Learning the Basics of Biblical Greek... with Stephen Harper?

I made a shocking discovery today. I realize now why Stephen Harper prorogued Parliament. It was to release the 3rd edition of his best-selling Greek grammar, Basics of Biblical Greek! Or wait... didn't Bill Mounce write that? Well, the mistake is an easy one to make. Look for yourself:

I don't know about you, but this creeped me out a little -- and also made me proud to be Canadian. You have quite the doppelganger, Mr. PM!

Vocational Trifecta

Well, the dust has settled. My employment search is finished, and I think I've emerged the victor. I am now a Faculty Assistant (as I have been for some time), Campus Safety/Custodian for Briercrest, and a brand-new member of the Prairie South School Division. In that post I'll call in subs in the early hours of the day and spend the rest of the time cleaning up the paper work I created in the first hours. All these varied shifts leave me with free time in the afternoon, which, hopefully, will be a perfect time for reading and studying (and Olympics-watching).

I'm grateful for the work that has been offered to me. Our needs have been very providentially met and exceeded!

10 Baptisms Today!

Today, church at The Gathering was truly wonderful. I always greatly enjoy baptismal services -- it's always so encouraging to hear people's stories, and to watch those who care about them come around with encouraging words of edification and scripture. This morning was more memorable than many others I've witnessed. Originally there were five people to be baptised. Interestingly, the first two quoted the same scripture, Acts 22:16, in which Paul asks, "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised, and wash your sins away, calling on his name." Taking this as a cue, Kevin and Sean (pastors) announced to those gathered, "If anyone of you feels led to respond to these words this morning, then, 'What are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised, and wash your sins away, calling on his name'!"

The result was powerful. As the remaining three 'originally scheduled' people were baptised, five more came forward! It was wonderful to see these ten people declare their union with Christ today.

I love these services. Watching each one go under, and resurface anew, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for what God has done through his Messiah for us. What a powerful image Jesus has left us with in baptism, that of entering into his death with him, and rising again.

Lectio Sodalitas

Two books just arrived today that will pave the way to the Wheaton Theology Conference I'm attending in April: NT Wright's Jesus and the Victory of God and Richard Hays' Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul. Since NT Wright (keynote) and Richard Hays are speaking at the conference, I thought I'd pick up two notable books to acquaint myself with both scholars before I show up to hear them speak. These will have to wait, though, until I'm through Westerholm's Perspectives Old and New on Paul: the Lutheran Paul and His Critics, which has been really helpful in catching me up to speed on Pauline perspectives (and is also hopefully preparing me to think about what I will hear at the conference).