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