Today I was supposed to preach my first sermon in my fieldwork church. Unfortunately, we had a huge ice storm that made all the roads in this area a big skating rink and church was called off.
I would say that I am mildly disappointed that I didn't get to preach. Today marks the 18th anniversary of my father's passing. It was kind of an honor that I would get this opportunity at this time. Oh well it just wasn't meant to be. Well I will have another chance to preach on the 25th of February in the year 2018.
I will have surpassed my father in age if I should live that long.
Anyways these are my thoughts today.
February 25, 2007
October 02, 2006
September 11, 2006
After a few days of orientation and a weekend of festivities concluding with the Opening Chapel service on Sunday, School has officially begun and I am no longer just a Greek student but a full fledged Seminarian.
For the record I am taking classes this quarter on New Testament Bible, Christian Dogmatics, Liturgics, Gospels and New Testament Greek readings as well as beginning my field work in a church near Fort Wayne.
Oh yeah on Saturday the 9th, I celebrated 45 years of life and on October 8th I will celebrate 45 years of regenerated life. God through his Son Jesus Christ has richly blessed me even though I don't deserve any blessing. Please keep all seminarians at CTS and CSL in your prayers. Satan will be doing his best to undermine our studies over the next 4 years.
God Bless
Scott Strohkirch
For the record I am taking classes this quarter on New Testament Bible, Christian Dogmatics, Liturgics, Gospels and New Testament Greek readings as well as beginning my field work in a church near Fort Wayne.
Oh yeah on Saturday the 9th, I celebrated 45 years of life and on October 8th I will celebrate 45 years of regenerated life. God through his Son Jesus Christ has richly blessed me even though I don't deserve any blessing. Please keep all seminarians at CTS and CSL in your prayers. Satan will be doing his best to undermine our studies over the next 4 years.
God Bless
Scott Strohkirch
September 06, 2006
Tragedy in Australia
Millions of Crocodile Hunter fans are mourning the death of Steve Irwin this week. Though I have never been a big fan of his show over the years I could not help but think of the passion that Steve Irwin felt for these animals. Most of the animals he worked with were dangerous carnivores who saw him as lunch but that did not deter Mr. Irwin from getting into the area in which they roamed. I think the reason it is hard for me is that Steve Irwin and I are the same age and when someone who is the same age dies it makes you face a little of your own mortality.
I mentioned that Steve Irwin displayed a passion for the animals and I am sure that he felt the same of the stingray that pierced his heart and took his life. Christ had passion for us his people and we did to Christ what the stingray did to Mr. Irwin. I don't know if Mr. Irwin was a Christian or not. I hope that he was and I pray that he knew and loved his savior Jesus Christ and that he is in heaven with him. I hope that after I meet my Lord in Heaven that Steve Irwin is also there and shouts out "crikey".
Mr. Irwin will be missed by all of us because his passion was contagious and his legacy will hopefully live on in those zooligists who saw what Steve Irwin brought to the job daily. His children and wife will miss him most of all because they were able to know him beyond his fame and fortune as the "Croc' Hunter". My heart goes to them most of all because the grieving for them will last a lifetime.
Most of all I hope that we can all show passion in the vocation to which we serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you Mr. Irwin and Thank you Jesus.
Millions of Crocodile Hunter fans are mourning the death of Steve Irwin this week. Though I have never been a big fan of his show over the years I could not help but think of the passion that Steve Irwin felt for these animals. Most of the animals he worked with were dangerous carnivores who saw him as lunch but that did not deter Mr. Irwin from getting into the area in which they roamed. I think the reason it is hard for me is that Steve Irwin and I are the same age and when someone who is the same age dies it makes you face a little of your own mortality.
I mentioned that Steve Irwin displayed a passion for the animals and I am sure that he felt the same of the stingray that pierced his heart and took his life. Christ had passion for us his people and we did to Christ what the stingray did to Mr. Irwin. I don't know if Mr. Irwin was a Christian or not. I hope that he was and I pray that he knew and loved his savior Jesus Christ and that he is in heaven with him. I hope that after I meet my Lord in Heaven that Steve Irwin is also there and shouts out "crikey".
Mr. Irwin will be missed by all of us because his passion was contagious and his legacy will hopefully live on in those zooligists who saw what Steve Irwin brought to the job daily. His children and wife will miss him most of all because they were able to know him beyond his fame and fortune as the "Croc' Hunter". My heart goes to them most of all because the grieving for them will last a lifetime.
Most of all I hope that we can all show passion in the vocation to which we serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you Mr. Irwin and Thank you Jesus.
September 02, 2006
Well we are finally in September. Usually at this time we are getting prepared to send our children back to school, but now that we live in Indiana school started 2 weeks ago and our children have already been bringing home homework. We have been getting into a groove of getting up with them in the morning and driving them and the neighbors to school. Pretty soon I too will be getting up to attend my classes.
With Summer Greek out of the way I can focus on other classes though I will be using my Greek quite a bit more than other students in the past have done. Concordia Theological Seminary has re-designed their curriculum to include a more thorough use of the Greek language than it did before. We will also be using hermeneutics throughout our coursework.
I will have 14 credits this fall quarter so I will not be here as much if at all. I have also taken leave of the forums I have been acquainted with for the past 4 years. I look forward to the challenges that God has in store for me here at the sem.
Above all pray for us who are just beginning this trek.
Pax Christi
Scott Strohkirch
With Summer Greek out of the way I can focus on other classes though I will be using my Greek quite a bit more than other students in the past have done. Concordia Theological Seminary has re-designed their curriculum to include a more thorough use of the Greek language than it did before. We will also be using hermeneutics throughout our coursework.
I will have 14 credits this fall quarter so I will not be here as much if at all. I have also taken leave of the forums I have been acquainted with for the past 4 years. I look forward to the challenges that God has in store for me here at the sem.
Above all pray for us who are just beginning this trek.
Pax Christi
Scott Strohkirch
August 20, 2006
We have all read in the papers over the past month about Mel Gibson's fall from grace in Hollywood. His fall off the wagon was a huge one and the prognosis for his recovery is still up in the air.
I just finished watching The Passion of the Christ for the 5th time and again was amazed at how this movie was able to depict the last 12 hours of Christ's life. When the movie came out in 2004 it was amid much controversy. The Jewish community accused Mr. Gibson of anti-semitism and felt his movie depicted a negative attitude towards them. Is this accusation legitimate? If we look at the story one could easily see that they have a good point. But you can't change history and I suppose some jews could read this and think that I too am anti-semitic when that is very far from the truth.
Mr. Gibson did not help his cause when he was pulled over for driving while under the influence and was recorded by police to have said some very unflattering things about the Jews during his arrest. The next day Mr. Gibson gave an apology which many thought was short on sincerity. A couple of days later he gave another apology which seemed to reach out more to the Jewish community and offer some hope that the differences between them could be bridged and there could be some genuine healing. Some of Mel's co-stars from his movies have even come out to defend his name. Jodie Foster being among the bigger names. Some of his Jewish friends even came to his defense.
Then there are those who doubt very seriously that Mel was sincere in either of his public apologies. Kirk Douglas thought the second apology was more of an afterthought done to control the damage. Now Mel has pleaded no contest and has checked himself into a rehab clinic.
I don't believe he is anti-semitic. I do believe he has a problem that he needs to deal with head on. I don't think that having this problem excuses his actions and words on the night of his arrest. None of us has excuse to tear one another down. I believe that if Mel Gibson is truly Christian that he is forgiven by the Lord and Savior himself. It is known that in the movie it is Mel's hand that we see driving the nail in Christ's hand.
We may as well put ourselves in that role as we are all guilty of Christ's crucifixion, but the end result is what is important here. Christ came to earth for the very purpose of dying with the weight of the world's sin rested upon him and he gave up his spirit when the time came. We did not take his life from. He gave it for us. Mel, if ever you read this know that you are forgiven your sins by the blood of the lamb of God shed for the remission of sin.
I just finished watching The Passion of the Christ for the 5th time and again was amazed at how this movie was able to depict the last 12 hours of Christ's life. When the movie came out in 2004 it was amid much controversy. The Jewish community accused Mr. Gibson of anti-semitism and felt his movie depicted a negative attitude towards them. Is this accusation legitimate? If we look at the story one could easily see that they have a good point. But you can't change history and I suppose some jews could read this and think that I too am anti-semitic when that is very far from the truth.
Mr. Gibson did not help his cause when he was pulled over for driving while under the influence and was recorded by police to have said some very unflattering things about the Jews during his arrest. The next day Mr. Gibson gave an apology which many thought was short on sincerity. A couple of days later he gave another apology which seemed to reach out more to the Jewish community and offer some hope that the differences between them could be bridged and there could be some genuine healing. Some of Mel's co-stars from his movies have even come out to defend his name. Jodie Foster being among the bigger names. Some of his Jewish friends even came to his defense.
Then there are those who doubt very seriously that Mel was sincere in either of his public apologies. Kirk Douglas thought the second apology was more of an afterthought done to control the damage. Now Mel has pleaded no contest and has checked himself into a rehab clinic.
I don't believe he is anti-semitic. I do believe he has a problem that he needs to deal with head on. I don't think that having this problem excuses his actions and words on the night of his arrest. None of us has excuse to tear one another down. I believe that if Mel Gibson is truly Christian that he is forgiven by the Lord and Savior himself. It is known that in the movie it is Mel's hand that we see driving the nail in Christ's hand.
We may as well put ourselves in that role as we are all guilty of Christ's crucifixion, but the end result is what is important here. Christ came to earth for the very purpose of dying with the weight of the world's sin rested upon him and he gave up his spirit when the time came. We did not take his life from. He gave it for us. Mel, if ever you read this know that you are forgiven your sins by the blood of the lamb of God shed for the remission of sin.
August 18, 2006
Greek is now officially over and I passed. Whew! what a relief. I was more nervous after I took the test waiting for my grade than I was to take the test. Now mind you I am not a Greek master or anything, but I at least can read the New Testament.
The neat thing, I think, is that starting with the fall quarter I will be studying the Greek text of the new testament with many of the guys I was in class with. I hope that Tom Bartsch is in one of my classes because this guy was the tops in the class. If your not good at something, hang around those who are and hopefully learn something about how to study from them. Congratulations Tom! His brother Jim is no slouch either. I graded one of Jim's quizzes and he did pretty well. See you guys in a few weeks.
For all those people who were praying for me I thank you very much for those prayers you sent on my behalf. He must have heard them because he enabled me to do well enough to pass the class.
The neat thing, I think, is that starting with the fall quarter I will be studying the Greek text of the new testament with many of the guys I was in class with. I hope that Tom Bartsch is in one of my classes because this guy was the tops in the class. If your not good at something, hang around those who are and hopefully learn something about how to study from them. Congratulations Tom! His brother Jim is no slouch either. I graded one of Jim's quizzes and he did pretty well. See you guys in a few weeks.
For all those people who were praying for me I thank you very much for those prayers you sent on my behalf. He must have heard them because he enabled me to do well enough to pass the class.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
