Matt Burke, Resident Director of Landen Hall
I am a SBU grad as a History and Religious Studies major. Some say to me that these two majors make me “functionally unemployable” These scoffers think the point of college is to insure a good salary or become a good employee. Is that really all we can hope for from our college days?
Philosopher Arthur Holmes said that “the educated person shows independence and creativity of mind to fashion new skills...new patterns of thought.” What I earned through my seeking at SBU were a few educational traits, and my last five years have been full of risk and adventure because of the education I received. After revelation from the Bible, we should get to work at thinking and serving. Education should integrate our life and mobilize us.
After working at Logan Valley Christian Retreat for a year (complete with the stereotypical beard), I married the camp directors daughter, Pamela Williams {SBU grad in the best major—ICS}. Ten days later we moved to NYC do an apprenticeship in church planting and discipleship. Living in Brooklyn, Pamela worked for the NYPD as a social worker and I worked as full-time sub teacher. We got schooled! Also, we worked in the projects doing tax preparation. Then, we took over a hostel ran by NAMB in Brooklyn. After managing for a year we moved our things to Philly for a summer, only to come back to MO to be with family.
Our vision includes finishing our grad work in Philadelphia, and somehow serving God as he advances his kingdom in India. We’ve been on two missions there in the last year. Also, our lifestyle vision is to live with hospitality wherever we are.
Finally here’s your proverb for the day from my mentor. Nobody could call him lazy as he served 20 years in the Middle East and Central Asia, but he doesn’t believe his work is the most important because:
“What we do is not as important as who we are with.”