August 2010 Letter

Dear Friends,

We pray this letter has found you at a wonderful time in life. This past year has been an amazing experience that we could not have had without your help. Throughout everything we have never had reason to doubt that our needs would be taken care of. You have truly been a blessing to us.

This summer has gone by extraordinarily quickly and has been a good “break” from the rigors of school. We began this summer by visiting family and friends, and it was wondeful to be able to see everyone and spend some much-needed time with them.

Following this I went to Troy, NY and spent time with James Glascock on a survey trip of the churches in the cities of Troy, Albany, and Clifton Park (with a side-trip to visit with Jim McGuiggan in Boston, MA). I also preached on the subject of the assurance of our salvation as seen in 1st John. The trip was very successful in getting to know the area better and I came away both impressed by the work going on in the area and somewhat saddened that the number of known members of the church of Christ is only around 650 in a population area of about 2.5 million people. We often hear of the need for foreign missionaries to go to exotic places such as Africa, China, and the Middle East, and that is true. However this trip showed me just how badly we need people to take back our own country for Christ. It is truly shocking coming from a place where there are 1,000 people in the church you attend and realize there are more people there than in an entire tri-city area of another part of the country.

Upon returning to Lubbock we had some more time to visit with family, and I had opportunity to work with the Central church of Christ in Lubbock for their VBS summer program. This was a program geared towards a very poor, Hispanic part of Lubbock which gave kids a place to go instead of being left at home alone while their parents went to work. I worked with the 3rd and 4th graders, and occassionally had older kids in my class as well. It was not a particularly easy work to do, but it was extremely rewarding to be able to talk to kids about Jesus who otherwise may never have heard of Him and what He has done for us.

With all this done we are now in school mode again and looking forward to all the things that it holds in store for us. As well as studying and keeping on top of everything, we will be looking for a job wherever it will be best and most effective for us. We are particularly interested in the mission areas of the northeast and west coast, and have no doubt that God will move us in the direction that He wishes us to go, whether near or far.

This year I also plan on preaching in various congregations as they have need in order to continue building up my comfort level with speaking and preaching, and I hope to get some additional experience with youth by helping with activities where needed and possible.

Classes this term are also looking to be very good, helpful, and interesting. The breakdown is as follows:

Minor Prophets: This course is dedicated to the “minor” prophets of the Old Testament. Study of these books includes the books in their contexts, what they said about Israel and the nations at that time, as well as what they have to say about how God views nations in general. A special emphasis is also given to the Messianic sections where applicable.

James / 1 & 2 Peter: A study of the books of James and 1 & 2 Peter, with a focus on their relevance for living in our world today as well as how to correctly teach and preach the epistles. Compiling a database of materials for sermons and lessons is also on the agenda.

Preaching from the Gospels: In preaching lab this term we are focusing on how to preach from the Gospels in order that we may use the good news of Christ to bring people to salvation in Christ.

Family and Youth Ministry Foundations: This class is focused on the importance of conducting a holistic, Biblical approach to family and youth ministry. Defining the Christian world view as opposed to other various world views, and understanding the key issues that have and do influence families and youth are two main aspects of this course. It is also expected to develop clear personal goals for future ministry.

Ephesians / Colossians: This class is geared towards knowing these two epistles in order that their messages may be stated clearly, applied to the church today, and defended against those who would relegate them to a lesser role.

Sacrificial Systems: On Fridays we are learning about the sacrificial systems of the Old Testament with a view and focus not only on the various aspects and details of Old Testament worship, but with a view towards the New Testament and how worship foreshadowed what was to come in the future in the embodiment of Christ, His mission, and His ultimate sacrifice for mankind.

And those are all of the courses! It will be a very, very busy term, but one which I believe is going to be extremely beneficial in the future for teaching, preaching, and helping others to understand the Bible and all that God has done for us.

None of this, of course, would be possible without your help and support. I realize that I say this in nearly every letter or writing but it is amazing what you have done for us and continue to do for us. I know people even still who have to continue to raise support just so they can stay here. To not have that concern frees us from so many worries and chains and it makes life so much simpler to know that we can rely on our family in Christ for every need.

We will be doing all we can to honor the trust you have given us. We recognize that your giving is a sacrifice that is given freely and we hold that sacred, giving thanks to Him who has made it possible. We pray for your life, joy, and blessings, that you may know the same love and care that we feel coming from you. Thank you.

Finally, if you would like to hear the sermon preached in Troy, it can be found at http://sermon.net/jaredkemp

Again, we hope and pray that you have had a wonderful summer and that you have been blessed in everything you have done. May the God of all things grant you peace when possible, comfort when needed, and all that you need to know and grow in Him more and more. All our love we send. Feel free to call, email, or contact us in any way. We would love to hear from you!