Epistle for June 3, 2005
Posted by: info <info@...>
Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay
Foundation June 3, 2005
HOLY GROUND INTERVIEW: APOLLOS
Why Pillsbury College & Seminary
Curt Scarborough's HOLY GROUND INTERVIEW
Featuring Today's Special Guest: APOLLOS
CS Apollos, through the centuries scholars have been
speculating about
whether you wrote The Epistle to the Hebrews, or
whether it was Paul
or Barnabus or someone else. Would you care to
comment?
Apollos Have you ever considered the possibility that it might
have been a
collaborative effort by all three of us? I'll let
that question remain
unanswered until you join us here in the heavenly
realm.
CS Fill us in on your background; you were originally
from Egypt?
Apollos My home was in Alexandria, located in north Africa. It
was a seaport
on the Mediterranean Sea, west of the Nile Delta.
CS You were a Jew?
Apollos I was of the Hebrew heritage, and my wealthy family
provided me with
the best classical education available. I studied
under the most
prominent scholars of the day, and, of course,
Alexandria boasted of
having the largest and most extensive library in the
civilized world.
CS How did you get involved with the Christian movement?
Apollos My business travels into the Middle East brought me into
contact with
some of the original disciples of John the Baptist.
They told me that
their leader, John, had identified Jesus of Nazareth
as the promised
Messiah. But when King Herod beheaded John, they
fled for their
lives. Yet they continued preaching that the
Messiah had come. I
examined their message in light of the Old Testament
prophesies, and
I came to the obvious conclusion that they were
absolutely correct.
CS So one of John's disciples baptized you?
Apollos Yes! And I immediately began telling others that Jesus
was Messiah.
CS Dr. Luke wrote that you were an eloquent orator,
mighty in the
Scriptures, fervent in spirit.
Apollos I majored in rhetoric at the University of Alexandria,
and I was
captain of the debate team. Speaking boldly, vigorously, and publicly
was part of my training.
CS With your graduate school education, I'm a little
surprised that you
listened when a tentmaker and his wife corrected
your theology.
Apollos You mean Aquila and Priscilla, my mentors in the faith.
They didn't
interrupt my sermon and correct me publicly that
first day I met
them in the synagogue in Ephesus. They gracefully
took me aside
privately and told me the rest of the story . . .
that the Messiah had
been crucified and that He had risen from the grave.
CS In a highly intelligent man, your teachable attitude
is remarkable.
Apollos I had been wondering what happened to Jesus of Nazareth,
so I was
ready to hear the complete truth explained
accurately, as Priscilla and
Aquila did to me . . . and with such a kind spirit!
CS What happened when you heard the full good news of the
gospel?
Apollos I was baptized in the name of the risen Lord, and I began
preaching
from the Scriptures that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. Aquila and
Priscilla wrote letters of recommendation, exhorting
other believers to
receive me and my ministry.
CS You had a very successful evangelistic ministry in
Corinth, I think.
Apollos Yes, many persons responded to my preaching there.
Unfortunately
however, some of my converts became involved in a
clique that almost
split the church.
CS Some folks like your oratorical style of preaching
best, while others
preferred Paul's didactic teaching or Peter's
exciting, eye-witness
accounts of his adventures with Jesus.
Apollos Worse than that, some of those Corinthian Christians
formed a
"Pious Party" which denounced all human pastoral
leadership and
proudly claimed allegiance only to Christ.
CS How did you handle that?
Apollos Paul took the initiative there. He wrote: "I planted,
Apollos watered,
but God gave the increase. So then neither he who
plants is anything,
nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase .
. . For we are all
God's fellow workers." (I Corinthians 3:6-7, 9)
CS He certainly put that in its proper perspective.
Apollos Yes, Paul really nailed the truth there. I wish I'd said
that!
CS Apollos, were you under Paul's oversight, as were
Timothy and Titus?
Apollos Not directly. They were young preacher-boys whom he
groomed and
assigned to their ministries. I operated under
divine appointment,
although Paul and I cooperated with one another.
CS So Paul didn't tell you where to go to preach the
gospel?
Apollos He sometimes made suggestions. I recall one when he
strongly
urged, even insisted, that I accompany a missionary
party traveling
to Corinth. I was busy with another preaching
engagement, and quite
unwilling to go. I told Paul that I would put
Corinth on my itinerary
at a more convenient time. (I Corinthians 16:12)
CS It is obvious that all ministries and churches need a
gifted leader who
is eloquent, mighty in the Scriptures, and fervent .
. . as you were. As
one of the best-educated leaders of the church in
the First Century, do
you have some words of wisdom to pass along to
Twenty-First Century
believers?
Apollos First, acknowledge that no single gospel preacher or
Bible scholar
knows it all; we "leaders" need to be open to the
constructive
criticism of "followers" . . . and vice versa.
CS Such a teachable spirit is rare, indeed.
Apollos Further, realize that any "correction" should be done
gently and
privately . . . and without questioning or doubting
a person's motives.
Anticipate that such personal interaction will
result in tremendous
benefits both to believers and unbelievers.
CS Thank you, Apollos, for being so frank and candid with
us.
Apollos Eloquence is good . . . but, I've learned, straight talk
is even better!
Four Questions You Should Ask
About Pillsbury College & Seminary
1. Why should I choose Pillsbury instead of some on-campus college or
seminary?
Because most mid-career ministers have personal and church
obligations that prevent them from moving their family to become resident
students. At Pillsbury, you'll get a first class education without having
to quit
your job or leave your church field.
2. How is it possible for Pillsbury to offer a top quality education
through distance
learning, yet at such affordable cost? ($90 per graduate credit hour)
Pillsbury has established official connections with three of the
most
recognized and reputable suppliers of Christian graduate-level curriculum
in the nation . . . AACC: American Association of Christian Counselors;
NCCA: National Christian Counselors Association; and ITS: Institute of
Theological Studies. In addition, FreeWay Foundation has published the
president's complete 5-volume Bible Study Series ("Personal & Practical')
as the core curriculum for the school's Expository Studies track. Pillsbury
College & Seminary is owned and operated by FreeWay Foundation, which
pays the salaries and benefits of all school personnel. The school occupies
a part of the Foundation's building in the St. Louis area without charge.
The
tuition costs therefore remain low because overhead costs of the school are
minimal.
3. How long does it take to earn a master's or doctoral degree?
Pillsbury offers two master's degrees. The 36 credit hour
program can
be completed within one year, and the 45 credit hour master's takes 15
months.
We also offer two basic doctoral degree programs. The 48 credit hour
doctorate
can be completed within 16 months, and the 60 credit hour doctorate takes 20
months. Students take only one 3-hour course at a time, and most 3-hour
courses
can be completed within 30 days.
4. What's the one thing that makes Pillsbury stand out from all other
schools?
Although we are a distance learning institute, Pillsbury truly
makes every
effort to provide up close and personal service. When you telephone,
chances are
you'll talk directly with Dr. Sharon Bartlett, the Academic Dean. Or, if
you are
working on licensure and board certification as a Christian counselor, you
may confer
with your clinical supervisor, Dr. Mary Jo Schneller. Also, if you need to
discuss school
policy (or whatever), just ask to talk to the president. You'll see how
true it is! We
really are: "THE DISTANCE LEARNING SCHOOL, WITH THE PERSONAL TOUCH!"
For more information contact us at 314-739-1121 or email
info@freewayfoundation.org
and we will be glad to answer any questions to help you decide if Pillsbury
College
& Seminary is right for you.
"Courage is the art of being the only one who
knows you're scared to death."
- Harold Wilson
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