Biblio-Blogger of the Week – W. Ryan Burns

Thanks to W. Ryan Burns for agreeing to be our latest Biblio-Blogger of the week.  If you’ve been thinking about going to seminary, you may already know who Ryan is through his very popular website at GoingToSeminary.com.  I found this site very helpful as I was deciding whether or not to start the Virtual program at RTS.  Ryan is a fellow who is near and dear to my own heart.  He’s both a web developer and full-time seminary student at RTS Orlando.  There just seems to be something about us technical folk loving Jesus and wanting to go to seminary.

1.  What is the name & URL of your blog?  Why’d you choose that?

Going to Seminary (www.goingtoseminary.com) – I chose the name because that’s what I was (am) doing.  When I was trying to decide if I could actually make it in seminary as a husband and father of two I didn’t find much help online.  I decided that I’d blog my way through seminary so that the next time someone googled “family going to seminary” they’d find something that might actually help them.  Also, I recently launched a new site/bog called Best Bible (http://www.Best-Bible.org).  The site is designed to help answer basic questions about bible translations and bible resources.  I am also running a blog on the site that will cover bible news.

2.  How’d you get into blogging?

I can’t really remember… I know it was January 2005 (my original blogger blog is still floating around out there… and no, Im not giving you the URL), but I can’t remember what got me stated to begin with.  However, once I started I’ve never stopped.

3.  What do you want to be when you grow up?

Primary – A good husband and father.
Secondary – A good friend and pastor.
Tertiary – A good photographer and pro-blogger… oh, and I want to fly a plane.

4.  Do you have a family?

I got married in November of 2000 to Jennifer.  We have two children, Asher Charles (2005) and Grace (2006).  Grace has no middle name because grace is sufficient.  Should the Lord bless us with another son, his name is predestined to be Calvin.

5.  Is Bibilical & Theological studies a hobby or a career aspiration?

Neither.  I’d say it is a response.  God has created and saved me.  My worship and response is to seek to know him and make him known.

6.  Who’s your favorite author?  Recommended books?

Alive – John Piper (Supremacy of God in Preaching, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ)
Dead – John Calvin (Everything)

7.  What’s your favorite theological subject / topic?

The Gospel

8.  What’s your favorite Bible translation?

ESV ( I use the Pew Edition)

9.  What’s in your CD and/or MP3 player right now?

I’m SO uncool when it comes to music…
- Choir Of King’s College – Various Hymns
- Recording of a Waterfall – (I work in my house, so that white noise helps block out the screaming children)
- Stavesacre
- Various Blues

10. Where did you go to school?  (undergraduate, graduate, etc.)

Georgia Southern University (Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, AKA – BS in BS)
Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando (Currently MDiv Student)

11. What is something interesting that most of your readers don’t know about you?

I love rock climbing and am afraid of heights.

12. What are some research / writing projects you’re interested in pursuing?

I’ve been working on a eBook about going to seminary… but it is slow going.  I actually have a 3 part series of eBooks on the topic planned… but only the Lord knows if I’ll ever get around to finishing them.