Loading ...Reflections from Harding Graduate
Another week long course is completed, another beginning is starting with the work to be finished at home. I always look forward to heading into Memphis, typically I get to eat Barbecue and visit Waynesboro, my two favorite Southern traditions. The class I had was Contemporary Preaching with Dr. Dave Bland. Once again the class did not disappoint. There have been classes that I have felt to be a waste of time at other schools, but at Harding Graduate, it seems that the material is so relevant to the context of ministry. This class was excellent. I read a lot about preaching, so some times there is little new information for me to learn, this was not the case. Dr. Bland filled the class with new material and helpful material to improve preaching. He opened my eyes to some new forms of preaching that I never heard about in the past (post liberal). I am excited about exploring some of these new forms at Castle Rock. I love to be learning and growing in my ministry, and Harding continues to add new tools to the shelf.
Another huge blessing of the class are the students. I always have fun in the classroom as Dr. Bland has a great personality, and truly respects the students. I had a blast with Mark Parker, he is the recruiter for the school, but he is more than that. He truly cares for the well being of the students. He wants to see them reach their full potential in Christ. He is not just trying to sell people on a Graduate education, he is concerned with the spiritual health of the student body. Plus, he always wants to drink Starbucks, which is great. I love all the jokes with one another and yes at one another (Ryan at me). I should have known better, it started on Moodle before the class even started.
Harding Graduate forms a great community. Another favorite school of mine was Heritage Christian University, in a way the school reminds me of this place. At HCU, I was friends with the teachers, and the teachers invested in you, and at Harding Graduate, they do the same. Really, if you are looking for a graduate school experience, I highly recommend Harding Graduate, and maybe I will even see you there. I have two more years
Related posts:
- Why Go to Harding Graduate
- Heading to Harding Graduate
- Application to Harding Graduate
- Reflections on Lipscomb University
- Reflections on Class
About The Author
I am glad you have had such a great experience at HUGSR. I remember being dead set on pursuing my M.Div degree at either ACU or Fuller and had really not given HUGSR much more consideration but did apply any ways (I was worried that HUGSR would be just another version of Harding U). It is too long of a story for this comment to tell how I wound up attending HUGSR but I believe the decision was God’s will for me and I have not regreted it since then.
Any ways, if you get a chance, look up Mike Cope’s blog. He recently posted a non-critical review of Thomas Long’s most recent book on preaching that you might find interesting.
Grace and peace,
Rex
Thanks for the kind words, Matthew. I like you!
Matthew, reading about your experiences at HUGSR made me homesick for the place. Like you, I learned and grew so much from my classes there. Some of the relationships I developed have meant the world to me. The people you meet at Harding Gradudate School are some of the best God has anywhere.
Harding Grad is a little piece of shalom on earth