By Cole Cooper
Let me set the stage for you. It’s about 8:30 pm on a cool, Northern Virginia night. I’m perched atop a comfortable, brown leather stool in a well-lit, spacious kitchen, my hands folded in my lap, head angled sharply leftward towards the World Series game on the tv in the room next door. So far, this might seem like a perfectly normal weekday evening, one that could be happening in any American suburb.
Then my head snaps back so that I’m looking straight ahead towards the kitchen sink. The world series game was just a momentary distraction from something even more engaging: my host dad and I are discussing the difference between God’s decretive and prescriptive wills and what implications this difference has for evangelism. This conversation echoes a similar discussion from Dr. Fullilove’s class a couple of weeks ago, which culminated in, if not a mic-drop, then at the very least a pencil-drop from the eminently qualified Dr. Fullilove.
While this is not the proper medium for walking through these two conversations that, quite frankly, left me with just about as many questions as answers (with David in Psalm 131:1 I emphatically state that there are great matters which are too wonderful for me), I mention them because they are indicative of a more general truth about the Capital Fellows program. The Capital Fellows program is a space where the traditional lines between the sacred and the mundane are blurred. Baseball and theology readily commingle. A joint meal between the fellows becomes both a celebration of individual fellows’ God-given gifts and an opportunity for cultural exploration. Clerical work in its non-priestly sense is still imbued with a certain spiritual significance.
This happens because the Capital Fellows program teaches us to live integrated lives; instead of viewing work, service, faith, church, and family as siloed areas which only interact on prescribed days, the program is experientially and instructionally teaching us that they are related, interactive, and commonly underpinned by a God with a purpose for each of them. This is not to say that appropriate boundaries shouldn’t be set between some of the pre-listed category members. Instead, it is meant to let you know that, at least with respect to this particular fellow, the program is succeeding in its stated mission to teach us to better bring a consistent worldview to bear on all areas of life.
Pictures from the Week
A Capital Fellows
A uniquely Capital Fellows tradition: Birthday Affirmations!
Become A Capital Fellow in 2021-22
We are now receiving applications for Season 15 of the Capital Fellows program!
The next program year runs from late August 2021 through mid-May 2022. If you are a college senior or recent college graduate - or know someone that is - we would love to hear from you! The Early Application Deadline is November 30th!
Pray for the Capital Fellows
Thank you for praying for the Capital Fellows each week! In the coming days and weeks, the Capital Fellows will be, among other things, working on the topic of servanthood. As followers of Christ, we are called to be servants as he was a servant. We are called to have a radically transformed mind about what our lives, careers, wealth, and power are all about. Please pray that during the fellows year, they will establish the foundations for a lifetime of seeing and serving into the needs around them.
Want to pray for the Capital Fellows throughout the year? Download this handy prayer guide for your phone or tablet.
Benefits of The Fellows Initiative
You probably already know that Capital Fellows is one of 30 fellows programs in The Fellows Initiative network. But, did you know that the sponsors of TFI offer great benefits to Capital Fellows alumni? For example, Reformed Theological Seminary offers a 33% tuition discount for 5 years. You can learn more about TFI's sponsors by clicking here.
If you know of a graduate school, seminary, employer, or other organization that would be interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact TFI by clicking here. Thanks!
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