My GP for DFW
So here's my game plan for DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth)... (Click here if you haven’t read, “The Next Phase of My Life” or don't know what I'm talking about.)
Live it up!
This is it! This is gonna be my "going off to college" experience. I mean HOW EXCITING! (And of course by living it up, I don't mean what the average college student means.) Here's my list of priorities while there.
1. My Walk. My first priority is to make myself available for God to take my personal walk with Him to an amazing new depth. Whether that means breaking my heart every day for 3 years or whatever, I want Him to change me from what I am today to something that is going to honor Him in a way that right now I can't even fathom. This is my first priority while I'm there, is for God to have His way with my time there.
2. Fun. Oh HEK Yeah! One of my best friends Mark is already there and him and I throwing down! We're going to cram as much fun as possible into the time we've got there.
3. Networking. I've already begun networking with professors there who are "THE STUFF" when it comes to student ministry. I'm hoping to build as many networking contacts as possible and to maintain and use them for the rest of my ministry career. I’m the first to observe and admit, “It isn’t always WHAT you know, it’s WHO.”
4. Friends. This is gonna be huge for me! I’m ABSOLUTELY gonna miss my close friends here. They’ve been so HUGE for me. I would be NOTHING without them and the role they’ve played in my life. But I cannot help but get excited when I think about the people I’m gonna have the opportunity to be around while I’m there. SWBTS (southwestern Baptist theological seminary) is a melting pot of people who want to learn and do ministry for God. How awesome of an opportunity to hang with these people and learn from each other! How cool!
5. Exposure. I want to expose myself to as much as possible at school, as monay churches as possible, and to as many jobs as possible. A lot of people are asking me right now what church I’ll work at when I move and my answer is this. I’m intentionally not going to work at a church for the first one or two years. My reasoning is this. I haven’t worked a secular job since
Church exposure is gonna be important for me too. The only church I’ve ever been a member of in my entire life is East Bayou. And in my opinion that’s a plus! But knowing that I want to ministry as a career this might be my last opportunity to church hop. I’m not going to join any church while I’m there. Yeah I might attend one particular church more than others but I want to use this time to expose myself to what other churches out there are doing and learn how they are trying to reach and grow people. DFW is called the “Belt buckle of the bible belt” and I want to see as many churches as possible while there.
6. Oh yeah, a seminary degree too. That'd be nice :) I wasn't a good student in high school but I did better in college. I'm hoping to do even better with my masters degree.
These are my prayers every day as good uses these days right now to prepare me for what He's got planned to happen in DFW.
Live it up!
This is it! This is gonna be my "going off to college" experience. I mean HOW EXCITING! (And of course by living it up, I don't mean what the average college student means.) Here's my list of priorities while there.
1. My Walk. My first priority is to make myself available for God to take my personal walk with Him to an amazing new depth. Whether that means breaking my heart every day for 3 years or whatever, I want Him to change me from what I am today to something that is going to honor Him in a way that right now I can't even fathom. This is my first priority while I'm there, is for God to have His way with my time there.
2. Fun. Oh HEK Yeah! One of my best friends Mark is already there and him and I throwing down! We're going to cram as much fun as possible into the time we've got there.
3. Networking. I've already begun networking with professors there who are "THE STUFF" when it comes to student ministry. I'm hoping to build as many networking contacts as possible and to maintain and use them for the rest of my ministry career. I’m the first to observe and admit, “It isn’t always WHAT you know, it’s WHO.”
4. Friends. This is gonna be huge for me! I’m ABSOLUTELY gonna miss my close friends here. They’ve been so HUGE for me. I would be NOTHING without them and the role they’ve played in my life. But I cannot help but get excited when I think about the people I’m gonna have the opportunity to be around while I’m there. SWBTS (southwestern Baptist theological seminary) is a melting pot of people who want to learn and do ministry for God. How awesome of an opportunity to hang with these people and learn from each other! How cool!
5. Exposure. I want to expose myself to as much as possible at school, as monay churches as possible, and to as many jobs as possible. A lot of people are asking me right now what church I’ll work at when I move and my answer is this. I’m intentionally not going to work at a church for the first one or two years. My reasoning is this. I haven’t worked a secular job since
Church exposure is gonna be important for me too. The only church I’ve ever been a member of in my entire life is East Bayou. And in my opinion that’s a plus! But knowing that I want to ministry as a career this might be my last opportunity to church hop. I’m not going to join any church while I’m there. Yeah I might attend one particular church more than others but I want to use this time to expose myself to what other churches out there are doing and learn how they are trying to reach and grow people. DFW is called the “Belt buckle of the bible belt” and I want to see as many churches as possible while there.
6. Oh yeah, a seminary degree too. That'd be nice :) I wasn't a good student in high school but I did better in college. I'm hoping to do even better with my masters degree.
These are my prayers every day as good uses these days right now to prepare me for what He's got planned to happen in DFW.
This is just so exciting. I know that your time in Dallas will be amazing and that it will even exceed your expectations. Dallas is a fun place for sure, and whatever you're looking for, you can find. Ah, the big city. Maybe you can even stop by in Marshall to see a show or two? :o)
Posted by
whitney |
4:25 PM
Hek yeah. That'd be awesome. Keep me informed of dates and times and I'll try to make it happen. Thanks for the encouragement.
Posted by
Sean Walker |
4:47 PM
i see that you are still listening to what your dad told you about "who you know"
dude i am so proud of you...even though i am one of those little guys that you are leaving...but i left you first, never forget that!
Posted by
Anonymous |
8:24 AM
I obviously couldn't convince you to go to grad school in Lafayette. Any chance I could convince you to leave your god-forsaken school of purple and gold and got to a grad school in DFW? :)
Posted by
Sean Walker |
8:34 AM
I'm looking forward to having you up here. Mark and I need another member of our bible study/theology discussion/wrestling support group we have on Monday nights. Give me a hola if you need anything! Joe
Posted by
Unknown |
4:38 PM
Thanks Joe! You've been a huge help so far. Just knowing you've got my back is sucha comfort. I still remember you letting me crash at you pad when I visited last year. MUCH appreciated!
And, I'll definitely get down on that "multi-purpose" group:)
You'll probably think this is funny. ULL just sent me a letter saying that they won't send my transcript to SWBTS until I take care of the hold on my account.
Guess what the hold is for?????
Of course.... You're old stomping ground.... Transit and Parking :)
Funny huh?
Posted by
Sean Walker |
4:46 PM
You AND Mark in one town?? I don't know that the community is quite ready for that! Your presence will be greatly missed here so I am counting on you to make it known where you land.
Go, overwhelm and be overwhemed.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:03 AM