Recently I signed up to be a blog book reviewer with Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am excited about being able to read some advanced copies of books and sharing my thoughts about them with you. I am currently reading a book about the Eucharist (Lord's Supper, Communion, Mass, etc.)
In addition to this reading opportunity, I found out last week that I will be attending a retreat the first week in January entitled "Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching." I will spend a week with pastors and ministers from around the country (some friends and some friends-to-be). We will read a variety of novels, short stories and poems. Then, we will spend time discussing them and seeing how they can help us better understand the world around us. The setting will be the beautiful Camp Chrysalis in the Kerrville area. I had a wonderful time last year and am looking forward to this year's group.
Ultimately, both of these things will challenge me to read and reflect more than I would normally do. I hope to make these continuing practices as I head towards graduation and enter the real world.
Grace and peace.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Take Your Best Shot
In Take Your Best Shot, Austin Gutwein recounts his journey from sitting in his living room to founding Hoops for Hope, an organization providing AIDS relief in Africa. As a nine-year old Austin saw a video about the poverty and struggles children face every day. He knew he had to take action.
Austin began raising money by shooting free throws which has turned into an international effort to help orphans. Hundreds of kids now join with Austin to help people around the world.
I particularly like the way Austin encourages everyone to do great things that help others. No matter how big or small, every person can make a difference. That is the key point he makes throughout the book.
I also think the format of the book is wonderful for reflection and planning. Gutwein provides thought provoking questions and space to write answers at the end of every chapter. These questions are not just about making plans to help others, but they also help the reader reflect on his or her relationship with God.
Ultimately, Austin shows how he felt a call from God to do more for others. Then, he shares how God calls all of us to do more with our lives. Everyone who reads Take Your Best Shot will be challenged to find ways to serve others.
Austin began raising money by shooting free throws which has turned into an international effort to help orphans. Hundreds of kids now join with Austin to help people around the world.
I particularly like the way Austin encourages everyone to do great things that help others. No matter how big or small, every person can make a difference. That is the key point he makes throughout the book.
I also think the format of the book is wonderful for reflection and planning. Gutwein provides thought provoking questions and space to write answers at the end of every chapter. These questions are not just about making plans to help others, but they also help the reader reflect on his or her relationship with God.
Ultimately, Austin shows how he felt a call from God to do more for others. Then, he shares how God calls all of us to do more with our lives. Everyone who reads Take Your Best Shot will be challenged to find ways to serve others.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
From where we come...
In Sunday School today we began a series about Baptist freedoms, or foundations. Walter Shurden lays out four freedoms that are pivotal to understanding what Baptists are all about. Today we explored what Bible Freedom means for us and what it meant for the first Baptists.
Originally, what we know as Baptists, were not interested in beginning a whole new denomination. They simply wanted to be free to be "faithful and obedient to Christ." So, they decided that people should be free to read and study the Bible under the authority of the Lordship of Christ. They said He was the ultimate authority and that the Bible had to be interpreted using Him as the norm. Everything in Scripture points to Jesus Christ, the Old and New Testaments.
In addition, the Bible is the final written authority for Baptists. This does not mean creeds and other statements of faith cannot exist or have no value. It simply means they are not greater than or equal to the Bible. No confession can adequately express all that person believes. It can show the main, core elements of faith, but not the whole. And so, the Bible stands far above them as authoritative.
Baptists have been known for many years as "people of the Book." This refers mostly to the idea that Baptists read and study and formulate ideas about faith and doctrine for themselves without a higher "office" dictating or suggesting interpretations and doctrine. While there are some groups today in some strands of Baptist life who seemingly would like to do just that, Baptists hold that the individuals are free to explore and express their faith themselves.
Of course, this begs the question about heretical doctrine and teaching related to personal interpretation of Scripture. Well, it must be remembered that Baptists hold to the idea of personal study under the Lordship of Christ, which means Christ and the Spirit are leading in the discovery of truth. In addition, it is important to recognize the years and years of Church history and tradition that feeds into our modern understanding. While we would say that we do not hold tightly to such Church doctrine tradition, we cannot say it has no influence in our thinking. Ultimately, if Christ is guiding, the truth found should be theologically sound.
One final note Shurden makes in this section is that this idea of Bible freedom is hard work because it means we must study, seek, read, think, work and dig to understand the Scripture to the best of our abilities with the best of the resources available to us. We should never take lightly the task of being able to discover Truth for ourselves.
More to come as we learn what it means to claim to be of the Baptist way.
Lory
Originally, what we know as Baptists, were not interested in beginning a whole new denomination. They simply wanted to be free to be "faithful and obedient to Christ." So, they decided that people should be free to read and study the Bible under the authority of the Lordship of Christ. They said He was the ultimate authority and that the Bible had to be interpreted using Him as the norm. Everything in Scripture points to Jesus Christ, the Old and New Testaments.
In addition, the Bible is the final written authority for Baptists. This does not mean creeds and other statements of faith cannot exist or have no value. It simply means they are not greater than or equal to the Bible. No confession can adequately express all that person believes. It can show the main, core elements of faith, but not the whole. And so, the Bible stands far above them as authoritative.
Baptists have been known for many years as "people of the Book." This refers mostly to the idea that Baptists read and study and formulate ideas about faith and doctrine for themselves without a higher "office" dictating or suggesting interpretations and doctrine. While there are some groups today in some strands of Baptist life who seemingly would like to do just that, Baptists hold that the individuals are free to explore and express their faith themselves.
Of course, this begs the question about heretical doctrine and teaching related to personal interpretation of Scripture. Well, it must be remembered that Baptists hold to the idea of personal study under the Lordship of Christ, which means Christ and the Spirit are leading in the discovery of truth. In addition, it is important to recognize the years and years of Church history and tradition that feeds into our modern understanding. While we would say that we do not hold tightly to such Church doctrine tradition, we cannot say it has no influence in our thinking. Ultimately, if Christ is guiding, the truth found should be theologically sound.
One final note Shurden makes in this section is that this idea of Bible freedom is hard work because it means we must study, seek, read, think, work and dig to understand the Scripture to the best of our abilities with the best of the resources available to us. We should never take lightly the task of being able to discover Truth for ourselves.
More to come as we learn what it means to claim to be of the Baptist way.
Lory
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Transition is.....
tough. We deal with it all the time and today I was reminded again how difficult change can be for groups, churches and individuals. It can bring out the best in people. It can bring out the worst in people. Ultimately, it means we are different today than we were yesterday. Different tomorrow than today.
We said goodbye to Coy and Tiff officially today at church. We watched some videos of the students saying how much they love them and a video of random pictures from the past four years they have served Trinity Baptist Church faithfully as Ministers to Students. We had a cake and prayed for them. We wrote notes and sang our favorite closing song for one last time with this particular group.
And while this is a sad day, it is mostly a day of celebration. Celebrating what God has done, how God has moved, how God has led. It has been a day of memories, both funny and serious. It has been a day of laughs and hugs. Celebrating is good. It is fun. It is necessary. And, it is proper. Even God celebrated on the seventh day (well, rested...but things were done, which often involves celebration for us) by setting it apart and resting and marveling at His work.
And now, Coy and Tiffany move on to study full-time and pursue the call God has placed on their lives. Yet, we know that they have left a big chunk of their hearts with us--not just in their memories and actions, but in the ways they have impacted and changed us. And, we know that a big chunk of TBC's heart is with them--not just the t-shirts and pictures (and 10 lbs. we gained from eating two meals at church today!), but in the love and support and encouragement I hope we have given them on this part of the journey.
So, transition is tough. However, it is often necessary if we are to follow God and call we each have. These times of change will be different for all of us, but they will come. The question is: what will we leave behind and what will we take with us in those moments?
I pray that what the Jennings take is half as wonderful as what they left behind.
Lory
We said goodbye to Coy and Tiff officially today at church. We watched some videos of the students saying how much they love them and a video of random pictures from the past four years they have served Trinity Baptist Church faithfully as Ministers to Students. We had a cake and prayed for them. We wrote notes and sang our favorite closing song for one last time with this particular group.
And while this is a sad day, it is mostly a day of celebration. Celebrating what God has done, how God has moved, how God has led. It has been a day of memories, both funny and serious. It has been a day of laughs and hugs. Celebrating is good. It is fun. It is necessary. And, it is proper. Even God celebrated on the seventh day (well, rested...but things were done, which often involves celebration for us) by setting it apart and resting and marveling at His work.
And now, Coy and Tiffany move on to study full-time and pursue the call God has placed on their lives. Yet, we know that they have left a big chunk of their hearts with us--not just in their memories and actions, but in the ways they have impacted and changed us. And, we know that a big chunk of TBC's heart is with them--not just the t-shirts and pictures (and 10 lbs. we gained from eating two meals at church today!), but in the love and support and encouragement I hope we have given them on this part of the journey.
So, transition is tough. However, it is often necessary if we are to follow God and call we each have. These times of change will be different for all of us, but they will come. The question is: what will we leave behind and what will we take with us in those moments?
I pray that what the Jennings take is half as wonderful as what they left behind.
Lory
Monday, July 13, 2009
People are Hurting...
Today I am overwhelmed with grief for friends and strangers. In the last 24 hours I've discovered that a person very close to me endured a horrific situation a few weeks back, a church van carrying youth blew a tire causing major injuries and one death, and a news anchor I watched for years died long before he should have due to medical complications.
Many, many people around us are hurting all the time, yet we often do not notice. We tend to be so wrapped up in our own issues that we forget that others are going through things, often much worse than our own.
If you want to pray for people, start with my friend or FBC Shreveport or Brett Johnson's family or those around you who are suffering in silence.
Grace and peace to you this day.
lory
Many, many people around us are hurting all the time, yet we often do not notice. We tend to be so wrapped up in our own issues that we forget that others are going through things, often much worse than our own.
If you are hurting today, and want to share you struggle or leave a prayer request, email me at toe4@hotmail.com.
If you want to pray for people, start with my friend or FBC Shreveport or Brett Johnson's family or those around you who are suffering in silence.
Grace and peace to you this day.
lory
Monday, May 25, 2009
Simplicity...
I have several friends who have recently been talking about simplicity and decluttering on their blogs. As I have pondered their thoughts and discoveries about these two ideas, I have decided that I am WAY to busy, WAY to involved and WAY to complicated. My life is running me instead of the other way around.
I have decided to simplify my life. Granted, I'm not sure exactly what it will look like. I don't know what all it will involve. But, I do know that my actions are directly linked to simplicity or chaos. I want to make huge changes quickly, but that is not as feasible as I'd like. So, I will commit to do several smaller things each month, adding to the previous month's activities (I know, a strange word when speaking of simplifying!).
To start, I will commit to doing the following things through the month of June (since it's almost the end of May).
1. Eat at home or take my meals with me unless the meal is provided by someone else. (With the exception of 1 meal a week--I eat with a great group of ladies every Wednesday for lunch....the fellowship is worth the meal out!)
2. I will recycle what I can because in doing so I will be more conscious of what I buy and what I get.
3. I declare June "No-Buy Month" except for one grocery trip and the meals previously mentioned.
These things will help me to be a better manager of my resources and time. Let the simplicity begin.
I have decided to simplify my life. Granted, I'm not sure exactly what it will look like. I don't know what all it will involve. But, I do know that my actions are directly linked to simplicity or chaos. I want to make huge changes quickly, but that is not as feasible as I'd like. So, I will commit to do several smaller things each month, adding to the previous month's activities (I know, a strange word when speaking of simplifying!).
To start, I will commit to doing the following things through the month of June (since it's almost the end of May).
1. Eat at home or take my meals with me unless the meal is provided by someone else. (With the exception of 1 meal a week--I eat with a great group of ladies every Wednesday for lunch....the fellowship is worth the meal out!)
2. I will recycle what I can because in doing so I will be more conscious of what I buy and what I get.
3. I declare June "No-Buy Month" except for one grocery trip and the meals previously mentioned.
These things will help me to be a better manager of my resources and time. Let the simplicity begin.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The heart of God....
Tonight in small groups we talked about evangelism. Sharing our faith with others. The definition given: having a heart for people like God's. Wow. What a definition.
Our normal Western idea of evangelism is handing someone a track about Jesus, reading verses from Romans that tell how we are all sinners but can be saved, sharing how God has changed our lives. We usually think of it as a thing we do where we give our "testimony" to someone who does not know about the gospel. We tend to treat those who do not "know" as lesser than us. We treat them as many people have been treated by missionaries in past days. We often want to feel like we (believers) are superior to others because of our faith commitment. How does that reflect the heart of God? It doesn't.
When we begin to look at people (the man to the right, the kid down the street, the woman in the nursing home) the way God sees them, we will share His love and good news with them. When we see the world through the eyes of God, we will love the world. We will love the unlovable, the untouchable, the least of these. We will not try to "convert" the masses in order to add to our church roles. Instead, we will truly want to walk with them as we seek to be disciples together. We will walk hand in hand rather than holding a position over one another.
Evangelism is having a heart for people like God's heart for people. How is your heart?
Grace and peace.
Our normal Western idea of evangelism is handing someone a track about Jesus, reading verses from Romans that tell how we are all sinners but can be saved, sharing how God has changed our lives. We usually think of it as a thing we do where we give our "testimony" to someone who does not know about the gospel. We tend to treat those who do not "know" as lesser than us. We treat them as many people have been treated by missionaries in past days. We often want to feel like we (believers) are superior to others because of our faith commitment. How does that reflect the heart of God? It doesn't.
When we begin to look at people (the man to the right, the kid down the street, the woman in the nursing home) the way God sees them, we will share His love and good news with them. When we see the world through the eyes of God, we will love the world. We will love the unlovable, the untouchable, the least of these. We will not try to "convert" the masses in order to add to our church roles. Instead, we will truly want to walk with them as we seek to be disciples together. We will walk hand in hand rather than holding a position over one another.
Evangelism is having a heart for people like God's heart for people. How is your heart?
Grace and peace.
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