Evan Maybe said:
And since we're off topic, is Evan May really 17 yrs old like his profile says?
Yes.
I don't believe I've ever given any background information about myself on this blog (not that information about my life is very necessary). Obviously, I post on here less now than I ever have, and my affections for blogging are increasingly diminishing--while my posture towards the local church as my primary means of growth is strengthening.
But here it is:
The Most Important: Created in God's image, I exist for his own glory and pleasure. My most ultimate purpose and highest commitment is to magnify the Name above all names. My greatest passion and most intense desire is to experience and delight in God. My prayer every morning as I wake up is that my day would be filled with God-honoring, Christ-exalting thoughts and that my God-hating, Christ-belittling sinful unbelief would be mortified more and more, until the day where I will see Christ face-to-face.
The Less Important: I'm a teenager (17, will be 18 August 1st) who loves to study theology because I long to know God more. I love learning the technical skills of grammatical-historical exegesis, not simply because they are fun, but because through them I know Scripture better.
I live in New Orleans, LA. My local church, Lakeview Christian Center, part of Sovereign Grace Ministries, was greatly affected by hurricane Katrina. Our building was completed flooded and eventually demolished. ...But the story does not end there. God's providence has kept our congregation together, and on May 24th, 9am, we will have the ground-breaking ceremony to start the construction of our new $11,000,000 facility. We expect to walk through the doors of this new building less than 15 months from now. God's grace has been very evident because by this devastation the door has been opened to many ministry opportunities that were previously unavailable. We gladly welcome what his sovereign plan has for us in this next chapter. To learn more about what has happened with the church the past few years and how you can help, check out this video.
My current occupation: I work as an administrative assistant at the church office. My responsibilities include mostly minuscule and humbling tasks such as folding and cutting paper, and some other newly learned skills such as managing the website, creating the newsletter, designing the bulletin, etc. I also manage the resources and make sure supplies are ready for the services. Mainly, I work to serve the pastoral team in their responsibilities, whether that means doing research on theological topics or simply making phone calls.
Having just graduated high school, I am now a freshman in college, majoring in history at the University of New Orleans. While God's sovereign plans certainly rule my life and not my own desires, I expect to go to seminary after I complete my undergraduate studies. I also expect to get married soon, even at my young age, because of my conviction that getting married and growing up are so intimately connected that it is biblically irresponsible to put off marriage in pursuit of career or personal fulfillment. Then there's the fact that there's that girl in my life.... :-)
Have I fallen off of the face of the planet? No, I'm still here. You can still e-mail me any time, and I enjoy receiving questions or comments. I hope that this post has helped to put some flesh on the bones of someone that you might have read in the past. I'm certain that I've said many foolish or arrogant things before, and for those I apologize. I simply want to know God more, and I want to stand for his truth in an age that so quickly abandons it for something "better." The cross of Christ is all that I need, and for the joy set before me I will bear it on my back as I lay down my life for Christ's bride and his glory.
Don't forget to send me a present on my birthday (or better yet, I just graduated!), ;-)
Enjoying Him,
Evan E. May
It's an honor and a privilege to be on the same team as someone as mature (in every sense of the word) as Evan already is.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Evan, you'll be glad to know I finally watched your great uncle's movie the other week! It was "wonderful." ;-)
WOW... Trying to remember what I was doing at 17. Oh yeah, being a loser who didn't know anything. :)
ReplyDeleteEvan,
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't your church call itself a "church" in the name? Lakeview Christian Center? And it sponsors the Alpha Course? I am thankful for your youthful zeal, but your "Christian Center" seems to have a few issues...
James:
ReplyDeleteThe church is over 40 years old. At the time, "Center" was a trendy name for churches (just google “Christian Center” to see what you get). We've considered renaming the church, but that presents some difficulties because of its well-known connection with the community. I don't think there is anything unbiblical about using the word "center" in a church name.
By the way, “Lakeview” is the name of the surrounding community.
As to the Alpha course, all I can say about that is that it is a pretty versatile course. We use that name in honor of those who created it. But my church’s own use of the course reflects the theology of the church, not the theology of Nicky Gumbel. We use the very helpful format of Alpha but substitute our own material.
The Lord has allowed this to be very effective. This course allows evangelism to be intimately connected to the local church. New converts aren't simply "saved" at some “revival meeting” and then never again seen. It allows those who genuinely come to Christ to be planted in the church, where they stay. Over the years of doing this, the fruit has been amazing.
To be really Biblical, perhaps it should be renamed The Lakeview Bride of Christ!
ReplyDeleteEvan,
ReplyDeleteGreat, but why don't you call the course something else? There is a lot of stigma attached to the Alpha course. If you're going to change the material why not change the name?
We have a huge church here in these parts called "The Family Worship Center". The fear that modern Evangelicalism has of the word "church" just drives me crazy. Posing the question, "What Christian Center do you go to?" doesn't seem right, does it? Anyway, it doesn't seem like your "leadership team" wants to upset the apple cart. Thanks Evan.
Maybe EvanMay 7.0 should visit the Pastors and mix things up with a little "android power", if you know what I mean...
ReplyDeleteEvan,
ReplyDeleteI am young as well. I'm 18 years old. I read your post, and it encourages me when i see the fire of zeal burning in your post. I just wanted to say, thank God for zealous people as yourself. I pray that God will fill me with zeal as well.
I wish that I had had such focus at 17. May God continue to grow you in His service.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't worry too much about the criticisms to your church. I'm sure God is using your church to witness in what I imagine is a difficult area.
My comments were written in jest, as usual. No criticism was intended, just to be clear...
ReplyDeleteNice post EvanMay! I never noticed that we were the same age (same astrological sign even :D)! Nice to see a young person with that kind of focus.
ReplyDeleteCMA