Our Newsletter Gets a Name!

The fourth IWS Commencement was held on Sunday, June 12 in the context of another inspiring eucharistic service of worship.  We welcomed 30 new members into the IWS Alumni Association that night.  We're now 98 strong!  [Click to see the 2005 "regalia" pics].

Several alumni donned their regalia and joined the processional along with the graduates, faculty and staff.  As the service began, Bob Webber spoke in honor of the late Dr. Stan Grenz whose wife Edna would receive her doctorate that night.  The music used in the service was selected in consultation with Edna to reflect Stan's appreciation for the doctrines of the Trinity, Christology and eschatology.  Bob gave inspiring (we've come to expect nothing less!) "comments"  on the rights and privileges of the doctoral degree, and Dan Sharp led the choir of Grace Church and IWS musicians in Jane Marshall's My Eternal King.  Click to view the commencement bulletin and the list of graduates and their thesis titles, or to hear Bob's introduction and comments to the graduates.

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The establishing of regional IWS alumni gatherings is one of the ideas that Bob, Jim and I discussed in our first brainstorming meeting in June 2004.  So, when Jack Van Marion and Heather Hood told me about what they are already doing in Minnesota I was thrilled!  Below Heather explains how their informal alumni connection is working in the Twin Cities.  Then, if you are interested in connecting with other alumni in your area let me know.  I'll do the research and discover those alumni who are near you.  Or, just go ahead and connect with those who are nearby.  Let me know what you are doing and I'll pass along ideas that may be of interest to you.  This is another new beginning.  Who knows, it could develop in such a way that we have regional events to which Bob or other IWS faculty are invited.  It's another "IWS--a Unique Community" thing!  Read on.

This past year I was delighted to find that Greg Lundberg [pictured with Heather below], one of my IWS Gamma classmates, was moving to my area to serve a church in a northern suburb of the Twin Cities. Early on, I asked him if he would be interested in getting together occasionally to read and discuss books on worship, pray for each another, and support one another in ministry. Shortly after our first meeting, we discovered that Jack Van Marion had just moved to a church in the Twin Cities, so we invited Jack to join us in our next gathering. He indicated that another IWS graduate, Dave Ellison, is also in the area, so Dave has been invited to join us as well. Our churches and homes are separated by a 30-60 minute drive time, so each one of us is taking turns choosing a book to read, and coordinating a date and location to meet, often over lunch. Thus far, those meetings have taken place about every three months. It gives us a chance to reconnect, see each other's churches, share our joys and concerns, bounce ideas off each other, dialogue about worship and ministry, and support one another. It's a "mini-IWS experience" that helps us to remain focused, challenged, open to ideas, and committed to growth as we serve in ministry. Perhaps there are IWS alumni in your area who would be willing to meet on a regular (or irregular) basis. Even regional meetings might be an opportunity to keep those ties to mission and ministry strong and vital, as you encourage one another as servants of the Lord.

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We all have known the joy as well as frustration (even pain) of leading those to whom we minister in worship renewal.  As our personal understanding and practice of worship deepens we desire to lead our people along similar paths because that's what pastors, teachers, and leaders do.  All of us have stories of accomplishment and disappointment in the process, but we are encouraged by the fact that God calls us to persevering faithfulness rather than success--however "success" may be humanly defined.  So we endeavor, with the help of the Spirit, to discern God's plan for deepening the personal and corporate worship of "our people."  It is an ongoing and never ending task, but one we love (most of the time) because God is in it and we have come to realize that worship is about Him. 

Here is how is God working in one place of ministry.  Wave Wilkerson shares how a creative approach to prayer is renewing the worship life in his church--First Baptist Church of Groveport, OH.

A few months ago my senior pastor attended a prayer conference.  When he returned he expressed to me his desire to lead our church back to corporate prayer during our Wednesday adult service and to discontinue the practice of asking for prayer requests at the end of a Bible study.  He desired to teach them the importance of corporate prayer by “coloring outside the box” in the process.

Our midweek service has begun to undergo drastic changes, becoming an intimate time of participatory worship.  The first unusual change was how prayer was expressed--praying scripture.  With verses projected on the screen the pastor would lead the people to pray the scripture aloud together.  Occasionally he explained how the scripture was a means of expressing our needs according to the will of God, and then he would ask them to pray the scripture again.

Recently the pastor has been teaching how prayer is an integral part of individual and corporate worship.  Whenever he presents a new prayer concept he models it and provides opportunities for the congregation to immediately practice.  Sometimes we pray silently.  At other times we pray in small groups.  Occasionally the people are invited to pray at the altar.

Here is an overview of the service this past June 29:

• Subdued lighting in the sanctuary as people arrive

• Opening chorus without any verbal introduction or welcome

• Praying of scripture from the projection screen

• Short teaching on the importance of personal preparation before coming to corporate worship

• Time of personal reflection and directed prayer

• Solo: “We Come to Your Table”

• Congregational singing as the people come forward to receive the Communion elements

• Blessing over the people as they partake of the elements

• Directed prayer at the altar for the church, country and world.

Now remember, these changes are occurring in a Southern Baptist church in Columbus, Ohio.  For this congregation the changes are drastic.  Our Wednesday adult attendance has grown from 8-10 people to 30-35 people in just eight weeks.  God is blessing.

Thanks for sharing this story of worship renewal with us, Wave.  I encourage other alumni to share what God is doing to bring worship renewal where you are serving.  Please contact me.

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Special meetings with Larry McKinney (on the right below), Executive Directory of ABHE (The Association for Biblical Higher Education), occurred during the June Session.  He was very impressed with the Institute and our students and faculty, and thoroughly enjoyed worshiping the Lord with us. 

Having met ABHE's 22 conditions of eligibility, IWS has been granted Applicant Status with the accrediting organization.  The work of numerous subcommittees under the direction of Eric Ohlmann, IWS Director of Strategic Planning and Accreditation (on the left), continues with the anticipation of receiving Candidate Status in about two years and full accreditation in as little as 4 years from now.  This 3-phase process typically takes 8 years, but, according to Mr. McKinney, given the expertise and experience of the faculty and staff and the strong sense of mission that already exists at IWS the process could perhaps be abbreviated.

The Institute will be stronger and more effective in striving toward excellence in all our ministries as a result of this process.  Thank you for your prayers on behalf of this important endeavor.

Despite the fact that IWS is currently unaccredited, story after story is being told of graduates who are being appointed to church and college positions based on our highly credentialed faculty and the esteem held for the Institute and its founder.

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But my mouth would encourage you;

comfort from my lips would bring you relief (Job 16:5 NIV).

For a year now, an idea has been developing in my mind that would involve our IWS Alumni.  Do you remember the trials, struggles, frustrations and stress of completing your thesis project?  I thought you would.  Did you have a Barnabas, an encourager, during that process?  If your answer is yes, you know how important that person was to you.  If your answer is no, you understand how important that person could have been to you.  Out of this need a ministry is emerging.

The IWS Barnabas Ministry will assign a volunteer alumnus to a DWS 801 student.  The alumnus’ responsibility is simply to encourage the student to persevere.  The first contact will be via email.  Any further contact information (phone numbers, mailing address, etc.) will be between the alumnus and student, given each person’s comfort level.  The alumnus will not be the official thesis reader, just an encourager.  If the student needs to ask the alumnus’ opinion or toss out an idea for feedback, that would be fine.  The main goal is encouragement.  The commitment will be to stay in contact with the student until the thesis project is completed. 

I will be overseeing the ministry’s development.  Presently, I am working on guidelines that each volunteer will need to follow.  If you are interested, or agree to be part of this ministry, a copy of the guidelines will be emailed to you as well as to the student you will be contacting.  This can be a vital ministry for the thesis project students.  In addition, what better way to stay vitally connected to the IWS community?  If you would like to be a "Barnabas" (encourager, Acts 4:36) email me at waverlyww@juno.com.  

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Christian Scholars Conference, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, July 21-23.  Click here for info.

After Evangelicalism Conference, Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, MI, September 15-17.  Click here for info.

Worship Comes to Life Conference, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, October 9-11.  Click here for info.

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