August 2004
Back Issues

Contents

• Emmanuel announces two new projects in the Village
• Emmanuel partners with estate planning ministry
• Meditation: ‘Bob’ Abuse
• Book Review: Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age
• Clipnotes
• Faculty News
• Emmanuel on the Road
• DMin Quote of the Month

Emmanuel announces two new projects in the Village

Emmanuel School of Religion proudly announces two significant additions to the Emmanuel Village: the Garden Chapel of the Risen Lord and the Dana Gohn Prayer Garden. Both will be developed off Phyllis’s Green in the Village near the sculpture The Cross of the Risen Lord. The cross will serve as a gateway to both the Garden Chapel and the Prayer Garden.

The Garden Chapel of the Risen Lord

The Garden Chapel of the Risen Lord is a columbarium, a place of repose for cremated remains.

Designed by artist Randall Secrest of Arizona, who also designed The Cross of the Risen Lord, the Garden Chapel of the Risen Lord will provide a resting place for members of the Emmanuel School of Religion family - including alumni, donors, trustees, staff, students, and their families - who wish to be interred there. The first phase of construction of the Garden Chapel will provide 264 internment niches.

Enclosed with this issue of the Clipboard is a brochure describing the Garden Chapel in more detail. Friends of Emmanuel are encouraged to purchase a niche during pre-development as a means of moving the Garden Chapel project from planning to reality. Once 20 niches in the Garden Chapel have been purchased, construction will begin. We are hopeful this will begin in early fall.

The Dana Gohn Prayer Garden

A prayer garden is planned in the Emmanuel Village as a memorial to Dana Gohn, wife of recent graduate Chuck Gohn, who died due to complications following surgery for a brain tumor. The tumor was discovered during the Gohn family’s cross-country move from their home near Portland, Ore., to their new home in the Emmanuel Village. After Dana’s tragic death, Chuck and their children knew he had to follow through with the family’s plans to attend Emmanuel. Chuck graduated in May 2004.

After Chuck began his studies at Emmanuel, he proposed a special project in the Village that would serve as a memorial to Dana and encourage prayer, which was one of her favorite spiritual disciplines. The idea of a prayer garden emerged, and funding for the project in memory of Dana Gohn began to arrive.

The Dana Gohn Prayer Garden will be situated adjacent to The Cross of the Risen Lord and the Garden Chapel of the Risen Lord. The Prayer Garden will consist of six prayer locations connected by a pathway through a wooded area of the campus. Each location will emphasize a different theme for prayer and meditation.

Master of Divinity student Chris Ross, who has an undergraduate degree in forestry from Auburn University, will help oversee the design and planning of the Prayer Garden as part of his M.Div. thesis project.

The garden is already under development with underbrush being cleared and pathways laid out. Electricity and water lines will be installed to allow for illuminated pathways and fountains in the garden. Each prayer location will be landscaped so that plantings provide privacy even during the winter months.

Funds are still being raised to make this project a reality. Friends of Emmanuel or the Gohn family may choose to donate a prayer station as a tribute to a loved one.

Questions about these projects may be directed to President C. Robert Wetzel or to Dan Lawson in Emmanuel’s Development Office.

Emmanuel partners with estate planning ministry

We are pleased to announce that Emmanuel School of Religion has officially joined the efforts of Financial Planning Ministry (FPM) in southern California. The representatives of this organization, led by Michael Prior, will present and develop estate planning seminars across the nation on Emmanuel’s behalf. FPM is available to work with supporters, constituents, and all other parties interested in furthering the mission of Emmanuel.

Financial Planning Ministry works with several churches, colleges, and other para-church organizations. They not only provide estate planning seminars, but also will be available to do follow-up appointments with friends of Emmanuel who need assistance in developing and documenting their estate plans.

Representatives of FPM will be available to Emmanuel's supporters for phone, mail, or personal consultation through their office in Irvine, Calif., on an unlimited basis. You may contact FPM directly at (800) 871-4901.

Meditation:
‘Bob’ Abuse

I protest! My name has been getting a lot of abuse over the last few years. Bob is a great name. It’s short and easy for little kids to say. It’s a palindrome, which means it can be spelled the same backwards and forwards.

This brings me to my official protest. Toy companies have given us “Bob the Builder.” Veggie Tales sport “Bob the Tomato.” And who can escape from “Sponge Bob Square Pants?”

It has gotten out of hand. The Navy has a new vessel called “B.O.B.,” which stands for “Buried Observation Boat.” I thought getting a Doctor of Ministry degree would help my cause. No such luck. There is a website called “Psycho Pharmacology Tips by Dr. Bob.” We also have “Dr. Bob’s Interesting Science Awards.” It’s a good time to log off and go back to spider solitaire.

As much as my name gets abused, our Lord has a far worse time. You don’t hear someone yell “Oh Bob!” when something goes wrong, or “Oh my Bob!” when someone is surprised.

The Scriptures are silent about taking the name of Bob in vain. But the Third Commandment tells us plainly, “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name (Exodus 20:3, NIV). We are not to take God’s name in vain, or use it in a common way.

We all know that we don’t start our prayers with “Dear Bob,” or, “Our Bob who art in Molalla.” There is only one name that will answer our prayers, do miracles, or provide us with eternal life. It is the name that is above all other names. The name of Jesus (Philippians 2:10).

Excuse me now while I go back online and check on “Bob, the Angry Flower.”

Book Review:
Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age

Church planting’s time has come. For the last twenty to thirty years, denominations and religious groups have been growing in awareness, knowledge, and conviction in regard to the restoring the New Testament principle of new church development. The church’s best emerging leaders are being attracted to church planting. This group includes Bible college and seminary graduates, campus ministry converts, change of career baby boomers, and experienced pastors who want to give their final years of vocational ministry to the new church movement.

In light of the fast growing interest in new church work, Ed Stetzer’s book, Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age, is a welcome addition to the growing ranks of church planting literature. Dr. Stetzer is one of the Southern Baptists’ new church gurus. He is both experienced and well educated.

One of my criticisms of many church planting books is that the writers focus too much on method, usually one model, and not enough on mission and contextualization. Ed Stetzer provides a theological, biblically based book that also seeks to understand the emerging culture and methods that seem to be working.

Stetzer organizes his work in six major sections. Part 1 is the Basics of Church Planting. He correctly sets the foundation by emphasizing mission and the biblical basis for church planting. I particularly appreciated his assertion that North America planters must have a missional mindset when starting new churches.

Part 2 is the Basics of New Church Life. The author lists several ways to start churches: teams, individuals, laypeople, agencies and denominations, and churches. He also writes about the make-up of the successful planter.

Part 3 is entitled Understanding Cultures and Models. This is the best section of the book. It deals with detailed descriptions of generations in America with particular emphasis on the emerging generations and models to reach them.

Part 4 is Church Planting Nuts and Bolts. This section details the choice of a focus group, evangelism, developing a launch team, small groups, finances, and choosing a name. This section is probably the weakest in some areas. It is limited in scope and the planter will need to rely on other sources to understand more of the basics necessary in new church work.

Part 5 is Starting Off Right and really is similar to Part 4. Part 6 is Making it Official. Stetzer rightly emphasizes the need for church planting movements instead of simply thinking about solitary plants here and there.

All and all Ed Stetzer’s book is well worth a church leader’s investment in both the cost to purchase the work and the time to read it.

You may purchase a copy of this book in the Emmanuel Bookstore. Contact 423-461-1545 or email bookstore@esr.edu.

Clipnotes

GEORGIA HENNEY (MAR ’78) became licensed as a Funeral Director in the state of Washington in February 2004. She is employed by Steward & Williams Tribute Center where she serves as a celebrant for family services of remembrance. She and her husband, CHUCK HENNEY (MDiv ’78), are in their 14th year of ministry with First Christian Church in Ellensburg, Wash.

DAVID LADUKE (MDiv ’92) accepted a management position with Borders Books and Music at a new location in Mason, Ohio, which opened July 17. He and his wife, Sue, and children Meredith and Andrew reside in Lebanon, Ohio.

KIP (MAR ’98) and KATY LINES (MAR ’98), missionaries with CMF, completed their year-long furlough in the United States in July and have returned to their work in Turkana, Kenya. Kip and Katy have ministered to the people of Loupwala for the past three years and will be relocating to another village soon so as to increase their ability to work with church leaders in a larger area of Turkana.

KEN MARSH (MDiv ’78) led a short-term mission team to Cap-Haitien, Haiti, April 16-30. This was the first team in Cap-Haitien after their civil war. He also hosted the first Marsh National Family Reunion in Boston, Mass., June 17-19. Ken serves as minister of the First Christian Church in Brook, Ind., and was recently selected Citizen of the Year for the town of Brook.

TRACY MARX (MDiv ’01) and his wife, Angela, began their fourth year of ministry with the Loyal (Ky.) Church of Christ in April.

JIM MUSSER (MDiv ’83) relocated from Lawrence, Kan., to Boone, N.C., in August. He accepted the invitation of Campus Christian Fellowship at Appalachian State University to direct their Campus Ministry.

ALICIA NORTHCUTT (’03-’04) has relocated to Alabama to serve as a youth counselor for a wilderness program. She will work with juvenile girls who have been ordered there by the State.

GORDON PIPPIN (MDiv ’81) and his wife, Carla, began their eighth year of ministry with the Central Christian Church in Battle Creek, Mich., on August 1.

J. MICHAEL SHANNON (1976) wrote articles in the Leader’s Toolbox section of Christian Standard: “Male Call” in the July 11 issue, and “Surf Cities” in the July 18 issue. Mike serves as Dean of Cincinnati (Ohio) Bible Seminary and resides in Union, Ky., with his wife, Rosemary.

WADE WILSON (MDiv ’99) and his wife, Laura, welcomed a new daughter, Karilla Lorna, born on July 31. Karilla joins her siblings Tihetena (4), Dessalyn (3), and Kalayla (2). Wade serves as senior minister at Westwood Christian Church in Madison, Wis., where he and the family reside.

JAMES C. VAN WINKLE (MAR ’94) completed a six month interim ministry with Franklin (Ohio) Christian Church at the end of June. He and his wife, Cindi, reside in Middleton, Ohio.

Faculty News

	ELEANOR A. DANIEL taught a class on small group ministry in the Czech Republic July 5-9 and continues her work with TCM International in Austria.
	THOMAS F. JONES JR. will attend a church planters couples retreat for Southeast Stadia in Nashville, Tenn., August 2-3; will host a Church Planting Assessment Center at Emmanuel School of Religion August 16-19; will attend a management team meeting for Watermarke Christian Church in Canton, Ga., August 20-21; and will attend the launch of Live Oak Christian Church in Bluffton, S.C., September 11-12. Dr. Jones wrote a Reflections article, “Creating a Church Planting Team,” in the July 18 issue of Christian Standard and has been a regular contributor to the Reflections section of Christian Standard during 2004. Dr. Jones was elected as an elder at First Christian Church in Johnson City, Tenn., to begin September 1.
	ROLLIN A. RAMSARAN will attend the concluding sessions of the Middle East Travel Seminar in Atlanta, Ga., September 11-12.
	CHRISTOPHER A. ROLLSTON published a long review of Shlomo: Studies in Honor of Shlomo Moussaieff in the Society of Biblical Literature’s Review of Biblical Literature. He also published a review of the most recent volume of the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament in the journal Catholic Biblical Quarterly. He has been asked to serve as the guest editor for a forthcoming special issue of the American archaeological journal Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. This special issue will be devoted to articles on epigraphy (inscriptions). He is also in the midst of preparing for the epigraphy session of the annual meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research, which he will chair in November. In addition, Dr. Rollston continues to serve as the editor of the scholarly journal Maarav and on the editorial board of Stone-Campbell Journal. Recently, Dr. Rollston began an interim ministry at Airport Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Blountville, Tenn. During September, he will give a series of special Wednesday lectures at the church focusing on the Bible and archaeology. Lectures will begin at 7:00 p.m. and are open to the public.
	BRUCE E. SHIELDS preached for both morning services at Victor Valley Christian Church in Hesperia, Calif., on July 11. He attended the World Convention of Christian Churches/ Churches of Christ in Brighton, England, July 27-August 1, where he met with personnel and directors of the European Evangelistic Society. Dr. Shields will attend the 60th anniversary of the Parkway Church of Christ in Allentown, Pa., on September 26, where he ministered from 1964-1972. Dr. Shields continues to serve as an on-call volunteer chaplain once a month at the Johnson City (Tenn.) Medical Center.
	C. ROBERT WETZEL wrote an article on transition titled “Take Courage Show Humility” in the July 11 issue of Christian Standard.

Emmanuel on the Road