ComAir 5191

A tragedy. 49 fatalities with just 1 survivor. Plane crashes don't happen everyday but often enough to not stay in the headlines very long. We'll see how the nation and the media respond to this one.

The initial reports indicate the jet took off from the wrong runway. Blue Grass Airport near Lexington, KY has a short non-commercial runway and a longer one for commercial flights. What went wrong? How could the pilot, co-pilot, and control tower all miss this?

Sometimes you try to do the right thing but the problem is that you are one the wrong path. I'm sure the pilot was capable of doing his job. I'm sure he had flown the CRJ-200 many times. I'm sure that he did everything just like he always did. I'm sure he was doing the right thing regarding the take-off. He was just on the wrong runway. If he had been on the longer runway this never would have happened.

Our lives are like that, too. Not only do we have to do the right thing but we have to be on the right path. Miss either of those critical components and disaster awaits. That's how important it is to make sure we are following Christ closely. Veer just a little to the right or left and it's a disaster - even when you are doing the right thing. Or follow the right path but take the wrong action - again, disaster.

You can't be too careful.

Balanced Diet

Does ice cream count as milk? Milk is good for you...calcium, vitamin D. So ice cream must be good for you. Maybe better...add a little strawberries or peaches (that's a serving of fruit!) and chopped pecans or peanuts (protein!).

Riley started out drinking formula then milk. He loves milk. He's beginning to slow down on the milk a little and is adding meat (chicken strips and roast beef, but no hamburgers?). His diet is beginning to balance a little.

Balance. That's the key. He'll never (or shouldn't) stop drinking milk. And if he'd never started eating meat, fruits, and vegetables he wouldn't have developed like he has. Proper health depends on a balanced diet.

Proper spiritual health depends on a balanced diet, too. Peter wrote that Christians should crave pure spiritual milk now that we have tasted that the Lord is good. The purpose is so that Christians will grow up in their salvation.

Spiritual health relies on a balanced diet of godly principles. We must never outgrow the bedrock principles of our faith: salvation by grace, God is love. But we must partake of meatier truths as we mature (in order to mature): faith in God's sovereignty, developing godly character, iron sharpens iron.

Sometimes Christians can be so involved in the study and application of meatier subjects that we lose sight of and appreciation for the basic principles. That's why we should focus on a balanced diet. As a pastor who dishes up the servings three times each week, I have to remember that and look for ways to lay out a balanced buffet. As parishioners, we must purposefully look for the basic and the advanced if we want to mature into healthy Christians.

Cool Job

I like my two jobs. I really am not looking to make a change unless God directs it. So I regularly look at job postings in my two fields.

Alltel (wireless phones) has a posting for an Advertising Manager. I spent a total of 3 years in radio advertising sales and I have several years of management experience.

The job is specifically tied to Alltel's sponsorship of Ryan Newman's NASCAR team. "Some travel required." Daytona, Charlotte, Talladega...

I can almost hear God's voice. Probably just a little voice rattling around in my head. I guess I'll stay put.

Independence Day

Today's a great day. America's independence is celebrated in grand style. Little Rock's first fireworks display of the season was last night at Ray Winder Field. We watched the Travs lose (again), then the fireworks. Spectacular!

We'll see more tonight.

While our Founding Fathers may have believed in God and may have even been Christians, I'm not sure they are the devout followers some claim them to be. Don't get me wrong; I think America has Christian principles in its foundation but there are other bricks there, too. America began as a place of religious tolerance AND taxation relief. Let's no forget the Boston Tea Party!

But certainly, part of the mix is religious freedom. At its core, the USA is not to dictate a religion on anyone and is to allow all people to pursue religion as they please. This is tempered only by the government's obligation to protect the citizenry - in other words, human sacrifice in the name of religion is still wrong because it is murder.

It's a great freedom. The greatest, in my opinion. I am free to worship God. I am free to proclaim the Gospel. I am free to seek the conversions of others to Christianity.

And those who follow other religions are free to do the same. So we better get to work! We have to reach the lost before the others reach them. We must take advantage of our independence as Americans and dependence (on Christ) as Christians and do the task of the Great Commission.

Jesus saves. All others fail.

At Home with Riley

I've got the day off as an optional holiday. I'm home with Riley and we're having a good day. We started out by cleaning his aquarium - I did most of the work. But it's clean, he helped, and the fish are still alive.

Then we worked on the lawn mower. I'm in the middle of changing the blades on the mowing deck. The nuts are on tight! So we squirted a little more WD-40 on them and played baseball.

He's good at baseball. Since the T-ball season has ended I pitch the ball to him. He'll be a good hitter. We're practicing catching fly balls now. We have more work to do.

Then we went to the bank, Lowe's for a tool to work on the mower blades, and Wal-Mart for birthday cards.

We finally got the nuts to break loose on the mower blades. That was difficult! So I changed the blades, put everything back together, and mowed the backyard while Riley played with bubbles and walkie-talkies.

We took showers, naps, and ate junk food.

Now we are getting ready to go the the Travs!

What a day.

VBS

We had a great week of Vacation Bible School. Our church is small and most of the members are 60+. Maybe 60++. So for the first two years of my pastorate we've had a one-day VBS on a Saturday. But this year we decided to do the full week. We started on Sunday night and went through Friday night.

Our community is challenging. Mixed races, mostly low income, very small percentage of the population that actually go to church. We didn't know what to expect.

We started with 13 on Sunday night. We were thrilled since that was more than the last two years. And with it being Sunday night we figured we'd have more as the week went on.

Monday night: 29 enrollment. Tuesday night: 39 enrollment. We ended the week with 50 children enrolled and an average attendance of 33.

We raised $165 in our Pennies for Missions drive.

One girl gave her life to Christ.

This may be the spark our church needs. God has provided that spark; we have to work hard to follow up.

If You Can't Say Something Good...

Don't say anything at all. Your mom's advice is good advice. More people should heed it.

We're doing "Discussing the DaVinci Code" in our Discipleship Training class. Attendance is very good but there are a few who refuse to come. It's not that they don't like the DaVinci Code, it's that they don't think they need apologetics.

"It's just fiction." I agree. And I know the fact from the fiction. But with so few people actually knowing what the Bible says these days it is important that Christians hone up on the truth. We need to prepare to give an account for what we believe.

"It's just fiction." Yes but millions don't know that. They don't know that Dan Brown is taking enormous license with the facts. They don't know how and why the Gospels in the New Testament came to be accepted as "scripture." They don't know historical facts regarding Mary Magdelene, Constantine, and others. Because they don't know they could believe anything.

"It's just fiction." That means it is a lie. And if people believe the lie the spend eternity in Hell. It's a huge statement of selfishness to avoid learning all you can about heretical works under the excuse that it's not real. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU! It's about lost people becoming hardened to the gospel because they believe the lies about the church and our Savior.

"It's just fiction." That's a cop-out and Christians who use these words as an excuse to avoid learning about the DaVinci Code and how to refute it should be ashamed.

I guess every church has one or two people who can't say anything good but constantly run down what you're trying to accomplish. We have as much to overcome in the church as outside.

I guess I shouldn't have said all that.

Seeing Reds

The Big Red Machine. I was just a kid. That's why I love baseball.

Lately, the Cincinnati Reds play pretty good in April. May is weak. June is enough to do them in for the season.

This year could be different. April was great! But May has been so-so. They need to continue like they start. Baseball is a long season: 162 games over 6 months. The challenge in the Major Leagues is to be consistent over the long haul.

Some teams start out weak then finish strong...last year's Houston Astros. The Florida Marlins a couple of years ago. That's a lot of work and stress.

Almost as stressful as watching your team fade into or below mediocrity before the All Star break.

Why can't the Reds just win 16 or 17 games a month? That would be about 100 wins and would put them in the playoffs almost every year.

I wonder if God asks similar questions. "Why can't Bob just be steady? Why does he live an ebb and flow existence?"

The ups and downs of baseball resemble those of life, don't they? It's an easy solution - just win 16 or 17 games a month. It's not that easy, really. And winning in life is not simple. The answer is not so hard - trust consistently in Jesus - but the application is.

Lame Lincoln

Did you hear Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln on KARN radio this morning? Host Neil Gladdner's question was, "What's so bad about a military person heading the CIA?"

She rambled on and on about how in this new era of warfare we needed a source of intelligence from the civilian side. Will Gen. Hayden actually DO the gathering of intelligence? Will he actually make every decision at the CIA? The director obviously is the head of the organization but certainly will not make every surveillance and every decision. He's not much of a leader if he does not have a network in place to make decisions at lower levels. Leaders who demand all decisions pass through themselves won't be leaders very long.

Both sides of the aisle are going nuts about this. I don't get it. Do we not trust the military so much that we have to gather intelligence at their exclusion in order to verify what they provide?

If Hayden DOES gather intelligence he should distribute some to Lincoln.

Actual Job Descriptions

These are from actual job descriptions for pastoral positions.

INDIANA "Our church needs a pastor with a strong constitution (a backbone!) to deal with some strong personalities in the church and bring unity among the membership."

MISSOURI "Preach, lead in outreach, resuscitate the church."

TEXAS "Full time, 6+ hours"

Live at the Improv!

A girl from our GA class told this to me tonight.

The Sunday School teacher was quizzing the young children and asked, "Is there anything God cannot do?"

Only one child dared to answer. A little 5-year old boy raised his hand and said, "God can't clap his hands."

"Why do you think God cannot clap his hands?" the teacher asked him.

"Because Jesus ascended to Heaven and sat down on the Father's right hand!"




Little two-letter prepositions make a big difference, don't they?

The DaVinci Code

Have you read the book? I don't think it's a sin to read it or even go to the movie. It's probably a riveting story. But it's a sin to believe it.

Post-modernity rejects the idea of objective truth so Christianity rubs them the wrong way. The exclusivity of the Gospel just isn't politically correct. But it's right.

What's wrong with being black and white? If there is a definite right and wrong then I have no choice but to be black and white about it. Someone once told me, "We can be no more dogmatic than scripture but no less." Most Christians (even preachers) don't mind the first half of that statement but are timid implementing the second half.

Do you know what gray is? Gray is just black's attempt at being white. (Please don't make anything racial out of that.)

I'm not the greatest scholar of biblical documents, etc., but I have no problem accepting the authenticity of the Christian scriptures and accepting its message. Jesus is the son of God. He was born to a virgin. He was tempted like any of us yet was sinless. He died on a cross as the only sufficient sacrifice for sin. He arose from the dead on the third day and ascended to Heaven after 40 days. He sits at the right hand of God this very moment (remind me to tell you a joke later) and will return in glory to establish his eternal kindgom.

Dan Brown missed it. I hope he sees the truth and turns to Christ for eternal salvation. Have you?

First Peter

I'm reading through the Bible this year. I've done it only once before. I've read most of the Bible many times but there are parts I just avoid. But I read a blog telling how she read the Bible through last year but didn't handcuff herself to reading a certain amount each day or even reading the lists verbatim. She said it freed her to really read the Bible. I like that idea so I'm trying it. I've started many times but failed in frustration and guilt. Not this year, baby! I read Nehemiah today. Esther tomorrow and then on to Job.

A couple of books in the NT I've avoided over the years are the epistles of First and Second Peter. I'm not sure why. I've read them a few times; I don't think I have ever preached from them. I do have a few memory verses from them, though. But I am using First Peter as the text for the Wednesday night Bible study. I've wanted to do that a few times but never really got into it. That's a terrible confession for a preacher.

On Wednesday night I usually give a devotional message for about 20-30 minutes. But I'm doing First Peter verse by verse and I'm excited about the studies. Week 1 was 1 Peter 1:1-2. Week 2 was 1 Peter 1:3-5. Tonight was Week 3: 1 Peter 1:6-9. At this rate, I'll be here for a while but I'm loving it. The Week 1 "main thing" was that we are God's chosen strangers in this world. God chose us to be aliens. He initiated our salvation, the Holy Spirit drew us to salvation, and the blood of Jesus washed away our sins. What a trinitarian statement!

Last week's main thing was that salvation is an inheritance, a gift, that culminates in glorification when Christ returns. What great hope there is in Christianity! No other religion provides it.

Tonight's main thing was about joy/rejoicing even in the hardships and sufferings of life because God uses these things to strengthen our faith. The joy is in knowing that God is at work in our lives even in the down periods and that Christ is coming again to complete our salvation. All other religions ask, "What did you do to deserve this?" while Christianity asks, "What is God doing through all this?"

That'll preach! It has...the last three Wednesday nights.

Are We There Yet?

Riley is getting so big. He's playing T-ball. He can do the monkey bars. He asks several times on any trip if we are there yet. He's so cute.

I've been asking God that question for quite a while. My job away from the church continues to grind on me. I'm tired of it. I believe God has a place of ministry in mind for me that will fully support the needs of my family. We just haven't gotten there yet.

I know he's saying to me what I say to Riley: "Not yet. And don't ask me again." Well, maybe he's a little more patient with me than I am with Riley. Riley has a DVD about two caterpillars who question God about why they are not like the other bugs. God's reply is simply to just wait because he's not finished with them yet. In the end, the caterpillars become beautiful butterflies; more beautiful than they could imagine.

Blackaby says that until you hear the direction to act you should just continue acting according to the last word you heard from God. He says that the reason God waits to move or do is that he is growing some aspect of your character in preparation for that next step.

I can think of plenty of character points he may be working on. Are we there yet?

Planning

The best thing, from a nuts-n-bolts perspective, I learned at the National Conference on Preaching was to plan ahead. I learn this at every conference I attend. I learned it more than once in seminary. I just don't do it!

I guess maybe I haven't really learned it.

I'm planning a series of sermons on the family beginning Sunday and going throug Fathers Day. In July I'll be preaching a series entitled "In God We Trust" with sermons on citizenship, abortion, alcohol, gambling, and homosexuality.

On Wednesday nights I'll be going verse by verse through First Peter. That will take several weeks. I just need to get a plan for Sunday nights and I'll be set.

I like the idea of planning ahead because it takes the pressure off of me to come up with something every week. I believe in letting the Holy Spirit lead; and he can lead me to plan just as easliy as he can bail me out when I don't plan.

Planning will give some incubation time. A sermon needs time to stew or brew. The preacher needs time to find better illustrations. Things hastily thrown together seldom meet the quality of things created over time. Think about pianos or hardwood flooring or garments. (I'm Baptist so I won't mention wine or whiskey.)

I've preached some pretty good sermons hastily prepared. But I've preached some pretty bad ones hastily prepared, too. I prefer to preach good sermons so I'm planning more. Hopefully, I'll get to the point that I'll be planning 6 months in advance. Until then, I'll be working on tonight's Bible study in 1st Peter.

Not My Nature

I didn't want to do it. I wanted to hold my ground and force them to do what I wanted. Turns out, it's not a hill to die on.

Have you ever had a tense moment when you were nose to nose or toe to toe or, in this case, email to email with your antagonist? Sometimes you just don't want to give in just because it's your antagonist you're giving in to! Sometimes you just don't want to give in just because YOU'RE RIGHT!!! It's not my fault that they aren't prepared and organized. It's not my responsibility to do their jobs for them.

But it's not a hill to die on. So I changed my plan and covered a need for them. But it's not my nature.

Yet. The Holy Spirit is working on me. He has his hands full, too. This time he prevailed. He is slowly but surely changing my nature; I am being transformed by the renewing of my mind.

What Sins Are You Talking About?

It seems that Christians still can't get past ranking sins. Since we can't deny we are sinners we must then rank sins so that we aren't as bad as others. "Well, yes, I am a sinner, but I've never..."

Amazing. Not amazing grace but amazing arrogance. It is true that you'll always find someone worse than you; but it's also true that someone else will find you to be the one worse than them. I don't understand the arrogance.

What sins are YOU talking about? Murder? Divorce? Lying? Adultery? Pornography? Child abuse? Stealing? Cheating? The list could go on and on but the truth lies in scripture: if you are guilty of one offense you are guilty of all of them.

The greatest sermon ever preached had to be the Sermon on the Mount. In it, Jesus declares that the thoughts associated with the sin are as bad as the sin. OK - anyone still think they haven't committed one of the BIGGIES?

They say the ground is level at Calvary. It's not because the insignificant need boosted toward significance but because the proud need knocked down a notch or two. The ground is level at the cross to remind us that we are all just as guilty as the next guy. But remember, you are standing at Calvary!

Since the sin is equal at Calvary, so is the forgiveness! It's easy to think that God can easily forgive a person who hasn't run up too big a tab. But the truth is that it is just as easy for him to forgive the vilest of sinners.

Actually, it is hard for God to forgive. Imagine how hard it was to give his son to die on the cross so I could be forgiven. Not very easy. But forgiving one person is no more or less hard than forgiving another...for God.

For us, it's easier to forgive someone who has committed fewer and/or similar sins in comparison to ours. It's harder to forgive someone who has sinned greater than we have sinned. What sins are YOU talking about?

What sins are you talking about?
I don't remember them anymore.
From the Book of Life they've all been torn out;
I don't remember them anymore.

That chorus reminds me of the completeness and simplicity of God's forgiveness. I wish people could be like God.

Journal: National Conference on Preaching

April 24 9:30am
I am sitting in the terminal at Gate 3 awaiting the boarding of AA flight 3368 to DFW. From the looks at the waiting area, the flight must be full. Steve Landers (Landers Auto Group) is in the group. Sounds like he had a good weekend of sales.

The weather is great for flying, er, riding. I suppose the pilots like the weather for flying, too. I’m in seat 5A. There is only one seat on the left side so I’m in the window/aisle seat. I like it that way: no elbows with which to fight over the armrest, no worries with a weirdo sitting next to me. For an introvert, this is the best situation.

Don Shockley drove me to the airport. That saves the parking fee. Bill Huey will take care of the Wednesday night service. I’ll update the prayer guide and email it to Deana. Don volunteered to pick me up Thursday when I return. I need to call him Wednesday with the time or arrival.

I am so excited about this conference. Creative Preaching. I need that. My church needs it. We do church like Baptists have done church for 50 years. I try to vary my preaching but I find that I’m very predictable. Young and old alike know what’s coming. I don’t give them much reason to sit on the edge of their pew. That’s what I want: a congregation eager to hear the Word of God and eager to apply it to their lives.

Too often, church-goers arrive on time, go through the motions, leave on time, and never interact with the Word. We need a confrontation! It’s my God-given responsibility to drive that confrontation between Christians hungry and thirsty for righteousness and the Word of the Lord. It is life. It is sustenance. It is guidance. It is the answer.

In it I find God as the Holy Spirit leads me to understand him. I love God and I love his Word.

Lord, help me learn so much this week. Help me become a better preacher and pastor as I discover different ways to deliver your Word to your people.

April 25 6:45 am
Yesterday was great. The flight was perfect – except I spilled cranberry apple juice on my white shirt. Just a drop or two. But it caused me to adjust my wardrobe for the week. I changed shirts at the hotel before the conference started, rinsed out the stain in the other shirt, and shifted my shirt/pants relationships so that I’ll wear the stained shirt Thursday on the flight home. No harm, no foul. I rode on the hotel elevator with an AA captain. He said his goal for 37 years has always been to have one landing for every take-off. So the flight was great!

I’m a little uncomfortable when forced to mix and mingle. Actually, I would rather have a mediestinoscopy than do that. I can do the initial greeting: “Hi, how are you? Where are you from? Do you pastor there? Yes, I pastor Reynolds Baptist Church in Little Rock.” Beyond that, I’m just an idiot. I don’t know what to say. Kenny from the cornfields of Illinois must think I’m rude and he’s probably right. We talked for about three minutes then nothing. I envied the two guys sitting behind us. One from the Seattle area and one from Canada. They went on and on and I was fascinated by the conversation; especially the depth of the questions. Who would have thought to ask things like: Are you married? Children? What ages? School? What’s the area you are from like? Have you always lived in that area?

Conversation is not rocket science but it’s only a notch below in terms of mental dexterity. Is there a pill for this?

The speakers on stage were fantastic, too! We learned the Ten Commandments of Creative Preaching. We saw an example of creativity used at The People’s Church in Franklin, Tennessee. A seminary Dean spoke of being creative in communicating to our culture. And Brian Carter, pastor of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas, preached on Judges 7. Gideon’s army was downsized.

Two things really stand out in my mind about Brian’s sermon. First, those who are with you are not always with you. God’s law allowed those in the army who feared for their lives to leave the army and return home. Twenty-two thousand of Gideon’s 32,000 left. Second, God writes post-dated checks. His promises are good as gold but you just can’t cash in on them yet. You have to wait until he says it is time.

The conference provides shuttle service to and from the hotel with stops at a mall where there are several restaurants. That process is a little tedious. I was amazingly calm through it all. There have been times in my life when I would have romped and snorted and demanded options: like the “pastor” from Florida. He was on his cell phone calling a taxi then jumped on the first shuttle anyway. He was pretty vocal and showed his lack of Christlikeness. Shouldn’t a group of pastors be extra Christlike?

I believe the waitstaff at restaurants when they say they hate to see a bunch of church people coming after a service. David McLemore taught me that those are opportunities to share the love of Christ.

Today’s shuttle service begins at 8:00 with the conference starting at 9:00. I like to get there early so I’ll head to the American Buffet Breakfast (not included in the room charges) then off to another great day.

Lord, I want today to be even better than yesterday. I don’t expect the bumps in the road to be smoother but I do expect to learn about you and your call on my life.

April 25 9:35 pm
Just got back from a day of length at Fellowship Church. I wouldn’t call it a long day, just one of length. It started at 7:15 am when I had the breakfast buffet for $14.95. Taxes and tip and I spent $18 on breakfast. At home, I’ll eat a banana for breakfast. Fifty cents. Oh well.

I caught the 8:00 am shuttle from the Hyatt to Fellowship Church. By 9:00 we were packed into the chapel – which is plenty roomy for our meetings. Their sanctuary – er, auditorium – er, theater – seats 4,100. The church unlocked it today for 30 minutes so we could gawk. And gawk we did. It is nicer than the Grand Palace in Branson in every way. The members/attenders/seekers at this church are going in style. No church facility in Little Rock compares in any way. It looks like a showplace. But I trust that it is used for God’s glory. FC is doing a phenomenal work in the DFW area.

And they are exceptional hosts. I’m guessing there are at least 75 volunteers working this conference. Every entrance to the building, every entrance to every meeting place, and just standing at strategic places. Plus the sound and light crews in the Chapel and various meeting rooms. Plus the many people who clean up after us. A-One.

Guidestone Financial Services (formerly “the Annuity Board when we served Southern Baptists; but now we serve many churches from many denominations and many other entities”) provided Texas-style Bar-B-Que brisket with all the trimmings for lunch. Outstanding!

Haddon Robinson was the highlight of the day for me. He preached twice and was humorous, engaging, and prophetic. Dr. Robinson is professor of preaching at Gordon-Cromwell College in Boston. I think he may have had a stroke at one time. His speech is clear but the right side of his mouth is drawn. He’s an excellent communicator of the gospel!

Dr. Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church and Leroy Armstrong of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, both in the Dallas area, also preached. The conference is chock-full of wonderful preachers who are inspiring me, challenging me, and convicting me. I hoped to learn something about God and his call on my life and I am not disappointed at all.

Lord, I am learning so much about you. Thank you for revealing yourself to me through your word and your preachers.

April 26 9:45 pm
It’s over. What a great conference. Top to bottom, side to side. I paid for the expensive breakfast buffet again today. Yesterday there was a small glass about the size of a roll of quarters. It was filled with pink stuff.

I thought about the story Wendy Bagwell told about eating lobster in New York City. His business friends had invited him and his wife to the city for a business dinner. Wendy Bagwell is from Georgia and had never been to a big city. And he and his wife Melba had never eaten lobster. Anyway, it’s a funny story about how they worked their way through the meal not knowing how to use the utensils, etc. At the end of the meal the waitstaff brought everyone a bowl of pink liquid. Wendy had been watching his friend deal with the lobster then followed what he did. But with the bowl of pink liquid he wanted to take the lead – he was full of confidence. So he thought about how to get that stuff out of the bowl. “They didn’t bring a spoon so you don’t spoon it out. They didn’t bring a straw so you don’t suck it out. So, I thought I would just sip it out. About the time I got that bowl of pink liquid to my lips I noticed my friend and his wife dipping their fingers in their bowls cleaning their fingers. So I said, ‘Naw, I believe I’ll wash my face later.’”

I wasn’t sure what the pink stuff was for and I didn’t want to make a mistake like Wendy made! This morning I was sitting at the table when the waitress put it down. Turns out it is a sample of a fruit smoothie. And I had almost dipped my fingers in it yesterday!

Fancy things happen in fancy hotels. Like, for no apparent reason, the lit buttons on the elevators will sometimes go dark. If you don’t notice it the elevator will fly right past your floor. Then you have to ride all the way up and then stop on every floor all the way back down to your floor. Fancy.

Fancy hotels have lots of people who want tips. “Shine your shoes, sir?” “Carry your bags, sir?” “I shined my shoes before I came, thank you, and I packed light so the bag wouldn’t be heavy. I can carry it myself!” I’m glad I didn’t actually say that out loud; they might have thought I was that “pastor” from Florida.

Fancy hotels have bottles of water for your refreshment waiting in your room with a sign that says, “Drink more water.” But if housekeeping reports a bottle missing the next morning you will be billed $3 a bottle. That’s for a 24 ounce bottle with sports cap that would be less than $1.50 at home in a convenience store. Needless to say, the bathroom water is awful! But it’s free.

Actually, nothing is free. I am not looking forward to seeing the final bill. I know the room rate but I’m not sure of the taxes.

Nothing is free. Preaching is the hardest work I’ve ever done. I crawled on my hands and knees about three miles gluing rubber baseboards on the walls in a school. I unloaded a truckload of boxes of rubber gloves. I pulled up carpet that was glued down from the floor in 6 inch strips – throughout an entire daycare. I stayed up nights worrying if our business would pull out of financial ruin or not.

Preaching is the hardest work I’ve ever done. When I’ve done it right. I’m afraid my priorities are messed up because it’s been a long time since preaching has been hard. I don’t spend enough time preparing. I don’t hit the hardest subjects. I’m shortchanging God and his people. Radical change is necessary.

I’m not sure what the radical change may be. Quit my day job? Sleep less? Spend a few evenings a week and most of every Saturday preparing to preach? Quitting my job will cost me money. Sleeping less will cost me health. Spending nights and weekends will cost me what little time I have with my family. It’s a no-brainer. But it’s not my brain that’s the problem. It’s my guts.

I must come to the place in my faith that I trust God completely to provide. Coming from me, that’s an odd statement. If there’s one thing I know about God is that he is Provider. He’s proven it over and over again. Yet I’m afraid to step away from my day job and the salary and benefits it provides.

I do not believe God is calling me to quit my day job while I’m in the current church situation. But maybe God is going to change the situation. I believe that is what he is up to. I just don’t know when he will do it.

That’s my biggest spiritual struggle: I can trust God’s action but not his timing. People have told me that I’m patient. But not enough. Can you imagine the patience Jesus must have had while he waited two days across the Jordan from Bethany while his friend Lazarus was dying in that town? His father was up to something big but Jesus had to wait. If he had not waited the miracle in Bethany would have been another healing. But by waiting on his father’s timing, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Misapplication: God can move me now and I’ll be part of healing a sick church or God can move me later and I’ll be part of raising a dead one. Preachers who don’t prepare very well tend to misapply too much.

Correct application: I must wait for God’s timing so that God’s plan can be faithfully executed so that God gets all the glory.

So I’m waiting across the river (figuratively, not geographically) while my two days (figuratively, not chronologically) pass. And that’s hard (literally).

Have I learned anything at the conference? What do you think?

Lord, thank you for showing me news things about you and about this call to preaching and pastoring.

April 26 10:50 pm
Here are a couple of observations about Calvin Miller’s preaching and teaching. Dr. Miller is 70+ years of age; one would think he is old school, verse by verse exposition of the text. But he said the most effective method of preaching is expository narratives: storytelling. He said you start with the text, give a precept, support it with a story, give another precept, support it with a story, continue this process until you’ve covered all the precepts, then top it off with a call for decision. You move from text to the altar using precepts (left brain) and stories (right brain).

He also said to do away with the pulpit. “It’s just 80 pounds of wound between you and the people.” He quoted someone who said that your communicate with your whole body but when you are behind 80 pounds of wood you communicate only from the chest up.

Ed Young, Jr. was the first speaker of the conference, which meets at his church. There was a clear acrylic pulpit on the stage. Ed had the stage crew take the pulpit away (although it was clear and not 80 pounds of wood) and replace it with a chair and something that looked like a plant stand. The stand didn’t get in the way. Nor was the lack of 80 pounds of wood a distraction.

Lord, help me glean from this week the things that will be useful to my church. Keep me from pushing too far beyond the limits of acceptance but far enough beyond the limits to improve the ministry.

April 27 6:20 am
Time to get going. I’m mostly packed. It’s a Bob-thing. When I’m leaving for a trip I will wait until the last minute to pack but when it’s time to go home I am packed for all but my sleeping shorts and bathroom products. I just jump up, clean up, pack up, conduct the bomb search, and go.

Donnie Martin taught me about the bomb search. In our “Jubilee” days we traveled overnight just a few times. The first time I stared at Donnie as he opened every drawer and looked behind the curtains and under the beds. “I’m conducting a bomb search.” “What?” “Sure. When bomb squads conduct a bomb search they look everywhere expecting to find one and don’t stop until either they do or they’ve exhausted their search. I just assume I’ve left a sock or shirt or pair of underwear and I’m going to find it.”

I’ve been conducting bomb searches ever since. I rarely find anything but I have peace of mind knowing I didn’t forget anything and leave it behind. Some things would be costly to replace: a sport coat, a pair of glasses, accessories for the laptop, my cell phone, my plane ticket.
Bomb searches are good. The parents of the school children feel better about letting their kids go back into the school’s buildings. The spouses of the Congressional staff breathe a sigh of relief. The chauffeur can start the diplomat’s car with peace of mind. And I can check out of the hotel with no worries…just be sure not to pack one of those $3 bottles of water.

Luke 15 tells of the shepherd leaving 99 sheep safe in the fold while he goes out to find the one that is lost. The shepherd conducts a bomb search and finds the lost sheep.

I must have been hard to find. Crowded on the small terrestrial ball with 6 billion others some 2000 years after the cross and eons upon eons beyond the idea of salvation was planned in God’s mind and heart. He must have conducted a bomb search that culminated on Calvary. He was looking for me. He was not wanting me to stay lost. He was looking for you.

Lord, that you would seek me like you did is an awesome realization.

April 27 8:00 am
I ate breakfast in the airport. $10. Almost half the price of breakfast at the hotel. Food is food and my requirements in one place are no different than my requirements in another. And my expectations are the same: good food in a reasonable amount of time. But one is $18 and the other $10.

Arrogance is eye-catching. There he was wearing his dark suit, blue dress shirt, dark socks, and dark leather shoes. Dark, short hair with the front turned up. Perched high on his throne: the shoe shine booth. He just stepped down and walked past me. I am supper impressed with his shiny shoes.

He was second in line. The patron (they would just die if they thought someone called them a customer) before him sat in the same chair while the lady cleaned, polished, and shined his shoes, too. Then he paid with a credit card. Give the lady cash and a good tip!
I really can’t think of why someone would actually need a shoe shine in an airport. As poor a time manager as I am I still found time to polish mine the night before I left. How busy does one have to be to ask someone else to polish his shoes while he is still wearing them? I can understand a drop-off service. I just don’t get why someone would think they need to sit on the throne while someone shines their shoes.

The gate next to mine is headed to Baton Rouge. To make them feel at home the gate attendant must have been speaking Cajun; I didn’t understand a thing she said.

Oops! We are boarding all seats and all rows for Little Rock. Gotta go.

My New Favorite School

Remember the old AIC? Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference. I am an alumni of ATU. Arkansas Tech University. There was UCA, UAM, HSU, SAU, and others. OBU. Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia.

I probably should have gone there. I surrendered to preach in June 1982. Just 6 weeks after graduating high school. I had been determined to attend the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville to major in accounting and nothing would stop me. Not even my new calling to the ministry.

Teenage Baptist boys in Arkansas who have surrendered to the call to preach are supposed to go to Ouachita Baptist University to prepare for ministry. Then on to seminary. Then to a series of churches serving them and the Lord until you died.

But I went to UA and then ATU. I never thought about OBU. I probably could have played football at OBU. I probably could have met my wife 15 years earlier at OBU. And I would be a proud alumni of my new favorite school.

Go Sand Lizards! (High school) Go Wonder Boys! (College)

Go Tigers! (OBU) One of my favorite preachers and a good friend and supporter has just been named President of Ouachita Baptist University. Rex Horne will be great for the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters (even new ones, like me) of OBU.

My prayer is that he makes it a priority to mentor those teenage and twenty-something Baptist boys and girls like he has mentored me. He can impact the Kingdom even greater at OBU than at IBC.

My favorite team? The OBU Presidential Search Committee. They found a winner.

Got it!

David Jeremiah's daily devotional includes this qoute from Vance Havner: God marks some of our days, "Will explain later."

Just because I don't know or understand doesn't mean he doesn't. Some explanations will come in this life while others will come in eternity.

Lately, more days are marked this way than not.