Theology Of
Missions
1st Week
I have begun the process of learning about GT Independent Study. This week, I set up this website and started brainstorming ideas about my field of study, including possible mentors. I decided I am going to do theology with a focus on missions as my field.
2nd Week
This week, I began researching possible contacts I can interview to learn more about missions. I got in touch with Dr. Scott Bridger, a professor of missions at Criswell College. Through several emails, we set up a phone interview for Friday (9-4) at 7:00 PM. The interview went well, and I learned a lot about how he feels missions should be handled. I also emailed Jo Lynn Hawk, a missionary and counselor who has been involved in Graffiti 2. I set up a phone interview with her for Monday (9-7).
3rd Week
I conducted an interview on Monday (9-7) with Miss Jo Lynn Hawk. She provided me with a lot of useful information, including two new contacts. She also reminded me to look for ways to do missions in my everyday life. We are all called to be missionaries, no matter what profession we end up in. The rest of the week, I worked on gathering information for the other contacts and the books recommended to me.
4th Week
I emailed both contacts that Miss Jo Lynn Hawk recommended to me: Josh Dorrell and Andrew Mann. I sent Mr. Dorrell my interview questions, and he said he would send them back to me answered. I have yet to find a time that I can meet with Mr. Mann because of our busy schedules; however, we will work out a time soon. I have also started reading a book Dr. Bridger recommended to me, called Missiology: An Intoduction to the Foundations, History, and Strategies of World Missions. This is helping me to understand the foundations of missions.
5th week
I spent the week doing more research. I finished reading Missiology, and I looked into Graffiti 2 and Galveston Urban Ministries through their websites. Graffiti 2's director, Andrew Mann, and I found a time to conduct an interview on Saturday (9-26). In the interview, he gave me a good perspective of a director of a large, inter-city ministry. I also had a proctor meeting with Mrs. Carrell, and she got me a new possible contact, a foreign, medical missionary named Kathryn Klump. I sent her an email, and hopefully she will get back to me soon.
6th week
I gave my first speech introducing myself and talking about my progress so far. It went well; although, I have a few nervous habits to work out. I emailed Dr. Scott Bridger to check on the foreign missionary he was supposed to get me in contact with, and he emailed me back with his contact information. His name is John Klaassen, a foreign missionary in Africa and a professor in Kentucky. I emailed him and set up an interview on Thursday (10-1). The interview went well and I learned more about what is takes to do foreign missions.