Inspire, Spring 2008

24 spring 2008 Coming April 15, 2008 www.cedarville.edu/heartsong Visit our website to: s Listen to song clips s Purchase this and other albums s View HeartSong’s travel schedule s Request HeartSong to visit your church Presenting Satisfied A New Album by HeartSong with OneVoice Gospel Choir The Legacy Challenge by Dr. Tom Hutchison ’80 Watch Your Life He was a Cedarville grad and my seminary professor, young, well-read, and extremely bright — a rising star on the stage of the theological academy. Watching him taught me something about life, but it wasn’t how to be noticed or admired. Rather, he showed me, by example, the importance of listening carefully and always being an expectant, humble learner. He lived, and I watched. He was likely unaware of my observation — and of the profound impact he had on my life. Now as I teach students about Scripture, I am aware that they are not only listening to what I say but watching how I live, just as I studied my former professor. Our lives are a legacy to those who watch us. May our actions match our words and model our Savior. We are teaching much, even when we say nothing. Watch Your Doctrine He was my professor at Cedarville and again in seminary. He broadened my vocabulary and exposed me to philosophical and ethical ideas I’d never considered. In the process, he blew apart my view of God and forced me to confront the fact that in many ways the God I had envisioned was not the God of the Bible. He forced me to think clearly and communicate accurately but always in submission to the truth of God’s Word. He taught me that watching my doctrine involved thorough, careful study and an open mind. I now work with students who are going through this same experience. Some are handling Scripture for the first time on their own and wrestling to understand and own a faith based on the Bible rather than just on what they have been told. The legacy challenge remains for each one of us: Search Scripture carefully. Submit every thought to the authority of God’s Word. Come alongside others who are grappling with tough issues, and seek answers together from the One who is the source of all Truth. Persevere To “watch your life and doctrine closely” as the Apostle Paul admonishes in 1 Timothy is no easy task. It’s a lifelong challenge, but it is essential for the well-being of your own soul and the souls of others. As you pursue this personal legacy, you will experience the great joy of watching that legacy continue through the lives of the “watchers” in your sphere of influence — the next generation you’re raising for God’s glory, the student who challenges you to dig deeper, the seeking mom who needs a place to turn, the business partner who sees Christ in you. This is your legacy. This is your challenge. Persevere! Dr. Tom Hutchison ’80 currently serves as interim dean for the School of Biblical and Theological Studies. You may contact him at hutch@cedarville.edu . “We are teaching much, even when we say nothing.” “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16