Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/1300894
8 FALL 2020 Lisa's friend went on to share that Denver Seminary emphasized mentoring, which Lisa loved the thought of. She went to visit a class. "The spirit in the room was amazing," Lisa remarked. "Everyone in the room was African- American except for maybe one white man and me. I loved the prayers, singing, and tradition. I knew the culture [of the extension site] would be an education as much as the academics." "I'm using everything I'm learning at Denver Seminary in my job," Lisa added. For example, she took a class on Israel's early history and poetry. Understanding the Old Testament had always posed a challenge, but Lisa said her professor "was a rock star." She described the class as pivotal in her Christian life, making the Old Testament come alive to her. Suddenly, she saw new layers of meaning to the sacrificial system. She saw how good God is, how life- giving He is, how all of that was reflected in the Garden of Eden. Lisa decided to take these new concepts and understandings into a fellowship group she started for Capitol staffers like stenographers, Senate doorkeepers, and Capitol police. Developing a greater awareness of just how good God created the world to be has enlivened many Capitol Hill staffers in their professions. "They've found purpose and vision for their jobs and their roles here," she said. Lisa has also seen her Denver Seminary education bearing fruit in chief of staff Bible study groups. Chaplain Black tells these professionals that they are like Daniel because they have the ears of their bosses. She added that as she herself has been formed and shaped by what she sees in Scripture, she's helped those "Daniels" in their journeys as well. Together, they believe "the gospel is not in just one political party." "I am trying to help people look through the lens of Scripture instead of their own biases or the environments they're in," Lisa noted. She hopes that her conversations with chiefs of staff and other Hill staffers lead them to view others not just as "liberal" or "conservative," but "as people made by God to know Him." "I see great things happening on both sides of the aisle," she added. "I get to talk to people who love the Lord and have very different political opinions." Lisa shared that the DC extension site of Denver Seminary has played a critical role in broadening her perspective. Her classmates' projects and presentations have taught her a great deal about history, race, and the intersection of politics and KenHoward HOLY INTERRUPTION