Bye Bye TBS: Toronto Baptist Seminary Graduation

Graduation Ceremony 

8:00pm April 27 2012 

130 Gerrard Street East

All welcome - come cheer us on 

and eat the refreshments

Summer Theology Courses

TBS Memories In 10 Lines

This month my 3-year undergrad at TBS is coming to a close. Kicking around the rez, the chapel, and the mess-hall has left me with some great memories that you wouldn't necessarily get primarily from just studying on your own. Here are 10 lines that I'll always remember from TBS.

1 - Pong on?
2 - That's garb. Chirps.
3 - All-nighter?
4 - Any announcements, Paul?
5 - Those who endure to the end will be saved.
6 - "What's for dinner Myrtle?" "Dinner! Now eat it."
7 - Yo! Any single female!
8 - Yo, sorry can't come, I have Greek.
9 - I'm a very manly muppet.
10 - (lights off) Somebody pray!

Associations:
1 - Stauff
2 - Bloomer
3 - Benoit & I
4 - Mr. Edwards
5 - Dr. Constant
7 - Stauff
8 - Anyone, all the time 
9 - House 12
10 - Myrtle

Guys Night - Round Three

Alex, Benoit

Josh, Scott, Nathan, Wisdom, Caleb

Not shown: Mark and Moses.

Bacon sure brings friends together. Another great night with the guys. This night we listened to John Piper on the Single Life. A spin from our first message which was on marriage. H/T to Caleb for suggesting this one, it was a needed balance. I took from it the far-surpassing worth of marriage to Christ in respect to actually being married. We're hoping to have one more night before the school year is up.

P.S. Sorry I was on vaca in Fort Myers and forgot to post this before I left.

10 Lines Seminary Teaches

If you're around these parts for a couple years there are some lines you just can't shake. Here are ten lines that have impacted me and I thank seminary (TBS) for teaching me when it comes to God, the Bible, and biblical spirituality.

1 - Scripture interprets Scripture
2 - Context, Context, Contex
3 - Pray until you pray
4 - The case of a relative pronoun is determined by its function in the relative clause (Greek)
5 - Scripture is Christocentric
6 - If you won't read, you won't lead
7 - Word studies = bad; Biblical themes = good
8 - Study 10 hours over your books on your knees
9 - A text without a context is a pretext for a prooftext
10 - If you can't pray now, when will you?


"One of the best preparations for death
is a thorough knowledge of the Greek grammar"
> Warfield > Hodge > Lindsay (Trials of Theology p57; ed. Brian Rosner).

Looking for a Bible College in Toronto?

Toronto Baptist Seminary & Bible College is doing their annual Open House on March 6-7th. The Open House is catered to prospective students who want to grow in their knowledge of the Triune God and to live in community with other Christian students on the same pursuit. Check it out. I'd recommend attending the Systematic Theology class with Professor Kirk Wellum - pretty stellar. As well, there is food - why wouldn't you come? 

Evaluative Paper - Help

Found this great article outlining some tips for writing an Evaluative Paper.
If you're in Puritan and Evangelical Spirituality tomorrow, no thankyou will be necessary.
You can read the original here:

Writing a good evaluation essay is often necessary in college, but the techniques are the same for other purposes, too. For example, employers can require workers to express their opinion on a particular topic, or an engineer might be asked for an evaluation essay (or review) of an emerging technology. No matter if you're evaluating a movie, a book, an art piece or technology, writing a solid essay evaluating it is the best way to express your thoughts clearly.

1 - State clearly and simply the subject you're evaluating. You can do this in the title or as a heading of your essay.

2 - State your evaluation of the subject. Your opinion can be layered, but it should be stated as succinctly as possible.

3 - Use your evaluation essay to provide compelling evidence supporting your opinion by quoting references that uphold your viewpoint and using logical reasoning to show that your evaluation is correct.

4 - Write the opposing viewpoints to show that you're aware that there are different views and opinions on the subject you're evaluating. Use reasoning and quoted references to show how the opposing viewpoints are wrong or are at least not as on point as your evaluation.

5 - Add to your supporting evidence, giving the reader additional reasons for believing your evaluation is correct.

6 - End your essay by repeating the subject of the analysis, and follow this immediately by stating your opinion of the subject and that your paper supplies the proof that your evaluation is a good one.

Tips & Warnings
a - Select your references well. The more credible your quoted reference sources are, the more believable your evaluation will be.
b - Use proper grammar and punctuation.
c - Make sure your essay is written in the correct format, and aligns with your organization or school's policy on writing papers.
d - The more controversial your evaluation essay is, the more supporting evidence you'll need.

TBS - Back in Action

Looks like school is about a week away. Lord-willing, this will be my last semester at TBS. It's been some great times here in the core of Tdot. Justine and I were just saying how we are going to miss walking everywhere in a matter of minutes from Allen Gardens. Studying the Bible formally, I would recommend to everyone before they pursue job/career/marriage. Even if its just for one year. I hope my kids will one day. I've made some great buddies here at school. Learning theology with the friends I've made here has broken down a lot of bogus bounderies socially, that I'm glad for. Learning that Christ needs to be first in all things really brings together a motley crew. Speaking of the crew...

Where art thou Stauffer?

Well? 

Get your jet-pack on and get back here already!

Paul Brandt's had enough of you - get Ontario-bound, on the double!

85 Years Of TBS

January 4th, 1927 was the first class held at Toronto Baptist Seminary. Today marks the 85th anniversary of TBS having been opened for theological studies. I hope there is some cake or balloons or maybe those dab-on tattoos:

I <3 

T. T.

Stauffer, I'll save you one ok?

Reading Categories

This is a list that my Professor and Principal Kirk Wellum gave us a few weeks ago. These are primarily categories for pastors but make good for anyone wanting some selection and direction when looking at all the literary material out there.

1 BIBLE - first and foremost
2 Commentaries & Introductions
3 Read Systematic & Biblical Theological Books
4 Biographies and Autobiographies
5 History (Secular & Christian)

> Biblical Backgrounds, Civilizations, Countries
6 Apologetic Books
7 Contemporary Issue
8 Read Hymn Books & Materials on Hymns 

> these are poems set to music
9 On the Church & Leadership 

> good to read about trends within the church
10 Read Journals & Periodicals
11 Blogs (careful though - there are so many - start with GospelCoalition)

12 Newspaper & Magazines 

What other categories should there be?

TBS Guys Night - Round Two

The Guys

(Adam,

Caleb, Ian, Stauff, Cosner,

Nathan, Benoit, Isaac,

Your's Truly)

Monday night us guys were all pretty stoked to have tuesday as a study day, so we put the bacon on the stove, vegged out, and put a sermon on. We spent some time listening to the Dr. M. L. Jones on what it means to love and obey Jesus.
He preached out of 1 Peter 1:8
"Though you have not seen him, you love him."
We all really enjoyed the refocus and challenge.
You can download the sermon here.
Pretty sweet times -

Everybody touch the lucky-STAUFF!

Theology Courses in Toronto

For more info visit the school's site.

I'd recommend Christian Foundations to those who are new to seminary study. 

I've been anticipating the Evangelical Spirituality class with Dr. Haykin for the undergraduate. 

Here's a snippet from the course syllabi:

"A study of and reflection on various aspects of Puritan and Evangelical spirituality, including both foundational elements, such as knowing God, justification by faith, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, sanctification, and the cross, and those secondary elements sometimes described as means of grace, such as friendship, prayer and meditation, and the Lord’s Supper. The means employed in this study and reflection are texts from two classical eras of biblical spirituality, namely, 16th and 17th century Puritanism and 18th and 19th century Evangelicalism."

Audit is also available for half the price.

If you can afford it, you'll be glad you did.  

Qal Imperfect Weak Verb Hebrew Song

Sing the Qal Imperfect Weak Verb paradigm with your non-angelic host Scott.

This paradigm for the III-(He) can be found in Pratico and Van Pelt's p178 in Basics of Biblical Hebrew: Grammar.

Now to remember the additions that are made to your verb refer to the strong verb paradigm on p167; to learn one of the best songs I know on the Qal Imperfect Strong Verb paradigm go here.

Here is the pronunciation of the Verbs for III-(He) in the song: they use the verb "to build"

3ms: yiv-neh

3fs: tiv-neh

2ms: tiv-neh

2fs: tiv-knee

1cs: ev-neh

3mp: yiv-nu

3fp: tiv-neh-nah

2mp: tiv-nu

2fp: tiv-neh-nah

1cp: niv-neh

(Qal Im-per-fect

We-eak Verbs!)

*Vowel & Shwa Help! 

Looking at the paradigm there are only two vowels and a shwa (Qamets is on the 3fp/2fp but you should already have that memorized as your endings from the Strong Verbs!). 

The two vowels are: Hireq (one dot) Seghol (three dots) - and the shwa has two dots!

Now look back at the paradigm. 

If you consider the dots as being numbers the vowels are as follows (read right to left ofcourse)

3ms: 1, 2, 3

3fs: 1, 2, 3

2ms: 1, 2, 3

2fs: 1, 2, 1

1cs: 3, 2, 3

3mp: 1, 2, - 

3fp: 1, 2, 3, (Q)

2mp: 1, 2, -

2fp: 1, 2, 3, (Q)

1cp: 1, 2, 3

Now if you break that down you have:

6 sets of 1, 2, 3. 

Deal with the four that are different. 

1 set of 1, 2, 1 (2fs)

1 set of 3, 2, 3 (1cp)

2 sets of 1, 2, - (3fp/2fp)

For 2fs and 1cs you can think of 1cp as being greedy and taking two dots for his first consonant from 2fs's 3rd consonant above it. I'm not assuming you're considering the disappearing He; this tip is just for the paradigm as it appears ofcourse. 

That's enough craziness now.
*Note - on the recording the Tiv-Neh at the end of the video SHOULD BE Niv-Neh (sorry for this).
It's recorded wrong but spelt out correctly for your own singing along and in the paradigm chart.

Greek Idiom Chart

This is great! An anonymous TBS friend gave these to me. It's his growing chart of Koine Greek idioms; words that occur together to form common phrases and expressions in the Greek NT. Exciting! Knowing these really helps in not getting frustrated when translating. If only I had this earlier this semester. Right-click and save this image for your Greek studies or email me if you want me to forward it to you. 

Qal Imperfect Strong Verb Paradigm Hebrew Song

Getting ready for tomorrow.

Have a laugh before you cry.

Sing along to the Qal Imperfect Strong Verb Paradigm Song!
Paired into two sets of seven syllables starting with Ye
(that makes 15 syllables - "that's all I have to learn?" - "basically!"*)

Ye

T, T, T, I, E, Ye, U

T, Na, T, U, T, Na, Ni

In Basics of Biblical Hebrew by Pratico and Van Pelt you can find the Qal Imperfect Paradigm on p167. 

For the song I am stating the preformative and sufformatives of each verb as they appear in order. 

I didn't add in a (mmm) for the blank sufformatives (3ms,3fs, 1cs, 1cp) - you should just know these - come on now. 

Notice the root is (left to right) Qof, Tet, Lamed > these appear in each verb occurrence for "to kill". 

Whatever the verb remember your sufformative is at the ending "suffix" (left side of the word), and the preformative is at the beginning "prefix" (right side of the word). Ten forms - 15 syllables - you can do it!

3ms:Ye

3fs:T

2ms:T

2fs:T, I

1cs:E, 

3mp:Ye, U

3fp:T, Na

2mp:T, U

2fp:T, Na

1cp:Ni

Remember to talk with our Lord for strength 

throughout your times of study. 

*By basically I mean - "not really"

> you need to know how to write them and moreso recognize them. 

But this will at least get it into your head.

Apologetics And Micah Courses

These are the two upcoming J-term courses offered at Toronto Baptist Seminary & Bible College. I'm planning on auditing Micah with Dr. Dempster and taking Apologetics with Dr. Wellum. Stoked.

You can visit their website here for more details.

Hebrew Qal Perfect Paradigm of the Strong Verb Song

Getting ready for tomorrow's quiz my fellow TBS'rs?
Let's rock around the Christmas Tree - shall we?

3ms (-- sing as mmm);
3fs (ah);
2ms (Ta);
2fs (Te - its hard to sing the Taw w a silent shewa);
1cs (Tie);
3cp (U);
2mp (Tem);
2fp (Ten);
1cp (Nu).

Day in the Life of a Seminary Student

Got my Coke...

 Got my Greek homework...

Drink coke...

Do Greek homework...

Come on...

What? We're in Colossians!

... 

Christmas Tuneage!

Since you've been listening to lots of Christmas music lately, knowing the necessity of Christmas music to be started long before December, I have some tracks for you to add to your playlist. Sufjan's official streaming site - made available by his recording company: Asthmatic Kitty. There's 42 tracks and over 90 minutes of Christmas and gospel jams there. Pretty sweet - here are a selection of my current favourites:

O Come O Come Emmanuel
Holy, Holy, Holy
Did I Make You Cry On Christmas Day?
Once in David's Royal City
Put the Lights on the Tree
Joy To the World
That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!

Great to play while doing some of that final paper jamming - lately, however, this seems to only be happening with the library photocopier : |

Hebrew Number Song

Wanna get ready for that Monday Hebrew Mid-term?

Let's do some numbers! (And in my best form - Absolute Masculine!)

Sing-a-long!