Guest speakers

As a youth pastor, with few exceptions I rarely deal with guest speakers/teachers. I had the privilege of hosting Dr. James Grier at our church this week. Here are some thoughts about the weekend:

• You don't have to be young and high-energy to preach effectively.
• A well-researched sermon is appreciated.
• NT cultural nuances can really add meaning to the story.
• Jesus was a great story teller.
• Everyone hears what they want to hear. I heard various responses to his lecture on Ministry in a Postmodern Context and it baffled me at first. Then I realized that people had had an itch scratched but the drum wasn't banged exactly the way they wanted it.
• For some groups the evaluation of anything can be divisive. Therefore, the call to measure things against God's plans, standards, and activities must be sounded. Otherwise, people are left to be their own authority.
• A specific example of the previous point is modernism versus postmodernism. All of us are drawn to, or shaped largely by, one or the other. However, believers are not called to be one or the other because they are a part of God's family and his perspective is different from both of those. Believers should be drawn to or shaped by 'God-ism'.
• My kids are great! They interacted with Dr. Grier in a way that made me proud. They enjoyed hearing about his overseas experiences.
• My wife is an excellent hostess.
• Praise God for men like Jim! He inspires me to be smarter (I'm not sure that's possible with my small amount of gray matter), well-studied, well-prepared, gracious, and kind. He ministers with all that he's got and he doesn't want to quit.
• It was interesting to learn of his friendship with Ivan French. We could see alot of similarites between the two.

All in all it was a good weekend. I'm curious to see what the Lord does with it.

slogans

I read a bunch of slogans the other day as I was thinking about a lesson. I really liked these two that I had never heard before:

* Skim milk does not come from skinny cows. - Alba Dry Milk
* Only 1 out of 25 men is color blind. The other 24 just dress that way. - Mohara Suits

Picked up a book I had stalled on, Redemption Truths by Sir Robert Anderson, and found this inspiring thought on page 69:

'Our salvation depends on the Lord Jesus Christ; not on the measure of our appreciation of Him. The slenderest wire may suffice to convey the current which floods our room with light. Not that there is any light in the wire itself. There is no merit in faith; yet the faith which, as it were, but touches the hem of His garment 'makes the connection' which brings divine light into the soul.'

• enjoyed preaching Sunday night, having people sit in the back helped sell the point of the passage and was fun.
• enjoyed preaching Tuesday night at Carriage Town. I'm not exactly sure why the group applauded when I was done. Met several people far from 'home'; tough life stories at the mission. Heard their director quit today.
• enjoyed the teens that went along. one word that describes them: compassionate.
• I wish Jack Bauer was an accountant, I just know he could fix the economy. "Give me the books! GIVE ME THE BOOKS NOW!!'
• I wasn't home much Tuesday and won't be home any more on Wednesday, must be home on Thursday to see my awesome family.

thoughts

• i like Ed Young's book, Creative Marriage. written at a popular level, lots of applicational stuff and the Gospel is blam!blam! there in chapter 3 - good job Ed!
• i was anticipating this week with John Stott looking at Jesus' miracles but it's not meeting the expectations.
• i preach on Sunday night, aka SuperBowl night. i like the passage (ephesians 2.11-22) and am looking forward to it.
• my oldest has gone to school one day this week - what a bum! but what a brain! she's doing great and i hope she always thinks sharp.
• i wish i could fix/walk with people who've got problems but there's too many and i'm not sure they all want to be fixed.
• i (might have) cancelled a beloved ministry event, not sure what's gonna happen.
• i think SuperBowl 43 will be a great battle. Cardinals: really hot offense, solid defense. Steelers: good offense, awesome defense. Go snacks!

heart medicine

One book I read that wasn't on my 2008 list was Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It is excellent! Very challenging thoughts about God's crazy love for us and, is our love crazy for him? I sensed that I have slipped into a comfortable love; I'm asking him to make me crazy, obsessed.

Over the last few weeks I also realized a yucky thing about myself. I have been, too frequently, a tightwad/cheapskate with my own family. I can look back at times I've splurged on-the-moment for others, and yet I've told my own that we'll just have to wait. I don't wanna be stupid and get 'em whatever they desire but I don't wanna be stingy with my own family, that is stupid. I've got some debt I'd love to get rid of tonight but it'll happen even if it takes longer than I like. I can't let that goal make me a jerk either. And the big picture is this: God has always taken care of us, no matter how tightly or loosely we've spent/saved/scrimped/etc.

I'm still enjoying John Stott's Through the Bible, Through the Year. There are some readings and observations that get a second or third read from me. I appreciate that man.

I had some real cool (maybe crazy) thoughts about Samson but I haven't told any one yet.

This saying (I think I made it up) gets to me: "To be a better man, you'd better make better choices."

2008 books

There once was a list. A list of 9+ books that I wanted to read in 2008.
I finished 3:
Fields of Gold by Andy Stanley
The Reason for God by Tim Keller
Time for Truth by Os Guinness
I purchased 2:
Goldsworthy Trilogy by Graeme Goldsworthy
The Present Future by Reggie McNeal
I started another 1:
Creative Marriage by Ed Young

Obviously, I detoured a few times with books like It, Trinity & Triunity, various fiction pieces, The Pixar Touch and some others. But I'm getting back to the list because it's pretty balanced, at least I think so. Creative Marriage is next.

inaugural thoughts

First of all, Happy New Year to myself and my family. And I welcome me back to the blogosphere.

About the Inauguration:

- What a crowd! Had at least one good friend there. Followed her on twitter even though she didn't twit much.
- Nice prayer Rick Warren.
- Love the furry hat on 41.
- Nice speech by 44 but a little long.
- Nicer prayer Rev Lowery! A virtual rap-master!!
- Go America!