Pastor Mark Hopper

By Pastor Mark Hopper

I shared in my last article that my wife and I recently attended the reunion of my graduating class at Dallas Theological Seminary.  Seminary is like Law School.  The purpose is to prepare students for church leadership and Biblical studies.  It was a rigorous four year program after college.

The school was honoring graduates from the classes of 1965, 1975 and 1985.  I was in the class of ’75.  I noticed that those people in the class of ’65 sure looked old!  I wonder what the class of ’85 thought about us?

The highlight was reconnecting with former classmates.  It was encouraging to hear about their journeys over the past 40 years.  Most of us were young married couples in our mid-twenties when we left Dallas 40 years ago.

Classmates scattered across the country to begin serving in various churches and ministries.  Dallas Seminary is non-denominational, so graduates could serve in a variety of denominations and independent churches.  My wife and I drove west where we began serving at a small church in Tucson, Arizona.  We were thrilled that they wanted us to come.

Other graduates went overseas to join churches, ministries or teach in schools in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.  It was wonderful to hear individual stories from these former classmates.  So much had happened during the past 40 years in each of our lives.

Many brought pictures of their families.  Many of us started our families during those seminary years.  Our first child was born in Dallas.  Families grew and more children were added.  Now, most of us are grandparents.  Several even had great grandkids!

Our reunion reminded me of the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis.  When Joseph was reunited with his father and his 11 brothers, they had many stories to share about their lives during many years of separation.

I wonder if you have taken time to attend one of your high school or college reunions.  Maybe there are some friends or former classmates that would enjoy reconnecting with you.  It doesn’t need to be a formal “reunion”, maybe just a phone call or reconnecting through the Internet.  Why not reach out to an “old” friend or classmate this month?  You will be glad you did, and they will too!

Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Ave. Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit http://www.efreedb.org.