When Something Crashes Your Normal

My friend Michael Kelley has written a new book about his family's journey though his son's leukemia and the spiritual lessons they learned.  Michael is a gifted writer and theologian whose experience with his son Joshua has taught him deep spiritual truths that we as the body of Christ need to absorb.  I have closely followed this family's journey as Michael has lived the story on his blog.  I have lifted many prayers for this little boy who is a living example of God's sustaining grace in times of darkness.  I think Michael has an important story to tell in a church society where we tend to equate God's goodness with prosperity and the freedom from pain.  I haven't gotten my copy of the book yet, but I can't wait to dive in.  Get this book and plant its message deep inside your soul.

Real Marriage (A Book Review)

I was excited about my latest book to get my hands on and review.  It's Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together by Mark and Grace Driscoll.  I have read several of Driscoll's book and appreciate both his commitment to biblical theology and his stand on biblical issues and preaching in a very pagan culture in Seattle.  Sometimes I think I like Driscoll because he has a platform to say some things that I am thinking but that my involvement in conservative, Bible-belt, Christianity doesn't always allow me to say.  Driscoll definitely has an edge to him that has gotten him on opposite sides with other Christian leaders I admire.  He speaks sometimes with an abrasiveness and has been known to throw curse words in his sermons (although I think he has tempered that after his conversation with John Piper).  Nevertheless, Driscoll's theology is usually sound and his advice is usually very practical.  That is why I was interested to see how he would tackle the subject of marriage.  Some have praised Driscoll's book and some have criticized how he handled some sensitive subjects of marriage. (Tim Challies did a fair review of it here.)

Real Marriage is an appropriate title.  In this book, Mark and Grace try to get very honest and candid.  They deal with some very difficult subjects and questions that many books on marriage don't deal with or do so very lightly.  Some have asked if this is the kind of book you want your children to read about marriage.  My answer is "Probably not when they are teenagers, but they aren't thinking marriage anyway."  However, I wouldn't have a problem recommending this book to a 20-something who was looking at marriage.  It is frank and raw, but I think many young couples are looking for that.  I appreciate the Driscoll's honesty about all the flaws that were in their marriage for many years.  I appreciate Grace's vulnerabilty to talk about her abuse and how it affected her marriage and her understanding of the gospel.  I think the Driscoll's chapter on "Sex: god, gross, or gift?" is a very helpful look at a subject that is rampantly destroying our culture and many marriages. 

One of the most helpful parts of the book is the premise that the Driscoll's have that marriage should be about building a friendship.  This is an area that isn't covered in most books on marriage and consequently many people go through their marriages as "partners" in raising kids and splitting money, but not as friends.  Many times we marry someone we feel like is almost a best-friend and then we don't spend time working on that friendship once the wedding cake is gone and the bird seed is swept up. 

The chapter that raises the most eyebrows and concerns is called "Can We _____?" and covers questions that the Driscoll's get often on sex and marriage.  I wouldn't agree with all their conclusions.  I don't think everyone will.  However, there is much more in this book that is very profitable outside of that chapter.  It's written in a style that is raw and will be received well by many people.  It's a readable and doable book.  It's an honest book.  It's one that I would be happy to recommend to most people (probably with a caveat at first). 


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Happy Valentine's Day...

As I start this post, I wish my wife of soon to be 15 years a Happy Valentine's Day.  I got her flowers and candy yesterday and am about to go home to cook steaks for tonight.  I love the fact that I get to show her how much I love her.  However, I shouldn't have to feel compelled to do it one day out of the year.  I should be more inclined to show her daily by being a servant and spiritual leader.  I think periodic moments of getting off my rear watching TV to sweep the floor or wash the dishes does much more (and is much cheaper) than flowers and candy and steaks.  My wife is so awesome, she deserves both.

Unfortunately, Valentine's Day is one more example of the tendency in our culture to go to commercial extremes.  It's a day we feel pressured to perform acts of love.  However, true love is not a performance.  It shouldn't be about commercialization.  In addition, Valentine's Day has a tendency to feed that fallen part of our nature that believes that the measure of love is to be made much of by someone else.  Our hearts are idol factories and many times the chief idol we worship is "me." This becomes a problem when we don't have someone to make much of us - when our loved ones are taken away, when we are single, etc.  When the idols of our love and affection are taken away from us, they often reveal how shallow our understanding of love really is. 

If you are a follower of Christ, I would encourage you to find your identity in the gospel and know that much has already been made of you, not because of anything you bring to the table, but because "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  The cross of Jesus is the ultimate display of God's love.  Not because it makes much of you, but because it shows the brutal price God paid to redeem you of your sin.  A friend of mine said it well today on Facebook, "John 3:16 is not a "valentine." It is the declaration of holy God that He sent Jesus to earth in order to crush Him so that He wouldn't have to crush you. Don't cheapen it."  (Thanks Dave!)


So take some time to celebrate your loved ones today.  And take some time today to remember that the love that God has shown in our hearts is infinitely greater than any displays of love that we will show to one another. 

It's not fair...

Recently I have been thinking a lot about the word "fair" and how much we talk about it.  Being a father of four children under 13, I am accused a lot of not being fair.  I really don't worry about it much because I have come to the conclusion that life is not a matter of fair and the sooner my kids learn that truth, the better they will function in life.  The dictionary defines fair as "free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice".  That would be a great understanding of fair.  I would agree that we should all strive for freedom from dishonesty and injustice in our dealings with everyone.  I don't know that we can accurately be without bias.  I have beliefs and those beliefs create "biases" in me that shape my decision.  It's the bias that causes us to feel and scream "unfair", especially when the bias goes against us.  But isn't that the way life is?  Isn't it unrealistic to believe that I can live without bias?  Shouldn't I naturally be more biased with my sexual inclinations towards my wife than other women?  Shouldn't I naturally be "biased" that my children should seek for excellence in their lives and expect them to rise above the standards of this world?  If I really believe what Christ says in the Bible is true and that the gospel is the only hope of salvation for mankind, shouldn't I be biased towards that opinion and shouldn't it influence my relationships with other people? 

Here's another problem I have with "fair."  Fair "dumbs" everything down to the "lowest common denominator."  This is what is happening in our culture in America right now.  We used to believe in a society where people had a strong work ethic - where we rewarded hard work and applauded the financial success that followed.  Now we gripe that the rich "should pay more taxes than me because they have more money than me."  We've created government programs that either foster a mindset that people should expect something for nothing or that creates a system that even if they wanted to rise above their circumstances, they can't afford to.  A couple of years ago our church was doing mission work in the Appalachian area of Kentucky.  One of the missionaries there told us that they had a program to train some of the women in the area to clean houses for income.  One young lady went through the program and began to get some income.  Then, she suddenly quit.  Why?  She told the missionary that when her income increased, she lost all her government benefits and free childcare and it cost her more to work than it did to stay home and let the government take care of her.  She wanted to work, but she couldn't afford to.  That's what a system that caters to the "lowest common denominator" creates.  Fair; whether in a society, a business, or a church, has a tendency to reward mediocrity and stifle creativity and excellence.  Ironically another definition of fair in the dictionary is "neither excellent or poor, moderately or tolerably good."  THERE IT IS!  That's fair in our society.  Fair breeds mediocrity.  Take one look at where we are right now and tell me that we are not just a mediocre group of people.  No one wants a steak that is "neither excellent or poor".  A mediocre steak might fill your stomach, but it doesn't make you want to come back for more.  Nobody goes out and rents a "mediocre" movie that they've seen before. 

Spiritually, fair brings condemnation and means that we all go to hell because that is what we deserve.  This is the problem when fair is brought into the church.  When we deal with God, we don't want fair - we want mercy and grace.  Fair cheapens grace.  Fair attempts to paint God as some sort of socialist grandfather rather than a holy God who in an outstanding act of grace takes upon himself the sins of the very people he forgives.  Fair doesn't adequately explain the existence of evil and its consequences.  Fair doesn't motivate me to worship.  Fair doesn't create in me awe and majesty. 

Ultimately, the essence of leadership is the art of learning how to rise above "fair".  Instead of asking what is fair, here are a couple of other questions to ask instead:

• Is there a "right" thing to do in this situation?  If so, do it no matter the cost.  Sometimes there is no definitive "right".  Right is not based on your opinions, but God's standards.
• What is the "wise" decision?  In the lack of a right, the best question to ask is about wisdom.  I owe a great deal to Andy Stanley and his book "The Best Question Ever" on this one.  
• Instead of asking what is the "fair" thing, ask "What is the "just" thing to do?"
• What decision will lead the organization best to accomplish its mission and lead towards a culture of excellence?
• Even if this decision doesn't seem "fair", what will be the cost of inaction?

I've come to the conclusion that the only thing "fair" is good for is to be a place where we get to go to get some cotton candy and ride the Tilt-a-whirl.  Fair is good for cattle auctions and car shows.  Otherwise, let's stop spending so much time on trying to find "fair" and instead be people of grace who strive for excellence and expect others to do so as well.  Let's quit dumbing ourselves down and through the grace of God start rising up.  This doesn't mean that there isn't a time and place to make a "fair" decision when we are referring to justice.  God always expects us to be just because he is just.  But let's allow our vision of fair to be colored by the justice of God and not the opinions of men.

Just A Little Laugh...

Josh Hamilton and Public Failure

News came out late Thursday that this past Monday Josh Hamilton had a relapse in his ongoing battle against drug and alcohol addiction.  Yesterday he had a press conference to explain his side of the story.  I can't find the video to post here yet.  However, Josh did an excellent job at public contrition and repentance.  As a matter of fact, the media wasn't sure how to react at the sight of real biblical repentance.  We are so used to a blame-shifitng, vicitimization society that when someone publically admits personal responsibility, the wrongness of the action, and the need for accountability we as a society don't know what to do.  However, Josh Hamilton is a real man.  He did everything a real man is supposed to do.  He rejected passivity over his actions.  He accepted responsibility for both the choices and the consequences.  He owned up to his leadership over his family, his team, and his public ministry.  Bravo Josh, Bravo.

Here is a video of Josh from "I am Second".  This is the key for Josh to remember now in his repentance and recovery.  This is the real Josh Hamilton, not the guy who childishly ran away from a fight and decided to drown his problems in a bottle. 

The Lure of Conformity

I always feel this need to conform to expectations around me. I think all of us do.  Let me illustrate.  The other day I came across a fellow pastor in my city.  He's a new guy in the area and he had that look of a pastor: dress pants, shined shoes, pressed blue shirt, yellow tie, distinguished glasses, and closely cropped hair.  Me? I had on blue jeans, polo shirt, tennis shoes, and a three-day growth of stubble on my face.  He looked like a pastor.  I looked like one of those guys who sits around playing video games and eating oreos. I began to think to myself, "You need to do a better job looking like a pastor when you go out."  There is a group of pastors that meet on Monday in my town and when I go to their meetings I usually put on khakis and a golf shirt or something business casual.  When I went to the Dominican I brought all athletic pants and Under Armor shirts because I knew all the guys were baseball guys and coaches.  I wanted to look the part even if I wasn't the part.  When I go to a gospel conference in April, everyone will be dressed in the standard YRR attire (except for Al Mohler who will still be sporting the suit and tie seminary president look). 

The lure of conformity is a powerful thing.  It doesn't go away when we graduate from high school.  Peer pressure isn't just something teenagers face.  We all face it everyday.  There's pressure to conform to the fashion trends of our tribe.  There's the pressure to conform to the large-scale SUV when you have two kids and live in suburbia.  There's pressure to preach like Andy Stanley, have music like Louie Giglio and Passion, and have a church big enough to transport people in golf carts across the parking lot.  There's pressure to get your son or daughter lessons so he or she can be as good or better than all the other kids at baseball or soccer.  There's pressure to be on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and every other social site to be relevant. 

Even those who say they are non-conformists have their pressures to conform.  Ever seen a skinhead with long blonde locks?  If you want to be a "non-conformist" you need to have multiple piercings, a long goatee, like wearing black, and have an angry demeanor most of the time.

The issue really isn't whether it's wrong to feel the pressure to conform, but what you are being conformed too.  The things we conform to can often times reveal to us what our functional idols really are.  My need to dress more like a pastor can possibly be signaling a need to be validated by external measurements rather than spiritual ones.  My desire for new golf clubs might be a sign that I want people to be impressed with the "Callaway" on my 9-iron. (However, I really think it's because my current clubs stink.)  When my need to conform is driven by other people's expectations or acceptance rather than my personal convictions, it will usually lead me down the path of idolatry and be less fulfilling. 

The real question is "Why do I feel so strongly the pull to conform to those around me, but don't always feel the need to conform to Christ-likeness as strong?"  It's not my desire to conform that bothers me but the things I desire to conform to and my struggle to conform to Christ-likeness.  The Bible says I am "predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son."  It will happen eventually.  That's the plan of God for me.  The word also says "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance."  It's my choice what I conform to.  When I allow myself to be conformed to the pattern of this world, I show my ignorance of the gospel and all the things that God has done for me already in Christ.  I think that word "ignorant" best describes much of the conformity I see in my life and in the lives of those around me.  That's what I think bothers me the most.

Anyway, let's all conform (which is a statement asking you to conform) to the things that really matter in this world or the next.  And let's pay careful attention to the lure of conformity and ask ourselves why we feel so drawn to what we are.

Now I got to go press my slacks.  I have a pastor's meeting to go to...

Just A Little Laugh...

I loved Gary Larson's humor in The Far Side.  From time to time, I'll post one of them here.

Go Bowlin

These guys are funny and super creative. An ode to one of the greatest haircuts of all time.

T4G - A Conference for Gospel Faithfulness

I am excited about attending this conference in Louisville, KY in April.  Looking forward to catching up with some old friends and hearing some gospel-centered preaching.


T4G 2012 Trailer from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Something to Cook - Beef Tips and Rice

I like to cook. My wife hates it.  So, I get to cook a lot. Now, I don't "LOVE" to cook.  I don't sit around conjuring up dishes in my kitchen in my spare time.  However, I do like the art of cooking.  And my wife is not a bad cook.  She's actually gotten pretty good lately.  She just doesn't like cooking and has no patience in the process. So from time to time I thought I might give you some things I have tried that my family seems to enjoy.

Tonight, we're having beef tips and rice.  I realized about 4 months ago that I really liked beef tips but had no idea how to make them.  I also wanted to find a recipe I could cook in a crock-pot because I didn't want to have to tackle it when I came home.  So I researched the internet and read through about a dozen recipes on beef tips in a crock pot.  I combined what looked good for me and this is what I came up with.

3-4 pounds of beef tips or stew meat (They are usually cut pretty big so I cut them in half)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Golden Mushroom or Beefy Mushroom soup (depends on what your grocery store carries)
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup mix
3 cans of beef broth
Salt and Pepper

Season the beef tips with salt and pepper (and maybe some Cajun Seasoning) and dredge in some flour. Lightly brown the tips in a skillet in some vegetable oil. Put the dry onion soup mix, Golden Mushroom soup, and Cream of Mushroom soup in the crock-pot and mix in one can of beef broth.  Add the browned beef tips and cover with remaining beef broth.  Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.  Serve over rice. Enjoy!

This is one of my kids favorites. Now I'm hungry and going to eat some!

Around the Internet

Here are a few of the best blogs and articles I have come across the internet the last week.

Jared Wilson's Response to Jesus>Religion - There's a new video circulating around Facebook and the internet by an artist named Jefferson Bethke where he conveys why being in love with Jesus is better than just being religious.  It's very creative and thought-provoking.  It also can be misconstrued to advocate an alarming trend that we can love Jesus and live the Christian life outside of the church. While many American churches have become self-serving institutions and guardians of the moral police, it is also the institution that Christ created and that he died for. Wilson does a great job looking at some of the deeper issues raised by this popular video.

10 Thoughts on Tim Tebow mania - I love Tim Tebow.  My wife absolutely loves Tim Tebow!  She has become an NFL and Bronco fan just because of Tim Tebow.  He has become a polarizing figure in our society that reflects a larger reality of the divide between those who follow Christ and those who follow the philosophies of this world.  Nathan Busenitz wrote a very good article on 5 positive things about Tebow-mania and 5 concerns.  Very much worth a look.

If Jesus Tweeted - My friend Chad Gibbs is one of the most creative and humorous guys I know.  He has a great blog and put together a funny look at what Jesus' Twitter profile might look like.

Mark Driscoll on Rick and Bubba -Mark Driscoll has a new book on marriage and a conference tour. I have a copy of the book I hope to read and review later.  He appeared on a radio interview with Rick and Bubba.  Here is the interview and gives you a good idea of the contents of the book. Sounds like it's definitely worth a read.

Loving Movies (or anything else) more than Jesus - I saw this link on someone's facebook this week.  It's a blog post from John Piper on our tendency to elevate our love and affections for created things over the Creator. It's not overly critical, but a very positive and encouraging article. 

The Jesus Mission (Book Review)

Last month I received a copy of the book The Jesus Mission by Steven Scott to read and review.  Personally, I was a little skeptical before I read it.  I had never heard of Steven Scott before.  His bio in the dust jacket talks about how he "learned the laws of success by studying the book of Proverbs" and lists his successful business ventures.  The book says that Jesus has "4 missions He assigned you."  At first glance, I thought this was going to be another Joel Osteen or Prayer of Jabez "secret to personal success" type book.  I was wrong. 

Steven Scott writes from a very strong theological and biblical background.  His writing reflects someone who has deeply studied Scripture and has invested a lot of time in personal study of God's word.  This is no "pull out a verse and then show how God has promised to bless you" type book.  The author makes no apologies for the power of God's word and its necessity in the life of a follower of Jesus.  He does a solid treatment of describing salvation and what it truly means to be "born again".  He challenges modern-day Christianity that teaches people to rely on past experience, walking an aisle, being baptized, etc. as the basis for proof of salvation.  He does and excellent job of challenging readers to "count the cost" of following Jesus. 

Every chapter in this book is loaded with advice that is directly from the pages of Scripture and a solid exegesis of those passages.  By his own admission, the author spent two years reading and organizing all of Jesus' statements in Scripture into 1900 commands and teachings.  He then categorized them into 225 topics and wrote a book about it.  He uses those Scriptures that he has immersed himself in as a spiritual compass.  The reader is invited in to discover what God wants and in doing so finds himself challenged to reject easy, passive religion and embrace the cost of following Jesus and being obedient to his teachings and commands. 

I would highly recommend this book for personal study, for a Sunday School class, for new Christians, and for those who are looking for something with some substance in a Christian book marketplace that is full of self-help pablum.  Put this book on your reading list this year!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Students "Do Something Now"

I got to go to Passion 2012 last week.  It was my 9th or 10th time to take students to a Passion event.  It always inspires with awesome music and the power of God's word.  This year the students were challenged to unite to bring awareness to modern slavery and human trafficking.  This was a feature that CNN did about the movement.  The goal was $1,000,000.  By Thursday, over $3,000,000 had been raised!

Read through the Word in 2012

Since it's the beginning of the new year, many of us commit to read the Bible more intentionally.  There are lots of great Bible reading plans out there.  I have tried several of them.  This year I am going to read through the Discipleship Journal plan.  One reason I like this plan is that the readings are broken down into 25 readings a month so it gives you some extra days to catch up if you fall behind.  If you aren't behind, you can spend the extra days studying some of the passages you read that are meaningful to you. 

I am using a paper copy in my Bible and also YouVersion to track my progress.  If you are signed up on YouVersion, then look me up and be a friend so we can encourage one another and share any notes or insights. YouVersion also has some great apps that you can use on your smart phone to help you keep up. 

Are you reading the word more intentionally this year. 

Best Books of 2011

I love to read whenever I can.  Unfortunately, with the noise and chaos at my house, my reading is usually limited to late at night when everyone is in bed.  I tried to keep up with all the books I read this year and balance out my reading selections to have a very broad base. Here are a few of my favorite books I read this year.

Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
I loved Keller's book!  It was the first book by Keller that I have read all the way through.  It is one of the most important books I have read and exposes one of the major problems in the contemporary church.  Tim Keller's insight into idolatry is profound.  This book went a long way to exposing my own idols and has caused me to be more profoundly dependent upon Christ and not my idols.

Decision Points by George Bush
I got this book last year for Christmas and dug into it this Spring.  I love biographies.  I have not been much for presidential memoirs before, but Bush's presidential span was during a large part of my young adult life.  I think Bush served in one of the most critical times in the life of our country and his impact will not be fully measured or appreciated for many years to come.  It was fascinating to look at decisions that he made behind the scenes that the media has wrongly portrayed consistently. I believe Bush to be a brother in Christ with a deep faith that was placed in a role where biblical values are not embraced or tolerated.  This book is a must read for history and presidential buffs.

Gospel by JD Greear
Greear hit a home run with this book.  The word "gospel" has become a buzzword in the contemporary church and much is being preached about it, especially among the young and reformed evangelical types.  As much as it's being talked about, it is also being highly misunderstood.  Greear does a great job showing that gospel centrality has a massive impact on our daily lives.  He shows that the gospel is not just theological language, but the power for personal transformation.  Great book I wish everyone in my church would read!

Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson
I am still reading this book.  I had seen much tweeted and written on it recently.  Wilson's book is also a beautiful work on the majesty and power of the gospel to transform our personal lives.  I am only halfway through and have already worn a highlighter dry.  I will hopefully post some of my favorite quotes from this book later.  However, if I recommend one book for you to read in the next 2 months, this would be the one!

Onward by Howard Schultz
I love business books and behind the scenes looks at great companies.  This is one of those.  It is written by the CEO of Starbucks and chronicles the turnaround that Starbucks did several years ago as he saw some dangerous trends in his company.  Since I love coffee and Starbucks, much of what he wrote about I saw and remembered.

Radical Together by David Platt
This is Platt's follow-up to his first book Radical.  It is written to show more of the corporate implications of a church that commits to radical obedience to the word and the gospel.  It's a small but powerful book.  I believe that church leaders and pastors should pay careful attention to the words of Platt in a day and time where we are losing influence and impact for the gospel in our culture.  I believe David Platt is a prophet for our time and is being used of God in mighty ways.  His writings and sermons have had an impact on several in our church.  

Other books I read this year and really enjoyed were: Don't Call it a Comeback by Kevin DeYoung, Slave by John MacArthur, Pujols by Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth, Erasing Hell by Francis Chan, John MacArthur: Servant of the Word and Flock by Iain Murray, Enemies of the Heart by Andy Stanley, The Jesus Mission by Steven Scott, I, Alex Cross by James Patterson, Great by Choice by Jim Collins, and Where Has Oprah Taken Us? by Steven Masfield, and Mint Condition by Dave Jamieson.

A Calvin Christmas

I loved Calvin and Hobbes comic strips.  This is one of the Christmas strips.  Having 4 boys of my own, this one hits close to home.

Around the Internet

Here are a few links to some website articles and blogs I have recently found of interest.

What's the perception of Southern Baptists? This is some vitally important information about the perception of many of the unchurched about the denomination I belong to and deeply love.  I am so thankful for Ed's research eye and the important questions he asks.  These are prophetic words that need to be heeded.

The Year in Pictures (Part 1 and Part 2) - These are fascinating pictures of events that happened this year in the world.  A very powerful way to look back at the year 2011.

Who Was Saint Nicholas? This is a good post on the real Saint Nick by Mark Driscoll.  This will help you to better understand the man behind the myth and what to tell your kids about Santa Claus. 

Journey of the Wests - This is a blog started by my friend and church member Myron West about his family's recent journey to Uganda and God's calling of them to serve in missions on a full-time basis.  Myron is a deacon in my church and God has used him and his family to ignite a missions movement in our church.  Pray for them as they continue being obedient to God.

Don't give to the Cooperative Program - This is a great blog article by Micah Fries about the difference between giving "to" the Cooperative Program and "through" the CP.  I think it's a good word for SBC leaders to hear and for members of SBC churches to read and understand how the Cooperative Program works and why it's vitally important.  I agree with Micah's assessment that we need to be very careful about projecting an image that appears we are holding up an organizational structure more than advancing a heavenly kingdom. 

Return to Middle Earth

I never read the books, but I loved the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the work that Peter Jackson did with those movies.  Now, he's doing The Hobbit, the prequel to the LOTR.  It looks to be pretty good.  The announcement trailer recently came out.  Enjoy.  Let the countdown to December 14th begin...

Hello Again...

Sorry it's been a month since I posted anything.  It's not because there hasn't been anything on my mind.  Too much happening to have any productive time to blog.  In the last month, Nathan and I got back from our mission trip to the Dominican Republic; we celebrated Thanksgiving with my family in Mississippi;  my church has hired a new staff member to do youth ministry and discipleship; we had a party for my music minister who is retiring; I've had several surgeries and a couple of funerals; I've read a couple of really good books; and we've got a cat.  Never a dull moment.

Hope to have some things to put up here in the next few days.  Until then, I thought I would give you a little video to humor you.