May

18

2012

Retaliation in the Sermon on the Mount

“Only when the church renounces the way of violence will people see what the Gospel means, because then they will see the way of Jesus reenacted in the church.”[1]

Mar

02

2012

The Overarching Story of the Bible

The way one thinks and lives is significantly defined by the foundational story they see themselves apart of.[1] These stories provide one with an understanding of the whole world as well as their place within it. The Christian’s worldview must be formed by the biblical story, or else the pervasive story of their context will determine how they live and act in the world,

May

11

2012

A Biblical Theology of the Presence of God

Those who have lost loved ones are aware that nothing can take the place of someone’s presence. Though memories, photographs and reminiscing with others may evoke our emotions and make someone seem present for a moment, we remain painfully aware of their absence.

Feb

23

2012

Pastoral Care on the YWAM DTS

Youth With A Mission (YWAM) began as an organization which enabled young people to get involved in missions.[1] Today, the gateway into this incredibly diverse international missions movement[2] is the Discipleship Training School (DTS) which is run by hundreds of YWAM centers around the world. This essay, which reviews the pastoral care system of a particular YWAM center, is based upon an interview with Lauren Kulp, an American who was the leader of a DTS run by YWAM in Oxford, New Zealand. During this interview Lauren answered questions related to her role, the purpose and structure of the DTS, and the pastoral system employed during the DTS. This essay will first, discuss what was learned about Lauren’s DTS, second, identify strengths and weaknesses of the current pastoral care system, and lastly, conclude by noting some recommendations that could further strengthen the pastoral system. [3]