Concordia

What up bro
I haven’t heard from you in a minute, man how you been?

I’ve been good, I’ve been well
Overall no complaints
But definitely been in a season of growth, transition
You know what I mean?

Okay alright, can you explain it?

Yeah in short since graduating with my master’s degree, you know

Congratulations by the way, man
Where you go to school at?

Ah, I appreciate that bro
Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri
The hometown

That boy got that master’s, man
What’s your degree in?

My major is in systematic theology but I have two minors
One in church history, and the other one in counseling

Man that’s big bro
But, what was your thinking behind going back to school?

Yeah I mean prior to enrolling
I really was compelled to get back at it, you know what I mean
Get back in school
Because I was asking a lot of questions of the scriptures
Concerning things that I believed and ways that I thought
Basically God knew what I needed
And He delivered it
Unexpectedly too, perfectly, facts

Thanks, alright alright
Can you explain that?

Uh, I mean, the long and short of it is
I was exposed to Lutheran thought for the first time
After being a Calvinist for 18 years
Although I would have never called myself that
And was careful to not use that label
But that’s pretty much how I got down, you know
And I just started to question certain things
And really was pushing back on some of the ideas that I embraced
And once I was in an academic environment
Particularly at a Lutheran school
They really brought the contrast to the forefront
That I needed to be confronted with
So it was dope
And once I began to delve into the scriptures
And just praying through things vigorously
The Lord began to illuminate my thinking in my heart
Just through new considerations
In particular, it was Luther’s teaching on justification
That I had to grapple with
In a way that I hadn’t before, you know
And it just really started to soften my heart
And bring about this new joy and needed answers, you know

Wow that really sounds interesting bro

Nah seriously and liberating, that’s the way I like to explain it
It feels, man, just feel free in a good way
In a biblical way
Realizing the sacramental context and application
Of God’s grace through faith
And I’ll explain more about that later
But, its allowed me to place the emphasis outside of myself
The emphasis of where do I look for that assurance
That peace, that I’m good with God
And rather than just, you know
Just this internal focus

That’s what’s up

I really flipped it on his head

For sure