Category Archives: College of Bible and Christian Ministry

Loving God, Serving People, and Learning Always: The Life of a Youth Intern

  By Jennifer Cook | May 13, 2013 - 8:00 am | , , , ,
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This summer, I will be working a few jobs. The one I am most excited for is my internship. God has blessed me with an amazing opportunity to serve Him this summer as a youth intern for a Nyack alum, Justin Reese. Since I started this job just last week, I have been learning a great deal already; most recently in youth group Sunday school. This Sunday morning, God taught me two incredibly important things I will need in life, and particularly for my internship this summer.

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Me with my boss and role model, Justin Reese.

Since I go to Sunday school as a leader to these teens and pre-teens, the prominent goal in my mind is not to learn. I attend Sunday school to do my job– make relationships with this church’s students. We talk and joke around but when the lesson starts, it’s easy for me to block it all out with the mind set of “this doesn’t apply to me, it’s for the students”. But, this Sunday morning, God taught me quite the opposite.

As Justin got up to speak, and the students started to settle down, he grabbed our attention with the idea of a “God side” and a “people side” of our lives. He asked if, as believers, God will ever reject us. The students shook their heads in a corporate “no” since this answer seemed obvious enough. Next, Justin asked if people will ever reject us. The students nodded their heads “yes” wondering where exactly their youth pastor was going with this. “Is that why we spend most of our time trying to please people, and less time trying to please God? Because we feel like we have to earn people’s respect and love, but God’s will always be there?” This caused silence to fall over the room, because Justin had just brought up a serious truth. People– even believers– have the goal of pleasing people at the forefront of their mind most of the time. Justin then went on to make the point that, as Christians, our goal is to spend 100% of our time pleasing God, and 0% of it pleasing people. This doesn’t mean that we go around hating people and being bitter, but when we strive to please God, and only God, we will strive to please people too. The difference is that we will want to please our brothers and sisters, not to gain their approval, but rather out of our love for our Creator.

As I drove home from church that morning, I thought about how everything that God was trying to get through to me in that simple message. First of all, He made it incredibly clear that I will learn as much, if not more, from this internship than my students will. Beginning this job, I feel as if I am on the cusp of a very formative time in my life, and I need to be willing and ready to learn in all circumstances. Secondly, God also made it incredibly clear that my mission is to love and serve God this summer because that is when I will truly love my students and serve them to the best of my ability.

Staying Productive During Summer Vacation

  By Pierce VanDunk | May 7, 2013 - 11:00 am | , , ,
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Nyack College summer breakWarm weather, clean sheets, and home cooked food…Summer vacation is finally here! Now that finals are over, it’s finally time to rest. For most of us, all we want to do is eat, lay down, and watch T.V. It’s fine to do that for a little while, but it can be easy to let relaxing and eating become the extent of your summer activities. Here are a few tips to help you get off of the couch and stay productive during summer vacation:

1. Work! When you want to go to the movies, bowl, eat at a restaurant, or do anything else that isn’t free, having a steady job makes these activities hurt your wallet less. Many employers will take on college students for a few months while they are home from school. Outdoor jobs that are only available during the spring and summer will often look for college students as employees. I have life-guarded for almost five years, and I have always had a job waiting for me when I come home from Nyack College. Even year-round jobs will sometimes hire seasonal workers. Stay persistent and consistent during your job search. My dad always tells me that once you apply somewhere, you should call the place regularly until they give you a definite answer. This may seem like you are being a nuisance, but it is showing the employer that you are persistent and consistent. It never hurts to ask if an employer will take you on for May through August. Even if you get a few “no’s,” keep searching and applying until you find a good job.

2. Volunteer! Find time to give back to your community while you are on break. Soup kitchens, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and other organizations are usually looking for more volunteers to lend a hand, even if it is only for a few months. Getting active in your community helps to improve the place where you live, and it will be a rewarding experience for you. Plus it looks great on a resume for all those future job hunts!

3. Educate yourself! I know that the burdens of education are the very things that you are trying to escape during summer break, but it is good to keep your mind active even when you are away from school. When there are no tests to study for, no papers to write, and no professors to please, you are at liberty to choose the subject that you want to learn about. Your local library has hundreds of subjects to choose from; you can learn about something without having to worry about getting a bad grade in a class. This summer I plan on reading up on theological topics that I have not learned about in the classroom, but I would also like to take in a few good fictions for fun. You do not have to stick to educational topics; even leisurely reading fiction will give your brain some much-needed exercise.

4. Enjoy friends and family! When it comes time to have fun, have it with your loved ones that you don’t get to see during the school year. Your parents, siblings, and friends from home are available to spend time with and enjoy. There are countless activities that you can do with your family and friends, so take advantage of them. Don’t seclude yourself this summer; be sociable! Getting to relax and have fun with the people you love is the best, most fulfilling part of summer vacation.

Great Teachers at Nyack

  By Erin Fox | May 3, 2013 - 9:00 am | , , ,
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A good teacher is one who cares about their students as more than just students, but as unique individuals who deserve your time and love. Throughout my life I have been blessed with several teachers like this. They care about your education, but also ask about your dreams and seek to get to know you as a person outside of the school day. There are so many great teachers here at Nyack who go above and beyond their required seat hours to pour into the lives of their students. As an intercultural studies major a few of my teachers live on campus and I have had the pleasure of going over to their houses and sharing a meal with them. It was wonderful to be able to spend time in community with these teachers and other classmates as we discuss life issues and our dreams for the future. This has been a huge blessing during my time here at Nyack so far.

Bapak

There is one teacher imparticular who I believe was a wonderful teacher inside of the classroom as well as a person who I knew I could talk to even once I finished his class. Barry Jordan was the missionary in residence this year at Nyack College and was the teacher of my Culture and Communication’s class. He, his wife Patty, and their family have been serving in Indonesia as missionaries for many years now, but have spent their last year on furlough at Nyack. Barry has become a sort of father-figure on campus through his open-door policy and continuing friendly gestures towards all students as well as the name by which myself and many other students call him. His name on campus is ‘Bapak’ which is the word for father in the country which he serves. When I was in Bapak’s class I learned much about culture and specifically about the people of Indonesia as one can quickly see his love for these people. I learned much from his personally stories of different situations which he had encountered on the mission field. It was truly a wonderful class to be a part of as I gained knowledge, but also made lasting friendships with my classmates and my teacher. Even though the class ended in December I still carry on a relationship with Bapak as well as many friendships that were born and nurtured in that class. Even now I have made many visits to Bapak’s house, nestled in the center of campus, for dinner, parties, or just to show up on his front lawn to be invited in for cake and ice cream. Bapak and his family’s hospitality and love was a huge gift to this campus for the past year and he will surely be missed as he heads back to do God’s work again in Indonesia.

What is Theology?

  By Pierce VanDunk | April 2, 2013 - 6:00 am | ,
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Pierce and PrestonWhile I was home for spring break enjoying the company of my family and some good food, I got to have a few good discussions with my brother, Preston. One of them got started because he asked me “So what, exactly, is theology?” Being a Biblical and Theological Studies major, I have an answer prepared for every time I am asked that question; it comes out automatically, almost like a reflex: Theology is the study of God; theos is the Greek route meaning “God,” and -ology is the suffix meaning “the study of.” When having a casual conversation with the average person, it is easy to leave it at this stock definition and move on, but I felt that my brother deserved something more in-depth.

When I first came to Nyack College I was also unsure as to exactly what theology is. What gave me the most helpful insight was the main text in my Introduction to Biblical and Theological Studies class, entitled Who Needs Theology, by Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson. This book posits that everyone is a theologian, even non-Christians…even Atheists! Theology is simply thinking and philosophizing about deity in general, whether that deity is the God of the Christians or some other deity. That means that even those who have decided against the existence of God are theologians, since they had to ponder and consider the divine in order to deny it! You may be surprised to hear this, but  you are a theologian, too.

Even after realizing this, you probably don’t feel like a theologian; I didn’t feel like one either when I first read this in the Grenz and Olson book. When most of us think of theology, we think of old men with their doctorates writing long, complicated books on topics that almost no one actually cares about. Many of us go as far as to think that theology is harmful to ministry because it confuses people with unnecessarily complex doctrine. The way that I view Christian theology, and the way I think that everyone should view it, is  the earnest search for better and more comprehensive understandings of God in order to more properly love and serve him.

Through my studies I have come to a realization that has helped me understand what I do as a Christian theologian and why it needs to be done. God is vast, infinite, and above human understanding. No matter how much humans ponder, study, and write, we will never have a complete understanding of who God is and how he works. Instead of using this as an excuse not to try to understand him, I see it as an invitation to continually increase my understanding of him, since there will always be more to learn. I feel closest to God when I am nose-deep in the Bible or a theological text.

Preston, I hope this helps.

Table for two

  By Erin Fox | March 29, 2013 - 11:00 am | , ,
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You go to college to learn and equip yourself for the work force however it is the people you meet and friends who quickly become family who make college such an unparalled experience.  Just living life beside these amazing people has greatly enhanced my life and taught me countless lessons. Giving people your time is one of the greatest gifts you could give a person whether you are studying for a Spanish test, making a late night run to Dunkin Donuts or going out for dinner. These are the places where you become more than a fellow student, but a friend through living intentionally with one another.

There is such an indescribable and deep bond you can form just by eating dinner with a friend on a regular basis and sharing in intentional conversation. God has put a lot of wonderful women in my life and once a week I sit down for dinner in the cafeteria with one girl who I have gotten very close to. We meet and talk about our day and our lives in general. It is something I look forward to all that day and throughout the week. Just to know that someone cares and wants to listen to your life is so valuable as you deal with some of the stresses that come along with college life. This relationship has been a huge blessing in my life as we make time outside of classes or dorm life to invest in a meaningful and encouraging friendship.

So coffee dates and dinners in the caf are such blessings, but it is also great when I get the chance to go off campus and have fun at one of the many amazing eateries in and around Nyack. This area of New York is so diverse and full of so many different opportunities to experience new foods and cultures or to just relax and cure the occasional home sickness with some comfort food. I have spent countless nights journeying late-night to Applebees for half price appetizers, spending hours in laughter and conversation. I have had my fair share of risky trips through the snow in order to secure cannolis and muffins from Rockland Bakery. And, I have spent many a day in downtown Nyack sharing a meal with a friend at one of the diverse restaurants in the community. When it comes down to it we are all students, but more than that we all desire community and sharing a meal is a great way to connect with people. God has blessed me with many wonderful and new people in my life and I love how there are so many unique ways to spend quality time with them as we grow together.

erinerin

Love Jesus. Grow with Others. Serve the World.

  By Erin Fox | March 22, 2013 - 9:00 am | ,
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Rockefeller
Love Jesus. Grow with Others. Serve the World. These three phrases sum up my life in a whole. I picked up this mantra from my church back home in Northeast Ohio. I never fully understood how perfect it was until I started here at Nyack College in fall 2011. I was moving to a place where everything was unknown and scary. But, it didn’t take long for me to realize my purpose in this community. In college I have slowly been finding out more and more about myself. Through that experience I had to hold on tight to Jesus and trust that he was making me into a woman after his own heart. I have learned so much about God’s heart for me as I have been away at school. However, the best part is that I am not going through this college journey alone. The community of Nyack College and the many friends I have made are always around to support me as they grow alongside me. Whether we a worshipping our way through a Deeper Life series, praying our way through a Bible study, or crying alongside each other when we a facing trials, we stick together as a community of believers. There are so many people to meet and new friends to make. I quickly learned that if you open yourself up and reach out to people they will bring countless blessings into your life and truely enrich your time here at Nyack.

In addition we are serving the world around us as we reach out to the community of Nyack, the people of New York City, and the world. One of the things I love about this school is its location. You could walk down town and serve with organizations such as the Nyack Homeless project. You could catch the bus to New York City at any time and go interact with people from all over the world. Or you could even take a trip to another country on a Global Service Learning trip. This place is full of opportunity, and for me as an Inter-cultural studies major this is something I thrive off of. Nyack is not only equipping me for my future on the mission field, but opening the door for me to serve right now. It all boils down to the fact that Nyack is a place where I can love and grow deeper with Jesus, grow with the people around me, and serve the world in new and exciting ways.