Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas men. I'm glad that each one of you is in my life.

this is war

Just got the new Thirty Second to Mars cd. Wow! It is really good! It's the first time I have pressed play and listened to the whole cd. I didn't want it to end. It kinda reminds me of a modern day worship style cd. It's similar to Hillsong United or Obed Edem it that it's a driven with constant electic gutair riffs with under tones of acustic rythem. It also has very strong spiritual content. Not in a worshipful but on a seeking what it's all about way.

Got this great idea

Let's do church on the internet.





Props to my friend Greg.

Dads and Christmas

Found this waiting for me when I arrived in the office today. It was very convicting as I'm the scrooge when it comes to the holidays even more so after being persecuted by my family when my brother (thanks Jon) announced that over the Thanksgiving table that Abbie wasn't going to be brought up to believe a creepy fat white guy was going to break into the house only to find out that mommy and daddy are liars. *rant

Anyway read it man up hope you all are well.

Dad needs...

1. a plan for the holidays to ensure his family is loved and memories are made. Dad, what’s your plan?
2. to check the local guides for what’s going on to make fun holiday plans for the family. In Seattle it’s here.
3. to carve out time for sacred events and experiences to build family traditions that are fun and point to Jesus. Dad, is your calendar ready for December?
4. to not let the stress of the holidays, including money, cause him to be grumpy with Mom or the kids. Dad, how’s your joy?
5. to give experiences and not just gifts. Dad, what special memories can you make this holiday season?
6. to manage the extended family and friends during the holidays. Dad, who or what do you need to say “no” to?
7. to ensure his family is giving generously during the holidays. Dad, who in need is your family going to adopt and bless?
8. to schedule a big Christmas daddy date with his daughter. Dad, what’s your big plan for the fancy daddy date?
9. to schedule guy time with his son. Dad, what are you and your son going to do that is active, outdoors, and fun?
10. to help Mom get the house decorated. Dad, are you really a big help to Mom with getting things ready?
11. to ensure some holiday smells and sounds. Dad, is Christmas music on the iPod, is the tree up, and can you smell cookies and cider in your house?
12. to snuggle up and watch some fun shows with the kids, especially the little ones. Dad, is the DVR set?
13. to take the family on a drive to see Christmas lights while listening to music and sipping cider. Dad, is it mapped out?
14. to help Mom get the kids’ rooms decorated. Dad, do the little kids get lights or a small tree in their room?
15. to read about Jesus and pray over his kids. Dad, how’s your pastoral work going with each of your kids?
16. to repent of being lazy, selfish, grumpy, or just dumping the holidays on Mom. Dad, are you a servant like Jesus to your family?

Read the rest here.

hello...hellllloooo?!

just curious if anyone is out there? Haven't seen any new post in a while, even from myself.

Checking In

I have been thinking about you guys lately. It's pretty amazing to think about all that has happened and all that God has done in all our lives since we used to chill on the patio behind Dave's or my house years ago. Heck, a lot has happened since we convened Man Night Reunion in Charleston last January. Since a fall trip didn't work out, what about another reunion in the quiet period just after the holidays? Does anyone have an opening?

1. Biggest thing that's happened in your life over the past 3 months?

Since April, Meg and I have wrestling with a sense that God is awakening (or re-awakening)some type of calling on our lives. This would be something to talk about in person (and I would love to talk about with you guys). Suffice it to say now, that we could use prayer.

2. Most challenging thing that's going on right now in your world?

Well, #1 would qualify. Also, parenting a two-year old. I'm also trying to take charge of my schedule. Between the busy-ness of family, church and work, as well as my general laziness and procrastination I think I lost control of my time. I end up not doing things that I should do/want to do (like entries on this blog, or calling Dave back).I am trying to take it back. That has been a challenge.

3. Best meal you've eat'n (because who doesn't love food)

I definitely love me some food. It's hard to point to one meal. But, Meg made me a hamburger three weeks ago that was simply amazing. The beef was good quality and perfectly cooked and all the toppings just blended together perfectly. She also made a blueberry cobbler back around June with a creme anglaise poured over it that was one of the best things I have ever eaten. Jeremy can attest to the cobbler.

4. Spiritually what are you wrestling with or learning right now?

See #1 and #2. Also, lust. Man, it just doesn't die.

5. Reading anything?

I've been reading a lot of stuff on the Holy Spirit over the past two months. It was for a study we've been doing on Sunday mornings. But, I'm just studying it for myself now. I'm reading an abridgment of Owen's work on the Holy Spririt, Francis Chan's new book "The Forgotten God", as well as Martyn Lloyd Jones' lectures on Revival. I feel my spiritual hunger and sensitivity has been raised as I have been studying the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

My b

Hey guys. It's been too long since I've posted here.

My b.

Been thinking about y'all a lot lately as I take a look at the future and where Lexie and I will eventually settle after she finishes school next December. It's intimidating to say the least, and my one hope for wherever we end up is that it'll either be near (same town, maybe?) some of you guys or that I'll be able to find a community of friends as good as y'all have been.

And now for the 5 questions:

1. Biggest thing in my life - Well, as you can probably guess, my engagement is the biggest thing that's happened to me lately. Our relationship has been getting deeper and deeper since then, and it's just made me even more sure of my decision to marry Lexie. We've been talking more honestly with each other, and I've seen huge positive changes in myself and in Lexie as we strengthen our communication. It's been great.

2. Most challenging thing: I've got a job right now that's pretty great (admin asst for an after-school program), but it keeps me from seeing Lexie much until the weekend. Since it's college football season, most Saturdays I just want to sit at home and watch college football either by myself or with a couple other guys. So the challenging part is just learning how to best use my time now that I'm not the only one who cares about how I spend my time. It's been a tough thing ever since Lexie and I have been dating, but it's definitely intensified since we've been engaged.

3. Best meal: The night of our engagement we went to a restaurant downtown called Vetri. It was and will continue to be the best food I've ever tasted. I never knew food could taste as good as the nine courses they put in front of us that night. Any description wouldn't do it justice.

4. Spiritual challenges: The most challenging thing that I've been working through has been trying to confess and repent more often. I've still been going to a counselor to talk about some Christianity-related doubts and frustrations I've been having for a long time, and one of the things we've been talking about is my conception of sin and my guilt before God. Bottom line is that I typically do think of myself as sinful and guilty, but I don't usually think it's that big of a deal since it's pretty much par for the course as a human. So to help me think more about my relationship to God, I'm trying to repent as soon as I catch myself sinning. My hope is that it'll help me think more about my sin vertically instead of just horizontally.

5. Reading: Lexie's uncle is this brilliant guy who's a professor of history and religious studies at Yale, and he wrote a good book on the Civil War that I've been reading. I've also been reading a book about interpretation and epistemology that I heard about while I was at l'Abri. As for Scripture, I've been reading John and going through NT Wright's book on that.

Gotta run now and get ready for a hot date tonight to celebrate my one year anniversary with Lexie. We're eating Vietnamese food and going to see Zombieland. Yeah. I hit the jackpot.

Some wisdom for all the newly engaged men.

Some wisdom for all the newly engaged men...


Congratulations guys excited for you.

(saw this book in Barnes, thought it was appropriate for this blog)

Hello all! I too am one of the one's that let busyness get in the way of blogging. Well, communicating in anyway to be honest. So here is my attempt, again.

1. Biggest thing that's happened in your life over the past 3 months?

well, a few things actually. One we have completely left the church we moved to AL to help start. Long sorry short, it became a very authoritative discipleship/shepherd type movement and then they started telling lies about us to people and told people not to talk to us and thats just the beginning. no need to get into anything else. I got a promotion at work, I am now a manager!
2. Most challenging thing that's going on right now in your world?

Challenging? hmmm. well learning a new job. Trying not to be bitter, which honestly I have been doing pretty good. Gods grace has definitely be with us through these past couple months. It's amazing how when you do things in the prober way (confronting and leaving) according to scripture how God truly does provide. (thanks to Randy and Dave for helping in that)
3. Best meal you've eat'n (because who doesn't love food)

the best meal has come from my own grill! I have challenged myself to learn how to grill the best chicken, steak, and burgers. I will have to say i have almost mastered it! It's all about preparation, using the write marinade and seasoning and marinading it for the right about of time, cooking at the right temp and for the right amount of time and using to right cut of meat. Most important key i will share is only flip the meat once! Some friends here have labeled my burger "The Joel Burger" and ask for it at least once a week. Yes, I take pride it this new ability!
4. Spiritually what are you wrestling with or learning right now?

This is something that I have been learning/pondering/ studying about for a while, Church. What is it? Is what we see today the way it is suppose to be? What is right and what isn't? Can I be apart of the institutional church? If it is what it is suppose to be then what in it is of God and what is of Men?
5. Reading anything?

I am reading 'Re-imagining Church" by Frank Viola

Our Fall curriculum

James and Iain this is for you.

Roll Call & Response to 5 Questions

I'm one of the ones who let busy-ness take me and keep me away from connecting here enough.

So here are my answers to what Dave proposed as "Maybe 5 questions"

1. Biggest thing that's happened in your life over the past 3 months?

Having my peaceful world turned upside down by the turmoils and burdens of 3 particular "Timothy" guys.

Simply put, God called my bluff on discipling and "doing life" with people in all situations as a brother and friend:

grieving with them, helping them find a job, out of homelessness, crying thru a failing marriage.

2. Most challenging thing that's going on right now in your world?
Fundraising for Full-time Permanent Ministry in France

3. Best meal you've eat'n (because who doesn't love food)

Jess Sagun made cube steak and gravy and mashed potatoes. Best homecooked meal this year!

4. Spiritually what are you wrestling with or learning right now?
Surrendering parts of myself to God. My whole heart. Realizing I need forgiveness not just for my sin but for the wrong motivations for my "righteous good works".

5. Reading anything?

Prodigal God by Tim Keller

Too Small To Ignore by Wes Stafford

Titus, Habakkuk

Just wanna add that Leadership Summit rocked my face off. Day 1 especially from Hybels to Keller to Harvey Carey. I pray we who attended will no longer be content to play church but to be the church 24/7. That was the gist behind every message...thru the transformative power of the Gospel Jesus.

So it's been a while...

I'm probably not the only one that has noticed our little band of brothers has been quiet over the past months. I realize there are a ton of reasons for this. Yet I also know there are some big things happening in our lives i'm sure the council would like to share in. For example Martin just drove the country from end to end, Conley just got his own place in Pgh. Doing his part to keep Larwenceville dangerous. the list can go on...

Perhaps i'm asking for a role call....

Maybe 5 questions
1. Biggest thing that's happened in your life over the past 3 months?
2. Most challenging thing that's going on right now in your world?
3. Best meal you've eat'n (because who doesn't love food)
4. Spiritually what are you wrestling with or learning right now?
5. Reading anything?

That said i'll try to get mine in before I leave for a week away at a summer camp with Middle School students.

In other news I found this on the website... http://revolutionaryman.com It's intriguing if nothing else. *the dude claims to be "spiritual" but not religious this becomes obvious when he talks of prayer. That being said I think it raises some good issues rarely addressed in Christian circles. I guess what i'm going for in this is if the secular world can shoot for stuff like this (off of what whatever world view you choose) then why is it so hard in church?

The Purpose and Value of a Men’s Group

July 15th, 2009

Goto comments Leave a comment

Since 1991 I have been in men-only groups in a variety of settings. In college I lived with 17 men for three years. I then worked for my fraternity for two years traveling the country facilitating conversation and leadership workshops with only men.

For the past eleven years I have led wilderness rite-of-passage trips with boys and men. I have even led leadership workshops at fraternity conventions with 1000+ men. I have spent thousands of hours with just men in a variety of settings.

But nothing quite compares to what happens when 8-12 guys sit in a circle and get real.

I have been in a men’s group for the past five years and these guys have witnessed me in all my colors. They have supported me and challenged me through two breakups, marriage, fathering a kid, building a business and much more.

Currently, I am leading a men’s group with 8 other men for 108-days to see what is possible when a small group of men collaborate and really work on themselves toward a greater purpose.

What about you? When was the last time you got real with another man and showed yourself to him? When was the last time another man called you on your bullshit? When was the last time you sobbed in front of another man?

Purpose & Value of a Men’s Group

In my view the purpose of any men’s group is multi-faceted. Likewise, the value is not only very subjective, it runs many layers deep. Try joining one and see what value you receive.

In the men’s work I have done for 18 years, I have recently pinpointed what I call the nine P’s in men’s personal development that are essential for a man to know and learn if he is to grow and evolve. And, the nine P’s apply to men’s groups.

The nine P’s

Partnership. This is the biggest “P” of all. This is about relationship. Ever heard of a business partner? An accountability partner at the gym? A partner for life? Like it or not, a men’s group is a committed partnership. Even if you don’t like a guy in your men’s group, you get to practice being in partnership, in relationship, with him. You are there to hold each other accountable to what you say you will do.

When you join a men’s group, you make a commitment to the men in your group to stay in the fire of the relationship without bailing out. For most guys, when things get hard, they just leave. For guys in a serious men’s group, they get in the ring and stay in the ring. When it’s time to leave, it gets talked about directly.

Power. Most men just don’t have access to their full conscious power as a man. Men’s groups help you get in touch with your full power–express it, share it and be witnessed in it.

Purpose. A common thread in a men’s group is the common purpose which we are discussing here. But within the context of the group purpose is each individual purpose. Do you know why you are on the planet? What is your life’s purpose? A men’s group can help you explore this.

Presence. A men’s group without presence is a big fat waste of time. It’s just another intellectual discussion about concepts. When men learn to become present with their experience in the moment, they are more likely to feel and more likely to be congruent. In a men’s group, you learn tools to help you “get present.”

Principled. Essentially, this means integrity. You do what you say you will do because you know your values and where you stand. You know yourself well enough to have principles. However, contrary to a lot of men, these are constantly evolving to support your evolution as a man.

Practice. Men’s groups are all about practice for the real world. Just like a basketball player practices free-throws so he is more likely to sink them in the big game, when men practice being authentically themselves, they are more likely to stay authentic and open in the real world.

For example, I might practice saying something hard in my men’s group to another man, so that I have more confidence to say it to my boss the following day.

In a group of guys in this context, you practice:

• congruence–(thoughts, words, & actions all line up)
• being authentic (being who you really are without hiding)
• taking responsibility
• openness, open heartedness (really listening to, and understanding, others)
• feeling your feelings
• speaking your truth & skillful communication (i.e. dealing with conflict)

Prayer. Yup, prayer. I’m not religious, but I am a spiritual dude. Prayer may happen in the beginning or end of a group. Shout outs to whatever you believe in or to someone you love. Asking for guidance, wisdom for yourself, the men in the circle or sending a prayer to someone you love.

Possibility. Ah yes, what is possible for you and each man in the group? Individually? Collectively? More on possibility here.

Play. A group of guys getting together in this way can be very serious. That’s why we need to lighten up in every group and have some fun. This can happen before, during or after your group. I’m a serious guy, so play is critical for me to stay open to my smile, to my laughter and to having fun with bros I care about.

For example, the men’s group I’ve been in for the past five years just implemented a monthly night to celebrate together and play together.

Why Not Turn To Women For Support?

It is a common experience among men to go to their girlfriends or wives for support, emotional or otherwise. Women get tired of this dynamic. They don’t want to be your lover and your mother. Women tell me all the time how they wish their partner had more quality man friends.

Only seeking support from women is a slippery slope. That is why it is critical to get some honest feedback from your fellow men. We need support and wisdom from both sexes if we want to grow as men.

What Men’s Groups Are Not:

Don’t worry, men’s groups are not group therapy, although they can be very therapeutic. Men’s groups are not a bunch of guys sitting around a fire singing Kumbaya. Men’s groups are not a bunch of weird freaky men just talking about their feelings (although I can be weird and freaky and talk about my feelings).

Men’s groups are definetly not for dudes who would rather keep things very much on the surface and who are afraid of intimacy, although a group can help with that guy’s fears.

Remember, a men’s group is for a brave man who is willing to face the music of his own life. There are men’s groups all over the world right now, each with it’s own unique flavor and purpose.

A men’s group can be a great support when you are going through a tough time in your life and need support. A men’s group can also be a place where you celebrate the victories in your life with great people and explore what is possible in your life. Listen to a few men discuss the value of a men’s group here.

Ultimately, a men’s group will challenge you to be who you are without hesitation, reservation or apology so that you can be the powerful guy you are who is free, fulfilled and full of energy to serve the world."

Dave here again: are we planning a camping trip this fall??

My daily...

So i've committed to doing 50 of these every day...

This is for you Dave!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLGLBVSpBzY&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Estandfirminfaith%2Ecom%2Findex%2Ephp%2Fsite%2Farticle%2F23476%2F&feature=player_embedded

Grill

WAKE UP PPL the blog is silent and i know for a fact that you ppl are up to things the council wants to hear about.

I'll lead in with this....
This was parked outside of the church this morning let me explain it's a HUGE Man grill. Not only is the entire thing diamond plated but it's a combo of propane grill and 2 propane boilers with two diamond plated propane tank housings and a grill box for all your utensils. It is the most amazing grill I've ever seen up close. Be inspired now go grill meat.

A Real Man

So this video doesn't have lot of real spiritual content, but this dude is one of the biggest b a's ever! enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJo6YZTbPXg&feature=related
For those of you who don't belong on a council of men, Hal Moore was the commander of the American Air Cavalry on landing zone xray in the la drang valley that they made the movie "We Were Soldiers" based on.

Cruciform Ethics

Hey guys. Long time no talk to. I don't have much time this morning, nor will I have much time in the next couple of weeks, but I wanted to point everyone to this really great series of blog posts I've just found.

They're by Daniel Kirk, a recent Westminster grad who is now teaching (I think) at Fuller Seminary. He's responding to a post by WTS church history prof and academic dean, Dr Carl Trueman, who suggested that the best way for Christians to "win" battles in institutions is to outmaneuver their opponents by using the bureaucratic system to their advantage. Kirk asks us to think about whether or not "playing the system" is what Christ did and would have his people do.

You can read Trueman's post here. The paragraph in question is an aside at the very end of the post, so there's not much need to read the rest of the post.

Here's Kirk's first post and his second.

At first, it was nice just to hear someone stick it to a person with whom I have major disagreements. But after a few minutes of thinking about it and some prayer, I started to get really convicted about how I personally live by the ethics of the world rather than the ethics of the cross. And I have been especially convicted when I think about what strategies I think are the most effective and what strategies I employ when I want to "win" an argument or someone's respect or gain authority.

I miss you guys. I'm not just saying that to end the post either. I'll be in SC for two weeks in the middle of July and I hope I can get together with some of y'all. If not then, then hopefully at the man gathering in the fall.

The Gospel is...

True or False: The essence of the Christian message is that you are to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. The answer is…FALSE!

This is not the message of the gospel but the message of the Law! When Jesus was asked about the sum of the Law, what did he say?

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Mat 22.37-40)

click here to read the rest of the post and let me know what you think. It got me thinking

click here to read the follow up post to it.

What He Must Be...

A friend of mine dropped by the office and gave me a book recently. The title is "What He Must Be If He Wants To Marry My Daughter". I'm only a few chapters into it. It's definitely a hard core approach but then again I'm a fan of setting the bar high. I'll let ya know how the rest of the book shapes up.

The Art of Manliness!

I saw this today, and thought of Randy. There's an overwhelming flood of manly information on this website, from nine ways (nine!) to start a fire without matches, to articles on how to properly shine your shoes or shave like your grandpa, the old-school manliness of The Art of Manliness cannot be ignored.

Warning! It's pretty hardcore. Be prepared to feel like less of a man than you did before you visited, but suck it up and stop being such a whiney baby.

What resources are feeding you these days.

Men,
As men i think its healthy to always keep an eye on what and how we are feeding ourselves. Both physically and spiritually. So my questions for the council is....What and where are you eating these days. With summer approaching it seems that, at least in my world, there is a change in routine as well as a change in seasons. My questions to the group is what things...sermons...books...podcasts...essays...topics...etc. are feeding you these days. I'm looking for some new books etc. What's stirring you?

any thought...hello?!

here is an article i ran across, thought it was pretty good, what are you thought? That is if anyone reads this blog anymore!
here

Most interesting...

So good

Cell phone company

So has your cell phone company ever really piss you off??

question for ya

so what do you guys think about women in the ministry? Preaching, teaching, etc. right or wrong?

Summer Reunion - Decision Time

OK, we have to make a decision on this. Is there a weekend in August or September that works for you guys? Also, do you have any places in mind? Asheville has been mentioned, as has a barrier island in SC.

Let's make a decision on this. That's what men do. (Or so I'm told.)

I hope you find this as funny as i do...

The point he's getting across although theologically should be worded differently is still pretty awesome.

- the first place is the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Top 7

I've been leading a small group of students this year on tues nights. As the year ends up I thought we'd look biographically at people who have inspired other followers of Jesus. Those who God has used, outside the ones listed in scripture, to advance the kingdom. So as we compile the list it seems to be a good question for the council. Who would you include in the list?

Mine
1. Luther
2. Calvin
3. Edwards
4. Augustine
5. Lewis
6. Spurgeon
7. May be Bunyan

The Internet: It Isn't All Bad

I read Metafilter, a content aggregater site, quite a bit. There are usually posts to interesting sites that really range across the board, and if you're one of those people who know that I regularly tell people about off-the-wall websites, I find many of them (but not all!) originally on Metafilter.

Mefi (as it is called) is popular for it's heavily invested community, and the lengthy comment-conversations that can occur after each post. To call them 'liberal' would be disrespectful to what counts as Liberal in real life. It can get... pretty bad. Like rubber room bad.

But! Every once in a while, you get lucky, like today. I would like to offer up this quote from a gentlemen who spoke at a minister's conference a few years ago, because I agree with him: the faster Christianity loses it's power as a force that acts on culture rather than throughout it, the better.

The story of the temptations of Christ is a familiar one. After forty days and nights of fasting, the devil came to Jesus with three temptations. The first was to turn stones into bread, the second, to throw himself off the peak of the temple and have the angels catch him, the third, to have all the kingdoms of the world. We could summarize these as temptations be comfortable, to be impressive, and to be powerful. I am inclined to believe that those are also the three most common temptations of the church.

Until recent years, the American church was offered each of those and gladly accepted them. Christianity was the default religion for the world’s greatest superpower—a position that should have made us tremble with concern that we were in danger of sliding off the path of self-denial that leads to the cross—but it seemed to occur to very few people that having such a position could be spiritually problematic. We built impressive structures, including dining facilities, recreation and entertainment centers. We turned praise and worship into a profit and star-making industry, and we gladly took our place in the halls of power. It seems that Satan offered us the same things he offered Christ, but we responded “Yes! Yes! Yes!” I doubt that the contemporary trends that are stripping away the power and prestige of the church are the work of the evil one—more likely it is the work of the Holy One, who is leading us step by step back to the paths of righteousness.

I get excited by the thought that Christians might have to learn how to be Christians again, you know?

Update: Sewell

Today is April 8, 2009 and this is an update on the AL Sewell's. First update is that it's about to be the SC Sewell's again! If all goes as planned we will be moving back near the end of June. You ask why? Let me tell you. Let me start the answer out with telling you of the "journey we've been on the past couple years (a journey of rethinking/examining everything, life, values, church, Bible, relationships...everything:

Shorter Catechism
It was so the will of God for us to move here. 1. it got us out of a place where we were being used and abused. 2. it put us in a place where we were able to start to truly grieve the loss of our daughter. 3. it confirmed that the direction we have been going in our journey is the right direction. (this is where you stop reading if you don't have time)

Larger Catechism
1. even though i knew that taking the job at CCC was not the wises choice I still did it. Put lets not focus on the bad things that happen, lets focus on the good things. I learned....ummm.... i was paid well... that's it.

2. after Rhema passed I dove into the "work" of the ministry. I tried to stay busy so I didn't have to focus on my emotions. Though i was honest with people about how i was feeling, i was able to hide behind my honesty. Usually cause people were blown away with my blunt statments they didn't stick around to hear the rest. which was the goal. Moving here we had nothing to do. all we had was time. so those suppressed emotions started to rise up and needed to be delt with. We both decieded we have to walk through this and not supress them again.

3. for the past 3 years Val and I have been on this journey of reexamining everything. It started with "Man Night" moved to walking through the book of Act with who became some of our closet friends and now here in AL as we plant this congergation. Through this our valuse have come pretty clear to us and "planting" a church is not at the top of the list. Knowing God, His Word, my family, and relationships (ministry will come out of relationship with people) with people are some at the top of the list. not oposed to planting a church just not the way its being done here.

so back to moving back. because of where we are at and the lack of like values being played out here we have decided to move back and see where God may take us next.

this obviousely doesnt give it justice so if you have any questions call me of just ask here.

this is pretty funny.

What's the worst that could happen?

Update: Team Libbon

So here's the update ...

Fatherhood continues to be one of the hardest things i've ever ventured to do. Right when I thought I had the whole husband thing figured out all the rules change. How I love lisa, how i love abbie. That being said it's also the most blessed i've ever felt in my life. A blessing through exhaustion (We are up at 3 AM and 6:30 Am most every day. ) Abbie has taught me more about Jesus then I would ever have imagined someone so little to be capeable of.

Ministry is a roller coaster this time of year. Spring is always a strange time in the lives of families so that gets translated into the times we minister to them. A great victory is that we've seen this years confirmation class really own the transformational nature of Jesus. Not only for themselves but for their friends and families as well. To get students to turn the corner form consumer to minister is big and rarely happens. So in short things are good and the gospel is being preached.

Personally I'm in a weird place. The rest of life seems to be settling down as I adjust to the newest member of team libbon but spiritually things are hard. I've found that areas i once had nailed down seem to have vanished in the last 8 weeks. My prayer life has become difficult, probably a direct link to my dwindling and groping time with the lord. I had a discipline that 6:30-7:30 was time i devoted to scripture now it's devoted to diapers. So the restructuring of my disciplines is going to be seminal in, as John Piper puts it, my "fight for joy" these days. Again it's Jesus letting me know through Abbie that it's his hand that sustains me not my ability hold all the proper actions.

That's me, who's next on the update?

Not What You Expect

So, this past year I've been trying to memorize Psalm 119. It's been very difficult, but fruitful. This past week I've been memorizing the verses "Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep your law," vs. 67 and "It was good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn your commandments" vs. 71. I am constantly amazed by the blessing of affliction for the godly, and so I commend to you brothers this hymn, by a hard man, John Newton
http://www.igracemusic.com/hymnbook/hymns/i11.html

Paedobaptism

After the baptism talk we had at our last gathering, I've heard more and more stuff relating to baptism. I haven't gone out of my way very much to read things about it since the topic really doesn't have much bearing on my life right now, but I still have some questions about paedobaptism that I'm hoping some of you who understand it can answer.

The other day in a class at WTS, a professor made a side comment where he said he had a hard time with Presbyterians' view on paedobaptism because it's supposedly welcoming the infant into the covenant family and yet the child cannot come to the family table (communion) until he becomes a member of the church. I had never realized that that was the case in Presbyterian churches. In the Methodist church I grew up in we were always allowed to take communion even before we went through confirmation and joined, and in the Anglican church I went to in Columbia children were allowed to take communion if they were with their parents.

So what's the deal? How can we call what we're doing baptism if it doesn't result in the child having the benefits (I would say communion is one of the most important benefits) of being a member of the covenant family. I'm sure that this incongruity hasn't gone unanswered by Presbyterians, so does anyone know the answer?

Looking forward to hearing from y'all. And also, where are these updates I've been asking for for the last month or two? I want to hear how y'all are doing.

Council Summer Reunion of 2009

Are you guys still interested in getting together sometime late summer? What are we thinking about doing? Camping? Hunting big game? Perhaps this?

Something to grease the wheels

For all of y'all debating about infant baptism, check this out and then let's see if we can't get this blog back up and going with a little controversy grease.

Is practicing paedo-baptism a sin?

Reply to "Everything is Awesome.."

That said I really thought the previous post video was hilarous.

Everything is Awesome, Nobody is Happy

Great commentary on our generation by comedian Louis C.K. on Conan.

Sunday: Best Day, or Best Day Ever?

People, Aldi's is so good. It's so good that it isn't even a store: it's a pocket dimension where prices make sense, hidden away from a world where money has gone crazy and a loaf of bread costs more than a dollar no matter how hard you look.

Quickly, I would like to list some of the reasons / ways to know that my Aldi's experience two days ago was rad rad rad:
- I bought corn flakes for (let me break it down for you) 6 cents an ounce.
- I had to call my mom, who is thrifty like whoa, to tell her how amazing the store is. Twice.
- Normally you have to put a quarter in their shopping carts to use them, which you get back when you hook the cart back up to their weird daisy-chain doo-hickey. My cart already had a quarter in it. Which I totally pocketed on my way out.
- I bought respectable bread for 80 cents a loaf.

While I was there everyone I saw looked at me like we were both in on some kind of awesome secret; eye-contact was sufficient to tell who was in the club and who wasn't. A secret club of savings! When I was standing in line to check out, I actually was excited about the fact that my food was eventually going to run out and I would have to come back and buy more stuff later.

Also Dave's and my friend Dan Harding had a son on the same day. But mostly the Aldi's thing.

Congratulations Hardings!

Dissolved by Thy goodness...

I sang this Friday at the Vineyard coffeehouse and the lyrics were still on my mind this morning...

Thy mercy my God is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affection and bound my soul fast.

Without Thy sweet mercy, I could not live here.
Sin would reduce me to utter despair,
But through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart.
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And weep for the praise of the mercy I've found.

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
In the covenant love of Thy crucified Son.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.

Good Morning Council...

So life is busy, huh? Mine has been too busy lately. I have little news for the group, other than I'm a year older than the last time I posted. Things are going well, the plate has just been full of little things. I hope that all is well with the men of this great council. I have some thoughts on the Sabbath to share, but those will come at at a later time. And don't forget as you go through this week, if you ain't first, you're last...

Anyone alive in here?

Hello???? Hellooooooooooooooo....

Got accepted to Princeton Seminary today. I was one of two applicants from WTS that got accepted (out of around 10) so that's encouraging. Still pretty sure I'm not going to go there, but I'll be praying about it and considering it more over the next couple of weeks.

Hope to hear from the rest of y'all on here soon. It's been far too long.

Teddy speaks to men...

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

This is from Theodor Roosevelt thanks to AoM blog

it's greek to me...

Can someone explain the difference between the Greek words for love??? : Agape and Phileo?

Primarily in Jesus's discourse with Peter post resurrection?

Roast Your Own Coffee

Thought you guys might appreciate this.

Save money by roasting your own coffee

Interesting method with a heat gun. Have you guys tried this before? If you do, I'd be interested to know how it turns out.

Thank God I'm a Clemson fan!

I'm still alive

I can hear the crickets chirping in here.

Sorry for not posting much over the last month or so...maybe longer. But here's my update:

Still at WTS, but I've dropped a couple of classes this semester in anticipation of leaving after this year. Very long story very short, the administration here keeps making decisions that I don't agree with theologically and they're making them in ways such that it's become obvious that the school isn't going to be a welcoming place for anyone except for the most conservative Reformed types. A couple more professors are leaving, and because of the newly-articulated theological stances of the school, the prospects of them bringing in profs of equal stature are slim.

So I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do next year. By the time I decided that I couldn't justify staying here after this year, it was too late to apply to Duke Divinity which would probably be my top choice. I've applied to Regent (Vancouver) and Princeton Seminary, but I'm not quite sure if I'd really want to go to either of those places. Honestly, the thing I'm struggling with most right now is wanting to do much of anything. I kind of feel like I'm just drifting and directionless. This whole experience at WTS has made me a little fed up with the idea of seminary, but I'm just not sure what else I would do. I know that I don't want to waste money on a degree that I'm not serious about, so I've thought about taking a year off to work until next academic year when I could apply to Duke.

The whole situation has brought a lot of anxiety into my life which has, in turn, brought up some other issues (apathy, laziness, depression). So I've started going to see a Christian counsellor up here which has been immensely helpful. It's nice to have some sort of outside opinion about what's going on in my brain from someone who's heard a lot of stuff from a lot of people.

I'm still dating Lexie and that's going really really well. She's probably the best girlfriend I could imagine. She's been great throughout all of this and has been patient with everything I've been thinking about. It's pretty tough to imagine leaving WTS and being away from her, but I just can't justify spending $12k a year on classes I don't like just to stay around my friends and girlfriend. Lexie's obviously not too thrilled about the prospect of me leaving, but she's been completely understanding and supportive while I've been making these decisions.

My battery's about dead so I've got to wrap this up. I'll try to post more often in the next week or so. What's going on in y'all's lives? Let's get this blog populated again.

made me think...

Calvin: Prayer is for us

“You may well ask why, if God already knows our difficulties and what is best for us, we need to plead with Him in prayer. It is as if He were asleep and had to be woken up by the sound of our voices! This argument ignores he reason the Lord has taught us to pray. It is not for his sake, but ours. He wants us, rightly, to give due honor to His name by acknowledging that everything comes from Him. But even in this, the benefit is ours.” (Calvin’s Institutes, as edited by Lane and Osborne, p.204)

Men only...

Interesting post over at the Art of Manliness blog....

Some years ago I read a book (Manhood in the Making, by David Gilmore) which surveyed the concept of masculinity in civilizations all over the world. The author found that almost everywhere you went, people had the same expectations: a man should be brave, economically successful, responsible, generous, sexually capable, procreative, and sociable with other men.

I commented on this remarkable similarity of ideas (from such different people as Spaniards and New Guinea highlanders), and a friend said, “Fortunately, we’re in the modern world, so we can get rid of the whole silly idea.”

Was she right? Is manliness old-fashioned and silly, best replaced with a new post-masculine ideal, in which we don’t admire courage, procreation, or the old manly ways?

It’s an easy question to answer, isn’t it? Reverse the list of manly qualities above, and ask yourself: would the human race be better off if each man were an irresponsible, impotent, stingy coward who couldn’t hold down a job or keep a friend? We can tinker with the ideal of manhood, but throwing it out entirely would be a disaster.

But let’s look further anyway. To keep it short, let’s consider one example each from three classes of manly virtues: those that only men can do; those that either sex can do equally; and those that either can do, but are more characteristically male.

Men Only: Fatherhood

Consider where the new post-masculine man has really caught on, at least in regard to procreation: Europe, and blue-state centers like Greenwich Village —

Click the link above to read the rest.

Proverbs 22:6

Proverbs 22:6 (English Standard Version)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Man Food

At the next council gathering I vote we attempt to make the... Bacon Explosion

Here's the first step...

1. Using 10 slices of bacon, weave a square lattice like that on top of a pie: first, place 5 bacon slices side by side on a large sheet of aluminum foil, parallel to one another, sides touching. Place another strip of bacon on one end, perpendicular to the other strips. Fold first, third and fifth bacon strips back over this new strip, then place another strip next to it, parallel to it. Unfold first, third and fifth strips; fold back second and fourth strips. Repeat with remaining bacon until all 10 strips are tightly woven.

It's ME

England

Dear council of men at this time I would like to give you an official account of my adventure with our dear cousins from accross the pond. As some of you know i went over to England for 2 and a half weeks and i also did half a week in Germany visiting my sister who lives there right now.

My trip consisted of a four day conference in the small town of High Leigh, then three days in the diocese of chester, then three days in London, and then my final three days were spent in Germany.

I arrived in England one day before the conference, the plan was to find a place to stay and sleep off the jetlag. I arrived in London and managed to find my way to the house I was staying at. I was staying with the parents of a friend of mine. These people were so friendly and it was truly a warm welcoming.(on a side note I found out that the Graham Tomlin one of people that i stayed with is head of Wycliffe seminary which is part of Oxford) They fed me dinner and then took me to their church that night. Little did I know that they went to Holy Trinity Brompton which is the church that the Alpha program came out of. (If you have questions about what Alpha is I am differing all of these questions to Iain Boyd). To put it in perspective for those non-Anglicans this is the largest anglican church in England.


As you can see from the picture the church is located in a very historic building but it is a very laid back experience. When you walk in there are couches near the door and there is loud music playing. You can have tea or coffee with biscuits and cookies. People are just hanging out and it feels very modern. When the service starts people move forward and begin to sit in the chairs. The service is a contemporary service with anglican liturgy. There happen to be six people getting baptized at the service that I went too and these people had just done the alpha course. All in all this was one of my favorite experiences of the trip.


The conference was located at High Leigh this is also the name of the nearby town which is quite small. The conference was called the Bible Centered Youth Ministry conference. Not a very original name when we look at it but a very intentional name. In England there are so many different forms of youth ministry and they have specific labels for each kind. In America we have all these different forms of youth ministry but we don't have labels for them like they do in England. For example in America if a youth minister does work in the community, we just see that as a youth minister doing community ministry. We also label the same person who does lots of work with his youthgroup as a youth minister. However in England someone who does community work with kids is called a youth worker and youth worker can be hired by either the church or the government. Someone who works with a youth group in England is called a youth minister. There have been people that do both things at the same time. This is all to point out that the conference name Bible centered youth ministry is a very intentional name for the conference.

(More Photos from the conference center)

At this conference the prevailing theology is conservative envangelicalism. This is a theology that I whole heartedly agree with and it is one of the few conferences that I have been to where I agreed with almost everything that was said up front. My only issue with the prevailing theology in that place was that most people were building their faith and their theology like a wall. What I mean is that they are not open to other ideas and concepts that might add or take away from their existing theology. The other thing I noticed is that they lacked a passion for the Holy Spirit. They really made sure that their theory of God was correct but it didn't seem they believed he could really move. A good theology is important, we need to have a proper understanding of who God is but if we don't believe that he can move mountains then God is just a theory.

After the conference I went up to the diocese of Chester and I was shown around the diocese by some friends Mark and Greg. Mark is the head of youth ministry in the diocese of Chester and Greg is a youth minister in the same diocese. During the day we went around the diocese and I got to see what Youth Ministry in action looks like in England then at night they took me to different cities in the area. Youth Ministry in England is very similar to Youth Ministry in America, however there is one really noticeable difference. Youth Ministry in England is very creative. What I mean by this is that they come up with very creative ways to share the gospel. Example: I went to one youth group Bible study and everyone was told to write down traits that they thought a Christian Leader should possess. We did this and then we opened up the book of Titus and we wrote down traits that the book of Titus said that a Christian leader should possess. Eventually the kids would start to realize that these traits are traits that every christian should possess and if they didn't figure that out by the end you tell them that these are traits that every Christian should possess. The theory behind coming up with more creative ways to present the Gospel is that the Truth actually lives within them and that the Bible and these activities makes them aware of this truth. Like it or not this is the idea behind their form of Youth Ministry.

Now onto pictures.

This is the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool.
The same guys that showed me around the diocese of Chester took me here.
This is a front shot of the same Cathedral that statue is 2x the size
of a person, just so you get an idea for how large the Cathedral is.

This just a shot of Liverpool

(The 4 pictures above are of the Cavern Pub in Liverpool
this where the Beatles first made it big)
The Five Pictures above are of the city of Chester this is the
city where i stayed during my adventures in the Diocese of Chester.
This is a canal in Chester, there are canals that run
throughout England because it used to be how they could
transport large quantities of materials.
The two pictures above are from Chester but these are ROMAN walls
from the Roman empire
The five pictures above are of Manchester, this city is very historic
but also is very modern.
The two pictures above are from a Winter Ale Festival that I went to
in Manchester. (there is more beer than you can possibly imagine.......... and it all tastes
like it came from heaven)
This is the curry mile, which is a strip of road in Manchester where
its all curry restaurants. There are waiters standing outside each restaurant
negotiating for your business.
This is the High speed train that I took from Chester to London
where I met my sister and my brother in law. We spent 3 days in
London
This is NOT a train station but this is an Underground or Subway station in London
This is Buckingham palace
London
Big Ben

Westminster Abbey

Thats it for my pictures I have more of London and Germany that I will be posting on Facebook. If you want to see them and your not my friend on facebook then just look me up Alex Baker.