Hi friends!
If you’re like me, you’re reeling from the fact that we’re already well into February. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been all over the place:
- My band got back on its feet with a couple of concerts with Abandon Kansas and Remedy Drive
- I traveled to Kansas with a couple of friends to catch a performance from one of my new favorite bands, the Civil Wars
- My work at church has kept me busy getting students registered for a ski trip and this summer’s big youth conference, CHIC
- I visited Chicago with my friend and church’s intern, Brooke, for the Covenant Youth Workers Connection
And, oh yeah – classes started up again last week. Something tells me I’m going to have trouble catching my breath in the coming months!
What follows is my support letter for the spring semester; if you have a moment, please read it through. Having been to a couple of class sessions already, I can already tell that I need to trust in God for strength and rely on the prayers of those who care for me:
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now…
– Philippians 1:3-5These words sum up the gratitude I have in my heart for each of you! Because of your prayers, I was able to remain focused, work diligently, and excel in my classes last semester. Furthermore, a handful of you committed to supporting me financially, and my educational expenses were paid in full.
I assure you that I haven’t taken my work lightly. On several occasions this fall, the temptation to give less than a sufficient effort was warded off by remembering that I have a responsibility to God, myself, and to all of you. Jesus deserves my best effort, and I am striving to make the most of every opportunity he gives me.
This semester, I took two classes: Sermon Preparation and Vocation and Spiritual Formation.
Sermon prep, obviously, was all about developing and honing a discipline of sermon preparation. Our motto for the class was, “The world does not need another mediocre preacher!” I learned many practical techniques that I’m already applying to my teaching and preaching.
Vocation and Spiritual Formation was all about soul care. In the midst of an increasingly hectic and potentially stressful season of my life, this class has given me numerous tools to ensure that I remain grounded in my faith. It left me better equipped not only for ministry, but for fully living into the person God created me to be.
Next semester I will be taking three classes: Sermon Delivery, New Testament Literature, and the first of my Supervised Ministry courses. I will be sharing my experiences in these classes throughout the semester at my website, mikeharvat.com
As always, there are two primary channels through which you can support me:
- Prayer. Please pray that I will trust in Christ alone to provide the spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial stability needed to complete my studies.
- Financial Support. Through Sioux Falls Seminary’s LIFE Fund program, you have the opportunity to make a tax-deductible donation toward my educational expenses. [For more information, you can download and print off a copy of the LIFE Fund pamphlet here]
Thank you for investing in the work God has called me to do. I hope and pray that, through your support and encouragement, Jesus will be glorified as a result of my seminary studies.
Sincerely,
Mike Harvat