Currently I am a Communications student in the field of media studies. I know that this is the field of work that interests me, that I want to pursue, but I have trouble putting my finger on exactly what I will use it for. But I know that I need it. I know that it's what I need to do to accomplish what I want for my life, for my ministry (I'm a Christian), and even for my family, which is very important to me.
I suppose, on a logical level, when talking about ministry and communication, a key object of analysis would be apologetics: the reasoning and arguments to justify why what I believe is true. Without many of the arguments related to apologetics, or at least questioning why I believe something, there would seem to only be room for a lot of blind faith. And blind faith doesn't speak to people like it used to. Perhaps that's why a lot of people were influenced by fear and necessity than actual belief, and that still goes on today but not as prevalently. In this day and age people require evidence to believe anything. But not just evidence; many people require undeniable, irrefutable, and quantitative evidence with no alternatives. Many of the physics and cosmic arguments deeply involved in Christian apologetics were unapproachable at the early stages of Christian belief. And since belief is necessary in Christianity, how could one expect people with less evidence than what we have currently to believe in such an idea? That being the case, Christian text tells us that creation is evidence enough. So perhaps this is more of a key problem within the field of Christian ministry and communication than it is a key object of analysis.
Nonetheless, I feel that this key problem has influenced why I want to do what I want to do.
I know that right now my greatest desire is to apply my skills and what I am learning about communication to ministry. The ability to speak and be heard and understood are essential to spreading a message that you believe. So I want to be able to do that better. I want others to understand the truth that I understand internally but not always externally. Not always by my speaking and expression am I able to convey what I know in my heart. But I know that it is exactly that, the speaking and expression, that is necessary to spread that message.
That being the case, I believe that Dr. William Lane Craig is a key figure within my career domain. Dr. Craig is an American Christian apologist, philosopher, and theologian and Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and Professor of Philosophy at Houston Baptist University.
According to reasonablefaith.org, Dr. Craig has authored or edited over thirty books. One of the books that he authored is The Kalam Cosmological Argument. It just so happens that this is one of the first arguments within apologetics that I ever heard and subsequently, my first exposure to the work of Dr. Craig.
At that point in my life I was already a Christian, in fact I have been a Christian nearly my entire life, but hearing these arguments brought completely new understanding to aspects of my belief and to my hopes within my future career that I had never had before. It took experiencing someone who had laid out the logical and even scientific foundations for me to appreciate my beliefs in a way I never had before. My dad, Paul Coats had always been a major influence in my life and therefore my career path, as well as other pastoral figures I respected such as, and especially, my youth pastor Robert Conover. Now my brother, Jordan Coats, has been influenced by my dad and Robert as well, and he was the one who actually showed me Dr. Craig's work through a group called Ratio Christi on the Kennesaw State University campus. So all of these people, my brother, my dad, my youth pastor, Dr. Craig, they all became a part of my network. They have all in a sense been a part of why I want to do what I want to do and have influenced and encouraged me to create this path in my life.
As it turns out, Dr. Craig's first degree was a B. A. in Communications, which is the same first degree I will have once I graduate KSU.
Coincidence? Yep. But a pretty cool one.
Part 1: Chapter 1: Exercise p. 35- "Term Extensions"
My career field in communications in a more narrow sense would be ministry. I will take the obvious course of action and choose "minister" as my craft for term extension. It seems like the kind of word that likely has some deeper history that most people might not be readily aware of.
Before delving into this term extension, my first impressions of the term are that it involves administering. Much in the way that a drug, vaccine, or any type of medicine is administered to a group of people to help them, my impression is that by ministering, you are administering medicine in the form of knowledge, doctrine, and truth.
The literal definitions of minister in its noun form are "a person whose job involves leading church services, performing religious ceremonies, providing spiritual or religious guidance to other people" and "an official who heads a major government department" and "a person who represents his or her own government while living in another country (Merriam-Webster.com)." It's verb form is a little more similar to my first impression. Merriam-Webster.com says it is "to function as a minister of religion" and "to give aid or service."
These definitions are interesting, especially the more non-religious, government related ones. I still consider those definitions to be relevant in the sense that a ministering Christian represents the "Kingdom" of God. And the last verb form definition seems to coincide with the idea that ministering is related to administering. While there was no connection from minister's definition to administer's, administer did cite minister as a term of origin.
Therefore, the exercise calls for an extension of the root "craft." So to administer, according to Merriam-Webster, is "to manage the operation of something or the use of something," "to provide or apply: to put something into effect" and "to give or present." Ministry seems to reflect many of these meanings. As a minister one must manage the operation of their given department within a church, one must provide information and knowledge and also actively apply those same teachings to one's ministry, family and life in order to be an effective example and leader, and similarly give and present that same knowledge in an interesting and enticing way. I believe understanding what it means to administer greatly benefits the understanding of ministry.
Part 1: Chapter 2: Exercise p. 46- "Obtuse Meanings"
"The Wooden Cross"
Studium meaning - a literal cross of two pieces of wood, used as a method to crucify criminals in older cultures. Obtuse meaning - a symbol of the love and passion that Jesus Christ has for humanity. It's often not understood the true sacrifice that was made under the circumstances that Jesus Christ was in. The cross serves as a reminder for me and many others that his death meant life for anyone who would believe. The literal meaning of the cross is dwarfed by the obtuse meaning in this case. Personally, however, I often see the cross used in borderline heretical context such as in exorcism movies and on clothing and jewelry as more of a decoration or exploitation rather than with true homage and respect. So there's a double entendre of the cross with me. When I see it used in the former, it brings me great joy and a sense of humility and appreciation. But the latter induces disappointment and disgust to the point of anger, maybe even wrongfully so.
"Church"
Studium meaning - Literally a building where Christians meet to worship, fellowship, and hold religious services. Obtuse meaning - a place I have gone several times a week, every week, for nearly every week of my entire life (vacations and major life events aside). I am often one of the first to arrive, and often the last to leave. It is a place with which I am intimately acquainted. I believe it is important, and my heart places an emphasis on being at church that I can't even fully understand or explain. I believe church means something different to me than it means to most people, including many Christians. To me it is a necessity. Not a building. Not an event. Not a gathering. Just something I know I need.
(P.S. This church looks like a chicken! :D )
"Preacher"
Studium meaning - literally a man presumably speaking to an audience holding a book with material related to his speech. Obtuse meaning - a man sharing intimate knowledge of God's word revealed to him by the Holy Spirit with anointing and conviction to help a congregation understand the intricacies and character of a god who loves mankind unconditionally and wants nothing more than to spend eternity with His creation.
Part 1: Chapter 2: Exercise p. 51- "Haiku Design"
I like the last image shown in my previous entry. I believe it captures a lot of emotion and inspired me to write the obtuse meaning for that image. I believe it captures the essence of "haiku" in that it's simple, yet has great depth. As the saying goes, " a picture is worth a thousand words." So I have decided to follow our guide's suggestion to create a poster with this image as the background.
Part 1: Chapter 2: Exercise p. 62- "Illumination"
When I was a kid, about 10 or 11, I remember dressing up for halloween (or "fall festival" because halloween was bad... and I was at church) as a "youth pastor." I wore the coolest "Christian" graphic t-shirt I could find, I spiked my hair, and I wore jeans with holes in them. I don't think at that time I had decided that I wanted to be a youth pastor. There was probably no way anyone who saw me even knew what I was dressing up as. I had taken cues from several youth pastors I had been exposed to up to that point but I probably just looked like a kid making some kind of fashion statement for my age group. I remember thinking that I was wearing the coolest costume at the church fall festival and being really proud for doing something other than dressing up as Spiderman or the Hulk. It wasn't until later though, that I recalled that instance and thought that that may have been some indication of what I wanted to do with my life. And even now as I think about it, I remember a verse from the Bible. To paraphrase, God gives us the desires of our heart. I believe that that desire was placed there even when I chose that halloween costume, and it has remained in my memory as an interesting quirk in the back of my head to this day. I love that I did that in the sense of what I am pursuing now.
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