Personal History Essay



To: Dr. Art Fricke

From: Josh Hurst

Due: September 18, 2006

Re: “Resume and Job Letter”

In this project I will be turning in a personal history essay as an application for Asbury Theological Seminary. Also included for grading purposes will be a grade sheet checklist, a list of requirements for the personal history essay, and an example application from a current student at Asbury Seminary. I used my dad who received his doctorate at Asbury Seminary for advice and editing of my personal history essay. I am sorry for not being clear about what needs to be graded and am very thankful for the second chance.

Thanks,

Josh Hurst

Josh Hurst

Personal History Essay

Religious Pilgrimage:

I was raised in a loving Christian home and accepted Jesus into my heart at the age of 7. During my next years of life, both my church and parents nurtured me in spiritual development. When I was going into the eighth grade my family moved from Lubbock, TX, to Ruston, Louisiana. For the first time in my life, I felt a longing to fit in and be “cool.” Those next two years were the furthest I have ever been from God. My relationship with my parents turned to a relationship of hate from my end. My tongue did not give glory to God with the words it said. Also to top things off, I began to date a girl my freshman year that I was by no means ready to date. That summer, I went to a church camp in Ceta Canyon, Texas called One Way. I can’t describe how much I was in awe of Him that week. Each day His grace, His love, His purpose for me, and His call on me were made so distinct. I came back a radically changed person thanks to a radical Jesus that week. I spent my years in high school steadily growing into the man of God He so desired. I found purpose serving my youth group, but often felt alone in a very nominal youth ministry.

When I was 18, I decided to go to Texas Tech University which is ten hours away from my hometown. I had to trust God completely with my future for the first time in my life. He provided in an incredible way and gave me for the first time, true Christian community. That year I got involved in the Wesley Foundation at Texas Tech. Whether it was from the Wesley Foundation or friends in general, God let me experience what having believers around you makes you feel. God taught me a valuable lesson from my freshman experience. I need to try to trust God not only with the things I can’t control, but also with the things I can control.

During my years in college, God put me in several areas of leadership to serve him. I was a full time youth intern in Ruston, Louisiana after my freshman year in college. I am involved with Wesley Leadership team since my sophomore year, and also have held a youth directing job in Littlefield, Texas. God has poured out his joy on me in those areas giving me peace about my call. God is continuing to reveal areas I need to grow in to be a more effective leader who raises up passionate young disciples.

Statements and Requirements for Admissions

I believe in the Trinity with three different parts. I believe God is the creator and true Lord of this universe. I believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, and the only way to obtain eternal life is to profess faith in Jesus Christ. I believe in the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth. I believe scripture is the very word of God and to this day is active in speaking truth to a broken world.

I believe that humans were created in God’s image, but all have fallen short of the glory of God. I believe when we have fallen short, God calls us to fully surrender our lives to him to experience sanctification. Not only does God sanctify us, but he also justifies us into a life of righteousness lived for Him. Once we have fully surrendered our lives to Him, God sends us the Holy Spirit so that we have both an inward and outward assurance of our belief. I believe once we become believers, we are called to go forth and proclaim the name of Christ to all nations. We do not do this alone, but rather with the help of our fellow believers who compose the church as the Body of Christ. We are called to spread love to this hurting and broken world until the Day of Christ Jesus through which God will claim final victory on the earth.

I am applying for Asbury Theological Seminary after a call to the ministry was placed on my heart in eighth grade. Jesus Christ is my rock and my foundation upon which all other things are to be laid. I am encouraged by the statement of faith about who God is. I am also encouraged by the Ethos statement. I am ready to be a witness not only to my fellow students but also to the world around me. Purity from sex, drugs, and drunkenness is something my heart holds very dear. The educational mission of Asbury is of very high value. I desire to grow in knowledge and leadership while enrolled, so that I may be sent forth to spread the love of Christ.

Motivation for Preparing for Ministry

My motivation for ministry is to reveal to the lost that the Kingdom of God is at hand. My heart for ministry is not to seek the healthy, but to heal the hurt and broken. God has given me a call since the eighth grade about full-time ministry. I can see God taking delight in me each time I do what I was called. My goal is that people would not just know about who Jesus was, but who Jesus is to them right now. God has placed in me a burden for the lost and hurt of this world. Through life groups and youth minister jobs, I found out that many people are satisfied with where they are at. I feel a burden to tell people God does not ever call us to be satisfied, but to be full of passion and ever-growing. Whether by sermon or by mentoring a congregation, I know God is calling me to speak.

Understanding of Christian Ministry

I believe Christian ministry often needs something as simple as a relationship. A person listens much more to a friend whom he comes to trust than a random person on the corner of a street. I believe we were never meant for Christian ministry alone, and we always need to have other people surrounding us. It is also about serving people in those relationships. As a minister, you are not the head of the body, so we must submit ourselves out of reference for one another.

Recent Vocational Experience

I spent a summer as a youth intern where I led a few small groups. Also I was a mentor to several youth in the youth group. Also I have been a youth minister the past two summers at Littlefield, Texas. Also while at the Wesley Foundation I led a freshman small group called 2420. I also served as a small group leader for a camp for incoming freshman called Foundation. I have also served as a camp counselor for a number of years for grades 8 through 13.

Experience in Christian Ministry

I am very fortunate to have been around ministry for a very large part of my life. My dad is a Methodist pastor who has been at the Wesley Foundation and also an associate pastor for my home church. Seeing him do ministry is always an encouraging thing to see. He does a great job of balancing family and work, and his heart is always seeking out the lost.

My youth group while I was in junior high and high school was nominal at best. I felt like my only strong Christian friendship was with my youth minister for a while. There was always more focus on what those around you were doing wrong than what you yourself were doing wrong. As an intern I got to see God radically transform our small group thanks to a camp called One Way in Ceta Canyon, Texas.

In college, I have been challenged greatly by the Wesley Foundation and some of my friends. As a group our goal is not to be luke-warm Christians, but rather to be the salt of the earth to all nations. As leaders of the Wesley Foundation we are called to pray daily for the movement of the Spirit inside those walls.

Personal History Expectations

Summarize your personal history. Using your best English composition, concisely address the following topics. Compose this essay in the editor below, or attach the completed essay to an email sent to: admissions_office@asburyseminary.edu. Please use a file format compatible with Microsoft Word, such as Word Document (.doc), Rich Text Format (.rtf), Hypertext Markup Language (.htm), or ASCII text (.txt). This essay may also be submitted to the Admissions Office by mail clearly printed or typed on 8.5 x 11-inch paper. If submitting this essay by mail or email, please be sure to include your full name on the first page of the essay. Please be aware that your personal history need not be submitted with the application.

• Address your compatibility with the Seminary's Statements of Faith, Ethos, and Educational Mission. If you differ as to any matter in said Statements, please explain.

• Discuss your relationship to Christ and your spiritual pilgrimage.

• Discuss your motivation for preparing for ministry

• Reflect on your understanding of Christian ministry

• Describe your recent vocational experiences

• Discuss your experience in Christian ministry and any other relevant experiences

• (Optional) If you are married, describe your spouse's attitudes toward your plans for seminary education and future ministry

• (Optional) If you feel your cumulative GPA or academic test scores do not adequately reflect your abilities to flourish at Asbury Seminary, please explain.

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