The Eads to Tanzania

Catching Up. . .

I am going to finally break the silence!

Things have been moving at break-neck speed these last two weeks, but beginning today, I would like to get caught up on what has been going on: first, West River Road Baptist Church.

We enjoyed our time in Brooklyn Park March 26-30 at West River Road Baptist Church for their Wednesday through Sunday missions conference. We can tell that this church is excited about global missions! They were a fun group to preach to and to fellowship with.

The theme of the conference was "Africa." Eve a Douglas, who is raising support to serve in Zambia, was at the conference with us. The kids loved her- she definitely has a God-given gift with children!
We enjoyed our time spent with Pastor Floyd Lunde and his wife Becky. Until this past summer when Pastor Lunde stepped in as the pastor of WRRBC, they were serving with Baptist-Mid Missions in Ivybridge, England as church-planting missionaries. A neat connection with the Lundes is that seven years ago (spring of 2001) Jana spent a month in England with them on a short-term missions trip.

Thanks West River Road for your warm reception.

The Verdict

The doctrinal examination was a success. I passed. I really enjoyed it actually. It was like getting to talk theology for two hours with some old friends. God was gracious, and I was able to satisfactorily answer the questions that I was asked. They provided me with some helpful feedback, and it served as a great dress-rehearsal for the ordination council that my church has called for my examination on April 12th. This is something else that I would ask you all to pray for.

I also wanted to remark that I have seen God answering the prayers for strength and stamina during this last month with all of its busyness. We have been blessed to watch God give us the health, the time, the energy, and the know-how to get done (most of) what we have needed to do. Praise the Lord!

Reading, Reading, Reading

My focus during this part of the seminary semester has been to try to finish all of my reading, and there has been a lot of reading. I really have not been able to keep up posting the books that I am currently reading. Here is a quick run-down, so that you get an idea of where my thoughts have been lately. This is what I have read this semester:

Handbook on the Poetry and Wisdom by Daniel Estes
Biblical Theology of the Old Testament edited by Roy Zuck and Darrell Bock

New Testament Theology by Frank Theilman
New Testament Theology by Leon Morris
New Testament Theology by I. Howard Marshall
Biblical Theology of the New Testament edited by Roy Zuck and Darrell Bock

One Size Does Not Fit All by Gary McIntosh
Purpose-Driven Church by Rick Warren
Axioms of Separation by John Ashbrook
My Father's World by Philip Graham Ryken
Leading and Feeding by Kenneth Gangel

Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson
Fire in the Pulpit by Robert Delnay
Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell
How to Prepare Bible Messages by James Braga

Right now, I am in the process of reading Baptist Heritage by Leon McBeth, Preaching and Preachers by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, A Theology of the New Testament by George Ladd, and The Younger Evangelicals by Robert Webber. Much of the reading has been very valuable, although not all of it is without objection. Some of this reading has been assigned simply to expose us to what the current thinking is. As I am able, I will try to post links to the reviews and summaries that I have written for class.