Truth Applied

What a journey this term has been!

You know what was so cool about this class to me? God had it all planned out. Before the beginning of time, he knew this group of eleven beloved students would embark on a couple of assignments that would push them out of their comfort zones, challenge them, and make them better as a result of it.

I am so grateful for this term. It's definitely not what I expected. At times it felt more like a small group that a class, yet, it was refreshing to call Theology 2 a class for sure. I am so excited at all the results that these challenges brought fourth, it was so much less about getting a good grade on the assignment, it was much more about the eternal fruit that it produced. How cool!

Assignments that stood out to me: First and foremost, the forgiveness project was huge. It brought up a very healthy conversation that needed to happen on my part. I was very grateful that God used that to make it happen, all in his timing.

I really enjoyed the ecclesioilogy assignment. Because I had had many experiences in a very Holy Spirit focused church, I decided to go to a catholic service. It was very enlightening and I would not be surprised if I went again. It really gave me perspective on what I believe about salvation.

Kenosis was really special too. When I felt God call me to give up more money to His causes, it was a big sacrifice. Turns out, when I got the new job at Better Than Mama's, I make enough to give this amount and still save money as well, something I wouldn't have been able to do before. God had it all planned out. That step of faith provided to be very rewarding in the end.

All in all, this was a great term. So glad I get to be apart of this new, awesome program. Excited for the future. Thankful for the present.

Jon Platt

Let's go SHOP

Hello world, (or, the 13 people in my class)

Though I wasn't able to attend another church this week, I would really like to as soon as possible. It seems that it would be a very awesome experience.

This weekend, most of the leadership team was gone on the retreat for college group, so I was asked to be there and make sure everything ran smoothly. I really wanted to go to a church during this week, but with the grand opening of "Better Than Mama's," it just didn't happen.. there is so much work to be done!

So, I will do this assignment as soon as I can.

I do want to say that I spent a good year or so going to Salem House of Prayer (SHOP) on Friday nights with my mentor at the time, Daniel Dixon, as a freshman in high school. For those who don't know, this is a very Holy Spirit, charismatic focused church. It was very, very, beneficial for me to see this side of things, growing up in a more "in the middle" environment. I learned so much there about the manifest Holy Spirit, and I experienced Him for myself. I received prophesies which have continually been relevant in my life from there, I saw word pictures for the first times there, and I also believe I received that baptism of the Holy Spirit in my time of going there. There was a time when Daniel and I left because every single person was speaking in tongues for someone, and it didn't feel right to him and genuinely made him angry. So, I would say that sometimes it was taken to far. Yet, overall, I believe that God was using that place for His glory.

Peace!