God is to be thanked and praised for answering prayer. It looks like He is allowing me to teach a graduate class this fall at Huntsville Bible College. I must say I am greatly excited and appreciative for this opportunity. It came about when my son Britton suggested I consider teaching there (Why he mentioned it I have no idea). So I sent an inquiring email the next day.
The next week I got a call from the Dean asking if I was responding to their advertisement, to which I said I wasn’t. After talking for awhile he asked me to send a resume… which I did. A couple of weeks later I was contacted about teaching in their Master’s division. The class they asked me to teach has to do with the minister’s ethics, morals, and practice in the local church setting. The actual title is: LD 611 Leadership Theory And Principles.
My goal is to encourage the 15-20 students I will have to build their ethic on sound Biblical principals for conduct in the church setting. God willing I will not use secular models or philosophies but rather offer to them what is found in Scripture about how to conduct themselves as a leader… regardless of what may happen to them or take place around them. I plan, as The Lord wills, to relate both the successes and failures I’ve experienced to encourage and help them in their ministry journey.
My request to God has been to have as wide an influence as He would allow in His Church for His glory. I initially thought it would happen by encouraging hurting and wounded ministers to continue in ministry. I thought if I could help those ministers, they would then encourage the congregation and thus the prayer would be answered. I never thought of getting ahead of the game with ministers… to prepare them for serving in a local setting with a theology that gets them ready for what they don’t know is coming when they serve in a local setting. If God allows, I believe this could be another way to build up His people… by strengthening and encouraging those who will one day serve as under Shepherds of His people.
Praise be to God.