Hey there

[Coolhand]

Hey all,

 

It looks like some new people here or possibly people have just changed there names. I haven' been around here much in the last couple years but I'm still around. In case you are curious, I'm still doing the motorcycle chaplain ministry, still in the San Diego area, still an officer in Warriors of the Cross motorcycle club, I still to HVAC and refrigeration work, and Im still trying to finish my masters degree.

 

We have BBQ's  in the San Diego area to try to promote unity among motorcycle clubs. These started off to allow a place for all the Christian bikers (club and independent) to be able to fellowship without the baggage and structure of a church type organization. We were calling it "Christian Unity" but changed it to just "Unity" because it naturally expanded and we didn't want to limit it but just wanted a good vibe of fellowship.

 

Since 2013 we have been having church services in Harley dealers. We got it started, we were approached by a Harley dealer we did not push our way in which I thought was cool. Currently in San Diego there are two different dealers doing this, one of the second Sunday and one on the fourth Sunday. Some of the guys would like to do it every Sunday, but most of us would rather be riding instead of in a building. You can have that same sweet spirit of fellowship.

 

Some of you guys were here when I started in May 2002. I had been involved in church, mostly Assemblies of God, from the time I was really young, and I started riding motorcycles about the same time. My relationship with God through Jesus Christ has always been important to me though it has changed and morphed over the years. I learned about the ULC from other bikers. Turns out back in the day, bikers would get ordained by the ULC so when their brother were incarcerated, they could get in to visit because visits from clergy were protected. So, 2002 I was ordained by the ULC, then 2004 I resigned that and was ordained by the UCFM because I wanted something more exclusively Christian, but still participated in this forum. Then 2010 I resigned the UCFM and was Licensed by the Assemblies of God, 2012 Ordained by the Assemblies of God. In 2015 I resigned the Assemblies of God because it wasn't the fit I was looking for. Sometime around then I had my ULC credential reinstated. Then last year in our motorcycle club we started our own ministry credentialing program for our members. I do the hermeneutics portion of that training.

 

Regarding mechanical work, I have left the management world. I was a HVAC Manager when I first joined here. 2003 I became a Service Manager. 2013 I became a General Manager. Then after 22 years at that company I left to be  Service Manager at a smaller company that worked on bigger equipment. 2018 I left that company, now I am a union Senior HVACR tech for the City of San Diego. All of these resignations (ministry and work)  were not forced  but were decisions I made because I just wasn't feeling it anymore, I'm on good terms with all of them.

 

In 2006 I earned a certificate in biblical counselling, in 2008 I earned my BA in biblical ministry. 2009 I started working on a masters degree. I started off  the MA in Missiology program, then changed to the Master of Divinity program, then changed to the MA in Leadership Studies program, and finally in February I changed again to MA in Biblical Studies New Testament

Concentration. Lots of changing, losing time, getting extensions, re-enrolling, etc. I am acutely aware that I just need to finish. I am currently debating where to write a capstone paper or a thesis. I like the capstone idea because its a ministry strategy paper for implementing what I have learned in graduate school, and also measuring the effectiveness. That is where I am leaning right now because of the practicality of it. Although I do want to write a thesis dealing with hermeneutics of the book of Revelation. If I do the thesis then I will have classwork that I have done that wont count towards my degree. Not sure what (if anything academically) is next. 

 

Currently I'm an MA candidate in Biblical Studies (New Testament), and I'm in a class called "The Bible as Literature: Theory and Methodology". The Biblical Studies program seems more who I am. It seems I always have a Bible open in front of me, referring to exegetical commentaries, and checking against interlinear Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The classes on ministry and leadership I have had I was always suspect of how the "proof text" they were using was handled, and didn't always agree with the conclusion. Some people approach the Bible as if it were an outline with attached proof texts; I would argue that it definitely is NOT that. If I ever finish my masters and decide to go on to a doctorate, it will probably be a Dth. I say that because the Dmin is loaded with ministry coursework and presupposition, the Phd requires a couple years of theological language study on top of the required biblical language study. The Dth is a pure research degree based on more of a European model and more focused with out all the extra stuff.

 

I plan on being around here more. As I have said before, some of the best ministry training I have had was participating in these forums here. I learned more here about how to communicate, and respectfully debate than anywhere else. I know I have annoyed people and a lot of people were very patient with me, and others not so much..lol. I do encourage others that I minister with to join and participate in discussions with people to do not see things the same way they do and do not agree with them. A lot of people like to surround themselves with people that agree with them. I do not think that is a biblical principle.  I think having a core group of like minded people is good, but cloistering and shadow boxing with imaginary opponents does not appeal to me. I like people who can show me the weakness of my logic and expose my subjectivity, biases, and presuppositions.  

 

I guess that catches you up with me these days.

 

 

[RabbiO]

Welcome back.