunyan explains, “is a very solitary place. The prophet Jeremiah thus describes it: ‘a wilderness, a land of deserts and of pits; a land of drought, and of the shadow of death.…’ ” We experience this dark valley in different ways—in trials of illness, depression, addiction, abuse, rejection, bitter disappointment, and other hard experiences of life. Until that day when “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore” (Rev. 21:4), there will be the valley of the shadow of death. And like Bunyan’s Christian, we “must needs go through it.” Psalm 88 (sometimes described as the one Psalm without hope) ends with the words, “You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend” (verse 18). For all its darkness, however, Psalm 88 contains a message of hope. It is a cry to the Lord. If we keep on reading beyond Psalm 88, we will come to Psalm 139:12—“Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day; for darkness is as light with you.” One day, as I walked in the park and through my own personal valley, I read “Litany to the Holy Spirit” by Robert Herrick. The poet prays for the Spirit’s comfort when temptation oppresses, when doubts confuse, and when doctors fail. When the artless doctor sees No one hope, but of his fees, And his skill runs on the lees, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When his portion and his pill Has or none or little skill, Meet for nothing but to kill, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

This is not a cry for deliverance from the troubles of life but a plea for comfort and help in all that comes. I read these words at a time when the chemotherapy threatened to kill me before the cancer did. Herrick’s poem comforted (as it amused) me. Most of my doctors and nurses have been skillful and sympathetic, but one experience deeply distressed me. The poet helped me to pray for comfort from the “Sweet Spirit” of God.

15 11/10/09 8:56:35 AM

African-American spirituals are songs of sorrow and strength—from a people who knew plenty of both. One of those songs often puzzled me. Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, Nobody knows like Jesus; Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, Glory, Hallelujah. The last two words did not seem to ﬁt. I could understand, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, woe is me!” But “Glory, Hallelujah”? One day as I was reading these words in the park, I remembered Paul’s encouragement to the Corinthians: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17). Today’s cross is tomorrow’s crown. Glory, hallelujah! Trouble comes back, as sure as winter comes again, and it has, in fact, for me. I write these words just after learning that my cancer, in remission for three years, has returned. William Cowper helps me to “fresh courage take” as I experience the mystery of God’s providence in taking me through the valley.

Every line, almost every word, is, like the clouds, “big” with meaning and mercy. Large books have been written about God’s providence with less success than Cowper’s hymn. I experienced extreme hoarseness and difficulty in speaking after a course of radiation burned my vocal cords. As a teacher who could talk only fifteen minutes at a time, I felt that I had become useless. The Good Shepherd who leads us in the valley of the shadow of death is also the Great Physician, who, wounded himself, knows firsthand our pain and who is so compassionate that he hurts to heal. We are pilgrims, not wanderers. Or, to follow the image of Psalm 23, we are sheep. Our shepherd knows what is the best path for us to take. Sometimes our lives may seem disconnected and erratic. We may find it difficult or impossible to see any pattern. But there is a plan. There is a pattern, and someday (perhaps to some extent in this life, certainly and completely in heaven) we will look back over it all and be amazed at how perfect it was. Time spent in the valley is not wasted; it is part of God’s plan for us. There we are blessed with his presence, comforted by his rod and staff, and learn more fully what it means to be “his people and the sheep of his pasture” (Ps. 100:3). DR. DAVID CALHOUN

God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform; he plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines of never failing skill he treasures up his bright designs, and works his sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy, and shall break in blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace; behind a frowning providence he hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the ﬂow’r. Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain.

David Calhoun is professor emeritus of church history at Covenant Theological Seminary. He holds a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. The original and longer version of this article appeared as a chapter in Suffering and the Goodness of God, vol. 1 in the Theology in Community series, edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008). It also appeared in the fall 2008 issue of presbyterion, from which this version was adapted.

We Praise God for Dr. Calhoun David Calhoun retired in 2008 after teaching church history at Covenant Seminary for 30 years. He is now professor emeritus of church history and enjoys teatime visits with students and alumni in his office on campus.

1616 114765 alts.indd 16

www.covenantseminary.edu

11/10/09 8:57:00 AM

L EADERSHIP WITH

Intersecting

Grace

G OD’S

I BUSINESS AND CHURCH LEADERS FACE SIMILAR OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES LEADING THEIR ORGANIZATIONS.

INTERSECT FORUM CREATES A COMMUNITY FOR EXECUTIVES, PASTORS, AND MINISTRY STAFF TO DIALOG ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

COVENANT | Winter 2009

114765 alts.indd 17

t’s after lunch one afternoon and the CEO of a growing business paces his ofﬁce wondering how to better control company costs and meet customer deadlines. At the same moment across town, a pastor prays about how he might better motivate his church session to take action on the church’s new ﬁve-year plan. In a factory that same afternoon, the daughter of a family business founder struggles as she considers how to better help the sales team meet quotas and how to talk to her father about a problematic company policy. All three scenarios require godly leadership. Although the pastor and business executives face different challenges, these leaders are asking critical questions that affect their organizations. Effective leadership skills are neccesary to address these challenges. And though the contexts differ, Christian leaders in business and the church share similar needs of unifying, complementing, building, and changing their organizations in ways that glorify the Lord. To achieve successful results and honor God in their work, each leader will need to exhibit God’s grace and wisdom in his/her interactions with others. Where do the principles of church leadership and management intersect with those of businesses? How might a systemic model of leadership promote sustainable growth and change in all spheres of influence (including home, business, and the church)? Five years ago seasoned pastor Dr. Bob Burns (associate professor of educational ministries and dean of lifelong learning at Covenant Seminary) along with world-class family business

17 11/10/09 8:57:02 AM

18 Intersect Forums since its inception, usually four Forums each year.

consultant Dr. Tim Habbershon began asking these questions. They discussed the similarity of challenges in pastors’ lives at church and Christian executives’ lives at the ofﬁce, exploring how pastors and business leaders could beneﬁt each other in real and practical ways that would allow the Holy Spirit to intersect the two worlds. A Unifying Answer in Intersect

Intersect Forum provides leadership development for pastors and family business persons. It launched in 2005 through the creative and thoughtful work of several pastors, elders, and family business owners and was initially sustained by a research grant to Covenant Seminary’s Center for Ministry Leadership. The Intersect Forum equips leaders to better understand how the gospel of grace and a Kingdom focus can impact the way those in authority lead. “Grace-oriented leadership is the art of creating shared urgency from a framework of humility based on the mercy of God and of conviction based on Kingdom values,” explains Dr. Burns. How is this concept different from simply following Scriptural principles learned from years of Bible studies? After all, throughout Scripture Jesus teaches how we should work and how we should treat one another. “Intersect helped in the deconstruction of the leadership assumption that we have learned in business and the model our churches have operated under for so many years,” explains David Yates, a lawyer and recent Intersect Forum participant. “This ‘hero model’ expects a leader to be the one who takes it upon him or herself to simply tell people what to do, moving quickly from Point A to Point

18 114765 alts.indd 18

B, which is not the example Christ gave us. Intersect Forum reminds participants of Jesus Christ’s example and explores how following him requires leaders to embrace the ambiguous mix of people and possibilities. It helps people learn to lead with an awareness that the Lord usually takes them on routes much more complicated than directly from Point A to Point B. They learn to lead tasks and to develop relationships and trust at the same time.” What It Looks Like

Today Intersect invites all types of business and ministry leaders to participate. The format consists of two, two-day seminars, conducted within a two-month time frame. Facilitators utilize collaborative learning, scriptural and personal reflection, and interactive dialogue to create a unique context for leaders to explore from a Christian worldview their leadership styles, assumptions about leading growth and change, and vocations. Intersect is a place where participants “discuss leadership philosophy techniques from both business and pastoral standpoints—in the context of Reformed teaching,” says Yates. “The unique quality about Intersect is that it brings biblical principles and principles that have been developed in the secular world to bear on leadership and problem solving.” Discussions incorporate expert research such as Heifetz and Linsky’s Leadership on the Line from the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School; Tim Habbershon’s work from the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College; and Herrington, Creech, and Taylor’s The Leader’s Journey. www.covenantseminary.edu

11/10/09 8:57:05 AM

Currently pastors pair with business leaders from their churches and attend together, but the Center for Ministry Leadership is testing the option of hosting regional Intersect Forums with participant groups from individual churches instead of a single pair of participants. To learn about possible opportunities to participate in Intersect Forum or to host Intersect at your church, call the Center for Ministry Leadership at 314.392.4203 or 1.800.264.8064. Regarding Intersect Forum’s systems approach, Rev. Clay Smith, a pastor and Intersect participant, says, “Intersect gives a pastor or a businessperson a more complete understanding of what leadership really means from the perspective of treating people as whole persons. For example, if a pastor is working with an elder in his church, he needs to guard against relating to that person in a one-dimensional way. It’s easy to forget that, in addition to being an elder, that fellow church member is also a husband, father, grandfather, businessman—i.e., multi-dimensional. And all these other influences in that elder’s life come into play. It is important for a pastor to take into account all of the dimensions of an individual. If he does not, his leadership will be hampered signiﬁcantly.” Who Is It For?

Intersect is a great resource for our churches and for businesspeople in all walks of life. It is especially beneficial for leaders in family businesses because of the complexity of relationships involved. Family business leadership challenges are closely related to those experienced in the church, where a pastor, session, and congregation are also function as a sort of “family.” In both situations, it is difficult, if not impossible, to separate feelings, connections, and relationships from many tasks. For example, if, in a family business, one of the family members is not succeeding, that person can’t simply be fired due to his/her family relationship. Challenges in the church are much the same. Issues such as these are delicate and require a great deal of care, and the organization’s leaders certainly need God’s grace. COVENANT | Winter 2009

114765 alts.indd 19

www.intersectforum.org

Business and ministry leaders have found Intersect not only enlightening, but also transforming, changing the way they operate within their churches and companies. What People Are Saying

“My journey in business required a very steep learning curve,” shares John Kramer, president of a major manufacturing corporation. “Through Intersect, I was able to better understand the dynamics of taking the reins of a company and leading it with biblical perspective and loving and guiding employees.” Bill Hughes, CEO of a national marketing communications firm, says, “Intersect was one of the most unique and beneficial leadership programs I’ve ever experienced. Based on a firm biblical foundation, I learned what it meant to apply gospel health to all aspects of my life—home, business, church, and personal relationships. The small-group format lends itself to very open and engaging dialogue as well. I’d recommend Intersect to anyone in a leadership position and look forward to participating again myself in the future.” Intersect Forum is helping leaders combine the grace they value with the calling they’ve received— for the glory of God. JACK HUGHES Jack Hughes recently retired from the Hughes Group, a nationally known marketing communications firm in St. Louis, Missouri. He has been an involved friend and supporter of Covenant Seminary for many years and a faithful attendee of the Men’s Leadership Breakfast, an open Bible study taught by a professor at Covenant Seminary.

19 11/10/09 8:57:07 AM

ALUMNI ORDInATIOnS AnD InSTALLATIOnS Mark Rowden (MDiv ’87) as pastor at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Mesa, Arizona.

FAmILy nEwS Naoko and Seima Aoyagi (MDiv ’08) welcome daughter Akari, born April 22, 2009. Kevin (MDiv ’04) and Erin Ball (MATS ’06) welcome Elizabeth Anne Naomi, born July 11, 2009. Dr. Oliver Claassen (ThM ’80) went to be with the Lord on August 4, 2009. Dr. Claassen battled cancer since 2002. Naomi and Dan Emerson (MDiv ’07) welcome Kemuel Paul, born June 28, 2009. Jackie and Michael Fogas (MDiv ’09) welcome Christian Jeffrey, born June 13, 2009. Shun-Luoi and Dawn Fong (MAC ’09) welcome Elijah Shun-Yong, born April 24, 2009. Jaclynn and Todd Gothard (MDiv ’00) welcome Ruby Caroline, born June 10, 2009. Dan LaGue (MDiv ’99) went to be with the Lord on July 14, 2009. Dan fought a slow-growing melanoma since 1999. Jennifer (Darrell) (MATS ’01) and Rusty Milton (MDiv ’05) welcome Liam Thomas, born May 16, 2009. Jana and Ben Shoemaker (MDiv ’04) welcome Benjamin Jack, born February 9, 2009. Emily and Mike Sloan (MDiv ’08) welcome Matilda Asher, born July 13, 2009. Stacy and Tucker York (MDiv ’03) welcome Justus Andrew, born January 28, 2009. JoAnna and Jeff Zehnder (MDiv ’09) welcome Ayla Katherine, born July 20, 2009.

news

TRAnSITIOnS & UpDATES Elizabeth and Andrei Bouravnev (MDiv ’01) live in Springfield, Missouri, where Andrei serves with International Theological Education Ministries, Inc. Zachary Frank Carden III (MDiv ’01), who serves as the assistant pastor to youth and children at Christ Community Church in Achworth, Georgia, recently had several books published.

With Covenant! www.covenantseminary.edu/reconnect

Jay Thomas Hewitt (MDiv ’07) married Andrea Cuff on June 20, 2009. Bill LeFort (MDiv ’85) is helping develop and organize the small-group ministry at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Webster Groves, Missouri. Scott Lencke (MATS ’07) and wife Catherine live in Brussels, Belgium, where they lead Cornerstone International Church, a multinational interdenominational congregation. Fred McFarland (MDiv ’74) is entering his twenty-sixth year as a chaplain with the U.S. Air Force and currently serves at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. Tom Mirabella (MDiv ’05) is serving as solo pastor at Trinity Fellowship Church (PCA) in Sherwood, Arkansas. Jennifer and Bryan Stewart (MDiv ’01) moved to Abilene, Texas, where Bryan serves as assistant professor of the history of Christian thought at McMurry University.

Join us on Facebook!

LinkedIn makes staying in touch simple. Find past and present colleagues and classmates quickly. Sign-up for Our e-Newsletter eConnect features: • Regular alumni updates

• Book reviews

• Book giveaways

• Alumni stories and proﬁles

• news and resources

• Devotionals

Andrea Taylor (MATS ’06) won the Law Student Division Public Service Award from the Illinois State Bar Association.

GET IN TOUCH! more information, longer news updates, and other alumni news are available on the Alumni portal at www.covenantseminary. edu/connect/contact or through the Covenant Seminary Alumni Facebook group.

2020 114765 alts.indd 20

CONNEC T

www.covenantseminary.edu

11/10/09 8:57:09 AM

SEMINARY news & events PROFESSORS’ SpEAKInG SCHEDULES Jerram Barrs Professor of Christian Studies and Contemporary Culture; Resident Scholar of the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute NOV. 12–15 Albuquerque, nm;

Desert Springs Church. Speaking about prayer. DEC. 3 St. Louis, mO; The Covenant presbyterian Church. Advent Tea. Speaking about mary and God’s perspective on women. DEC. 4–6 miami, FL; Kendall

presbyterian Church. missions conference. FEB. 12–13, 2010 Rochester, mn;

The Kahler Grand Hotel. L’Abri Conference: Making All Things New. FEB. 25–27, 2010 Atlanta, GA;

Atlanta Airport marriott. 2010 women in the Church Leadership Training Conference. APRIL 9–11, 2010 mcLean, vA; mcLean presbyterian Church and the C. S. Lewis Institute. TOPIC : “Learning Evangelism from Jesus.”

Hans Bayer Professor of New Testament MARCH 14–19 Kiev, Ukraine; Ukraine Biblical Seminary. TOPIC : “Acts and

pauline Epistles.”

Bryan Chapell President; Professor of Practical Theology NOV. 22 Huntsville, AL;

Southwood presbyterian Church. preaching.

Philip Douglass

JAN. 6–9, 2010 Clearwater, FL.

Leading annual meeting of Fellowship of Evangelical Seminary presidents.

Professor of Practical Theology FEB. 19–20, 2010 St. Louis, mO; Covenant Seminary. Readiness for church planting seminar.

JAN. 10, 2010 Tampa, FL; Tampa Bay presbyterian Church. preaching.

MARCH 26–28, 2010

JAN. 12–15, 2010 St. Louis, mO;

Gainesville, vA; Gainesville presbyterian Church. Thirtieth anniversary celebration. (This was the first church planted by Dr. Douglass and his wife.)

Covenant Seminary. Teaching Dmin class on Biblical Theology and preaching. JAN. 22–23, 2010 St. Louis, mO;

Covenant Seminary. marriage class.

J. Nelson Jennings

JAN. 29–30, 2010 St. Louis, mO; Covenant Seminary. Board meeting.

NOV. 6–7 princeton, nJ; miller Chapel at princeton Seminary. preaching at princeton Regional Conference on Reformed Theology: Children and Heirs: God’s Glorious Adoption. NOV. 8 princeton, nJ;

westerley Road Church. preaching. NOV. 18 new Orleans, LA.

Evangelical Theological Society annual meeting. Reading paper on reconciliation.

Professor of World Mission NOV. 22 St. Louis, mO; memorial

FEB. 7, 2010 Lookout mountain, Tn; Lookout mountain presbyterian Church. preaching.

presbyterian Church. preaching. JAN. 7–23, 2010 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Covenant Seminary service and learning trip. Co-leading with professor Richard winter a team of medical professionals and counseling students to work with AIDS patients.

FEB. 18, 2010 St. Louis, mO;

missouri Baptist College. Speaking in chapel. FEB. 21, 2010 nashville, Tn; Christ presbyterian Church. preaching.

FEB. 8, 2010 St. peters, mO; St. Charles First Assembly of God Church. Teaching a perspectives course.

FEB. 28, 2010 Birmingham, AL; Covenant presbyterian Church. preaching. MARCH 5–7, 2010 Charlottesville,

vA; Trinity presbyterian Church. marriage conference; preaching on Sunday.

MARCH 4–7, 2010 Little Rock, AR;

APRIL 18, 2010 Dallas, TX; park Cities presbyterian Church. preaching.

MARCH 28, 2010 Laguna niguel, CA; Aliso Creek presbyterian Church. preaching at missions conference.

Jack Collins

Robert Peterson

Covenant presbyterian Church. preaching at missions conference.

Professor of Old Testament

Professor of Systematic Theology

MARCH 12–13, 2010 Glenside,

SUNDAYS, NOV.–DEC. St. Louis,

pA; westminster Theological Seminary. Faith and Evolution conference. TOPIC : “Science and Faith: Friends or Foes?”

mO; Twin Oaks presbyterian Church. Teaching adult Sunday school class on heaven.

Dr. Peterson continues his work as editor of the Explorations in Biblical Theology series. The most recent book published is The Elder by Cornelis Van Dam (P&R Publishing), scheduled for November release.

LIFETIME OF MINISTRY CLASSES The Church and Campus Ministry January 15–16, 2010 Fri., 7–9 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m.–5 p.m. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Rod mays, national coordinator for Reformed University Fellowship (RUF)

Preaching Through The Psalms

Children’s Ministry

February 5–6, 2010 Fri., 7–9 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m.–5 p.m. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. George Robertson, adjunct professor of practical theology and senior pastor of First presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia

march 5–6, 2010 Fri., 7–9 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m.–5 p.m. INSTRUCTORS: Graham Behnke, director of children’s ministry at The Kirk of the Hills in St. Louis, missouri; and Rev. Jason walch, children’s ministry pastor at Chesterﬁeld presbyterian Church in St. Louis, missouri

The Politics of Ministry Practice April 9–10, 2010 Fri., 7–9 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m.–5 p.m. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Bob Burns, associate professor of educational ministry, dean of lifelong learning, and director of the Doctor of ministry program at Covenant Seminary

LOm classes are FREE to alumni and their spouses. Others may audit for $25 per class. Find out more or register online at www.covenantseminary.edu. COVENANT | Winter 2009

114765 alts.indd 21

21 11/10/09 8:57:11 AM

.edu.

Richard Winter Professor of Practical Theology; Director, Counseling Program JAN. 7–23, 2010 Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia. Covenant Seminary service and learning trip. Co-leading with professor nelson Jennings a team of medical professionals and counseling students to work with AIDS patients. FEB. 12–13, 2009 Rochester, mn;

The Kahler Grand Hotel. L’Abri Conference: Making All Things New. plenary Lecture: “The Search for Sexual Sanity in a Confusing Culture.” workshops: “Coping with Anxiety, worry, and Fear” and “movies and madness: Images of Brokenness and Healing.” DURING THE SPRING, Dr. winter

will be on sabbatical researching and writing another book on depression.

Dan Zink Associate Professor of Practical Theology JAN. 22–23, 2010 Columbiana, OH; Das Dutch village Inn. marriage retreat for Fairview Reformed presbyterian Church (Industry, pA).

GIVE

THE GIFT OF THE

GOSPEL

Your gifts to Covenant Seminary enable us to: • train future church leaders to make an impact for the gospel. • provide free gospel resources for the worldwide church through our worldwide Classroom, Living Christ 360, and Resources for Life web sites (see pages 7 and 8). Every gift makes a difference— no matter how small or large! please help us spread the good news of Jesus Christ this Christmas season!

Click On Dave Wicker (MATS ‘01), former Chief Operations Officer for Covenant Seminary, now serves as executive vice president for the Seminary. He had been serving in this position on an interim basis until the unanimous recommendation by our search committee that he fill the role permanently. The Executive VP reports directly to the president and coordinates the daily activities and operations of all departments with their vice presidents.

Managing Editor Matt Seilback Editors Jackie Fogas Rick Matt Design and Production 501 Creative Editorial Contributors David Calhoun Rick Matt Jack Hughes Matt Seilback Matthew Hundley Photo Contributors Dan Donovan Libby Dowdall Lisa Hessel

Matthew Hundley Kelly Park Matt Seilback

Covenant Theological Seminary 12330 Conway Road St. Louis, Missouri 63141 Phone: 314.434.4044 Fax: 314.434.4819 E-mail: covenantmagazine@covenantseminary.edu Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Volume 24, Number 3. ©2009

For Enhanced Online Giving Our newest online giving feature makes it easier than ever to support Covenant Seminary! now you can make regular donations to our ministry through automatic monthly electronic withdrawals. Covenant is published by Covenant Theological Seminary, the Seminary of the presbyterian Church in America.

22 114765 alts.indd 22

Executive Editor Stacey Fitzgerald

The purpose of Covenant Seminary is to train servants of the triune God to walk with God, to interpret and communicate God’s Word, and to lead God’s people.

11/10/09 8:57:13 AM

Covenant Theological Seminary 12330 Conway Road St. Louis, MO 63141

Nonproﬁt Org. U.S. Postage PAID Premier Print Group

ADDRESS SERvICE REQUESTED

STUDENT pROFILE

Out of one student’s devastating near-death experience, redemption rises. Motivated by his own experience of hopelessness and profound loss, Jason Mirikitani (MATS ’09) wants to offer hope to the hopeless. He came to Covenant Seminary to be better equipped to help those who are hurting. “Through my time at Covenant Seminary, I understand what it means to be rooted in grace and can better communicate the gospel,” shares Jason. “I think the Lord intended to help me understand clearly that he is a gracious God and, even though I don’t deserve it, he loves me deeply. I believe that’s what he wants me to communicate to his children and people and who don’t yet know him.” Jason’s life radically changed forever on January 15, 2002, when he, wife Jill, daughter Abby, and Jill’s father and brother were traveling to the funeral of Jill’s grandfather in Beaumont, Texas. It was a windy day, and the strong gusts threatened to push their mini-SUV off the highway. Somehow Jason maintained control over the top-heavy vehicle for a time. It is almost impossible to know exactly what happened next; it seems that Jason over-corrected for one particularly strong wind gust, sending the car flipping through the air five times. The small car hurtled over the median and into the path of an oncoming 18-wheeler. A marine sergeant driving ahead of Jason was running late because his watch was slow. He watched in his rearview mirror as Jason’s car flew into the 18-wheeler. He pulled over immediately to help. The man attempted CPR on Jill but quickly realized that she was not alive. He discovered Jason lying on the ground, barely alive after suffering a severe brain injury. But the marine sergeant just “happened” to have military medical training to treat head injuries. He quickly grabbed some nearby clothes from the luggage that was strewn across the highway and crafted a compress to hold Jason’s head together. Jill’s father and brother sustained minor injuries. Fifteen-month-old Abby miraculously survived the wreck without a scratch. Recounting the incident, Jason remains incredulous about his survival. “You have to understand that part of my brain was on my sleeve,” he says with awe. “I should not be alive. At best, I should be in a wheelchair.” A neurosurgeon had to put 28 plates and screws in Jason’s skull to keep it together.

114765 alts.indd 23

is! y ed nt n er iv e ita Ev ece tud irik R sS M ift t e G or th pp ke Su s li e ili m Fa

A Life of Hope

Shortly before beginning at Covenant Seminary in 2006, Jason Mirikitani met his wife, Christe. Their son, Josiah, is now 2 years old, and his daughter, Abby, is 9.

Through the months of his recovery, Jason had to relearn everything—numbers, colors, self-care, and even how to talk and walk. It was several weeks into his recovery before he found out that his wife was dead. During that challenging time he experienced the compassion of God as hundreds of people from his church and community made meals, babysat, and cleaned his home. While he was recovering in St. Louis at his parents’ house, he began to contemplate pursuing a degree at Covenant Seminary. Now, several years later and with his December graduation approaching, Jason reflects on his time at Covenant. He believes his studies gave him the words and concepts to understand the goodness he had experienced in the midst of tragedy. “The Lord took care of me by his grace,” Jason explains. “I couldn’t do anything to earn that. And then he underscored this by having me enroll at Covenant. I understood his grace in my life after the accident, but when I came here, I was able to put words to this truth in a whole new way. I can see grace here. I see it when Dr. Chapell calls me by name and sits next to me in chapel or when Prof. Barrs grabs my hand and gives me a hug. I can’t help but think in a grace-centered way since being here.” (For more on Jason’s story, visit www.ourRescuer.com.) MATT SEILBACK Matt Seilback (MDiv ‘09) is the director of communications at Covenant Seminary.

11/10/09 8:57:40 AM