The Ziklag Almost Daily 1.9.24

Beauty, Wisdom and Grace

Greetings…

Thank you for writing to inquire about the Hebron Collegium.

I am Jonathan Fisk. I've been pretty active online since I joined the ministerium in 2006, though I don't know that we've met. If you're not familiar with my work, the books I wrote for CPH are a great place to start. My podcast with Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz would be the other place to get a taste of the bigger picture that Hebron fits into.

The Hebron Collegium is a project in development. A "gap-year, bible-school" for men capable of housing up to 12 young men for quarterly, semester or annual stays, it is best thought of as a monastic boot camp for masculine Christian living. Rooted in extensive bible reading and prayer, with internet and technology use deeply restricted, it is hard to imagine how excellent Hebron is at stopping the white noise until you've visited. In this way, right now, the Hebron Collegium can benefit any Christian man at any age who wants to pilgrimage to Rockford in order to better understand his own walk as a man of God, especially by praying the Psalms and reads the Proverbs in Jesus’ name.

I'd be happy to share more, but I'd rather talk than type. To try to answer your question as succinctly as possible: Hebron is built and funded precisely to give young, deserving Christian men a year between high school/college or college/next-things, in order to gear up Spiritually for the battle. 

It has proven itself to be good for so much more than just that, but that remains its primary and long term prayer and singular financial action under its parent, Dark Shore NFP.

The primary curriculum is
1. 15+ chapter a day required devotional Bible-reading schedule

2. Tutored independent study (think European style guide-directed, classical learning, including Hebrew and Greek tutoring)

3. Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and weight-lifting

4. Walk/bike/drive to the local LCMS church for weekly communion

5. With up to 13 other guys at a time.

6. There's still more....

This is only possible because one generous donor made it possible. He gave me the freedom to build what I thought the Church needed most. This is what I built. It is truly an opportunity of a lifetime for everyone who gets involved.

Currently, we are at 1 long term resident, with another 9-day stay still coming in January, and more on the way after that. All open beds function as a Lutheran hostel, at $10/day for food from the kitchen coop, with traffic including more and more Lutheran men "in the know" as they are passing through. If you are driving through today and know how to find us, there’s probably a warm bed for you.

For pastors, if you truly want to understand, the best thing to do is take four days for your Lenten planning and make a visit.

Because no one leaves Hebron unchanged. :D

Not even me. What a joy!

Jonathan

Maybe more tomorrow…

📐🦋Almost Daily Maxim

When it is the one you love, perhaps it is the truth.

When it is the one you fear, perhaps it is a lie. cf Pr 27:6

📐🦄Almost Daily Red Letters

Do good, even when times are bad. cf Mt 5:44

📐📦 Almost Daily Talk Them Into It

Decide Now: you are not ashamed to talk.

Christianity is going to come out of your mouth without fear. You will not settle for a lukewarm version of your religion. You are ready to know what you believe and why you believe it for all that it is worth.

Emblazon it on your conscience. Cry out for it like a man starving.

Seek, and you will find.

📐🪽From the Wyr Eld of Watergeist

“Then why did you return?” Earth jammed in when the hermit finally took a breath, then dratted himself for so hastily encouraging the aging man to go on.

The hermit, indeed, smirked, and in silence gazed down on Earth for a drawn moment. “You are a perceptive one, Master Earth, for you already know that it was his Grace’s summons that stirred me, yet you also assume that it was not enough to move me from my vows. And you are correct!”

It was hard for Earth not to smile at himself. He hadn’t quite realized that he knew such a thing, but now that it was out in the open it seemed so obvious a part of his question.

📐🌊Almost Daily Sun Tzu

No matter what you imagine, you only actually have what is right in front of you. Cf Sun Tzu 1:27a

Till then, like a tree, by streams…