Kindred Spirit - Summer 2012

KINDRED SPIRIT SPRING/SUMMER 2012, Vol. 36, No. 2

A PUBLICATION OF DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Take His Word to the World

CONTENTS SPRING/SUMMER 2012, Vol. 36, No. 2

FROM THE PRESIDENT Dr. Mark L. Bailey Dallas Theological Seminary’s mission is to glorify God by equipping godly servantleaders for the proclamation of His Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide.

KINDRED SPIRIT ® Spring/Summer 2012 Vol. 36, No. 2 ISSN 1092–7492 © 2012. All rights reserved.

Published three times a year

by Dallas Theological Seminary 3909 Swiss Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75204 Dr. Mark L. Bailey, President Dr. Mark M. Yarbrough, Vice President for Communications Sandra L. Glahn, Editor-in-Chief Keith D. Yates, Director of Creative Services and Publications Dr. Roy B. Zuck, Copy and Theological Editor Debbie J. Stevenson, Production Manager Kelley Mathews, Copy Editing Service Stephen Smith, Intern SUBSCRIBE Subscriptions are free of charge to addresses in the United States.

Call 800-DTS-WORD or 214-824-3094 and ask for the Kindred Spirit subscription office, sign up online at www.dts.edu/ks, or write to the address below.

EMAIL For information about DTS’s graduate degree programs: fyi@dts.edu To correspond by email: ks@dts.edu To submit articles, request reprints, or make comments: sglahn@dts.edu DONATIONS For information on how you can support the ministry of DTS call 214-841-3720.

KS ONLINE/SUBMISSIONS To download writers’ guidelines or to view Kindred Spirit online visit www.dts.edu/ks.

POSTMASTER Email address changes to blanghoff@dts.edu, or send to: DTS‑Kindred Spirit 3909 Swiss Avenue Dallas, Texas 75204 Unless noted otherwise, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

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Who You Are, Wherever You Are

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

(Rom. 10:14–15, NLT)

H

ave you ever noticed we serve a God who often calls us to leave our comfort zones and serve in the stretching posture of faith? Abraham was summoned out of Ur; Jonah was sent to Nineveh. Yet many of our biblical models were asked to speak to their own people in their own locations. The call of God can come with direction to “go,” but sometimes it comes with direction to “stay” right where we are. We might even want to move, but God may say “stay put” and “bloom where you’re planted.”

The Lord used Joseph in both a prison and a palace; He rescued Ruth in the fields and at the threshing floor; He asked Moses to lead in a desert in which he had wandered in previous years.

In this issue of Kindred Spirit we’ll consider God’s desire for us to take His Word to the world, whether He calls us to go or stay.

In “Why Does God Bless Us?” Dr. Steve Strauss, who chairs the DTS World Missions department, walks readers through Psalm 67, which reveals that “God blesses His people so that the peoples might bless Him.” In “The Office: Taking the Word to Work,” Dr. Glenn Kreider, a professor in our Theological Studies department, turns the spotlight on some former students who are reaching businesswomen with the gospel. In “A Different Flight Path,” a DTS grad and Canadian veteran of World War II tells how God’s painful redirection led to a job that allowed him to minister to other military personnel. There are few better ways to reach businesswomen than by women in business.

Military personnel understand their world and fellow soldiers.

The heart of missions is not necessarily where we live, but who we are and what we are doing wherever God calls us to go—or stay.

Sometimes we get the idea that “finding the will of God” for our lives means finding where He wants us to live and work. But the New Testament focuses more on doing God’s will in whatever we are doing, no matter where we are. For example, “This is the will of God— your sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:3).

Are you a college student? An engineer? A barista? A sergeant?

An athlete? A cancer patient? A subway rider? A file clerk? A surgeon? You can make disciples wherever you are—even if you are confined to a bed or wheelchair—through the medium of the Internet and/or with a cell phone.

So don’t get too comfortable. Can you sense God’s calling? As you read and pray with us, consider how you too can take His Word into your world.

Dallas Theological Seminary

4 I The Office: Taking the Word to Work

Kat Armstrong (MA/CE, 2011) and Stephanie Giddens (ThM, 2009) are living out their vision to reach businesswomen in their twenties and thirties.

8 I Why Does God Bless Us?

DTS professor Dr. Stephen Strauss (ThM, 1980) walks readers through Psalm 67. The psalm provides God’s reason for blessing His people: that we might spread His fame throughout the earth.

10 I A Different Flight Path

A WWII flight-pilot wannabe faced disappointment when God had other plans for him. But looking back, he sees how the course correction launched him into a lifetime of ministry.

Kindred Spirit Online Content you won’t find in these printed pages.

Book Excerpt: How to Destroy Your Spiritual Life,

by Ed Frank Book Review: Of Mark and Grace Driscoll’s book, Real Marriage, by Sharifa Stevens Article: The Silence of the Lambs: How to Shepherd Introverted Sheep, by Kindred Spirit intern Stephen Smith And so much more! See page 15 for a full listing.

Kindred Spirit, Spring/Summer 2012

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The Office: Taking the Word to Work

By Glenn R. Kreider

Katherine “Kat” Armstrong (MA/CE, 2011) and Stephanie Giddens (ThM, 2009) share a lot in common. Both are native Texans who met at Texas A&M University.

They reconnected on the campus of Dallas Theological Seminary, worked in the corporate world while attending classes, and served actively in women’s ministry. Both are married to DTS alumni (Brad Giddens [ThM, 2006] and Aaron Armstrong [ThM, 2011]). And both are passionate about ministry to their peers, a largely unreached people group: professional women in their twenties and thirties. Because of this passion, Kat and Stephanie founded Polish: Refining the Details (think nails, not 4

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Eastern Europe) three years ago as an outreach to these women.

Several years of demographic research and their own experiences in the church and the corporate world led Giddens and Armstrong to conclude that the church and existing parachurch organizations in Dallas could do more to reach these women. Both Stephanie and Kat realized they were interacting in the workplace with women whom they knew were not involved in church. Many, in fact, were ignorant of Christianity. Kat said, “I met women who had no understanding of the gospel, even in Dallas, Texas, and [I met] Christian women who were not intentional about connecting their faith to life.” She discovered few resources that helped her connect her faith and business spheres: to take the Word of God into the world of business. As a Christian, a seminary continued next page

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Women in their twenties and thirties have the lowest percentage of church involvement of any generation in the modern era. student, and an active participant in the corporate world, Kat said, “I wished there was a place I could go where I felt like I fit, where these worlds intersected.”

Two Women, One Vision Stephanie observed a similar disconnect between her business and church relationships. She did extensive sociological research on women and the corporate world and found two significant statistics. First, in the early years of the twenty-first century, for the first time single adult women outnumber married women.

And many of these women work in the corporate world. Second, women in their twenties and thirties have the lowest percentage of church involvement of any generation in the modern era. Stephanie concluded, “Women’s ministry must recognize that most adult women are single and not involved in church.”

Although Stephanie’s ministry focus had become clearer during her time at seminary, it was on a road trip with her husband three years ago when the vision for Polish came together for her. Brad encouraged her to think more specifically about her ministry plans. A vision of a ministry that goes into the marketplace, reaches women with the gospel, and encourages them to join a local church took shape. When she returned to Dallas, she called Kat, and the two met to pray and consider how they might make a reality out of the dream. Stephanie said, “Too many women leave their faith at home when they head for the office on Monday morning. And many of them have never come to faith in the Savior.” So over the next year Kat and Stephanie met weekly for prayer and planning. Several mutual friends also joined the team, and they established a strong leadership team.

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A faith-based, nonprofit ministry, Polish exists to help women connect the Word of God to everyday life so they can glorify Christ and navigate culture well. The target audience of Polish is young professional women who are unbelievers, unchurched Christians, and unconnected churchgoers. Polish has three major goals: to share the gospel with these women; to show them how Christ and the Bible are relevant to their lives; and to direct them to a church so they might connect with a Christian community for deeper life change.

God’s Word in the Workplace Polish’s format is a biweekly luncheon with an affordable lunch with costs shared by the women and donors to Polish; a speaker who communicates a biblical message pointedly applied to their lives; a small-group discussion around the lunch table; and an opportunity to respond with commitment to Christ. Kat said, “We achieve goal one by sharing the gospel at every Polish luncheon and asking Polish attendees to respond to the gospel. We reach goal two through our biblical message with practical applications. And we reach goal three with our table discussion leaders. Our leaders are intentional to ask women at their table to visit their home church.”

Combining expertise in the Scriptures and knowledge of corporate culture, Polish’s leaders have created an outreach that is producing results.

Speakers address timely topics such as failure phobia, the problem of evil, and karma versus grace.

Young professional women are coming to faith in Christ, reading their Bibles, and connecting the truth of God’s Word to the world in which they live.

Those who are inactive members of a local church are invited and encouraged to join one of the churches represented by the women of Polish.

Dixie Kachiros is one example of how God is using Polish to change women’s lives. A non-Christian who was curious about God and Christianity, Dixie attended Polish luncheons for two years. She developed relationships with several leaders. When facing the unexpected death of her father-in-law, Dixie came to understand her need for a Savior. “My first step of faith led to the greatest gift I could ever receive—salvation and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” Dixie said. “I’m now taking baby steps.

Even going to church is not a cultural norm for me, but through the encouragement of Polish and the leadership team, I am beginning a walk of faith and growing in Christ.”

Polish is a ministry of women to women. The goal is not to replace traditional church women’s ministry, but to reach out to women outside the church and encourage them to become part of a local Christian community. Kat affirms that Polish is accomplishing what it set out to do. “What we do has never been done this way—in a luncheon setting to share the gospel with young professional women interested in Christianity, and to connect their faith and careers.”

The leaders of Polish envision a day when there will be Polish luncheons in every major city.

Stephanie said, “DTS equipped both of us, and many of our professors served as catalysts helping us, in the power of the Spirit, to make this vision a reality.

Our hope is to see others join our cause, to help us find volunteer leaders, corporate sponsors, and ministry partners for the next phases of expansion.”

Dr. Glenn R. Kreider (ThM, 1990; PhD, 2000) is Professor of Theological Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has also served as a speaker for Polish.

For more information about the organization, visit www.polishdallas.org.

Pink Bibles for Hungry Hearts The Bible. For some—even Christians—it’s just a book. Or a doorstop. Or a dust collector.

It sometimes feels like a textbook for me as I prepare lessons for Polish. For others, though, it’s a treasure.

Last year, a publisher donated some Bibles to us (in Polish pink, mind you) to distribute to women who didn’t own one. When we met a woman at Polish who didn’t own a Bible, we shared our little pink gem with her. Within a month she developed an insatiable hunger for the Word. She reads it every day. She met with Polish women to discuss faith; she purchased Bible study books to help her learn more; and she went to church. I saw her after a month, and she had a new sparkle in her eyes.

Now come with me to Rwanda, where Katherine Holloway of African Leadership And Reconciliation Ministries (ALARM) just completed the first round of micro-business train‑ ing sponsored by Polish Africa. In her words, “The first thing we did was to distribute a Bible in the local language of the women.

The women were overwhelmed with this gift.

One woman shared that she had prayed for a Bible for three years. Another said that she was ashamed to go to church without a Bible and couldn’t believe that she had one now. A Muslim woman was thankful that she was given a Bible and not excluded because of her religion. Woman after woman told about the great blessing of such a gift. The Bible was used in every business teaching during the week to illustrate that the Bible contains relevant teachings about work and business.”

The Bible is not just another book. It trans‑ forms lives. Every day. All over the planet. We are privileged to be part of the process.

—Stephanie Giddens, Polish Codirector polishdallas.org

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Why Does God Bless Us? Dr. Stephen J. Strauss

ASK AN ATHLETE TRYING OUT FOR THE OLYMPICS IF SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO MAKING THE TEAM, AND YOU’LL HEAR A RESOUNDING, “YEAH!”

Ask a bride and groom the week before their wedding, “Are you looking forward to your big day?”

What do you think they’ll tell you?

Ask a child the last week of school if he’s looking forward to summer vacation, and you’ll see the sparkle in his eyes.

And ask any committed believer in Jesus Christ, if he or she wants to enjoy God’s blessing. You’ll hear the same answer: “Of course!” Why? Because God’s blessing is the ultimate good that we as disciples should long for. We want God to bless our homes. We want good health, job security, and fellowship and relevant instruction at church. But most of all, we want the blessing of God Himself—His presence, His forgiveness, His power over sin, and His guidance. Of course we want God’s blessing!

But why? Why do we want these things?

Most of us want God to bless us because we want what’s best for us, and God knows what’s best. And that’s a good reason. It’s good to want to enjoy all that God has in store for us. But if that’s as far as our thinking goes—for God to bless us so we can have fulfilling lives—we short-circuit His plan. Because He wants His blessing to extend much further than simply our enjoying it. He wants us to take that blessing to another level, for our lives to spin outward to affect the entire world.

In Psalm 67, God lays out a vision for His blessing

and its intended scope. As we explore the passage, notice two themes: first, God blesses His people; second, God blesses His people so that “the peoples” will bless Him. GOD BLESSES HIS PEOPLE The psalmist begins by establishing that God blesses His people (vv. 1–2; 6–7). The passage opens with a prayer to this end: “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations” (vv. 1–2). The psalmist ends the psalm by saying, “Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him” (vv. 6–7).

The “yielding” the psalmist describes in verse 6 appears in the “completed” or “past” tense—the only past tense in the entire psalm. It’s as if the psalmist is saying, “Look around! He’s already done it! See His blessing everywhere.”

In the middle of the psalm we find examples of God’s blessing: His guidance and His just and righteous rule (v. 4). Israel could rest in the assurance that God controls the nations and brings justice in international affairs. We read, “May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.”

That word “glad” is used for the joy of a wedding.

continued page 13

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Kindred Spirit, Spring/Summer 2012

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A Different Flight Path

By Harry Titcombe, as told to Patricia Linson

Inside the Air Force building in Dauphin, Manitoba, I removed my hat and tucked it under my arm. I marched down the hall to the interview room, entered, stood at attention, and saluted the officers on the investigative panel.

For what felt like hours, I answered question after question as levelly as I could.

e en i n still a t s a w , ob. anie twin, B eart, Je r h t e e h e h w be’s s en wit Titcom hoto was tak Ha r r y p s i he n t h 1937 w

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As an eighteenyear-old pilot trainee, I had already completed ten weeks of basic and flight training.

World War II raged. Nightly radio reports and newsreels displayed the devastation that German bombers rained on the streets of London.

As soon as the Canadian government called for airmen, my friends and I enlisted. With ninety-six hours of actual flying time under my belt, I envisioned myself in a fighter plane shooting down German bombers over London and gaining hero status both at home and abroad.

“You’re grounded,” the lead officer of the panel concluded. “You will be reassigned.”

With those words, the officer shot down my dream of being a hero.

Maintaining the same stiff upper lip as my British father, I snapped to attention, saluted the officers, did an about-face, and exited.

A “Suspicious Oddball” The previous week had been a nightmare. After doing well in boot camp and elementary flight instruction, I expected instrument flight to be a breeze. It wasn’t. Just when I felt I was getting the hang of it, a practice flight with an instructor put my career with the Air Force in jeopardy. That day, another pilot trainee and I both took off from parallel runways. Within minutes my instructor demanded control of our aircraft and returned us to the airstrip.

Once on the ground, the instructor exploded. “Titcombe, you put our lives in danger by allowing your craft to drift

into the flight path of the other plane.

Were you even aware of its location?

That is the last time I will go up with you!”

After walking back to my barracks, I slumped on my bunk. My mind replayed the incident as I stared at the headgear in my hands. How will this incident affect my future with my unit? I wondered. What will my girl, Jeanie, think? continued on next page

) In Manitoba (1940 be om tc Ti y rr Ha his (middle) received ing us g in in tra basic this plane.

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Why Does God Bless Us?

continued from previous page

Lost in my worries, I didn’t hear footsteps behind me, so I almost jumped when a hand touched my shoulder. Holmes, a friend from my unit, saw me return early from the practice run and came to discover what happened. After Holmes pried the story from me, a few moments of silence passed.

Peering into my face, Holmes said, “Titcombe, whatever the outcome is, I want you to know that the world needs more guys like you and fewer like me.

You aren’t afraid to live out and share your Christian faith.”

Holmes’s words were small comfort, however, as that week progressed. I faced a string of physical and psychological tests, followed by several interviews. The most painful had been this last one.

The officers criticized my behavior, labeling me a “suspicious oddball.” I didn’t drink, smoke, cuss, or carouse like others in my unit. What was worse, I loved classical music. One officer accused me of cowardice; of intentionally messing up to avoid facing enemy planes.

A Catalyst for Action The panorama of episodes clicked through my mind in the seconds it took me to retreat down the hall and exit the building. Outside, I paused to replace my hat.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of gold braid on a Wing Commander’s uniform. I pivoted, snapped to attention, and saluted.

“At ease, son,” the Wing Commander said.

Pointing at a pile of boards a few yards away, the officer said, “Let’s sit and talk a bit.”

I followed and sat next to him, wondering what turn this conversation would take. The officer’s name tag read “Gregson, chaplain.”

“I was at your interview today. Heard every word. The panel’s decision today is probably a disappointment to you, but I believe that our Lord has special plans for you.” Wing Commander Gregson paused to pull a small Bible from his pocket. “I’d like to share a couple of verses that have meant a lot to me over the years. Then let’s pray together, all right?”

I blinked back tears. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

Commander Gregson opened his Bible and thumbed the pages until he came to the book of Jeremiah. He took me to chapter 29, which contains a letter the prophet wrote from Jerusalem to his people who were facing decades of exile in a foreign city. To the captives the situation looked hopeless, just like mine did to me. Yet through Jeremiah, God told the dismayed people that their trauma wasn’t the end.

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“Read several verses,” Gregson said, “starting with verse 11.”

I nodded and read aloud. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” A lump rose in my throat. I swallowed so I could continue. “‘Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord” (Jer. 29: 12–14).

The words reminded me that God always has good plans for those who desire, as I did, to follow Him. I wanted to make Him known to the men around me, both in words and actions. I paused and reread the verses silently, making a mental note of the reference.

Our heads bowed, Gregson and I prayed together, asking for God’s direction and blessing on my life. The Wing Commander stood, shook my hand, and strode across the field.

Several weeks later, I received my reassignment: orders to report to the University of New Brunswick to learn radar technology.

After completing my training and marrying my sweetheart, I became a radar instructor in Clinton, Ontario. For the next two years, with Jean beside me, I met with dozens of airmen at a pastor’s home for Bible discussions and Christian fellowship. The verses in Jeremiah 29, at first just an encouragement to me, became a call for action to take God’s Word into the world.

By the end of World War II, Harry Titcombe had served with his radar unit in both Canada and England for the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was one of only a handful of men from his original unit of sixty-eight to survive the war. After earning a ThM from DTS in 1950, he pastored for five years and then, because of family concerns, turned down further pastorates and invested in a hearing aid business. For the past forty-five years he has continued the biblical teaching ministry he began as a radar instructor. Jean has gone on to be with the Lord, but you can find 89-year-old Harry on Sunday mornings co-teaching in Plymouth, Minnesota, at Wayzata Evangelical Free Church. His daughter, Patricia Linson (pictured above with her father), assisted him in writing this article.

Clearly, God blesses His people— and abundantly!

Yet what’s the purpose of His blessing?

THE REASON GOD BLESSES HIS PEOPLE God blesses His people so that the peoples might bless Him. The chorus of Psalm 67, repeated twice, makes this clear: “May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you” (vv. 3, 5). The Lord has in mind the people who will praise Him. What people? All the nations. Why? “That your ways may be known on earth” (v.2). God wants the nations to say, “Wow! Did you see what Israel’s God did?” And He specifically wants them to see His salvation— “Look at what He did for them! Look at the Red Sea and Jericho. Did you see the way God saved them?”

God also wants the nations to go beyond knowing about Him, to know Him personally: “that your ways may be known on earth.” That word “know” means both in head and in heart.

Imagine a friend telling a single guy, “I’ve met the perfect girl for you.”

“Tell me about her.”

“She’s fun. A good listener. Loves the same things you do.”

What’s that guy’s next thought? Is it, “Tell me more about her sometime”? Of course not! He’ll say, “When can I meet her? I want to get to know her, not just about her.”

The psalmist says that’s what God wants from the nations. He wants them to go beyond hearing about His saving ways and get to know Him personally.

Because of the blessing of God’s just rule and guidance, the psalmist says all the nations can “be glad” (v.

4). This same phrase “be glad” is used for the joy of a wedding. Such happiness! Verse 4 also says the nations will “sing for joy.” That means to sing and shout out loud. God blesses His people so we can sing His praise.

We find this “outreach” effect of God’s blessing again in verse 7: “God will bless us and all the ends of the earth will fear him” (v. 7). See the result? The nations will have fear—reverence and awe—toward God. God wants them to say, “Wow! There’s a God worth trusting.”

In the past God blessed His people, Israel, so that all the peoples would see His blessing and in turn bless God. And though we live thousands of years later, God’s heart remains the same: He blesses His people today so that the peoples of the world might bless Him.

continued from page 8

THE RAMIFICATIONS OF GOD’S BLESSING HIS PEOPLE How do we extend God’s blessing? The psalm itself gives some clues for using God’s blessings to extend His reach. We can tell others about the ways God rescues us in desperate times (vv. 1–2). We can seek opportunities to display God’s just rule and guidance (vv. 3–4). And we can view our blessings—our relationships, our vacation time, even our trials—as ways to extend God’s reach. For the psalmist living in an agrarian society, “harvest” was the obvious indication of God’s blessing. And while most people in North America buy their corn from the store rather than plucking it from the field, God has given us a “harvest” too. We can spread His renown as we seek to use every blessing we’ve received to bless others so that God’s name is praised (vv. 6–7).

God still blesses us, His people, today. And He does so in order that every last one of us might bless Him with all that He has given us. Our food and our resources, our family and friends—God has given them to us to enjoy. But He gave them to us for a bigger reason: that “all the peoples” both far and near would bless Him. Our employment might provide meaningful work and give us a secure paycheck, but the primary reason God blesses us with employment is so we might be a “light” on the job. If unemployed, we encourage others in the same situation. The same is true of our education, our homes, our churches, our health—good or bad—and our talents. Our education and skills, our geographical locations, the languages we speak, the homes in which we dwell, the neighbor whose dog gets in the garden and messes it up, the person who runs the cash register—all of these God gives us so that the world might know Him and His salvation.

God blesses us so we can use our blessings as a means for the peoples of the world to bless Him. If we believe this, the truth will radically change the way we respond to all we have received from Him. We will reorder our priorities to turn our blessings outward, using every good and perfect gift as a catalyst to lead the nations to join us as we bow in worship before our God. Dr. Steve Strauss (ThM, 1980) is department chair and professor of World Missions and Intercultural Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He is the former director of SIM USA, and served as an SIM missionary in Ethiopia for nineteen years.

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CAMPUS NEWS Get a Steal of a Deal!

As a Kindred Spirit reader you may order copies of Dr. David Jeremiah’s Prophecy Answer Book for a minimum donation of $5, which includes shipping, while supplies last. The book normally retails for $14.99. As a benefit to our readers, we are making this offer available to you for up to three copies per person. To order, go to www.dts. edu/ks.

Look Who’s Engaging the Culture When Outreach magazine announced their 2012 Outreach Resources of the Year, three DTS alumni appeared on the list. In fact, in the “culture” category, our alumni took both slots: LEADERSHIP The Nuts and Bolts of Church Planting:

A Guide for Starting Any Kind of Church

By DTS professor Dr. Aubrey Malphurs

(Baker Books) CULTURE From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming

and Corrupting Power of Technology

By DTS web designer John Dyer (Kregel) Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global

Vision for Women

By Carolyn Custis James (Zondervan)

Tour the Holy Land with DTS Holy Land Tour: March 8–20, 2013 Petra Extension, March 20-23, 2013

Walk where Jesus walked and move from black and white to full color as you read the biblical text while journeying with DTS to spiritually rich sites in Israel.

Stay in exquisite accommodations and learn exceptional biblical insights. Dr. Mark Bailey, DTS president and professor of Bible Exposition, and Dr. Stephen Bramer, chairman of the DTS Bible Exposition department, will lead the tour. Both are experienced Israel tour leaders. A three-day extension to Jordan includes an excursion you won’t want to miss in the ancient city of Petra. For more information visit dts.edu/travel.

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DT S CO N F E R E NC E S Join DTS for a Week in California Head for the West Coast with DTS, and enjoy a family vacation while hearing the Word from our own president, Dr. Mark Bailey, along with Chaplain Bill Bryan, Dr. James Allman, Dr. Mike Svigel, and Dr. Mark Hitchcock. Mark your calendar for July 29– August 4 and join us for Dallas Seminary’s sixty-seventh year at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center near Santa Cruz, California. Bring the entire family and plan for a great week of teaching, watching surfers, sunning, singing, hiking, resting, and breathing fresh air as you spend a week of revitalization among the redwoods. For more information call Mount Hermon at 831-355-4466 or email info@mounthermon.org.

Dallas Seminary Foundation Welcomes a New President Dallas Theological Seminary is pleased to welcome Steve Golding, CPA, as the new president of Dallas Seminary Foundation. He comes to DTS from Jackson-Shaw, a national, diversified commercial real estate development and investment company, where he served as president and chief operating officer.

Kim Till, Dallas Seminary’s vice president for Advancement said, “We are very pleased to have a leader with Steve’s skills and experience to lead Dallas Seminary Foundation. For twenty-five years the Foundation has provided the highest quality estate and charitable gift planning services for Dallas Seminary friends and the Christian community. Steve will lead us forward in greater service, helping people optimize their contributions to the Lord’s work and achieve their family’s financial goals.”

Recovering our Creative Calling: Leading Cultural Change

All about Influence: A Women’s Leadership Conference The DTS women’s All about Influence conference is a oneday leadership experience designed to equip women to reach, lead, and have an impact on those in their spheres of influence.

Keynote Speaker: Margaret Feinberg, author of Scouting the Divine Date: Monday, November 12, 2012 Time: 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Location: Dallas Theological Seminary For more information and to register, visit www.dts.edu/ccl, or call Tiffany Stein at 214-841-3699.

Book Excerpts: From How to Destroy Your Spiritual Life,

by Ed Frank (ThM, 1997) From The Lord of the Entire World: Lord Jesus, a Challenge to Lord Caesar? by DTS professor Dr. Joe Fantin (ThM, 1995; PhD, 1993) From Living into the Life of Jesus, by Dr. Klaus Issler (ThM, 1977) From Mark: A Theological Commentary for Preachers, by DTS professor Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla (ThM, 2002) Unmasking the Antichrist, by Dr. Ron Rhodes (ThM, 1983; ThD, 1986) Articles: The Silence of the Lambs: How to Shepherd Introverted Sheep, by Kindred Spirit intern

Stephen Smith The Good Fight: Christians and the UFC, by Kindred Spirit intern Stephen Smith How to Reach Out When a Family Has a Premature Baby, by Kindred Spirit editor-inchief Sandra Glahn (ThM, 2001)

DTS Conferences brought to you by the Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership

How can Christians be agents of cultural renewal? The Recovering Our Creative Calling: Leading Cultural Change conference will help Christian leaders rethink our postures toward the world around us—not just the culture of our society, but the culture of our own neighborhoods and churches—and learn to live transformational lives in that world.

Speaker: Andy Crouch, author of Culture Making Date: Monday, September 17, 2012 Time: 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Location: Dallas Theological Seminary

Only Online

Students in a Houston campus classroom watch Dr. Hall Harris teach from the Dallas campus by means of state-ofthe-art video conferencing. This technology allows students and faculty at various locations to interact with and learn from each other.

Subscribe to Bib Sac Enhance your theological and biblical knowledge by subscribing to Bibliotheca Sacra, Dallas Seminary’s quarterly theological journal. Articles in forthcoming issues touch on these and many more topics:

• What is the believer’s intermediate state after death?

• Have the prophecies in Revelation 17–18 about

Babylon been fulfilled?

•Did the church in its earliest years believe in

Christ’s premillennial return?

Subscribe by emailing bibsac@dts.edu or calling 214841-3729. Each paid subscription enables the subscriber to access online every issue of Bib Sac published since 1934—almost five hundred articles. Bib Sac makes a good gift for pastors, too. Subscribe today!

Book Reviews: Of Mark and Grace Driscoll’s book, Real Marriage,

by Sharifa Stevens (ThM, 2004) Of Grumble Hallelujah, by DTS student Andrea Hitefield Of A Faith of Our Own, by DTS student Byron West Video interview: At the DTS women’s conference, Kelley Mathews (ThM, 2000) interviews Elisa Morgan about using one’s influence.

Movie review: Of the Indie film “Ink,” by DTS student Trevor Main Profiles: Of DTS Nigerian student Olayemi Fatusi, by fellow student Sean Huang Of DTS student Mondrell Oz, by fellow student Tameshia Williams Rainbow of Blessing: Profile of Dr. John Trent (ThM, 1978), by Kindred Spirit intern Stephen Smith

Kindred Spirit, Spring/Summer 2012

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NEW RESOURCES from the Seminary Family

More resources at dts.edu/books.

Anything: The Prayer That Unlocked My God and My Soul Jennie Allen (MA[BS], 2005)**

Kingdom Man: Every Man’s Destiny, Every Woman’s Dream Dr. Tony Evans (ThM, 1976; ThD, 1982)

Ten Questions Every Christian Must Answer Alex McFarland and Dr. Elmer Towns (ThM, 1958)

Encountering Theology of Mission Dr. Stephen J. Strauss (ThM, 1980)* and Craig Ott

New Christian’s Handbook: Everything Believers Need to Know Max Anders (ThM, 1974)

Grieve Like A Man Jonathan Fann (MA[BS]; MA/CE, 2006)

Is God Just a Human Invention?

Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow (class of 2005)

Colossians and Philemon Dr. Robert W. Wall (ThM, 1973; ThD, 1979)

A Theology of Luke and Acts: God’s Promised Program, Realized for all Nations Dr. Darrell Bock (ThM, 1979)*

How to Destroy Your Spiritual Life Ed Frank (ThM, 1997)

Show Me How to Illustrate Evangelistic Sermons Show Me How to Preach Evangelistic Sermons Dr. R. Larry Moyer (ThM, 1973)

Daniel (The John Walvoord Prophecy Commentaries) Dr. John F. Walvoord (ThM, 1934; ThB, 1934; ThD, 1936); rev. and ed. by Dr. Charles Dyer (ThM 1979; PhD 1986) and Philip Rawley (ThM, 1980; MA/CE, 2008)

God’s Grand Design for Marriage Tom Clark (ThM, 1982)

Night with a Perfect Stranger David Gregory (Greg Smith, MA/CE, 2001)**

Work Matters Dr. Tom Nelson (MA[BS], 1982)

Tract: Evolution: Fact or Fiction?

Dr. Roy B. Zuck (ThM, 1957; ThD, 1961)

Thirty Days in the Land with Jesus: A Holy Land Devotional Dr. Charles Dyer (ThM, 1979; PhD, 1986)

Magnificent Surrender: Releasing the Riches of Living in the Lord Dr. Roger Helland (ThM, 1983)

Workplace Grace William Peel (ThM, 1976)

Beautiful Battle Mary DeMuth (Patrick, ThM, 2004)

Revelation (The John Walvoord Prophecy Commentaries) Dr. John F. Walvoord (ThM, 1934; ThB, 1934; ThD, 1936); rev. and ed. by Dr. Mark Hitchcock (ThM, 1991; PhD, 2006) and Philip Rawley (ThM, 1980; MA/CE, 2008)

A Definition and Critique of Postmodernism Bruce A. Proctor (ThM, 1981)

Living into the Life of Jesus: The Formation of Christian Character Dr. Klaus Issler (ThM, 1977)

Bite-Size Bible Definitions Bite-Size Bible Answers Bite-Size Bible Handbook Unmasking the Antichrist: Dispelling the Myths, Discovering the Truth Dr. Ron Rhodes (ThM, 1983; ThD, 1986)

Second Time Around Twin Hearts JoAnn Durgin (Jim, MA[BS], 1986)

Heaven Revealed Living the New Testament Dr. Paul Enns (ThM, 1973; ThD, 1979)

Mark: A Theological Commentary for Preachers Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla (ThM, 2002)** *

Hidden in Plain Sight: Finding Wisdom and Meaning in the Parts of the Bible Most People Skip Dr. Boyd Seevers (ThM, 1987)

Dr. Charles Swindoll’s New Testament Insights series is now available through Logos Bible Software in conjunction with Zondervan resources.

People mentioning DTS on Twitter: @jtenglish Dr. Jeff Bingham professor of theology @DallasSeminary on baptismal instruction in the SBC @owildman Actor and @DallasSeminary prof Reg Grant portrays Simeon on the southern steps in #Jerusalem with @chuckswindoll @LeannaDuran Random Fact: I love listening to @DallasSeminary podcasts while I work

Follow us on Twitter @DallasSeminary

*Denotes DTS faculty member **Excerpt online at www.dts.edu/ks

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Dallas Theological Seminary

Kindred Spirit, Spring/Summer 2012

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Follow the FACULTY

Taking the Word around the World For a complete listing of faculty travel go to www.dts.edu/maps/faculty.

NORTHEAST Dr. Mark Bailey Jun 23–27 Word of Life Fellowship, Schroon Lake, New York Dr. Stephen Bramer Aug 11–19 Central Manor Camp and Bible Conference, Washington Boro, Pennsylvania Dr. Robert Garippa Jul 1 Hawthorne Gospel Church, Hawthorne, New Jersey Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla Sep 2 Hawthorne Gospel Church, Hawthorne, New Jersey Dr. Stanley Toussaint Jun 30–Jul 7 Bible Conference, Word of Life, Schroon Lake, New York Dr. Mark Yarbrough Jul 14–21 Summer Conference 2012, Word of Life Fellowship, Schroon Lake, New York SOUTHEAST Dr. Mark Bailey Jul 1 Colonial Baptist Church, Cary, North Carolina; Aug 11–12 McLean Bible Church, Vienna, Virginia; Sep 16 Bayside Community Church, Tampa, Florida Dr. Stephen Bramer Aug 5, Sep 30 Bayside Community Church, Tampa, Florida Dr. Stanley Toussaint Jun 17 Immanuel Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia Dr. Mark Yarbrough Jun 18–22 Billy Graham Training Center 2012 Seminar, The Cove, Asheville, North Carolina

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WEST Dr. Ronald B. Allen Jul 25–28 Western Seminary, San Jose, California; Aug 4–11 Cannon Beach Conference Center, Cannon Beach, Oregon Dr. James Allman Jul 29–Aug 4 Mount Hermon Conference Center, Mount Hermon, California Dr. Mark Bailey Jul 29–Aug 4 Mount Hermon Conference Center, Mount Hermon, California Chaplain Bill Bryan Jul 29–Aug 4 Mount Hermon Conference Center, Mount Hermon, California Dr. John Hannah Jul 15 Elm Street Baptist Church, Sweet Home, Oregon; Aug 30–Sep 4 Weekend Conference, Elm Street Baptist Church, Sweet Home, Oregon Dr. Mike Svigel Jul 29–Aug 4 Mount Hermon Conference Center, Mount Hermon, California Dr. Stanley Toussaint Sep 21–23 All-Church Camp, Chinese Independent Baptist Church, Oakland, California Dr. Daniel B. Wallace Sep 1–3 Retreat, Mandarin Baptist Church of Los Angeles, San Diego, California SOUTHWEST Dr. Ronald B. Allen Aug 26 Grace Church, Wichita Falls, Texas Dr. Mark Bailey Jul 15, Aug 5 Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas Aug 8, 15, 22, 29 Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Prophecy Series, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Dallas, Texas

Dallas Theological Seminary

FROM THE CANCELLOR Members of Dallas Theological Seminary’s full-time faculty will minister at these locations in the months ahead.

Dr. Stephen Bramer Jul 29–Aug 4 Family Camp, Crier Creek, Columbus, Texas Dr. John Hannah Jul 9–13 Bible Study Fellowship, San Antonio, Texas; Sep 9 Scofield Memorial Church, Dallas, Texas Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla Jun 10 Redeemer Bible Church, Dallas, Texas Jul 1 Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco, Texas; Jul 8, 15, 22, 29 Northwest Bible Church, Dallas, Texas; Aug 5, 12, 19, 26 Trinity Bible Fellowship, Richardson, Texas Dr. Daniel B. Wallace Sep 15 Summer conference, Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Kingwood, Texas; Sep 22–23 First Presbyterian Church, Houston, Texas; Sep 29 Apologetics Conference, Watermark Church, Dallas, Texas Dr. Larry Waters Jun 19–24 Joni & Friends Family Retreat, College Station, Texas MIDWEST Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla Jun 27–29 Maranatha Bible Conference, Muskegon, Michigan INTERNATIONAL Dr. Ronald B. Allen Jun 18–29 Word of Life Bible College, Jeju Island, SOUTH KOREA; Jun 17 International English Church, Jinju, SOUTH KOREA Dr. James Allman May 26–Jun 4 Campus Crusade for Christ, Warsaw, POLAND

Dr. Stephen Bramer Jul 6–20 Bible Teaching, YWAM, Various locations, JORDAN and ISRAEL Dr. Chip Dickens Jun 22–24 Marriage Conference, Vienna, AUSTRIA; Jun 29–Jul 1 Marriage Conference, Bucharest, ROMANIA Dr. John Hannah May 13–Jun 12 Israel Tour Group, Various locations, ISRAEL Dr. Larry Waters May 29–Jun 7 Pastors Conference, Joni & Friends, Harbin and Nanjing, CHINA Dr. Darrell L. Bock AUSTRALIA: Jun 13–17 Leadership Lectures, Christian Community Churches of Australia, Adalaide; Jun 18–22, Harvest West College, Perth; Jun 25– 29 Sydney College, Morling College, New South Wales; Jul 19 Moore College and Celebrate Messiah, Sydney; Jul 20 Armitage Lecture, Sydney; Jul 22 St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Sydney; Jul 23 Sydney Missionary and Bible College, Sydney; Jul 24–30 Celebrate Messiah and Centre for Public Christianity, Melbourne; NEW ZEALAND: Jul 1 Northcross Community Church, Auckland; Jul 3 St. Johns’ College, Auckland, Jul 4 Selwyn Foundation, Auckland; Jul 5 Laidlaw College, Auckland; Jul 7 Totara Springs, Matamata; Jul 8 Mount Albert Baptist Church, Auckland; Jul 10–11 University of Otago, Otago; Jul 12–16, Christchurch Dr. Lee Jagers Jul 7–17 Life Ministry/CRU, Daresa Salaam, TANZANIA

Dr. Charles R. Swindoll

My Determined Purpose

A

couple of years after Cynthia and I were married, I had my military obligation to fulfill. I joined the Marine Corps.

After surviving boot camp and advanced infantry training, I received orders for my first tour of duty. Destination: the beautiful city of San Francisco.

Several months after getting settled there, an unexpected letter from President Dwight Eisenhower arrived in the mail. It was a speed letter, informing me that my location would soon change. Destination: the remote island of Okinawa. I did just what you would have done—I checked the envelope to make sure it went to the right person. And yes, it was addressed to me. My whole frame of reference changed. The two of us wept ourselves to sleep that night. That tour of duty would take me away for sixteen long months from Cynthia, early in our marriage. Little did I realize that those many months would change my life. What I considered to be the most Godawful letter became the most God-ordained statement for me.

As I left, my older brother shoved a book in my hand titled, Through Gates of Splendor. It was the story of five young missionaries who lost their lives, and whose widows went on with their lives, ultimately evangelizing the Auca Indians in Ecuador. I read that book on the troopship, sailing for seventeen days from San Diego to Japan, and then on down to Okinawa. As a result, my mind stopped resisting for the first time since I’d received that letter. My entire frame of reference changed yet again.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, I began to think, “Maybe there’s a plan here.”

A man I later met on the island gave me a copy of the Amplified New Testament. I read that little book about three times before I left Okinawa. He had circled one verse: Philippians 3:10. In that version it read, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His Person] more strongly and more clearly.”

On Okinawa, at the U. S. government’s expense, I had my first exposure to international missions. Away from all the crutches—all those things that made me comfortable, dulled my edge, along with all things familiar. For the first time I was enveloped in another culture. For the first time I was the foreigner. I found myself again and again having to look up and to learn a whole new way of walking. As a result, far removed from my comfort zone, I progressively became “more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him.” That intimate acquaintance introduced me to His heart for the whole world. That, too, was a first for me.

Jesus chose to leave the adoration of angels and make his dwelling among humans. Why? Because “God so loved the world.” Are you becoming intimately acquainted with Him? Are you making Him known? Are your circumstances difficult? It’s okay—allow Him to make you uncomfortable.

It is in unexpected and difficult circumstances that we are poised to see the relevance of His Word for the needs of His world.

What I considered to be the most God-awful letter became the most God-ordained statement for me.

The verse art on the back cover was crafted by DTS graphic designer Linda Tomczak. You can view a short video of Ms. Tomczak telling her story at dts.edu/profiles.

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