Reflections From Seminary, Year Two

A TLS Blog

I finished my final, 'final' exam today. It took me almost three hours to complete. And though it was a bit stress-inducing, I found that I had learned so much in my Old Testament course. That shouldn't surprise me. I've learned so much from my whole seminary experience thus far.

I briefly want to reflect on some of the great experiences I've had so far this school year. I am now in my second year—my 'middler' year at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. Not only have I met a whole new set of friends and colleagues, but I've become a better and more well-rounded person by getting to know them, listening to them in class, and sharing my faith journey with them. I've learned more than I can yet process as I 'sit at the feet of the masters' in each of my seminary classes. These professors have taught me about the complexity of the scriptures, the relationship between God and the poor, and how to speak the gospel with integrity. I've enjoyed "Walking Dead" nights with my friend, Austin (and others who have joined us in our apocalyptic TV craze). I was a part of our flag-football team, winning the coveted "Book of Concord" at Luther Bowl 2013, held at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. I had the privilege of creating videos that have captured the history and future of Trinity Lutheran Seminary. In a world of institutional hierarchy, the faculty and staff of Trinity have become my colleagues. I've been stretched outside of my comfortable limits in classes such as Ministry of Preaching, where I constructed poems and sermons, performing them for the critique of my classmates and friends. And it was this past Sunday, as I preached three services at my home church in New Palestine, Indiana, when I realized how far I've come as a person. It wasn't long ago that I was comfortable being in my own 'shell.' My shell was a place in which I didn't have to push my limits and my potential. I was able to remain behind the scenes. God was moving me to a more public place of ministry, but I didn't want to go there. Slowly, though, ever slowly, I've been allowed to take small steps of faith. My journey to seminary has shattered me ... and in a good way. I've come to examine myself in ways I have never before. My summer unit as a chaplain at The Ohio State University's Medical Center taught me not only to confront others, but to confront myself and look within my soul. I have broken through now and I'm a different person. There's no going back. Praise be to God.

Reflecting On "The Day Christian Music Died"

This blog is a reflection on a 2010 article from RelevantMagazine.com by Joel Heng Hartse —
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/music/features/23822-the-day-christian-music-died

Hartse wrote about his disillusionment after seeing a band member from Audio Adrenaline—one of his favorite 90s-era Christian rock bands—drop the mic toward the end of a concert to tell the mostly-Christian audience that, “This music that we play—it’s a trick.” This AudioA band member told the audience that the music was secondary and that it didn't matter. The message that they were there to share, Jesus Christ, was the main point.

And while both I and the author of that article understand what the band member was trying to do, it still confused fans like Hartse. What we Christian music fans needed wasn't a sermon, for we'd heard it only a few thousand times before. We needed rock role models who lived and sung about our shared faith. We didn't need fakes to tell us their music is a front; that they're really 'evangelists' with prop guitars.

Now not every Christian band went the evangelism route that Audio Adrenaline did. But plenty of those bands did that very same thing, night after night. I saw quite a few bands pitch similar plugs at the end of their shows.

For me, "the day Christian music died" was a bit more subtle. It came in the mid-2000s, when bands that I had previously loved—Third Day, Sarah Kelly, Jennifer Knapp, dc Talk, Superchick—either quit making music or put out CDs that seemed to lack that initial 'pop' that drew me to them in the first place. It was kind of hard. I wanted to be excited about these bands I once loved, but would find very few songs on their albums that inspired me as before.

Of course, this all points to the unreal standards to which we hold entertainers. It's not fair to them. Maybe, just maybe, this 'standard' is what caused Joel Heng Hartse's dilemma to begin with. Maybe Christian artists feel the power and temptation of fame, and rightly guard against it by proclaiming, "It's not about us, people! It's all about God!" But Hartse's dilemma with artists like Audio Adrenaline speaks to an authentic faith for which a lot of Christians seek. We don't want imposters, or actors. We don't want fake musicians who only want to preach at us. We want authentic people to simply live out their faith and let us watch and observe. No one's perfect, but we know that already. And we also already know the gospel story. Let us simply watch you live out your faith in ways that show the real messiness of life—not the polished, "we've got it all together" façade. Those end-of-show altar calls often feel like that polished façade. They don't show real believers who just want to make real, faith-focused, rock music.

And this applies to people, to Christian bands, to everyone who desires to live a faithful life devoted to God. We can't be fake. We can only be honest.

The Aldi's Gospel

Question:
    What can bring people of many different races, ethnicities, and socio-economic classes together in a cramped building on a Sunday night?

    No, the answer isn't a church service.

Answer:
    Aldi's.

For those who haven't had the pleasure of shopping for their groceries at Aldi's, some background information is necessary. Aldi's sells off-brand food products at inexpensive prices. So much so that my wife and I save around $40 a week from what we used to spend at Meijer or Walmart.

Is there a catch?

Well, maybe.

You first need to have a quarter on you. That's what 'renting' an Aldi's shopping cart will cost you. (Don't worry, you'll get the quarter back when you return the cart.) Second, you'll need your own shopping bags...or you can always buy some recyclable bags from their store. Third, you can't be too picky. Aldi's rarely has name-brand products. They do have comparable products made by their own company. If you're looking for a unique cheese or salsa dip, you probably won't find it at Aldi's. If you want the basics, you'll be fine. It really comes down to the savings.

And that's what brought so many people to Aldi's tonight. Milk for $1.89. It costs around $2.89 at Walmart. A pound of lean ground turkey for $2.99. It's around $5.00 per pound at Walmart or Meijer. Multiply that kind of savings on every product you buy, and you get the idea. Really substantial savings.

I'm writing this blog not only to promote Aldi's, but more specifically to point out the irony of it all. I work in ministry and find it teeth-clenching that an Aldi's better represents the beauty and diversity of humanity than any given church on any given Sunday. At Aldi's tonight, people came together under a common cause: saving money. There's another cause that can bring diverse individuals together: Love. And grace. And forgiveness.

So to Aldi's, I say, "Way to go!" Now the Church just needs to find ways to bring people together like you do.