Closing Comments On The CTI Programme

Even though Brenda wrote the “last blog,” Andrew still asked each one of us to write a final paragraph.

Brenton Green – Overall, my time here has been a time of growth and maturity, both mentally and spiritually. It has been a time of the further development of my character and leadership skills, which God has given me. As I return home in about a week’s time, I look back and realize that this was a vital step in life, which caused me to put my faith and dependence on Him through every circumstance. God has caused me to rely on Him when no one was around, and when Satan and His demons tempted me. This time has given me clarity of thought into my calling of what I am going to do. I thank God, the leaders at the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and Geneva College, for the opportunity to attend the CTI program in Scotland.   

Jasmine Martin – I listen to the rain falling outside the window of my home in California, and it’s reminding me of Scotland. It’s hard to believe that the time has gone by so fast.  I know that I am not the same person I was before I went to Scotland, I have grown in so many ways. God has caused me to be bolder, less fearful, and more trusting than I once was. Even through times when it seemed like our efforts were futile, feeling like you were nothing more than a dead weight, or you were not contributing anything to the benefit of others, you were, in fact, having a big impact on all those around you. God uses us in ways we don’t see, and probably never will see. Just because we are unaware of what He is doing through us doesn’t mean that we should give up and go home. Rather, we press on toward the goal that He has set before us. Whether you are stuck in a small, cramped room reading a never ending list of books, listening to lectures, assisting with mums and tots or CY, or simply listening to a friend share their struggles and praying with them, God has put you in that particular place at that precise time for a reason. We touch each other, encourage one another, and share the love that He has given us. I learned so much from my studies with CTI, I learned even more with my encounters with the people involved.  

Farewell, Good Readers

Well everyone, in less than a week we will all be back in our own countries.  That slightly depresses me, not that I won’t be glad to see my family and everything, it will just be sad to leave here.  I’m always sad whenever I leave Airdrie, but I figure I always come back again before too long, so it’s not so bad.  Jasmine leaves us on Saturday and the rest of us leave on Monday.  Ok, enough about leaving…

This past week we had our normal reading and seminars and we also went ice skating in Glasgow with the Covenanter Youth group and we went into Edinburgh on Saturday.  The best part of that day was that it SNOWED!!!  It was so exciting!!

So, for this week we finish up our last week of reading and seminars.  It is our last week in that little classroom that has basically been our home for the past semester.  It’s amazing to think about how much of our time we’ve been in that classroom this semester.  In less than a week there’ll be no more days spent in that tiny, freezing (or boiling depending on how long the heater has been on) classroom.  Even though it has gotten a little old spending large amounts of time in that classroom, I still like it.  I’ve learned a lot in that little classroom and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.  If I was to try to tell you all that I have learned this semester, I would have trouble thinking of an answer that would be able to summarize it all.  Stephen actually asked me the question a couple weeks ago along the lines of “what have you learned so far?”  I couldn’t really give him an answer because I had no idea where to start.  So if you’re going to see any of us when we return home again and you want to ask that question, make sure you have a few minutes to hear the answer because I don’t think it’ll be a very quick one.

On the schedule for the rest of this week we have presentations on Thursday, and dinner and a ceilidh on Saturday.  Please pray for Jasmine as she flies out on Saturday and for the rest of us as we fly (or maybe take the boat in Stephen’s case) out on Monday.  Also pray that we will remember the things we’ve learned this semester and that we would apply them to our lives when we get home.  

I think this is the last post of the semester.  Thanks for reading!  Come to Scotland and do CTI!  Sending your college-aged kids is also acceptable.  Tell your friends!  Oh, and Reformation Tours is also strongly recommended.  You’ll find all the links on the right hand side of this page.  

Cheerio!

Brenda

The Final Push

As Muse sang not so long ago, ‘Our Time is Running Out’. 14 days and all the CTI students will be back in their native lands.

Classes continue as usual. Today we spent part of our seminar looking at the Westminster Directory for Public Worship. Rockin’.

One thing that has cropped up a few times recently, particularly in the Ministry Practicum module, is what the role of the Christian Minister actually is. It would seem that many today see the role of the minister as just preaching, with a token pastoral role just to make sure people are happy. The role of the minister is to put the food on the table – whether the people eat it or not is up to them. However we have been challenged to think of the minister as someone whose task it is to ‘present everyone mature in Christ’ (Col 1:28). He can’t just, in effect, tell people to take it or leave it – but he must ‘toil…struggling with all his energy’ (v29) to enable people to actually GET it. The job is not merely to feed the sheep, but to see them grow. The ministers’ aim should be ‘to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ’ (Eph 4:12). And we, as out of favour Arsenal goalkeepers, need to understand this too, so that we know what our role is.

As Reformed Churches which place great emphasis on preaching, it may seem dangerous to say that preaching is not enough, but Charles Bridges for one had no qualms about saying it – and his whole section on ‘The Pastoral Work’ is very helpful. A few quotes:

‘Preaching – the grand lever of the Ministry – derives much of its power from connection with the Pastoral work; and its too frequent disjunction from it is a main cause of our inefficiency.’

‘How little can a stated appearance in public answer to the lowest sense of such terms as Shepherd, Watchman, Overseer, Steward! – terms, which import not a mere general superintendence over the flock, but an acquaintance with their individual wants [needs], and a distribution suitable to the occasion’ (p.343)

‘There is a sort of mental deafness among the mass: so that, except the word is brought to them in the smallest parcels, and with the most direct application, the sound only is heard; while the meaning is never fixed upon the mind with an intelligent or permanent apprehension’ (p. 350)

Oh – and we had Thanksgiving since the last post!

And for my second and final pronunciation tip: I hate to break this to you so late in the day, but just because you pronounce it ‘Edinboro’ instead of ‘Edinberg’ doesn’t mean you’ve got it right