Life as an intern - MTD

So as most who read this blog know, I am currently doing an internship to finish off my undergrad degree in youth ministry. It is also a great place to get some great hands on experience for the ministry that I could be going into - whatever it ends up being. The internship has a vast array of different situation that our team has to think through and deal with. Regardless of what ministry or even job I end up going into, this internship is going to be a valuable experience on all account. But, this is not to say that I agree with everything, or that I enjoy everything. To be completely honest, as I was telling someone the other day, the parts that I dislike, disagree with, and find down right annoying are probably going to be the most valuable part of this whole internship deal. One of "those" things that I feel somewhat negatively towards would a paper that I get to write - I say "get to write" because I am trying to stay positive about the whole thing. I don't know how well that is going through.

This paper consist primarily with the records of how the course objectives were reached for or obtained. I basically take each course objective and write about how I went about trying to fulfill it, or how it was fulfilled given that I completed it. The writing should be done in a very objective fashion from the research perspective. If you know me at all, what has so far been outline as the guidelines for my paper is everything that I dislike about it. I have to laugh. I laugh because it will also be the thing that will challenge me to grow spiritually and will make this internship worth it. Even the bible says that suffering produces godliness. So I say, let the challenge begin. Bring it.

I will be writing this paper in sections, most likely as blog post because I want to share my experience with you as I go and maybe you could help me too. I always need it. What I am posting will be far from my final draft and will probably undergo much editing by my secretary (Rachel) given she is up for it.

First I would like to point out that this is a class on organization leadership - how to be a leader within the context of an organization. This class is offered at my different locations and institutions for a variety of different reason, but I am taking it for the purpose of becoming a pastor (in the biblical since, not merely as a leader of a church building) in the context of a church and bible college. The objectives, since the class is for both bible and non-bible base education, have been written in such a way that principle is written without relation to spiritual growth or dependency on God. Try harder and do better approach. Much like any other leadership development that I have seen - not saying that I have seen them all. "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" (MTD) is a term used to describe people becoming a better and good moral person without relation to faith in Jesus through the holy spirit to the glory of God. We are actually doing a lesson this weekend on the subject in our church, and yet this is the context my objectives are written in for the internship. Irony perhaps?

All this to say, one of the first things I would like to do is find the principle given and connect it to the bible and faith in Christ. That is the goal at least. Some of the objectives, such as "Maintain familiarity with legal standards and precedents pertaining to issues of organizational liability" might be a little harder for me to lock down on, but I would like to give it a try. I know the professor who wrote the objective, and I know that he had the bible in mind when he wrote them, I just want to work backwards now and find what he was thinking. Especially and primarily with the leadership objectives because I believe those do not fully happen without connection to the Spirit of God through faith in Christ. The danger for me would be reading the objectives into the biblical text - Eisegesis. I think that would put me worse off then not dealing with the biblical principle at all.

On a more personal note: I started working at a new restaurant which lacks all organizational leadership and just organization in general. But hopefully the tips will be worth it. I pray that I would be salt and light while I am there, not arguing or complaining but acting as a servant to everyone. Being willing to be wronged or even cheated so as to follow Christ.

I hope to head home to Michigan by the end of the month, and given enough time and money, out to PA as well to see a special someone. There is a lot going on in both locations, but I don't know if I can get to both as soon as I would like. I pray where my feet can't take me, that God might work through someone else.

Blessings from a pilgrim
Later