Run in Faith After Him

Can you recall a specific time in your life when you felt like you learned quite a lot? Maybe a class taught you to think in a way you have never learned before or maybe a circumstance somewhere along the way changed your perspective on life? What about these moments make it to be so life changing? I bet these experiences made you anxious or scared or maybe you originally were opposed to learning something new. It’s in these places and situations and with these people that really put our faith into action, by challenging us to rely on God and trusting that He is in control and thus strengthen us as Christians. What better way to deepen your love and devotion to Christ?

…This week was a bit uneventful, especially compared to last week’s Reformation Tour (which was amazing!) Last night, the CY ministry started up again. CY is the Covenanter Youth—the ministry geared towards the teenagers. Carla Quigley organized games we played; teams against teams would play to win the most points. Things got a bit crazy in clean up… a whole lot of cereal and milk ended up on the street and pavement outside the church’s steps. I found it quite amusing.

I do enjoy riding the train to Glasgow, it’s only a 30 minute ride which seems like no time at all. Jasmine and I did some window shopping last weekend there. Tomorrow we hope to go to one of the free art museums in the city and come back for a Mexican Food Night at our flat.

Oh yes, I’d like to also announce that the boys have moved into their house! But I’ll let them tell you about that….

But anyway, I love this program; CTI has really changed my thinking pattern. How? God has equipped others to show me what I need to know and how I can grow as a disciple of Christ. I cannot thank God enough for placing me here—for I know this was God’s calling for me—because of the people I have met, topics I have discussed, things I have observed, and activities I have participated in. May I encourage you, in turn, to pray that God will lead you to where he wants you to be and that He would give you the courage to run after these things?

I’d love to go on and on, but I must just mention one truth I have come to understand much deeper while being here: that EVERYTHING be to God’s glory. Nothing we do is for “us”— it’s all for Him.

<3 Heather

A Change of Heart

“If the world hates you, you should realize that it hated me before you” (John 15:18)            

Welcome to the CTI Study Abroad Program’s blog. My name is Brenton Green. By the end of this year, I will have completed my Student Ministry degree at Geneva College.  Through the course of my 22 years, I have never really been outside of the country. There have been plenty of reasons behind my method of thinking. Once 9/11 happened I assumed that the terrorists would have a more predominant role in the destruction of the United States. There was absolutely no way I was leaving the country.  However, God changed my way of thinking. He determined that my next destination was Scotland. Initially, I was still very hesitant about doing the study abroad program. My specific reason was the program was run under a Reformed Presbyterian denomination. If you knew me during my sophomore year, I hated going to a service that was Reformed. I was and still am affiliated with the P.C.U.S.A Presbyterian sect. The mandatory chapels Geneva required students to go to each day was my study time.  Even though God has changed my mindset towards the Reformed denomination, I still was unsure that I could deal with an entire semester of Reformed worship.  After many months of constant prayer, God had decided my first semester was going to occur in Scotland. Since God had predestined this choice, how was I going to argue with God? God’s decision was final, and I was going to be studying in Scotland.

John 15:18 states “If the world hates you, you should realize that it hated me before you.” Over the course of this past week, this Scripture has really resonated with me as we visited the sites of the Scottish martyrs. Even though men like John Knox, Andrew Melville, and George Wishart knew death was imminent, they still felt called to proclaim Christ as Lord. Their entire life’s purpose was not their own, but rather of the Kingdom of God.  As the week continued, I began to wonder, would I truly die for Christ at any moment? This thought begain to pentrate deep into my inner midst. If I was not willing to die for Christ, was I then truly committed to Him?  My doubts lingered until I began to think what Christ really did for me. He has saved me from the pit of Hell and filled the void within my heart. Before Christ was in my life I attempted to fill the gap with any form of pleasure.             

Although I could probably write an entire five to seven page paper on this week, I am going to stop for now.  I do not think God has placed me here out of sheer luck. God has a purpose that is beyond my knowledge. Continually I pray that God will enlighten my mind when He sees fit.  

I would ask that all the Geneva students and faculty continue to pray for our studies and our time in Scotland.

The Body of Christ

“If one member suffers, all suffer together;
and if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.”
1 Corinthians 12:26

Greetings! My name is Jasmine and several years ago I came to Scotland on a mission with my old church and the impression it left upon me was that of a land in total darkness. It was heart breaking yet I couldn’t help but feel compelled to return one day.
It has been four years, I have since changed churches and denominations, but the desire to return to Scotland continued to press upon my heart. I heard of the CTI program here and with great enthusiasm, signed up for a semester of biblical studies. I have since been amazed at what I found.
While Scotland remains a land in darkness, there is a beacon of light piercing the perpetual blackness. That light, I discovered, was that of a thriving, radiant church body in Airdrie.
Being true to 1 Corinthians 12:26, I have been privileged to witness a church functioning as it should when Christ is the true head.
I have seen them rejoice in one another’s joys and I have seen them pull together in one another’s tribulations.
During this past weekend we attended a camp with the congregation and was able to experience the joy and love of the Father that we all share. The radiant light of God’s love flooded every aspect of their lives. I am truly blessed to be here.
In our own group of CTI students we have been forging friendships, building each other up, sometimes in unconventional ways, but never the less, encouraging one another as we grow in Him and His word.
I thank God everyday for the opportunity to be here with my brothers and sisters, American, Scottish, and Irish alike.

The Beginning

Greetings from Airdrie, Scotland! I’m Brenda Gladfelter and I was nominated by the rest of the students here to begin this record of our semester in Scotland. There are five of us here for this semester of CTI (Covenanter Theological Institute). There is Brenton Green, Stephen Steele, Heather Miller, Jasmine Martin, and me of course. I don’t think I’ll give you a full introduction to all of them. I’ll let them do that themselves when it’s their turn to write to you all. It would be a big job to describe them all; they’re all very interesting individuals, haha. I wouldn’t do them justice at all.

So, as I said, I am Brenda Gladfelter. I am a student at Geneva College where I’m studying history. I’ve been to Airdrie 3 times before, once just visiting and twice on mission trips, and I really love it here. I wanted to come for the semester both because of what is being taught and because I really wanted to spend more time here. Who knows, maybe I will move here in the future!

You may be wondering what exactly this CTI semester is all about. The courses we are taking are Covenanter History, Biblical Theology, Reformed Evangelism, and Ministry Practicum. As Andrew Quigley described it to us on the first day, these courses work together to teach us where our church came from, the theology of our church, and how those should be applied. He put it a lot better, but that’s basically it. We’ve all been here almost two weeks and we’re coming to the end of our first week of seminars. The seminars are led by Dick Knodel and Andrew Quigley. Beth Bogue also leads one for the girls.

To wrap up this first post I’ll just say that everything is going well and we’re learning a lot and having fun too. I could probably say a lot more, but I’m being forced to write this right now by a crazy Irishman so that is all I have for you at this time. Stay tuned for more on our semester written by one of the others.