The Iceman Commeth:

Brazilian artist Nele Azevedo created this great public installation of hundreds of icemen figures. I love outdoor and public art.

God is Looking

"When God wanted to say the biggest thing he ever said, his eyes ran to and fro throughout the whole earth, looking for...a young girl hardly more than a teenager, whose heart was perfect toward him.  For the eyes of the Lord roam to and fro throughout the whole earth, looking for the man, the woman, boy or girl, whose heart, being perfect toward him, he may show Himself strong, on their behalf." 

- Major Ian Thomas

Are you poor in spirit, mourning, hungry for righteousness, merciful, peace-loving, persecuted and pure in heart?  God is looking for you, looking to show Himself strong, on your behalf. 

Merry Christmas!!

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall he comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake"

                

- Matthew 5:3-11

A recent arrangement from my wife.

Lord, I Want to be a Christian in My Heart by barnesofheather

An arrangement from an old classic by my beautiful bride! take a listen.

Mission Adventure

The New Zealand Bible Society takes Inspiring young people with Bible Engagement to a whole new level. Heck, sign me up!!!

John Piper - How do you choose what Bible passages to memorize?

Piper says "My main reason for memorizing scripture is not to teach anybody anything, but to fight unbelief in my life, to fight discouragement in my life" Great reason!

MCA Video, mcanyc.org Video, Manhattan Christian Academy

I'll be performing here next week, looking forward to bringing the book of Jonah to these students.

Recollecting Our Self | The Noble Heart

Recollecting Our Self | The Noble Heart
A great blog post by Gary Barkalow, reflecting on Thomas A Kempis who writes, “He who learns to live the interior life and to take little account of outward things does not seek special places or times to perform devout exercises. A spiritual man quickly recollects himself because he has never wasted his attention upon externals. No outside work, no business that cannot wait stands in his way. He adjusts himself to things as they happen.” You will want to read the whole thing.

Powerful

3/4 Give

3/4 give. Consider using your social media time to give something away.

One way of making your use of social media purposeful and redemptive is to use the majority of your content as an opportunity to give something away. Things like: the word of God, encouragement, something humorous, a recommendation, encouraging news, a point of interest, referring people to a helpful resource etc.


And by bringing the more banal updates to a minimum, things like "eating toast" or "waiting in line", etc and so forth. Although eating toast with the right folks can be quite encouraging :)

Truth - North Korean Testimony | The Lausanne Global Conversation

Truth - North Korean Testimony | The Lausanne Global Conversation

A New Work In Newark!

Somerset Christian College is opening a new campus Newark. Somerset Christian is the only accredited Christian College in New Jersey! He's the God of the city!

New Logo!

Hey folks Imagine the Word and Imagine the Word's Rickshaw Theatre have new logos! One of my former students Celia Marie Baker at www.thebookwood.com has done a bang up job on crafting a logo for this ministry. be sure to check out her site.

Ephesians 1:1-10

For my Ephesians friends it's been almost two week since I've last posted, trust me, I haven't given up on you! It's been a couple of really busy weeks. Travel to California and Maine, with performances at great Churches like 1st Presbyterian in Westminster, California, and 1st Baptist in South Portland, and Smallpoint Baptist in Phippsburg, Maine, thrown in was a half-day seminar and performance at New England Bible College.

But you, my memorization crew have been on my mind and heart. I hope things are going well with all of you. Have you had an opportunity to share what you have memorized with others-how did it go? Did people stare at you like your from Mars? Sometimes it's hard to convey to others what the process of meditating on scripture is like, how significant it is to your own soul. It's still important to share it though. So let me encourage you again to gather family and friends around and share these words with them. Also, send me a clip of your memory/meditation work. It will be a great encouragement to others in this project to continue on. And you will have a greater sense of accomplishment, a little monument to what God has led you through. I've posted a small clip of a few of you who have sent me clips, as well as some of my own family who are joining in on the project. You can see the clip here.

Keep pressing forward. A little at a time, consistent review and you will make progress. Underscoring it all is our montra that the "pressure is off!" please keep that in mind. My goal is to "inspire to desire", not "wilt from guilt" :)

Send me an update, and I'll cheer you on even if your still on the first verse.

PS. Did any of you find the first three versus the hardest to memorize of all so far? I sure did, seemed like it took me two weeks just to get those three.

Imagine the Word: Bicycle Rickshaw Theatre

Memorize Ephesians With Me - (A) Method

One of the questions I most often get from people is "How do you memorize?" This is actually a hard question for me to answer, because I don't really have (A) way to memorize scripture, instead I have about 5-10 ways that I explore when memorizing.

For those of you who are familiar with the popular P90X the physical fitness program, you will know that one of the advantages of this program is that it offers you a variety of exercises from muscle toning, cardio, yoga, wth generouse doses of abdominal work. "Muscle confusion" is what they tout as a real advantage of their program. The idea being that if you stay with one set form of workout, soon your muscles will plateau, and you will begin to see deminished results. BUT if you mix your workout up, your muscles will remain sufficiently confused, allowing you to experience greater gains.

In a similar way, mixing up my approach to meditation and memorization I have found to be helpful. The fact that I get board easily is also a big factor.

That said, I do want to offer you a few approaches and try to model them. In this weeks video, I demonstrate (a) method that is espoused by Pastor John Piper. I have tried similar things before, but never as strictlly as Piper describes. For the sake of demonstration, I've towed the line closely, and have spent the last couple of days really trying to adhear to this approach.

So here it is: Read the passage (a select few versus, in my case no more than three at a time) out loud, ten times, (Each time I make a hash mark on paper, to make sure that I am completing this sequence.) then I close the Bible and try to recite as much of the 1-3 versus that I can from memory. Then I continue to go over it from memory, looking back to the passage as needed.

I do this for ten minutes. The following day, I'll spend ten minutes with another 1-3 versus, and try to include the previous days 1-3 versus. Soon you will find that you are going more than ten minutes, but most of that time will be actuall reciting versus that you already know by heart. You will find this encouraging, and you will also find yourself becoming far more efficient in the way you are remembering things. Give it a try and tell me what you think!

Also, still waiting for some video clips of you guys offering a passage in Ephesians. I recieved one video thus far, and am still hoping for more. It doesn't have to be a long portion, it can be; one, two three versus, however many you want. Nothing is too small. Take a momement and documet it via video and send it my way!

Great fun being with you on this, I do appreciate the emails and comments.
I pray you have a remarkable day, with much joy!

Wonder!

Hunter

Luke 2 Excerpts by Orison

This video is from little Orison Piper, grandson of Pastor and author, John Piper. read his Mother Molly's description of how they learned this extended passage of scripture together, the simplicity of what they have done is worth paying attention to.

"During the month of December, we decided to read Luke, Chapter 2 every night before bed with Orison. We would do our Advent Calendar reading for the night, then Orison would settle into his bed for Daddy to read the account of Jesus’s birth.

He got excited about the repetition and predictability of it. “Are we going to read Luke 2 tonight?!?!”

The effect of reading one section of Scripture every night for a month was surprising. Nothing we anticipated, really. But on December 23rd, Abraham got him started and did an experiment to see how many words he knew in the story.

Basically, he just kept going. And going.

He had the whole thing almost word-perfect from verses 1-21. We were STUNNED!

So our new plan for family devotions for 2009 is to introduce Orison to important people/accounts in the Bible, reading a section repeatedly for a certain amount of time. We might not do a whole month with all of them, but the repetition has proven really good for his little memory.

And it’s had its effect on us, as well. I know a lot more of Luke 2 than I ever have before. So not only do your kids get concepts and stories from the Bible into their eager little brains, but you learn it too!"

Ephesians 1 Scripture Songs

I received this youtube clip from my friend Dan in Alberta who just joined in on our trek through Ephesians. My wife Heather has a great way of putting scripture to song, too. I'll post some of her more recent stuff in future posts.

Wonder!
Hunter
BTW the guy playing guitar is NOT my friend Dan :)

The Karate Kid clip 'Jacket On'

My daughter Maggie and I went on a date this Summer to see the latest movie by Jackie Chan, "Karate Kid".

In the film Jackie has agreed to mentor actor Jaden Smith in the secrets of Kung Fu as a way of defending himself against bullies, win a scheduled bout against his bigger and stronger rival, and of course win the heart of the cute Chinese girl.

For training, Jackie offers him the singular instruction of repeatedly hanging up his jacket...thats it! hang up his jacket, over and over. "Jacket on" "jacket off" is the extent of the instruction offered to the eager young boy, who is expecting something more elaborate, something that at least looks like Kung Fu. Jackie offers no explanation, for hours each day all the boy hears is his Sinsei's mantra of "jacket on, jacket off".  the boy eventually snaps an decides to quit and walk out.

In this video clip above Jackie finally reveals the meaning of this mundane task.

I found this to be a fun parallel for spiritual disciplines like memorizing scripture.  Often the work of memorizing seems like donkey work, just plodding over and over again, words and phrases that you have already read hundreds of times, with times in the process where you question the fruitfulness of the exercise.  The exercise itself is not the point however, instead the exercise is an indirect path to a more important goal.

Most of us have learned at some point in our Christian life that God has done a work in our hearts in converting us, that our hearts have been made right with God.  Luke says that we have been given a "good and noble" heart.  These "new" hearts need to go into training however in order to be fully experienced.  That is what discipleship is, becoming an apprentice with Jesus, arranging our whole lives around the things that Jesus does.  Spiritual disciplines like memorization of scripture allow us to train our new heart.  We cannot live like Jesus simply by willing it to happen.

Even the word "discipline" implies a need to correct a weakness, and now with a new heart this transformation of the self, the mind, body and spirit are capable of transformation because the Spirit lives in us.  And the renovation of our hearts are brought about in part through disciplines.  Sometimes "repetitive" and "mundane " like taking your jacket on and off, over and over again, they work to free us to live in the Kingdom and to be fully alive to the new hearts won for us through Jesus.

 Jackie says "Jacket on, be strong:  Jacket on, firm:  Jacket off, remember, always strong."  Now watch the video one more time and as you listen to Jackie's last words try substituting the word/s "Jesus" or "the Word of God" for Kung Fu.

Jesus is our Sinsei, and we are his apprentice.  Now pick up the Bible - ready?   "Ephesians on!" "Ephesians off!"

Belleview Christian SLR Update

This video is a follow up to the Spiritual Life Retreat of Belleview Christian School in Westminster, CO. Recorded for their Chapel Service on Oct. 6th.

Memorize Ephesians With Me - Home Again!

Hey guys,

we are one day shy of week two, and I wanted to have us rethink our goal. I know from experience, that at about this time you can get even more intimidated by the challenge ahead than when you first began. If this is what you are experiencing, I want you to do something...forget the book. Thats right, just forget about doing the whole thing, instead consider Chapter one only. We can think about the other chapters later. Lets just move through this first step and allow God to bless and shower his love over us, and the rest of the mountain can wait.

So go to www.biblegateway.com and print up chapter 1 and enjoy every minute of your time in it!

God is good to us!!

Memorize Ephesians With Me-Colorado Update 2

Hey friends,

This last update includes a short clip from my friend Brad Tillotson, a young man who climbed Mt. Denali in Alaska for his thirtieth birthday. Brad makes some beautiful and insightful comments about the nature of God's call on our lives. For Brad this is expressed in his desire to climb the largest Mountain on our Continent, Mt. Denali in Alaska (Denali is an Athabaskan word which means "the Great One"). Brad says that he wants to climb the mountain because it "provides a window into his soul, I wanted to look at the mirror and see whats there...I want to be free inside".

This is a parallel and picture of why I look to memorizing books of the Bible. The Word becomes a mirror into my soul, that helps me see what is inside. The encouragement that I find, especially as I have looked into the book of Ephesians is that the mirror is reflecting something that I wouldn't have anticipated. It's reflecting back to me what God sees, God sees someone who is loved by God, Chosen before the world was created to be holy and without fault. Someone who God enjoys. Forgiven, showered in God's kindness, grace, wisdom and understanding, identified as His own, full of the Holy Spirit, purchased to be His. All that expressed in the first 14 chapters!

What an amazing mirror. I've heard it said, that "we will never be able to grow beyond the way we are able to see ourselves". How kind of God to show us a glimps of the new creation. Paul later on in this book says that "we are God's masterpiece". So hard to fathom, but that is the invitation, to look at this soul searching mirror, and keep climbing, as "high as we can get" as Brad says, to look up at the face of God and say "I love you".

May you find moments this week when you look into the mirror of God's word and see what God sees. A new creation, a son or daughter with a "good and noble heart".

Keep climbing, I'm right behind you!

Hunter.

Memorize Ephesians With Me - Colorado Update 2

Hey friends,

This last update includes a short clip from my friend Brad Tillotson, a young man who climbed Mt. Denali in Alaska for his thirtieth birthday. Brad makes some beautiful and insightful comments about the nature of God's call on our lives. For Brad this is expressed in his desire to climb largest Mountain on our Continent, Mt. Denali in Alaska (Denali is an Athabaskan word which means "the Great One"). Brad says that he wants to climb the mountain because it "provides a window into his soul, I wanted to look at the mirror and see whats there...I want to be free inside".

This is a parallel and picture of why I look to memorizing books of the Bible. The Word becomes a mirror into my soul, that helps me see what is inside. The encouragement that I find, especially as I have looked into the book of Ephesians is that the mirror is reflecting something that I wouldn't have anticipated. It's reflecting back to me what God sees, God sees someone who is loved by God, Chosen before the world was created to be holy and without fault. Someone who God enjoys. Forgiven, showered in God's kindness, grace, wisdom and understanding, identified as His own, full of the Holy Spirit, purchased to be His. All that expressed in the first 14 chapters!

What an amazing mirror. I've heard it said, that "we will never be able to grow beyond the way we are able to see ourselves". How kind of God to show us a glimps of the new creation. Paul later on in this book says that "we are God's masterpiece". So hard to fathom, but that is the invitation, to look at this soul searching mirror, and keep climbing, as "high as we can get" as Brad says, to look up at the face of God and say "I love you".

May you find moments this week when you look into the mirror of God's word and see what God sees. A new creation, a son or daughter with a "good and noble heart".

Keep climbing, I'm right behind you!

Hunter.

Memorize Ephesians With Me - Colorado Update

We are about four days in to our trek through Ephesians...how's it going? Remember to go easy on yourself. This takes some practice, most of us are not used to this kind of discipline, and it might seem clunky and a bad fit at first, but don't worry that's normal. G.K Chesterton once said "anything worth doing is worth doing badly". I love that quote, it helps take some of the pressure off. In fact that was something that I woke up with this morning, the thought that the pressure is off. Grace means the pressure is off. I don't have to earn, or measure up, or have it all together, instead we are welcomed, and accepted, and loved, just as messed up as we are right now. That's good news.

The last video post i mentioned that I was a bit overwhelmed at the response, 20 people in one day deciding to join in on this project. By the end of the day it was at thirty people, and this morning I woke up to another five. So our numbers are growing! Very exciting, there is so much in this letter that my heart needs to wrestle with, so much for the Church to re-awaken to that I can't help but think this holds great promise for our lives and for the Kingdom. That said I woke up this morning, a bit anxious about all the people coming along, and the high expectations we often have at the start of a project like this. I know from past experiences, that we can often walk away from these things worse for ware. We feel like a failure for not completing our goal, and we end up more discouraged about our spiritual walk, than when we first began.

So let me say from the onset, that the pressure is OFF! I don't care if you are able to memorize 1 verse or the whole thing. Our spiritual vitality isn't linked to having a bunch of verses crammed in our head. Jesus said "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!" So lets let Jesus be our life, and the scriptures be our "pointers", something that will help us stay focused on him who is our life, OK?

Take ten minutes, read through the first 10 verses ten times out loud, then close the book and see if you can get through the first 2-3 verses without looking. Then read 1-10 again close the book and try verses 1-3 again. Just roll along with this for ten minutes and then thank God for speaking to you. Thats it!

Word for the day:
Eph 1:9,10

"God has now revealed his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure, and this is the plan, at the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ, both in heaven and on earth."

Good news! Your life in Christ brings God pleasure, you please God, how bout that?!

PS. I'll be speaking at two schools this week in Colorado, Belleview Christian, for their Spiritual Life Retreat (we are at a camp in the Rockies!) , and Ravencrest in Estes Park. One for Jr. and High school students, the other College age. So, I'll be out of contact with the web for a few days. Feel free to post comments on the blog site, encourage each other, or report your progress as you like. I'll be back in touch as soon as I can.

I appreciate your prayers.

Hunter

Memorize Ephesians With Me (2)

Day two in our Journey through Ephesians. We have folks from all over North America joining in. Old friends, new friends, people I don't really know, folks from California, Washington and Oregon, Canada, the Mid-West, and a handful from hear in New Jersey and New York. All seeking to grow, all wanting more. Here is a quote from a book I'm reading by John Ortberg it reads, "The Talmud says that every blade of grass has an angel bending over it whispering "grow,grow" God wants you to grow! I think what you are doing is beautiful, and the response was totally unexpected, and the number of folks continues to grow, so feel free to invite others along, lets see where this happens.

Be encouraged as you go through the first part of Ephesians today. and consider this:

Phil 2:13
"13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."

God is at work, and that is good news!

Memorize Ephesians With Me

Some of you know that last year I memorized the book of Ephesians and have since begun performing a dramatic retelling of the book at Churches around the country. Well, today I began a project to review the book from memory, and the thought came to me that it might be helpful to invite others along for the trek. Helpful for me, because I'll have some accountability in reviewing a book that I have memorized, and helpful for others who may be wanting to challenge themselves by memorizing a book of the Bible.

I have spoken with many of you about what an important spiritual discipline memorizing/meditating on scripture has been for me. Much of my life work and calling is to advocate for an imaginative engagement with the word of God. Meditation and the imagination are two very powerful, and often overlooked tools in spiritual development, tools that continue to play a huge role in my apprenticeship as a follower of Jesus. I'd like to take some of what I have learned and experienced, and walk along side those who are interested in engaging scripture in this way, and go after the book of Ephesians together.

I'll try to post via YouTube and this blog, a couple of posts per week that offer suggestions and encouragement. I'll also offer: resources for memorization and meditation, model my own experience, provide feedback, answer questions, and provide a place for you to comment and post your own reflections. I'll be your coach.

If your interested, let me know, email me, or post a comment on this blog. Think about sending this link to someone else, a friend, an enemy :) a group of friends, a group of enemies. Whoever, lets just work together. Slow,steady, and in community, a fellowship of the book!
lets see what happens.

In Christ.

The Book of Daniel, Part of the Process

The four year old daughter of our friends, who are missionaries in India was bitten by a Krait snake today, one of the most venomous snakes in India. Many have prayed, and the venom has had no effect, she shows no sign of the venom entering her body. We are at eight hours after the bite and she will be moved out of ICU in another hour. God answers prayer

What English Bible Should I Own? (Including a Plug for the KJV)

This is an article from Justin Taylor's blog, commemorating the 400th anniversay of the King James Bible.  The "Authorized" text has had perhaps the most profound impact on the world as any specific "thing" in the last 400yrs.  The way it has served to put the word of God within reach of the english speaking world, helping to transform both Church and societies.  Prior to this most Bibles were chained to pulpits in local Parishes, written in Latin and only read by "qualified" members of the Priesthood, and since most in the English world didn't speak Latin, the reading of the word was not understood by the listener.  Now we have many translations written in the common venacular and it is generally accepted that the Bible is for everyone to read and understand, and not just a select few.  I don't read a King James Version of the Bible, I've been reading the New Living Translation the last few years, but the Church can be thankful for the work that was done 400 years ago that began a movement, putting the word of God in the hands of everyone interested and willing.  

It's the Little Things...

Home - Radiolab

Words have the power to shape the way we think and feel. In this stunning video, filmmakers Will Hoffman and Daniel Mercadante bandy visual wordplay into a moving exploration of the power of language.

This Church Had A Man Crisis

Business Insights from the Mountain

This short clip is from Coachradio.tv I have been following this blog throughout the Summer and have enjoyed the encouragement and insight Justin brings to business coaching

The Biggest Mistake a Leader Can Make

The Biggest Mistake a Leader Can Make

What’s Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris

What's Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris from Ben Peays on Vimeo.

Walker Percy: Twenty Years Later

Walker Percy: Twenty Years Later

"Read some Percy. Then thank God for the good doctor’s reminder to us that even when there is a wasteland everywhere around us, there is love in the ruins still." - Russel D. Moore

a good little blog post about one of my favorite writers, Walker Percy.

God, the Gospel, and Glenn Beck

God, the Gospel, and Glenn Beck

This is a great blog post by Russell D. Moore.  

You Crossed the Line!

Driving Home with Maggie

Amish Buggy Ride

Brad Sherrill's New Show "PROPHETS"

Brad Sherrill's stunning 2010 performance brings the texts of the Old Testament prophets (including Isaiah and Jeremiah) to life through live performance and multimedia!
I've seen Brad's performance of the Gospel of John which was amazing, and am hoping to see this show soon.  If you have the opportunity consider seeing one of Brad's performances, or invite him to your Church.  You can find him at www.gospelofjohn.com/
 

Reflecting on New York

  There is one point, almost to be called a paradox, to be noted about New York; and that in one sense it is really new…in the sense that it is always being renewed. For New York considered in itself is primarily a place of unrest, and those who sincerely love it, as many do, love it for the romance of its restlessness.

G.K. Chesterton

New York City with TAM

Afghanistan military tea: 'Three cups of tea' a byword for U.S. effort to win Afghan hearts and minds - latimes.com

Afghanistan military tea: 'Three cups of tea' a byword for U.S. effort to win Afghan hearts and minds - latimes.com

Our century’s greatest injustice: Sheryl WuDunn on TED.com

I appreciated her examples of followers of Christ making a huge difference in changing vicious cycles into virtuous cycles.  The resurrection changes everything!

Avoiding momentum

This is from Seth Godin's blog.

Some days, even the best dentist doesn't feel like being a dentist.

And a lifeguard might not feel like being a lifeguard.

Fortunately, they have appointments, commitments and jobs. They have to show up. They have to start doing the work. And most of the time, this jump start is sufficient to get them over the hump, and then they go back to being in the zone and doing their best work.

Momentum is incredibly useful to someone who has to overcome fear, dig in deep and ship. Momentum gives you a reason to overcome your fear and do your art, because there are outside forces and obligations that keep you moving. Without them, you'd probably stumble and fall.

And yet...

And yet many of us fear too much momentum. We look at a project launch or a job or another new commitment as something that might get out of control. It's one thing to be a folk singer playing to a hundred people a night in a coffeehouse, but what if the momentum builds and you become a star? A rock star? With an entourage and appearances and higher than high expectations for your next work. That's a lot of momentum, no?

Deep down, this potential for an overwhelming response alerts the lizard brain and we hold back. We're afraid of being part of something that feels like it might be too big for us.

Hint: it probably isn't.

John Piper, on - How should miraculous gifts be used in the church?

TAM in NYC 2010

Amazing Grace

just spent the last week with the folks in the Salvation Army. Good stuff.

Taliban Kill 10 on Medical Aid Mission in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan — At least 10 medical personnel, including six Americans, were murdered in northern Afghanistan on Thursday, officials confirmed Saturday. A Taliban spokesman, reached by cellphone, claimed responsibility for the killings.

The bodies from the group, which had been on an expedition to bring eye care and other medical services to remote areas, were found shot to death in a mountainous area of Badakhshan Province, according to the provincial police chief, Aka Noor Kentoz.

The International Assistance Mission, a group that last month had a fund-raiser in Kabul for a medical expedition to Nuristan Province, said six of the dead were Americans, one was German and one was British. Dirk Frans, the executive director of the I.A.M., said the team was headed by Tom Little, an American opthamologist with four decades experience in Afghanistan and a fluent Dari speaker. Mr. Frans said the team numbered 12, including four Afghans, two of whom were killed. (READ FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING LINK BELOW)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/world/asia/08afghan.html

Preparing for Ministry

Guest Post by Dane Ortlund

Disengaged intellectualism is undoubtedly a danger for those spending a season in full-time study in the belief that God is calling them into pastoral ministry. We’ll latch on to anything besides Jesus for security and significance, even learning about Jesus. And as Piper recently reminded us so wisely, the overlap between what is learned in most PhD programs and what is needed in ministry is minimal.

But I find instructive the following statements about the value of study–statements from (or about) men who led lives and ministries that were anything but arid academic pontification.

Augustine:

[S]uch is the depth of the Christian Scriptures that, even if I were attempting to study them and nothing else, from boyhood to decrepit old age, with the umost leisure, the most unwearied zeal, and with talents greater than I possess, I would still be making progress in discovering their treasures. (quoted in Peter Brown, Augustine of Hippo, 263)

Samuel Miller, commenting on Jonathan Edwards’ 1723 decision to return to Yale as an academic tutor after a brief New York pastorate:

Many a nice young man since, as well as before his time, of narrow views and crude knowledge, has rushed into the pastoral office with scarcely any of that furniture which enables the shepherd of souls ‘rightly to divide the word of truth’; but Jonathan Edwards, with a mind of superior grasp and penetration, and with attainments already greater than common, did not think three full years of diligent professional study enough to prepare him for this arduous charge, until, after his collegiate graduation, he had devoted six years to close and appropriate study. (quoted in Iain Murray, Jonathan Edwards, 56)

Donald Grey Barnhouse (pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church from 1927-1960):


If I only had three years to serve the Lord, I would spend two of them studying and preparing. (quoted in John Stott, Your Mind Matters, 55)

Billy Graham, to a gathering of 600 pastors in London in 1979: 

I’ve preached too much and studied too little. (quoted in John Stott, Between Two Worlds, 181)

Nitro with Maggie!

Talking After Church

Eden and me, talking it up after Church

Tim Keller: Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road (audio book, MP3, CD) - christianaudio.com

Tim Keller: Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road (audio book, MP3, CD) - christianaudio.com

Free Audio Book This Month. Coupon Code: AUG2010

Heather is Gone and We Are Starving!

JJ Abrams and the Creative Power of Mystery

A few weeks back I asked a handful of friends who I consider to be creatives, "what is it that proceeds acts of creativity for you?"  The answers were all generous and insightful, But the one from my friend Dr. Myron Penner, was answered with one word "Wonder".  JJ Abrams takes a few more words in the clip above, the answer is satisfying all the same.

Dad Life (Father's Day Opening 2010)

Pfc. Brandon Michael King. Rest in Peace

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

28-28-28 Remembering Keith Green Today

Today, July 28th, marks the 28th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Christian singer/songwriter and evangelist, Keith Green He was 28 when he died. 

Keith was one of the first Christian musicians I had ever listened to, and I was a huge fan.  This was back in 1977-79, I believe.  Our family had just come under the influence of the waning Jesus movement in Southern California.  The first youth group that I was a part of at Hillside Disciples of Christ, with Pastor Tom Wymore (actually his brother Rich, who led the group.) would go to Riverside or Calvary Costa Mesa and hear groups like Second Chapter of Acts, Chuck Gerard, Oden Fong.  And Keith of course was a/the leader in this early movement.  I'm still inspired by Keith's passion for God, his amazing talent, and the incredible music left behind.    Good memories thanks Keith! 

The Resurrection Changes Everything!

Just previewed Johnny Cash's last recordings on the American series.  Produced after his death by Rick Ruben.  These recordings are an absolute treasure.  And how fitting that track one of these his last songs be titled "Ain't No Grave"!  "Ain't no grave going to keep me down".  Cash held this hope.  so do I. 

Preview the song here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aint-no-grave/id355807230?i=355807240

John Piper - How do you prepare your sermons?

Michael Pahl's New Book!

This is what Scott  McKnight had to say about my friend Michael Paul's new book From Resurrection to New Creation: A First Journey in Christian Theology

 

"This is the way to do theology, as rooted in Story, God's own Story that emerges with yearning for resolution at the time of Jesus and which only Jesus Christ resolved. Theology has too often lost sight of this Story, but Michael Pahl's book calls us back once again to the Bible and to the earliest theologians' way of doing theology - let the gospel story be told and let that Story shape how we understand theology."

 

- Scot McKnight, North Park University

Can't wait for my copy to arrive, let me encourage you to give it a read, Michael's writing, intellect and heart are eminently worthy of it.  

Sir Ken Robinson

This is the second message delivered at TED in the past four years.  Worth a listen. 

Blog Books, and Souvenirs!

I still think it was a good idea, in fact I think it was an idea just a bit ahead of its time.  This book was an experiment really, a playful attempt to have a conversation with people we were interested in,  open it up to others, and use social media to create a tribe to help with the conversation, then publish it all up at the end of the road.

We began the project in 2005/06 and was eventually published in 07.  Blogs were becoming the thing, and the book is essentially a published form of the blog.  That was the big idea!  We convinced a publisher (Paternoster) to pay for the printing of a book, a book that any reader could read for free on the web.

To work at making the discourse rise above some of the unfocused shuffling that goes on in many blogs, we asked a handful of smart people, recognized "experts" as it were, to blog on an assigned topic like "what is postmodernism?" or, "what does a postmodern apologetic look like?" then we had the other "smart" people comment on the blog.  All very safe at this point, but what where we really stretched it out was by  inviting any reader (tribe member) on the web to offer their own comment to the questions being blogged about, with the promise that anyone  could find their own writing on the blog published in the final printed book!  Yes you too could be published with our assigned "smart people"!

So we sold it to the tribe by offering them the carrot that they too could be published with our hand selected "smart" people, simply by being a part of the conversation, being a good tribe member.

And low and behold, it worked!  A publisher printed a book that could be had for free, and tribe members bought the book that they participated in writing, and they bought it as a souvenir!  and souvenirs for their friends and family, because they were in it!

The reason I say the idea was a bit ahead of its time is because we now have best selling author and blogger Seth Godin telling his tribe members essentially the same thing.  People buy Seth's books, but virtually all of what is printed can be read for free on his blog, but they buy the book as a souvenir, a reward for being a good member of his tribe.

I remember telling the publisher that someday we would see many books published in this way, that this was the beginning of something altogether new, not sure all what, but new and different.  

I'm playing with writing another book on the imagination, the Bible and creativity made in a similar manner,  wanna play too?  I'll give you a souvenir when it's all done.

Seth Godin's Linchpin, are you a Linchpin?

Read the book this month, devoured it really, and now Heather has it with her in Alaska.  I've enjoyed Seth Godin's blog now for years, but this is the first book I have actually read of his.  Almost everything in it is in his blog, so whether you read it for free at www.Sethgodin.com or by the book, I'm pretty confident you will find his thinking on work and creativity inspiring. 

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos delivers graduation speech at Princeto...

Jeff Bezos: What matters more than your talents | Video on TED.com

Jeff Bezos: What matters more than your talents | Video on TED.com

Gift in the mail, Steven James new novel "The Bishop"

Paradise Lost, but not this guys memory

This guy is an inspiration. An hour a day and nine years later he has memorized all of Paradise Lost! has performed it in it's entirety twice from beginning to end. Three days to get through it. Find out more about John Basinger at his website http://www.paradiselostperformances.com/

He who has ears to hear...let him hear!

Joshua Bell one of the world's most renowned violinist played six of the most beautiful songs in his repertoire in D.C's Metro station. An experiment to see if peoples thinking would allow them to be stopped, and be arrested by exceptional beauty, or not. Watch this video and see what happens. And may your day be open to all that is truly remarkable.

Psalm 121 A song of Ascent - from David to Heather

I came home for lunch today and Heather had more cooking than food.
Here is a very rough cut of a song she wrote after reading Psalm 121-124
this morning. Psalms of Ascent. Take a listen!

More

God gives us a mile and we take an inch

Helping Seth Godin

Helping Seth Godin Worth the listen.

The Worst Football Dives Ever -- Ham Actors

I have been inspired by some of the acting talent I've seen during the World Cup these past few weeks. Here is a little tribute to others in the sport who are doing their best to keep their acting chops fresh.

Got this in my email last week from Haddon Robinson.

"I heartily commend Hunter Barnes and his gripping presentation of the Gospel of Mark. It is exposition in the fullest sense and well worth hearing."

Haddon Robinson

Harold John Ockenga Professor of Preaching
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

Last Thursday, I presented Mark's Gospel at Gordon Conwell Seminary and Haddon and his wife showed up. Haddon is considered by many (including myself) as the Dean of American preachers. He has published books that are THE standard homiletics texts for most evangelical preaching classes taught in North America. A Bronx native, Haddon is humble and real Christian.

Great Podcast by "The Noble Heart"

Just listened to a great podcast at The Noble Heart, a conversation with Brian Golter & Gary Barkalow discussing "Search & Rescue", the need for, and roll of a mentor / "sage" in our lives. Inspiring stuff, give her a listen at: http://www.thenobleheart.com/#/podcasts/4539573809

Heading to Edmonton May 7-11th!

Looking forward to my upcoming trip to Edmonton, AB. I've lived in Alberta for the better part of ten years, so it's a bit of a homecoming each time I make it back to the Prairies. My good friend and former colleague Myron Penner (Myron and I co-authored a book together back in 07 "A Knew Kind of Conversation")has arranged for a number of presentations of Mark's Gospel for the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton. I