By Carter Smith
Hi. My name is Carter. And I’ve recently come to the conclusion that I know nothing.
As I was trying to come up with an idea for this blog post, I was thinking about what I’ve learned in my first two months as a Capital Fellow. It quickly became clear that I’ve learned far too much about God, myself, and this world to fit in just a few paragraphs. But reflecting on how much I’ve learned taught me yet another thing: God has so much left to teach me.
Sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that I’ve got the whole Christian thing figured out. I came into fellows with a desire and hope to learn more about Christianity, but I also came into the program with an arrogant skepticism that there was much left for me to learn.
That’s not to say I thought I knew every single detail in the Bible (I could not tell you a single Levitical law if you asked me, nor would I be equipped to explain it to you if I did know it), but I did think that I got the gist of Christianity:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV).
And that probably is the gist of it, but sometimes I make the mistake of thinking that’s all there is to it. Don’t get me wrong, I know full well that I am a sinner in need of being saved, but sometimes I get stuck in my walk with the Lord thinking that’s all there is I need to know.
God has humbled me on many different occasions by revealing how little I know and how much more He has to teach me, but none have been more convicting than these past two months as a Capital Fellow. I don’t have the space to begin to elaborate on everything I’ve learned, but among other things, my time as a fellow has given me a better understanding of God’s providence, what servant leadership looks like in the church, and how we as Christians are called to love.
All of that is to say, I am learning. And I am excited to keep learning about God until the day comes when I get to ask Him my questions face to face.
Pictures From The Week
The fellows went swing dancing!
The guys enjoying “floor time” in the sanctuary.
Hangin' out after commons!
Fellows exercising dominion over creation (A.K.A. Fellows hiking a trail to the Potomac)
Know a Potential Capital Fellow?
If you know a college senior or recent graduate that should consider joining the Capital Fellows program in 2024-25, please encourage them to get in touch with us. The easiest way to express interest in the program is our Contact Us Form. You can learn more about the program, including application deadlines, by visiting the Capital Fellows website.
About Capital Fellows. Capital Fellows is an advanced leadership and discipleship program for recent college graduates. Through graduate courses, a paid internship, one-on-one mentoring and many leadership and community service opportunities, fellows develop and apply their gifts in real-world situations while learning to integrate a Christian worldview into all areas of life. Capital Fellows is a unique opportunity to live and work in the Washington DC area and to be an active member of a supportive community that seeks to serve the city with the love of Christ. It is also a unique opportunity to get hands-on experience in the workplace while deeply exploring God’s design for us as workers and contributors to human flourishing.
Pray for the Capital Fellows
Thank you for praying for the Capital Fellows each week!
This week, the Capital Fellows will be meeting their mentors. Fellows and mentors meet twice per month to talk about vocation, spiritual questions, relationships... whatever the fellow wants to work on. It is one of the ways that the Capital Fellows program seeks to break down the barriers between generations in the church. Please pray that these relationships will be special, filled with fruit and mutual love.
Want to pray for the Capital Fellows in an ongoing way? Download this handy prayer guide for your phone or tablet.
About The Fellows Initiative
Capital Fellows is part of a network of similar programs across the country. This network is called The Fellows Initiative. There are 34 Fellows programs in TFI, roughly 3,000 alumni living around the world, and more Fellows programs on the way.
If you know a church in the US or Canada that would benefit from joining TFI by launching a new Fellows program. Please contact TFI by visiting their website.
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