Van Minutes

Hello and Happy 2011 friends and supporters,

Jesus before all. That’s how I started my semester, listening to a podcast sermon (iTunes, Mars Hill Church: Mark Driscoll Audio 8/22/10) on one of the most key passages in Luke (9:51 and following). This is where Jesus began his long journey to Jerusalem. He ‘set his face’ toward it. He knew he was going to die, and he knew why.

On his way (a number of weeks, with a sizable group) Jesus challenges a series of people who would follow him not to put him second in their life. They would follow him, but after racial/ethnic ties (the Samaritans in 52-5) after comfort/security issues were solved (57-8), or after family ties (59-61) The man who said ‘let me bury my father’ most likely still had a living father, or else he would be hosting the week long funeral ceremonies at the time and not talking to Jesus. He most likely wanted to follow Jesus in a few months or years, when his Jewish parents, who conceivably would disagree with his new religious direction, were gone. “I would follow Jesus, but just after…” just isn’t good enough.

This is an insidious attitude that can get to all of us, especially seminary students. We can in varying degrees let the work of seminary trump the reason for seminary. I bought into some of that. If statistics are any indication, then various people reading this have put their best work (or something less noble) before the Jesus they’re supposedly living life for. “Jesus, just let me get this assignment done, that project, that business deal for my family, then I’ll really get serious.” A subtle move from completing work as a genuine expression of following him. One invigorates, the other evaporates you. Like Peter looking away from Jesus and sinking, even though he was the rock of the church. The best of us can use a regular re-focusing.

This may sound like the random musings of an idiot but bear with me, it’s the rationale for why we Christians act like Christ-ians, why we came to Dallas, and a great reason for an update to our supporters.

My five classes – Hebrew, Preaching II, Soteriology (how one is saved), Education Process, and Gospels – my internship, and Karin’s growth opportunities with women’s ministry and volunteering and church position for grad requirements are all before us and I am even excited about Hebrew class! But they’re not really why we’ve come here. Or future security, or job opportunities, or family standing, or ethnic respect/identity. We could lose all those arguably good things following him. (Many new Christians do lose all these things.) We’re here in a concerted effort to set our faces toward Jesus as he set his face toward Jerusalem, the cross, and new life. I am attending seminary to see God use me to teach and preach to others such that the way forward may be made plain to them. I hope (and am training and seeking opportunities) to give those who have never heard such things a chance to hear them, just like Jesus to the Palestinian Jews and Romans of his day. Jesus never said the way was wide and easy with a steady paycheck (he was a tradesman turned homeless guy – Lk 9:58) He said it was narrow and to, “take up [your] cross daily” (Lk 9:23). Swindoll said it well in chapel on Tuesday, “let’s make no mistake, the cross is an instrument of death, not a cute decoration. To give you the correct impact, it’s kind of like saying take up your lethal injection and follow me.”

As paradoxical as it may seem on the surface, this sort of sacrificial living is the best of all possible worlds. Whenever I appropriate this truth in my life rightly, seminary (or anything else) becomes exciting all over again. I am really looking forward to all the spring has for us.

I strongly believe that whatever we had to give up because of Jesus pales in comparison to what we gain in him by keeping him first. “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” We can believe it. Wisdom is to live it. (A work in progress.) To pursue Jesus before all was what God convicted me to sharpen, so I made it my motto for Spring 2011. I believe and confess that “follow me” is our best life now, above all the world can offer.

We have a few prayer requests/thanks for you to consider:

-Our car had a few more starting issues. This is a praise because a confusing problem was finally (since Oct) solved and a request that the old girl stays running in general.

-Karin is in Canada working at the family business. I am sure you can imagine the pluses and minuses as we do: please pray that our situation has less minuses and more pluses: like being together again (Feb 2), a strong relationship and finances to continue to the completion of my studies in 2012

-please pray for Karin to have a smooth transition back and joyful time when she returns here in February. The seminary wives put up with a lot for the sake of this time of training. Pray that she will receive God’s blessing for her life and professional future also.

-my health seems pretty stable having worked with the doc to drop my puffer in half. This puffer was causing arrhythmia & strong heartbeat, nosebleeds, among other side effects I need to live without. I have not felt the arrhythmia and strong heartbeat anymore. This is very good long term. Pray for that long term stability

-clarity as I choose my master’s thesis topic

God bless in the new year,

the Van Minnens

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