accepted and rejected

Currently sitting at my kitchen table. I just finished writing up a bible study on james chapter 1, verse 12 (in light of everything around it, it is a very rich verse...the guy that lead last week taught on verses 1-12) for my monday night bible study. Initially, I had plans to do a study on Numbers 22-24, but I eventually came to my senses and learned that 3 chapters is very infeasible for 40 minutes of teaching.

So, first the acceptances:

I was accepted to both NYU and Yale!!

The Lord is gracious (i would be able to choose to attend either school w/o having to take out loans!!). I'm really partial to NYU, but i'm still planning to attend Yale networking events so that I can meet, greet and learn. My goal is to hit the ground running no matter where I go. A lot of the people that i've spoken to about my admissions decision don't understand how I could ever pick NYU over Yale. What most don't realize is that the ivy league does not have the corner on the top ranking slots. The top business school in the country is the university of chicago. who knew?

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Now the rejection:

At the suggestion of a friend from my monday night bible study, I pursued an opportunity to preach at the Baltimore City Rescue Mission. I showed up before their evening worship service to take a guided tour with the chaplain. He and I got along really well. I could tell that he really had a heart for the men that came out to the shelter (the shelter feeds and houses about 250 [*i think*...maybe 300] men nightly). Talking to him in the hour prior to the worship service was like speaking with an old friend. At one point he asked me if i wanted to preach that night. I didn't have anything prepared (preaching the gospel is something i'm always prepared to do, but all i was thinking when he asked me was "too soon").

I did introduce myself to the men from the lectern. I also took that time to encourage the men with phillipians 1. The sermon was awesome. The singing was awesome (ever heard ~250 men sing "I love to tell the story"?). I was really excited for the opportunity to minister in such an environment.

At the end of the night, the chaplain told me that I would need to send a copy of my church's doctrinal statement. I sent a copy of my church's doctrinal statement and i also included a note in the email that clearly stated my confession of God's sovereignty in salvation (my church does not confess this - so i felt that i should give full disclosure). I didn't think much of it since my friend who suggested I pursue the opportunity teaches on women's side of the mission and also goes to a church that has a confessionally reformed statement of faith.

I got a call on friday night, while i was in bible study, from the person who runs the mission (not the chaplain) to inform me that my statement of faith disqualified me from teaching at the mission. My friend didn't understand, so she called the guy's wife to ask about me and get this...

THEY GIVE HER WALKING PAPERS!!!



I was really shocked by all this. After speaking with my friend, we came to the conclusion that they have a poor understanding of calvinism and that they have probably had bad experiences with calvinist.

I was really crushed.

A whole bunch of other life stuff has been going on. Another blog is forthcoming.