What am I learning here? Sheer awesomeness...

So I know that there’s been a lot of questions about my classes, and so here’s some info about them! As a freshman I’m required to take what would be the equivalent to “Gen-Ed” classes here at IHOPU (not to say that the info is simple or basic but it’s more so the fundamental theological courses help students stay rooted and grounded in the faith.

The main class is the Forerunner Curriculum, taught by Wes Hall & Allen Hood (IHOPU president) that I have every weekday except Thursday. This class is a combination of all freshman class in the Forerunner Music Academy (FMA), Forerunner School of Ministry (FSM), Forerunner Media Institute (FMI), & The Call Institute (TCI). So it’s pretty much a melting pot of all of the new students. My freshman year is actually the first to open up to international students so my classes are full of awesome accents! 8-p Just to give you an idea of what this class is about, our past couple of teachings have been about getting a firm foundational understanding of the End-Times and the Lord’s plan for the Earth. We’ve gone through the books of Genesis and Revelations and have gone through topics like (1) God’s original intent for the Earth before the fall (2)His Redemptive plan (which covers an abundant amount of information about JESUS! Mmm (3) Our role as the Church, the Bride of Christ (4) the Global Prayer & Worship Movement and so many more topics. As a matter of fact, during the first and second days of class (that we TRIED to have) the Lord broke through with a tremendous move of His spirit, revealing Himself as Father, bringing deliverance and freedom to the majority of the class from past fear, oppression & strongholds. Pretty much a washing over and consecration of the whole class and bringing us all together in unity. The first couple of days of class were pretty intense. And there are still some random times when the Lord will literally stop “business as usual” in class to bring refreshing, breakthrough and a new wave of His spirit. Those are really awesome days 8-] The Lord has used this class to bring me so much revelation of scripture and has helped me to become more grounded in my understanding and knowledge of the bible.

The next class I have is Life of Prayer on Thursdays with Corey Russell. This class ::sigh:: Ya know…I’ve never felt so ON FIRE after leaving this class. Seriously, I get so (dare I say it) completely BLASTED it’s crazy! It’s definitely been a means that the Lord uses to strategically keep me ablaze, like a little gas on the fire each class. The revelation that He’s given me about INTERCESSION is craaaaaaaaaaazy! I have this ridiculously intense desire to just want to pray. It makes me think “::Ugh:: What was I even doing BEFORE this??!! I called that PRAYER??” Needless to say, the Lord definitely answered my prayers in the past, even if they lacked the luster and whole-heartedness that I’m beginning to experience now. This is completely different. It’s as if God has unlocked and ignited this piece of my heart that is now consumed with the idea that the Lord of All, this King of Glory, the Creator of the heavens, the Maker of my frame, the most incredible being in the universe actually LIKES ME!! Haha! He listens to me pray and sing to Him and actually responds & answers my prayers??? I don’t know about you but that just BLOWS MY MIND. It’s hard to even comprehend but He’s showing me that there aren’t just select people who He calls to be intercessors. We are ALL called to be intercessors and sit before the Lord before any calling or act of ministry. How else are you going to know who He is, the burdens of His heart, and the incredible plans He has for you unless you sit at His feet and commune with Him? The very idea of moving ahead with our plans in the absence of prayer seems utterly ridiculous to me now, although it’s only been a few short months or so since He helped this to *click* within my heart. It’s not just asking Him for things (although He really likes when we consistently ask, seek, and knock) but it’s about communing and developing deep intimacy with Him. Your relationship with God is really only as good as your prayer life. If you’re not praying you pretty much have absolutely no idea what’s going on with Him. That’s like telling other people that I have this really awesome friend, but I never talk to them…(FAOG “Mmmm") So yes, He’s raising me up as an intercessor first and foremost before music and any other calling to ministry, has been breaking the dullness off of my heart and has been guiding me and strengthening my prayer life. Praise the Lord for His abundant amounts of grace over my prayer life because I would have been out of there a long time ago. #TooKind

Moving right along! Foundations of Grace are the classes that I have on Fridays, taught by Stewart Greaves and Shelley Hundley (with additional teachings from Allen Hood & Wes Hall). This is actually a combo of my first semester freshman class along with the 2^nd semester Freshies and Sophmores, which brings the total class count to a little over 400 or so. It’s a pretty fun class because Stuart is hilarious lol Shelley’s sessions will be coming up pretty soon and she’s amazing also. This course has gone over the ins and outs of growing in grace, covering topics like: The Lordship of Jesus & Salvation, Becoming a New Creation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Discovering the hope of our calling, knowing the exceeding glory of God, the importance of confession to God and to one another, the beauty of fellowship with believers, and how God lacks absolutely nothing yet He still desires me? ß(THAT one gets me) So this class is also pretty deep and oh so good for my spirit.

Last but not least is my FMA Practicum (prac-ti-cum noun. A school or college course especially one in a specialized field of study, that is designed to give students supervised practical application of previously studied theory.) I wasn’t exactly clear on what a practicum was either…lol All of FMA meets together (1^st-4^th year students) for teachings by the head teachers of the Music Academy, like Dr. Terri Terry the Dean of Student Affairs (yep that’s her real name. And she has a dog named Hereta Terry…get it? Eh..EH?? She makes that joke all the time) as well as presentations from IHOP’s worship leaders (Justin Rizzo & Marcus Meier so far). It’s been beneficial to be able to get a better understanding of the Forerunner Music Academy and its purpose here. Basically I am being equipped and raised up to be a “singing theologian”. I’m using the gifts that the Lord has given me with music to be able to sing and compose songs about the beauty of the Lord and declare His name to the world! Do I know the scope of this plan that He has for me? Hmm not quite, but I’m willing to go where He wants me to ;-)

Hope that gives you some insight to what it is that I’m learning as of now. There's so much that happens! Starting in January my Vocal & Keys classes will start. Sooooo excited! I’ll be updating more on the awesomeness (^_^)