I look back on my previous academic year at seminary; so many things happened! I completed thirty academic credits and managed to have a little fun along the way. I completed some of my foundational classes: Confessions, Hermeneutics (how to study the Bible), LCMS History and Homiletics (preaching). Apart from those, one of my favorite elective classes was called Emerging Christianity, which looks at the future of western culture and the church. I also took a LCMS Controversy class on how the Lutheran church has lived through and managed conflicts, especially around Seminex back in the 70s. Plus, I’m certified to preach. Yikes. I have to trust the Holy Spirit knows what he’s doing!

Apart from classes, I continued my job last year working as a valet in Clayton, the suburb of St. Louis where the seminary is located. I was also involved in intramural sports throughout the year. Once I broke my leg I became the catcher in softball. It was a comical sight watching me hobble out on crutches to take my place behind the plate, but overall our team did really well throughout the year!

Many of you are probably well-acquainted with the stadard seminary process, but I am taking a modified route. Usually it takes four years: two academic, one vicarage (internship), and a final academic year. To stay on that track I would have needed to spend two summers in St. Louis for classes. I didn’t want to be away from Saint Johns and beautiful Colorado for my summers, so I chose a five-year track. I have three academic years, one vicarage year, then the final academic year.

Next year I will be in that third academic year. Time is flying! What makes this fun for me is there are fourteen other guys studying on the same track. We’ve become quite a group. One of the professor’s jokingly dubbed us the “Five Year Mafia.” It stuck.

Life was going pretty smoothly; then I broke my leg towards the middle of spring quarter. I generally pride myself on being independent, productive and busy. It came as quite a shock to be dependant, ineffective and incapable as my body healed. During this time, however, I realized how blessed the church is going to be. I am usually too proud to ask for help, but the people on campus didn’t give me the chance to ask. They anticipated what I would need and stepped in to help any way they could. My once-independent attitude was overhauled by some attentive, gospel love. I was humbled. I had to repent of thinking I could make it on my own. Only after I was unable to take care of myself did I realize how the church truly is the hands and feet of God.

Yes, I can confidently say the church is going to be very blessed in the future by the men and women I’ve met in seminary. They have a heart for serving and a love for the Gospel. The Holy Spirit is shaping a magnificent group of servants and I am blessed to be a part of that. Christ has taken care of His church and He always will.

Nikolai Gibbons is a Saint John’s member who is studying for the ministry at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. You can reach him by email at gibbons@StJohnsFC.org.