Houseof Prayer

Vol. 11, Issue 1, Spring, 2016 College News A publication for Alumni & Friends MY STORY DEREK STERENBERG | CLASS OF 2008 The Informant came to Kuyper The Kuyper community and an ethics class from Davenport University had the opportunity at the latest Inspiring Leaders lecture series to hear from Mark Whitacre. A nationally recognized speaker, he was an FBI informant in the Archer Midland Daniels (ADM) price-fixing scandal of the 1990s. Inspiring books and the 2009 Hollywood movie starring Matt Damon, Whitacre’s involvement in that scandal landed him in prison for almost nine years. During that time, he gave his life to Jesus Christ through the ministry of Prison Fellowship. See INFORMANT, Page 6 Transition The Pavilion, the drop-in coffee shop center of the Bridge Street House of Prayer Team update The Presidential Transition Team—formed to HOUSE OF PRAYER search for the new President of Kuyper College— has met four times since early December. ON GRAND RAPIDS’ WEST SIDE Using established best practices and processes of institutions that have gone through recent Derek Sterenberg was born in Caledonia, Michigan. He presidential transitions, the team is developing graduated from Kuyper College in 2008 with a double a roadmap for success, which includes a communications plan to provide periodic updates major—one in youth ministry and one in Bible and theology. and ask for feedback from college stakeholders. He and his wife, Heather, are the parents of two children, While the extent of the team’s assignment will take many months, one of the current goals is to assess Asher and Eila Mae. He ministers on the west side of Grand the need for, and partner with, a professional Rapids as the youth discipleship director of the Bridge Street consultant or search firm to assist with the search House of Prayer. This is his story. process. Other tasks include developing an opportunity profile describing Kuyper College and Growing up in Caledonia, Michigan, the church as well. Another influencer was my the presidential role, appropriately recognizing oldest of three children, my parents had a youth pastor, Kevin Schutte. He was one of our present president, Dr. Nick Kroeze, as he major influence on my spiritual growth. the first people to show me that the Christian transitions into retirement, and welcoming the Both of them love the Lord, have always life is more than a set of rules to follow, but College’s new president. been very active in church activities and a way of life dedicated to knowing Jesus and As they seek the wisdom of God in their decision leadership, and made sure that I was given making Him known. making, the team requests your prayers. opportunities to participate in the life of the See PRAYER, Page 4 If you have additional thoughts or questions, please direct them to [email protected]. LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Our God is in control Many of you know I enjoy exploring the topic of “Faith and Science,” studying the workings of our universe and how what we learn from cutting-edge research complements word and thought set out thousands of years ago in the Bible. Research that is now unfolding in an area known faith as I see in them affirmation of what the to—the glorious end that is already very real to as “nonlocality” has raised a few interesting Bible tells me of the characteristics of God and Him. As you read the personal stories herein, prospects on our perception of reality. One the assurances He extends to us in our limited note the testimony of the authors as they possibility scientists set forth is that because view of the total reality. Where all this ties in witness to God’s plan and purpose. we are such a small part of what must be a with this issue of The Kuyper News is with how As always, I like to include a note of thanks much bigger reality, we only perceive events as we see the authors of our articles testify to “a to each of you for supporting the mission of coming out of “cause and effect” occurrences, God who is in control.” Their experiences in life the college and our students. Your sense of and the direction of time as headed in only one and their spiritual journeys give evidence of One partnership with and ownership in the college direction—toward the future. Physicists will say who knows the end result and One who sees mean much to us and are very motivational to this is an inaccurate (or, even, completely wrong) perfectly how all things fit together exactly as the students, staff, faculty and board. Thank you picture of what is truly occurring. They will they should. for your friendship, love, care and support! say that “an observer” who can see everything God tells us plainly that we don’t have His from the outside, would see all events as having perspective but that, by faith, we can enter into occurred and would know the end perfectly well the assurance that He sees it all and that He and how all elements fit together smoothly in is much more than “an observer”: He is the leading up to that end. Hmmm! designer who knows how the journey of each Dr. Nicholas V. Kroeze This line of research and thinking excites my of our lives will culminate—and contribute President Dr. Jeff Fisher’s new Book How a little known sixteenth century evangelical interpreters read and interpret the Bible.” Specifically, the book German theologian’s work helps us read describes how Oecolampadius influenced Reformation history and its theological shifts through his 1534 commentary on the book of Hebrews and interpret the Bible derived from his theology lectures at the University of Basel in 1529-1530. “A Christoscopic Reading of Scripture: Johannes Oecolampadius In the book, Fisher compares Oecolampadius’ exegesis with more than on Hebrews,” a new book written by Dr. Jeff Fisher, professor of twenty-five of the most relevant interpreters from the early church to the theological studies at Kuyper, and published by V & R Academic, Reformation. He shows that by recovering and adapting an Alexandrian explores issues of theology and church interpretive notion of Christ as the goal of Scripture, Oecolampadius’ history pertaining to the Reformed Christoscopic reading of Scripture served as an essential step in the shift community at large. toward Reformed interpretative approaches, such as that of John Calvin. As Fisher explained, “The title says it all: Beyond this book, other works by Fisher include journal articles related Christoscopic and Johannes Oecolampadius.” to Oecolampadius, which are currently under review, a work on the During his research, Fisher coined the word doctrine of the Trinity as described by some Reformers, and a multi-year Christoscopic, whose meaning, according to him, project on Isaiah for InterVarsity Press’ “Reformation Commentary on is surprisingly simple. “The goal (in Latin, scopus, Scripture” series. The Isaiah commentary relates again to Oecolampadius and in Greek, skopos) of all Scripture is Christ. because he, as Fisher explained, “was the first Reformer to teach This point is demonstrated,” said Fisher, “through and publish a commentary on Isaiah.” In the future, then, the Isaiah the lens of the work of a little-known Reformation theologian, Johannes commentary will allow Fisher to generate additional papers and articles, Oecolampadius, who, though often overlooked, actually played a pivotal helping others learn more about the ways Oecolampadius continues to role in making [Christoscopic reading] the way most Reformed and influence generation Christians to this day. 2 KUYPER COLLEGE NEWS STEWARDSHIP IN MY WORDS IRA Charitable Rollover Convergence Tax Hike Protection at Kuyper College At Kuyper every financial gift helps our students to achieve their ministry or professional career objectives with as little Some of my earliest childhood memories are education debt as possible. That is why we want to share with tied to Christian higher education. My father you a very important development that may positively impact taught music at the Grand Rapids School of your giving plans. Debbie Hendricks Bible and Music, and I remember being on their Faculty Associate campus when I was 4 or 5 years old. I have been This past December, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes in Assessment told that around that age my brother Jim and I Act of 2015 was signed into law. The law includes a permanent once sang in chapel. My parents both graduated extension of the IRA Charitable Rollover for individuals who are from GRSBM where they met five other couples with whom they continue 70½ or older. to be friends to this day. I loved Explanation of Provision hearing the stories of memories “Seven years later … I and songs they all shared, and Individuals may make gifts to charity from traditional and Roth received a call from the IRA accounts without any federal tax liability as long as the gifts have watched them support are “qualified charitable distributions.” No charitable deduction each other through many major Kuyper College provost, may be taken by the owner, but distributions will qualify for life events. This made a big who asked me to teach a impression on me while growing all or part of an IRA owner’s required minimum distribution. class. I taught as an adjunct Therefore, you can make charitable gifts directly from your IRA up, and while attending a public to a ministry or other charitable organization tax-free. high school, I looked forward to instructor for two years, going to a Christian college. There are some conditions that apply to the IRA Charitable and then joined the Kuyper Gift, including: I attended Grand Rapids Baptist College staff full-time, • Gifts are tax-free up to $100,000 per year College (now Cornerstone working in the Academic • This opportunity is now permanent University) for my undergraduate • Gifts qualify for all or part of required minimum distributions degree.

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