Monday, December 08, 2003
RANT
About every week there is a new rule added to the constantly growing list of rules and sub-rules, it's incrediblly annoying, these rules includes things as, having to have one light on when a girl is in the room, but it can be a flashlight. THere can be no cross-gendered massage, but this rule was recently replaced with a sub rule to the sub rule which is cross gender massages under 30 seconds. And they made rules against having george foreman grills and sandwhich makers, even though there is a real fire place, toasters and microwaves (no ovens either). I've been trying to live with these rules, but today the pharisees went to far.
Dear Resident Student
It has recently come to my attention that a number of you are making a regular habit of karaoke at a local bar.
This activity must end. While there are no specifics regarding the rightness or wrongness of being in a bar stated in the Lifestyle Commitment, the general feel of the agreement is for people to make choices that reflect the high calling of Emmanuel Bible College.
Where we regularly commit our time is a reflection of what is important to us. Here at EBC we do not feel that frequenting a bar is an appropriate investment of time.
If you know of any commuter students to whom this is also applies I ask that you pass this message along.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation on this issue. Should you wish to discuss this with me further, I would be more then happy to arrange a time with you.
Good luck with the rest of your exams, and enjoy your holidays.
-----
THe following is my response to the note in our mail boxes.
Dear ------:
I’m writing this letter in response to the notice that was placed in everyone’s EBC mail box on December 08, 2003 regarding students going to karaoke at T.J.’s bar. I am one of the students who went to the bar and I would like to address some concerns that I have. The reason that I’m writing you and not meeting with you in person is that I feel that I can better articulate my opinions through writing rather than talking.
For those of us who went to karaoke every Wednesday, we knew that karaoke night was much more than just karaoke. First off all it was a chance to get off campus and do something. For students who live on campus without cars, it is often hard to find things to do in a social setting. The college doesn’t really offer much outside of sports and even if there were more activities, I think that we would both agree that it is nice to escape the EBC “bubble”. Karaoke was a chance to get out and have fun as a community in a different setting. But there was more to karaoke night then the social outing.
In the notice that was placed in students mail boxes you said; “Where we regularly commit our time is a reflection of what is important to us.” I agree 100% with you. I already stated that part of going to the bar for karaoke was for fellowship with friends, but there was another, more important reason. Karaoke night was a chance for us to outreach to the hurting and the needy. I won’t lie and say that I’ve had deep theological discussions with people at the bar, evangelism isn’t one of my strong gifts; relational and Incarnational ministry is what I am most comfortable with. As our group continued to go to Karaoke, the staff there became more friendly and talkative with us, if we had the chance to continue these relationships they might have ended up somewhere. Karaoke presented us with an awesome opportunity to share our faith with people who desperately need us. When we ordered drinks it was either water or coke. When someone asked why we weren’t drinking alcohol, it would be an opportunity to share our faith. Other opportunities may have presented themselves as well, but we will never know now. What is important to us is people, and we weren’t going to reach those people by waiting for them to show up at our churches or chapel services.
I guess to end I would just like to quote a bit of scripture, since that is what I’m here to study. Mark 2:15-17: “15While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Sincerely,
Doug McKenzie
___
well, thats my rant for now
Dear Resident Student
It has recently come to my attention that a number of you are making a regular habit of karaoke at a local bar.
This activity must end. While there are no specifics regarding the rightness or wrongness of being in a bar stated in the Lifestyle Commitment, the general feel of the agreement is for people to make choices that reflect the high calling of Emmanuel Bible College.
Where we regularly commit our time is a reflection of what is important to us. Here at EBC we do not feel that frequenting a bar is an appropriate investment of time.
If you know of any commuter students to whom this is also applies I ask that you pass this message along.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation on this issue. Should you wish to discuss this with me further, I would be more then happy to arrange a time with you.
Good luck with the rest of your exams, and enjoy your holidays.
-----
THe following is my response to the note in our mail boxes.
Dear ------:
I’m writing this letter in response to the notice that was placed in everyone’s EBC mail box on December 08, 2003 regarding students going to karaoke at T.J.’s bar. I am one of the students who went to the bar and I would like to address some concerns that I have. The reason that I’m writing you and not meeting with you in person is that I feel that I can better articulate my opinions through writing rather than talking.
For those of us who went to karaoke every Wednesday, we knew that karaoke night was much more than just karaoke. First off all it was a chance to get off campus and do something. For students who live on campus without cars, it is often hard to find things to do in a social setting. The college doesn’t really offer much outside of sports and even if there were more activities, I think that we would both agree that it is nice to escape the EBC “bubble”. Karaoke was a chance to get out and have fun as a community in a different setting. But there was more to karaoke night then the social outing.
In the notice that was placed in students mail boxes you said; “Where we regularly commit our time is a reflection of what is important to us.” I agree 100% with you. I already stated that part of going to the bar for karaoke was for fellowship with friends, but there was another, more important reason. Karaoke night was a chance for us to outreach to the hurting and the needy. I won’t lie and say that I’ve had deep theological discussions with people at the bar, evangelism isn’t one of my strong gifts; relational and Incarnational ministry is what I am most comfortable with. As our group continued to go to Karaoke, the staff there became more friendly and talkative with us, if we had the chance to continue these relationships they might have ended up somewhere. Karaoke presented us with an awesome opportunity to share our faith with people who desperately need us. When we ordered drinks it was either water or coke. When someone asked why we weren’t drinking alcohol, it would be an opportunity to share our faith. Other opportunities may have presented themselves as well, but we will never know now. What is important to us is people, and we weren’t going to reach those people by waiting for them to show up at our churches or chapel services.
I guess to end I would just like to quote a bit of scripture, since that is what I’m here to study. Mark 2:15-17: “15While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Sincerely,
Doug McKenzie
___
well, thats my rant for now
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