National Preaching Summit

Monday and Tuesday me and several of my good preacher friends rode to the National Preaching Summit. As always there were good challenges thrown out to the preachers and there were a couple that convicted me and how I preach.

However, I was a bit disappointed in this years summit and hope next year it raises back to the level of the past.

My preaching class with Mark Scott was GREAT. I now feel better prepared to tackle the book of Matthew. Mark is a great person and communicator as well as a very gifted teacher. I look forward to seeing him at the Ingraham Conference at the End of the Month

The most Toys and Anna

Yesterday while looking at TV I could have sworn another President had passed away. The funeral procession was on CNN, Fox, etc. But it wasn't a president it was Anna Nicole Smith. I must admit I did watch some. Is this where we have come as a country? That a Stripper's funeral is good live as it happens news.

The fame was fleeting and the most attention she got was when she was dead. Is this really what life is about. This week my sermon title is "He who dies with the most toys wins." This is a lie that our whole country has bought into and Anna Nicoles funeral proves it.

Preaching From Matthew

This Week I will be at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary in Lincoln, IL (http://lccs.edu ) taking the class Preaching From Matthew. It will be taught by Mark Scott, Academic Dean at Ozark Christian College http://www.occ.edu . Mark is a great teacher and I am looking forward to hearing what he has to say.

Then next week the preaching group and I are heading off to Indy for the 2007 National Preaching Summit http://www.collegepress.com

Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity

This Sunday begins a new sermon series for my sermon study group. We are dealing with common myths you hear about Christianity. They are:

March 4- He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins
March 11- If It Feels Good Do It
March 18- All Roads Lead to Heaven
March 25- My Faith is A Private Matter
April 1- I can be a Christian On My Own.

My idea for the series title came from an outstanding book by John Stossel about the lies we are told on a regular basis by the media, politicians, and scientist. Christian Church of Jasper and Central Christian are using the Title Myth busters.

In Honor of Wade

Well I have been told it is time to post again. Wade thanks for at least looking at the Blog.

WWW

I just returned from Winter Worship in Pigeon Forge http://barnabasohio.com. Once again it proved to be an uplifting experience.

The Preaching and Singing was great. Art Bush and Steven Foster did a tremendous job leading us in worship and the best sermon of the week was last night as Lee Mason preached a very personal sermon on Heaven.

It was good to see some very good friends and to be spiritually fed. The best part was getting to see my Dad, mom, and Brother.

Vanity Vanity All is Vanity

My Friend Mike Luke got me to thinking tonight about Wealth and beauty and what it really gets you. The tragic death of Anna Nicole Smith shows us that Solomon and Jesus was right.

"Through the '90s and into the new century, Smith was famous for being famous, a pop-culture punchline because of her up-and-down weight, her Marylin Monroe looks, her exaggerated curves, her little-girl voice, her ditzy-blonde persona, and her over-the-top revealing outfits."

That quote (from AOL News) tells us what the world saw in Anna. However, it is good to remember that during the jokes and tales that will follow in the coming days. It seems apparent that the money, curves, her voice, and not even her famous good looks led her to who she really needed, Jesus Christ.

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

For as beautiful and sexy as she was, she has lost it all. She gained the whole world and lost her soul and that should be the real lesson of loss we learn from this.

It Is Amazing When The World Figures Out What God Already Knows

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070205/hl_nm/sex_teens_dc

The Above link is a story about researchers that found out that "sex of any kind", (oral or regular intercourse), is harmful to teenagers. Once again we see that there is no such thing as safe sex.
I realize that the people who did this study will fight against Abstinence Programs while telling us about this study but it just goes to show that Abstinence until marriage is the only safe and proper sex.
God knows what he is doing and it is gratifying for me when an ignorant world finally figures it out. Condoms "might" provide safer physical sex but no condom protects a heart.

Barbarian Way

I am Currently the reading Eriwn McManus book "The Barbarian Way." It is very challenging but he is making some very good points.

As I finish Reading I will discuss later. However he does make a statement worth repeating:

"...Jesus understood His purpose was not to save us from pain and suffering, but from meaninglessness."

In a world where TV preachers like Joel, Benny, and Paul tell us that Jesus wants to make us rich and happy I tend to agree more with Erwin. I am very disturbed by the number of books and tapes Ms. Olsteen continues to sell and market. If Joel is right "come Lord Jesus."

A Great Day

Yesterday we had our Annual Christmas Program. The young people performed "A Mouse's Tail." It told the story of Jesus' birth from the animals point of view. All of the did a great job and our congregation Really responded to it.

Last Night we went Caroling and had a good turn out and even had a special visitor for all the kids to talk to.

This is a very exciting week for us as we approach our annual Christmas Eve Service. I hope your Christmas will be safe and wonderful.

Is Barna Right?

I am currently Reading the book "Revolution" written by George Barna.

I disagree with some of what he says, i.e. the Local Church is a necessary part of being a Christian.

However, some of what he says is true. The saddest part is that most of those involved in a local congregation is not anymore spiritual now than when they became Christians. That is quite troubling to say the least.

It Was A Great Weekend

Tina and I were able to spend the whole weekend together in Cincinnati. We haven't seen much of each other lately and it was nice to be able to send the kids to the Grandparents and just be together.
Weekends like this make me a better husband and father and I am looking forward to the next one.

Yesterday at Church started our series called "Christmas Classics." Yes you have heard of it before. Mike Luke got it started yesterday with "Home Alone." I heard he did great.

Thanks Mike

Big Weekend

It is that time of year again. Tina and I will be heading of to Cincinatti Ohio for the weekend. This is for our anniversary and will be when we pick up our Christmas Presents (annual visit to Santa Clause).

Back on Monday

What is it like to preach?

I found this Quote and thought it was a dated but good description for the life of a Preacher.

“This is the claim I make for a good theology of preaching—that it introduces order into the chaos of a mans ministry. He is lost in the thicket and tangle of crisscrossing paths and dense undergrowth. A dozen major responsibilities tug at his sleeve, this way and that. Administrator, educator, counselor, prophet, pastor, social worker, maybe custodian, secretary, mimeographer, plumber, carpenter, and husband and parent—on the side he is expected to be many things, indeed even wants to be. But there are definite limits to his time and energy and physical composure. He would like to be all things to all men, but there are times when he feels the need of saying, ‘this one thing I do.’ And the one thing claiming precedence over all the others, demanding to stand at the center, because it has been the distinctive, necessary task of the ministry in every age, is the matter of proclamation. Nothing else will substitute for it. Its priority is absolute. It alone is capable of bringing to heel the multitudinous and variegated duties which yip and yap at the minister’s coattail like mutts of hell wherever he goes.”

Here Come The Holidays

I know the word I use is quite provocative. It is not cool to use Holidays in our midst. In the last year we have been told about the War on Christmas. John Gibson and O'Reilly have told us about the Culture vacuum and that Christians are being fought on all sides. I do agree that there is a a culture war and we must do our part I am not sure about the war on Christmas. My guess is the Christmas being spoken of is not what Christ came into the world for. Greed and Materialism is not Christmas. Christ is Christmas. God in the Flesh coming to earth born of a virgin who was killed and bodily rose again is what Christmas is about. So I am not sure we should really care what a clerk at Target or Walmart tells us when we check out. Because I bet the Christmas their is not a Christmas worth fighting for.

Sully's Place

Sully's Place Happy Mothers Day

This Step is over the new is beginning

Saturday I Graduated from Lincoln Christian Seminary. It took almost six years. In between I have had another son and changed ministries. None of this would have been Possible without a supportive family and Church. Thanks to all who made it possible.

Resurrection Sunday

We here in Shoals are gearing up for another Easter. I hope and pray that all of you will have a blessed Easter.

Preaching Summitt

If you preachers have never been to the National Preaching Summit then take the time to do that. It is in Indianapolis on March 27-28.

Look for info at http://www.collegepress.com