Dec 21 2006
As I sit here at my computer, I am suddenly startled by how rare this actually is: a silent moment. The pure nature of absolute silence, and a few minutes to reflect, is a gift not easily explained. For over twenty years, I have been in the “ministry.” I have served churches and schools in a myriad of capacities, yet I have never had a year like 2006. Never.
I began the year with the inexplicable honor of baptizing my son, under the authority of my pastor, at Thomas Road Baptist Church. A short while before, my son had repented of his sin, and accepted Christ as his Savior. I stood in those waters, symbolizing the inward decision he had made, and wept. My son was growing up. I ended the year with our two-year old son, learning his first sentences, and even clasping his hands together as we pray. Sure, he squints and peeks while we pray, but every little step…
In between, it was a mad flurry and a furious whirlwind. I traveled with my brother Emir to Holland, as one of our books was published in Dutch. While there, we visited the church where John Smyth and Thomas Helwys continued the Anabaptist tradition, around the first canal. The church had a side-street door, because of the persecution fears of the members. Four hundred years later, and Baptists are still hunted people! I traveled throughout the Sudan, and saw the horrors. I preached in eleven states this year, in countless churches, and spoke at eight state conventions. I spoke at four week-long camps, and stood in the pulpits of giants such as Dr. Johnny Hunt, James Merritt, David Jeremiah, and others.
Meanwhile, in my actual job, I was inaugurated as the fifth Dean of the Seminary of Liberty University, was elevated to the position of President, and with the help of an amazing faculty, staff and trustees, launched ten new Masters programs, including the Master of Arts in Global Apologetics. Bear in mind, these are all accredited degrees, which is vitally important. The Seminary is growing along with the University, exponentially. LU is presently building as many dorms as humanly possible! We are actually watching history unfold before our eyes. Over ten thousand students, literally on campus, along with thousands of commuters, and over 15,000 Distance students.
Can you tell I love my job? Having the accredited degrees to be able to teach at an institution like Liberty, and having the desire to speak across the generational divides to youth, students and adults, is an amazing life. Happily, Liberty Seminary has hired a number of faculty, such as Drs. David Wheeler, Dave Earley, and David Eppling, who have the same heart: Preach, teach, reach, or get out of the way-
Parenthetically, I debated six major world cult leaders, including representatives of the Baha’i, Latter-Day Saints, Religious Science, the MCC, and others. These took place during our Thursday evening class, Sects and Cults, with over two hundred actually enrolled, though many more attended during the debates.
Emir and I continue to work on the Qur’an project. With almost two million words, our publisher has a strict deadline for us to follow. When Worldviews Collide continues to be a best-seller for LifeWay, and our books by Kregel keep selling. Thank you!
No rest for the weary! In just a few days, we shall lead over 160 students to Israel. I affectionately refer to it as our “Baptist History Tour,” since we shall visit the FBC of Jerusalem, which opened at Pentecost
The website shall take on a new look in a few weeks, a bit cleaner and less bloated. I have tired of some of the exchanges of the past few months. I view them in light of church history- I doubt if the fighting will ever end. Emir and I will continue to stand along the lines of men such as Obadiah Holmes and Henry Dunster, though we often wonder if a “Five-Mile Act” is not far from now. The only upside? So many students are transferring to Liberty because of our stand, I am tempted to keep it up just for the enrollment-
Be blessed this Christmas- Win someone to Jesus, support a missionary, and attend your local church. I shall be sitting this Sunday, with my wife, at Thomas Road Baptist, watching our pastor, Dr. Falwell, lay the hammer down!
Truth is Immortal:
ergun
