SWBTS Class of 2014

It's official.  I start at SWBTS on May 14th. I'm taking an i-course which is a one week class that takes a month to complete.  It's an elective called Ministry to Older Adults. So far, I am enjoying the reading and I'm looking forward to the class.

When this class is completed I will be over half way finished with the degree. Yes, half.

I was accepted into the Advanced Track degree program which reduced the total hours from 64 to 55.  Credit for what I have already done which is nice.  Then they accepted 23 hours from my degree at DBU.  That part surprised me and makes me believe this was the right thing to do for the Lord to make my path so clear.  So, after this class I only have 29 hours to complete.

Many of the hours required will be in theology.  This Fall is going to be a tough semester for me, but it's what I need to do.  Once I have this Advanced Master of Arts in Christian Education degree I will have met the requirements to apply for the DMin program at DTS.  I have a couple of faculty members at DTS supporting my decision to apply so I think it should go well once I have done my part to prepare.

Pray with me for endurance and wisdom.  It's going to be a hard two years!

Stay at Home

"Recently I read Kristina LaCelle-Peterson's book, Liberating Tradition. She said some thought-provoking things about how history has impacted our view of womanhood (and manhood).

In chapter five, Peterson gives us a short history of the "Traditional Marriage." As you read the following quote, consider how the Industrial Revolution has attributed to our Christian view of womanhood. For example, is it possible our interpretation of "man as the provider" and "woman as the homemaker" is tied to a historical event rather than our Bible?

Before the Industrial Revolution in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, there was no “traditional family,” if by that term we mean the husband going off to work while the wife stayed home. There was no place for the man to go off to, in fact, since before the Industrial Revolution 90 percent of the population in this country lived on farms. In the agrarian model, everyone worked and everyone’s labor was integral to the family economy. The man might sell or trade his corn at the market, but the women might sell or trade her butter, churned from the milk that she labored to retrieve from the family cows. The man might spend the winter fixing farm utensils and the woman might spend hers making cloth and sewing the clothes that the growing children needed to keep warm as they walked to school, but they would be gathered at the same fire as they did their respective tasks. No one was said to “work” while the other “stayed at home.” They both “worked” and “stayed at home.”

…With the development of factories and a market economy in the early nineteenth century, however, production began to move outside the home to a significant degree. First, textile mills and food factories began to replace work that had been the responsibility of women in the home, and soon factories expanded throughout the economy. Not only did this change the location where various products were made, but it also changed the basis on which the economy functioned. Now people were paid in cash for the work that they did away from the home, rather than for the materials or foods produced at home.

When that happened, people’s assumptions about marriage and family, and even masculinity and femininity, changed dramatically. Masculinity became linked to earning money and providing for one’s family financially; in fact, ideally he would earn enough money to have a wife who stayed home rather than having to go to work in a factory or take in laundry. Having a wife “at home” was a significant marker of having achieved middle-class status, since in the lower classes both men and women have always had to work." By Jackie Roese

Don't Ask Don't Tell

We heard a great sermon last night. It's D-Now weekend and I went to the Addison Road concert and then stayed for the teaching. Powerful. They spoke about addiction and pornography - the things people do in secret. I thought to myself about what I might do in secret. I chuckled, because my secret sin is food. Not the glamorous failings of sex, drugs, and alcohol.

No, my sin is food. How bad could that be?!? Well, if you have been reading this blog you know how bad. I need to lose enough weight it could be a small person. THAT my friends is a secret sin gone wild!

Okay, I hear what your thinking. Why did I title this "don't ask don't tell." One of the things discussed last night was accountability. If you don't want people to ask how you are coping with an issue then don't tell them about it. However, if you are serious about changing your life then get some accountability built into it! I recently posted my pre-diet and current picture on facebook with comments about my diet. I received a lot support and positive comments, but I was also building accountability! People now knew I was serious about losing weight.

Then today it happened... A group went to Sams Pizza for lunch. They make the best pizza there but I knew it was not on my plan for today's meals! I ordered a grilled chicken salad. When I went to get a fork some friends from the church were there. Friends that read my posts on facebook. Ken looks at me and asks "What did you order?" I rolled my eyes and said "Chicken salad" His wife, Debbie, laughed and said "Me too, but it's not what I wanted!" We all laughed and enjoyed the moment. Accountability.

My good decision was reinforced with my friends support and laughter. I am more apt to make a good decision next time too in case someone else asks me what I did.

This principle is true in every aspect of our lives. Whatever you are struggling with I encourage you to find a friend you trust to talk about what you are doing in secret. Someone to walk with you as you make the hard decisions. I am blessed to have people that care about me. If you need someone to help you please let me know.

40 Days

I've been feeling for a while that change is in the air. I'm not really sure what the change is but I believe the women's ministry is about to take another turn in the road. The Lord usually prepares me before He stirs it up so that's why I think He is up to something again.

I've decided to take some time away to really focus on my relationship with God. Sometimes I find life is distracting to me - I lose focus on what is really important. I've decided to take 40 days. June 25 - August 3 ... stay tuned

Discipleship

We had a meeting at church tonight to discuss worship and discipleship. I think we got really off track. And asking people to name the ministry they think is doing best!?!? What was that? If you had asked my table they would have said Women's Ministry ... people listed the ministry they support. I don't see how that was helpful and it was certainly hurtful. We should have focused on what makes disciples; how the Holy Spirit moves and engages in that process.

Biblical discipleship is a model of how Christians could and should live their lives in reflection to Jesus' example and His mission. It involves not only a personal faith with God, but sharing that faith with other people, and building up more disciples.

A Scriptural reference to biblical discipleship is found in Colossians 1:6-10: "…All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God."

If you study the last verse in this passage, you will find that Paul is encouraging people to walk worthy of the Lord, please Him in all respects, bear fruit in every good work, and increase in their knowledge of God. This is the heart of biblical discipleship. As Christians, we need to know who God is and be firmly established in His word. God challenges us to live lives that are pleasing to God as detailed in Romans 12.

Another aspect of biblical discipleship is that we have to show others who God is and what being a Christian is all about. Your faith cannot be kept to yourself.

A third aspect of biblical discipleship is stretching our knowledge and understanding of God, and again sharing that with others. Knowledge is not merely to be accumulated it should give us direction for living.

Examples of biblical discipleship abound in the Bible. Almost all of the disciples participated in this style of discipleship, and it is what caused the growth of the Christian faith following Jesus' departure. If you study the New Testament, you will find that all of the disciples lost their lives professing their faith, and trying to encourage and build up others. We need to understand God's will for us, gain spiritual wisdom and knowledge, please and honor God with our lives, bear good fruit, grow in the knowledge of God, be filled with God's strength and love, have great patience and endurance, and above all, give thanks.

By following the model of biblical discipleship, we should be concerned with evangelizing those who don't know God and help them fulfill God's purpose in their lives, we should be involved with discipling others encouraging their spiritual growth and development, and then equipping others, giving them the tools to make a difference in the lives of others. That is biblical discipleship, and it is a model that we should practice in our lives today.

On the Road Again

You may have noticed I haven't been talking about the diet as much. Well, it wasn't going very well. When I went to the BACE conference I pretty much ate what I wanted thinking I would dive back into the diet the next week. Unfortunately, I waded into the shallow end and had a hard time getting tings back in motion. I have been gaining and losing the same 3 to 5 pounds each week since then!

This week I went back to the basics. 5 meals a day, no more than 1200 calories total, 25 or less carbs! Stepped on the scale and .. drum roll .... down 7 pounds! Sadly, it's a net loss of only 2.2 but I'll take it. That's a total 27 pounds!

On Thursday I was talking with my office manager and we decided to set a new goal. We are each going to lose 25 pounds in 12 weeks! I know that's a big goal but it's really only 2 pounds a week. We are excited about the challenge!

Lot's of ministry happenings this week. Month of prayer, starting a Muslim outreach, women's events. I am so blessed to be a part of this church with a heart for the lost.

I am going outside now to grill some chicken for this weekend. Hope you have a great day too!

Today's Picture: Me on March 21! Long way to go but it's getting better every day!

It's been an emotional day, a good day, but emotional.

Enjoyed teaching my Bible Fellowship. We did a Bible drill game and had a good time. I'll miss teaching in that class, but will be glad to have that prep time free again. Also finished 2 other Bible studies this week. Was attending one on James and teaching one on godly living (Resolutions). Again, hate to see them end - glad to see them end!

Tonight we had round table discussions on worship and discipleship. Was interesting. Hard to tell what the guys are thinking, but they clearly already have some ideas on the direction they are going to move us. I have an anticipation about the future, especially with Kenneth Priest on board. The more I learn about him the more I think the staff as an unspoken agenda. Don't take that wrong - it might be a great agenda.

After the meeting tonight Melissa was talking with me and she thanked me for being an influence in her life. She said I probably didn't even know the impact I'd made on her life. I didn't. She said I was so strong and had such a good heart. It's funny what others see that I don't. It also reminds me that people are watching me all the time.

As I was headed out the door Sonja wanted to introduce me to her husband. Her hubby kept saying how much Sonja thought of me and that she spoke so highly of me. Seriously? I would have never met her if it wasn't for the Resolution study.

After all that I talked with Donnie about the future of local missions at Hillcrest. He said the discussion hasn't really been done yet but that Justin Smith will be over all missions and that he loves my concept for local outreach ... if I lead it or not. That's the second time he has phrased it that way. Hummmm.

The staff is clearly making a lot of plans for the future and I am not included in those discussions. Donnie did say they are putting together some groups to look at things and I should be included in those ... should be, is not will be, so we will see.

See the emotional roller coaster? Praising God to hear women's lives are being changed through the efforts of the women's ministry and the power of the Holy Spirit. Wondering what the future holds for my ministry through Hillcrest.

Interesting times we live in!

Today's Picture: A reflection of my hearts desire - to reach our local area for Christ.

For Such a Time as This

For such a time as this ...

I was talking with Angela Hudler tonight about some things that are starting at the church and what my role will be in them. She said "Sounds like you need to retire." I said I wasn't ready to give up. She said, "No, it's time for you to retire from audiology. You need to be here full time."

I've had that thought myself many times. Full time Christian service. When I talked to Jan Danhert about it 5 years ago he suggested I not quit my day job. He said ministry was to transient. Might be good advice, but it's hard to follow when your heart is being pulled other directions.

Seminary is still in the process as well. Was told today that the Advanced Track will reduce the degree by 9 hours making it a total of 55 hours. I still don't know how many hours will transfer. I'm praying for a miracle and for the full 22 hours possible to count. That would make it a 33 hour graduate degree and according to Amanda at SWBTS it will still cover everything I need to start the DMin at Dallas Seminary. Praying!

Amazing Resolutions Bible study tonight. We discussed the biblical perspective of caring for a husband and children. It will change one woman's marriage. She cried saying she needs to treat her husband very different - with more respect. Was worth the last 7 weeks just to get to tonight! This is why I do what I do ... the Bible is life changing through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Did an interview today for Southwest Now magazine. Not sure what she will print - was not like any interview I have ever done before! Comes out in May so watch for it!

It's been a good day.

Today's Picture: I am so thankful for the people in my life that love me for who I am - flaws and all!

Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

March 7, 2012


Office of the Dean of the School of Theology
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Fort Worth, Texas

RE: Reference letter for Barbara J. Parker


This letter is sent to you as a recommendation for Barbara Parker, graduate of Dallas Baptist University’s Master of Arts in Christian Education degree program.

I am the Director for the Master of Arts in Christian Education degree program at Dallas Baptist University. Barbara was a dedicated and committed student in the program with an excellent academic record. Barbara has a doctorate already, in her profession as an audiologist. She actually owns her own practice in this field. She is a wonderful Christian. Her strengths resonate in the areas of leadership in the local church, common sense, maturity, creativity, and practical application of classroom experiences and knowledge.

Barbara has a wonderful ministry of facilitating learning experiences for church leaders and church members, specifically related to women’s ministry. She definitely has the ability to train and encourage others to take the principles learned in the classroom and apply the methodology of the 21st Century to make an impact today.

If ever there were a student who will excel in academics at any level, especially doctoral seminary training, it is Barbara Parker. You will be amazed at her dedication, commitment and God-given abilities to lead and succeed in the classroom as well as in the church and community.

If I can provide any other information or be of assistance in anyway, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Sincerely,




Dr. Judy Morris, Associate Professor and Director
Master of Arts in Christian Education
Dallas Baptist University


HOW DO I LIVE UP TO THIS RECOMMENDATION?

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Heart of Hillcrest

Tonight Mike shared about the present and future of Hillcrest. I knew most of the demographics but was glad to hear them supported by research. I guess the only thing that surprised me was his comment about the 20-40 year old decline in our church.

Also heard for the first time they are looking at an interim Christian Ed guy from the SBTC. Could be good, could not be. Change is always hard. Guess it's good they don't pay much attention to the women so maybe no matter what this guy'(of course it's a guy) says maybe we will not be greatly impacted. They are also looking at a Hispanic minister.

Looking forward to teaching our Bible Fellowship in 2 weeks. The Daughters of the King luncheon is going well. The new running ministry has been well received. Might actually see Hillcrest move on the Muslim ministry. We are doing a one month prayer for Africa .. all good.

Amazing grace.

Today's Picture: Logo for Darkness to Light Prayer