LBU School of Biblical Studies Newsletter

A Word from David Keeny
Dean of the School Biblical Studies

I trust that your summer is going well and that you are enjoying the blessings of the Lord during this season. It has been very warm, around the 100 degree mark, here in the Shreveport area.  Thank the Lord for air-conditioning!

As I write this I am just days from my fiftieth birthday.  Hard to imagine five decades have come and gone.  Some have reminded me that this "milestone" marks "half a century".  That really sounds like a long time.  I am so glad that you are "only as old as you feel" or so they say.  Once this birthday comes and goes I can wait another decade for the next "milestone".  Can anybody identify with me?

All this talk of age and the accumulation of all these years reminds me of the Scripture in James that says "What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."  Peter says it this way, "all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.  The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:" I like what Peter goes on to say here, "but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever."

It is wonderful to know that the Word of God will stand for time and eternity.  The implications of this truth are many but one of the greatest things is to know that what the Bible declares to us concerning the person and work of our Saviour on our behalf and the salvation it reveals to us will never change.  Like God Himself in His immutability, the Word and what it declares remains constant.  This is very refreshing in a day and time in which everything around us here in this world is changing, often not for the good.

We serve as Savior who is the same, "yesterday, today and forever."  His promise is that He will come back again one day and take us to be with Him.  It seems that that day is drawing very near.  We are to be looking for Him to come while at the same time are involved in the work He has left us here to do.

The Lord be with you through these summer months as you labor in His vineyard and also "press on" in your studies through LBU.  If I can be of assistance at any time, please do not hesitate to contact me here at the school.

In the wonderful name of Jesus,

David A. Keeny
Dean of Biblical Studies

A Word from the Associate Dean:
  Brent Shoalmire

Greetings all our students, alumni, and friends!   I trust that you are having a great summer and are enjoying God’s goodness.  He is indeed a faithful God!  I’m reminded of Psalm 100:5, “For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations”.

I’ve been pondering the subject of personal holiness recently.  The Lord put this on my heart a few weeks ago as I was preparing a sermon.  It’s easy for us to get so busy with other things that we forget or forsake our command to constantly pursue personal holiness.

The Apostle Peter was the most prominent disciple during the ministry of Jesus and had a tremendous impact on the early church.  In his first epistle he wrote to encourage the believers to endure the intense persecution that was prevalent in the area and to prepare the readers of the difficult times ahead of them.  He admonished the believers to continue forward in their faith and to live boldly, the Christian life.

Peter’s words were for a people that would go through intense persecution.  Similar days may be ahead for us as we get closer to the Rapture.  Fortunately, we can face these days with the assurance of our Father who will show us through.

If these days are coming, and I’m certain they are, we Christians need to get serious about how we live!  We‘re too complacent.  We’re too into ourselves.  We determine our activities in life and in the church based on how it affects our comfort level.  We’re not serious about pursing personal holiness any more.

Consider I Peter 1:13-16, “Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

We need to genuinely pursue Jesus Christ as the actual Lord of our lives.  We need to act like it, talk like it, and live like it.   We need to be serious about personal holiness for two reasons:  because God commands it and because the days of persecution are coming and we need to get ready!

Check out the list below.   It’s called the “Seven Habits of Highly Holy People”.   I came across it in a sermon by a preacher named Brad Lewis.  It’s intended to be a take-off from the popular book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.   If we will make these habits a regular, consistent part of our lives, we will glorify God more and be prepared for whatever this life throws at us.

SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY HOLY PEOPLE
By Brad Lewis

1. SCRIPTURE:  Seek to understand Scripture as the guide for your daily life.  (Psalm 1:1-2; Psalm 119:11; Col. 3:16)
   
   
2. SUPPLICATION:  Seek God in prayer everyday.               (I Thessalonians. 5:16)
   
   
3. SAVIOR:  Devote yourself to following Christ,  no matter what.   (2 Timothy 2:8-9a; John 14:6)
   
   
4. SPIRIT:  Live each day guided by the Holy Spirit.  (Galatians 5:16, 25; Acts 16:6-10)
   
   
5. SAINTS:  Be accountable to God’s house and His people.   (Hebrews 10:23-25)
   
   
6. SANTIFICATION:  Separate yourself from the spirit of the world.   (I Thessalonians 4:3)
   
   
7. SERVICE:  Seek to serve others out of thanks to God.   (2 Corinthians 9:8-13)

Brent Shoalmire
Associate Dean of Bible

Hispanic Highlights:

Unas Palabras del Director de Estudios Hispanos:

CIEN AÑOS DE OBRA HISPANA BAUTISTA
“Señor, tú nos has sido refugio De generación en generación” Salmo 90:1

A finales del mes de Junio tuve la oportunidad de participar en las reuniones de la Convención Bautista de Iglesias Hispanas en San Antonio, Texas. Se estaban celebrando 100 años de obra hispana en Texas. Desde 1910 Dios ha manifestado su gracia y poder a miles y miles de personas a través de distintos ministerios hispanos en Texas.

Estuvimos promoviendo la Universidad Bautista de Louisiana y fue un gozo ver el interés que existe entre el pueblo hispano por la educación teológica. Éramos una de varias universidades que estaban compartiendo información de sus programas de estudio. Sin embargo, éramos la única con programas en español. Aun cuando muchos de los hispanos son bilingües, nos encontramos que todavía existe un gran porcentaje de líderes hispanos que tiene preferencia por el español. Muchos de ellos me comentaron que están interesados en estudiar pero que por cuestiones del idioma no han podido. Entre otros comentarios, mencionaron que la prioridad es un entrenamiento teológico y practico que pueda ayudar a ministrar en sus campos de trabajo, además reconocieron que el tiempo en el que vivimos requiere más  preparación académica para ministrar a las nuevas generaciones que en tiempos pasados. Oramos que Dios siga bendiciendo su obra en el Estado de Texas. Damos gracias a Dios por permitirnos extender el ministerio de la Universidad entre los tejanos.

Estamos a la mitad del semestre de verano y disfrutando (o sufriendo según el caso) del verano caluroso. Adelante con sus estudios, Dios sigue siendo nuestro refugio en la presente generación. Estamos orando para tener una clase modular para la primavera del 2011, si usted tiene interés en participar mándeme un e-mail o puede llamarme a la oficina de la Universidad el Martes o Jueves.

Bendiciones!!!

July 4                      Independence Day

July 26                    Early registration for On-campus Fall Semester begins

August 23               Late registration for On-campus Fall Semester begins

August 23-27          Week of final exams for On-campus Summer Semester

September 6           Labor Day

September 7           On-campus Fall Semester begins

The LBU School of Biblical Studies welcomed the following new students during the month of June:

Randy Allen Abell    Jared Aguirre            Douglas Freese        Vernon Garza

Janet Goulet             Michael Hewett         Matthew Noble         Ronald Chad Ray

Linda Rosa               Julie Siders               Sid Shew

The following students are celebrating their Birthday this month:

Randy Abell              Bernice Arzate              Silvia Barragán             Orville Beckford
Scott Brown             Danny Buckingham      Donald Calloway           Curtis Cantrell
Paul Chismar           Angel Colon                  Christopher Conner      Louis Conway
Levi Deatrick           Jose Luis Diaz               Michael Due                   Rachel Frantz
Luis Garcia              Benito Gonzalez            Brunson Gunter            Jeff Haney
Wolfdieter Hannig   Gary Hennessey           Chuck Hernandez          Bryan Jones
Matt Keller                Bruce Kirts                    Sarah Klar                      Ben Knowles
Nan Langley             Ernest Lawson              Naomi Levingston         Terry Long
Albert Lorenzo         Gordon L. Mais              Anthoni McElrath          Bryan McGinnis
Romie Miller             Eddie Mills                     Brett Monroe                  Perry Newton
James Parker          Demetrius Patterson      David Pottberg              Ryan Ray
Thomas Rentz         Abby Roberts                 Joseph Roth                  Joe Shepherd
Douglas Sherrill      Fred Smith                      Rachael Smith               Michael Steele
Charles Strength     Roy Swan                       Karlous Thomas            David Thornton
Ruben Us                 Paul Wesley                   Richard Wallace             Michael Wilkinson
David Williams        Tracy Dobbins               

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Jeff DeLaurentis-  Pray for his daughter Sarah who has been suffering from an eating disorder. Pray that  the Lord will heal her. Also pray for her family as they support her during this time.

Roy Myers and Family- Pray for him and his family during this time as they are dealing with the loss of his father-in-law. Pray that the Lord will comfort them in this saddened time.

Ronnie Mires- Pray for him as he needs a liver transplant. Pray that the Lord will place everything in order so that he is able to receive a liver very soon.

Mark Norris- Pray for his sister-in-law Monica Richardson.  A lesion was found in the brain in a place that is inoperable.  The doctor at this time can not tell whether it is benign or malignant.

Derrell Hudgins- Pray for his wife Madeline Hudgins who had a light stroke last August and is having severe complications from it.

Jeffrey Stachmus – Pray for his mother Diane Stachmus who is recovering from a leg amputation. Pray that the Lord will comfort her during this healing process.

Bro. Rufus Saripalli  (Missionary - INDIA) Please pray for his mom who has both her knees completely worn out and needs knee joint replacement but cannot go for it due to osteoporosis and also other possible complications. Pray that the grace of God will sustain the pain as both she and her husband are senior missionaries in India also.

Rowena Davis- Pray for Robert Davis’ wife Rowena who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Please pray that the Lord will heal her and comfort her during this time.

Alexandra Miles- Pray for her as she is suffering from Stage 3 cancer. Please pray that the Lord will heal her and comfort her during this time.

Eli and Shona Barakat- Pray for the villages in Lebanon that he and his family minister to as there has been some issues involving false miracles by a "Maronite Christian".  Also, pray for Shona’s brothers’ mother and father in law. His mother in law Davaa, was in a terrible auto accident and needs healing and his father in law who is not a Christian has stomach cancer.

Richard Frost- Pray for his friend, James Gilbert who has cancer and who is not saved and his wife Amy who is a Christian. Pray for Richard’s sister Jackie for God to give her financial wisdom.

Tony Gregory- Please pray for him as he has recently been diagnosed with a tumor of the brain. Pray for healing and that the treatments he receives will work swiftly.

Ray Wolfe- Pray for him as he is suffering from Crohn’s disease. Pray that the Lord will heal him and that his doctors will be able to treat his flare ups.

Richard GoKool- Pray for him that he will have the courage and discipline to continue his studies without the fear of falling sick of Epilepsy, in order to graduate in May.  Pray for him to have the wisdom to purchase a used a car as soon as possible and that the Lord Jesus will bless him the needed finances to accomplish this task.  Pray also for him to have spiritual discernment regarding personal decisions.

Brent Mosley- Pray for him as he is has recently gone through yet another critical surgery. He is doing well, but please pray that the Lord will continue to heal him and prevention of any infections.

Kenneth Hood Sr. - Pray for him as he has one last surgery on his right eye. They will replace the lens. He has now been declared legally blind and has had to make some difficult changes in his life. Pray for him that the Lord will strengthen him and will continue to use his life for the glory of His kingdom.

Sally Mullins-- Pray for her as she has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Please pray that the Lord will give her healing and comfort as she is goes through Chemotherapy.

Robert Stramski--- Pray for his mother as she is suffering from cancer. Pray that the Lord will heal her and help her through this time in her life.

Adam Muilenburg---- Pray for Ginny Muilenburg’s 12 year old son who is suffering from a severe illness. Pray that the Lord will heal him and comfort him and his family.

You can submit prayer requests that you want posted on our newsletter to stillman@lbu.edu. **Please be sure that you tell us how to word your prayer request.  If you would like for the staff of LBU to pray for you but do not wish to have your prayer request posted on the website or newsletter, please let us know at the time that you contact us for prayer. -Thanks

Contact us | View site map