Summer Update

Friends and Family,
It has been quite a while since my last post! Unexpectedly, the summer so far has been full of changes and new ministry, and yet still has provided opportunites for rest and relaxation. One of the big changes is that I moved to a new apartment with 9 other guys. Actually, the setup is such that I only interact most directly with 3 other guys, while enjoying weekly fellowship with the 6 guys upstairs. I really have enjoyed the living situation so far and yet ask for your prayers that God would make me a servant to my roommates and one who constantly seeks out secret ways to bless them. My new physical address is:

1905 Elliot Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55404

This past Spring semester was wonderful! The LORD taught me many things in my TBI classes and time alone with Him, a few of the most notable I will list below. Please let me know if you'd like further explanation on any of these.
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1. MARRIAGE - Marriage is the life-long covenant bond between one man and one woman that serves as a reflection of Christ and the church and is not to broken under any circumstances; therefore, divorce and remarriage are never to be pursued.
2. COVENANT LOVE - The nature of covenant love is to show mercy to one on behalf of another. (David shows mercy to Mephibosheth on behalf of Jonathan (2 Sam 9:1,7); God shows mercy to us on behalf of Christ (Titus 3:4-7); we show mercy to our spouses on behalf of God's mercy to us (Luke 6:35-36, Matt 5:7, Eph 5:25)
3. GRATITUDE - If singleness and marriage are both God's gifts (1 Cor 7:7), then why should God bless me with the later if I'm not showing gratitude for and pursuing maximum fruitfulness in the former?
4. GIFT OF DEVOTION - Daily devotion to Christ is the fruit of discipline and yet is completely the gift of God. (Discipline and devotion are gifts - Gal 5:22-23; 2 Tim 1:7; 1 Cor 15:10; Jude 1,20,24; Phil 2:12-13)
5. HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL - Expressions of corporate worship include both "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" (horizontal - Eph 4:19) and "singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart" (vertical - Eph 4:19). (Therfore, it is best to sing songs like Crown Him with Many Crowns with eyes open, looking at and exhorting others in the body.)
6. PURSUE JOY... PURSUE PEOPLE - If each person in the body is uniquely gifted and provided as a gift to the church (ex. Eph 4:11), then seeking to engage and become intimately aquainted with each member is one of the primary ways we glorify God and pursue our own joy. (Satan loves for Christians to keep to themselves at church and not to engage old friends and welcome in new friends.)
7. HUMILITY - Humility is both an attitude of mind and heart ("in humility count others more significant than yourselves" - Phil 2:3) and an action ("he [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross - Phil 2:8).
8. CHILDREN - Children are not merely to be taught, but also to be learned from (Mark 10:15, Matt 11:25 - In many ways, children provide a unique foreshadow of life in the kingdom of heaven.)
9. SOVEREIGN OVERSIGHT - The majority of Holy Scripture was written by murderers. (Moses-Exod 2:12; David-2 Sam 11:15, 27; Paul-Acts 9:1-2)
10. SIN OF OMISSION - Not to affirm (with the mouth) the soveriegnty of God in the daily goverance of all things is sin. (James 4:13-17) (We should love and speak often of the sovereign will of God over our lives.)
11. ELDERSHIP - Each church is to be led and shepherded by a plurality of biblically-qualified elders. (Overseers, shepherds (pastors) and elders all refer to same group of men called to care for the church of God.)
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Another important thing to note is that I have now been approved to extend my time in TBI to three years, instead of two. This brings in another big opportunity that I would like to ask for prayer about. There is a possibility that I will be taking a 6-week vision trip to China this next Fall, which requires the flexibility the third year option provides. Details are still in the making. I'm not sure if this is the area or work the Lord has for me, but I'm open. Would you be willing to pray that God would make His will clear for me? I will try and keep you posted as I learn more. Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement this past semester!
Blessings,
jason
PS I'll try and post some new pictures soon!