Breaking 100 in pursuit of 100

As many of you know there is a challenge @ church to read the NT through in 100 days.

As Pastor I want to set the pace. At the end of the first month I have read 109 chapters. 100 have been NT and 9 are a side set of readings I am doing through the book of Ezekiel.

A good start to a new year.

Book #4 2009

Just finished Jonathan Goforth's book 'By My Spirit'.

If you are unfamiliar w/ Goforth he was a Canadian missionary to the Chinese in the late 1800-early 1900s.

By My Spirit are a first hand account of the great revivals that he saw and participated in during that time period.

It is a classic that I have read multiple times over the last 15 years.

Flat Land...Sun Feb 1st

Looking forward to preaching this Sunday'a AM sermon 'Flat Land'. The subject is Heaven.

You'll just have to be there Sunday to see how Flat Land and Heaven connects.

6 O'Clock Series

In 09 we are shooting to have a few more voices, especially local voices preach here @ AFBC.

This little experiment is called the Six O'Clock Series.

Here is what we have so far

Pastor Peter LaRuffa of Grace Evangelical Free Church...Feb 22nd


Pastor Randy Coleman of Christ Baptist Church...April 19th


Pastor Ronnie Raines of First Baptist Cold Spring...August 23rd


Make sure to mark these Six O'Clock Series dates on your calendar.

Service Cancelled...Wed 28th

Due to bad weather Wed's Jan 28th service is cancelled.

See you Sun.

Finished...2 for 1 (Book #3 for 09)

Just finished Weapons of Mass Instruction. A good read if you are into alternative-educational theory. I burned through it in about 6 hours.

Some of the author's theories seemed a little massaged for my taste. For instance, the idea that it's a good thing that Washington, Franklin or Jefferson didn't have any real formal education. If they had they may not have been the founding fathers.

It is clear that there is somewhat of an axe to grind @ the educational system as well.

Nevertheless, his view of the bureaucracy attending education, the focus on rote memorization over critical and creative thinking struck a chord with me.

I also watched the steroids documentary Bigger Faster Stronger...



A very even and thought provoking approach concerning the debate on steroid use. I especially enjoyed the powerlifting segments.

B,F,S is worth your time if you find a couple hours of nothing to do. But be warned, the language earns every bit of the PG-13 rating. Wear the headphones or make sure the kids are outside playing.

The Inner Life...

As I am reading 'Weapons of Mass Instruction' one of the author's earlier premises is that early mass/compulsory education had as a side agenda preparing 'lesser classes' to comfortably accept tedious tasks/jobs.

The author then sets forth that a dumbing down is an excellent tool for keeping these types of people in line. For if they haven't developed a rich inner life or life of the mind they can do tedious tasks and numb themselves to it through puerile entertainment, alcohol, drugs or zoning out.

Regarding the agenda in compulsory education I have to trust the author's research. Concerning a small world is the way to keep people satisfied in menial tasks, I would agree.

This book looks like it's going to be good. In fact the prologue has already disturbed/gripped me.

Allow me to digress: I have my own personal theories on intelligence, education, maturity and homework. Here they are in short order...

*Intelligence isn't memory work but the ability to see connections. The 'true geniuses' aren't about re-gurgitating but seeing how things fit together in ways others can't see.

*Education has too many busy work non-essentials. Teach critical thinking. Teach how things build upon each other and fit together. But everyone knows there is just so much useless tripe.

*Maturity. Kids need to be around adults more than peers. A great book on the subject is Do Hard Things. Kids keep kids immature. Adults lend to maturing of children. Since when is it a good thing to have a virtual 'cult of youth'?

*Homework. Good when actually has value an application. Useless when it is work for work's sake. See the book The Homework Myth.

Personally, I think in a perfect situation homeschool would be superior to 'warehousing' 1000s of children in overfilled classes with underpaid teachers who have to conveyor belt children through their classes each day.

But, many aren't able or capable to home school, so we must make do with the present educational system.

Again, the book looks to be great. Of course I thought that about the Cheyney book as well.

Sun Re-think

*Gave the people some manure, courtroom and alien intervention (aka Justification).

As was the case last week I think God blessed His Word.

*Extremely jazzed about the interest in Christ among the Worship Kidz/Trek crowd. This week Dave Jr is going to teach my class so I can take the kids on a baptistery tour.

*Dave Jr preached for me on Sun PM. He did a good job addressing and applying the issue of Patience.

*Had the youth over for afterglow. It is great to see the youth doing so well. Alicia, Steph and Dave are really knocking it out of the park. This new curriculum from Voice of the Martyrs should be a real challenge to them.

*Need to up the ante on Wed Nights Church Starts series. A little too loose.

*A good start for 09. We just need to get the baptistery flowing.

Vice...Abandoned.

'Vice' the vice presidency of Dick Cheney is the present read. I just finished Alice Cooper's Golf Monster.

One of my all time fav quotes comes from Dick Cheney. He was being interviewed by a liberal journalist. The journalist said, "Do you realize only ___ % of the population agree w/ the handling of the war." Cheney coldly replies, "So?"

Gotta love a leader who isn't afraid to lead.

UPDATE: Vice went back to the library unread. It would take another 8 years to muster up the energy to want to finish this snooze-fest.

Manure, Courtrooms & Alien Intervention

I am looking forward to preaching this Sun AM message, "Manure, Courtrooms and Alien Intervention." Subjectively it is about justification by faith.

You'll just have to be there to see how that title describes one of the grandest subjects in all the Scriptures.

Tech update

I am in my first work week of using tech to organize my list of actionable items and I must say it is going well.

I got more done today than I thought I could, without having to commit extra time. There is more focus because what needs done is right there in front of me.

It takes a little time to set up the systems and reminders but all in all a small price to pay to get more done.

To get a bigger picture of the system check out Getting Things Done by David Allen.

A Tale of Two Prayers...

Today we have a new President. Part of the services is the prayers. I know of two official sanctioned prayers for the inaugural event.

1. Rick Warren. I heard good things on this. It was a Christian prayer.

2. Gene Robinson. G.R. is the first openly gay Episcopalian bishop. He was the catalyst for the Episcopalians splitting up.

I have neither read nor heard G.R.'s prayer that he was to offer at another site as part of the festivities. Although in an earlier interview he promised it to be 'non-biblical, non-Christian'. It would be generic so that all people regardless of their beliefs could agree with it.

Here's my question: If you don't subscribe to a Christian theology and practice why be part of a denomination that at least claims Christianity?

Plus, do we really believe people will respect anyone who dips their colors for the holy grail of public consensus? Give me a break.

Newly Read Books for 09...Book #2.

I would like to think I would be disciplined enough to track all the books read in this calendar year. Sadly, I know me too well. Nevertheless, here's book #2. The first being The Rise of the UFC.



Before I am tarred and feathered. One, Alice is cool. So says a child of the 70's and 80's. Second, the Christian faith bookmarks his life. It was a big part of his life up until his late teens. Then it re-surfaced now as a member of the AARP.

So for all you who didn't get my Halloween outfit @ Upward a couple of years ago it was no other than the man himself.

Just finished...

Blood in the Cage was a good read for armchair voyeurs who dig the UFC.

There was some stuff that was worth skipping over, like the organizing of the UFC into a business. Plus, Dana White's mouth! I can't believe he kisses his mother with that mouth.

But reading about Militech and some of the nuts and bolts of the fighters as they come up through the ranks was interesting.

One of the best thing was it was written by a professional writer. I've read Liddell's, Hughes (and tried to make it through) Couture's (snooze!!) autobiography but they are so badly written.

Blood in the Cage would probably be a good place to start if interested in the growing genre of combat sports.

Action Ministries

Just came back from Action Ministries. If you are unfamiliar w/ it: it is a 'free food store' that primarily assists the working poor.

The amazing thing is it is run on 100% volunteerism. Pretty impressive.

So I was able to take my two oldest and 6 others (total 9) as we spent 2 hours trying to help those who help others. Time certainly well spent.

Dave and Alicia is doing a great job heading this monthly event up.

Obama Inaugaration

In the vein of honesty I will confess up front I am apathetic about the upcoming ceremony. First, I don't think O is the anti-Christ so I don't have a visceral hatred towards him. Next, I don't think he is the Messiah so I don't have a blind confidence in an unproven leader.

I simply hold the following positions...I detest his stance on some social issues.
But, the truth is he is neither the first nor last leader that I will feel that way about.

I don't get the parallel between him and Lincoln. We have 160 plus years to study both Lincoln's victories and failures. Obama hasn't worked 160 HOURS as President yet.

No, I don't think he deserves any leeway or extra points for being a black president. It is a meritocracy regardless of race.

In the end I want him to do well. I need to follow the Biblical injunction to pray for him. But my final 'prediction' is: mediocrity. He'll do better than Carter but far less than Lincoln, Reagan or any of the truly great presidents.

Sunday Re-Think

In spite of the cold and some snow our crowd was solid in the morning.

The sermon on Hell is always hard. I was recently asked why I didn't preach on it more and the honest answer is: I never want to be a preacher who likes to preach on it. When that happens it is cold, arrogant and impersonal.

Nevertheless, I do feel that is was useful and God took it and is using it on those who needed the message the most.

The PM: We looked @ how complex 'not loving the world' is. The hyper-fundamentalist may think they can compartmentalize and organize world vs. non-world issues but they are naive @ best.

Again, I feel like in spite of the preacher it was useful.

It was good to see the choir being faithful, a good crowd mixed w/ visitors and all in all a cold but solid day.

Tech for Focus

One of the things that I am enjoying about the 100 Day Challenge is the structure and discipline. To that end it is making me think once again about using the available tech to keep structure in my life.

The use of cell phone features for lists and alerts. Using outlook features for organizing.

Of course, these things cannot replace the actual execution of tasks, but if the tasks are in front of me they are more likely not to be overlooked.

In Psalms 90 Moses told us to number our days so we may use them wisely. We have more ability than ever to organize etc, to make the most of our days.

It's tougher than it appears...

While hammering through I John in the 100 Day Challenge I am arrested by the high demands of following Christ. For instance...

*Don't love the world. The world is my frame of reference. My one time to be married, raise kids and have a job is in this life in this world. Yet, I must not unduly love the world. Easier said than done!

*Lay down your life for your friend. I have a hard time being inconvenienced w/o getting a bad attitude. Lay down my life?!

The idea that Christianity is fire insurance that would allow you to skate through the rest of life is both unbiblical and unrealistic.

Sometimes I wish Darwin was right

I am confident in the Biblical story of creation. I certainly have no confidence in Darwinian theories of biological evolution. But...sometimes, you wished Darwin's view of how gene pools got thinned out were true. Case in point the father and son pic.

Yes. Those are real tattoos.
Yes. Those are mug shots.

In the world of gene pools these guys clearly came out of the shallow end.

Sunday Re-Think

Good day.

We had a solid crowd.

As always Josh did a fantastic job with the music, even though he is limping around w/ a boot on that makes him look like Robo-leader.

We had a missionary scheduled that neither arrived nor contacted me. It appeared to be
providential. There were many visitors and it was for the best they were able to see what regular church and the preaching was like.

Because my missionary didn't show up I preached my PM sermon in the AM. That meant an emergency knocking out of a PM sermon. It was flat. Little time to prepare or pray.

The Holy Spirit seems to be moving in the Children's Dept. Very hyped about this. It is good to see God granting our Children's Pastor Mike some fruit for his faithfulness.

The Youth will be kicking off their new Voice of the Martyrs curriculum. It looks like some quality powerful stuff.

Our new youth curriculum

Insane!

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

Sunday Re-Think

Preached on Childhood Conversion in the PM.

Admittedly, this can be a complicated issue. There are times some children can't quite process the Gospel, but yet others can get it. You've got to be able to tell them apart. There is the work of being able to see the difference of a child wanting to be a part of what is important to you (i.e.Christ) and what God is actually doing in their heart.

Nevertheless, we cannot ignore taking the Gospel to our own children. We can't let the complexity become an excuse to be passive.

New Year...2009

It is 10:04 Jan 1, 2009.

I am empty of any NY resolutions.

That doesn't mean that there aren't things that I want to start/improve on.

For example:
*I want to lead by example in the church's 100 days to read the NT through.
*I want to keep running.
*I want to execute more evangelism as opposed to thinking and reading about it.
*I want to learn some new things in 2009.

I don't think I'll call those things resolutions. For me resolutions have almost become a synonym for trivial, throw away ideas/wishes.

For some well thought out resolutions check out Jonathan Edwards here. Or for a more moralistic set of resolutions by a non-Christian you can peruse Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues here.