As of today, 1/8/10, I have moved from my beloved hometown of Philadelphia, Pa to Washington D.C., where I am privileged to be an intern at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, where Mark Dever is the senior pastor. It is a pastoral internship, where I will receive practical and theological training in the context of a healthy local church. My hope is, by God's grace, to someday be an elder. I can't even begin to articulate how excited I am about this opportunity. During the internship, I will have the opportunity to sit in on all the elders' meetings, accompany pastors on home and hospital visits, weddings and funerals- as well as interact with great theological works while fleshing out the implications of those works real-time amongst a congregation of saints who take Christ and His church very seriously. For those who want to know what this means for my music, well... it means that music ministry is on hold for the duration of the internship, which lasts until the end of May. Between now and then, I won't be travelling or taking engagements. I had hoped to have my new album finished before I began the internship, but it wasn't to be. It could be that the Lord may be pleased to use this experience to inform my writing. We'll see. At any rate, my plan is to continue writing songs while I'm here and to record them in June, which would mean a fall release. I'm also working on writing hymns and worship songs suited to congregational singing. Your prayers for my writing would be appreciated. I would also appreciate it if you could pray that the Lord would shape and sanctify me through this internship, that I might be able to serve the Lord more fruitfully and faithfully. Soli Deo Gloria!
grace and peace,
shai
25 comments:
Wow! Shai they will miss you at Epiph! We gotta get you in Jackson to visit bro. Maybe Pastor Mike we'll speak to Ligon and partner up! Love you man!
Btw Same thing I posted on the FB update...thanks for the blog update fam!
God bless you there, we have a pastor from that church coming out to Portland to candidate..looks like a strong place to get closer to the Lord.
That is really exciting and I pray that is it will be a wonderful time of learning and that God would continue to use you in mighty ways.
Amazing news! I'm writing my master thesis on 9 Marks ministries this spring, and to read that you're an intern there is nothing but awesome brother.
This is rocket hot.
I am in the same phase. God recently saved me (2.5 years ago) and I am transitioning into what he has called me, which is without question, a pastor-elder. While I am not close to obtaining the mantle but this is a calling for a lifetime so I am not anxious.
I get to pray for you because I would want to pray those same prayers for me. Keep us in the loop with Twitter and what not.
Sounds like a great opportunity - I'm glad to hear the Lord has opened this door for you. It is a good work you desire.
Shai Linne,
The Pueblas will be praying for you...Please pray for our oldest Josh. We emailed a while back about the struggles.
Praise the Lord Almighty for blessing you with such an opportunity. I cant wait to hear what new light you can shed on us come fall time.
Peace and Love be with you Shai!
Gabriel
Praise God! It's so awesome to see how even 'performers' like yourself who travel and minister to many people around the country put such a high importance on the church. I hope this internship will be a blessing and a growing experience.
Thank you for being a blessing to all of us!
Fantastic, Shai! I think you'll bring an amazing combination of gifts and experiences to Capitol Hill, along with a rich perspective that might be less represented there. However, if your end goal is truly being an elder, I have some ideas on helping you meet the requirement of being "above reproach" (1 Tim. 3:1-13 and Tit. 1:5-9).
--2014 Fellow
Praise God! What an amazing opportunity to glorify God in a place that has such need for the true Light. Wendell Baptist Youth will be praying for you in this new endevor, and we look forward to your lyrical contributions to congregational hymns and worship songs. Thanks for walking in the good works God prepared for you before the foundation of al world!
Grace and peace,
Gary
2 things, one I love the the lyricaltheology that the Lord blasts to me through you man.
2nd Mark Dever is the man and you better have that internship lead all the way to Together For Gospel with Mark so I can meet the instrument behind the music Good bless man.
Let us be Jealous for Our God
acts 20:24
That's great Shai I will keep you in my prayers keep magnifying Christ Jesus.
May Our Lord and Savior continue to bless, strengthen and encourage as you go through your internship.
I'm geeked about al He is doing in your life fam... Definately encouraging!
So, why Capital Hill? For some this would seem to be a silly question. However, I trust you will feel my sincerity in asking.
What an exciting journey! I cannot wait to see how God overwhelms you with truth and experience, and how He uses you to overwhelm us as well!
Keep pressing on my brother! Fulfill your ministry!
Shai,
I'm kind of studying under Mark Dever also. :O)
I am teaching a High School Sunday Class on Philippians and am using his book, "The Message Of The New Testament" as a resource.
Pray Hard Brother.
shai - should be an amazing opportunity to see the Lord work and to increase in your knowledge of Him. We will be praying for you.
Also, any word on seminary this coming fall???
Shai!
Hey brother. You don't know me, man. But I'm a brother in Christ here in D.C. I've been greatly blessed by the Gospel you preach through your music. We need more artists like you, man. I'm a student at American University and I heard that you're going to be in town for a while. If you get a chance, do you think you could hit up AU and preach through your music? We'd be more than happy to have you.
Your brother in Christ,
Matt Lozada
Amen, you'll be in our prayers Bro.
1Ti 4:9-16 Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation. For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe. These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all. Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.
Praise the LORD, man. I'll be doing my own Pastoral internship here in the next year or so and I have the nervous excitement I'm sure you have or have had.
If what you will be getting into is as great as it sounds, I hope my own experience will be the same! You're a blessed man, brother, and this post shows it!
I'll be looking forward to updates on how things go and also the richness of what God does through you in your writing. I'm sure you'll find much growth in partaking in such a biblical practice with so much hope in God. May God in His infinite Grace, Mercy and Love be praised in you and may He be pleased to give you strength to persevere and wisdom to act!
Grace & Peace, brother!
Brandon
A friend just shared your name with me so I looked you up. From your lyrics and blog posts you sound solid, a man seeking hard after His Lord. Keep on. He will faithfully lead and overwhelm.
What a great opportunity for you and for Capital Hill! My husband's friend from the Naval Academy is there too, doing his internship. I wonder if you know each other? His name is Joe Randall. He's a great friend and brother in the Lord...Tell him we said Hi! Be blessed! --The Bisagni's
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