Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Journeying to The Master's Seminary



The next step to fulfilling a 17 year personal dream to be trained for and enter the full-time ministry of our great Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, is now just inside three months away. That would be to enter at arguably the best expository preaching training facility in the world – The Master’s Seminary (TMS).
You can take a good look at what makes TMS distinct from other facilities at www.tms.edu and click on "TMS Distinctives".  Check out "Why TMS?" for two personal testimonies, or you can join me for a short presentation follwed by lunch, after the service on Sunday, 19 June at Auckland Bible Church’s cafĂ© (approximately 12 noon).
It is a great privilege to have unqualified support and commendation which has come from Auckland Bible Church, The Shepherd’s Bible College and others. I leave Auckland at 2:30pm on 26 August and the first class starts four days later, after having sat three entrance tests.
The first semester landscape includes Hermeneutics, OT Studies, Hebrew Grammar, Historical Theology, Preaching Intro and Church Ministries.
The best way to keep in touch while I'm at TMS is through my email, Lawrence.pickering1@gmail.com. Initial digs are at 21613 Placerita Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91326 (opposite from The Masters College) and phone, c/o Drs Mark & Lisa Tatlock: (818) 799-2842 (my next post will see this changed).
Check this out: I'll be only a five minute drive from Six Flags Magic Mountain, but 25 minutes from TMS!
Meantime the friendly doc, dentist, eye specialist, insurance man, employer and rest-home manager have all given their big tick; of course after taking their slice of the pie first :)  
You can contact my daughter Jillian Vivian at jillian@platinumprojects.co.nz / 021 329 755 for NZ info updates. I will still have a footprint in NZ to return to, annually in July. 
In the Lord's perfect timing, my son Reuben is also being led to full-time pastoral ministry, and undertaking the program at TMS at the same time as me.  What a provision from God to have he and Verity close by in LA.  The three of us were amazed late last year, that while in the spa having a catch up, we soon discovered that we both had the exact same news to share with eachother: applying to study at TMS!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Kilimanjaro Countdown

In 30 days from now I will be two thirds the way up to the “Roof of Africa”; yes, Mt Kilimanjaro!
With the extensive equipment kit now completed, I can look forward to carrying the day pack on the five day climb up 6,000 metres to the top….very grateful for our porter friends! Except for the final 11 hour climb, each six hour walking day will serve to build and acclimatise the body.
You wouldn’t believe the do-it-yourself chemist shop amassed, which of course, will occupy pride of place in the day pack. Extra conditioning will be accomplished via some simulated altitude training starting later this week.
Leaving on Air NZ on Friday, 24 June at 2:30pm, for Nairobi, Kenya via Cape Town and starting out on 26 June with the Kumuka Mountain Guides.
So, after traversing the Tongariro Crossing, Mt Tongariro, the Routeburn Track (return) and a few good attacks on Auckland’s Waitak’s, there are just three more training events left.
With all vital signs pointing north, I am looking forward to the support of many prayers and to posting a pic at the top of ole Kili!  Check out this brilliant vista:

Then it's seven weeks touring safari highlights in six African countries until 24th August:
·         National Parks: Hell’s Gate, Serengeti, Great Rift Valley, Masai Mara, Mikumi, Matobos, Antelope, Kruger
·         Ngorongoro Crater, Livingstone, Da es Salam, Vilanculos, Bazaruto Archipelago
·         Zanzibar Island (old Spice Trade), Victoria Falls, Dhaw Safari and Ponte de Barra Beaches
·         Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, via Addo Elephant Park, Storms River, Knysna and Table Mountain
Touch down during our Auckland winter is mid-night 24th August.