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Spring Classes.
This semester I have two classes. One on the Gospel and Letters of John. The other class is on the Old Testament books of: Genesis-Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings. So I have enough to keep me busy and out of trouble.
After this semester I will not have classes as such. Instead I begin writing the "argument" of every book of the Bible. These are papers that outline the background issues of each book and then trace the thought of the author though the whole book. I'll take a full year to complete the arguments on all 66 books. Then I face Comprehensive Exams before starting on my dissertation.
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Great and Exciting News!
 Many Christians dream of visiting Israel. Certainly I have--especially since I have been teaching through the Gospel of Mark for the past year. Each week it seems I highlight another site in Galilee or Jerusalem that was important for Jesus and his disciples.
Dallas Seminary has a tour to Israel each year in May-June, and it includes 2 hours of PhD credit. My classmates were registering for this year's tour and kept encou-raging me, but I had been asked if I was available to teach in Singapore at that time. Plus I did not have the funds. However, on the last day of class before Christmas I thought I'd check it out.
I had missed the deadline for applying, but it turned out there was one space left. I had also missed the deadline for a scholarship, but was told there might be a possibility of a scholarship for perhaps half of the funds. That sounded promising, so I signed up "by faith" and emailed Singapore. It turns out they were all set for teachers and did not need me. I was elated to be going to Israel. All I needed to do was trust God for half (or perhaps all) of the funds.
Then last week I got an email from the Bible Exposition department at Dallas Seminary (a different department) stating that they had chosen me as the recipient for a FULL SCHOLARSHIP to go to Israel! Brigitte and I are in shock, and still can't quite believe what God has done. But I am already getting excited about the trip. The dates are May 12-June 2, and it will be an intense three weeks while I am there. I will update you with more details before, during and after the trip! Would you take a moment now to join us in praising God. |
