Greetings

[jeremy_shoulta]

Hello fellow Baptists. My name is Jeremy Shoulta and I have already enjoyed reading your thoughts and insights regarding Baptist life. I am a second year student at the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky in Lexington. I also serve as Minister to Families at Deer Park Baptist Church in Louisville, where I currently reside. I am engaged to a wonderful woman and am set to be married at the end of May. I'm a blessed man!

I grew up as an average p.k. and am thankful for being nurtured in the faith by wonderful parents and wonderful church families. I began to truly deliberate theology through undergrad work at Georgetown College (I was there as Georgetown formed its "new relationship" with the KBC). My time at the BSK has been just as enlightening.

After celebrating the New Baptist Covenant in Atlanta with my dad (an SBC/CBF pastor in Louisville), I have become increasingly interested in issues relating to the past, present, and future of the Baptist people. Dad often tells me about his journey coming through the CR, but I am just now beginning to catch a glimpse of the gross rhetoric he has referred to as I read negative "reports" about the celebration from people who weren't even there. I am at the crossroads of learning how to interact with and engage fellow Baptists who may hold very different views than I.

Now for a little selfish promotion: More of my thoughts can be found at . I blog on a variety of issues, but most of the topics stem from my life as a Baptist.

Blessings to you all.

[Prentice Fox]

Welcome Jeremy to the forums of Baptist Life. I read your blog, and I agree with you that likeability is a big factor in determining the results of Presidential elections. Ronald Reagan owed much to this idea, and it accounts for a great deal of Obama's popularity. (Don't you think?) Like you, I use too many parenthesis. Along with your father, I am in a CBF/SBC congregation. Prentice, USAF Chaplain, ret.

[Ed Pettibone]

Ed Pettibone: Hello Jeremy, You introduction prompted me to take a look at the Deer Park website and that brought back some fond memories. How long have you been in your current position? And could you tell me if Jole Drinkard and his wife still attend there? We where in Joel's SS class when we attended Deer Park my last year at Southern 91-92. My wife had him for a couple classes at Southern 95-98. Some one needs to do a documentary about that church as an example of positive adaptation to changing times. Of course their "Mother Church" (Walnut Street) has done that pretty well also.

Dear park remains the only Church that I have been in during my 74 years where the Organ and pulpit platform are in the conner of the room. For others here, there is A great picture of that on the web-site. http://www.deerparkbaptist.org/

I look forward to your participation here at BL.C

[jeremy_shoulta]

Nice to meet you, gentlemen.

Prentice Fox: Thanks for checking out the blog! I agree with your sentiments. I would say that Obama's demeanor has definitely paid off for him as off late.

Ed: Great to hear of your connection to DPBC. I have only been on staff for 3 months, so I am fairly new here, but I feel right at home. We have a very friendly congregation. Joel and his wife are no longer members here (well...I know that they attend another church...I'm unsure about their membership status), but I am classmates with their daughter, Rebecca. Everyone speaks fondly of them.

[Lamar Wadsworth]

I knew your father Bill Shoulta at SBTS back in the mid '70s--good guy. Congratulations on the engagement, and I look forward to your participation here.

[jeremy_shoulta]

Thanks, Lamar. I think I may have met you at the NBC when I was with my dad...were you there?

[Lamar Wadsworth]

Yes--we did meet briefly at the NBC. Hope our paths will cross again, and hope you'll be a regular on BL.com.

[Haruo]

Welcome, Jeremy, from the far northwest! I'm an ABC layman (among other identifiers) in Seattle, member of an Evergreen Region church. I second the expressions of hopeful anticipation of your contributions.

Haruo