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We just dropped Pastor Mick Murray off at the airport after two weeks of enjoying his fellowship and encouragement both inside and outside the classroom. Mick, who has been an instructor for EBTC many times in the past, has finished up our 6th course in our two year track called Spiritual Life.
This was Mick’s first time teaching this particular course, and I must say that it was one of the most enriching courses that I’ve sat through in a long time. The simplicity and text-centered teaching for this course rivaled even the best courses from my college and seminary days.
Most of all this course was sovereignly timed. Originally, the Doctrines II class was slated to be taught these weeks, and I was supposed to be the teacher, however life circumstances would have made that next to impossible. Not only that, but Mick’s ministry circumstances couldn’t allow him to teach Spiritual Life later, so it was these two weeks or never.
My heart and mind were encouraged and convicted as we look at, you guessed, the heart and mind of the believer in spiritual growth.
Out students also received the class very well. During class one of them said, “I didn’t know this was in the Bible!” Another of our students came to me and said, “I just have to shake your hand because I’m seeing things in church now that I’ve never seen before. My eyes are now opened.”
At the end of the class the students gave a free-will monetary gift to Mick, which they don’t always do. They said that “Mick is where the rubber meets the road, he is down to earth,” and I heartily agree.
In addition to teaching class, Mick also brought down his wife and sister, and each night they participated in class, sometimes even as illustrations (which I’m sure they thought was more than they bargained for!). We enjoyed fellowship with everyone, and the ladies were an encouragement to Emily too.
The Spiritual Life is perhaps hardest to live during difficult circumstances, and having Mick here for these past two weeks helped make circumstances a little easier. We are truly thankful for our teacher’s investment in our ministry and in our lives, and we look forward to having Mick come down and teach again someday.
PS – oh and we even had 4 new visitors for this class, one of which has applied and has now joined class permanently – Praise the LORD!