Weekly Email: December 16, 2024

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Just a friendly reminder that the week of Christmas (December 23–29) is a break for the online schedule.This week’s email contains the following:

1. Student Tip: The “Why” of What You’re Doing

2. Program News: Leaders and Leadership with Dr. Mohler

3. Faculty Devotional: Dr. Betts

Student Tip: The “Why” of What You’re Doing

This past weekend, we took our six-year-old son to see Moana 2. The movie’s central theme is Moana’s quest to break a curse on a hidden island, a journey that underscores the power of unity and cultural diversity. Moana’s vision of bringing people together from across the globe fuels her determination. It’s this vision that propels her through every challenge she and her team encounter. Again and again, the film highlights how a clear and compelling vision can be a powerful driving force.

As you’re navigating your master’s degree, think of Moana’s journey as a metaphor for your own. Your overarching goal and the reasons you embarked on this path are crucial. There will be moments and maybe you’re experiencing one now, when you feel like giving up or prioritizing other aspects of your life. This is normal, but it’s also a pivotal moment.

Take some time this week to write a short letter to yourself. In it, articulate why you chose to pursue your master’s degree. Be honest and specific. What is your why? What impact do you hope to make? Once you’ve written this note, keep it close. Reread it whenever you feel your motivation waning. Let it remind you of your purpose and reignite your vision and passion for why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Program News: Leaders and Leadership with Dr. Mohler

Dr. Mohler is teaching a brand new course in the spring semester titled: Leaders and Leadership. This course examines the leadership of ten consequential figures who changed history. It is an honest evaluation of each leader–the godly, the godless, and everywhere in between. This course shows the importance of studying history for faithful Christian leadership in the 21st century.

What Makes This Course Unique?

1. Live Streaming Experience: Attend Dr. Mohler’s lectures live, whether you’re on campus or online. Engage directly by asking questions as if you were in the classroom.

2. Convenient Recordings: Can’t make it to the live session? No worries. Each class will be recorded and available for viewing within 24 hours.

3. Spans both Spring 1 and Spring 2: The course spans both the Spring 1 and Spring 2 terms, meeting on March 11, 13, 25, 27, April 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, and 17. Classes are held from 2:45 to 4:45 PM EST.

4. Flexible Credit Options: This course fulfills the Christian Leadership requirement. If you’ve already completed that, it can count as a leadership elective.

I think this is a great opportunity to take a course with Dr. Mohler. While the syllabus has not been posted quite yet but the course will likely contain reading several books, critical reading reports of 350–500 words each, uploading your lecture notes, and a research paper that is around 10–12 pages.

Registration is now open on MySBTS.

Faculty Devotional

This week’s faculty devotional is from Dr. T.J. Betts.

2 Chronicles 20:22 - “The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated.”

“God calls His people to celebrate Him with singing and playing, and then He promises to do a little drumming of His own, on the back of the enemy!” - Terry Law

In 2006, I went to Israel to participate in an archaeological dig at Tel Hazor National Park. It is located less than two miles from the Israeli-Syrian border and less than ten miles from the Israeli-Lebanese border. On the next to last day of our dig, I heard a quick, successive “boom, boom, boom, boom, boom” coming from the north. Then I heard explosions behind me. I looked back just in time to see a large billow of smoke rise from a small community about a half mile away. It was one of the first of 3,970 rockets Hezbollah shot across the northern part of Israel during what would became the 2006 Lebanon War. We evacuated to Tiberius and spent the night there. The following morning, we went further south to Jerusalem. When we got to Jerusalem we learned that a rocket had hit the building adjacent to where we had stayed the night before. Several civilians were killed in these rocket attacks. In one moment, I witnessed people who had been going about their daily routines become gripped with the fear of an enemy attack.

Jehoshaphat also was fearful when enemies were about to crush Judah. They sought the Lord, and God promised He would protect Judah. In response, Jehoshaphat appointed people to sing and praise the Lord. It was not until the people sung and praised the Lord that God defeated Judah’s enemies. Facing what looked like a hopeless situation, Judah praised the Lord. When they did, their perspective changed and victory was theirs. We must learn the key to turning fears and doubts into victory begins with praising the Lord. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it is true.

• Read: 2 Chronicles 20:1–4, 13–22

• Ask: What tempts you to fear and doubt?

• Ask: How much of your life is characterized by singing and praising God?

• Prayer: Lord, help us realize seeking and praising You precedes victory.