August 6, 2007

  • a new journey

    Last weekend, Sam and I spent most of our time finishing up our Bethel application.  Everything else had already been long ago submitted, but it was the personal statement that was the hardest part. 

    Here is a portion of what I finally submitted:

    Describe yourunderstanding of the task of ministry, previous ministry experiences, and yourown sense of call.
             About ayear after I became a Christian, as I was driving one of the youth home afterfellowship, I shared with her that I could see myself doing this (encouraging,exhorting and teaching other believers) for the rest of my life.  It was in expressing the words out loud thatthe already growing sense of calling began to be affirmed in me.  The following day as I thought about thiscalling, I began to realize that while I had ‘surrendered my life’ to Jesus, Ihad not given Him Lordship over everyarea of my life.  The question of myfuture career still belonged to me in my mind, and He was asking very simply ifI would give Him all of me, all of my life and plans to do as He would wish.  After much wrestling, I relinquished mypersonal ambitions for His eternal ones. Although I knew the road would not be without its trials, the Lord gaveme James 1:12 that day as His promise and encouragement to me for this journey.
                In subsequent years, the Lordtook me a step further by challenging me with Isaiah’s unforgettable,enthusiastic and voluntary surrender to be a messenger (Is 6:8).  Would I too be willing to go anywhere for God– even to the ends of the earth to bring His good news?  It was not an easy question for God to beasking a comfortable suburbanite like myself, but how do I say no to the LivingGod who called me from the ends of the earth?
                    After Igraduated college, I went on staff with the Navigators part-time and discipledcollege students.  Being involved inthose lives affirmed God’s teaching and shepherding gifts to me.  During that time, I took the Perspectives onthe World Christian Movement course, which further confirmed the urgency totake God’s Word to places where people have no chance of hearing the name ofJesus.
                    Soon after,I sensed God calling me to take actual steps in the direction of missions.  An opportunity arose to become a coordinatorof the summer missions program for a missions agency located in the bay area.  I took the position and was able tocoordinate, lead and participate in three trips to East Asia.
                    From allthese ministry experiences that God has brought me through, I have come tounderstand two essentials for the task of ministry.  The first one is reproducibility.  This principle is best explained in DawsonTrotman’s booklet “Born to Reproduce.”  ....  I am discipling futuredisciplers, not simply ‘disciples’.  Ratherthan teach someone solely how to be a disciple, I need to equip them also to bea disciple-maker.  This is the only waywe will reach the entire world for Christ. The second essential has to do with impact.  I need to be impacted by something in orderto impart it to others in a way that will impact them for life-change.  Only if they are impacted will they impart itto others.  In other words, I need to beimpacted by the power of the Gospel to change my life, to set me free from thebondage of sin, to help me in the daily challenges of ordinary living if I wantto impart this reality to the prisoners of darkness in a way that will impactthem.

    This weekend, we received our letters from Bethel.  Sam got one just like mine.

    "August 2, 2007

    Dear Mary Ann,
    It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been admitted into the Master of Divinity degree program at Bethel Seminary...."

    And so... a new journey begins!  :)

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