First of all, I'm in Tim Brown's tent, and I am a dorm steward. Tim has a knack for building things, his tent is the only guys tent with electricity, which he has hooked up to a solar power array. I didn't know what I was missing last semester! It's odd being dorm steward (in charge of the tent), since Tim is on his fourth semester and I'm only in my second.
This is the biggest semester the Bible College has ever had, despite Spring usually bringing a downswing on attendance. Most semesters don't see very many returning students, but this year only three students didn't come back! Combined with the incoming students, we are up to 26 students, and with staff there are 35 people staying on campus.
Student orientation brought up a changing focus for the Bible College: this semester they are emphasizing the context of the whole experience, rather than focusing mainly on content. The idea is that in the information age all the knowledge can be obtained without leaving home, so the Bible College should provide an experience. This includes things like constant fellowship with the other students, opportunities to serve, and even a new healthier meal plan this semester.
Friday night we joined with a local young adults group to go camping at the Kauai Ranch, a beautiful 4,500 acre property owned by a wealthy couple. Several movies have been shot there, including Jurassic Park and Tropic Thunder. Unfortunately it was cold, overcast, and rainy for us, and to top it off we didn't have any food due to fasting! It was a good time though, some people went horseback riding or took ATVs around the property, and I took a kayak to track down some pineapple guava. Saturday night was the best Chinese food I have ever tasted!
Sunday the weather turned hot and sunny again. I went to the beach and hung out with some of the students. Classes started today, but my first class is tomorrow. I'm signed up for four classes and debating whether or not to add an apologetics correspondence course. I'm taking homiletics, which means how to teach the Bible, and the big part of that class is actually teaching a large crowd of people on Wednesday nights! It sounds scary, but there probably aren't many places where I would get that opportunity.
The church here is very healthy, making a real effort to do things Biblically. They are trying to give people chances for leadership and to get plugged in at the church, and to that end there are over twenty small groups going on. Pastor Bob has a desire to allow other people to teach on Sundays, giving him a chance to train up more people for leadership. The young adults group is also hoping to train up some leaders to go start new groups on other parts of the island. Even the kids in the youth group are stepping up, giving mini messages every week.
For me personally, I'm trying to grow in the areas of courage and self-discipline. Being a dorm steward and teaching via the homiletics course should help in these things. I picked a verse that exemplifies what I'd like to learn this semester:
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. - 2 Timothy 1:7
That is so good! Thanks for sharing! It's so wonderful to see you growing and stretching, and enjoying it! I didn't realize you had electricity this time. Nice! (Mom)
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