Denver Seminary

Corn fields, hog barns and dairy cows. That’s some of what I experienced this past week. Denver seminary requires an intensive cultural immersion class for all MDiv students, and I did my immersion in “rural America.” This may not sound like what one might expect from an immersion experience. However, the cultural experience was significantly different from my own culture and is a place I am likely to experience in ministry. Stats show that although most seminary students expect to work in larger ministries, most will actually start out in small rural churches.

This course is now offered as an option through cooperation between Denver Seminary and the Rural Home Ministry Association. There were students in the class from two other seminaries which was a nice chance to meet other students. I stayed in a host home and experienced incredible small town hospitality. As part of the experience we visited a few local towns, met farmers, ranchers and business people and learned about the ministry needs of a small town. We visited a small town church and ate a few meals in small town diners.

I was struck by how the farmers and ranchers depend on God in a very real way. One farm family who hosted us for dinner (oops…I mean supper) explained their corn operation. They wait for a weather window and then put their family fortune into the ground. Once the seeds take, they wait. They depend entirely on God. Sometimes He provides abundance, and sometimes he just provides what is sufficient to move on to the next year with the bare minimum to feed the family and perhaps pay the bills. Either way they say they are blessed.

I found that their culture is not like mine. I don’t think I have the faith to wait and trust God like they do. I tend to scurry around and make my own back-up plans. I would probably have been one of the Israelites who gathered the Manna just in case God didn’t provide the next day. I think I have something spiritual to learn from a corn farmer. Even in ministry, I should plant my seeds and wait on the Lord. He is faithful and will meet my needs.