The Pilgrim's Way

Current Reading

2011-04-04T20:08:00.004-04:00

So, here are some books I've been dipping into lately....

Wendell Berry's Life is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition. My friend Ben gave this to me, knowing that Kristie and I appreciate a lot of Berry's thought. This is a very good read. Berry takes on the subtle but dominant scientific mindset that has caused us all to view the world in terms of machinery. I think the book is basically a philosophy primer. It is a breath of fresh air in an impersonal world.

Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. I read this book in high school, and I have always remembered being struck by it. I've wanted to come back to it for years now, especially in light of reading that some pastors would put it in their top five books. I'm listening to the audio book version from audible.com. So far, so good.

Stiles' Marks of the Messenger: Knowing, Living and Speaking the Gospel. We are reading this in our small group as a church. It is an easy read with solid truths.

Gilbert's What is the Gospel? This is also a book I've been wanting to read for a little while. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a free copy on a recent trip to hear Mark Dever speak at Southeastern Seminary. Thanks, 9Marks! This book has been a good reminder of what is everyone's greatest need--the gospel.

Lloyd-Jones Spiritual Depression. This is a great collection of sermons. Whether you ever struggle with depression or not, these sermons are full of rich, biblical, practical wisdom.

I've also enjoyed listening to Russell Moore's Adopted for Life (thanks christianaudio.com for the freebie!). His biblical, theological, and practical discussion of adoption has been encouraging for me as I preach through Ephesians.

The One Year Bible

2011-02-24T09:44:00.002-05:00

I struggle with reading the Bible through in one year. There are so many good aids and Bible-reading plans out there, but I always revert to my own 'method' of Bible intake. In our recent move, I was glad to find a book my parents had brought us from their old house. It is an NIV "One Year Bible."

It is specifically laid-out for daily reading of different parts of Scripture. The publisher says: "Instead of following a Bible reading chart and experiencing the delay of turning from place to place, you will find the text here in sequence, ready for your quiet reading and meditation."

Kristie and I have really enjoyed this Bible and the built-in discipline and ease of use. Check it out!

What is True Christianity?

2010-11-03T22:16:00.002-04:00

"...it is a faith that is lively and full of vigour, so that it spares no labour, when assistance is to be given to one's neighbours, but, on the contrary, all the pious employ themselves diligently in offices of love, and lay out their efforts in them, so that, intent upon the hope of the manifestation of Christ, they despise everything else, and, armed with patience, they rise superior to the wearisomeness of length of time, as well as to all the temptations of the world."

-- John Calvin, in his commentary on 1 Thess. 1:3

The Good Fortune of Wheaton College

2010-09-23T17:20:00.004-04:00

Praise God for the new president of Wheaton College, Phil Ryken. I am truly overjoyed at his appointment there. Why? Well, I'm not an alumn, but I did visit Wheaton when I was looking at potential colleges. I held it in high esteem because of their commitment to Christ and to rigorous academics.

In recent years, they have not been a bastion of biblical fidelity in some respects--this is not to say that Wheaton has gone to the dogs; it hasn't. It is to say that their choice of Ryken speaks volumes about the future direction of the school.

Check out a nice photo-tour of his inauguration on the Wheaton College website, and go here for a more in-depth article on why this is a big deal.

Bible Intake

2010-06-25T22:01:00.002-04:00

There is no substitute for making sure that we regularly expose ourselves to the life-giving food that is the Word of God. I think this is the bottom line--regular exposure.

Misplaced guilt can come when we get the idea that we have to spend thirty minutes to an hour intensely dissecting a passage of Scripture every day to be holy. Maybe what we need from time to time, instead, is to read a whole book--not for 30min. but in one sitting for hours. Or, maybe we need to make sure that we are caring for others with the Word (our wives, friends, unbelievers) even as we continue to give attention to our own intake.

I have no corner on the market as far as ideas for Scripture intake, but here are a few things I've been doing lately that help me hear and meditate on the Truth:

1) I listen to Bible-saturated music when I can. Specifically, I like to find music that has the words of Scripture verbatim. A Boyce College professor and frequent visitor at the church I attend, Jim Orrick, has a couple of cd's out where he sings some Psalms directly from the New King James version of the Bible. Good stuff!

2) I meditate on Scripture by copying passages down verbatim. Verbatim is a Latin word, by the way.....I think. Or it is from a Latin word. Anyhoo, since I've been working at the Highlands Latin School and their publishing arm, Memoria Press, I've seen the benefit in seemingly small things--things like beautiful cursive writing. So, I've really been enjoying the double benefit of practicing my cursive (which still needs work) by writing down Scripture passages that I read or that I want to meditate on or commit to memory. Usually I take an 8.5 x 11" piece of paper and fill-up one side at any given sitting. Perhaps I will have much of the Scriptures copied one day, and I can give it to my son, Cole.

3) I listen to the Bible being read often. Sometimes, this means listening to my own voice (apparently, it is fairly novel in the history of the world to do what almost all of us do today--read silently) as I read Scripture aloud. But, what I mainly am thankful for in this regard is the gift that God has given us lately in audio Bibles. Go to www.esv.org, type in a particular passage, and then listen to a brother (I don't know who he is) helpfully read the text with appropriate expression. Or, do yourself a big favor and purchase Max Maclean's Listener's Bible, available in several versions. Listening to the Bible as it is read by those who attempt to read it well can be very beneficial.

What are your thoughts or practices in the area of Scripture intake?

Another Blog

2010-05-27T22:16:00.003-04:00

I look forward to posting more here at the Pilgrim's Way as often as I am inspired to do so. I will also be posting on the blog of Crossway Church of Goldsboro, where I will serve as a pastor in the near future! Praise God for the work that He is already doing in eastern NC. Pray that the Kingdom of Christ would flourish there.

Check us out at www.crosswaylife.com and click on "blog" to view our thoughts; there are a few posts up already.

Fiction is not False

2010-05-16T21:37:00.005-04:00

After months of on-and-off reading, I finally finished Leif Enger's Peace Like a River. Kristie had read it a while back in her book club, and I also found out that John Piper was high on the work. So, I picked it up with eagerness, and I was not disappointed. While it's not my favorite book of all time, it was worth the time and effort.

I like what one reviewer said about the book: "Peace Like a River is a book that serves to remind us why we read fiction to begin with."

Here is Piper's blog about the book.

And, here is a helpful article on why we should give ourselves to fiction . . . becuase fiction is not false.

David McCullough: Literary Historian

2010-03-17T19:26:00.005-04:00

I am a big fan of the historical writings of David McCullough. You might be familiar with his recent popular titles, 1776 and John Adams (probably his best known book, which also spawned the HBO miniseries by the same name, directed by Tom Hanks). I am currently listening to his The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge as I drive around town.

I was pleasantly surprised to come across this assessment of one of my favorite authors--McCullough--in Gordon's Why Johnny Can't Preach:

"Now, some historians border on the literary. My family lives just north of Pittsburgh, and the city's own David McCullough is a historian who has developed a fairly compelling narrative style over the years. . . . his later books (especially his book on John Adams, but also his volumes on the Panama Canal and the Brooklyn Bridge) disclose a command of narrative that certainly approaches artful."

Treat yourself to a McCullough book; you won't regret it!

*photo credit here

Want to be a Preacher? Major in English Lit.

2010-03-09T19:08:00.003-05:00

In Why Johnny Can't Preach, T. David Gordon writes that he encourages college freshmen who aspire to be preachers to strongly consider majoring in English literature. Gordon is not the first to do this. He notes that James Boice, the great expositional preacher of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philly until his death in 2000, was likewise encouraged to make English lit. his course of study in college; Boice followed through with this at Harvard.

Gordon notes that many people have been surprised with the success of Boice's young successor at Tenth Presbyterian, Philip Ryken (who, now, has been appointed president of Wheaton College--great news!!!), also a faithful and effective expository preacher. But, we should not be surprised, because Ryken is the son of the well-known Wheaton English professor Leland Ryken (I cannot recommend the Literary Study Bible, edited by this father and son team, more highly).

The point, again (see previous post), in all of this is that careful attention and acquired ability in the art of reading texts can often have the effect of honing the sensibilities needed for faithful preaching of the text of ancient Scripture.

I am thankful to God that two men whose ministries I have benefitted from preach the Word faithfully--Jeff Long, my home pastor, who first taught me the value of expository preaching, and John Piper. Both of these men and many others studied English literature in college.

Johnny Randolph: Turn off the T.V. and read poetry!

2010-03-07T21:18:00.002-05:00

T. David Gordon has written a very helpful little book in his Why Johnny Can't Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers. He argues that we do not even realize the sad state of preaching in the church today. The all too familiar refrain from congregations across our land is, "We love our pastor; he's not the greatest preacher, but he is very good with the people." Gordon's thesis is that this real problem is not wholly due to the minister himself (or herself; unfortunately, Gordon sees the gender issue as relatively unimportant); external factors in our world contribute greatly to the sad state of preaching in our day. Specifically, Johnny is so inundated with media (t.v., movies, internet, etc.) that his sensibilities for preaching effectively are no longer properly developed.

Johnny cannot:
- read texts (closely and carefully read ancient texts like Scripture)
- write (compose his thoughts in an orderly and understandable manner)
- distinguish the significant from the insignificant (because we live in front of the t.v., which, by
its very nature, is a medium for the insignificant)

While much of Gordon's book is critical in tone, his criticism is very helpful. And, he does offer a positive way forward. The sensibilities of aspiring preachers and current preachers can be retrained and positively developed. How? Gordon only briefly highlights a few things, and these include the following:

- the congregation could conduct an annual review of their preacher
- the preacher can become a student of poetry, thereby cultivating the habit of reading texts closely
- the preacher can give himself to write hand-written letters more frequently
- the preacher can seek to regularly write something that requires some degree of care and
thought: a journal, a newspaper editorial, a theological journal entry, etc.
- the preacher can write out his prayers

The Kingdom, Personal Ministry, and My Heart

2010-01-10T16:14:00.003-05:00

I am really enjoying reading Paul D. Tripp's book Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands. As the subtitle indicates, it will help both those who need change in their own lives and those who want to help others change--and, as it just so happens, all believers fit into both of these categories.

Here is a great selection that I read yesterday:

"Why are we so good at turning moments of ministry into moments of anger? Why are we so adept at personalizing what is not personal? Why does it seem that people, things, and situations are in our way? Why do we seldom go through a day without some experience of conflict? The answer to all of these questions is that we think of our lives as our own, and we are more committed to the purposes of our own kingdom than we are to God's. We need to recognize that the people in our way have been sent to us by a wise and sovereign King. He never gets a wrong address and always chooses just the right moment to expose our hearts and realign them to his." (p.107)

Thanks, PDT, for holding the mirror of the Word up to my face.

Grant Us Wisdom

2009-10-29T19:57:00.003-04:00

"I believe that today's lack of interest in guidance to God has resulted in a lot more questions about how to seek guidance from God. We simply don't know God as well as previous generations of believers did and . . . guidance from God is rooted in our knowledge of him. The more one knows of God's character and desires, the better one can live to be conformed to the image of Christ--and make the many daily decisions that must be made." (pp.19-20)

So writes James C. Petty in his book Step by Step: Divine Guidance for Ordinary Christians, published in '99 by P&R. I read this book earlier this year, and I benefited from it in many ways, not the least of which was the appendix that helps you assess your priorities in hourly, daily, and monthly life.

Overall, the book is well-worth reading, and I would give it a grade of 7.8/10 (9's and 10's are hard to come by with me). I found it a little uneven at times; some chapters (8, 11) are simply excellent, and other parts of the book are just ok. Here are some highlights . . .

Thesis: "we come to know the will of God by discernment, wisdom, and insight. The purpose of this book is to show that the Bible's answer to our need for guidance boils down to one very rich word: wisdom." (135)

"The path of wisdom is a lifestyle of repentance from serving functional gods like security, safety, control of situations, pleasure, power, ease, avoidance of pain, and approval. God will systematically expose any such rivals in our hearts that divert us from loving and worshiping him. We must be prepared for that and even search out such duplicity in our hearts." (179)

"The inordinate pursuit of entertainment can easily compete with the pursuit of wisdom." (185)

All in all, this book about wisdom is written by a wise man. Learn from him if you get the chance.

A Unique Conference

2009-10-28T17:56:00.002-04:00

For parts of the past 3 days, I have enjoyed attending the "Promoting the Gospel" Conference at LaGrange Baptist Church, 25 miles outside of Louisville, KY. I have attended conferences before. At T4G (Together for the Gospel) last year, I joined about 5,000 other believers as we sat under good teaching and sang our hearts out together. I have been to the annual conference of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation outside of Philadelphia, where several thousand of us were priviledged to hear Ed Welch talk about fear, worry, and the God of rest. This was different . . .

Two days ago, on Monday, I pulled up to the church just a few minutes before the start of the first session; regular registration was about to be over. I pulled into the parking lot of the beautiful LaGrange Baptist building and only saw about 10 other cars! What was this?? Well, to cut to the chase, there were 20-25 men in attendance at the conference this week. Aside from the free night sessions, where about 50 people from the church showed-up, we spent our day sessions in the youth room of the church building--just 20 pastors (I was one of the few men there who is not currently serving in a pastoral capacity), Tony Rose (LaGrange head pastor), Paul David Tripp, and Justin Taylor.

I'm glad that I attended this conference. Most of the men, including myself, were greatly surprised at the turnout; why shouldn't we be with the caliber of speakers and the incredible marketing that LaGrange had undertaken to promote the conference? Nevertheless, the smallness of the gathering was to our benefit. We had an intimate time with the speakers, with each other, and with the gracious God of the gospel.

Reasons I Love Summer

2009-08-22T11:23:00.002-04:00

1. Long, mostly sunny days

2. Reduced pressure (this one is in direct correlation to the fact that I've been a student most of my life)

3. Baseball season is in full swing.

4. Long, sunny days

5. Great time to hit the golf course, even if it means 9 holes from 7-9p.m.

6. Vacation

7. Great time to read whatever I want to read

8. Fresh corn from the farmer's market

9. Long, sunny days

The Founding of Harvard

2009-07-25T21:37:00.002-04:00

Kristie and I were in Boston last month. This monument is in the wall of the entryway to Harvard Yard. I knew about its founding, but it was moving to see this up close.

Al Mohler and The Southern Baptist? Seminary, Pt. 2

2009-07-16T20:45:00.002-04:00

James P. Boyce and the founders of Southern Seminary were in no way unclear in regards to their beliefs about Holy Scripture. Living, as they did, in a different age with a unique set of temptations to deny the full trustworthiness of Scripture (or miracles, or any aspect of historic Christian belief), these men did not waver. Nor did they see any inconsistency in summarizing in confessional form what they believed the Bible to teach. On the contrary, Boyce viewed such an action as altogether necessary to ensure the long-term faithfulness of a school that would belong to Southern Baptists themselves. He did not mandate that all Southern Baptists agree with the form of doctrine expressed in the Abstract of Principles - only that those who taught in the seminary should have no public or personal reservation in adhering to that statement.

The 1995 call for a new seminary was strange indeed. Knox clearly faulted Mohler for seeking to be true to the founding vision of the seminary. This founding vision did not meet the liking of Knox nor had it been faithfully upheld at many points in the seminary’s history. Yet, while the theology of the seminary’s founding fathers may be viewed as passé or irrelevant (which it is neither), it is a strange argument to say that such theology is inherently un-Baptist. In indicting Mohler and his adherence to the theology of the Abstract of Principles, Knox likewise indicted the very founding of the seminary he regrettably wanted to abandon.

Today, Southern Seminary continues to have the name “Baptist” on the sign out front. And this is no mere hat tip to a denominational identity that in reality has been shed in the days of the Mohler presidency. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary looks with gratitude to God for His providential guiding of men such as Boyce, John Broadus, Basil Manly, Jr., and William Williams. These men believed that, as important as the doctrine of the priesthood of the believer is to Baptist identity, it should never be turned into “freedom” to espouse things contrary to the revealed will of God. Baptists share certain beliefs in common with each other, and they share first-order beliefs in common with Christians from all generations. Both Baptist distinctives and articles of universal Christian confession are clearly laid out in the Abstract of Principles. President Mohler has led the seminary to stand upon this founding document, and it is because of this that the Southern Seminary of 2009 is a confessional and vibrant Baptist institution. We thank God that no new seminary is needed in this generation for Southern Baptists.

Al Mohler and The Southern Baptist? Seminary

2009-07-13T23:26:00.003-04:00

In the next two posts, I will reproduce parts of an article that I wrote last year in light of Southern Seminary's 150th birthday in 2009. Enjoy. I am getting close to meeting my deadline with Crossway for the book-length treatment of the subject, to be released in 2029.

More than 150 years ago, throughout the latter half of the 1850’s, James P. Boyce trumpeted the need for a new seminary that would specifically serve the needs of Baptists in the South. The new seminary envisioned by Boyce would serve the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention. This would be faithfully accomplished by the seminary faculty’s adherence to a confessional document (Southern’s Abstract of Principles) and by the promise of academic excellence, comparable to Princeton Theological Seminary in the North.

Boyce and others in favor of such a seminary, after years of making their case for its establishment, finally saw the first class of preachers come to the Greenville, S. C. based school (later removed to Louisville in 1877) in the Fall of 1859. A new seminary was needed, and, by God’s direction, a new seminary was founded.

A strange call for a new seminary came some 140 years after Boyce first articulated the case for a school to train Southern Baptist pastors. This call, found in the April 25, 1995 editorial page of the Kentucky Baptist state newspaper, was made to elicit support from Kentucky Baptists for the idea of abandoning Southern Seminary. Marv Knox, then editor of the Western Recorder, wrote that, “We need a new seminary ‘for such a time as this.” Due to President Albert Mohler’s leadership and theology, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary had jettisoned its Baptist identity, according to Knox.

The Western Recorder editor held that Baptist identity was to be found in specific notions of freedom and individual autonomy. Knox wrote, “By forsaking the priesthood of the believer, Southern Seminary has committed denominational apostasy. The seminary paint crew ought to white-out ‘Baptist’ on the sign out front. Southern Seminary no longer is Baptist.” Mohler’s insistence upon returning the school to a place of fidelity to the Abstract of Principles and his unapologetic espousing of those truths articulated in the Abstract appeared to threaten what Knox held to be at the very core of Baptist identity. Thus, after laying out his case for why Mohler had deviated from cherished Baptist beliefs, he concluded his article with a less than veiled summons for readers to consider supporting a new school, a school that would counteract the apostasy at Southern Baptist’s flagship seminary – “But how can a non-Baptist seminary prepare fully-trained Baptist ministers? As we look to the future, we will need a theological school or seminary for preparing our ministers. Some will come from other free and faithful schools, but they will not produce enough. Will Kentucky Baptists step forward?”

Can you say Sesquicentennial?

2009-06-02T20:44:00.003-04:00

That huge word has been thrown around a lot this year on the campus of Southern Seminary here in Louisville. The school is 150 years old as of 2009.

Last year, I had the privilege of serving as a research assistant to Dr. Greg Wills as he finished his work on the book you see in the picture. Published by Oxford Press, it should be released very soon (in time for the upcoming SBC Convention).

Dr. Wills is a friend, a very good historian, and a man of integrity. In the coming days, I hope to post an article that I wrote for the seminary's 150th.

Kentucky Derby Mania

2009-05-01T11:36:00.008-04:00

(Kristie here)

Since it's easy to take something for granted when you're in the middle of it, I wanted to share an insider's view of how fun Louisville is around Derby season (to say nothing of how great this city is year-round). I say insider's as in "I live in Louisville," not as in "I'm in the know or I have enough money to attend the real live Derby" sort of way :).

Louisville really comes alive the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby, but most especially the two weeks preceeding the 'Run for the Roses.' Celebrities flock to town, restaurants and businesses run Derby specials and there is some type of Derby-related party or festivity happening every day.

It seems to me that the locals either love or hate the Derby. Some people get totally into it, like the women at my work who wore their derby hats yesterday. Others purposefully leave town or get grumpy because of all the traffic and road closures. That's an interesting reaction to me, because the Derby brings so many benefits (community-wise and financially) to the city.

Speaking of locals, something I never knew before I moved here was that most Louisvillians go to the Downs the day before the Derby for the "Oaks." They even cancel schools for it every year. I don't know much about it or how significant it is, but it's treated similarly to the Derby - complete with the hats and all.

As for the Randolphs, we participated in more Derby activities this year than we have in the past two years. Here's what we've done:

- Thunder over Louisville - a huge fireworks display over the Ohio River and city skyline.

- Balloon Glow - hot air balloons light up during the night.

- Half-marathon - I ran this year and loved it. You run through the inside track of Churchill Downs.

- Opening weekend of Churchill Downs.

- Watched the Derby winner garland of roses being assembled and John tasted Derby Pie.

Lastly, we actually contemplated going to the Derby this year. It's not going to work because John is bogged down with schoolwork, we didn't want to fork out $280 for the cheapest seats, and we decided against "woodstocking" it in the infield. The infield ($40 a piece) is basically a huge party where some crazy stuff goes on. Your chances of actually seeing a horse are little to none.

Here are a few pictures of our Derby adventures.

Balloon Glow at Waterfront Park.

John, me (post-13.1 miles), and my brother Tyler
who came in for a weekend visit.

Opening weekend at Churchill Downs.

Watching the Garland of Roses being crafted.
This baby weighs 40 lbs. and uses more than
400 roses...all hand-sewn into place.

John says, "I love Derby Pie."

She Did It!!!

2009-04-28T11:45:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to mi esposa, Kristie, as she finished the mini marathon (13+ miles!) this past Saturday!!! She had a great time and kept a very good pace throughout the whole race.

I would've competed as well, but I was much too busy fasting and praying for her as she trained the past few months.

Jesus Christ

2009-04-23T00:40:00.002-04:00

I am currently working on a paper for my Person of Christ class at seminary. I chose to do an exegesis of Phil. 2:5-11. I am looking at the background of this passage, its context, the text itself, and the theological implications drawn from it.

I have found the work on this paper to be very refreshing, even though it requires a lot of effort. I'm sure some of the refreshment comes from having recently finished a much more daunting paper and from knowing that this current paper signals the completion of my ThM work at Southern Seminary (assuming all else goes well). But, the main joy, no doubt, comes from the immersion in Scripture that goes with writing a paper like this. I thought of writing on other topics--Calvin's Christology as seen in the Institutes, or Athanasius' work On the Incarnation. I am very glad, however, that I forced myself to do a Scriptural analysis. What a way to end my time at seminary . . . soaking in the Scriptures, all of which point to our humble and exalted Savior!

MY BOLD PREDICTION

2009-04-06T19:46:00.003-04:00

Or maybe not so bold . . . The Heels are very, very good.

UNC - 85
Mich. St. - 74

Sorry, Michigan residents. Your only hope now is the new American socialism.

Quatra-Fecta?

2009-02-04T13:34:00.009-05:00

(Kristie here)

I think I just made up that word, but that's what happens when creation pummels your corner of the world four times in less than three years. Tornado? Check. Earthquake? Check. Hurricane? Check. Ice storm? Check. I think we're running out of options, though I did hear that a volcano is preparing to erupt in Alaska where my brother and sister-in-law live.

(photo by Larry Brannin, KBC)

Thankfully, we had power during the entire ordeal and had coincidentally already booked a trip to Florida to visit my newborn neice, Elisabeth. She's beautiful, and we thank God for her little life.

The Christian Life

2009-01-13T19:04:00.003-05:00

1 Peter 1:8 has long been a favorite verse of mine - "and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory."

I have been a Christian for the majority of my life, and from the time that I was converted as a child, I have always felt that this verse speaks volumes about the fundamental heartbeat of a child of God.

It is also true that joy inexpressible is not the only experience of a follower of Jesus. Like Him, we suffer and war against the devil. The Christian life is not a neat and clean type of deal; it is exhilarating, messy, hugely difficult, impossible, and worthwhile, to only mention a few descriptors. The Christian life is a fight of faith. It is communal, individual, intensely oriented towards God alone, and yet consumed with the good of others.

I love concise books on the Christian life. I am building a little collection of books to which I can continually return and which I can recommend to others, books that serve to illuminate the Scriptures and their place of primacy in the Christian's life. So far, my collection is as follows:

- Martin Luther on "The Freedom of a Christian"
- Charles Leiter's Justification and Regeneration
- Ron Julian's Righteous Sinners
- Milton Vincent's A Gospel Primer

Each of these books is pretty short, and each of them offers immediate benefit to the Christian who seeks to follow Christ amid the obstacles of the world, the flesh, and the devil. The gospel is at the heart of each of these books.

Lately, I have been helped by Calvin's Institutes and David Powlison's Seeing with New Eyes as well. Calvin's work is 1500+ pages I believe, but it was originally much shorter. It was always intended to serve as a helpful resource for the "average" Christian-a resource on doctrine and the Christian life. My reading of it so far dispels even my own suspicions about Calvin, not to mention the suspicion of those who largely disagree with the theology associated with his name. In other words, Calvin is imminently practical, refreshing, God-honoring, and readable.

So, what are your thoughts on the Christian life? What books do you think are wonderful companions to the Scriptures?

President Bush is a Bibliophile

2008-12-31T15:43:00.002-05:00

I was intrigued to read the below article and discover that our current president loves books. Not only this, he actually reads a lot-about a book a week plus the Bible every year.

http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB123025595706634689.html

I am currently immersed in Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, etc. for a class on the Reformation. This makes for some great reading. Kristie and I are listening to a Wendell Berry novel on audio cd as we traverse the country this holiday season.

Christ our Righteousness

2008-12-08T14:01:00.004-05:00

"But one day . . . this sentence fell upon my soul, 'Thy righteousness is in heaven'; and methought withal, I saw with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at God's right hand; there, I say, as my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say to me 'He wants my righteousness,' for that was just before him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, 'the same yesterday, today, and forever.'

"Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed . . . Oh! methought, Christ! Christ! there was nothing but Christ that was before my eyes . . . Now I could look from myself to him, and would reckon that all those graces of God that now were green on me, were yet but like those cracked goats and four-pence-half-pennies that rich men carry in their purses, when their gold is in their trunks at home: Oh! I saw my gold was in my trunk at home! In Christ my Lord and Saviour. Now Christ was all; all my righteousness, all my sanctification, and all my redemption."

-John Bunyan

My 100th Post!!! First Person to Comment Gets a Calfskin Leather ESV Bible!!!

2008-11-13T20:49:00.004-05:00

Not really . . .

I did want to write about the fear of man, however. The Bible talks a lot about fearing God. This is something that we should do, and it is something that every Christian does, even if imperfectly.

The Bible also talks about the fear of man. This is not good for two reasons: 1) It keeps us from fearing God, 2) It means that we need and use people in an unhealthy way, and therefore we are not free to love them (while fearing God alone).

Ed Welch has written a great book that I will continue to come back to - When People Are Big and God is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man.

The guys over at 9Marks Ministries have an interesting and helpful article on this; I enjoyed it . . . http://9marks.org/CC/article/0,,PTID314526%7CCHID598014%7CCIID2448356,00.html

Can't We Move On From Talk of Abortion?

2008-11-12T12:02:00.002-05:00

As even many Christians today seek to minimize the issue of abortion, I am reminded that we cannot follow suit in this path. We have elected a president who is an extreme supporter of abortion-rights. I just found out that even Dallas Theological Seminary's most well-known professor supported the election of Barack Obama.

Yet, as with other crucial issues, the issue of abortion will - as it has been - be minimized if not cast against the larger backdrop of issues of life and life in Christ.

I had heard much about a chapel sermon that I missed earlier this semester (Many people in the blogosphere have commented on it). I finally listened to it today, and I am glad to have done so.
Russell Moore has served the church in this message - "Joseph of Nazareth Is a Single-Issue Evangelical: The Father of Jesus, the Cries of the Helpless, and Change You Can Believe In" (Matt. 2:13-23).

Check it out!

Unfortunate News in the SBC Debate over "Calvinism"

2008-11-07T14:35:00.001-05:00

http://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/11/john-316-conference-steve-lemke-and.html

Greed and Christian Marketing

2008-10-28T21:28:00.002-04:00

This post is basically an invitation for all of my readers in 33 countries to respond to my thoughts / question . . .

I've been thinking about greed, materialism, and Christian marketing lately. I attend a school with a bookstore on the campus - a bookstore that beckons us (me) every single day that we walk by it. I find it to be both unbelievably great and a source of fierce inner turmoil (well . . . not so much). The bookstore at Southern Seminary provides a great service with some great deals as well. Book-lovers beware.

I've also been thinking about the new ESV Study Bible, which I do not presently own. This thing has been pitched as indispensable to godliness and as the cure for cancer in evangelical circles. Of course my favorite blogger, Justin Taylor, is the main guy pushing this Bible, as he is Crossway's go-to guy with this stuff.

My question comes down to this . . . Great books at great deals at Christian retail stores and amazing study aids like the ESV Bible are just that - great. I love it. Yet, I find my own heart prone to greed and materialism; the former (greed), the Bible equates with idolatry. Where is the balance between my individual fight against greed and the responsibility of Christian retailers and publishers to reign-in the type of marketing that tells us, "You are not complete unless you have this"???

Go Phils!

2008-10-25T22:39:00.001-04:00

World Series

2008-10-24T22:02:00.002-04:00

Well, we're all for the Philadelphia Philthies in this household this October. When we lived outside of Philly for one year, I adopted the Phillies as my second baseball team (the Reds are my #1). They (the Phillies) were very grateful for my gesture, so much so that they named a section of box seats after me.

Thanks to my father-in-law, we had the opportunity to see a few games. So, I am not a die-hard fan like my wife (who grew up there and who still has a baseball card of a Philly player from the early '90s that she thought was cute in her room at home), but I am glad to see them in the Series. We'll see if they can do it.

Most Enjoyable Books at Semester's Mid-Point

2008-10-23T18:06:00.004-04:00

All of these are from school, of course. Haven't had time to read much else . . .

- Richard Sibbes: The Bruised Reed - a wonderful, grace-filled work that I will certainly return to.

- C. S. Lewis: The Great Divorce - What an imagination Lewis had! a profound book.

- N. T. Wright: Surprised by Hope - my foray into Wright; I now understand his acclaim. Superb book despite some troubling points (same for Lewis above).

- George Ladd: The Presence of the Future - excellent resource for NT theology and an understanding of the "already/not yet" tension.

- Richard Mouw: When the Kings Come Marching In - building on a Puritan idea of individual salvation, Mouw helpfully demonstrates the need to see the cosmic implications of the work of Christ in areas such as politics, societal structures, etc. (whole book is an attempt to understand Isaiah 60)

- Robert Wilken: The Spirit of Early Christian Thought - Catholic perspective on the early church; very well-done and beneficial.

Well, that's it for now. Back to the books.

Kristie's pick: Wendell Berry - Hannah Coulter; My wife is a new Wendell Berry devotee.

On Blogging

2008-10-01T13:36:00.000-04:00

Here is a powerful link - http://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/10/blogging.html

Third Time's a Charm

2008-09-15T16:20:00.005-04:00

[kristie here]

We've officially experienced the natural disaster trifecta. First there was this. Then, there was this. Now, there's this.

Ike paid our city a destructive visit yesterday, leaving us surrounded by broken trees and without power. He also left us with a good reminder of how dependent we are on the sustaining hand of our God.

We are still without power at home, as are many others across Kentucky, but we are grateful that things are not nearly as bad as they could be. The governor is saying we could be without power for as much as 10-14 days, but hopefully that won't be the case.

Stay tuned for pictures if the roads near us haven't been cleared by the time I get around to taking them. Unfortunately, we won't have photos from Valhalla, where the Ryder Cup will be taking place in Louisville this week. That would only have been possible if John had been selected for tickets through the random ticket assigner.

But that's ok, because we are too busy with our favorite new activities (reading books by flashlight, waiting in line at jam-packed restaurants, and throwing away spoiled food) to care.

Actually, this forced simplicity is pretty fun. Not to mention the fact that we are practically pioneers now.

Predictions for the Next Year of Sports

2008-09-13T15:56:00.002-04:00

1. Carolina Panthers make the playoffs and win two games in the post-season. Super Bowl goes to . . . heck, I have no idea; how about the Eagles.

2. Tarheels lose 2 games in college basketball regular season and win the NCAA tourney.

3. World Series features Mets vs. LA, and LA wins in 5. (I'd like to see the Phillies overtake the Mets, but that is not a safe bet at this point. My Reds continue their annual stinkage.)

4. Americans win the Ryder Cup, being held in Louisville this coming week. Without T. Woods, they will still win in convincing fashion.

5. I don't care for college football.

6. NASCAR is the greatest. Bobby Allison will take the checkered-flag.

More School . . . A Good Thing

2008-08-12T21:32:00.003-04:00

Next week, I will begin my studies in the Th.M. (Master of Theology) program at Southern. The decision to move ahead with this was finalized only recently, but I am excited about the opportunity before me.

Studying in seminary is obviously done with an eye to vocational ministry (in most cases). At this particular point in our lives, I feel very blessed to have the best of both worlds - the opportunity for formal study at one of the world's best seminaries and the opportunity to minister and learn in my local church context.

My classes this Fall, unless something changes, will be:

- American Revivalism with Tom Nettles
- Ancient Church in the Graeco-Roman Context with Michael Haykin
- Eschatology with Russell Moore

My 'major' for the Th.M. is church history, and my 'minor' is Systematic Theology.

Reflections on Southern Seminary

2008-07-07T21:39:00.003-04:00

I spent four years of my life obtaining an M.Div. degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, four years for which I am thankful in many ways. Below are some (random) thoughts in retrospect:

- By far, the greatest classroom that I sat in was not on the campus of SBTS; it was and is my experience at my local church, Immanuel Baptist (check out our improving website on the link on the right). Our pastors are very godly and amazingly gifted in preaching and pastoring. The main preaching pastor, Ryan Fullerton, has taught us the absolute necessity of a Spirit-filled life and ministry. I am thankful for the knowledge that I've obtained at SBTS, but this knowledge will be fruitless in ministry apart from the supernatural work of the Spirit of God.

- Among other things, seminary forced me to become an avid reader and a disciplined reader. This, I trust, will serve me very well in whatever ministry the Lord has for me.

- Southern Seminary is very large and university-like; this makes relationships with professors somewhat challenging. I have, however, had the great privilege of knowing a few professors on more than a casual, classroom basis. Dr. Greg Wills, Dr. Russell Moore, and Dr. Tom Schreiner have made lasting impressions upon me. Drs. Allison and Cook were also very kind and pastoral.

Books...After Graduation

2008-07-01T21:34:00.002-04:00

Well, it's that time . . . summer time with no classes or required reading, just work, vacation and essentially free nights. So, here is what I have been enjoying in the way of books this summer:

1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - My wife, mom, and dad had all read this book so I was late in the game. I just finished it a few days ago and then watched the movie with Kristie. Very well-written. . . 8.8/10

2. When Answers Aren't Enough by Matt Rogers - I grew up with Matt in Gastonia, NC, and he is now a pastor on the campus of Virginia Tech.

3. Young, Restless, and Reformed by Collin Hansen - Very interesting read. . . 8/10

4. Uneasy in Babylon by Barry Hankins - This is a very intriguing read. It is essentially a sociological study of Southern Baptist Conservatives and American Culture (which is also the book's subheading). . . 8.5/10

5. Southern Baptist Consensus and Renewal by David Dockery - I have been greatly helped from what I have read in this book. It is very balanced and perspective-giving. . . 8/10

6. Selected readings from Martin Lloyd-Jones, including portions of his book Preaching and Preachers and sermons from his series on Romans - Lloyd-Jones has captured my attention since last summer when I read some of his Studies in the Sermon on the Mount while preparing a couple of sermons. I can say that I am a very big fan of Lloyd-Jones.

7. The Temple and the Church's Mission by G. K. Beale - I am 1/5 of the way through this book and it is somewhat slow going thus far. I can only expect that it gets continuously better and better. I want to read most of this set by D. A. Carson in the coming years.

8. Rethink by Steve Wright - This is a book about student (youth) ministry and about how it is "not working." The authors (Wright and Chris Graves) offer their prescription for the current ills in youth ministry. Pretty good book . . . 6.8/10

9. Why We're Not Emergent by DeYoung and Kluck - I received this book from the T4G Conference a few months back and never finished reading it. I was, however, very intrigued by what I read, and I am very impressed with the theological insights offered by DeYoung.

Well, there it is. As you can see, I have the disease of picking a book up and not finishing it in many cases.

More to come soon.

Back from the Great Outdoors

2008-06-09T13:37:00.002-04:00

Alaska was beautiful! Again, more to come soon...

Finished!

2008-05-19T12:17:00.002-04:00

More to come soon, hopefully (it's been a little busy around here).

Be Careful What You Wish For

2008-04-18T09:14:00.002-04:00

[Kristie here]

During a staff meeting on Wednesday, I mentioned that I've always wished I could experience an earthquake. Well, last night I got my wish. Apparently an earthquake centered in Illinois rippled through much of the midwest this morning at 5:37 am. I thought I was half-dreaming when it woke me up, but my suspicions were confirmed on my way to work as I was listening to the news on npr. In less than two years here in Louisville, we've experienced both a tornado and an earthquake!

The Big Game

2008-03-29T17:41:00.003-04:00

So, in a few hours, my (new) hometown Louisville Cardinals will take on my beloved UNC Tarheels. I recently wrote about the prospect of this game and it caused no little stir throughout cyberspace (see below, where massive amounts of people weighed in).

In hindsight, let me say that, after spending last weekend in NC, I realized that, although I like the team where I now live - U of L - the Heels are indeed my lifetime team. As the Tarheels already took care of the U of L girls this afternoon, I will look for the same tonight. I'm sure it will be a pretty good game.

Prediction: Heels win, 78-68.

Oh yeah - Davidson is totally legit, as anyone can now see. Their guards are just incredible. I hope they keep it going.

The Tourney

2008-03-20T02:56:00.003-04:00

Well, it's NCAA Basketball tourney time. I filled out my bracket earlier today. I must say that I am surprised at how life has progressed for me in recent years. That is, I am such a Louisvillian now that I almost wouldn't mind it if Louisville knocked off the Heels in the tournament. Don't get me wrong, I am still a very big Heels fan, as I've always been; yet, I have grown attached to the local favorite.

One reason for my enjoyment of Louisville b-ball is that I think Pitino is an excellent coach, and I would love to see him win a title with Louisville. They have an incredible team this year and could go very far if everything goes just right.

Scotty's First Birthday

2008-03-16T17:48:00.004-04:00

[kristie here]

Scotty the baby elephant turns one year old on Tuesday, and we went to the Zoo in the pouring rain on Saturday to watch his first birthday celebration. They had Scotty do a few tricks, and then they actually let us see him up close in his barn.

While in the barn, we ended up standing next to Scotty's primary keeper, who told us some interesting stuff, like....

- Scotty weighed 300-some pounds when born and now weighs about 1,000 lbs
- there are only 600 elephants in the U.S.
- 300 of those are in zoos, 300 others are privately owned (circuses, etc.)
- an elephant pregnancy lasts two years
- part of Scotty's food includes whole oranges and sweet potatoes

Here are two videos of Scotty's little birthday party. In the second one, Scotty (on the far left) and the other two elephants go down on their hands and knees, get up and take a bow, and then Scotty walks around them. He's adorable!

The Real Phantom of the Opera

2008-03-01T13:13:00.001-05:00

[kristie here]
John and I saw the Phantom of the Opera at the Kentucky Arts Center in January and loved it. If you are familiar at all with Phantom, check out this hilarious video starring Will Ferrell as the Phantom.

John Adams

2008-02-12T19:27:00.000-05:00

Today I finished an audio book that has proved to be one of the best listening / book experiences in my life: David McCullough's John Adams. McCullough is an amazing author (my next audio book is his pulitzer prize-winning Truman), and he does justice to an amazing man in Adams. If you're interested in the audio version, Amazon.com offers it as an audio book and traditional hard-cover style.

Adams was a genius, had a story-book marriage, and served only one term as president despite incredible contributions. He and Thomas Jefferson, the two most influential men in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, died on the same day - July 4, 1826, exactly 50 yrs. after their monumental accomplishment.

Also, check out this review of John Adams by Tim Challies.

Edward Craig Sowder

2008-02-11T22:20:00.000-05:00

Craig is a friend from my days at Liberty University. I encourage you to visit his blog. There you will find various things profound and "mundane." When Craig puts his thoughts on paper, or on a blog, he often shows forth insight from what I consider to be a very keen, humble mind.

http://www.ecsowder.blogspot.com/

Two Ways to Live

2008-01-27T16:32:00.000-05:00

[kristie here]

Have you ever come across something and thought "where has this been all my life?" You know, something that makes you wonder how you managed to live without it for all these years?

Here's a recent one for me: Two Ways to Live. I'm telling you, it's the best kept secret (unless you already know about it of course). In brief - Two Ways to Live is the greatest evangelistic tool on the planet.

John recently brought home a Two Ways tract, and I read it one night before bed. And then I felt really stupid. How could I have lived the Christian life so long without a clear way of presenting the gospel to others? Yes, I know the Romans road. Yes, I've shared my faith before and it hasn't been disastrous. But I've just always felt inept when it comes to articulating what it is I believe and why someone else should believe it as well.

Put out by Matthias Media, Two Ways combines sound theology with simple explanations and helpful graphics that move the presenter and the listener along in the most beautiful story of all time. It assumes no previous biblical knowledge and leaves behind confusing terms. Bascially, it's awesome.

The other night, we watched the DVD that gives the background for Two Ways and shows examples of how it can work in normal conversations...all done in Australian accents. What more could you ask for? :)

At the very least, we'd love for you to check out this link:

But we would also highly recommend getting your hands on some Two Ways tracts, as well as the Two Ways dvd (John bought it cheaper at Lifeway). I know John does a lot of recommending around here, but this is one shameless plug I join him in.

Now, on a lighter note, here are some other things that have made John wonder what the world was like before their discovery:

Frank Caliendo's Bush impression, Tom in the Box satire

Billy Graham

2008-01-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

So, my new favorite thing to watch is old Billy Graham crusades on TBN, Saturday nights at 10:00. We can barely get reception with our rabbit ears and sometimes we can't get it at all, but I have become hooked whenever I do have the chance to catch it on Saturday nights.

I attended a Graham crusade in the mid '90s in Charlotte. Even then, he was very old and slow in his delivery. The contrast with his early days is marked. Watching old crusades from the '60s is a treat for anyone who loves bold, authoritative, clear preaching.

I had a friend here at Southern Seminary several years ago tell me that he was a huge Billy Graham fan, and he mentioned his early preaching. I must admit that I was surprised. Surely a Reformed brother could find a better role model.....I now see what he was saying.

Of course, there are legitimate issues to consider when giving an overall assesment of Billy Graham......inclusivism, decisionism, etc. (reading Iain Murray's excellent book Evangelicalism Divided will cause much frustration with Graham's ministry). Yet, I am only grateful to God and riveted by his powerful preaching when I watch this evangelist 50 yrs. ago. If you ever get the opportunity to watch or listen to a Graham message from '50s-'70s don't pass it up.

Back at the Ranch

2008-01-03T16:49:00.000-05:00

[kristie here]

There's nothing like 14 degree weather to remind you that the holidays are over and winter is in full blast. It's actually colder here in L'ville than it was at any point during our northern holiday travels...even Canada!

This year's Christmas road trip included a weekend in Niagara Falls, a week in PA, and a trip to NYC in between. It was all so much fun, and it's hard to believe Christmas - and 2007 for that matter - is now behind us. Here are some shots from our trip.

Niagara Falls...

It was really scary when John
almost jumped over into the falls.

The 1,000 mph winds from the tall tower
made getting a good picture very difficult,
but this was great in person.

Christmas day in Pennsylvania...

Look who showed up...
Marion Barber of the Dallas Cowboys!

New York City the day after Christmas...

Waiting for the Christmas Spectacular
to begin at Radio City Music Hall.

My immediate family, along with those
who married into the craziness.

The masterminds behind the big apple trip.
Thanks Dad & Mom!

Baptism, NCT, and a Spurgeonesque Sermon

2007-12-16T19:40:00.000-05:00

1. Recently began reading through Steve Wellum's chapter on the relationship between the biblical covenants in the new baptism book put out by B&H. This really long chapter is a feast for anyone at all interested in this vitally important topic - that of how the Old Covenant and New Covenant relate. Wellum is mostly NCT (see this post) in his perspective. This essay is an excellent introduction to NCT "fleshed-out" in a practical issue like baptism.

2. Was tremendously blessed to sit under a great sermon this morning on Joshua 8, preached by our pastor, Ryan Fullerton. This sermon is, in my opinion, "vintage" Ryan Fullerton, a man of great preaching abilities who is first and foremost a pastor with a large heart. I encourage anyone to give a listen to this message that you will NOT regret devoting the time to. May the Lord encourage you.

New Covenant Theology

2007-12-11T22:49:00.000-05:00

I'm a growing fan of NCT - New Covenant Theology. What is NCT? My former pastor, Fred Zaspel, answers here: http://www.biblicalstudies.com/bstudy/hermenutics/nct.htm

I still need to study this issue of the relationship between the covenants and how the Bible fits together closely and for the rest of my life. However, I resonate with what NCT is saying.

Also, I've posted a portion of Grace Assembly's doctrinal statement below. Grace is a church that I attended during my Liberty University days. The elders there are very comfortable with NCT (something that I didn't realize / know a whole lot about while I attended). The primary preaching elder, Tim Patterson, can be seen in a picture on this post. Here is their NCT perspective:

21. The Old Covenant
The Old Covenant, with the Law of Moses as its core (1), was revealed to the nation of Israel (2), promising earthly blessings for obedience (3), and threatening curses for disobedience (4). Its purpose was never to offer eternal life (5), but rather to govern the life and worship of the Old Testament nation of Israel (6), to reveal the extent of man's depravity (7), and to foreshadow Christ and the New Covenant (8).

22. The New Covenant
The New Covenant, established through the Person and redemptive work of Christ (1), provides eternal blessings which are acquired by grace through faith (2). The Old Covenant was fulfilled in Christ, thus becoming obsolete (3). God's final words of revelation, given through Christ and His New Testament apostles and prophets (4), have become the authority concerning Christian conduct, and the interpretive lens through which the Old Testament must be understood, and applied (5).

see http://www.gaonline.org/

Seven Down, One to Go

2007-12-06T19:19:00.000-05:00

[kristie here]

I promise I'm not taking over John's blog...I've just been pinch hitting while he has ever so dilligently hit the books and juggled many other responsibilities. Anyway, we're rejoicing today for several reasons:

1. John is officially finished finals, thus ending his seventh semester of seminary. He took quite a load this semester, so it's a good feeling -for both of us- for him to be on the other end of that tunnel. Lord willing, this coming spring will be his last and he'll have earned his M.Div by May, 90-some hours of graduate work later.

2. After two days of cramming, John also just completed the GRE test today. Why the GRE? Well, he's decided to apply for doctoral work. Unable to focus on this application requirement until he was out of the dark woods of finals, he literally signed up for the test on Monday night, studied on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then took the four-hour test bright and early today.

3. He did great! Friends warned him the test was brutal, and it was. Yet God was gracious, and he made a score he's very pleased with. If everything else works out, it looks as if he'll be able to complete the rest of the application requirements by the fast-approaching deadline, which would put him in place to begin further studies in the fall (as opposed to having to wait until next spring), should he be accepted into the program. The prospect is exciting, but we are confident the Lord will guide the next season of our lives through the opening or closing of this door we're knocking curiously at.

Relief is sweet, and so are the Krispy Kreme doughnuts I came home from work with to surprise him. All of those hours studying are made quite worth it with one bite of a Krispy Kreme. It's good to have my husband 'back' ;)....

Back from NC

2007-11-25T22:23:00.000-05:00

[kristie here]

Here are a few shots from our Thanksgiving vacation with John's side of our family in North Carolina. As always, time was too short, but we had a great time!

Outside Uncle Dave's new home in South Carolina, where we spent turkey day.

Our visit to the new Billy Graham museum in Charlotte.

While we were there, we ran into the next Billy Graham...look closely...

Estela made a special trip down from VA just to see us! Thanks buddy.

Here we are with our Tony's milkshake - the best in the world.

We also enjoyed meeting up with the Brafford's and just had a plain old good time with John's parents. We are so blessed.

Deaconized

2007-11-18T21:01:00.000-05:00

[kristie here]

One of the many, many things I'm grateful to our church elders for is the seriousness with which they view service and leadership in the local church. I was reminded of this again today as John was being commissioned/ordained as a deacon in our church. We're humbled by and excited about this new season of service at Immanuel.

Here's a still shot captured from the video (thanks Josh Brown!). John and the two guys to his left are the new deacons, the one at the pulpit is our preaching elder, and the ones behind are our other elders.

The one on the far left is Juan Maclean - John's good friend and former roommate at LU. We enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship after the service at Juan & Debbie's house with Ricky Hardison and Tim & Marion Patterson, the pastor and wife at Grace Assembly, John, Juan, and Ricky's church home during the LU years.

You know someone is a good pastor/friend when he drives eight hours each way in two days just to see John become a deacon. Ok, so maybe Tim came at Juan's request, but we still were so grateful for his sacrifice and support.

Thanks for making the trip, Tim!

One more thing...

2007-11-17T21:24:00.000-05:00

In relation to the blog I posted immediately below, I would like to wholeheartedly recommend one of the best sermon series that I've ever heard. To locate it, you would go to the second page on the audio section of the church website. It is the series entitled "Men and Women..." If anyone happens to give a listen, let me know what you think.

Check it out

2007-11-17T17:11:00.000-05:00

Well, Kristie has put her magical touch on two things recently:

1. As you can tell, my blog has been redesigned. Thanks, Kristie!

2. Our church has a (much needed) new website. The picture of Louisville on the main page of the site is courtesy of my wife as well. We only charged them a $325 royalty fee. I strongly encourage you to check out the link to our church on the right. While there, don't miss the audio section, where you can listen to great teaching, particularly that of Ryan Fullerton, our main preaching elder and one of the most gifted preachers alive today.

For the Good of Your Soul and the Advance of the Kingdom...

2007-11-05T20:57:00.000-05:00

I do love the ministry of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation, based in Philadelphia, PA. I had the great opportunity of attending their annual conference this past weekend with some folks from my church. The theme / title was "Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest." Ed Welch was the main speaker, as he just released a book by the same title. Of all the great guys who work at CCEF, Welch is my favorite. His excellent books include Depression and When People are Big and God is Small, among several others.

These guys are true physicians of the soul. Some, who initially encounter the ministry of CCEF, might wonder what the big deal about biblical counseling is. On first brush, their counseling seems to consist of always going back to the Gospel and saying things that any average Christian might know or say. However, the depth and wisdom of this movement is only grasped, I think, by persistence and patience in seeing how the Gospel is not just the "simple" answer but is the resource that alone can be applied to any and every wound as a healing balm. Biblical counseling, in its truest form, is no mere dispensing of bible verses to a distressed person; it is nothing less than a restoration of Christ to counseling and counseling to the church (the slogan of CCEF).

Please, please check these guys out (see the link on the right).

Texas Tornado

2007-10-19T21:17:00.000-04:00

[kristie here]

Having never experienced a tornado, I wasn't phased all that much by the tornado warning siren Thursday night or the non-stop news coverage of the storm. It even seemed silly to me that I had to cram into a stuffy hallway in the basement of Norton Hall with countless other women while we waited for clearance to begin classes that would be cancelled 15 minutes later.

I thought it was a bit extreme...kind of like the stereotypical southern high school that cancels school when it begins to flurry. That was, of course, until we flipped on the news and a reporter was covering the spot where the tornado had touched down. We soon realized she was standing outside the Kroger grocery store just a mile or two down the road from our apartment! What?!

Then this morning while I was walking with a friend before work, we came across this site:

In case you can't tell, that's the whole side of a gas station overhead that was mutilated by the storm last night. The crazy thing is that gas station is less than 75 yards from our apartment!

So apparently tornadoes don't just happen in the wide open plains of Texas like I thought. Next time I think this Yankee will take the warnings a bit more seriously.

Are We Too "Together for the Gospel"?

2007-09-29T16:16:00.000-04:00

"Together for the Gospel" conference 2006: I missed it but was glad to be at Fred Zaspel's John Bunyan conference instead.

"Together for the Gospel" 2008: Lord willing, and with great anticipation, I'll be there.

I have to ask, however, "are there any ill-effects from such an attempt to display unity?" Strange question, maybe. Obvious answer, maybe. I know of many reasons that I love such an idea....

1) Brothers who are united around the clear gospel have joined hands.
2) Brothers who are united around the biblical / Reformed understanding of salvation have joined hands.
3) Brothers who are united around the clear gospel as it is given expression in Reformed thought have joined hands while lovingly and tenaciously clinging to truth as they perceive it in other, varying matters (In other words, C.J. Mahaney is still a Charismatic, Lig Duncan a paedobaptist, etc.).

But, can our efforts (well-intentioned and absolutely necessary) at unity, especially between (Reformed) Baptists and conservative Presbyterians, lead to a gradual erosion of those distinctives that each group holds dear? What I have in mind, specifically, are 'controversies' such as the current baptism/Lord's supper/membership debate where Baptists like John Piper desire to open their church membership to paedobaptists. Even the recent 'firestorm' over the admission of paedobaptists to the Lord's table in Baptist churches seems to be fueled at times by charicatures of traditional Baptists (read: close or closed communion Baptists) as needlessly restrictive.

Help! Please let me know your thoughts on the matter and where I can be sharpened in this question. Perhaps the very asking of the question indicates my apathetic nature towards unity. Give me your thoughts.

Links to the issues:
http://theologica.blogspot.com/2007/08/baptizoblogodebate-roundup-with_21.html
http://www.t4g.org

Another Man vs. Kitchen Story

2007-09-27T22:14:00.000-04:00

[kristie here]

You may be tempted to think all we do around here is talk about serious things. Well, that's just not true. We also laugh. A lot. We laugh at quirky people things, Nacho Libre, George W. Bushisms, and more.

Anyone who knows John probably understands when I say I also laugh a lot at John. And while you may have always known him to be a jokester, you might not know how funny he can be even when he's not trying. For instance:

John calls me at work the other day, saying he doesn't feel well. I can hear him rumaging around the cabinets as he asks me to pick up some chicken noodle soup for him on my way home. I started to express my sympathy, but was soon interrupted as he exclaimed in eureka-like fashion, "never mind, I can just eat this chicken broth!"

Apparently he had come across a can of chicken broth in his rumaging and thought it could be an acceptable replacement for noodle soup. As you may remember, I love what happens when John ventures into the kitchen without me. The man can school me in theology, politics, scrabble and tennis. I've got to hang on to something!

Must-Read Article

2007-09-19T22:04:00.000-04:00

Are you a "seminary-type" like me who has spent years avoiding works of fiction? Like me, maybe you're just too busy trying to read the latest hit theological work. I found this article by Martin Cothran to be very compelling. Martin wears many hats, including serving as an elder at a PCA church.

http://memoriapress.com/articles/fiction-false.html

To Read by 2040....

2007-09-14T15:37:00.000-04:00

Here are some biographies I hope to have read by the year 2040.....

1. Dallimore on George Whitefield

2. Murray on Martyn Lloyd-Jones

3. Spurgeon on C.H. Spurgeon

4. Edwards on David Brainerd

5. Marsden on Jonathan Edwards

Preaching Just to Hear my Own Voice...

2007-08-23T16:33:00.000-04:00

In the introduction of all of his commentaries / book-form sermons, Kent Hughes has some really good words for those who preach. He writes of a certain 'train-conductor' syndrome amongst preachers. That is, much like train conductors who have spent their lives announcing arrivals at specific destinations but who have never really seen the places which they have spoken of so loudly, Gospel heralds must beware of proclaiming glorious truth(s) which have not taken root in their souls. We can repeat things so often that the dissemination of eternal riches becomes mundane or lacking in 'first-hand' perspective.

You might have seen the pictures (see below) of me in sales mode for Memoria Press at a homeschool convention. I have learned a great deal about the products that we offer by being immersed in training for these conventions. Yet, I often found myself wanting to state half-truths or to feign knowledge when all I had was sheer ignorance. So, if someone came up to my table and wanted to know general product information, no problem. I'm your man. It starts to feel quite good to have hundreds of people listen eagerly as you lay out a defense of classical education or tout a certain product for its proven qualities.

The problem is, I am thoroughly ignorant of Latin. I have never had first-hand experience of classical education, and even though I often acted otherwise, I don't know how a Latin Teacher's manual really works on a day-by-day, week-by-week basis. It all had to stop when my wife caught me trying to answer a specific question about Latin grammar. Sure, I might have saved face by giving a short, 'neutral' answer, but I was really lying - fearing people.

So, for now, we are reading Ed Welch's helpful book When People are Big and God is Small, which I have wanted to read for years. And, I pray that, as the Puritans have reminded me, I would always preach with a 'feeling sense' of every truth I speak.

Classical Education

2007-07-28T14:52:00.000-04:00

I work for Memoria Press, the publishing arm of the Highlands Latin School here in Louisville. Memoria publishes and distributes materials for Latin, Logic, and Rhetoric throughout the states and the world.

Check out some great articles at www.memoriapress.com ('articles' section).

Classical education is something I had never really considered prior to my employment at MP. I see many benefits in it, however, and anticipate classically educating John Jr. and Kristiana.

Happenings

2007-07-16T21:43:00.000-04:00

1. Attended a "Convergence" conference at Sojourn Community Church (here in Louisville) this past weekend. They hosted Sam Storms, a Charismatic Calvinist in the same theological vein as his good friend J. Piper and W. Grudem. This combination of theological persuasions, normally thought quite rare and incompatible, promises to attract more and more attention in the near future as C.J. Mahaney's Sovereign Grace Ministries and giften men like Grudem and Piper continue to wed these two streams of thought.
I also must say a big congrats to my good friend and former roommate, Chad Lewis, who is a new staff member at Sojourn.

2. Took eight of my friends out to the woodshed for an old-fashioned beat-down in a Texas hold-em game at the home of Ricky Hardison. Kristie finished in 3rd place.

3. Ate bear-claws....two at a time.

Summertime...

2007-07-03T16:15:00.000-04:00

[kristie here]

We’ve been in a lot of places the past month and a half. Here are some snapshots of our travels:

First stop: Orlando, FL, where we worked a home school convention for Memoria Press. John transformed me into a classical education saleswoman overnight.

John in sales mode.

Next up: Colorado Springs, CO, for my brother Josh’s graduation from the Air Force Academy. We’re proud of you Josh!

Click here for more graduation pics.

And then: My hometown, PA, for Josh and Lauren’s wedding. What a fun and beautiful day…

The happy couple.

Click here for more wedding photos.

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Very Helpful Books

2007-06-28T14:52:00.000-04:00

I've had the opportunity in the past month or so to preach a couple of times at my church. On Wednesday nights, we are going through various parts of the Sermon on the Mount, Matt. 5-7. My texts have been Matt. 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart...", and Matt.5:13-16, where Jesus calls Christians salt and light.

As always, it is very refreshing to dig into Scripture in such a focused way. I have had several great aids in the form of books / commentaries.

Martyn Lloyd Jones preached for many, many months through the Sermon on the Mount, and these sermons are in book form. This has long been lauded as a modern-day Christian classic, and now I finally see why. This book is penetrating and masterful in dealing with the teaching of Jesus. It is a new favorite and I heartily (with all my heart; from the heart of my bottom) recommend it to all.

D.A. Carson rarely, if ever, disappoints. Almost 30 years ago, he wrote "An Evangelical Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount." This book is also very, very good. Carson is an excellent interpreter of Scripture and is very good in illustration and application as well.

I also relied a good bit on John Stott's exposition of the Sermon and on Kent Hughes, pastor at College Church in Wheaton, whose printed sermons are very helpful, especially for inexperienced preachers like me.

And, finally, for those eager to get the audio of my two sermons, I am in talks with Ligonier and Desiring God about putting together a collector's edition 'set', which promises to be released at a reasonable price soon.

I Loved Jerry Falwell

2007-06-18T12:13:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so I’m late. But I’d still like to pay tribute to the man who founded my alma mater and who loved Jesus Christ.

It’s basically true – folks either loathed Jerry or appreciated and loved him. Christians are no exception. A few Wednesday nights ago, when my pastor asked me about Jerry’s passing, a brother who was listening quickly voiced his overall disapproval with Jerry Falwell. I don’t remember his words, but I gathered that he thought of Jerry as more of a hindrance to the advancement of the Gospel than a help.

And, in the judgment of charity (although, at the time I was a little put off), I must say that I probably would have a few negative things to say at the death of Jerry Falwell too….had I never attended Liberty University.

I’ve become territorial now that my College Chancellor has left this world. Strange thing, maybe. I’m no Johnny-come-lately when it comes to criticizing Falwell’s theology or his appointments of seminary deans.

But, a few things place me squarely in the camp of Falwell admirers.

#1 - Jerry Falwell’s life was an outworking of his childlike love and passion for Jesus Christ. Yeah, he had that ‘swagger’ before the public eye that could be interpreted as crass Christian triumphalism. But, much of that was boldness borne out of a robust fear of God – not man. He was a man of integrity. He was not, in my opinion, a great theologian or a great expositor. He was a gifted speaker and motivator who always preached the exclusivity of Christ. For my Reformed brothers, don’t forget that it was F. Schaeffer who ‘nudged’ Jerry into the public square to bring Evangelicals out from behind 13 levels of separation from the world.

#2 – Jerry Falwell was truly loved by thousands upon thousands of those who had any acquaintance with him. Jerry was a pastor of a church, and he possessed rare pastoral qualities. He loved his people. He loved his students. He continued to perform weddings regularly until the end of his ministry, he spoke as a man who knew the human condition, he had a remarkable memory and capacity for names, and many other endearing characteristics. People listen to someone they love and trust. I am thankful to the Lord for the life and ministry of Jerry Falwell. Excellent tributes and commentary on this Christ-like man can be found in World magazine (find part of it here) and at Al Mohler’s website (here) and radio program (both from a few weeks ago).

John Turns 26!

2007-06-13T12:30:00.000-04:00

Thursday, June 14 is John's birthday!

The man who has earned every bit of my respect
and won every inch of my heart.

Happy 26th birthday John!

Worth Every Penny

2007-05-21T12:03:00.000-04:00

[Kristie here]

Now, I'm a practical person. There's a lot I could do with $60. So how did I justify a $60 purchase for season passes to the zoo?? Take a look at these photos and tell me if you wouldn't do the same...

Yep, there's a baby elephant at the Louisville Zoo, and he's cuter than any other zoo animal I've ever seen. He was even cuter than the clip of him on the 6:00 news that made me start begging John to take me to the zoo.

After nearly two months of begging (only because our schedule has been so full), John surprised me by saying we were going to get season passes. We went yesterday afternoon and spent probably 30-45 minutes watching the little guy run around and hang out with his mama. Now I can see him whenever I want.

We even gave up an extra $0.30 (watch out big spenders!) to vote in the naming contest. The choices were Jonesy, Scotty, and Angus. I picked "Jonesy," John picked "Scotty."

Anyone Else Ready for a Visit to Louisville?

2007-05-02T15:55:00.000-04:00

[Kristie here]

John is buried somewhere under 15 page papers and such for finals week, so I'm taking over the blog to post some pictures of our visitors in the past month. Don't forget to watch the Kentucky Derby this Saturday!

Our good friends Abi and Estela came to visit in March from Virginia, and we had a great time. They even treated us to Krispy Kreme donoughts and a sweet meal at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse!

I think we caught John with his hand in the cookie jar.

A fun little shot in Seneca Park.

Visiting Bonnie & Josh (fellow LU alum and SBTS lovers).

The girls talked.
The guys tried to get Muffy to do dog tricks.

Then in April, my parents made it out to Louisville for the first time since we moved here. They happened to drop in on one of the best weekends of the year - Thunder over Louisville. Over 800,000 people came out for this all-day air show and nighttime fireworks extravaganza. It's literally the biggest fireworks display in the western hemisphere...and it was incredible. We're taking reservations for anyone that wants to visit during Thunder next year.

John and me at Sweet Peas restaurant.

Dad & Mom outside Norton Hall at Southern.

This is a small slice of the thousands of
people at Thunder.

Photos just don't do the show justice...

Look - a firework above each of our heads!

We'll be the ones doing the traveling and visiting the next two months. First, it's off to Colorado in May for Josh's (brother) graduation from the Air Force Academy, and then to PA in June for his wedding. Can't wait!

Most Dominant

2007-04-19T14:37:00.000-04:00

Most Dominant Golfer ever: Tiger Woods

Most Dom. Hispanic baseball player ever: Roberto Clemente

Most Dom. American Idol Finalist: Jordan - clearly the best vocal talent

Most Dom. Hilarious and Recent book: America Alone by Mark Steyn

Most Dom. Seminary student: Matt Anderson

Most Dom. New Alaska native: Lauren Yerk

Spring...Inside & Out

2007-04-04T13:22:00.000-04:00

[Kristie here]

One of my favortie Louisville discoveries of late is the fact that spring is beautiful here! Our neighborhood is in full bloom - dogwoods, cherry blossoms, daffodils, and more.

Even better than all that was the splash of spring I found when I came home from work last night. Yes, John still surprises me at random with lovely flowers, and he did it again with some gorgeous purple tulips. Here's a close up of one peeking open last night...

Sweet Links!

2007-04-04T12:00:00.000-04:00

John MacArthur, C.J. Mahaney, and others hoop it up at SBTS - http://scottandemilyoneal.blogspot.com/

St. Patrick's Day in style-
http://mbanderson.wordpress.com/

I Love C.H. Spurgeon

2007-03-21T14:13:00.000-04:00

I'm in the middle of a class this semester on James P. Boyce (Southern Seminary 'founder') and Charles Haddon Spurgeon.....We just started Spurgeon today.
It just so happens that my favorite blog has a great, great Spurgeon quote....check it out and give me your thoughts.
http://theologica.blogspot.com/2007/03/spurgeons-recipe-for-church-growth.html

Bracketology

2007-03-19T20:05:00.000-04:00

Well, March Madness is indeed a great time of year. If my count is correct, I correctly picked 12 of the Sweet Sixteen teams. I would love to see my Tar Heels go all the way, but I have chosen Florida to repeat. Based on their performance thus far, I think that might not have been a great pick.
Next year's Final Four:
1. UNC
2. Liberty Univ.
3. Notre Dame
4. Boyce College (of the Southern Baptist Theol. Seminary)

Currently Reading:
1. Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
2. God Lit my Hair Piece on Fire - Danny Lovett
3. My Personal Tribute to Jonathan Edwards, Part VIII - John Piper
4. The Westminster Confession into the Second Decade of the Twenty-First Century: A commentary on Lig Duncan's commentary on the Westminster Confession - R.C. Sproul

Expound the Text with Eagerness!

2007-02-21T21:55:00.000-05:00

Professor David Prince was especially instrumental in teaching us to prove in practice what we believed in theory - namely, that God's Word is sufficient and authoritative. What does this look like?

When preaching, it is crucial to delight in the very text you expound. Many preachers (I witnessed an all too sad example of this very recently) will stand over their Bibles in the pulpit and 'unpack' the text with dryness, technicalities, and a monotone voice. It is only when they get to a really neat illustration or 'pet' story that they really come alive. At this point, they will move from behind the pulpit and really engage the audience. But what does this ultimately convey?

The clear answer is that such a preacher actually believes that he needs to add to the Word of God or give God some help in the act of preaching. Haven't you sat under preaching where a few verses are referenced here and there but the main bulk of the sermon is the preacher's stories?

It is imperative that we use illustrations - lots of them and really good and appropriate ones (I really, really believe that!). However, let us show in practice that we truly believe in the power of the living Word. Let's use illustrations that serve as a window to the text, never as an end in themselves. And let us preach with joy and authority - especially when standing over the Sacred text.

Lessons Learned in the School of a Great Preacher

2007-02-15T12:48:00.000-05:00

I hope to post at least 3 or 4 blogs in the near future about my experience in Russell Moore's (www.henryinstitute.org) preaching class last semester (co-taught by David Prince). The more I reflect on the class, and especially as I listen to preaching on a regular basis, I am amazed at just how good and beneficial the instruction was that I received.

Russ Moore is one of the most gifted, Spirit-filled, Christ-centered preachers I have ever heard. David Prince is basically his best friend and the pastor of Ashland Ave. in Lexington, KY. Well, that's some bio; more to come soon.

ARE YOU SICK OF PRAGMATISM YET????

2007-02-03T11:16:00.000-05:00

Let me know what you think about this......
http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/02/perspectives_bodycount_evangel.php

John Eldredge - Maybe......MAYBE NOT

2007-01-12T21:34:00.000-05:00

Let me chronicle my love / dislike affair with the ministry of John Eldredge...

1. Wild at Heart released (circa 2002) - I readily joined my Reformed brethren in condemning this work that I had not read based on the little of it that I did read that contained glaring Arminian overtones.

2. Wild at Heart read (circa 2004) - Found the book a welcome respite from the intense books and studies at school. Loved the book the more I read it; found it somewhat easy to overlook the theological faults in the book. Promoted the book to various friends. Eldredge had 'struck a chord' with me on many fronts. Bought (never read) a few other of his books.

3. Wild at Heart reviewed - My passion for this book having subsided solely with the passing of time, I perused various reviews, such as the one in MacArthur's book Fool's Gold. Still a fan of the book, I dismissed MacArthur's review as typical dogmatic, defensive Johnny Mac (who I have always loved).

4. Frustration regained (present) - One of Eldredge's newer books, Epic, received a favorable review from World's Marvin Olasky. I bought the cd and Kristie and I listened a few weeks ago in the car. The first half is good, quite good in many respects. Eldredge, as a much better exegete of the movies than Scripture, rightly hammers home the fact that the Bible is the consummate story - that of creation, fall, redemption.

The second half, however, turns sour and lays bare the faults in Eldredge's whole teaching ministry. In Eldredge, the main goal in salvation / redemption (more appropriately self-actualization) turns out to be the regaining of one's heart. Ultimately, salvation is not about Christ, His beauty, His presence here and in Heaven, but is about finding freedom for our hearts....freedom to discover the nature-loving, fist-fighting Russell Crowe man inside us all. I cannot hope to add much to the good critiques of his work that are readily available in many places. Pick up Epic on cd at your nearest Lifeway (it was $7 for me). Glean the good and consider the bad....

My final assessment : The bad definitely outweighs the good in Eldredge. He has much to say that is sooooo appealing to many men today. However, his version of the Gospel should be held in suspicion by all lovers of the Truth. No ultimate good news can be found in a message that centers on man 'finding himself' - this is man-centered through and through. I took great comfort for a season with Eldredge as my therapeutic guide; I felt that I was truly, finally finding myself. The glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is ultimately a heralding of the most awesome news, however: God rescues us from ourselves through the objective work of Christ 2000 years ago that is applied to us by the Holy Spirit through faith. "Who will rescue me from this body (this heart even) of death?" Thanks be to God - Jesus Christ, the wildest man who ever lived.

My Beautiful Wife

2007-01-09T17:03:00.000-05:00

Go to this link to see Kristie
http://www.westernrecorder.org/wr/wrsite.nsf/stories/200650-KBC-MB

Goodbye 2006!

2007-01-04T13:43:00.000-05:00

Being an only child has some great advantages. Since John doesn't have any siblings, we had his parents all to ourselves for our Christmas vacation in North Carolina. Lucky for us, they were both off work the entire week as well, so we got to log some serious hang-out time with them. The seven hour drive between us makes this all-too-rare an occasion. Thanks for everything Steve and Joan!

Here are a few highlights from our week:

- Had a great time visiting friends we hadn’t seen in a long time, including the Lovells, the Braffords, and Jared Taft.

- Got to meet baby Brammer and baby Brafford – two little guys who were born in 2006 but we hadn’t met yet.

- Practiced my golf swing a bit while accompanying John and Steve on the golf course with Joan…I’m thinking of taking lessons.

- Hit up Tony’s for our favorite milkshake in the whole world. If you're ever in Gastonia, Tony's is a must-visit (along with Sake Express).

- Saw “The Pursuit of Happyness” – great movie.

- Finished North & South, a great (and very long) mini-series about the Civil War that we began watching earlier this summer with Steve & Joan.

- Played some Scrabble with John’s grandparents. Our game is about to hit new heights with the new Scrabble dictionary Steve & Joan gave us for Christmas...oh yeah.

- Took naps whenever we felt like it.

- Loved having more spare time to read. John picked up “America Alone” and read some of Machen's "Christianity & Liberalism". I worked on “70 Great Christians”, as well as one of my presents from John, “The Disciplines of a Godly Woman”.

And now, we’re back in the saddle here in Louisville. John is really enjoying his J-term class called “The Classics of Christian Devotion”…he’ll be back here with some new posts soon. Until then, here are a few pictures from Christmas…

We couldn't believe how big baby Brafford was.
We loved meeting this little guy during our
breakfast with good friends Buddy & Laura.

Here I am on Christmas Day holding
baby Brammer, our newest little cousin.

John somehow always seems to get "smile for
the camera" confused with "make a crazy face!".
Isn't his junior high baseball jacket cool?!
(John with his parents)

I love being the designated golf cart driver almost
as much as John loves playing golf.
The 70 degree weather was a great bonus!

The greens weren't exactly green, but that didn't
matter much for the golf fanatics.

Family Ties

2006-12-22T11:45:00.000-05:00

[Kristie here]

We'll soon be sharing some Christmas pictures once we return to Louisville, but here are a few from December.

Miles away from our families, we treasure the relationships we've formed through seminary and Immanuel Baptist Church. Some of our new friends are Scott & Sunshine Piland, and Matt & Bryanna Anderson. This picture is from the night when all four of them dropped in for a surprise midnight visit for what almost became a sleepover:

And yes, Matt's PJ pants are orange.

The week before Christmas, my brother Josh and his fiancee
Lauren dropped by for a visit en route to PA from Chicago...

Josh, Lauren, me, and John at the

Louisville Slugger Museum.

Slugger Studs.

Fun at Lynn's Paradise Cafe.

MY WIFE IN THE NEWS

2006-12-15T16:54:00.000-05:00

Go to this link and scroll down to the middle of the report.....
http://www.kybaptist.org/kbc/welcome.nsf/pages/missionbddec2006

What's that Beeping Noise?

2006-12-13T15:35:00.000-05:00

If you try calling one of us, you're going to hear what a friend just described as a "weird rapid beeping sound" (thanks Steve!)...that's because we finally switched our phones to the Louisville area code. To get our new phone numbers, please leave a comment or e-mail us at john.kristie@gmail.com. Our contacts transferred over to our new numbers, but it will just take a while to reach everyone with the new info.

So, yes, even though it's been six months since we moved here, we're still working on cutting the PA ties...our license plates are next (and hopefully last) on the list to go!

Thanksgiving - Yerk Style

2006-11-28T11:41:00.000-05:00

[Kristie here]

Time flies. We had been looking forward to our week-long Thanksgiving vacation at the Yerk homestead in PA for quite some time. Now, it's all over! Below are a just a few photos from the fun we had with family and friends. Among many other things, we are incredibly thankful to God for the ability to enjoy laughing, eating, fellowshipping, and making memories.

Thanks to mom and dad for spoiling us this past week and for planning our fun family excursions to Shady Maple Smorgasboard and the Tabernacle Reinactment in Amish Country, Sight & Sound Theater, Red Lobster, an almost-trip to see the Philadelphia parade, and much more.

We're looking forward to a Randolph Christmas in North Carolina!

This was John's first Thanksgiving in PA.

My immediate family (minus my dad taking the photo,
plus my soon to be sister-in-law Lauren),

and grandparents...a slightly smaller crowd than normal

for a Yerk holiday, but perfect for sharing memories

and gratitude over excellent food!

Brother-in-law Brad, brothers Josh & Tyler,

John, and Uncle Rick.

Here's Tyler showing off his newly-learned piano skills
from Drexel University. The rest of the family gathered
'round to sing along with his selected arrangements,
including Kum-bay-ya and Jingle Bells.

Not to be outdone, John relived his
glory days on the trumpet.

Here we are, ready to attack the gigantic

Shady Maple Smorgasboard in Amish Country!

Thankful for Books....Again

2006-11-20T01:31:00.000-05:00

As I have written on this most prestigious blog before, I am extremely grateful to God for the amazing gift of books. What a blessing to be able to read! My grandfather never read a book to my knowledge, and now, a big part of my life is tied up in the reading of books.

As I write this, I have just arrived at my in-law's house outside of Philly. What a great time to write a blog - after being on the road for 13 hours! One blessing of our modern day is that we can listen to books in our car. We stopped by Cracker Barrel tonight and picked up an audio book by Anderson Cooper, of CNN fame, dealing with various foreign wars he has reported on and the tumultuous nature of his personal life.....very interesting and worthwhile book. I just can't recall the title right now.

My personal vote for book(s) of the year (at least in my life) is as follows:
1. Depression, by Ed Welch - masterful work by a gifted physician of the soul; excellent for anyone, whether the struggle itself is present or not.
2. Above All Earthly Pow'rs - Christ in a Postmodern World - This is a book that was required reading for me this semester, so that means that I wasn't able to pour over it and digest it like I would have liked to. Still, it has been a very rewarding read, one I definitely plan to return to.

I've got to get some sleep....hasta luego.

Nacho Libre Turns Calvinist

2006-11-15T10:43:00.000-05:00

Greetings to all of my 1,000+ readers. Here's what's happening.......

Nacho Libre, written by those guys from Napoleon Dynamite, turns out to be clean, mostly pointless, but redeemable due to some awesome scenes wherein Jack Black demonstrates comedic genius.....worth the rent.

Chapel at Southern Seminary has been excellent. Last Tuesday, Andy Davis, NC pastor and occasional speaker at Founders events, spoke on ten aspects of the sovereignty of God / Christ from Matt.11:20-30, one of my absolute favorite texts of Scripture (last few vv). What a great message! I am reminded of what J. MacArthur has said - something to the effect that God's sovereignty (especially in salvation) is no harder to believe or any less clear than any other doctrine in Scripture; it's just that we don't want to believe it. Concerning this very text (Matt.11:25-30), Sinclair Ferguson has said that we should point believers to these very words of Jesus when they are trying to 'swallow' the doctrine of election. Jesus gives the most wide-open invitation to come of all time, immediately preceded by one of the most clear assertions of His sovereignty in salvation.
Yesterday, Don Whitney preached on the error of Rehoboam's ways in neglecting wise counsel. Whitney, as always, was eminently pastoral and practical. Very helpful message.

The Carolina Panthers are on the prowl - watch out.

Reformation Day/Halloween

2006-10-31T13:37:00.000-05:00

[Kristie here]

In my Seminary Wives Institute class we are studying influential women throughout historic Christianity, such as Susanna Wesley, Sarah Edwards, and Ann Judson. Because my appreciation for these women of the faith continues to grow, today’s post on the titus2talk blog caught my attention. A quick and timely read for Reformation Day, this post examines Katharina (von Bora) Luther’s life and faith. Check it out at http://titus2talk.blogspot.com/2006/10/katie-luther-proverbs-31-woman.html.

Since that one is geared a bit more for women, here's another interesting Reformation Day post for all to check out: http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2006/10/reformation_day.html (don't let the name deter you from visiting...I promise it's not just for women!).

John and I plan to walk around our neighborhood tonight to see the little kids in their costumes. We’re also hoping to squeeze in a viewing of the movie Luther, which would officially begin a Randolph tradition. John brought it home for us to watch last year on Halloween/Reformation Day, and I found it to be incredibly inspiring.

Whatever you’re doing tonight, Happy October 31st!

Thoughts on the Present and Near Future....

2006-10-24T20:35:00.000-04:00

I was excited to see my pastor, Ryan Fullerton, on the 9Marks website in a panel discussion.....check it out by going to www.9marks.org , then to 'articles', then to the 'pastors and theologians forum' question. (sorry, the exact link wouldn't work)
Ryan is preaching and teaching in Romania and the Ukraine at the present time; pray for him and that the Word might spread.

C.J. Mahaney of Sovereign Grace Ministries is in chapel for the whole week here at SBTS. His message today was excellent and very refreshing. Check it out for free at www.sbts.edu (you will laugh a lot). Bob Kauflin, the Sov. Grace music director, is also here to lead worship and teach on worship. He is truly a gifted servant of the Lord; sov. grace music is excellent.

Next week, following the great opportunity to hear C.J., we will have John MacArthur in chapel for three days. He is being brought in to squelch the charismatic fervor that will have erupted on campus by the time C.J. and Bob K. leave town. In all seriousness, it will be awesome to hear the Word preached by Dr. MacA.

Our dear friends Steve and Heather Casey plan on visiting us next week from PA. They are considering the option of SBTS. You see, everyone is coming here. You too can get saved and awaken to the light. Won't you come? ht: Billy Graham

Well, more to come soon.

Good Reminders Come in Pillsbury Packages

2006-10-12T14:09:00.000-04:00

[Kristie here, guestblogging for John]

The other morning, John woke up early so he could “make” cinnamon buns for us (a Pillsbury purchase he slipped into the grocery cart the night before). As I was getting ready for work, he called out from the kitchen and asked, “What should I spray the cookie sheet with?”

I knew he really was asking, “Where is the cooking spray? I don’t feel like looking through all the cabinets to find it.”

So I told him where the spray was. And then I took a quick second to enjoy my gratitude for such a great husband. It wasn’t just because he woke up early to make me breakfast. It was because I actually like the fact that he can’t remember where everything is in the kitchen. I like that he doesn’t like to shop. I like that he is good at things I know nothing about (cars, tools, you name it).

That morning, I was reminded – once again - how thankful I am that we are different. I was reminded of how perfect God’s design is for us to have different roles as male and female, husband and wife. Obviously, there are plenty of men who can cook well – that’s not the point. I’m simply thankful that God gave me a husband who is not perfect, but is perfect for me.

There are countless little reminders of God’s goodness that I miss all the time. And while it may sound silly for a package of Pillsbury cinnamon buns to become such a reminder, these instances are of infinite worth if they turn our hearts to thanksgiving and praise.

So there’s my début on my husband’s blog. Sure, it’s got a bit of the Guidepost flavor, but hopefully it serves as a reminder not to ignore the little reminders.

Oh, and for the ladies who may read this blog, check out http://www.girltalk.blogs.com/, written by C.J. Mahaney’s wife and daughters. And while I’m at it, I’ll recommend an excellent book on marriage – Intimate Allies, by Longman and Allender.

NEW LINKS

2006-10-03T16:27:00.000-04:00

I have added some new links and hope to do so again in the near future. I have long been intending to add Fred Zaspel's page. I had the great opportunity of working at Cornerstone Church of Skippack in PA last year, and www.biblicalstudies.com provides a wealth of excellent information.
Also, I thought Dr. Russ Moore's introduction to the School of Theology at SBTS was intriguing - http://www.sbts.edu/academics/Schools/Theology/Deans_Page.aspx

Makin' the News

2006-09-08T22:22:00.000-04:00

Check out Kristie and me with my Uncle Frank outside of SBTS chapel....... http://bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=23938

He did a very good job in the pulpit....spoke with urgency and unction and faithfully treated Phil. 1. He is a busy man and I am reminded again of the great need for prayer on his behalf as he speaks with key persons and represents millions.

Finally Time, Finally Inspired

2006-08-25T22:24:00.000-04:00

Well, I am back to the old blog for the first time in a while. My Internet time is limited, and my thoughts and attention have been directed to getting settled back in Louisville and hitting the books.
I just spent tonight on the Josephus Bowl (the main lawn) at Southern Seminary, celebrating the new semester with the seminary community at the annual kick-off party. Classes have been going on for two weeks already. It was good to see many profs and their families at the party tonight; R. Albert Mohler, Jr. (RAM) made a cameo in a short-sleeved button-down shirt and khakis.....he is truly a great president. I love him. My wife and I sat and enjoyed our hamburgers (no cheese) with Gastonia, NC buds Kevin and Brannon Weisman and Mike and Robin Crowe. Jeff Long, your influence is real, brother.
I am taking four classes....Marriage Enrichment with Kristie, Christian Ethics, Preaching, and Christianity in a Pluralistic and Postmodern Society. Some good books this semester include D.A. Carson's The Gagging of God, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture by G. Goldsworthy, and Gene Veith's Postmodern Times.
We are very happy to be back at Immanuel Baptist Church in downtown Louisville (Kristie for the first time). I heard today that Tom Schreiner (himself a local pastor) said that Ryan Fullerton, my pastor, is the best preacher in Louisville. Quite honestly, I think that is being modest. To God be the glory.
I am also thankful to be working at Memoria Press, where we distribute literature for classical education.
Well, more to come soon, Lord willing!
Oh yeah....how jealous am I of my wife??? She is enrolled in the Seminary Wives' Institute and is taking a class on Baptist Beliefs with Bruce Ware! He is a true theologian with a real pastor's heart. Look for him next Fall at the John Bunyan conference in PA. Kristie also gets to go to the Mohler mansion (seminary owned) for tea with Mary Mohler soon. We hope to both get our PhDs in preaching and co-pastor in the near future.

Days of our Lives

2006-08-03T16:18:00.000-04:00

1. Livin in Louisville, KY in a van down by the Ohio River....ok, we live in an apt.

2. Groomsman in the wedding of Chris R. Clemans in Fork Union, VA.....Big congrats, Chris and Kari!!!!!

3. Saw my beloved Cincinnati Reds get beat by L.A. Dodgers....Griffey, Jr. did hit a dinger, though.

4. Rode a horse named Katie, who decided to do a 180 and take off (I survived.)

5. Got to see my cousin Tyler Dellinger while he was home briefly from Iraq. I am very proud of you Tyler, and we are all indebted to you.

6. Listening to the book 1776 while criss-crossing the country with my wife.

7. Visited Appomatox Court House.....The South will rise.

Adventures in Maryland

2006-07-10T18:23:00.000-04:00

The Inner Harbor at Baltimore

Celebrating our 1yr. Anniversary
and Kristie's 25th b-day

Me, as a good Reformed Charismatic at
Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg
(C.J. Mahaney and Joshua Harris)

Josh gave a great sermon on Luke 14, and
Kristie prophesied 3 times.

Tenth Presby

2006-07-04T15:24:00.000-04:00

Had a great time visiting historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia this past Sunday, where my bro-in-law Tyler Yerk attends. Tenth (www.tenth.org) has been home to Donald G. Barnhouse, James Boice, and now Phil Ryken (great interview with Ryken at www.9marks.org). Phil is away on sabbatical, but we were very blessed to listen to Rev. Aaron Messner proclaim God's Word from 2 Cor. 4. The music at Tenth is second to none, featuring the Westminster brass. God has richly blessed this local congregation over 177 years, and it was great to get a taste of it on Sunday. You must visit if you're in the area.

Believe, Study, Believe

2006-06-20T15:15:00.000-04:00

I've spent the last 5-6 years of my life engaged in the study of the Bible. There is certainly much to study, much gold to mine. No doubt, the study of God's Word should be a lifelong task; no one has 'arrived' as a Bible student or scholar. Proper interpretation involves diligence. Saints before us have paved the way for much of our understanding - the church fathers, the Reformers, etc. Even after centuries of study and interpretation, we see things today that were not clearly seen by those before us. The last century witnessed much growth and a great deal of progress in the way of biblical scholarship. Can we ever do enough study of passages such as Gen.1-3, Rom.9-11, Revelation, or the relationship of the Old and New Covenants?

Lately, I've been reminded of a basic truth, however (thanks to Gene Veith of World and Al Mohler on Larry King Live). We can study and exegete and seek to 'uncover' meanings of biblical passages until our faces fall off. And...we should. Rigorous study, in concert with the people of God of all ages, is non-negotiable. But let us not forget (let me not forget) that, in the final analysis, God's Word is not given so much to be scrutinized as it is to simply be received and believed. God has spoken, and He does not have a lisp or stuttering problem. So, do we place ourselves 'under' the Word of God. Do we receive it? Believe it?

What does this look like? 2 things come to mind. Homosexuality....God has spoken. We can study the intricacies of biblical teaching on the subject (James White's book is the one), but after all is said and done, do we receive and believe?
Gender roles in the home and church....God has spoken. Read Piper, Grudem, Ware, read the egalitarians (evangelical feminists). In the final say, however, do we receive and respond in obedience to God's wise ordering of church and home?
Certainly there are a plethora of other examples, but these are just a few thoughts.