"Race Cars" and Zoom Calls

Teenagers make me laugh. They are some of the craziest and silliest beings on the planet.

Our "race car" for the life-sized "Mario Kart" race at our winter retreat.

Last weekend, our youth group had our winter retreat, and I found myself yelling statements like "Is your turtle shell still intact?" "Are you sure that you want to eat half a plate of cheese curds?" "What do you think of your princess helmet? Is your paper ponytail alright?" Youth ministry is weird.

In the midst of the macro-level ministry that I'm entering into, I'm grateful for teenagers who care less about job titles and global vision statements and more about how quickly you get out in dodgeball.

It has been a reminder that the moments spent building a Go-Kart style race car at a retreat are just as needed ministry as Zoom calls to change global theological education.

ICETE Conference Impact Teams:

I've mentioned in previous emails that I am going to Tirana, Albania for the C-25 conference put on by the International Council of Evangelical Theological Education. Earlier this month I had a chance to choose my "Impact Team" (think focus group) for the conference, which has gotten me all the more excited by all God is doing!

I will be joining the Context-Rooted Curricular Engagement impact team during the conference.

I am going to work on the "Context-Rooted Curricular Engagement Team." The heart behind the excessive

number of syllables is the question "how to teach theology that is designed around the needs, culture, learning style, and language of the country where it is being taught?"

For example, if I were to teach a class in the middle of Zimbabwe focused on what an American needs to know

to pastor their church, the students would only be prepared to lead in an American context. They would not have everything they need to lead in Zimbabwe. This team is focused on thinking through how to make theological education in Zimbabwe (or whatever country you choose) actually prepare people to lead in their context.

We had our first group think-tank via Zoom last week, and members of this group are from a wide range of countries and contexts including Nigeria, India, Canada, Chile, America, Australia and more. I am so excited to see how God uses this group to advance His kingdom!

Adjunct Teaching at Lancaster Bible College

This month, I began co-teaching a course at Lancaster Bible College called "Theology of Children, Youth, and Family." It has been a joy to get back into the classroom context after taking a break. I will say that there are some significant differences in classroom dynamic between teaching middle schoolers and college students, but I am enjoying it.

One of the joys of this course is that I get to co-teach it with my mother. She is an excellent teacher, and it has been a blessing getting to learn more about higher education under her tutelage, but it has also been fun to talk about family alongside of a family-member. Our prayer is that this unique dynamic will be a blessing for the students.

Settling In at Bible Centered Ministries International

This month also marked the beginning of my office days at the BCM headquarters. It has been a delight to get to know my colleagues more. There are consistently belly laughs heard somewhere around the office. Work is completed, but connections are built along the way.

I officially moved into my cubicle at work. Anyone who knows me, knows my love of bright colors and things that make me smile in general. So, I've been slowly trying to make the "brown box" into a more "Bekah" space. There is still a ways to go, but it is a start.

Little gestures like settling into a cubicle have been helping me come to terms with the fact God has actually blessed me with my dream job and that I have the privilege of participating in His plans to help the world know Him.

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Prayers and Praises:

Family:

• Praise God for the growth in our youth group teens during the retreat.

• Pray for the teens in our group that are not following God yet for themselves. Pray that God will draw their hearts to Him.

• Pray for Phil's parents as they are preparing to go back overseas

Partnership Development (Support-Raising):

• Praise God that I am up to 13% funding! God has been

• Pray that God will continue to make His will clear throughout this process.

• Pray that God will lead me to those He has planned for me to partner with.

ICETE:

• Praise God for the ministry being accomplished through ICETE, and the opportunity I have to represent BCM at this conference.

• Pray that God will prepare my heart in the coming months to seek all that He has planned.

• Pray for the Context-Rooted Curricular Engagement Impact Team as we brainstorm leading up to the conference and for our conversations during the conference.

Upcoming Trip Dates: 

• Feb. 27th -March 8th-- International Council of Evangelical Theological Education Conference (Tirana, Albania)

Current Support: 13%