Personal
Role Revearsal....
Thu/18/Dec 2008
God speaks to
me most clearly when I’m with my two sons. They have
been a means of God’s grace from day one. That has
been especially true this week.
Ben cut his finger yesterday on my razor. In my haste, I left it on the bathroom counter, and he found it. He managed to slice his thumb pretty good. He’s fine now, but it is not fun to see your baby hurting, especially when I know that my negligence contributed to his pain. Unfortunately, I know that will not be the last time I make a mistake that will hurt my kids. I want to be the best father in the world, but even if I achieve that standard, I’ll still be imperfect. I’ll give bad advice. I’ll be a bad example at times. They will see me sin, and it will negatively affect them. Even though I hate that those statements are unavoidably true, it has a way of pointing me to the grace found in being God’s kid. No child of His has ever been hurt by his negligence. No child of his has ever experienced pain because of his mistake, clumsiness, forgetfulness, or negligence. We have a great Father. What a comfort to know that though I am weak, He is strong.
My education continues. We have struggled with getting Isaiah to eat nutritious food. If we allowed it, he would live on raisin toast, peanut butter and crackers, and chocolate milk. There are days when that is all he eats. Since his 4th birthday, we’ve tried to start ‘enforcing’ a better eating habit. (Those of you who have been through this stage with your kids are laughing.........I know......you told me this would happen.) He refuses to eat. No matter how much we plead, bargain, beg, and threaten, he will sit at the table while we eat, and refuse to touch his food. He will go to bed hungry before he will even taste it. (He gets his stubbornness from his mother!) We have just about ran out of ideas. We want nothing more than for our boys to be healthy. We know what they need. If they would just trust us, they would feel better, and would develop into a healthy mature person. That’s where God seemed to remind me of his perspective in my life.
As illogical as Isaiah’s stubbornness seems to me, I know I am guilty of doing the same with my heavenly Father. So often I go hungry because I do not welcome God’s provision. I assume I know what I need. God should just give me what I know I enjoy. I like it when everything is ‘perfect’ in my family and church life. I like it when attendance is high, and resistance is low. In other words, I like easy. I guess I pray for that very thing quite often. But how is this different than Isaiah begging me to let him have high fructose corn syrup saturated candy for dinner instead of vegetables?) He knows he likes them. He knows we can give them to him. What’s the problem? The problem is that he doesn’t know what he needs. He doesn’t know what will be best for him. He doesn’t even know what will make him feel the best.
This is another great example of the greatness of our Father. Despite my short-sidedness stubbornness, he never forgets what is ultimately for my greatest good. Regardless of my inability to understand his greater plan, he never gives in. He never strays from his plan that is divinely designed to accomplish good in my life. He loves me too much to let me live life on junk food. I need strength and nutrition. I need to fellowship with the sufferings of Christ, because it works for my greatest good and his highest glory.
“Therefore I tell you, fdo not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. hAre you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his ispan of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, jeven Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For lthe Gentiles seek after all these things, and myour heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But nseek first othe kingdom of God and his righteousness, pand all these things will be added to you.
Ben cut his finger yesterday on my razor. In my haste, I left it on the bathroom counter, and he found it. He managed to slice his thumb pretty good. He’s fine now, but it is not fun to see your baby hurting, especially when I know that my negligence contributed to his pain. Unfortunately, I know that will not be the last time I make a mistake that will hurt my kids. I want to be the best father in the world, but even if I achieve that standard, I’ll still be imperfect. I’ll give bad advice. I’ll be a bad example at times. They will see me sin, and it will negatively affect them. Even though I hate that those statements are unavoidably true, it has a way of pointing me to the grace found in being God’s kid. No child of His has ever been hurt by his negligence. No child of his has ever experienced pain because of his mistake, clumsiness, forgetfulness, or negligence. We have a great Father. What a comfort to know that though I am weak, He is strong.
My education continues. We have struggled with getting Isaiah to eat nutritious food. If we allowed it, he would live on raisin toast, peanut butter and crackers, and chocolate milk. There are days when that is all he eats. Since his 4th birthday, we’ve tried to start ‘enforcing’ a better eating habit. (Those of you who have been through this stage with your kids are laughing.........I know......you told me this would happen.) He refuses to eat. No matter how much we plead, bargain, beg, and threaten, he will sit at the table while we eat, and refuse to touch his food. He will go to bed hungry before he will even taste it. (He gets his stubbornness from his mother!) We have just about ran out of ideas. We want nothing more than for our boys to be healthy. We know what they need. If they would just trust us, they would feel better, and would develop into a healthy mature person. That’s where God seemed to remind me of his perspective in my life.
As illogical as Isaiah’s stubbornness seems to me, I know I am guilty of doing the same with my heavenly Father. So often I go hungry because I do not welcome God’s provision. I assume I know what I need. God should just give me what I know I enjoy. I like it when everything is ‘perfect’ in my family and church life. I like it when attendance is high, and resistance is low. In other words, I like easy. I guess I pray for that very thing quite often. But how is this different than Isaiah begging me to let him have high fructose corn syrup saturated candy for dinner instead of vegetables?) He knows he likes them. He knows we can give them to him. What’s the problem? The problem is that he doesn’t know what he needs. He doesn’t know what will be best for him. He doesn’t even know what will make him feel the best.
This is another great example of the greatness of our Father. Despite my short-sidedness stubbornness, he never forgets what is ultimately for my greatest good. Regardless of my inability to understand his greater plan, he never gives in. He never strays from his plan that is divinely designed to accomplish good in my life. He loves me too much to let me live life on junk food. I need strength and nutrition. I need to fellowship with the sufferings of Christ, because it works for my greatest good and his highest glory.
“Therefore I tell you, fdo not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. hAre you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his ispan of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, jeven Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For lthe Gentiles seek after all these things, and myour heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But nseek first othe kingdom of God and his righteousness, pand all these things will be added to you.
(Mat. 6:25-33)
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Not The Same....
Tue/16/Dec 2008
Disclaimer: Just a reminder that this blog is an online journal, which means I write about what is on my mind. It doesn’t mean I have an axe to grind or an agenda. Sometimes I go back and read older posts and do not agree with myself. That being said...This post has the potential to rub some the wrong way. Believe me, that’s the last thing I want to do. I’m just expressing where I am on my spiritual journey right now.
I am not the same person I use to be. I think that is true for all of us, even if we do not always realize it. Everyday our experiences and circumstances influence how we view the world. The last few years it has seemed like that process has gone into overdrive for me. Moving from my hometown, where everything was familiar and safe, to a new and bigger city, with new people, a new career, and a new church with new challenges has worked to revolutionize me in a lot of ways. I like to think I am wiser, and better informed than I use to be, but there are many days I question if that’s true. But I am certain I am a very different person than I was 3 years ago. Here’s what I mean........
I grew up in a very ‘traditional’ version of Christianity. That means different things to different people, so let me explain. I grew up in a place where ‘good Christians’ were those that attended every service the church offered; prayed everyday; and read their bible everyday. Practically every service I attended at my home church included a few Hymns from the 1973 edition of the Church of God Hymnal (we resisted using the newer edition because it wasn’t traditional enough), and some ‘special singing’ that would fit somewhere between southern gospel and bluegrass. It never occurred to me that there was anything else to even consider. The goal of being a christian was to go to church at least 3 times a week, read the bible, pray, and invite others to come to church. That last one was a biggie. That was the way we assumed the church was designed to grow. We would separate ourselves completely from all those that do not live like us, in the name of being holy, and on rare occasion invite someone to visit a service. Our hope was that they would walk the aisle at the end of the service and ‘get saved.’
I praise God for the experience I’ve just described. I sat under a great man’s preaching for 10 years. I was loved and nurtured by wonderful people who gave me every opportunity to exercise my spiritual gifts. My life would be terribly different if I had not grown up in the family of God in which I was planted. That being said, the last few years have opened my eyes to some things that I am forced to consider and deal with. Here are a couple examples:
First, no where in the New Testament is there a definition of Christian maturity that includes attending church 3 times a week, praying out of obligation, or ritually reading scripture. (Actually, there were no actual church buildings for the first 300 years of church history.) Instead, christian maturity is better defined by the willingness to sacrificially love other believers. It is difficult to find a page in the New Testament that doesn’t include a call or an example of servanthood. Christian worship was not a place to wear your Sunday best. It was a place to celebrate the grace of Jesus shown in the cross. Christians shared their lives in every facet. That is a major issue in my opinion. How can we claim to be bible-believing Jesus followers and refuse to address the fact that we resemble the Pharisees more than we resemble Jesus?
Second, no where does Jesus or the New Testament church ever attempt to grow the church by asking the lost to come to them. Instead, you see Jesus spending his life as a nomad; constantly going to those that would not think of coming to him. He called them out of their life, and into one characterized by a lifelong commitment to follow him. Certainly, there were many times when the lost did physically come to Christ, but usually only after Jesus had shown himself as one who receives sinners. The point is that the church is not designed to grow by its members isolating themselves from the lost, and then occasionally passing out a tract, or convincing them to walk down the aisle of a church building. Jesus commanded his followers to ‘go’, not just ‘invite.’ This is not a peripheral issue. It is central to the very DNA of God’s message to the world. We are called to be witnesses (Acts 1:8) in all the earth.
Now, I do not think inviting lost people to church is a bad thing. It is a principle means of connecting others to Christ. But I am saying that we must start showing the difference between getting people to church and getting them to Jesus. Following Jesus does not include hiding ourselves from the lost behind stained glass windows, but rather, it demands that we throw ourselves into their world, and develop relationships with those Jesus came to redeem. Our goal should not be to convince someone to walk an aisle, but to walk with Jesus for a lifetime. We are called to make disciples, not converts. I am also not saying that church attendance, personal prayer, and bible study aren’t important. But I am saying that the definition of being a ‘good christian’ has nothing to do with how many hours we sit in a church pew, but how willing we are to serve others in the family of God. (I would argue that one will not develop a love for God’s people without a deep commitment to read the Scripture, pray, and attend worship.) However, you can certainly go through the motions of those things, and never really know Jesus.
I’m guessing that the people who are closest to me have seen me change, and probably wonder what has happened to me. I am certain that some fear I’ve lost my mind or that seminary has ‘corrupted’ me. Who knows....maybe I have gone crazy. But for the last 3 years of my life I have been forced to admit that there is a significant difference between the Christianity I have practiced, and the Christianity of the New Testament..............To me.....It would be crazy for me to ignore that.
I Made It!
Sun/14/Dec 2008
I survived.
Grades aren’t in yet, but I think I did well enough.
We will see. There is a lot happening around my house
right now (I’ll say more about that in another post),
but I’m still trying to unwind from a very tough
semester. My experience has in many ways solidified
my desire to continue my studies, while in other ways
totally changed how I view seminary.
Here are some things I’ve learned.....
1. I do not like taking online courses. I need to be in a classroom with other students. I need to hear professors lecture. I didn’t know that about myself until this semester. I’m sure some people’s learning style enables them to thrive in this format, but I’m not one of them. I’ve taken 3 online courses now, and 2 out of 3 have been a struggle for me.
2. I want to study the Greek language more. I took an introductory Greek course this semester, and it really stirred my interest. I didn’t expect that at all.
3. Attending Seminary full-time and pastoring full-time is too much for me. Both have suffered the last 3 months. I’m going to have to make some changes between now and February. I’m planning to cut back to part-time in the Spring. Hopefully that will help me be a better pastor, husband, and father.
I am beginning to view Seminary in a whole new light. This time last year, I was moved to start at Asbury because I thought I needed practical training in areas like counseling, leadership, and philosophy. I still see that I really need help in those areas. But more than anything, I now see that the best thing I’ll ever receive from Seminary is the ability to study and interpret Scripture. I thought I knew what I believed. But after two semesters, I feel that I am for the first time starting to ask the right questions. This is the most exciting aspect of my studies thus far.
Here are some things I’ve learned.....
1. I do not like taking online courses. I need to be in a classroom with other students. I need to hear professors lecture. I didn’t know that about myself until this semester. I’m sure some people’s learning style enables them to thrive in this format, but I’m not one of them. I’ve taken 3 online courses now, and 2 out of 3 have been a struggle for me.
2. I want to study the Greek language more. I took an introductory Greek course this semester, and it really stirred my interest. I didn’t expect that at all.
3. Attending Seminary full-time and pastoring full-time is too much for me. Both have suffered the last 3 months. I’m going to have to make some changes between now and February. I’m planning to cut back to part-time in the Spring. Hopefully that will help me be a better pastor, husband, and father.
I am beginning to view Seminary in a whole new light. This time last year, I was moved to start at Asbury because I thought I needed practical training in areas like counseling, leadership, and philosophy. I still see that I really need help in those areas. But more than anything, I now see that the best thing I’ll ever receive from Seminary is the ability to study and interpret Scripture. I thought I knew what I believed. But after two semesters, I feel that I am for the first time starting to ask the right questions. This is the most exciting aspect of my studies thus far.
Put Some God On Your Pod
Sun/23/Nov 2008
Save Our Veterans' Stories
Thu/20/Nov 2008
We are losing the ‘greatest generation.’ Over 1000
WWII veterans die everyday. That is almost hard to
comprehend, but it is true. Obviously, we can’t do
anything to change that. However, we can do something
that will preserve their legacy. In a day when
expediency trumps values, and hard work is looked
upon as something to be avoided, this generation
needs to have a voice more than ever. The
Library of Congress
has established a program that will help preserve
some of their amazing stories. If you have a veteran
in your life, please ask them to participate.
Here’s the link.
Here’s the link.
Upgrade.....hopefully
Fri/14/Nov 2008
You’ve probably noticed that this site is not exactly
working great lately. If you’ve been asked to enter a
user name and password, then you know what I’m
talking about. I have no clue as to why that is
happening. There are some other issues that are very
annoying as well. The biggest reason for the trouble
is due to Apple’s MobileMe service, which is where I
publish this site. Several months ago they
dramatically changed how this service operates, and
it has been chaos ever since. There has been a huge
backlash against Apple on this. I have been holding
out, trusting that Apple will get things fixed. While
I’m confident they will eventually, I’m tired of
dealing with it. So, in the next few days I am going
to change where this site is published. All that
being said, here’s why this matters to you.
Right now you can access this site two different ways. You can type “www.abandonedtogod.com” in your web browser and it will forward you to the actual web address “http://homepage.mac.com/nkypastor”. Starting this week, you will only be able to access the site using “www.abandonedtogod.com”. So if you subscribe to the site via a Google Reader or some other blog reader, you will need to re-subscribe. If you have the site bookmarked as “http://homepage.mac.com/nkypastor” then you’ll need to change it to the new address.
I hope that all makes sense. Thanks for putting up with all this mess. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on out.
Right now you can access this site two different ways. You can type “www.abandonedtogod.com” in your web browser and it will forward you to the actual web address “http://homepage.mac.com/nkypastor”. Starting this week, you will only be able to access the site using “www.abandonedtogod.com”. So if you subscribe to the site via a Google Reader or some other blog reader, you will need to re-subscribe. If you have the site bookmarked as “http://homepage.mac.com/nkypastor” then you’ll need to change it to the new address.
I hope that all makes sense. Thanks for putting up with all this mess. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on out.
UL vs. NKU
Sun/09/Nov 2008
A generous member of our church got me a ticket to the exhibition game between UL and NKU last night. It was the first sporting event held in the brand new Bank of Kentucky Center, located on the campus of Northern Kentucky University. The 10,000 seat arena is impressive. Louisville - not so much. NKU actually had a 4 point lead late in the second half. But Louisville’s size finally got the better of the scrappy NKU squad. The Card’s heralded freshmen, Samardo Samuels was a man among boys last night. He is going to be a handful for anybody this year.
I did get to see something that doesn’t happen very often.......Rick Pitino coaching without a tie!
It was a great game. Thanks JC for your generosity.
God In The Seasons
Mon/03/Nov 2008
The gang and I had a chance to take a road trip yesterday afternoon to General Butler State Park. The weather was perfect and we wanted to get out of town and see some of our region that we had never seen before. On a whim, we headed south on US 42, which follows the Ohio River down to the little town of Carrolton, KY. Its claim to fame is the afore mentioned park. It was a beautiful drive and an even more beautiful park. The leaves were in full bloom, and combined with the weather, it made for a great evening. I would love to share some pictures, but we forgot the camera.
This little trip got me thinking of how nature, and specifically the seasons of the year, mirror God’s plan of redemption. God created the universe in perfect harmony, yet sin destroyed that harmony and brought about the bitter winter of death and separation from God. But God didn’t leave us “out in the cold.” Christ was born in the midst of the cold, and lived through the winter with humanity. In the fullness of time, Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected to life n the spring (a picture of a seed dying, being planted, and sprouting to life). The age of the church seems to be pictured in the mixed blessings of summer. It is a time of growth and light, but it is also filled with turbulence and storms. By the time late summer comes around, we are all looking forward to Autumn. Everyone looks forward to the fall. All the work of spring and summer are culminated in the harvest. There is a sense of accomplishment and nostalgia in the fall of the year. This coincides with the mystery of Christ’s second coming, when all storms, laboring, and turbulence will cease. Best of all, this harvest will never end. We do not have to dread the end of fall, because Christ’s harvest will last for an eternity.
Pastor Murdered In Covington
Mon/03/Nov 2008
Every now and then something happens in life that
works to remind us of our complete dependence upon
the grace of God. I had one of those moments this
weekend. A longtime pastor in Cincinnati was gunned
down in broad daylight Saturday morning. At first I
assumed it was a random killing by a stranger with no
agenda, but I was wrong. Apparently, a man that had
developed a vendetta against this pastor ambushed the
pastor on the streets of Covington, KY, just prior to
a funeral service that the pastor was
attending.
Here is the
story.
This tragedy should make all of us take a step back from our schedules, emails, voicemails, and appointments, and remember how quickly all those things can become useless clutter. Beyond that, I can’t help but be moved by the fact that this man was a leader of God’s church. It seems very likely that his vocation placed him in a position that led to his death. In other words, he was murdered because he was a pastor. It is likely that he made a controversial decision that the gunman vehemently disagreed with. It is also likely, that he never intended to make enemies, but his convictions demanded that he make a choice that would necessarily cause someone to be hurt and/or angry. Such is the nature of spiritual leadership. This is not new. It is not a sign that our society has decayed. It is a natural consequence of the gospel being faithfully proclaimed.
I think every christian leader should take this event to heart, and ask themselves some hard questions. Are you willing to make choices based upon allegiance to Christ, while knowing that they will create enemies for you? Are you willing to truly carry your cross? Are you willing to selflessly drink the cup of Christ? Graciously, God will not ask many of us to become martyrs, but I do believe he has asked all of us to be willing to be martyred for His sake.
To be honest, I hesitate to answer when I ask myself these questions. I’m not really sure that I am consistently willing to lay down my life for Christ. Nonetheless, I think it is a healthy thing to stretch ourselves by probing our hearts and intentions concerning this issue. Where do you stand?
This tragedy should make all of us take a step back from our schedules, emails, voicemails, and appointments, and remember how quickly all those things can become useless clutter. Beyond that, I can’t help but be moved by the fact that this man was a leader of God’s church. It seems very likely that his vocation placed him in a position that led to his death. In other words, he was murdered because he was a pastor. It is likely that he made a controversial decision that the gunman vehemently disagreed with. It is also likely, that he never intended to make enemies, but his convictions demanded that he make a choice that would necessarily cause someone to be hurt and/or angry. Such is the nature of spiritual leadership. This is not new. It is not a sign that our society has decayed. It is a natural consequence of the gospel being faithfully proclaimed.
I think every christian leader should take this event to heart, and ask themselves some hard questions. Are you willing to make choices based upon allegiance to Christ, while knowing that they will create enemies for you? Are you willing to truly carry your cross? Are you willing to selflessly drink the cup of Christ? Graciously, God will not ask many of us to become martyrs, but I do believe he has asked all of us to be willing to be martyred for His sake.
To be honest, I hesitate to answer when I ask myself these questions. I’m not really sure that I am consistently willing to lay down my life for Christ. Nonetheless, I think it is a healthy thing to stretch ourselves by probing our hearts and intentions concerning this issue. Where do you stand?
“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.” (James 3:1-4)
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
Best Fiction Ever Written
Thu/30/Oct 2008
I noticed an interesting list at my local public library today. A group that calls themselves “The Modern Library Board” has chosen the most well-written fiction books since 1900. In addition, The National Review has chosen the “most well-written and important non-fiction books.” Here’s the fiction list. I’ll post the non-fiction list later this week. How many of these have you read?
Top 25 Fiction Books:
1. Ulysses by James Joyce
2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
5. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
6. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
7. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
8. Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
9. Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence
10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
11. Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry
12. The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler
13. 1984 by George Orwell
14. I, Claudius by Robert Graves
15. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
16. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
17. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
18. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
19. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
20. Native Son by Richard Wright
21. Henderson the Rain Kng by Saul Bellow
22. Appointment in Samarra by John O’Harra
23. U.S.A. by John Dos Passos
24. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
25. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
* How many I have read: 0
The New Macbook
Wed/22/Oct 2008
Just when I’ve officially talked myself out of
getting an Iphone, Apple does it again.
Check out the video here.
Check out the video here.
Water Is A Luxury...
Mon/20/Oct 2008
Check out this video -
Water Is A
Luxury
I took a 20-minute shower this morning. I let the
water run while I shaved and brushed my teeth. I made
a full pot of coffee, but drank less than half of it.
5:30 AM........seriously
Thu/16/Oct 2008
At last weekend’s SHAPE retreat, the participants were introduced to an exercise called “lifemapping.” It sounds much more complicated than it actually is. It is a tool that helps one pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and areas in which they need to grow. I learned a lot about myself during this exercise. One of the first things that came out of this process was my need to be more disciplined with my time. I am naturally a morning person. That is the most productive part of my day. Yet, in recent months I have found it difficult to get up and out the door before 8 am. I know that doesn’t seem late to a lot of people, but for me, that was wasting a lot of quality time. The result was that I was not spending a lot of quality devotion time with God. Nor was I getting any physical exercise.
So I made a commitment, with the help of a member of my SHAPE cohort, Rev. Don Evans, to get up an hour earlier than normal. I asked Don to hold me accountable by calling me each morning at 5:30 am. He’s been faithful to do that.
The first couple of days were rough. I did not want to get out of that bed. It is amazing how much one hour changes your schedule. But I am already beginning to feel better and it is becoming easier to get up and get going. Once I’m up, I go for a short jog, followed by some light exercising to get my heart rate elevated. I have also been spending more time praying for my community and myself.
This is just one tangible example of how SHAPE has been a great blessing to me. There is no doubt that I would not have the personal discipline to get out of bed at 5:30 am if I didn’t have Don calling me. The truth is, most of us only do what we are accountable for. We all need someone to call us, to check on us, and to ask us hard questions. If you do not have someone like that, you need to find one. It will make a difference in your life.
SHAPE Retreat
Mon/13/Oct 2008
Beth and I returned from the SHAPE retreat Saturday
evening exhausted and encouraged. We both agreed that
it was one of the best thing we have done together in
a very long time. We spent most of the weekend in a
room with 20 other pastoring couples, dealing with
issues that relate to how the emotional, physical,
and spiritual demands of pastoring. Al Ells did a
phenomenal job leading each session that centered on
these unique aspects. Al helped spend considerable
time addressing the cultural shift that has occurred,
and its effect upon the pastor and their family.
Virtually every couple testified to the positive
influence our weekend had on their relationship. I
went into the weekend thinking that our marriage was
about “as good as it gets.” I’ve always thought Beth
and I were definitely on the right track. I still
believe that, but after looking at our results and
discussing some issues, I realize that we have some
work to do. I better understand how important it is
to accept one another’s differences, and I understand
more of why we are different.
All in all, I very hopeful that this weekend will help Beth and I to increasingly understand one another, and enable us to grow closer. Pastoring is not always easy on families, but I am confident that it doesn’t have to be a detriment.
All in all, I very hopeful that this weekend will help Beth and I to increasingly understand one another, and enable us to grow closer. Pastoring is not always easy on families, but I am confident that it doesn’t have to be a detriment.
Honoring A Friend
Thu/14/Aug 2008
One of the great blessings of
pastoring an older congregation is that you get the
chance to develop relationships with some amazing
people. You get a chance to hear their amazing
stories of triumph through difficulty. I’ve
definitely learned a great deal from many of these
precious people in my church. None more so than Rev.
Lloyd Nash. He was a retired pastor that exemplified
faithfulness and grace. I loved to hear him pray. I’m
using the past tense because he passed away early
this morning. He was only 68 years old. Our church
will miss him tremendously. I will miss him. But I
count it a privilege to have known him, if but for
only a few years.
My High-Tech 3 Year Old
Mon/07/Jul 2008
Happy Birthday To Me!
Mon/30/Jun 2008
Today starts my last year of my twenties. It has been
a really great day. I had a meeting with my SHAPE
group in Ashland, KY today. When I got home, I was
greeted with Donato’s Pizza, and an ice cream cake
from Baskin Robbins. My wonderful wife then presented
me with one of the most beautiful sites I’ve ever
scene......a copy of Mac OS X Leopard!
I almost forgot the fact that I’m almost halfway to 60........almost.
Camping With Family
Sun/29/Jun 2008
I'm taking some time away from church work this week. Beth's parents will be camping at a nearby park all week, and I plan to spend much of the week with them. This will be my last break of the year, so I'm hoping to make it count. Here are my priorities this week:
1. Spend some extended time in prayer and devotional study.
2. Have fun with my two boys
3. Read, read, read
4. Do some hiking and camping at one of Kentucky's best parks (Big Bone Lick State Park)
Toying With Twitter
Tue/24/Jun 2008
You may have noticed that I have a new "widget" in my
sidebar. Twitter is a new communication tool that
integrates blogs, and instant messaging. Essentially,
I can send a text message from my phone, wherever I
am, and it will appear in the Twitter box on this
page.
This gives me a chance to give live updates wherever I am. I'm still figuring out its nuances, so don't be surprised if it shows!
This gives me a chance to give live updates wherever I am. I'm still figuring out its nuances, so don't be surprised if it shows!
Just Thinking.............
Tue/17/Jun 2008
My wife would say that all my thoughts are random. She may be right. If so, these are some especially random ponderings (I'm not sure that's a word). As always, summer is a busy time. There are a lot of thoughts running through my head. Here are a few that seem to keep rising to the forefront.
- NAC is coming soon. Last year was such a formative time for me. I'm cautiously hoping that this year will be as well.
- Eugene Peterson is the man. I'm loving his book "The Jesus Way." I'm not a fan of the Message, but anyone reading his books is soon convinced that he has a profound respect for the scriptures, and has a very powerful way of articulating his ideas.
- There is something special about summer sunshine and spending time with my wife and kids. The two complement one another. The last two days have been awesome. This evening we grilled out and enjoyed the perfect weather.
- I miss spending more time with my parents and siblings. I wish I could have them living a little closer. I miss the days when we could throw a family cook-out together with an hour's notice. If you live near your siblings and parents, take my advice, DON'T TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED! Make time for one another. I didn't do that enough when I lived within 20 minutes of them.
- I believe this fall is going to be a pivotal time for our church. We will be implementing some changes that have been a subject of prayer for the last year. It is scary and exciting. God is definitely at work.
Zooing With The Family
Mon/16/Jun 2008
More On "God Is The Gospel"
Wed/11/Jun 2008
This book won't sell millions of copies. It won't be nominated for any christian book awards. It won't become the next 40 day small group curriculum. It is too radically biblical and God-exalting to fit any of those roles.
What I love about this book:
1. John Piper's passion for the glory of God is dripping from every page. You can really get a sense of his love for God in this book.
2. There is no "fluff" in this book. Most books could be narrowed down to a third of their actual size, without losing anything. This book isn't that way. I read with a highlighter in hand. I had to refrain from literally highlighting 1/2 the book.
3. Without personally naming or attacking any person, denomination, or system, the subject of the book indicts about 90% of American christians. You go away with your heart completely burdened, but in a good way. I know that makes no sense, but take my word for it. Better yet, read this book!
4. Piper confirms what I have been inwardly struggling with, but have been unable to articulate. Do you ever just know that something is wrong, but you can't put your finger on it? Piper puts his whole fist on it in this book.
In "God Is The Gospel" Piper contends that the only reason the gospel is good news is that it is the news that God has given man the gift of himself. All the other mercies and benefits of the gospel are a distant second to the supreme gift of knowing God. As I alluded to in my previous post on this book, few evangelicals would take issue with that statement. But even fewer live consistently with that claim. Rather, we often talk about the good news as being the fact that God loves us enough to die for us; or that we don't have to go to hell; that God has promised us a "home in heaven." In other words, we love God for all his gifts, and fail to love Him for who He is. We fail to see that the best thing He ever gave us was Himself.
Friends, the overwhelming majority of christians are self-centered spoiled brats, who attempt to use God for His mercy, without ever acknowledging Him. I am more convinced than ever that turning the tide in the church hinges upon changing this prevailing wind in our congregations. We must get over ourselves. We must start seeking God's face, and not solely His hand. As church leaders we must start designing our ministries with the goal of teaching people that the greatest joy and satisfaction in life is only found when we make the person of Jesus our supreme treasure. But none of that will even begin to take place until we as church leaders place Christ as our supreme treasure. In my view, the following must take place in order to get there. 1.) We must stop viewing ministry as a profession. It is every christian's privilege. 2.) We stop our infatuation with numbers. Teaching our people to love Christ above all else is impossible until we stop treating them like cattle. 3.) We stop valuing our to do lists above our communion with Christ.
Maybe I should replace those "We's" with "I's". These are things for which God convicted me while I read this book. I believe all these things in my mind, but I am not convinced they are truly in my heart.
Why A New Blog?
Mon/09/Jun 2008
Most readers of this site will know that I've maintained a blog for over a year now using a free software program called IWeb. It has great advantages, and made it possible for me to get started in web publishing. However, the more I used IWeb the more I realized why so few people use it to publish their blogs. It just doesn't set up well for anyone wanting to keep a blog going for any length of time. As blog entries pile up, publishing becomes increasingly slow. The way IWeb archives older posts is lacking in several ways. You can't categorize them or "tag" them like other blogging services like wordpress or blogspot. Plus, I am finding that I like playing with websites. Its becoming a hobby. (The nerd in me will not go away apparently.)
I hope to add to this site by posting some of my sermons, seminary writing and teaching lessons (in written form), as well as provide a list of books and resources that I have found helpful. I'll continue to play with the format and theme.
All that is probably more information that you care to know. But I thought I would clarify why I moved the site. I hope you stay with me!
