Christian Book Summaries

Interesting idea. 5,000 word summaries of recent Christian books including direct quotes from the book and information about the author.

Wray Post Electronic Newspaper

I just discovered this e-newspaper covering Wray, Colorado and the surrounding areas. I had no idea someone out there was doing this so close to home! I wonder if they have stumbled upon my blog?

The Runaway Inn

My wife and I will be heading to this little inn in Joe's, Colorado next weekend to celebrate our 12 anniversary. We are really looking forward to some time away just for the two of us.

The Jesus Creed

Cool creed on Jordon Cooper's blog. Written by Brian McLaren.

On using sermon mind maps

Someone asked for help on reading the mind maps. To orient yourself to my mind maps start at the center and then work counterclockwise starting at roughly 3 o'clock. At the center of the map is the big idea of my sermon. Everything going out from that center is related to the big idea in some way whether it is explanation of the text, illustration, or application.

For me, these mind maps serve to get the sermon into my mind in a general form. I typically preach without notes or at the very least an outline. The mind map seems to work best with how my brain is wired. I can easily remember each point and what it relates to if I have taken the time to create a mind map. The little illustrations on some of them also help me remember.

If I lose my place or need a quick reminder, I have found that I can just glance at the map and find my way. Hope that helps!

More thoughts on 1 Timothy 1:12-17

I am also grateful that Jesus Christ displays the utmost patience with me. As I meditated on this verse the image that came to my mind was walking with my children. They all walk at different paces. Our youngest likes to stop and pick up everything. He takes his time. He is not in a hurry. He is far from understanding the goal of the walk...to get to where we are going. He is often distracted, often lagging behind, often in trouble, often in danger. My walk with Christ is much like this. I lag behind, I lose sight of the goal, I don't even know what the goal is many times, I am distracted, confused, in trouble, in danger. Yet Jesus paces with me, an idea that is wonderfully developed in the book, Shaping the Spiritual Life of Students by Richard R. Dunn. Jesus slows down to my speed. He comes alongside of me. The he leads me. He gently but relentlessly nudges me in the way I should go. Sometimes, he yanks me out of danger. Sometimes he walks with me through the trouble I'm in. But through all of it, he displays the utmost patience. Unlimited patience.

One thousand dead U.S. soldiers: Take it personally

Heartfelt reflection on the war in Iraq. Not sure if his conclusions are realistic (namely, how interested in peace are the Muslims?) but I definitely share his sentiments.

1 Timothy 1:12-17 reflections

I am wrestling with the "if" and the "how" of applying some of this passage. Is it appropriate for all believers to think that Jesus Christ considers us faithful? What does this expression mean? When I meditate on this verse, I must say that I find I am greatly lacking in faithfulness. Perhaps I have been a little bit faithful, but I know deep down inside that I lack in my faithfulness. I know I could be further down the path of apprenticeship to Jesus Christ. But as Dallas Willard in The Divine Conspiracy points out quoting from William Law's book A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life,

...if you will here stop and ask yourself why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it.

Willard comments,

...it could well prove to be a major turning point in our life if we would, with Law's help, ask ourselves if we really do intend to be life students of Jesus. Do we really intend to do and be all of the high things we profess to believe in? Have we decided to do them? When did we decide it? And how did we implement that decision?

Intention and decision are absolutely fundamental in this matter of apprenticeship to Jesus...

These thoughts from Willard got me to thinking along the lines of David Allen's personal management concepts as written in his book Getting Things Done. Allen pushes the reader to define the next actions involved in getting things done. He also encourages a weekly review, a snapshot of how we are doing in getting things done, were we are in getting things done.

Can we take these concepts and use them in our spiritual lives? If the thing I desire is a dynamic relationship with Jesus, don't I have to intentionally determine what the next action is in experiencing that reality? And isn't Sunday morning and especially Communion Sundays the time for a weekly review? A time were I survey how well I am doing? A time to reflect on my life, my apprenticeship to Jesus, how well I am progressing? A time where God can point out my next actions, those things I must do or cease from doing in order to get further down the path? A time where I confess my failures from the previous week? Clearly a daily review would be most beneficial in our relationship with God! Hence many of the ancient disciplines of the church...

Please don't hear this the wrong way. I don't believe I can program my relationship with Jesus. I don't believe I am the initiator in this relationship. But if I fail to intentionally respond, if I fail to intentionally follow Jesus, I will fail as his apprentice.

Overall I take hope in this passage. Here Paul refers to himself as the worst of sinners. I know that very few of us actually believe this about ourselves. But if you stop and think...if you allow your mind to uncover the skeletons in your closet what do you find? For me, I find that I am the worst of sinners. No one could have possibly sinned worse than me! And fortunately by God's mercy you haven't found out about my sin! Fortunately by God's mercy my sin is forgiven and I am saved as Paul here states. In fact, Paul says it was for that very reason, the reason being, I am the worst sinner, that I have received mercy. If I were not the worst, if I were not a sinner, would I really need to receive mercy?

Lashed to the Mast

...the image aspects of pastoring, the parts that require meeting people's expectations, can be faked. We can impersonate a pastor without being a pastor.

A great article by Eugene Peterson on being a pastor.

Project Rebirth

Webcams capturing the rebuilding at Ground Zero. Check it out.

Forgetting God

Observing the modern world, French sociologist Jacques Ellul noted a striking trend: As the Christian gospel permeates society, it tends to produce values that, paradoxically, contradict the gospel. I sometimes test his theory while traveling overseas. I ask foreigners about the United States, the world's largest majority-Christian society.

Very interesting article worth your time and consideration.

Here's the logo for the Guitar Gods. 

The Guitar Gods

Some have been asking about my fantasy football team and how the draft went. It was a great night and we had a lot of fun talking smack and drafting our teams. I think I fared really well as I got the positions when I targeted them. Here's my team:

Roster

QB A. Brooks NO
QB C. Palmer CIN
RB K. Barlow SF
RB T. Henry BUF
RB T. Jones CHI
RB R. Anderson DAL
RB M. Pittman TB
WR T. Holt STL
WR D. Stallworth NO
WR K. Johnson DAL
WR R. Wayne IND
WR A. Lelie DEN
WR J. Galloway TB
TE T. Gonzalez KC
PK J. Feely ATL
Def Packers GB

The name of my team is the Guitar Gods. No theological significance, just a reference to my musical tastes! We'll see how the team does.

Here's my sermon map for Philemon. I realize they are hard to read. I am still working on other options like mind map software. However they are all rather expensive. Does anyone know of some inexpensive or even free mindmapping software? 

1 Timothy 1:12-17

I am experiencing this as a powerful passage this week. Through my Lectio Divina exercise, I too have experienced gratitude. Jesus Christ has given me strength at different times of my life. He strengthened me when I was between ministry positions delivering pizzas at Domino's and pulling wire in construction. He strengthens me in my current call as a small town pastor performing many ministry tasks that I was told I should avoid through "career counseling" I received in seminary. He strengthens me in my marriage, in parenting, in so many ways.

Yet there are so many times I do not avail myself to the strength he can provide.

I do not believe it to be a small coincidence that I am fasting this week as I study this passage. Fasting is a physical discipline that among other things, helps to remind us that the physical can be sustained by the spiritual. Surely the Apostle Paul had experienced this countless times in his life. Here, looking back at the years, he is able to be grateful for the many times Jesus strengthened him.

Philemon

The book of Philemon is very interesting. Right out the gate in studying this book, I have been quite perplexed by this question: Why does Paul address the letter not only to Philemon but also to Apphia, Archippus, and the church which meets in Philemon's home? Since this is a dispute between Philemon and Onesimus, why does Paul include these other people?

I ask this because whenever there is a dispute in our churches today, we tend to deal with it quietly behind closed doors. Are we too concerned with privacy? Are we too concerned with what others will think of us, especially if they disagree with us?

More than 100 killed in Russian school siege

I am so greatly grieved and troubled by this tragic attack in Russia.
Lord Jesus Christ, come quickly!

It looks like the first one worked okay. Not great but okay so I decided to try another one. 

I doubt this will be viewable. This is the mind map I used a few weeks ago for my sermon notes. I am still trying to figure out how to upload a copy so it is viewable. Thanks for your patience! 

January Trial Date Set for NHL's Bertuzzi

Just a follow up to the Steve Moore and Todd Bertuzzi incident. I haven't heard anything about how Steve Moore is doing. Maybe the Denver news will report on him this evening with the announcement of the trial date.