Wk 5: Taking Note-able Professors

Take good notes from these notable professors! That sums up this past week as Susanna and I started our official coursework at Regent College. Up to now, we had been doing a lot of self-study and attending special lectures/seminars.  In this post, I want to introduce you to our professors.

I’m taking a class on Judges/Ruth taught by Dr. Bruce Waltke who is a 78-year old Old Testament scholar who served on the translation committee for the NIV, NASB, and TNIV.  He spent 30 years on the book of Proverbs alone!  He’s also a very humble man of prayer who frequents Ken Boa’s guidebooks (which some of us used before).  Among the many things that he taught us, he lovingly warned that “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor. 8:1).  He’s clearly a man who lived out God’s wisdom for life.

This past Wednesday, we took Kristen & Taylor to a special evening public lecture that Dr. Waltke gave on Psalm 8.   Afterward, our family shared lessons learned over McDonald’s soft serve & apple pies.  (Always a good deal!) But there was one bonus lesson that we learned on the way back home:  While we were crossing the street, we ran into Dr. Waltke walking out to grab a late dinner.  There he was, after having taught my class from 8:30-11am, plus a big lecture from 8-9pm, then staying behind to answer questions until 10:30pm…all without even having dinner!  And he was still full of excitement as he greeted us and shook our hands.  That really challenged me to give my all to faithfully pass the baton to the next generation!

Susanna is taking Dr. J. I. Packer’s Colossians/Philemon/Ephesians class; he’s one of the most respected theologians alive, widely known for authoring Knowing God.  He’s 83 years old now but is still actively teaching, writing, and having “interviews” (i.e., office hours). Being the good student that she is, Susanna promptly signed up for office hours with a notepad of questions.  And Kristen, Taylor, and I tagged along for a family office hours time!  

He shared with us how he became a Christian during college at Oxford.  He had thought that he was a Christian during his high school years since he was even defending the Christian creed.  But during an evangelistic meeting hosted by InterVarsity, he realized that he had actually “kept Jesus at bay” and had not given up control over his life.  Convicted that he was not a Christian, during the closing song, “Just As I Am,” he finally made his decision to surrender his full control over to Jesus.  Sounds very familiar to what we’ve encountered in college ministry (including for myself as well).  I’m now all the more inspired to reach the next generation of college students!

Every day, Susanna and I are spontaneously applying Deuteronomy 11:19 with Kristen & Taylor (“Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”)  We’re so excited about what we’re learning and can’t help but to share it with others.  I guess that’s what these professors have been doing for their lifetimes…

It’s my prayer that these professors may continue to fan into flame the gift of God in our lives and that we might even receive a double portion of their zeal and passion for God’s Word and His work.