In high school my main extra curricular activities were speech & debate and quiz bowl. I was president of the speech team and captain of the quiz bowl team. Classic geek stuff. Part of the fun of both was the out-of-town trips, the long rides in cars/buses/suburbans, and the cool conversations we'd get into. Many of those conversations were religious. For example, I remember debating BS, my first speech coach on evolution and creation.

Kay Boman and Ken Harvey were our quiz bowl coaches. KayBo was also my French teacher, and Ken Harvey was physics and chemistry. We were more than just student and teacher, we were friends and mentors. For example, KayBo and I once got into a fight at school where we were screaming at each other. But we handled it as two friends, not as a teacher punishing a student.

KayBo is Episcopalian. While I was in school she began the studying process to become a deacon (which is much more involved and a clergy position in the Episcopal Church). This meant that she and I had lots of religious conversations. KayBo also invited me to come to her church, which I would do especially during Holy Week. Worshipping with the Episcopalians gave me a new perspective on worship and church that has ended up becoming my dominant perspective. Over time, I fell in love with the liturgical calendar. When I was ordained to the ministry at FBC Miami, KayBo and a row of folk from All Saints came to my ordination and gave me a copy of the Book of Common Prayer.

Ken Harvey didn't believe in God. But, as I said at the time, he was the most ethical person I had ever known. He said he lived with an ethical mixture of Taoism and Buddhism. His family lived very simply. Of course when he and KayBo and I would get going, we'd have fantastic conversations on religion, ethics, war (I was with them the night that Operation Desert Storm began), etc.

Thank goodness that these two wonderful teachers took the time to care about educating this conservative Baptist preacher-boy in ways that went beyond their classroom. Though while their student I didn't agree with them, I have come closer to their views on theology, church, worship, inclusivity, and simple living. Thanks be to God.