Give Thanks Day 27

Today, I would like to express my gratitude for seminary training in ministry.  I am heading towards the final stretch of this 7-year journey that I call seminary.  I have enjoyed most of my time at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

As I look back over the past 7 years, I am so glad that I have taken this journey.  I can remember that spring day in 2001, when I was eating lunch in my college's student union building.  I was minding my own business when a man stopped and asked if he could join me for lunch.  As I looked up, it was Dr. Chuck Kelley - president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary - who was at our college speaking at a campus revival.  I asked him a very serious question over lunch: "Do I really have to go to seminary?"  He smiled and answered, "NO. If God isn't leading you, then you shouldn't."  I'll never forget that day.  There was urging from our college's Bible professors for all of us "preacher boys" to go on to seminary.  I was tired of school.

After a six year layout, I felt God prodding my heart to go to seminary.  God tends to know just the right time for everything.  I began my journey at NOBTS in January of 2007.  The skills, knowledge, and friends that I have gained from this experience I wouldn't trade for anything.  They have made me the pastor and person I am today.

So, to you NOBTS, I say thank you (and hopefully this coming May - see ya!).

Read More

Things Beneath Us

I can see the finish line.  Three more classes and I will finally have my MDiv from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.  I have been working on this degree since January of 2007.  It has been a long journey, but a fruitful one.  I said that there were three more classes, but the truth is there is actually one more.

Apparently, my English Composition grades from my undergrad are not what they need to be.  I was informed by NOBTS that they would not allow me to graduate until I take an English Comp class to boost my grade up to a 2.0.

You see, when I entered college in the fall of 1997, one of my first classes was English Composition I.  I had a sweet lady for a professor.  There was just one issue that I had with her teaching.  She wanted us to keep a journal throughout the semester.  I thought to myself, "I thought I was in college, not junior high."  So I decided to not do a journal.

My decision landed me with a "D" for the semester.  Who would've thought that one little assignment would have held so much weight?  Apparently, this one did.  Now I have to retake English Composition I from a community college in order to receive my Masters degree.

It is amazing that the things that seem "beneath" you are some of the most important things.  It is easy to think that we are above doing certain things.  We sometimes think, "I've already been there and done that."  Life then shows us that though we've "done that" already, it might be something that we need to continue to do.

What "things" are there in your life that seem beneath you that you need to be focusing on and continuing?

New Orleans Baptist Theological SeminaryWikipedia: The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary ("NOBTS") is a private, non-profit institution of higher learning affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, located in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. →

Read More

Unexpected Blessing

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 HCSB)

It was a couple of months ago when I got an email from NOBTS, where I am working on my Masters of Divinity degree. It had said that they had received my application for financial aid for Spring 2013. I thought this was interesting because I had not put in an application. I asked my wife if somehow she had gone behind my back (in a good way) and done this. No.

The reason that I had not applied was that I knew that I would not be enrolled at full-time status which is a requirement for most aid. I just left it to a glitch in the system. I wasn't looking forward to getting some aid but having to return it because I was not full-time.

Here we are in December. The current semester is closing down. Looking ahead to the next semester, we wonder how much we will be able to do to complete this degree - the finish line is in sight!

All of the sudden, I get an email from NOBTS that says "Congratulations!" It was a $400 grant for next semester. As I said earlier, I wasn't looking forward to going to the Financial Aid office and telling them I don't qualify. Then I saw this in the email...

Enrollment can be full- or part-time (on-campus, extension center, or internet courses).

Then it hit me. I do qualify for this one... and I can use it! Praise the Lord! This will be great. I am looking to do a workshop in January that will complete my on-campus requirements. That means if the funds come in for that workshop ($1110), I will be able to finish my degree online and no longer have to commute to New Orleans. (Too bad this grant can't be used for the workshop.) This grant/scholarship will just about cover an online class for the spring to get me one step closer to the end.

God never ceases to amaze me. When I thought there was no way to qualify, apparently He made a way for even me in my situation to qualify. He has a special way of reminding you that He is Emmanuel - "God with us."

As we are praying for God to provide for this workshop in January, I would ask that you pray for us. If God lays it on your heart to help meet this goal, please contact me and I can show you how to do so.

Read More

False Witness

I am taking a Biblical Ethics class at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary this semester.  We are in the middle of a discussion on the 10 Commandments.  I was a part of a group that dealt with what is commonly known as the 9th Commandment: "Do not give false testimony against your neighbor" (Deuteronomy 5:20 HCSB).

This has commonly been brought across as the commandment that says: "Don't lie."  While the thought is definitely there, the original context was dealing with how one speaks about another person especially in the context of legal matters.  The issue of telling the truth can be found at the heart of this commandment.  For Christians, truth-telling is important because we are those that are followers of the Truth.

In preparing for class discussion on this commandment, I read Doing Right: Practicing Ethical Principles by David Gill.  When Gill addressed this commandment, he grouped some modern-day areas together that seem to break this commandment. These areas are advertising, politics and evangelism. While advertising and politics are easy to see where people "stretch the truth" if not outright lie about things, the area of evangelism took me by surprise.

How do we as Christians do evangelism?  Do we "stretch the truth"?  Do we share the whole story?  Are we as willing to tell people about the cost of coming to Christ (Luke 14:25-27) or just the "good parts" (forgiveness of sin, heaven, etc)?

Something to think about... What's your thoughts?

Read More

Southern Baptist Convention Day 2

Monday was the final day of the SBC's Pastors Conference. I came down to NOLA knowing that this (the Pastors Conference) would probably be my favorite part of the whole meeting time. How many times does one get to hear preaching from some of God's most gifted servants at one place?

I love conferences like this. There is just so much. It is true that many times you feel that you are trying to drink from a fire hydrant, but it is still good. There are all the booths in the exhibition hall where you have people trying to show you what they have to offer. The best part about these is that most of these booths have freebies.

You also have those people that you run into and haven't seen in forever. I believe that I ran into half of my graduating class from college today. It was good catching up with some. I had the privilege of talking with a seminary professor from NOBTS and letting him know that the prayers we prayed together about God opening a place for me to serve as pastor were answered. He returned that favor by introducing me to a couple of pastors who have been at it for a while. These great guys gave me some "words of advice" and prayed for me,

And what would the Pastors Conference be without the preaching? Today there were sermons from people like Johnny Hunt, David Jeremiah, Dennis Swanberg, David Platt, Jack Graham, James Macdonald, and Fred Luter, Jr. To say that my cup is overflowing is an understatement. It will take some time to go through what each of these men shared from the Word and let it get in deep to my heart. I will wait for future posts to flesh my thoughts on some of these messages out more.

One thing that I was grateful for was the way that some of the issues that may have divided some were handled by this conference. Yes, I am talking about the Calvinism debate that seemed to pop up right before the Convention in SBC circles. I believe that men on both sides of the aisle proved that we can be on either side and still be about taking the Gospel to the nations.

Read More

Remembering Dreams

This past Monday, I was at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for my classes.  In between my two classes that day, I ran into an old friend.  She was at the seminary with her mother working on her doctoral work.  We had gone to undergrad together at Blue Mountain College back in the day.  After our run-in and short catching up, I began to dwell on our days at BMC.

We were a part of something great.  It was known as "Disciple's Cross".  It was the first praise band that Blue Mountain College had as a ministry.  We worked out of our campus ministries program.  It was a great time.  I spent two years with this praise band.  The first year, I played bass guitar.  My last year, I played "lead" guitar (really nothing more than distortion).  I thought about the long practices of trying to bring all the members together on the same page in that old abandoned roller skating rink on campus that is now the "Johnnie Armstrong Gal-ry".  I thought about the weeks spent in prayer with the band mates over what the name of  the group should be.

This trip down memory lane was good because for a long time during my teenage years, I had a dream of being in a Christian band one day.  I dreamed about touring the country, taking the Gospel to people of all ages and enjoying some fun along the way.  I have always enjoyed music.  Being a part of that praise band in college for two years and going all over Mississippi and Memphis, TN was a dream come true.

I am so grateful that God allowed me to see one of my dreams come true.  It was good times and a lot of fun for the most part.  But one thing I realized was that though it was fun and God allowed me to partake in it, being part of a band was not what I was created for.  God has shown me that I was to preach and teach His Word to people.

I've learned that sometimes God will allow us to experience our dreams to show us that even our dreams are so far beneath what could be.  Just think about this...

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the LORD’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.   (Isaiah 55:8-9 HCSB)

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or  think according to the power that works in us— to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.  (Ephesians 3:20-21 HCSB)

We too many times settle for the small dreams that we can come up with on our own.  God has a plan for our lives that is so much more than we could ever imagine.  We can experience that "God-sized dream" when we truly trust Jesus Christ and allow Him to lead our paths.

Who are you letting determine the size of your dreams?  

Read More

Reflections of the Week

This week I have been in New Orleans at NOBTS for a workshop on church leadership and administration. It has been a great class that I think every minister in a church situation (Senior Pastor, Youth Pastor, Children's Pastor, etc) should take a course or workshop on this subject. I went into the workshop looking froward to the leadership part of it, but the administration part was not a thrill to me. I have never been an admin giant. After this workshop, I am still not an admin giant, but I definitely see the need for it clearly.

Another thing this week was watching some of the BCS National Championship with a local fellowship. I was very grateful for Memorial Baptist Church in Metairie, LA for being a gracious host to this Alabama fan. I was the lone Bama fan in the building, but the fellowship was sweet.

While the week was a good one... I'm glad to have these credits and class out if the way... the times fast approaching that I will be pointing the headlights towards the house where my bride and boys are waiting.

Read More

Contributions

As many of you know, our family has recently moved to Mississippi for me to be able to commute to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and finish my MDiv degree. This has been such a great faith journey so far. God is stretching and molding us for His Kingdom work.

Some of you have informed us that you would like to help us financially during this process. The financial help of our brothers and sisters in Christ has proven very helpful and needed. If you would like to help our family during this time financially, you can send gifts to this address:

Anthony Stephens
1120 Upton Road
Crystal Springs, MS 39059

I want to say a big thank you to those who have already helped make this step for our family possible. We look forward to the great plans Christ has for us. We will be putting out updates about our journey along the way.

Read More

School's Out

Today, I finished up yet another semester of NOBTS.  To be honest, I really hated to see this one end.  I was taking systematic theology and having way to much fun with it.  I am very grateful to our professor who made something that could easily have been very boring not that at all.  I truly enjoyed going to class every Monday and seeing what the Bible (not just tradition - church's, denomination's, or other) had to say about the doctrines that we as Christians hold so dear.  I look forward to the break from required reading and papers.  Now it is time to gear up for what looks to be a very interesting summer with the students of First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama.

Read More