Seminary Dean Dr. Michael King reflects on how the story of Nicodemus helps us understand the difference between “I get it” and “being gotten.” “I get it” is a way of staying in control; it’s hard for us to imagine living differently. Our whole culture takes us in the direction of emphasizing the value of “I get it.” In contrast, “being gotten” is a way of allowing ourselves to be seized by something larger than us.

A key context for all of this is working toward highlighting EMS as a Discernment Training Center. King defines discernment as “involving the community of believers gathered in Jesus’ name around Scripture in the presence of the Holy Spirit to let God show us the way through the urgent, complicated, and sometimes divisive issues of a given time and place.”