Reporting From Southern Wesleyan
Ryan and I have had a great visit to Southern Wesleyan University. I ran into some old friends, and met several new ones!
The campus has a warm and friendly "family" atmosphere. Chapel, led by senior ministerial students, was inspiring.
We visited "Doctrine of Holiness" and "Honors New Testament" classes -- so are retuning to Hayward properly indoctrinated.
Southern offers several degrees that are not offered at Ryan's other options: Indiana Wesleyan or Bethel University. 75 degrees in March!
Saw Freedom's Hill, the first Wesleyan church in the south, which has been reconstructed on the campus. There's quite a story behind that little church and it's founding pastor, (my hero), Adam Crooks.
I have a foundation brick from that church in my study, which reminds me that I must be willing to lay my life down for the cause.
Today, we had some free time, so we went into the mountains, hiked a few miles, and saw some beautiful waterfalls. We also passed a few places in the "hollers" which kind of reminded me of the movie 'Deliverance." The Confederate Flags, "No Trespassing", and "Beware of Dog" signs served as ample warning.
Tomorrow, we are looking forward to the conference at Newspring Church. This thriving congregation, under the leadership of a young pastor, Perry Noble, has grown to 6000 people in just a couple of years. It's absolutely amazing. Maybe I'll learn a thing or two. Ryan is looking forward to attending a session on worship leading.
During our driving today, he talked a lot about what it would take to change the world. He doesn't want to settle into a hum-drum, "live for myself" existence. He really wants to make a difference somehow -- and is thinking beyond the envelope. That makes me a happy pappy!
TRANSFORMING THE WORLD, ONE HEART AT A TIME. Statement of a church (home of a former math professor and now fellow instructor of mine) that I often pass.
ReplyDeleteSomething we all need to strive to do regardless of our profession. How many of us would be willing to risk something precious (perhaps even our life) for our convictions?
Like father, like son.
ReplyDeleteYes, Linda
ReplyDeleteWe can change the world regardless of the kind of job we have! We do not have to be a minister.
When you said you were going to SWU, I knew you would get to see Freedom Hill. I was in South Caroline for FLAME in January and one of the classes took a field trip to see it. I so wanted to skip MY class and join them thanks to our North Carolina trip. That history is inspiring! Have a great rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteI guess you know that Perry Noble went to a Wesleyan Church when he was a child. One of his cousins is on our LBA.
ReplyDeleteI WONDERED where he learned to preach like THAT
ReplyDelete