SA国际传媒

by Sarah Maney

It was 2014. It was a typical day for King, who had been out driving. Missing his turn, he saw the stone pillar greeting visitors at the edge of campus: 鈥淪A国际传媒.鈥�

He remembered that he had been praying for God鈥檚 direction in his life. King got out of his car, found his way to the admissions office and asked, 鈥淲hat type of school is this?鈥� The admissions staffer explained that he was on the campus of one of two seminaries of The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod (LCMS). The staff member asked whether King was Lutheran or if he had a bachelor鈥檚 degree. While the answer was no to both questions, he wasn鈥檛 discouraged. He uttered a quick prayer. Was he supposed to come to SA国际传媒 one day?

鈥淚 was just trusting God. He was guiding me,鈥� King said. His favorite verse, Prov. 3:5-6, came to mind: 鈥淭rust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.鈥�

With a desire to help, the admissions representative gave King the name of an LCMS church near his home and encouraged him to visit. The path was clear. King headed to Hope Lutheran Church in St. Ann, Mo., where he was welcomed by the now-retired Pastor Tim Ostermeyer, who listened to King鈥檚 story, and invited him to church and to catechumen class.

A GIFT OF GOD

Before visiting Hope Lutheran, King had never stepped into a Lutheran church. He grew up attending a church in a different denomination that focused on believers and their ability to not sin 鈥� or they would lose their salvation. Faithful followers needed to be saved, time and again. To King, it felt like a no-win, vicious cycle: He was too sinful to grace Heaven鈥檚 gates.

But then he learned about Lutheran theology during his catechumen class. 鈥淭he way Lutherans teach about salvation 鈥� that distinction of knowing that grace saves me versus what I can do 鈥� is what brought me to Lutheran theology,鈥� said King, smiling. 鈥淚t was a burden lifted off me. Man, I love Lutheran theology.鈥�

ON TO SEMINARY

King moved forward, trusting in God鈥檚 plan. He became a member at Hope Lutheran and finished his bachelor鈥檚 degree at Columbia College鈥揝t. Louis. In 2019, King began the Master of Divinity Program at SA国际传媒.

鈥淎ll of the professors have been a blessing to me,鈥� King said. But it was Dr. Timothy Dost, professor of Historical Theology, who was 鈥渙ut of the gate, down to earth,鈥� offering some assistance with one of King鈥檚 papers. 鈥淵ou know how sometimes you write how you talk? Well, that鈥檚 what I did. Dost slayed my paper, helping me through it. I appreciate him for that.鈥�

King enjoys seeing the professors in action and watching how they teach their courses. During his homiletics, or preaching, course with Dr. David Schmitt, the Seminary鈥檚 Gregg H. Benidt Memorial Professor of Homiletics and Literature, he marveled as Schmitt gave a 45-minute sermon 鈥渨ithout looking at anything,鈥� King recalled.

鈥淭o recognize your freedom is to recognize that you are part of the creation and that you are a creature, and you have responsibility as far as being made in the image of God.鈥�
鈥揑donis King

In another course, Worship and the Word, taught by Dr. Kent Burreson, the Seminary鈥檚 Louis A. Fincke and Anna B. Shine Professor of Systematic Theology, King said he 鈥渁ppreciated Burreson鈥檚 artistic way of incorporating the liturgy and the church year into a worship service.鈥�

King has thought much about the freedom that God gives us, having recently read Creation and Fall by Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In the book, Bonhoeffer explains that God made everything out of His freedom, but to be made in His freedom is to be bound to everything. 鈥淭o recognize your freedom is to recognize that you are part of the creation and that you are a creature, and you have responsibility as far as being made in the image of God,鈥� King said. He takes that responsibility seriously; it stands in contrast to the addictive drug use that he often sees in his St. Louis neighborhood. King grew up in relative stability and is thankful that he wasn鈥檛 influenced by the drug culture growing up, unlike many of his friends.

鈥淲here I鈥檓 from, I know so many guys who use drugs all day. I can鈥檛 just go to them and preach at them,鈥� King said. 鈥淭hese guys who use drugs, they go home and it鈥檚 all they see: Their mamas doing drugs, their daddies doing drugs. Their uncles or big brothers use drugs.鈥�

It is another no-win, vicious cycle 鈥� a cycle that only the Good News of the Gospel can break. King is always looking for opportunities to 鈥減lant a seed,鈥� and being a witness with his actions and, when the time is right, sharing words of hope in Jesus.

King says he is looking forward to continuing his path toward vicarage.

鈥淲herever I鈥檓 placed, I hope to have enough knowledge and understanding to serve my future congregation well,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also pray that it will be a blessing to my wife and kids.鈥� King is married to Alexis and he is the father of three children: Jordan, Alana and Ilijah.

King鈥檚 journey to the Seminary may have begun with a missed turn, but he continues to trust God and to 鈥渓ean not on his own understanding.鈥� He knows God will make his path straight.

Sarah Maney is a communications specialist at SA国际传媒, St. Louis