Greensboro: Bicentennial Gardens
Entrusted with the Gospel: Book Review
Crossway released a sermon series based on The Gospel Coalition’s 2009 national conference. Just in case you couldn’t attend, you can now read the sermons. Edited by D. A. Carson (who is brilliant and pastoral), this book features such preaching power-houses as John Piper, Philip Ryken, Mark Driscoll, Edward Copeland, Bryan Chappell, and Ligon Duncan (thankful to his years of ministry to/with CBMW). This book shows the reader that good sermons ought to serve as quality commentaries. These aren’t pithy sermons, or topical. They all are applicable to the listener and concerns the text by Paul to Timothy in his second pastoral epistle to him.
My two favorites were by Ryken then Driscoll. But, here are some of my favorite quotes:
“Some people say that doctrine kills, but this way of thinking is completely alien to the apostle, who believed that sound doctrine brings life and health to the people of God.” – Ryken
“It is the Word that the holy Spirit has unbound and unchained for the salvation and the sanctification of the people of God.” – Ryken
“The first is that if we have died with Christ, we ought to live with him, which means our community life, our speech, our interactions and relationships, and our attraction to spiritual things ought to reflect the life Christ gives, not the death that separation from Him reflects.” – Driscoll
“Failure to recognize the urgency of the hour will cause you to waste time on the inconsequential.” – Copeland
All pastors, especially young pastors, need to read this book. Thank you Crossway, Carson, and preachers.
On Being Neutral
Reading Entrusted with the Gospel this morning, and came to the Mark Driscoll sermon. This quote is a good one. Whether in ministry, design, engaging the culture, reading, healthy living – whatever arena you find yourself: think through this quote:
“Neutrals are Christians (or anyone) at varying stages of their sanctification (or life) who are not leaders but rather easily influenced followers. These impressionable people are prone to being unsure, confused, and fearful, depending upon what information they are given and who they are in relationship with. Neutrals are often caught in the middle when there is a conflict between positives and negatives. A neutral becomes a positive or negative depending upon who their friends are, who they listen to, what information they have access to, what books they read, and which teachers they trust.” – Mark Driscoll, Entrusted with the Gospel, 61.
I don’t think I really started running into these (or can readily recall these) until I got to seminary in 2000. I found many _____-ites (people who followed certain people, fill in the blank). But, it happens in ministry and in blog world.
So…ask yourself: in what area of life are you a neutral? How can you change to be a positive?
Ode to C. S. Lewis
Being that today is the anniversary of this author’s death in 1963, I thought I would take the opp to share my fave Lewis.
First, Shadowlands is in my top 5 movies. I viewed it once in college in a class (where I was also reading The Four Loves) and then at my prof’s house in Louisville – everytime I would housesit for them I watched this movie. I never got old. It is on the Christmas list.
Here are some books, in no particular order:
1. The Four Loves
2. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (and yes, I will be seeing this opening weekend)
3. The Magician’s Nephew
4. The Weight of Glory
I wonder if I will ever read all the published work of Lewis? Must try! They are all worthy reads.
One of my dream trips is to go to Oxford and the Kilns. Maybe one of these days!
As a friend of mine tweeted this morning: looking forward to hearing him tell stories in Heaven. And now that I have a better understanding of Heaven thanks to Nick Roark and my writing project – I agree.
Much & Link Love: November 21 edition
Vacation over: Thanksgiving ahead.
1. Vacation was great: hiking, eating, sleeping, photoging, seeing friends. Beautiful weather.
2. Parents come in town tomorrow.
3. I’ve decided not to do the half on Thursday. That would take out 9 hours of what my parents and I could do together (drive, run, drive), so we will find stuff to do in Raleigh without going to Charlotte.
4. Friends are crucial to my wellbeing, but I also love downtown when I don’t see another soul. I’ll have to find a time to do that after my parents leave. Hmmmm. Maybe New Years.
5. It just wasn’t a pretty football weekend, except for the GATORS. I was in Boone (home of ASU) and loved saying GO GATORS. One of the signs I saw read “Gator: It is what’s for dinner. Go App.” – Well, that didn’t happen.
6. Short week in the office, busy week of editing and reading.
7. To shed some weight this holiday season (instead of put it on): one meal a day has to be either oatmeal, egg white omelette, or veggies. That will definitely help cut some calories during the day.
8. Got some new things in the works for after New Years. Thinking and excited.
Link Love:
1. Girls Gone Wise blog hits up entitlements and rights of women.
2. I think I would like to host one of these. Anyone in RDU interested – good way to start the new year.
3. These will definitely be making their way to a holiday party near you.
4. These will also be making it to a Christmas party near you (if you live in RDU or Lakeland).
5. Love this article that Justin posted on his blog. Often as Christians we ignore culture. But, here are some wise ways to engage and redeem. Hopefully a post will be coming on that by a friend of mine.
6. I would like to try this Chicago-style pizze at home one night, maybe while the parents are here.
7. Ed Stetzer to the rescue – especially if you are flying this holiday season.
8. I thought of these videos a lot this wknd while scaling 23 feet up a ladder on a side of a mountain.
Our State #8: Coyote Kitchen (Watauga Cty: Boone)
Good things:
1. Got right in because we went early, by the time we left (630ish, it was packed and waiting line).
2. Our waiter. Definitely need water refills when eating spicy salsa
3. Speaking of salse…on the 4 salsa sampler platter, the cranberry chipotle was the best. So good.
4. The tilapia boat was the best thing of the night. Coconut rice, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled tilapia, cheese, other yummy stuff. So good. We also got the red pepper hummus (def not my fave) with rosemary bread (pretty good), 4 salsa sampler and chips (chips and salsa were great but you had to pay for them – not a good thing in my book), chorizo tacos – pretty good, not a ton of flavor.
Hiking Western Carolina
Photo Session: Baby Julianne
Photo Shoot: Sarah Scales – Durham, NC
Do Hard Things
This post actually has nothing to do with the Harris brothers’ book by the same title. But, as I was thinking of titles for this blog, that is what came to mind. Others that came to mind: Things I Learned from Randy Stinson, Spiritual Laziness, What I Don’t Like To Do, but Need To. The Do Hard Things stuck and is shorter.
So…what am I talking about? One of the best part of my jobs while administrative assistant in Louisville was transcribing my boss’ talks or sermons. Sometimes I get to hear them live, but other talks I basically memorized because of the time I had to rewind, and rewind again to get the talks just right. It was a period of growth and memorization for me.
Mostly he spoke to men, but I learned a lot. He would tell the men that a lot of the younger generation is lazy. Not because they don’t like to do things, or they just sit around (which some of them do), but more than that he was talking about men who don’t do hard things. They may be really busy, but they don’t like doing things that are hard for them. They would rather live passively with their wives than bring up the issue that both of them know they need to deal with. They would rather let the slacker keep going at work than to confront him and call him on his laziness. They would rather play video games all day than prep for that test or sermon, or fix the toilet that is leaking in the guest bathroom. Do hard things. The boss would always say, do them first: write that note, send that email, fix that toilet, study for that test, ask that girl out, apply for that new position. Whatever is most hard for you to do – do it first, get it off the to-do this first and then you’ll have plenty of time to do the not so hard things.
So, I was thinking about this all day and really the past couple of days. There are two things in my life right now that are harder than the rest: and I haven’t done them because they wouldn’t be easy. I guess I should say I haven’t done either of them with sincere regularity, and my whole life reflects it.
Exercise/Healthy Eating. It is much easier to not exercise, to sleep in when the alarm goes off because it is cold outside, or to not run that extra 2 miles when you’ve already run 3. It is easier to eat brownies and roasted chicken than it is to eat carrots and roasted beets.
Personal Quiet Time. I spend all day writing curriculum, in books, digging into Scripture for my job. I love it. But, what I’ve not done with regularity is sit down in the morning – pre-work – and dig into the Scriptures for myself, for my soul, for my walk with the Lord.
I need to set my alarm, get out of bed, put my feet on the floor (and not hop back in bed) and do the hard things.
What are your hard things?
Is it cleaning the house?
Is it carrying on a conversation with your husband or wife?
Is it asking for accountablity?
Is it reading the Bible?
Is it exercising?
Is it cooking healthy meals for your family?
Is it asking that girl out?
Is it losing weight?
Is it serving in your local church?
Is it giving some of your income away to missions or service projects?
Is it opening your home to strangers or friends?
Is it practicing the spiritual discipline of prayer, worship, giving, evangelism?
Is it not buying any more “toys” because you already have too many?
Whatever your “hard thing” is – DO IT.
1 Timothy 4:8 “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.