Well, it's great to be in the new building even if we are still sharing space with the final construction workers. 

As a faculty member, it's great to be here in July and to have this month to actually prepare our syllabi and our teaching plans. Wow! I remember my first semester, I started class with my syllabi only half done because I had just arrived. On top of that, I had never taught before or had taught these classes, most of which had to be rewritten. 

I couldn’t seem to find a good local church--not a perfect church, but a good one. Numerous cliches warned me not to look for a perfect church, but the churches I visited didn’t even seem to be trying. I read the leading authorities on finding a healthy, missional, gospel-centered, purpose-driven church, but couldn’t find one. I had all of the right answers, just not the right questions.

When I was younger, I equated thinking independently with thinking correctly. Traditions and institutions were not to be trusted. I was sure everyone had to think for himself. Tradition was permissible only if it did not hinder the pursuit of “real” knowledge. Eventually, I learned that self-reliance was equally problematic.

We are very sorry to have to say goodbye to Dr. Bill Ellis, but he has been called to move on to other endeavors. After winning an award for the best doctoral dissertation at the University Of Memphis this year, Bill has decided that it can't get any better than this, and his own act is too hard to follow (just kidding.)  He and his wife and daughter are moving to Vermont, and we wish him Godspeed and the very best blessings the Lord has to offer.