Polar NewsFlash
Contact us:
  • Donate
  • NewsFlash
    • NewsFlash Archives
  • Prayer Requests
  • About Us
    • Shirleen's Blog
    • Adam's Blog
    • CYAK Ministry >
      • Amundsen Educational Center >
        • About AEC
        • AEC History
  • Media
    • Pictures >
      • Family of 5
      • Shopping for Baby
      • Fall & Winter 2012
      • Youth Group
      • Summer 2012
      • Thomas Joseph
      • Colorado Adventures
      • Chicago Life
      • Life before Thomas
    • Videos
  • Resources
    • Alaska Church History >
      • Original Works by Adam London >
        • ECCAK History
        • Axel E. Karlson
        • Sheldon Jackson
        • A History of Covenant Bible Camp
        • Grandpa Ost Summary
        • The Early Lutheran Church in Alaska
        • Ferdinand Drebert and the Early Moravian Church in Alaska
        • Alaska Church History Bibliography
      • Axel E. Karlson Diary
      • Call of the Arctic
      • A Time To Remember
      • Covenant Companion Articles
      • 1930-1980 ECCAK Yearbook Reports
      • KICY 50 Years radio special
      • Ost: Grandpa A Mission in Alaska
    • AK Facts
    • Links
  • Guestbook

Reading week

10/7/2009

0 Comments

 
Picture
Starting tomorrow at noon I will have 10.5 days of no class.  Talk about a much needed break!  I will be working quite a bit during the time off, but it will be nice to not have any assignments due.  I have a goal of reading eight books during the break.  I would also like to write at least 4 papers.  It is hard to believe that we are basically half way thru our first semester!

As far as fun things to do during my reading week, we plan on going to the Shedd Aquarium (it's free admission the whole week!) and maybe go check our Navy Pier.  Even though we sometimes get overwhelmed here in Chicago, it is nice to always have options for fun cheap things to do.

On another note, I am going to try to start writing something every post that I've learned here that applies to ministry in Alaska.  So today I'll write about baptism.  In Bush Alaska, most villages have a "Christian" culture.  What I mean is most people in the village would identify themselves as Christians.  Would most identify Christ as their Savior and Lord?  Perhaps not.  So how can you tell in a Christian culture who is really a follower of Christ and who isn't?  Certainly church attendence is one good indicator, but not fool-proof.  Which brings me to baptism.  Some churches are better than others, but in general, I think most Covenant churches in Bush Alaska don't give enough time to baptism.  Furthermore, I think baptism needs to become a more serious matter, as it was in the early church.  In the early days of Christianity, if you wanted to be baptized, often you had to tell the church prior to the season Lent.  Then all 40 days throughout Lent you would meet with a priest and study key passages in the Bible concerning what and why Christians believe what they believe.  During the final week, you would meet twice with the priest.  Finally, during Easter, you would have the chance to publicly declare your faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  You would walk backwards into the baptismal pool, be baptized, then literally turn your body as your turn from your old life and walk forward and celebrate your rebirth in Christ.  Now I'm not suggesting that Bush Alaska adopts all of these practices, but maybe some of them adapted to the culture would really be a significant time to develop true followers of Christ.  What exactly would that look like?  I leave you with that thought.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    December 2016
    August 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    August 2012
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008

    Contact Us: 

    PO Box 203356
    Anchorage, AK 99520


    adam@cyak.org
          
    ​shirleen@cyak.org

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.