NorthernSeminary

Plans after graduation: One week after graduation I will marry Katie Smith, my best friend, in Parkersburg, W.Va. After that, we'll return to Aurora, IL. where I'll continue my work at First Baptist Church of Aurora bi-vocationally. I'm still in the process of discerning what my other vocation will be, but I'm confident God will provide a situation where I can make a difference in the world while I make a difference in the lives of the children and youth at First Baptist.

John on the balance between everyday life and being in seminary: Everyone's experience with this is different. I've taken a full load of classes every term of seminary, had a part-time job, and served in a church. God creates each person with a different way of dealing with the complexities of life. Part of our spiritual formation as Christians—ministers or not—is to discover the unique and beautiful ways our lives and personalities work out. The first class everyone is encouraged to take at Northern is Spiritual Formation for Christian Ministry. It was in that class where I really got in touch with my personality, my stress points, and my coping mechanisms. It is an individual thing, but there is no way you can make it outside of community. My friends and I have learned the value of allowing time to be distracted together, even if we know papers and readings are knocking at the back of our minds. Seminary is a great formation process, but it isn't its own end. The end goal of seminary is being a complete minister, equipped for use in God's church. If you've spent three or more years with your sole focus being just to get through, you'll graduate as a great seminary student, yes, but will you be a complete minister? Keep the end in sight and do what you have to do to get there in one piece. If you have the end in mind the whole time, things will come together in your life far better. I've found this to be true in both seminary and in life.

660 E Butterfield Road, Lombard, IL 60148 (630)620-2180