Originally published in the February 12, 2008 issue of The Evangel.
by Bob Bunn, FBC member
I spent a long time in seminary. My wife, Mary, would call that an understatement.
For a little perspective, until recently my eight-year-old daughter had never seen a day that I wasn't in seminary. In fact, I was already a student when my family joined First Baptist in April 1999.
So, it took me a while to travel that road--first working on my Master of Divinity, which I earned in 2004, and then my Doctor of Education, which I received in December. And while certain things had a roller coaster quality during that time, other things remained stable.
The biggest of those things was the support of my wife and kids. At the same time, the support of my First Baptist family also stood near the top of the list.
Unlike many students, I actually got to worship in my home church every week. I got to teach on Sunday mornings. I got to hang out with teenagers on Wednesday nights. And I regularly got to experience the blessing of friends asking, "How is seminary going these days?"
I was blessed with scholarships and other financial aid--often at very critical junctures. I received cards and books. I probably set some kind of record for being seminary student of the week more than anyone else. I was able to pick the mind of Pastor Frank and others for papers and projects. All those things were wonderful, but it was hard to beat the feeling I got when someone took the time to ask about my schoolwork and to let me know that they were praying for me. (By the way, I'll still take all the prayers I can get!)
Thank you for walking with me all these years and for picking me up when I stumbled. Your support has meant (and continues to mean) the world to me.
