Spring Challenges

Spring has finally arrived. Our front yard briefly changes into our own miniature version of the famous “Keukenhof” with its 4,5 million tulips and 2,5 million other bulb flowers. As the sun came out here, we heard that many of our friends in the Midwest were covered with a very late blizzard!

Eleven senior students have just finished their internships. First reports are encouraging. One of our students had quite a dramatic internship in a prison ministry, as he was confronted with the brokenness and evil in our lives. Another student worked at a Christian hospitality center in Amsterdam, which hosts young people from every part of the world. His work involved sharing the gospel, leading small group Bible studies, and organizing special events. Another student, just recovering from a burnout, is doing a delayed internship in a church, focusing mainly on pastoral visits and counseling. The most popular internship is in a church, being exposed to all its various ministries. Some have travelled to churches in England, South Africa, or even Australia! Many will have experienced Christ’s presence like never before. Some will have found their life calling. Pray as they finish their reports, and as Jack has a final evaluative interview with them.

Meanwhile, Jack finished lectures in two courses. In Orientation to Practical Theology, freshmen learn how to carefully observe and listen to Christians and their practice to discern God’s will in concrete situations. In Models of Christian Leadership, first year Master students learn about various secular and Christian models of leadership; they complete a self-assessment on their own leadership style and write a research paper on pastoral leadership. While these students complete their assignments, Jack’s attention moves to Seminar in Practical Theology, starting on April 24, where he guides 4 senior students in a personal research project involving Christian leadership.

April-May are usually the busiest months of the year at the ETF. Two international conferences were ‘squeezed’ into this busy schedule (see the prayer page). We value your prayers, encouragement and support in a special way.

You deserve a cup of coffee after reading all this. Have you tried the specialty coffees from a Christian business that helps support our ministry!

Because of increasingly strict privacy laws, it is now more difficult to use pictures with recognizable faces in them. Although we miss being able to do so, in this digital age with continual surveyance, it is probably better to be cautious. We hope the absence of pictures doesn’t mean absence of your prayerful involvement.