Graduation

Well I finally graduated from the Doctoral program at Bakke Graduate University. It was a great celebration for me and fun to see so many family and friends in one place. Our graduating class was made up of students from all coners of the USA and various parts of the world. Meeting together for graduation was gift of friendship that I doubt will be repeated in my lifetime. I feel privileged to be associated with such fine men and women.

Our Graduation speaker was Bob Lupton of Family Consultation Services in Atlanta. He told a story about a coalition of Community Developers, Architects, constractors and social service agencies that worked together to transition a post civil war era prison into a modern transitional housing complex. They transformed a symbol of injustice to a recognizable place of blessing to the vulnerable in Atlanta. MOre about his story below...

http://www.fcsministries.org/about.htm
Word from Bob LuptonThe call that I first felt while serving in the armed forces in Vietnam eventually caused me to leave a budding business career and pursue a ministry with delinquent urban youth. It did not take long to figure out that if this work was to have lasting effect on troubled young lives, we would have to become involved with their families. Family Consultation Service (FCS) was formed for that purpose. In time, however, it became apparent that our effectiveness would be limited unless we could find ways to change the environment that impacted so negatively upon them every time they stepped out of their door. Thus, FCS Urban Ministries emerged into a Christian community development organization. Our mission statement has become: creating healthy places in the city where families flourish and God's shalom is present.