Our blog schedule is changing! For the foreseeable future, we will be posting on Tuesdays   and Thursdays . Soon, we hope to have another awesome announcement about the blog to share with you!

For now, thanks for sticking with us while we make our office the best that it can be to serve all of you.

Be sure to check in next Tuesday for information about FOURupcoming events that you won't want to miss!

About Me

     

My name is Lauren Horn, and I just started my third semester here at Southeastern.  I work on campus in the Student Resources and Financial Aid office and as a Resident Assistant at Flaherty. I attend Christ Covenant Church in Raleigh and am very grateful that the Lord brought me here to Wake Forest.

People always act surprised to find out that I am pursuing a Master’s of Divinity in Christian Ethics.  Now, I don’t know if that means they find Ethics an ambitious degree for me specifically or if they are surprised to discover that Southeastern offers a degree in Ethics.  Whatever the case, the response is usually the same, a slightly high-pitched “Oh.” 

I chose to study Ethics because I feel it is basic to the Christian life but so often overlooked as a field of study.  I don’t want to be someone who has passion for the Lord but dispenses ignorant boisterous objections to cultural events to the masses.  I recognize my need to be trained to think and to pray to the Lord daily for wisdom and a love for His Law.  I want to be able to produce a well-reasoned and Biblical response about the events taking place in the world around me.  I have discovered that people are not always willing to talk about theology or philosophy, but they don’t have a problem giving me their two cents on homosexuality or abortion.  Ethics can be a handy tool regarding evangelism. 

When I am asked what I plan to do with the degree once I have it, I usually respond bluntly, “Live ethically.”  But it is the truth.  I think often about God’s words to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 30:19b, “Therefore, choose life in order that you and your offspring may live” and Christ’s words in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  I think there is a practical and immediate implication to both of these passages.  The Christian life is not about escaping this world but living rightly in it so that we may flourish through obeying God and by grace draw others to Him.  Proverbs is probably one of my favorite books for this very reason.  Chapters 7 and 8 give such a clear picture of God’s desire for right living.  The chapters portray Wisdom and Folly personified and calling out to the ignorant youth to follow them.  That “youth” is you and me.  We have a choice: to either live or to die, to find blessing and life or to descend into the chambers of death.  That may seem dramatic, but what are we to expect from such a holy God?

I want to incorporate my everyday living under the Lordship of Christ and by the aid of the Holy Spirit.  I want my words and my life to be a witness for Him, and I would encourage anyone considering an Ethics degree to take an additional ethics course apart from the Intro course, if only to sharpen the mind to better honor him with holy living and intellectual cultural engagement.  I believe firmly that we need to do a better job speaking out about the evil in the world.  I know I need to.  My fear is that the poet Yeats is right when he comments in The Second Coming,

“The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.”

 I hope at the end of my days that will not be true about me.

Congratulations!!

Our winner for the $25 Target Gift Card is...

Bethany Norton

 Bethany came by our Open House during New Student Orientation Week.  Thanks to all the ladies that stopped by, we are glad you came and visited.  Please feel free to stop by and say "Hi" if you are around.  

If you are taking classes in the Biblical Woman's Institute, we hope you are enjoying your time of  learning.  

A few reminders...Our first Connecting Point Event is September 9th, from 7-8:30pm.  And don't forget to register for the Beth Moore Simulcast Event, September 14th, 9:30am-4:30pm.  You may register by going to,  http://www.sebts.edu/news-resources/conferences/bethmoore_simulcast/default.aspx .

 

About Me 

Hi! I'm Hope Hoge and I am a student in the Biblical Women's Institute here at Southeastern. I am 24 years old and I have been married to the most Godly man I know for almost 2 years now! I am from Alabama where I finished college with a degree in Elementary Education. I was a kindergarten teacher for one year until we moved here to North Carolina last August! I now work as a nanny for the sweetest 2-year-old little boy and most adorable 4-month-old little girl! We are covenant members at Imago Dei Church. My husband is here getting an M.Div in International Church Planting and we hope to be serving on the field by May of 2015! While we are in the process of getting to that goal, we enjoy leading a local outreach ministry here in Wake Forest. We love the Lord and we are trying to be obedient to Him, which is what brought us here to SEBTS!

When my husband and I moved to North Carolina, I was planning to take seminary classes at night while working during the day.  Yet after doing our budget and realizing that I would be working until 6pm through the week I was not sure how I could work, take classes, take care of my home, make time for my husband, friends, etc. I found out shortly after moving here that in order to go overseas, as the spouse, I had to take 4 seminary classes or obtain a certificate through the Biblical Women's Institute (BWI). After doing some research I found that the BWI just announced a new International Missions Program that offered a Certificate in Women's Studies with International Missions, which requires 8 half-semester classes.  After visiting with the ladies in the Women's Life Office I found out more about the Biblical Women’s Institute (BWI), which offers non-degree certificates to women in the community.  The certificates can be completed through night and weekend classes for ladies at an affordable price. I thought this had to be too good to be true! I was completely wrong!!

 I decided to try out the free class that Dr. Akin and his wife teach, Biblical Foundations for the Minister's Wife. (For more information on this class, please click here.) I am not sure what I was expecting, but I left the first night of class with a complete overview of Theology. I was overwhelmed with new and exciting information that I had never taken the time to learn or study. Dr. Akin did not cut the ladies any slack. He taught the class just like he was teaching a seminary class, which was very encouraging to me. I came home explaining to my husband things like "How our Bible came to us and the necessity of theology." Immediately, I realized that these classes were a true gift from God! There were other guest speakers throughout Dr. Akin and his wife’s class who spoke on topics such as orphan care, human-trafficking, hospitality, counseling women, marriage, raising children, the Great Commission, evangelism, and much more.

Since then, I have taken Old Testament I and II, which has helped me so much in my daily quiet time. For example, I enjoy reading the Old Testament, but I sometimes struggle wondering how to apply it to my life and how it relates to Jesus. One of my professors challenged our class to read Psalms as if we had never read it before and walked us through the steps of reading as if we are trying to find how each passage of scripture points to Jesus. This has been a great application to me for my Bible reading.

When I finish my degree, my husband and I will be selling all of our belongings and packing what we need to serve overseas for 3 years. The Biblical Women's Institute has played an important role in my life to help make this possible. If I were to give advice to someone who was thinking of pursuing a certificate through this program, I would definitely say go for it! If you have children or a busy schedule like me, but you are interested in learning more about the Bible and being challenged in your faith then this is definitely a great option for you. The classes are offered in half-semester terms, so you can take one class for three months and another class for the next three months. Weekend classes are also available.  For weekend classes, most of the work is done at home, but you still get the opportunity to meet with your professor on campus two Saturdays for 8 hours to hear the lectures, do hands-on learning, and have a time to ask questions.

The classes are very informative and cover a lot of information, but usually require a smaller workload than a full semester seminary course. I am so thankful for the BWI, which allows me to save money, work, and obtain a higher education that will prepare me for the mission field and facilitate spiritual growth in my life and in my walk with the Lord. I have been blessed to be able to learn, prepare for the mission field, meet some amazing ladies, and be a part of a truly wonderful program that was designed for women just like me. I have learned so much already in my short time taking classes.

              HAPPY FIRST DAY OF CLASSES!

                                      

         We hope you all have had a great start to the new semester!

It is not too late to sign up for a BWI class so come by the office or give us a call{ (919)761-2340} and we will take care of getting you signed up!

It’s that time of year again!!

All week, we’ve been hearing the sounds of new & returning students buzzing about campus.  We have to admit, it’s a nice sound …it gets a little quiet around campus during the summer!

Seeing all of our girls return to campus and watching the new girls move into the dorm put us in the mood to do a little Pinterest browsing.  We thought it would be fun to look for cool ways to spruce up those dorm/apartment rooms.

Here are some of the fun ideas we found: 

(and don’t worry…they’re dorm friendly)

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079306944256/

We couldn't help but love this wreath!  It's super easy to make and would be adorable on a dorm door or wall! 

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079306687850/

We LOVED these scrapbook paper letters!  A little mod podge, scrapbook paper, ribbon, and wooden letters...and then BAM:  cuteness. 

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079306687764/

We can't suggest that you paint your room grey or some other cool/funky color ;)  BUT you can easily take some $1 clip boards & make these super fun hanging stations for all of your photos, letters, and reminders.

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079306687664/

  

Anybody love jewelry!!  Here's a super easy way to store and display all your sparkles!!  Pretty sure these are just frames with a little cork board covered in fabric.  Use some push pins and voila!  More adorable decor accomplished. 

This last one is one of our favorites.  In fact, this project as well as THIS PROJECT inspired our Pinterest Party that we had Saturday night with our new C@SE girls. 

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079306687883/

Here's our version:

Happy crafting and Happy Friday!! 

Last week, we mentioned that our Wednesday blog posts for the month of August would be written by students focusing on the degree programs they’re in.  We thought it might be helpful to our new students to hear from our returning girls on what it’s like to be in these programs.  Our first feature is written by Catherine Blinson, one of our C@SE girls! Let’s see what Catherine has to say about being in the Christian Studies program:

So, Catherine, tell us what it’s like in your degree program?

My degree is a BA in Christian Studies and a minor in student ministry. My hope is to be prepared enough so that in whatever I do, I can help equip students to minister to others through the Gospel. Each class I take demonstrates multiple ways to evangelize to those around me.  Through the example of my professors, the guest worship leaders, pastors, and missionaries that speak in my classes, and the encouragement of my fellow classmates, I am constantly encouraged to live a life of evangelism, loving those around me.

What made you choose this degree?

I love to work with kids!  Young or old, it doesn’t make a difference; I love seeing the light bulb turn on when they finally “get” something we’ve been working on.  My desire is to take what I learn in this degree and use it to serve kids and students in various ways like discipling and mentoring.  I felt like this degree would well equip me to work with and connect with students and encourage them to grow in Christ.

How do you want to use this degree when you finish?

My plan is to step into some type of established ministry program. My heart is to serve, love, and connect with others. Whether that is in student ministry or kid’s ministry, my desire is to become a leader in their life and to ultimately help them grow closer to Him.

How have some of the courses that I have taken benefited me already?

The courses here at Southeastern are very challenging but are also super helpful. Every day, it seems like I am telling someone about my class or how the Lord convicted me during one of my classes. They are full of eye opening material and will often challenge your beliefs and thoughts on different topics.  My leadership course was very helpful. In that class, we had the opportunity to work on a project as a team with people we did not know. We had to outline and prepare what our ideal ministry within the church would be and then work together to come up with what it would look like and consist of. It was challenging to work together and agree with what our ministry would look like!

Is there any advice or any helpful tips that you would give to students who are thinking of pursuing this degree?

Continue to seek His guidance and wisdom as you pray through pursuing this degree.  Also, make sure you take time out of your schedule to get ministry experience on a weekly basis - it will change your life.

Catherine Blinson loves her Father, the outdoors, photography, and missions. She is a senior at the college of Southeastern and is apart of the Connection Point Ministry Team here on campus. She attends Open Door Baptist Church in Raleigh. You can check out her personal blog here: www.catblinson.wordpress.com

Happy Tuesday gals!  We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

With the start of the new school year swiftly approaching, and the influx of new students arriving to campus, our office has been BUSY!  (You may have noticed, since we’ve missed our last two posts for the blog!)  Despite the hectic schedule and deadlines preparing for a new school year to start up, we’ve had the chance to begin meeting our incoming girls for this year…and boy do we have some great girls!

We’ve also had a bit of change going on in our office.  Our current Women’s Ministry Coordinator, Carrie Gilliam, is leaving us L  Carrie and her husband are preparing for the adoption of a baby boy that will be born in September and they have lots to get done before his arrival.

While we’re sad that Carrie' is leaving us, we are also excited that the Lord has brought a wonderful woman to take her place.

We are thrilled to introduce Lesley Hildreth to you as our new Women’s Ministry Coordinator!

(Lesley with Catherine, one of our C@SE girls)

If you were at any of our Connecting Point events last year, then you probably recognize Lesley’s face.  Lesley is the wife of Center for Great Commission Studies Director, Scott Hildreth and was our faculty advisor for Connecting Point last year.  Lesley has a HUGE heart for women’s ministry and has spent the last 6 years of their time here striving to serve the women of SEBTS in some way.

We’ve asked her to share just a bit about herself and about her heart for the women of Southeastern.  Read on to get to know Lesley –

“Hey girls! I am so excited about the opportunity to serve you at Southeastern. Scott and I have been at Southeastern almost six years now and it has been a huge blessing to be a part of a Great Commission Seminary after serving eight years on the mission field with the IMB. It is both my desire and passion to help equip women for ministry and to encourage them along the way!  Over the past couple of years I have been able to serve SEBTS women in several different ways: I have been a mentor for the Thrive Mentoring program, a guest lecturer for the BWI course Preparing for Missions, served on the Connecting Point team, and am a member of the Seminary Women’s Club.  The opportunity to deepen my relationships with the women on this campus brings me great joy!  I look forward to meeting you soon!”

Lesley is already in our office working, so feel free to stop by and meet her.  As always, ladies…we look forward to ministering to you and with you this school year!

As we all gear up for school to start again, we wanted to spend some time digging in to the degree programs offered at SEBTS. And who better to tell you about what each degree program is like than the students themselves? 

Over the coming weeks, our guest bloggers will be current SEBTS students in the various degree programs throughout the school. They will share what life is really like for them as they pursue God's calling on their lives through study and preparation here at Southeastern.

They will answer questions like, "What made you choose this degree?" and "How do you plan to use your degree when you finish?" We hope that their posts will give new insight to both current and potential students about all that Southeastern has to offer our ladies. The first post will be up next Wednesday. 

Happy reading! 

Welcome to August, SEBTS girls!  Can you believe it's here already??

With the start of a new school year comes the start of new events, deadlines, & ministry opportunities from Women's Life.  For those of you who are new and for those who are returning...we're glad you're here & can't wait to minister to you and with you this school year!  

Here's what you need to know for the Month of August:

1.    Classes begin August 19^th!!! We can't wait to see you gals on campus again!

  
2.  New Student Orientation begins this Friday, August 9^th for College At Southeastern (C@SE) students. Women's Life is planning a “Pinterest Party” for the new girls on Saturday, August 10^th at 8:00pm.  We hear it'll involve fabric, ribbon, paint and maybe some glitter.  You new girls won't want to miss it!!  If you're a returning girl & would like to help out at the event, contact Carrie at cgilliam@sebts.edu.  The Women’s Life Office will also have an “Open House” on August 15^th, from 3:30pm-4:30pm.  All you new ladies, stop by & see us!!       

3.       If you are interested in taking classes in the Biblical Women’s Institute, we are currently accepting applications. If you're new, let us know if we can help you get started.  For our returning students, don't forget to register for you classes as soon as possible.

4.   Connecting Point will start back up very soon and we're super excited about the events we have planned for this year.  Our date reminders are being shipped to us as we type...but until they get here, you can go ahead & mark your calendars for September 6th at 7 pm. 

 5.   It's official…Beth Moore is coming to SEBTS!  Well, sort of...we're "officially" hosting her Living Proof Live Simulcast on Saturday, September 14^th in Binkley Chapel.  

Please go to 

http://www.sebts.edu/news-resources/conferences/bethmoore_simulcast/default.aspx
for registration information.  Feel free to help us spread the word about this event as well!  We have free posters that you're welcome to take to your church or business.  We'd love for you to invite your friends, family and co-workers. Our hopes are the we'll have a packed house!  

 6.  If you're a returning student and have a heart for public speaking and teaching to women, we are also accepting applications for the LEAD program.  LEAD is a ministry of SEBTS Women's Life that partners with local churches to provide speakers and teachers for their women's events.  We'll do a feature post on this in a few weeks, but in the mean time, feel free to contact us if you're interested! 

7.  Every year, we have girls ask us about mentoring.  For those of you who are in churches that do not have mentoring programs, we offer opportunities to be mentored by SEBTS faculty wives and staff memebers through our Thrive Mentoring Program.  If mentoring is something you'd like to explore further, please let us know.  We'll be happy to talk with you about this. 

And…as always, please call or e-mail if you have any questions!  Welcome to the new school year!!

Women’s Life 919.761.2340

 

Where in the fabric pile

is Flat Stella?

Who knew getting ready for a Pinterest 

Party could be so much fun?

Happy Friday, SEBTS girls!!