

<p><img border="0" src="/images/apologia_sm.jpg" align="left" width="150" height="125">
	<span class="title">An Encouraging Word</span><br>
	<span class="author">by Ghent Hopkins, a friend and salesman</span></p>

<p>Prior to coming to faith in Christ not that very long ago, I had already developed
  a thirst for things theological. Upon being introduced to the "Doctrines of
  Grace" I began hearing words and phrases that were foreign to me, such as Calvinism,
  Reformed Theology, total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement,
  paedo-baptism, antinomianism, and the most recent addition to my vocabulary,
  sacerdotalism (thanks RC). So to be asked to write a column in the publication
  that has helped me tremendously in my understanding of who God has purposed
  me to be is an honor. However, RC asked me to write the Apologia column, and
  I'm not sure I know what that means. I went back through my coveted library
  of issues of ETC. I've come to believe that Apologia is really another word
  for "sales pitch." Being a salesman, I've been trained when to open my mouth
  and also when to keep the aforementioned orifice closed. It is my pleasure
and privilege to present my pitch for HSC and for that I make no apologies.</p>
<p>It wasn't even a full year ago that I didn't know that there was a Highlands
  Study Center or even a Jr. that followed the name R.C. Sproul. Some dear friends
  invited us to attend the Ligonier conference in Orlando with them and my wife
  and I agreed. We paid extra to attend the Thursday afternoon pre-conference
  seminar on the "Set&#151;Apart Family" in which both RC's Sr. and Jr. would be
  speaking. By the end of Friday afternoon my wife and I believed that we had
  just heard the voice of our heart speaking to us through a short, funny, balding,
  redheaded man whom we had never met.</p>
<p>Upon meeting and a quick series of events I'll just call "God Things" it was
  arranged to have RC Jr. come to Oklahoma and speak to the people of our church
  on the set-apart family and the sovereignty of God. Sunday evening's message
  entitled "Almighty Over Nothing" was the finest message on the Sovereignty
  of our Lord that my wife and I had ever heard. We sat in silence with tears
  painting our cheeks thankful and grateful for the passion and the reverence
  for a Holy God that we had just witnessed. Following the message, RC, Denise,
  Erin Claire and a few other close friends met at our home for food and fellowship.
  The conversation was uplifting and convicting and it left my wife and I homesick
  for a place we'd never been and for people we'd never met.</p>
<p>We began planning to attend the Summer Camp for couples in July, as I began
  reading every back issue of ETC I could get my hands on or download from their
  website (www.highlandsstudycenter.org). Lori then presented me with a love
  gift that I've as of yet not been able to repay. She presented me with a plane
  ticket to spend 5 days at HSC this past June.</p>
<p>Do you know what it means to live simply, deliberately and separately to the
  Glory of God and the building of His Kingdom? Do you know the beauty of family
  worship? Do you experience the joy of a likeminded community loving and living
  what they believe? For 5 days I became a part of the Sproul household. We ate
  together and we worshipped together. I read and read and read, and we talked
  and talked and talked. I was also blessed to be able to play with 5 (soon to
  be 6) beautiful kids (next to my 3 boys that is). I met the Dewey's and the
  McCrosky's and the Tremayne's. Mark and I had our first pipe smoke together
  on RC's deck (he was the one not getting sick). I was privileged to hear the
  infant discussions of a new radio program that would be starting in just a
  week or two. I broke bread at the McCroskeys and the Windhams and got to have
  some of Lawrence's great coffee. I met the Saenzes who had just arrived to
  begin looking at houses with thoughts of moving from the Rockies to the Appalachians.
  In short, I met people that I hope to know and grow with for the rest of my
  life.</p>
<p>Lori and I have spent most of our married life together in church. Several
  years ago, we believed that what we were hearing was not the truth. God led
  us to the church we currently attend. We have learned biblical theology, we
  have been taught the doctrines of Grace and once again God has grown us up
  and left us hungry for more. We want to live our lives more simply, deliberately
  and set apart to the Glory of God and the building of His Kingdom. We want
  to know and experience the joy of covenant relationship in our family and in
  our community.</p>
<p>God has not yet led us to move to the Southwestern corner of Virginia, although
  RC keeps reminding me that people in Abingdon, Meadowview and Bristol, Tenn.,
  need insurance too. God has, however, shown us the model for what He wants
  for our family, and the mountains of southwestern Va. is where it resides.
  God has placed it on our hearts to support the work of HSC with our monthly
  giving and I am asking you to consider doing the same.</p>
<p>We want our family to be a part of the life and the growth of the Highlands
  Study Center. We want our boys to grow into men learning and studying at HSC
  during the summers while they are schooling. We want our marriage relationship
  strengthened by simplifying our lives, cutting away the chaff and cherishing
  the jewel that lies underneath. We want to grow in knowledge and wisdom and
  reverence for a Holy God. We want to be taught by men who speak the truth with
  passion and conviction, who love the Lord and who love people enough to go
  beyond the comfort zone of most and say the hard things, the difficult things
  in love so that lives will be forever changed. I want to be driven into the
  Word to be a godly husband, a godly father and a godly man. Do you want that
  for your family? I want that for mine, and for that I make no apologies.<br>
</p>