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November 2001
Back Issues
Contents
Western
Phonathon receives good response
Our fall
Phonathon for Pacific and Mountain time zones is now complete, and
gifts to keep the general fund in the black have been generous. We
continue to be amazed at how God works through His people to
accomplish much for the Kingdom.
Emmanuel
students called over 1,400 supporters throughout the five-day
phonathon and were able to maintain a successful 36% positive
response rate with their calls. The school has experienced many
blessings in the past year, and we continue to see the love and
support from friends of Emmanuel. With this help we should be in a
better position at the end of the 2001 calendar year to complete the
fiscal year in the black on May 31.
There is still
time to participate in this effort. Gifts should be marked for the
General Fund and received at the seminary by the end of the calendar
year. n
Scholarship
dinner honors donors and students
Emmanuel
hosted a special dinner on Tuesday, October 23, to honor both the
donors of our more than 100 endowed scholarships and the students
who receive them. The dinner made possible a more personal
relationship between the donors and the students who benefit from
their generosity. The students were excited about the opportunity to
meet and get to know their benefactors, and the donors were
impressed with the caliber of the students.
It’s easy to
fund your own scholarship at Emmanuel School of Religion. As of
2001, an annually funded full scholarship can be awarded for
approximately $5000. A fully endowed scholarship requires
approximately $60,000. Income generated by this principal amount
funds the annual scholarship distribution. Many donors endow a full
scholarship over a period of several years.
For more
information on funding a scholarship at Emmanuel, contact the Office
of Development at (423) 461-1530 or DevOffice@esr.edu.n
Meditation:
Unceasing Prayer
by F. Tyler
Sergent, MAR ’95
“Pray
without ceasing” – I Thessalonians 5:17
“Pray
without ceasing.” This
pastoral imperative may at times pose puzzlement for us. Certainly
we agree with its sentiment, but we may doubt how practically to
fulfill it ourselves and in our Christian community.
Prayer often
falls into two categories: personal and communal. These prayers may
be specific times of thoughtful meditation or conversation with God
or moments of need in which we call upon God, our helper.
Our
wonderfully diverse Christian tradition teaches us that prayer can
be more than something we do, personally or in community. Prayer can
become the life we live, beyond mere action or activity, and even
the center of our life in God through Christ and the Holy Spirit.
At times our
prayer may be intense and obviously transformative, e.g. our prayer
chapel service when we prayed by name for the known victims of the
WTC and Pentagon attacks. More often prayer seems quiet, and through
this quietude and stillness, the Spirit of God penetrates deeply
into our soul, for prayer changes us, not God. And our
continual recollection of God’s Word and verbal or spiritual
utterance to God throughout our day, in whatever task we do or place
we are, become for us “unceasing prayer.”
With spiritual
discipline, practice, and God’s grace, all of life may become
prayer in which neither time nor place impedes the continual,
conscious or subconscious, communion of our soul with the pervasive
Spirit of God, whereby we may even receive by grace a foretaste of
the eternal union with God, the Kingdom, eternal unceasing prayer. Oremus
sine intermissione: “Let us pray without ceasing.”n
Clipnotes
DAN AUGUSTINE (MAR
01) began a new ministry with Jefferson Christian Church in
Jefferson, Ore. Dan and his wife, Judith, live in Bonanza, Ore.
ROY BUNCH (MDiv
78) completed doctoral studies in education at Portland State
University in Oregon. Roy now serves as Assistant Professor and
Director of Master of Arts in Teaching at George Fox University,
Newberg, Ore. Roy and his wife, Anna Jo, live in Hillsboro, Ore.
KENNETH
CASWELL
(MAR 78, MDiv 78) along with his wife, Linda, rencently concluded 24
years of ministry with Foscoe Christian Church in Boone, N.C. Ken
and Linda reside in Boone.
PETE CUMMINS
(MAR 89) is Assistant Professor of Marriage and Family
Therapy/Counseling at Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tenn.,
where Pete and his wife, Nancy, reside.
JERRY ENG
(MAR 96) is involved in new church planting under a wing of YWAM
(Youth With A Mission) of West Kalimantan in Malaysia. Jerry and his
wife, Vun, live in Selangor, Malaysia.
TOM FOUST
(MDiv 86) co-edited the book A Scandalous Prophet: The Way of
Mission After Newbigin (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001). Tom was
the administrator of the colloquium for this collection of essays,
written by scholars from around the world, and authored one of the
essays, "Lesslie Newbigin’s Epistemology: A Dual
Discourse?" Tom and his wife, Debra, serve as missionaries in
England with CMF.
MARTY GANONG
(MDiv 90) and his wife, TINA WELLER GANONG (MDiv 91), serve
as missionaries with Global Outreach for Christ and Pioneer Bible
Translators in Guinea, West Africa. They are pursuing work in Bible
translation, community development, seed-planting, and family life.
They are planning their stateside assignment for May 2002.
DANNY GROOVER
(MAR 95) and his wife, Michelle, announce the birth of their second
child, Samantha Belle, in May 2001. Danny is a campus minister at
Georgia Southern University, and lives in Statesboro, Ga.
PERRY HAAGEN
(MDiv 98) and his wife, Debra, announce the birth of their second
child, Abigail Christine, on September 17. Perry is a Navy Chaplain
and lives in Port Hueneme, Calif., with his family.
AARON T. JONES
(MDiv 97) recently published an article in the August 26 edition of Christian
Standard titled, "Baptism: Public or Private?" Aaron
serves as Senior Minister with First Christian Church in Huron,
S.D., where he and his wife, Debra, reside.
KEN MARSH
(MDiv 78) was part of a six-person short-term mission team to
Monterrey, Mexico. This was Ken’s 15th mission trip. Ken serves as
Senior Minister with First Christian Church in Brook, Ind., where he
and his wife reside.
COREY MILLER
(92–95) is president of the Iowa Christian Convention for 2001–2002.
He ministers with the Carroll Church of Christ in Carroll, Iowa,
where he and his wife, Julie, reside.
JOHN NUGENT
(MDiv ’00), after receiving the Master of Theology degree from
Duke University, moved to New York to begin a new church plant on
Long Island. He and his wife, Beth, are awaiting the birth of their
third child. The family lives in Rocky Point, N.Y.
JOHN OWSTON
(MDiv 88, MAR 93) conducted revivals in Newberry, S.C., Green Cove,
Va., Manila, W.V., and White Oak, Penn., in the past year. John
serves as Senior Minister with Belvue Christian Church in Kingsport,
Tenn. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Kingsport.
JOE RISSE
(DMin 98) recently earned distinction as a State of Florida
Certified Addictions Professional. Joe is the Director of Phoenix
Wing, an adolescent addiction receiving facility for chemical
dependency in Daytona Beach, Fla. Joe and his wife, Sandra, live in
De Leon Springs, Fla.
LEO SALVADOR
(MDiv 88) has returned to teaching at Manila Bible Seminary after
recuperating from illness. Leo’s wife, Zeny, taught for him during
his absence. Leo and Zeny reside in Quezon City, Philippines.
THOMAS
SHEPHERD
(MAR 77) recently celebrated 24 years of ministry with South-side
Church of Christ in Lebanon, Ore. Tom and his wife, Terry, reside in
Lebanon.
EDGAR WALLACE
(87–89) recently began an interim ministry at Spencer Memorial
Christian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. Edgar, who is a Licensed
Clinical Pastoral Counselor and Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is
also working for the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center as an
outreach social worker. Edgar and his wife, Joyce, live in
Winston-Salem.
MARK WILT
(MDiv 01) recently accepted the position of Senior Minister with
Jonesboro Christian Church in Jonesboro, Ark., where he and his
family now reside. n
Book
Review:
What
Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It: What
Archaeology Can Tell Us about the Reality of Ancient Israel
By William
G. Dever
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001
Reviewed by
Dr. Chris A. Rollston
Assistant Professor of Hebrew
Bible/Old Testament
William Dever
is one of the premiere archaeologists of ancient Syria-Palestine
(i.e., the biblical world). He was trained in "biblical
archaeology" at Harvard University under G. Ernest Wright (and
Wright was trained in archaeology at Johns Hopkins University under
W. F. Albright), after doing an undergraduate degree at Milligan
College, and a master’s degree at Christian Theological Seminary.
During Dever’s long and distinguished career, he has directed
archaeological excavations at, among other sites, Gezer and Shechem
(both of which are famous biblical cities). For several years, he
was the director of the Albright Institute of Archaeological
Research in Jerusalem. For the past twenty-five years, he has taught
archaeology, primarily at American universities.
Throughout his
career as an archaeologist, Dever has promoted the integration of
traditional methods of archaeology, the hard sciences (especially
fields such as paleo-botany and paleo-zoology), and anthropological
methods and models. However, he has also been a strong proponent of
the importance of textual resources as well (e.g., the Old
Testament, and ancient inscriptions in languages such as Hebrew,
Aramaic, Akkadian, and Phoenician). Dever’s volume reviewed here
is a scintillating work, replete with cogent analyses of the
archaeological and textual remains, discussions of the importance of
these data for the purposes of understanding the biblical world, and
passionate polemic against those whom he terms the
"nihilists." Significantly, Dever argues throughout much
of this volume that much of the historical material in the Old
Testament corresponds well with the archaeological and
extra-biblical textual data. That is, he suggests that the Old
Testament should be understood as religious literature
("theology") anchored securely in history. This
volume is a classical statement by a superb archaeologist,
historian, and biblical scholar, and readers will benefit from the
careful scholarship it contains. n
DMin
Quote of the Month
By Tim
Campbell
MDiv ’92
"The DMin
program at Emmanuel has been an enjoyable experience. The classes
are structured with a great deal of sharing between the instructor
and students, which lends itself to a very enriching learning
experience. The camaraderie between classmates and professors lifts
me up and keeps me energized to minister effectively. The reading
and assignments are always timely and practical and fit in smoothly
with my ministry schedule. Plus all these benefits don’t stop with
the completion of the program. Emmanuel now offers a reduced tuition
rate to graduates who want to continue to keep their ministerial
skill sharp after receiving their DMin degree. And that’s
something I will take advantage of."
For
information about Emmanuel’s Doctor of Ministry degree program
contact Melissa Noble at 1-800-933-3771. n
January
Intersession Courses Announced
The Church in
the City
January
7–11 • CMM/CD 7010
A
comprehensive overview of ministry in an urban setting, introducing
principles and strategies for planting the gospel in urban centers.
3 credit hours. Dr. Gordon Moyes, Senior Minister of Wesley
Mission, the largest urban church in the world.
Small Group
Leaders
January
14–18 • CME 7040
A
consideration of the small group movement, its place in Christian
education, and the leadership skills necessary to develop strong
small groups. Dr. Eleanor A. Daniel, Dean & Professor of
Christian Education
Gender &
Ethnicity in the Bible
January
22–February 1 • OT 7930/NT 7910
This course
will examine gender and ethnicity in the Old Testament, the Ancient
Near East, Late Second Temple Judaism, and the New Testament. Dr.
Chris Rollston, Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible & Old
Testament
The Apostles’
Creed
January
22–February 1 • CH 7930
This course
will focus on perhaps the most ecumenically important and
influential of the enduring Christian creeds, which will be examined
theologically, historically, and pastorally. Dr. Paul Blowers, Professor
of Church History
More
information about Intersession can be found here.
n
Faculty
News
ELEANOR A.
DANIEL will
attend the TCM Board Meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., on November
10-13. Dr. Daniel recently had an article published in the October
28 issue of Christian Standard titled, "A Tribute to
Leah Moshier."
JACK B.
HOLLAND spoke
about "The Difference the Love of God Makes in Your
Marriage" at Harrison Christian Church on October 12. Dr.
Holland attended the National Association of Christian Social
Workers October 18–21. He presented a paper at that conference
titled, "Schools, Families, and Communities in Texas: Progress
and Potential for Partnership." He spoke in chapel at Milligan
College on November 6 and will speak at Locust Street Church of
Christ in Johnson City on November 18. Dr. Holland volunteers as a
member of the Advisory Board for Christian Children’s Home of
Tennessee.
ROBERT F. HULL
Jr. attended
a conference October 22 in Los Angeles, Calif., titled "Faith
and Politics: A conversation about the role of religious leaders in
the public square," sponsored by the Skirball Institute on
American Values. He will preach November 25 at First Christian
Church, Big Stone Gap, Va.
THOMAS F.
JONES Jr. continues
to teach a Sunday School class at First Christian Church, Johnson
City, and consult with the South Carolina Evangelizing Association
as well as the Louisiana Evangelizing Association.
FREDERICK W.
NORRIS will
deliver the baccalaureate address at the winter graduation ceremony
for Milligan College on December 14.
ROLLIN A.
RAMSARAN is
teaching lessons on the Sermon on the Mount this quarter for the
Koinonia Class at Grandview Christian Church. Dr. Ramsaran will also
attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion and
Society of Biblical Literature in Denver, Co., on November 17–20.
CHRIS A.
ROLLSTON
preached at Carter Christian Church in Elizabethton, Tenn., on
October 21 and also taught a midweek lesson on "Biblical Puns
and Paronomasia." He attended the Association of Theological
Schools Seminar for Newly Appointed Faculty in Theological Education
October 26–28. Dr. Rollston also attended the annual meetings for
the American Schools of Oriental Research and the Society of
Biblical Literature during November. At the Society of Biblical
Literature meeting, he presented a paper on Ancient Hebrew
Inscriptions.
BRUCE E.
SHIELDS presided
at the Executive Committee Meeting of the European Evangelistic
Society November 1–3. Dr Shields will also attend the annual
meeting of the Academy of Homiletics in St. Louis on November 29–December
1. n
Development
& Recruitment on the Road
DAN LAWSON
to the National Missionary Convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma; to Texas
and Nevada in November and December.
JEFF McNABB spoke
at First Christian Church of Mountain City, Tennessee, for their
Revival October 8-10, and at the Revival for First Christian Church
in Pennington Gap, Virginia, October 15. In November, he will tour
South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
JERRY RUDBERG to
Lewiston and Grangeville, Idaho; Pomeroy, Dayton, and Seattle,
Washington; The Dalles, Hillsboro, Roseburg, and Beaverton, Oregon;
and Johnson City, Tennessee in October; to Beaverton, Roseburg,
Portland, and Turner, Oregon; and to Seattle, Vancouver, and
Mountlake Terrace, Washington.
C. ROBERT
WETZEL to
Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Pittsburgh, Penn., in October; in November to
Piney Flats, Tenn., and Columbus, Ind. n
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