Monthly Archives: February 2011

For all of you who suffer with migraines…after several years of not having one, I found one. Started yesterday. Took some pain relievers last night. Woke up with the same headache this am. I feel your pain.

But, on to better and more positive things. First, it is a Monday Holiday. It means my wife is off, so I took the day off (a good thing…see above). No particular plans, but a day to relax is always appreciated.

Saw “True Grit” yesterday. Loved it. Every minute of it. The young lady, Hailee Steinfeld, was superb. At times she looked the strong and confident woman. But there were moments she looked the frightened 14 year old. Jeff Bridges gave Rooster Cogburn new and fresh life. The hard-drinking, shoot first as questions later approach was marvelous. Matt Damon, Josh Brolin were excellent as well. If you haven’t seen the movie, it is worth the investment. I can’t wait to watch the original again (I have it on VHS…yes, I still have those antiquated boxes cluttering up some shelves). The music was extraordinary. I can’t really find anything negative to say about it. Finally, a movie that was well done.

Closing thoughts…Praying for some friends caught in very hard places this week.  Hope to finish Mark Batterson’s new book, Soulprint today or tomorrow. Look for a review soon after.

Enjoy the Monday Holiday!

In a recent book review the author of a new book, How to Be Perfect: One Church’s Audacious Experiment in Living the Old Testament Book of Leviticus the author identifies Leviticus as “the graveyard where read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year plans go to die” (quoted athttp://www.crosswalk.com/11645809/). I have been reading a few chapters in Leviticus each evening before I go to sleep. I am tempted to skip over the chapters on skin diseases, mold and mildew and other topics.

But, I also am reminded of two significant truths as I read Levitivus. First, God is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives…even to the level of what kind of mildew afflicts our homes. I have no interest in being a mold inspector except in this way: what areas of my soul are moldy? What areas of my heart and mind have become infected with subtle and almost invisible sin?

Second, as I read through Leviticus I am reminded that God demands His people reflect His holiness regardless of the cost. Though people with certain skin diseases are forced to live outside the camp, they are not forgotten nor are they to be neglected. The separation reminds me that there are significant costs to following God’s purpose for my life. Reading Leviticus reminds me that there are some costs I may yet need to pay.

If you are struggling to read through Leviticus you may find it helpful to read the book referenced above. I haven’t read it, but I agree with the author…we cannot afford to ignore any part of God’s Word!

Pastor Stev

 I am thoroughly intrigued by the doctrine of the Trinity because it remains just beyond my ability to grasp. So any time a book comes along that claims to help me understand what is just beyond my grasp…I can’t resist. SoI just finished reading Fred Sander’s The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010).

I found his treatment of the Trinity a breath of fresh air. I really didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know and the Trinity remains elusively beyond my ability to grasp, but Sanders has done me a favor by giving some very specific direction to ways of thinking about the Trinity. He calls the Trinity “the deep grammar of all the central Christian affirmations” (46). That helps me understand that as I preach and teach about the Father or the Son or the Spirit I am in a real sense teaching and preaching about all three.  I found his charts and diagrams thought-provoking.

Chapters four, five, and six (The Shape of the Gospel; Into the Saving Life of Christ; Hearing the Voice of God in Scripture) were the best part of the book. There is a feast of biblical truth and a wonderful supporting cast of authors from the past that help clarify and explain what sounds mysterious and oftentimes confusing.

When  I came to the last chapter, Praying with the Grain, I was hoping for more than I found. I have struggled in my prayer life of late and was hoping for some fresh and new ways of thinking about prayer. I was disappointed in his lengthy reflection of C.S. Lewis’s treatment of the Trinity drawn from Mere Christianity. I had hoped for more of what Sanders had provided in his earlier chapters.

I would recommend the book without hesitation. Feast on it. Enjoy it. Let God’s Spirit speak as you read and may your mind be stretched to learn even more how deep are the things of our God.

I wonder sometimes if I’ll ever change. Procrastination seems to be my middle name. Insecurity nourishes me (ok, it ravages me). Will God’s presence truly change me? Trevin Wax, at his blog, Kingdom People suggests that after listening to 1000 sermons at his home church, though he could not remember many specifics, he did notice that he saw Jesus in Scripture because his pastor saw Jesus in God’s Word. Trevin also affirmed that he learned how to reverently and appropriately approach Scripture because of the messages his pastor shared over a ten year period.

So, the realy question is not will I change? No, the real question is will I allow the Holy Spirit of God to change me…and wil I be patient as He works?

That’s it for today…

It has taken me longer to get around to this post than I had planned. Once my sabbatical ended I literally flew through the first week and a half. There are several things I have learned…HEre is the text of an arti cle I have submitted to the Northwest Baptist Witness for consideration and publication:

Interestingly Different  

                In June of 2010 I led our church to undergo a comprehensive consultation. It was an invigorating weekend. One of the primary recommendations made by the team was that I take a sabbatical. In October I presented the church my plan and January 2011 was set aside for my sabbatical.

                At first the thought of four weeks of not preaching, not leading Monday and Wednesday Bible studies, not being engaged in the day to day lives of God’s people was overwhelming. What in the world was I going to do with my time? I had spent the last few years overcommitted and overscheduled. A few weeks of no commitments and no fixed points for which to prepare was beyond my ability to understand. Even on vacations and short trips away I was used to preparing for the next message series.

                The first few days of my sabbatical were a struggle. I wanted to find a schedule, to fix some points along the way for which I had to prepare. But after the first several days I reveled in the idea of rest. I had been sensing for some time prior to January that I was nearly empty.

                During the sabbatical I made plans to visit four churches, three in the Northwest and one in Texas. It was refreshing to visit these churches not as the guest of a family member as normally happens during vacation but as simply a worshiper. Of course I went with the intention of learning and observing how different groups of God’s people shared their common life together but the simple act of worship, the simple act of listening to a message to just be fed was absolutely refreshing.

                The other primary activity I allowed to fill my time, besides watching some really good college basketball, was reading for both pleasure and for learning. I always have one or two books I am reading, but during my normal schedule they are usually books relating to my task as pastor or my leadership roles in the various community activities. During this month I read several novels- thank you Tom Clancy and Daniel Silva – as well as several books on leadership and strategic thinking. Perhaps the best reading I did was from my primary text, the Word of God. I was able during that month to re-establish a pattern of slowly reading God’s Word. Instead of reading to check off an activity on my to-do list I was able to read to get acquainted once again with God in His fullness.

                There are several specific results that I can identify. First, as February rolled around I was more rested than I have been for several years. Second, I have been renewed in my hunger to know God, to lead people to know Him as I know Him. Third, God was able to refresh my vision for the days and years I may have left in active ministry. In short, my family, my church, and my community received a new me!