Post Tenabras Lux

A Change Would Do You Good

2007-02-07T11:47:00.000-05:00

In those immortal words of Sheryl Crow, I am officially announcing that my blog, Post Tenabras Lux, is relocating to Wordpress. In experimenting with Wordpress, I believe that it is a better product and affords some features which Blogger doesn't.

If you currently have a link to this blog on your website, I would very much appreciate it if you would update the address accordingly. My new address is www.candrewjones.wordpress.com. By the way, feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think about the new site!

A Surreal Moment

2007-01-25T16:23:00.000-05:00

After being on campus in class or independent study for most of the day, I have come home to settle in for additional reading. Just moments ago, as I was doing exactly as I had planned, a surreal experience hit me. As I reclined in my faux-leather desk chair, sipping a hot cup of coffee, and preparing to read a first-edition copy of William the Baptist (1877!), the strangest thought hit me. Musical notes, which I had previously not noticed, came together suddenly to inform me that my old English self, while reading the afore-mentioned book, was simultaneously tapping my toes to the music of Hilary Duff. Wow. That's strange.

I'm not going to try to explain why I have Hilary Duff on my computer. Let's just say that it was from an old contest I was forced to be a part of, and I guess I enjoyed it more than I thought.

My First Original Hymn

2007-01-19T15:36:00.001-05:00

As part of a seminary class I am finishing, I had to compose an original hymn text. This took quite a while, but I must admit that it was very fun to do! The lyrics are to the tune of Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, a Charles Wesley hymn. If you'd like to listen to a clip of that tune in order to get the rhythm of my lyrics, click here. Here goes nothing...

Grace for Thee, O Weary Sinner

Grace for thee, O weary sinner!

Plagued with fears, thy strivings cling.

Though thou be in sin's dark winter,

Jesus' cross has brought thee spring.

Join thou now, His Priestly Nation;

Trust the blood which pardons thee!

Word of God, our Great Salvation,

Son of Man, Pure Trinity!

Speak, thy soul, with praise unceasing,

of the Christ who set thee free!

Guilt and pains, to Him releasing;

From thy soul all doubts must flee!

Now there be no condemnation,

Peace with God, eternally!

Now this life a consecration

'Til thine eyes His glories see!

A Hymn-I Asked The Lord

2007-01-08T07:41:00.000-05:00

Here are the lyrics to a John Newton (1725-1807) hymn I've been listening to quite a bit lately. The version I have been enjoying is an altered arrangement performed by Indelible Grace, and a sample of the tune can be found here.
I think that if you consider the inner struggle of the hymnist as he battles with his own inner darkness and compare it to your own heart, you too, may find yourself radically changed.

1. I asked the Lord that I might grow/In faith and love and every grace/Might more of His salvation know/And seek more earnestly His face
2. Twas He who taught me thus to pray/And He I trust has answered prayer/But it has been in such a way/As almost drove me to despair
3. I hoped that in some favored hour/At once He'd answer my request/And by His love's constraining power/Subdue my sins and give me rest
4. Instead of this He made me feel/The hidden evils of my heart/And let the angry powers of Hell/Assault my soul in every part
5. Yea more with His own hand He seemed/Intent to aggravate my woe/Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,/Cast out my feelings, laid me low
6. Lord why is this, I trembling cried/Wilt Thou pursue thy worm to death?/"Tis in this way," the Lord replied/"I answer prayer for grace and faith"
7. "These inward trials I employ/from self and pride to set thee free/And break thy schemes of earthly joy/That thou mayest seek thy all in me/That thou mayest seek thy all in me."

Grudem on Women's Roles in the Church

2007-01-04T12:04:00.000-05:00

Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Bible and Theology at Phoenix Seminary, recently has written a book entitled Countering the Claims of Evangelical Feminism. Grudem, a highly-acclaimed scholar and theologian within evangelical circles, provides specific lists of what he deems to be responsibilities in the church with relation to which genders may perform them.

Take a look at the lists provided here and let's chat about what you think. Should women be primary teachers for high school Sunday School classes? What about worship leaders? Preachers or small group leaders? I look forward to some lively discussion.

Special thanks to Tony Still for pointing me to this article through his blog, Simul Iustus et Peccator.

Link of the Week-Jib Jab's Year in Review

2007-01-03T13:34:00.000-05:00

This week's Link of the Week is Jib Jab's Review of 2006. Enjoy!

Link of the Week-Mohler on Early Christianity

2006-12-27T11:31:00.000-05:00

Just in time for Christmas (or soon after, in this case), major media outlets are releasing documentaries and cover stories about Christianity and its origins. What better time to discuss Christian beginnings than the birth of Jesus Christ, right?

This week's Link of the Week is Dr. Albert Mohler's review of the recent CNN documentary, After Jesus: The First Christians. I was able to watch a brief few moments of this work on Christmas Eve, and find Dr. Mohler's analysis to be compelling and fair.

In his discussion of Gnosticism, an ancient heretical view that arose in the second century, Mohler quotes narrator Liam Neeson. This quote is worth reprinting:

The New Testament Gospels are gospels of the cross. The Gnostic gospels are gospels of wisdom. The New Testament Gospels care about salvation from sin. The Gnostic gospels care about salvation from ignorance. The New Testament Gospels look to stimulate faith. The Gnostic gospels look to stimulate knowledge and insight.

Well said.

Amazing Grace Movie Trailer

2006-12-22T14:09:00.001-05:00

A new movie about the life of William Wilberforce, who believed that his Christian faith obligated him to work for the abolition of slavery in Britain.

Link of the Week-Edwards @ Yale

2006-12-20T06:03:00.000-05:00

I have decided to begin a weekly post series. Each Wednesday I will post a Link of the Week, consisting of the most helpful, interesting, or simply funniest site I have come across the web in the previous 168 hours.

The Link of the Week is.....The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University. I came across this fantastic site via Nathan Finn's blog. Thank you, Mr. Finn, for pointing me to the Edwards Center. To refresh your memory if you are not so familiar with Jonathan Edwards, he was the man who wrote Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Most likely you read or were referred to this sermon in your high school American literature class. Edwards (1703-1758) is unanimously lauded as the greatest theological mind America has ever produced, and was a prolific author in addition to his work as a family man (10 kids!), pastor, missionary, and university president.

The Edwards Center is such a valuable resource because it not only gives the general public a basic introduction to the life and thought of this great man, but also has a fully searchable database of Edwards' writings. Needless to say, this is a great resouce for all interested in Edwards, popular and scholarly audiences alike.

When you are sold on the value of studying Jonathan Edwards for both your mental and spiritual edification, you can top it all off by purchasing your very own "Jonathan Edwards is My Homeboy" t-shirt.

The Next Step

2006-12-19T07:53:00.000-05:00

Against my overarching intent for this blog, I have decided to use this post as a life update. Perhaps this is a brief form of the classic Christmas letter for Janel & me. I promise that it will be brief.

I have now finished my fifth semester at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and have been wrestling about what the next step needs to be for my family. After a lot of flopping back and forth, I have decided to......go to more school! That's right, Lord willing, I am attempting to enter a Master of Theology (Th.M.) program next year. The Th.M. is different than a Master of Divinity in that it is only a one-year program, and it is a formal academic degree with a thesis as opposed to the M.Div., which is a "professional" degree. I felt strongly that a year studying Reformed historical theology would be helpful in shoring up my theology. I am applying to three seminaries for this degree: Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston.

In order to graduate this spring, then, I must take a very heavy load and finish up my internship requirements with Eastern Carolina Presbytery and Christ Our Hope Church by the end of May. Needless to say, it will be a very busy next few months, but Janel and I feel that it is a good option for us and I am very excited about the possibility of studying next year. Janel continues to work as a social worker with the foster care system of Franklin County. She works very hard and often has long hours, but she still finds joy in assisting these children and their families navigate tumultous times in their lives. I hope you have safe travels for the holidays. Merry Christmas!

Gay and Evangelical?

2006-12-12T09:55:00.000-05:00

In this morning's issue of The New York Times, Neela Banerjee reports a story which literally hits close to home when it tells the tale of a young evangelical man in Raleigh, NC. Peculiarly enough, this man is also openly gay. Her article in full can be read here.

The subject of the story, Justin Lee, is reported to be a spokesman for the latest aberration of evangelicalism, which accepts monogamous, committed homosexual relationships as compatible with the Holy Bible. By arguing that the contexts of the biblical passages which prohibit homosexuality merely speak against promiscuity, violence, or idolatry.

This brings to the forefront what I believe to be one of the defining theological issues of our time. Within a great deal of what are considered evangelical circles, the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures are assumed. What will be the crux of theological debates for years to come is proper hermeneutics (the art and science of biblical interpretation). Hermeneutics determine one's theology, and one' s theology determines one's practice.

One sentence in particular struck me as hitting the nail on the head in the Times article. An anecdote was given about another Raleigh resident who grew up in a Southern Baptist church. I quote the article verbatim here: "When she figured out at 13 that she was gay, she believed there must have been something wrong with the Bible for condemning her." The tragic irony here is that the human heart does not change within any of us. In Genesis 3, we are given the account of the Fall of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden. If you recall, the serpent (Satan taking animal form) tempts Eve to disobey God by appealing to her trust in what God has said when he asks, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree in the garden?'" (3:1) The result is that Eve decided to transgress the express, clear directive of God and plunged all of humanity into chaos and turmoil. Furthermore, please recall that when God asked Adam to give an account for all that had just occured, Adam slyly blamed God (3:12, "The woman you gave to me...").

Here's the point: this article illustrates in vivid terms the way all of our hearts rationalize our attitudes and behaviors when confronted with the stark truth of the Bible. We do one of two things. First, we can choose to do what Adam & Eve (and the individuals in our article) did, which is to doubt what God has said or blame God for being too rigid or unfair. The other option is to fall down on our knees in prayer and admit that we have sinned, and beg mercy from the good God who has secured forgiveness for sinners by the death of His own Son. "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24)

No matter how we feel, Jesus Christ is the Lord of all our lives. The same Word that gives us the Law which tells us to be holy also tells us that Jesus Christ has died to rescue those who believe that they are indeed sinners and Christ is the Savior.

Finally, the question of how evangelical churches must respond to this situation must be addressed. Let me take a couple of sentences to give my recommendation. First, evangelical churches must absolutely, dogmatically, and completely refuse to treat homosexuals as if they are sub-human and not worthy of courtesy or respect. This Pharisaical, "holier than thou" behavior denies the gospel which says we are all sinners in need of grace. Secondly, churches must teach that there is an essential distinction between homosexual inclination or orientation and homosexual practice. A godly, gospel-loving, Bible-believing man may very well struggle with homosexual attraction. This man should be loved by His congregation and discipled by a pastor just as a man who struggled with heterosexual lust would be. The worst case scenario would be that the struggling man would come to understand that remaining single is a respectable, godly path for him to take. If, tragically, the man (or woman) pursued homosexual practices after being confronted about it by another believer, then church discipline may be in order. Again, even this church discipline does not differ from how the congregation would react to any other person who continued to dive into a sinful behavior (as defined by the Bible).

The Word of God has spoken concerning the issue of human sexuality. Let us all seek to obey Him, trusting in His grace for godliness and forgiveness.

Attention Nerds: My New Favorite Link

2006-12-05T20:03:00.000-05:00

While writing a paper today, I stumbled across a fantastic website for those who wish to imbibe on intellectual trivia. The name of the site is AskOxford.com, and it is operated by Oxford University Press. Essentially it is a search engine of classic Oxford University Press reference works, such as the Oxford Concise English Dictionary. Of greatest interest for all preachers out there is a search engine which will find quotes from all sorts of authors simply by entering a keyword. Happy hunting!

Thoughts on "The Nativity Story"

2006-12-01T08:36:00.000-05:00

In today's issue of The New York Times, A.O. Scott remarks:

It’s best to think of “The Nativity Story” as a Hollywood version of the kind of Christmas production some of the “Peanuts” kids put on in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” This is not meant as a criticism. Quite the contrary.
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke from a script by Mike Rich, “The Nativity Story” sticks to the familiar details of the narrative and dramatizes them with sincerity and good taste. There are no flights of actorly or cinematic bravura — though all of the performances are credible, and some better than that — and very few big, showy, epic gestures. Rather than trying to reinterpret or modernize a well-known, cherished story, the filmmakers have rendered it with a quiet, unassuming professionalism.

I managed to see this film two weeks ago as part of a sneak-peek showing for seminary students in our area. I must admit that many movies on biblical stories tend to fall in two categories: (1) They are sickeningly sappy and hokey, or (2) the producers try to "sex up" the biblical account and betray the actual storyline itself. The Nativity Story manages to do the difficult work of threading the needle between the two extremes. The story remains faithful to the Bible's account while adding an appropriate amount of poetic license in illustrating the emotional struggles that all of these characters may have experienced. The film is elegant, earthy, funny, and heartwrenching. It is a movie that is appropriate for children to see, but adults will not find it childish or simplistic.

I highly recommend this film. For more in depth commentary, please read Dr. Albert Mohler's review here.

On Scholarship

2006-11-20T13:26:00.000-05:00

As admitted in an earlier post, I am currently reading John Stott's Between Two Worlds. In the context of discussing the preacher's call to study both the Bible and the culture, he quotes Bishop Phillips Brooks, who says:

The preacher's life must be a life of large accumulation. He must not always be trying to make sermons, but always seeking truth, and out of the truth which he has won the sermons will make themselves...Here is the need of broad and generous culture. Learn to study for the sake of truth, learn to think for the profit and the joy of thinking. Then your sermons shall be like the leaping of a fountain, and not like the pumping of a pump. (180-181)

After having preached a sermon of the "pump" variety yesterday, these words are most relevant. Take heed lest you stand up before a congregation still lost in the fog of your own ignorance!

A Hymn

2006-11-14T19:16:00.000-05:00

If you have been around PCA or RUF circles, you have most likely been exposed to the music of Indelible Grace. Indelible Grace is a band who focuses on matching historical Christian hymns with contemporary musical arrangements, thus re-introducing the Christian church to the theological richness of our past. One such hymn that has been quite powerful to me lately is In the Cross of Christ I Glory. A sample can be listened to here.

In the cross of Christ I glory,

Towering o'er the wrecks of tme;

All the light of sacred story

Gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o'er take me,

Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,

Never shall the cross forsake me,

Lo! It glows with peace and joy.

When the sun of bliss is beaming

Light and love upon my way,

From the cross the radiance streaming

Adds more luster to the day.

Band and blessing, pain and pleasure,

By the cross are sanctified;

Peace is there that knows no measure,

Joys that through all time abide.

Thus Saith Stott

2006-11-11T19:49:00.000-05:00

Today I began reading John Stott's excellent book, Between Two Worlds. Stott, writing in 1982, has proved himself to be a most accurate prophet when he made a prediction about human relationships and technology by the year 2000. He writes:

It is difficult to imagine the world in the year A.D. 2000, by which time versatile micro-processors are likely to be as common as simply calculators are today. We should certainly welcome the fact that the silicon chip will transcend human brain power...Much less welcome will be the probable reduction of human contact as the new electronic network renders personal relationships ever less necessary. In such a dehumanized society the fellowship of the local church will become increasingly important, whose members meet one another, and talk and listen to one another in person rather than on screen. In this human context of mutual love the speaking and hearing of the Word of God is also likely to become more necessary for the preservation of our humanness, not less. (p. 69)

The very fact that you are reading these words on a blog, rather than discussing them over coffee with me, is proof that Stott's prediction has come to pass. So yes, keep blogging away, but join me in making extra efforts to change and re-introduce the human touch to the way we communicate with others.

New Format

2006-11-11T07:57:00.000-05:00

If you have managed to find your way to this blog, then you've been informed about the re-formation of my former blog, The Indigent Intern. My goal in this is to recast the blog into one which focuses on ecclesiastical, theological, and cultural matters rather than simply my day-to-day rantings about the evil children of the Y. If this is disappointing to you, my sincere apologies. Perhaps from time to time I shall release cyber-thunderbolts upon those children, simply for old times' sake.

Scandal, Tolerance, & King Consistency

2006-11-08T09:21:00.000-05:00

Dan Savage, writing an op-ed piece about Ted Haggard for The New York Times, makes a statement that reveals much about our culture's understanding of morality when he writes:

"A callboy can’t expose your secret without exposing his own. There’s still a stigma attached to selling sex.
So why did Mike Jones speak out?
Because today it is arguably more shameful and damaging to be a hypocritical closet case than it is to be a sex worker. Even those delighted by Mr. Haggard’s disgrace — disclosure: I count myself among their number — ache for his five children, all suffering now for the sins of their father. And let me be clear: their father’s sin is not his sexual orientation, but his deceit and hypocrisy. His sin is the closet."

Postmodern thought's influence has been felt most strongly in the public's understanding of morality. As Savage brilliantly illustrates, the only "sin" in postmodern America's psyche is that of inconsistency. When moral codes are merely fabrications based on the individual preferences of autonomous beings, then the only charge we can make against each other is inconsistency. If your personal ethical mores remain consistent in their practical application, then they are beyond the realm of judgment.

Ted Haggard's adultery is the hot-topic of the hour and this legacy will continue to disgrace the message of the cross for years to come. More frightening, and even more harmful, is the worldview that raises consistency and tolerance to the level of infallibility. When put into practice, a person who believes in abortion necessarily must also subscribe to euthanasia of physically disabled and elderly people if they are to be truly consistent. If a baby is not a person simply because he/she is either unwanted, not physically viable without its mother's assistance, or otherwise useful to society as a whole, then the same criteria must also be applied to these other groups. I fear for the day when society realizes this and, in attempt to honor the sacred cow of inconsistency, begins to act upon this worldview.

The world is rightfully attacking Ted Haggard because of his hypocrisy, and I am in no way diminishing or justifying his sin. What I am after is the underlying philosophical implications which Dan Savage brings to light when he observes that it is ethically preferable to be an authentic prostitute than a hypocritical minister.

The Christian worldview avoids both the pitfalls of hypocritical religious moralism and the liberationist view of secularism. Sin, according to the Bible, taints every part of our being, including our minds. Therefore, even our logical arguments and attempts to be morally consistent can and will lead us to sinful conclusions, with the abortion/euthanasia scenario a prime example. What humanity needs, therefore, is an outside perspective. Happily, God has been gracious to shine His perspective into our lives, via the Bible. By seeking what God has to say about a situation, I am freed from dependence upon my own cruel logic. In doing this, I must forfeit my fantasy of being an autonomous being, but it is the only way to find true virtue. It is the only way to be consistently virtuous without becoming a cold-blooded executioner of my logical conclusions. In those gracious words of Scripture being applied to the way I live life, I discover that divine revelation is in itself grace.

Baptists and Redemptive History

2006-11-06T09:55:00.000-05:00

Virtually every theologian agrees that theology is best hammered out in community. Therefore, this post is an official invitation for my Baptist and my Reformed friends to question, debate, and comment upon a very complicated theological question.

The diagram above is, from what I most clearly understand, a visual representation of the flow of redemptive history from a covenantal, Baptist viewpoint. For all of my Baptist friends, please correct me if I erred in any particular place. The purpose of this diagram is to illustrate the nature of the covenant community and who comprises each covenant throughout biblical history. Therefore, the overall theme should be a narrowing of the covenant communities in each covenantal epoch, finally culminating in a covenant community consisting of exclusively believers after the return of Christ.

For my Reformed paedobaptist friends, your commentary is most welcome as well. This diagram differs from classic covenantal theology in some respects as it does not include unbelievers in the covenant community in quite the same way that Reformed paedobaptists historically have understood.

My point in the gradually falling line after the first coming of Christ is to illustrate that Baptists, though insisting that the New Covenant people of God, the Church, is comprised exclusively of regenerate people, still may err and admit unbelieving persons into the covenant community. The Church will not finally be comprised of believers exclusively until the second coming of Christ.

Once again, your commentary will be most helpful for me in understanding the biblical flow of redemptive history, and included in this larger question is a smaller one. That question is, "Should unbelieving children of believers receive the sign of the covenant (baptism) or not?"

The Sputtering Semester

2006-11-02T19:10:00.000-05:00

That time has officially arrived: Week 10 of the fall semester at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The time is that infamous one with which all students are quite familiar. I am referring to the beginning of burnout. It is like my mind and will are an automobile out on the open road of the semester. The first mile markers start a bit slow, easy on me as the semester begins to pick up speed from a lazy summer. Then this fine piece of academic craftsmanship makes the shift up into second, then third, and finally fourth gear, steadily running the road week after week. Then it happens--the gas tank begins to get a little lower than you'd expected, and before you know it, you're sputtering trying to make it to the next station before you stop for good.

This is my life. This semester has been unique from all others, because it's the first semester where I don't have a class that just fires me up. Don't get me wrong, my classes are not really dull but there is not that one class that I eagerly anticipate each week. You people in graduate school know what I'm talking about. It's the time when you really just don't want to do anything constructive, but your day planner and the course syllabi disagree. It's just time to have to walk waist-deep in the mire of academia, all the while remembering that in this bizarro world you are actually paying your institution to inflict such pain upon you! Twisted.

So here's to you, Mr. Sputtering Semester. You may be breaking down and taking my will to continue with you, but you shall not be defeated. With a quick top-off of Thanksgiving turkey, I will be around to reach the checkered flag. In the immortal words of Ricky Bobby, "It's time for a little Shake 'n Bake!"

Simple Church

2006-10-31T16:25:00.000-05:00

Much talk is beginning to emerge on the concept of "Simple Church," so much in fact, to merit a book of the same title by Thom Rainer. What is simple church, and why is it generating so much buzz?

At the heart of simple church are relationships. I believe that the Simple Church movement is a backlash against the megachurch movement of the 1980's and 1990's, where large, program-driven, faceless churches ruled much of the American evangelical landscape. Simple Church purposely clears out programs in order to create an environment where people can stop, breathe, and relate to one another in their faith journeys with Christ.

The church of which I am a member, Christ Our Hope Church, has walked the Simple Church line since before Simple Church became trendy. Only recently have I heard the buzz amongst missional circles concerning the benefits of simplicity in church structure. Last Friday my eyes were renewed to the power of relationships in the church when I shared an anecdote about our low-structure church culture in preaching class at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. I received some skeptical looks from some of my fellow students, which I interpreted as annoyance. I was encouraged however, at the mid-class break when another student approached the professor and asked the professor who made the Simple Church comment. After pointing me out to him, this student approached me to tell me that he was a member of a church who was struggling due to be burdened with programs which had no real function but to keep the congregants from really interacting with one another. In a most warm and heartfelt tone, he expressed how refreshing the simple church concept was and his plan to recommend that to his church in an attempt to "start from scratch" and recover true Christian identity founded upon their common union with Christ in the Gospel.

The Gospel and the Church: It is what Christ came to accomplish and inaugurate, and it is ours to treasure and enjoy.

Death By Ninja

2006-10-27T11:37:00.000-04:00

This is too good to pass up. I think that this guy is Ben Stiller's evil twin.

John Piper-Bad?

2006-10-19T20:52:00.000-04:00

Let me preface this post with a word about Dr. John Piper, Senior Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I love John Piper. It was his writings that awakened my soul for the glory of God and completely revolutionized my entire Christian life at the end of my senior year at Auburn. I am much indebted to this man for his humility, scholarship, fearless preaching, and overwhelming passion for the glory of God in all things. I love John Piper.

With that being said, John Piper is a bad man. A very, very, bad man. That didn't come from me--it came from his own lips. For proof, click here.

I hope none of my fellow Piper-ites take offense to this. It is the product of someone who obviously has too much time on his hands, but it made me laugh nevertheless. Thank God for laughter, and thank God for the work of John Piper.

Bonhoeffer on Costly Grace

2006-10-17T20:43:00.000-04:00

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a Lutheran pastor and theologian who was hanged by Nazi Germany after being implicated in a conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Despite his brief life of only 39 years, Bonhoeffer's influence still holds strong in much of Christianity.

"Cheap grace," Bonhoeffer wrote, "means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner." (The Cost of Discipleship, 44) In other words, a misunderstanding of the enormity and richness of God's grace given to people in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus will lead someone to discount the extent to which Jesus went to save His people. If we don't experience the crushing weight of discovering the sinfulness of our own souls, coupled with the wonderful, liberating flow of grace, then we've missed the entire point of the Gospel. Someone who misunderstands grace will operate their life on the principle that since Jesus has already been punished by God for my sin, then the compulsion for obedience is irrelevant. Bonhoeffer argues streneously against this understanding as missing the core of Christianity completely. In fact, the Gospel is unique in this. Every religion, every ethical system in the world, operates on the principle of, "If I obey, I will be saved/loved/accepted." The Gospel says, "Because you are saved/loved/accepted, obey." Christianity drives for right living, too, but the difference is that love born from God allowing Jesus to suffer in our place compels right behavior sheerly from a grateful heart. Religion is a tyrant who rules his kingdom on fear.

I can think of no better way to end this post than with a post by Mr. Bonhoeffer:

"Happy are they who have reached the end of the road we seek to tread, who are astonished to discover the by no means self-evident truth that grace is costly just because it is the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Happy are the simple followers of Jesus Christ who have been overcome by his grace, and are able to sing the praises of the all-sufficient grace of Christ with humbleness of heart. Happy are they who, knowing that grace, can live in the world without being of it, who, by following Jesus Christ, are so assured of their heavenly citizenship that they are truly free to live their lives in this world. Happy are they who know that discipleship simply means the life which springs from grace, and that grace simply means discipleship. Happy are they who have become Christians in this sense of the word. For them the world of grace has proved a fount of mercy." (Cost, 56)

This is marvelous grace indeed.

Gospel Mastery

2006-10-09T07:45:00.000-04:00

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" - he said to the man who was paralyzed - "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home." 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen extraordinary things today." (Luke 5:17-26, English Standard Version)

This simple truth drives Christianity: Jesus Christ is one who wields authority. Not simply authority over earthly things, but authority over our very hearts and lives. His works in the Gospels are designed to demonstrate that in his works of healing and compassion he possesses the authority to soften hard hearts and bring forgiveness and peace to a broken world. He makes all things new, because he is the Great King who rules rightly over his people.

The tragic irony of human existence is that although all people are under authority, every person rages against their overseers. A free person is an oxymoron. We are all under authority, and that is not merely governmental. Loves, fears, and ambitions also wield authority, for what captures your heart, controls your heart. A love of wisdom will rule a heart because there is always something else left to learn. It is a fleeting mistress, one who refuses to be caught. A fear of abandonment is a cruel master, for in one's fear of abandonment a person will be enslaved in trying to please others. Ambition by its very definition thrives on competition, and causes a person to become obsessed with the next prospect for victory, never savoring the present.

Only Christ's sweet rule gives true freedom while remaining under authority. If you are going to serve somebody, which we must as finite human beings, then Christ is the only way that you can have freedom under a just King. Every other master leaves you tired, worn-out, and always lacking. Christ is the only King who, though possessing all authority, went to a cross and poured out his very life for his rebellious people. A suffering King is unique to Christianity, and no other source of authority can provide freedom from the fear and endless striving which characterizes trying to please our masters.

The hard truth is that whether we like to admit it or not, we are all under authority. The real question for you today is, "Which master will you serve?"

Fall Break

2006-10-03T19:33:00.000-04:00

It is now Day 2 of Fall Break and I've done nothing. I'm tired, a bit bored, and still am not inspired to do any Hebrew homework.

The big news is that my parents are coming to town tomorrow and staying until Sunday morning. I weighed myself just a few moments ago and came in at a solid 182 lbs. I dare predict that the situation will be considerably more bleak by Sunday. I love my parents, and they feed Janel & I quite well when we get together. Cheesecake Factory, get ready for me.

I have a YMCA confession which I've been too ashamed to post for the past seven days. One week ago, I was accidentally punched by a fourth grader during a game of dodgeball. Yes, I have a black eye from a ten-year old. How humiliating is that? The Y is going to kill me. Those kids started with my emotions, destroyed any sense of compassion I ever had, then launched their surprise attack when they took out my ankle earlier this year. That simply was insufficient, apparently, for now they have resulted to public humiliation and intimidation.

Well, that's all for the humorous part of this post, so if you're only interested in amusing counselor abuse anecdotes, stop reading right now.

Lately I've been in a bit of a tailspin about life post-graduation. Being in school for twenty years (I tell my kids at the Y that I'm in 19th grade) just does something to you that makes you fearful about the "real world". I posted about this struggle within me last April (see Future Drama and the Da Vinci Code) and things have really begun to resurface within the last month. One part of me desperately wants to continue on and go for the Ph.D., yet another part of me thinks that it's best to go out into the world and minister beyond the pages of my books.

The tension centers around two central questions:

What is my real motivation for pursing a doctorate? If my desire to pursue a doctorate is rooted in either a fear to go out and minister the Gospel to people or conversely simply to have "Drew Jones, Ph.D." on a business card, then it is an inordinate desire. That would be a form of spiritual idolatry, making a love of status my driving force.
Is it right to see a ministry as a 'stepping stone' to something else? If I do go out and pursue ordination immediately after seminary, I would most likely serve as a campus minister with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF). I think that college ministry is an awesome and much-needed ministry that I'd love to be a part of, but I'm not sure at this point if that is what I want to do for the rest of my days. Ideally, I'd like to do that for a few years and then go attempt to plant a church. The tension sources from my fear of being a "ladder-climber," one who jumps from one "ministry gig" to a better one.

So my friends, give me your wisdom. I've spoken with some ministers within my presbytery about this, and received a range of answers. Life is scary, and Gospel ministry to a broken world is even more so.

The "Spirit" of Education

2006-09-28T12:05:00.000-04:00

"In this Mass of the Holy Spirit, we acknowledge the spirit that is part of our intellectual nature and which guides us through inquiry and reason to the truths we can understand, and we pray for guidance to the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who guides us to the mystery of God and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus."

The words of the Rev. John Jenkins, President of the University of Notre Dame, capture the essence of Christian scholarship. It is my heartfelt belief that it is possible to be intellectually rigorous and disciplined and at the same time dependent upon God for every insight.

Though Catholics and Protestants have many theological differences, I enthusiastically endorse Father Jenkins' homily. To read the full text click here.

As Promised...

2006-09-26T12:06:00.000-04:00

Okay, so here's the rundown from the past happenings in my not-so-happening life. As indicated by an earlier post, I spent last weekend taking some middle school students from Christ Our Hope Church to a retreat in the mountains of Virginia. Great trip, sleepless nights, lots of fun, yada yada yada. The picture below is one of my kids (weighing in at 70 lbs) being blobbed by another kid (weighing in at 140-150 lbs). You can see the results for themselves.

We got home from camp on Sunday evening and the next day we find out that our severely pregnant friends Michael & Julie have finally gone into labor, as they were eight (count 'em, eight!) days overdue. They had the young little whippersnapper the next morning, and Janel and I got to go hold a kid who had been born only about twelve hours earlier. Fantastic stuff, and no, it does not make me want one yet. I'll just play with theirs, thank you very much.

This past weekend a good friend of my pastor came into town. This man's name is Patrick and he is a minister with the Presbyterian Church in Uganda, based out of Kampala City. I got to meet him last year, but it was very cool to see him again and hear of the incredible work God is doing in Uganda. Sorry, no pics.

Then last night, being the brilliant husband that I am, I managed to scare my wife half to death. I forgot about a staff meeting that I had at the Y (yesss, my preciousss, curse them, we hatesss them!) and instead of calling my wife to let her know I'd be late, just did nothing. I am not the hugest fan of cell phones, so I often forget to bring mine with me, so she couldn't reach me there or at the church office or at the YMCA office. After I was two hours late getting home, she naturally was a bit worried. I'm a big jerk.

Suburban Legend?

2006-09-17T18:53:00.000-04:00

I spent the last two days leading a middle school youth retreat in Virginia. I don't want to talk about it, but I'm thinking about getting a vasectomy.

On the plus side, we had a fantastic worship leader from Washington, DC named Derek Harris. Besides being a great acoustic player, he has an alter ego who goes by the name of Suburban Legend. It's suburban hip hop for white kids in the style of Eminem. Check out his My Space page and listen to a few of his samples.

When I can think straight again I'll post some anecdotes and thoughts about the retreat.

Ooh...That's Nice

2006-09-11T13:09:00.000-04:00

Here's a little something for some fantastic online stress relief.

Shameless

2006-09-01T17:58:00.000-04:00

So, yeah, I know that this violates like every principle of blog etiquette, but I'm doing it anyway. My good friend in the Bronx, Lauren, found this cover of Outkast's Hey Ya! online, and it's incredible, so I'm posting it as well. Imagine John Mayer meets Outkast.

By the way, so I don't feel evil to the core, you can check out Lauren's blog here.

2006-08-31T10:05:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty sure I just failed my final exam from the RTS course I took this summer. Sometimes life just sucks.

The Gospel of Healing

2006-08-28T08:35:00.000-04:00

"They do no missionary work here, canvass no alleys, cook in no soup kitchen. Prayer is the occupation."

This morning's issue of the New York Times contains, in my opinion, a troubling article about a small cloister of nuns in urban Los Angeles. Their mission is simple: Prayer. Though they are located on Hollywood Boulevard, which is infamous for prostitution and drugs, no ministry to the community is in existence. I fear that I may be self-righteous in writing this, but I have to say that this is not in line with the heart of Christianity. Listen to what the book of James says:

But be doers of the word [the Scripture], and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in thier affliction, and to keep onself unstained from the world.

The God of Christianity is supremely concerned with the welfare of the poor and disenfranchised in society. From the laws in the Mosaic Law ordering wealthy landowners to leave a portion of their fields for the poor to eat, to the healing of lepers and blind people in the Gospels, God has shown that he is compassionate to the needy.

My great concern is this: This "hide-from-the-problems-of-the-world-and-hope-that-they'll-go-away mindset," of which this article concerning the nuns is but one example, permeates all of Christianity, Catholic and Protestant alike. This is a far cry from the calling of Jesus Christ, who lived and died to bring healing and reconciliation to His people. The Church is called to those who are hurting, spiritually and physically. According to James, we can't claim to be spiritual and ignore the poor.

The conservative evangelical church, of which I am a part of, has largely backed away from mercy ministries within the last century or so. The reason this happened was a reaction towards some elements of the church who, subscribing to more liberal theology, focused on social justice but divorced it from the Gospel. Therefore, these liberal churches became basically social welfare agencies and lost their Christian distinctiveness. When the conservative churches saw this happening, they overreacted by heralding Christian distinctives while eliminating their God-given responsibility to care for the poor. Interestingly enough, the Gospel teaches that both of these approaches are absolutely wrong.

I'll close with the great prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), a man born wealthy but gave it all away to preach the Gospel and care for the poor:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Yes, let us pray for those who don't believe, those who don't have the hope that comes by grasping the incredible love that God has for His people because of Jesus Christ. But let's not stop there. Let's be the hands and feet of Christ, and tell people about Jesus while we give them a packet of clothing or a hot bowl of soup. There is no healing without the Gospel, and there is no Gospel without healing.

Doing Seminary Well

2006-08-26T11:47:00.000-04:00

This post is especially for my friends from seminary, both past and present. This month's 9 Marks newsletter features a brief article from Owen Strachan, a seminary student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky entitled Doing Seminary Well. I think that it is an excellent article that pushed me to reconsider my motives, struggles, and goals for the time that God has given me in seminary. I hope that Strachan's words strike you as sharply as they did me.

Furthermore, this month's edition of the 9 Marks newsletter (linked above) centers on the theme of the Emerging Church, which is quite fascinating.

Machiavelli Had It Right

2006-08-24T21:34:00.000-04:00

So, I'm sitting here watching Grey's Anatomy after a very long day. After a morning chalked full of Hebrew vocabulary memorization followed by class, I jetted off to the friendly neighborhood YMCA to battle it out with the kiddies. Today, I was grossly outnumbered--34 to 1. We had one hundred kids there and had three, count 'em, three counselors. So very illegal. Either they will destroy us or we will destroy them, but at this point I fear that victory may be within their grasp. Just when you think you've got 'em mastered, with ninja-like reflexes they whip out their numchucks of evil childness and thwart you once more. Ooh, Grasshopper, you are very cunning indeed!

Following work we rushed across town to meet with our financial advisor to fill out some insurance paperwork. According to him, we need more life insurance, and so now my dead carcass is worth like $2.5 bazillion dollars. I make $7.80/hour at the YMCA, and so now it's definitely official: I'm worth more dead than alive.

So, here's my plan: I'm going to fake my own death, run away to a faraway country, and invest the money in creating an army of YMCA captor robots. These state-of-the-art robots will come equipped with grappling hook and net technology, which will be employed when children ages 5-11 speak over 10 decibels of volume. Then I will have my revenge. Then I will have satisfaction.

Perhaps Machiavelli was asking the right question: In ruling, is it better to be feared or loved?

A Word to the Wise

2006-08-24T11:40:00.000-04:00

Never, never, never, ever... take a year off from a language and then try to jump back into it. Your brain will break. My mind is swimming with Hebrew letters, words, and accents. Never.

Y-M-C-A!!

2006-08-23T18:37:00.000-04:00

Needless to say, I had a little fun in Arts & Crafts time recently. Michael, Charlie, can I get a witness?

The Battle Rages On...

2006-08-21T13:30:00.000-04:00

Today on CNN.com a story was featured concerning the dismissal of a female Sunday School teacher from her longtime teaching position. This article can be accessed here. This is representative of a long-running debate within theological circles on the roles of men and women within the church. I personally hold to the complementarian understanding, which emphasizes that both men and women bear the image of God equally and yet have divinely-ordained roles to exercise that image within the Kingdom of God.

My question for discussion is more pastoral than theological: As a pastor (or lay church leader), how would you best approach this unique situation of removing a long-time female Sunday School teacher if you hold to the complementarian understanding of teaching and preaching roles in the Church?

I'll try to post some thoughts of my own on this wider subject within a few days.

The End of Summer

2006-08-16T21:27:00.000-04:00

It is the eve before the semester starts. The adjacent picture represents my freedom going up in flames. I'm really not too bummed about school starting; only Hebrew III shakes me to the core. Burn, freedom, burn!

This brings up an interesting question: would you rather be mildly bored or mildly stressed? Let's avoid the extremes of laziness or workaholism for argument's sake. Even though I'm complaining about all that lies ahead, I guess I prefer it to now. This summer has been great, as I've had time to spend more time serving the people, particularly the teenagers, of my church, but I must confess that there were some lonely times when structure would have been greatly helpful. Am I the only one here who feels this way?

The lingering sense of doom is a combination of two things: Hebrew and the YMCA. Both compete to destroy me each day, and the Y has the advantage of experience. More about the looming threat of Hebrew in a day or two. For now, enjoy the glowing embers of summer, and here's to a lovely autumn.

The Calm Before the Storm

2006-08-15T13:29:00.000-04:00

In just over two days from now, you can expect regular blog updates to begin. That day, Thursday, is the official starting gun of the race that is Fall semester. I plan on dodging responsibilities, especially those pesky academic ones, by blogging. Life's just about to get interesting again.

Sermonic Vocabulary

2006-07-27T12:15:00.001-04:00

I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to prepare a sermon, and calling all of you wordsmiths out there for aide. Does anybody know of a word that means "ultimate" or "perfect" that starts with a "w"? I'm not huge on alliteration, but wanted to give it a shot.

Popular Conformity

2006-07-23T15:16:00.000-04:00

I finally collapsed today and joined Facebook. I've resisted for a while because I (1) didn't understand it and (2) thought what I did understand was stupid. Since I joined, I now (1) still don't completely get it and (2) proved that I have leapt headfirst into what I once dubbed stupidity. Hey, life's an adventure.

Update from Charlotte

2006-07-20T12:08:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick post: I'm in Charlotte taking a Hermeneutics class at Reformed Theological Seminary. It's awesome. I miss my wife. I'm coming home tomorrow. Don't call me tomorrow night asking if I want to do something. I'm hanging out with her.

Defining a Classic

2006-07-07T08:02:00.000-04:00

Some things in this life defy description. For me, one of those is Wimbledon. I realize that many of you may see this post as odd or even downright idolatrous, but when I think about how to describe the most famous tennis tournament in the world, the right adjective eludes me. Classic. Pure. Other-worldly, perhaps? I prefer elegant.

The Anglophile in me readily admits to a bias towards anything classically British. Good tea. Tweed. Proper English grammar. And of course, lawn tennis. The fact that this event has been kept largely unspoiled after 130 years is a testimony to the beauty of tradition operating within a rapidly changing, hurried world. As I've been reading recent articles by professional sportswriters musing about Wimbledon, the predominant thrust of their arguments center on the "other-ness" of the event. In other words, Wimbledon's appeal is that it is a two-week respite from modern society. Visitors to the grounds are brought into a realm where classic British culture interacts seamlessly with the fast-paced world of professional sports, and the freshness of the experience is unrivaled. Where else in the world would you go to watch lawn tennis, dressed entirely in white, while savoring strawberries and cream? I know of none other.

So yes, I admit it: Perhaps I do have an obsession. Maybe my devotion and excitement about a tennis tournament is a bit over-the-top. But if it be so, it is a passion for savoring the simple yet good things in life. Beauty. Respect. Tradition. Competition. And yes, elegance.

It only comes around once a year. Search your mind for the right adjective, and then enjoy it with me.

Action Across the Pond

2006-07-04T15:52:00.000-04:00

This past weekend and early this week has been both heartbreaking and fantastic. The inner Englishman within me, which a few of you have gotten to know quite well, has been on cloud nine with the sporting world. Wimbledon and the World Cup? What more can a bloke ask for?

Last week I spent the morning assisting with the youth soccer camp my church runs annually as a service for our community. I haven't played soccer competitively since sixth grade, but it was a blast! Thta got me revved up for the current FIFA World Cup which is, at the moment, in the semifinal round. Since England was tragically eliminated in the quarterfinals on penalty kicks versus Portugal, I have been forced to tie my fate to the land of my birth, Germany. I have never been so passionate during a soccer game as I was watching the England game. I sat in my house, wishing that I could be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other fans in some English pub, holding a fresh ale while singing God Save the Queen.

Secondly, my favorite sporting event of the year, Wimbledon is currently in the quarterfinal round. My favorite for the women is, of course, Maria Sharapova, and for the men, I am quietly rooting for Marcos Baghdatis. I will not be disappointed, however, should Roger Federer win as expected. He may be the obvious pick, but he is a true class-act on and off the court.

Between Wimbledon and the World Cup, I'm a happy camper. Until this Sunday, that is, when both events end, and my world comes crashing down once more. Carpe Diem!

The Gospel and the Glory of Sex

2006-06-24T11:42:00.000-04:00

My good friend Charlie Wallace requested that I post the outline from my sermon last Sunday, so here you go. It's just an outline, because I'm not old-school like many guys I know who type out an entire manuscript verbatim:

The Gospel and the Glory of Sex

(Song of Solomon 8:8-14)

Thesis: The Gospel of God's redeeming work in the world revolutionizes our understanding of sex, both for the single person and the married couple. This is illustrated in this passage by two metaphors, the Fortress and the Vineyard.

I. Fortress Imagery: Single people worship God through wisdom and restraint. (v.8-10)

Accepting both family and community (i.e. friends, church, etc.) concern for your well-being in all areas of life is critical. (v.8-9)
The Gospel gives intense inner motivation for sexual restraint while single. (v.10)
Temptation for Singles: The Sex & the City View

Desire equals license
Devalues the gospel because it takes the passion of sex without the necessary form, which is marriage (Gen. 2:24-25)

II. Vineyard Imagery: Married people worship God in sex through commitment and delight. (v.11-14)

Sex requires exclusive and total giving of ourselves to each other. (v.11-12)
Sex is to be eagerly delighted in within your marriage. (v.13-14)
Temptation for Married Couples: The Leave it to Beaver View

Desire equals shame or embarassment
Devalues the gospel because it takes the form (marriage) without the passion.

III. The Gospel: Sex is designed to be enjoyed within a radically self-abandoning relationship (form) and with intense passion.

Ephesians 5:25-33 teaches us that marriage is a picture of Christ's relationship with His people, the Church.
II Corinthians 11:2 reveals that currently the Church is engaged (betrothed) to Christ, waiting for final "consummation" (figurative language, not literal) at the end of the age.
Revelation chapter 19 gives us a picture of the joy that will accompany Christ's "wedding day," when he enjoys His people (the Church) forever in a passionate, radically self-abandoning, eternal relationship.
Therefore, both singles and married couples depict the various stages of Christ's relationship with the Church. Singles represent the engagement period (see #2), while married couples represent the final marriage (see #3).
The Gospel raises the understanding of sex higher than the Sex & the City View of more liberal people and higher than the Leave it to Beaver View of conservatives.
The Gospel creates a "third way" of understanding human sexuality which places high value on radical commitment and maximizes passion in the bedroom.

This message, my friends, was quite fun to preach. To listen to the master himself, Dr. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City, check out his sermon entitled Sexuality and Christian Hope, available in the online store for Redeemer. I am indebted to him for the overall understanding of the Gospel as the "third way" in virtually every aspect of life.

Subway Scum

2006-06-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

This one is for my friends now residing in New York. This article in today's New York Times records some awful experiences women in the city have horrifyingly had to become accustomed to.

My solution: Get a stun gun and let 'em have it.

The Irony of Idleness

2006-06-20T20:45:00.000-04:00

I spend nine months out of my year complaining about how stressed out I am (though I love my studies) and that I never have enough time to meditate and drink coffee at the local Starbuck's over a good book while my iPod plays Dave Matthews Band lazily. Well, summer is here with lazy [hardly!] days, and yet I feel as if my brainpower was zapped away once the thermometer hit 90 degrees! I've got my book. I've got my Starbucks and my iPod handy. I've even got a few hours to enjoy, but yet my mind is slowly wasting away. Perhaps I'm addicted to cortisone, and without all the stressors which beckon that magic elixir, my brain refuses to clock in for the day. Perhaps.

Essentially, this is a long wind-up before I simply confess that I haven't written for two weeks because, honestly, I'm (a) Not interesting, or (b) Not observant, for I've had not one original thought or witty anecdote as of late. My apologies.

I did write and preach a sermon entitled The Gospel and the Glory of Sex last Sunday at Christ Our Hope Church. It was an odd feeling in the week leading up to the actual Sunday morning, because I knew what was going to be said (well, sort of; I went through at least five drafts of the sermon before I got the final product). You know that it's going to be strange to stand up in front of a room full of people and talk about sex (in true classic Protestant prude fashion!), but I actually really enjoyed preaching this sermon. This is not to say that the sermon was that great, because I'm keenly aware now of some things that I missed or should have said, but it was an experience that I highly enjoyed and would love to take another stab at in a few years.

That's all you get. Why? Because I'm boring and all out of stories.

Whatever Happened to Monopoly?

2006-06-02T11:15:00.000-04:00

Like all days this week, I spend two hours this morning working for a YMCA program at a local elementary school. Generally most of the morning is spent playing board games with the kids, but this one shocked me a bit. When I was a kid (that sounds so old), we played Chutes & Ladders, Tetris, and Monopoly. What did I play today? Butt Ugly Martians. What? Yes, that's a real game, which you can purchase online here.

I guess our society can abandon all hopes of increased sophistication in our children.

Tea, Anyone?

2006-05-29T21:50:00.000-04:00

In my never-ceasing quest to become all things classically British, I am becoming interested in exploring the English fascination with tea. To be honest, I do not know much about tea nor have I sampled much, but I am curious. A good English professor, sporting pipe and tweed jacket, would be a pure imposter if he didn't stop in the afternoon for a "spot of tea"!

Calling all tea connosieurs: Would you mind making any recommendations for a tea novice, who happens to have an infatuous heritage with the magic bean, the ancient foe of tea? Thank you.

Kindest regards and cheerio.

Jaroslav Pelikan and Southeastern Seminary Professors

2006-05-17T13:25:00.000-04:00

I'd like to highlight two pieces today, both written by Dr. Albert Mohler. First, this past Saturday world-renowned historical theologian Jaroslav Pelikan died at the age of 82. Pelikan was the Sterling Professor of History at Yale University and a profound Christian intellectual. To read Mohler's blog on Pelikan's life and death, click here.

Secondly, I'd like to bring your attention to a piece written which highlights the work of three Southeastern Seminary professors, where I am a student. Drs Andreas Kostenberger, David Jones, and Mark Liederbach were commended for their excellent book God, Marriage, & Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation. To read Mohler's piece on this, click here.
I'm flying to Huntsville, Alabama in a few hours in order to attend my sister's wedding on Saturday. I'll be sure to post pictures when I get them.

The Devil Sends His Kids to the Y

2006-05-12T12:41:00.000-04:00

That's right, you heard me correctly. Let me explain:

Yesterday afternoon I was at a local elementary school working as the first-grade counselor at a YMCA After-School program. I've complained often enough on this blog about the difficult children and how frustrating it can be, but now it's gone to a new low. Those kids turned on me. Well, actually it was one kid, but I'm sure that the others paid him to do it. The kid (which for confidentiality's sake we'll call Sam), assaulted me! Yes, that's right. I have been incapicitated by a seven-year old.

We were playing a game called "Hand Soccer" which basically is a cross between soccer and Ultimate Frisbee. The game was counselors vs. kids, and I was passed the ball in front of the goal and was in prime position to score. As I jumped (with exceptional athletic prowess) to receive the pass, Sam ran directly into me and knocked me off-balance. Trying not to land on the poor boy, I shifted my body weight to land on a different leg and came down directly on the outside of my right ankle. I didn't roll it. I Super Smash-Brothers-style pounded it. Needless to say, I didn't exactly leap up in response. Reality was more like me on my back groaning while biting my tongue to contain the rage within me that sought to leap forth and possess this child's soul. Why would I get so mad, do you ask? Little Sam, instead of asking me if I was alright, leaned directly over my face and began taunting me! He laughed and laughed and chanted things which my rage blocked my ears from deciphering. I wanted to kill the boy. It is a testimony to the power of God that my hands didn't burst forth from the ground where they lay and clamp down on his devilish little windpipe.

To summarize, I am now on crutches with a badly sprained ankle. I'm missing work, which means I don't get paid. And I didn't get to strangle the boy. The only consolation is that later I was informed that as little Sam continued to play the game, he and a kindergartener smashed heads directly. Ahh....God is just!

The Tragedy of Polygamy

2006-05-11T11:21:00.000-04:00

Today a video clip was posted on the cover page of CNN.com of an interview of several women discussing life in a polygamous relationship. All of the women lived in an unspecified community on the Arizona/Utah border and are currently one of several wives to different husbands. To view the interview, click here and go to the "Free Video" tab.

Most polygamous relationships in the United States take place in isolated pockets of the American West among people who practice primitive Mormonism. According to their doctrine, polygamy is commanded by God as a precursor to the afterlife, in which Mormon men will become gods of their own worlds, and will be tasked with populating that world. Polygamy is a vital part of this afterlife population process, as well.

Polygamy is so very heartbreaking because in its deception, it has masked and divorced itself from God's good design in marriage. Genesis 2:18, 24-25 reads:

(v.18) Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man [Adam] should be alone; "I will make him a helper fit for him...(v.24) Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (v.25) And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

There are several things I'd like to quickly note in this passage which pertain to God's good marriage design:

Marriage was designed and is endorsed by God. (v.18)
Marriage was designed to consist of one man and one woman. (v.24) Notice that in verse 24 a man is intended to leave his parents' house and hold fast [cling] to his wife (singular). God created marriage as a monogamous relationship.
Marriage is an intensely intimate union. (v.24) They become one in God's eyes.
Sex within the covenant union of marriage is a God-ordained and beautiful act. (v.25) The man and women felt no shame with one another.

Polygamous relationships are heart-wrenching because they take what is good, pure, and beautiful and twist it into something that is monstrous. The human heart was not created to share a "one-flesh" relationship with several competing wives. It is no accident that the Old Testament partriarchs (Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon) experienced nothing but strife, heartache, rejection, and intense rivalry within their households as a result of their embracing of polygamy. God does not bless what he has not ordained. A woman in a polygamous relationship will never be able to experience the exhilaration of being with a husband who only has eyes for her. Monogamy is God's design. Let us all pursue and enjoy God's handiwork!

Finals

2006-05-08T08:26:00.000-04:00

I'm now entering the last two weeks of the semester at Southeastern Seminary. Therefore, my posts will be even more irregular, if that were possible. If I get really bored and avoidant during the actual exam week, then I'm sure I'll carve out few minutes to update the blog with something non-sensical, but as of now I've got nothing.

My sister is getting married in less than two weeks, and so I'll be sure to post some pictures and a recap of that.

Together for the Gospel: Part Three

2006-04-29T17:11:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, the conference ended yesterday. I'll just give the excuse that I spent all afternoon (and evening!) in various airports trying to get home. A three-hour layover at New York's LaGuardia Airport certainly will draw out your travel time.

The last morning of the Together for the Gospel conference was very good. C.J. Mahaney, president of Sovereign Grace Ministries and former pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, addressed us on Watch Your Life & Doctrine. It was an excellent, heartfelt message preached with a dash of witty and often self-effacing humor. After a brief break, Dr. John MacArthur reminisced about Forty Years of Gospel Ministry, in which he exhorted the body to take seriously the charge of truly letting the biblical text direct and regulate the sermon. It was vintage, classic MacArthur, and a very good reminder.

I haven't commented on this yet in the Together for the Gospel series, but I must "brag" about the loot we received. As a seminary student, I was able to attend the conference at a discount rate because of extremely gracious conference organizers. Little did I know that I'd actually make money in the end! What do I mean by that? Throughout the conference, we were given gifts of books. Each morning or afternoon the attendees would walk into the conference venue and sitting on each man's chair was a gift of books selected especially by the next speaker. All in all, I received 14 brand new books, none of which I already possessed! Here's a list of the titles:

The MacArthur Study Bible (!)
a paperback copy of the ESV translation of the Bible
The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter
The Deliberate Church by Mark Dever
Getting the Gospel Right by R.C. Sproul
Why Only One Way? by John MacArthur
God is the Gospel by John Piper
Counted Righteous in Christ by John Piper
Give Praise to God edited by Ligon Duncan, Derek Thomas, & Philip Ryken
Humility by C.J. Mahaney
Sex, Romance, & the Glory of God by C.J. Mahaney
Speaking the Truth in Love by David Powlison
Women's Ministry in the Local Church by Ligon Duncan & Susan Hunt
Pathway to Freedom by Alistair Begg

The conference was fantastic, and I highly recommend that you try to attend the conference in 2008. I can enthusiastically say that it will be good for your soul.

Together for the Gospel: Part Two

2006-04-27T23:29:00.000-04:00

Good evening to you all! Today has been a very long day, but one of immense personal joy. As I am writing this, I must confess that I am thoroughly exhausted but my heart is more warm and alive than I've felt in a long time. Tonight's session was especially inspiring.

Here's the rundown from today's sessions at the Together for the Gospel conference. This morning consisted of two general sessions followed by one discussion session, where the four hosts laughed, prodded, lamented, and celebrated all that is Christian ministry. The opening preacher was Dr. Ligon Duncan, senior minister at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, Mississippi. He's the lone representative from my own denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). His area of discussion was preaching the Old Testament, and his message was particularly strong because he spent a copious amount of time demonstrating that Jesus is the fulfillment of all that the Old Testament pointed to; he even did a very cursory overview of the covenants and how they are the primary means in which God has foreshadowed, promised, and delivered Jesus Christ.

Next up was Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Mohler lectured on the subject of Preaching with the Culture in View, and in usual Mohler style, spoke intelligently, succinctly, and persuasively. He holds claim to the most memorable line of the day, when he spoke concerning evangelicals' materialism. In his words, he said, "Angels are not the cutesy little figurines you buy down at the local Christian bookstore. In the Bible, when you saw an angel, you wet your pants." Enough said.

After a wonderful discussion session, I had the pleasure of eating lunch with several interns from Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn, Alabama. They were fine gentlemen, laced with quick wit and abundant sarcasm. I felt at home with them very quickly.

The highlight of the day without question was the address given by Dr. John Piper of Bethlehem Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I refer you to Challies Dot Com for the exact details of his message, because I was so profoundly awestruck at the message God gave him to preach. Thanks to Matt Emerson, my friend and soon to be brother-in-law, we were able to secure seats on the third row in front of the platform. I was absolutely and completely mesmerized as Piper preached on the beauty and glory of God and how that divine intoxication radically affects Christian preaching. It was a glorious moment, and I encourage you to go the Together for the Gospel website to see if you can download his message. You will not be disappointed.

Tomorrow we will hear from C.J. Mahaney and Dr. John MacArthur before the conference closes. Today was a glorious day!

Together for the Gospel: Part One

2006-04-26T23:19:00.000-04:00

It's now way past my bedtime following a full day of travel to Louisville, Kentucky, where I am attending the first ever Together for the Gospel conference. The idea is simple: four friends, all pastors from different denominations, celebrating the centrality of the Gospel; in other words, keeping "the main thing" the main thing.

The ballroom of the Galt House, a massive hotel and conference complex in downtown Louisville, was packed for the conference. After a time of welcome led by Dr. Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., we were led in a time of singing hymns. The sound of 2800 men singing with one heart robustly is an incredible experience. Following our time of worship, C.J. Mahaney, president of Sovereign Grace Ministries and former pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, undertook an extended and often riotous introduction for Dr. Dever, who was to be addressing us tonight.

Dr. Dever's assigned topic was The Pastor's Understanding of His Role. By walking us through the fourth chapter of 1 Corinthians, he clearly identified three marks which must characterize the Christian minister:

He must carry a Cross-filled message. (v.1-7)
He must live a Cross-filled life. (v.8-13)
He must cultivate Cross-filled followers. (v.14-21)

A more comprehensive summary of these marks can be found at Challies Dot Com. Following a brief break, the format shifted to a group dialogue, where the four hosts (Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, Al Mohler, C.J. Mahaney) questioned one another on the topic of Why I'm Doing What I'm Doing with My Life. Hilarious, warm, striking, beautiful. I grasp in vain to find appropriate adjectives that would give this time justice.

Tomorrow should be fantastic as well. Drs. Mohler and Duncan are preaching, as well as R.C. Sproul and John Piper. Updates to follow soon!

Future Drama and the Da Vinci Code

2006-04-18T19:33:00.000-04:00

Greetings, my minions!

So, here's the part of the show when you get to grab the steering wheel of Drew's life and keep him from swerving off the road into a bottomless abyss of confusion and indecisiveness. What?! Let me explain.

I entered seminary planning on getting my Master of Divinity degree and then shipping out immediately to the US Army to serve as a chaplain. Long story, sleepless nights, yada yada yada, I'm not walking that path anymore. Now is the scary part: What do I do next? I do have a strong conviction that God does use times of uncertainty to nurture and develop faith in the hearts of His people, so I'm not really freaking out. Well, not yet. This is more of a fun community exercise.

As far as I can tell, there are a couple of options out there that I'd think about pursuing:

Try to find a job in a church working as an Associate Minister.
Intern for a couple of more years and then try to serve as an RUF Campus Minister.
Stay in school until I'm too old and feeble to actually use my education for anything worthwhile. That is a dramatic way of saying that I'm looking into my options with respect to seeking a Ph.D. in New Testament or Church History/Historical Theology.

So what do you think? Am I destined to be (1) a church-based minister, (2) a eternally-hip campus minister, (3) a delightfully witty pastor/professor in a bowtie and tweed blazer, or (4) stuck working at the YMCA wiping up spilled Kool-Aid in a threadbare red t-shirt?

Oh, and as for the Da Vinci Code aspect of the title to this post, I will be teaching a 8-10 week Sunday School class on the Bible and the Da Vinci Code beginning in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for posts relevant to some of the issues that will be covered.

New Recommended Blog

2006-04-18T19:25:00.000-04:00

I've been on this site a couple of times prior to tonight, and I must say that this may be the best evangelical blog I've encountered. The writer is not a minister or pastor, so he comes from a "non-professional" viewpoint, and he writes with conviction and truth. The layout isn't too shabby, either!

Check Tim Challies' blog out at www.challies.com.

Christ-Centered Beauty

2006-04-13T06:32:00.000-04:00

If you have ever read my profile, you might have noticed that I am a self-proclaimed church architecture aficionado. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, Georgia.

The sanctuary of Independent Presbyterian is remarkable to me because it is living proof that the characteristics of simplicity and even austerity need not necessarily excise deep beauty from architecture. Presbyterian and Reformed churches have historically insisted on not creating buildings for worship that are too lavish or ornate, because they did not want the building itself to steal attention from God during a worship service. If you notice, the most eye-catching piece in the building is the pulpit, which serves to draw one's attention to the primacy of The Word of God (i.e. the Bible) in proper worship. Reformed worship and beauty is not an oxymoron!

Perhaps the most intriguing tidbit here is that unlike the vast majority of large, historic churches (especially Presbyterian ones in the US), Independent has not succumbed to liberal theology, but continues to teach the Biblical gospel. I have written this post is because I want to applaud and honor any work of art that is distinctly Christian yet powerfully beautiful. Our response to the Gospel demands nothing less!

Education & Academia

2006-04-05T09:28:00.000-04:00

What should be the basis for a quality education? What are its defining marks? Conversely, what factors contribute to a substandard or diminished education? In tackling this sticky issue, Dr. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, has some thoughts that I found quite intriguing, and probably controversial. No matter if you're a Christian, a die-hard secularist, or anywhere in between, I commend this article to you. To read his thoughts click here.

A New Obsession

2006-04-03T12:12:00.000-04:00

Okay, I've already been mocked by my wife, so hold your impulses. Keep your judgment, and withhold your scorn. I've got a problem. I admit this, but I make no apologies. I've become a tennis junkie.

Janel (my wife), you started this. You know that, right? This past January my wife casually mentioned that she wouldn't mind learning to play tennis so we'd have a hobby that we could do together. It was like sticking an Irishman on a beach. Sparks. Explosion. The fire was lit. Since then I've become a ravenous tennis-fiend, and I can't get enough. I like to play, but none of my buddies play tennis, save one. Thus, I go and hit the ball against the stinkin' wall at the court once a week, pining for a tennis partner. My wife is sick of hearing about tennis; she just hasn't caught the bug.

Now the obsession has escalated one more level: I am not only obsessed with playing tennis, but now watching tennis. My wife flew out Saturday morning to spend a week in Phoenix with a good friend, and so I knew that I'd just get depressed and lonely if I sat around the house all day. It was while contemplating my bleak fate that the plot thickened: I thought, "Hey, you know that there are three major ACC universities in your area, right? The little woman (who hates tennis) is out of town, and so you're free to go enjoy!" With that revelation in mind, I spent Saturday afternoon at NC State University in Raleigh at the women's match against Virginia. Hard metal bleachers, sunburn. It was awesome! Not to be satisfied, I again had the tennis itch on Sunday when before church I realized, "Hey, I wonder if anybody is playing today?" A quick check of the internet and behold, the Duke University women's team was slugging it out with Maryland. Sunday afternoon was spent in high style at Duke, who has a tennis stadium complete with real chairs (not those dreadful bleachers). More sunburn, big smile.

I'm sick. I've got issues. But I'm happy. Go Devils!

A Brief Follow-Up

2006-03-29T06:46:00.000-05:00

I found this today on Dr. Al Mohler's blog, and I think it fits in well as a slightly humorous, extreme case of the tension I expressed concerning wardrobe and life-stage self-perception. Shiver, it's a critique on some sad New Yorkers. True?

Adam Sternbergh raises a very good question in the pages of New York Magazine. Why do so many adults want to look like kids?
This is an obituary for the generation gap. It is a story about 40-year-old men and women who look, talk, act, and dress like people who are 22 years old. It's not about a fad but about a phenomenon that looks to be permanent. It's about the hedge-fund guy in Park Slope with the chunky square glasses, brown rock T-shirt, slight paunch, expensive jeans, Puma sneakers, and shoulder-slung messenger bag, with two kids squirming over his lap like itchy chimps at the Tea Lounge on Sunday morning. It's about the mom in the low-slung Sevens and ankle boots and vaguely Berlin-art-scene blouse with the $800 stroller and the TV-screen-size Olsen-twins sunglasses perched on her head walking through Bryant Park listening to Death Cab for Cutie on her Nano.
And because this phenomenon wears itself so clearly as the convergence of downtown cool and easy, abundant money, it is also, of course, about stuff--though that's not all it's about. It's more interesting as evidence of the slow erosion of the long-held idea that in some fundamental way, you cross through a portal when you become an adult, a portal inscribed with the biblical imperative "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: But when I became a man, I put away childish things." This cohort is not interested in putting away childish things. They are a generation or two of affluent, urban adults who are now happily sailing through their thirties and forties, and even fifties, clad in beat-up sneakers and cashmere hoodies, content that they can enjoy all the good parts of being a grown-up (a real paycheck, a family, the warm touch of cashmere) with none of the bad parts (Dockers, management seminars, indentured servitude at the local Gymboree). It's about a brave new world whose citizens are radically rethinking what it means to be a grown-up and whether being a grown-up still requires, you know, actually growing up.
The article is worth a look. Sternburgh sees the problem through a New York City lens, but the problem is found across the country. The issue of dress isn't what's most important -- it's the fact that adulthood is disappearing as a recognizable mark of maturity and responsibility.

Dave Matthews meets Mozart: A Graduate Student's Predicament

2006-03-21T22:04:00.000-05:00

Being in graduate school is a crossroads of life: you're not a goofy, moronic undergraduate anymore [War Eagle] yet you have not been initiated into the world of the working professional. You're like an overgrown kid who can't quite fit into his daddy's shoes, and so walks around the house tripping over himself anyway.

This manifests itself in a wide variety of ways. First, take the example of employment. I've got a college degree in Human Development, yet I earn the exact same wages as the high school students whom I work alongside at the YMCA. It kind of makes the four years of university studies seem worthwhile, doesn't it? Perhaps God does so to keep me humble. Secondly, examine my wardrobe. When I first got to seminary, I went through a phase where I wanted to leave the world of youth culture and dress like an "adult." A few months later, I went back to my former garb, not feeling completely comfortable dressing like Mr. Rogers just yet. However, I don't take myself seriously as an academic when I walk into a graduate-level class wearing my scruffy jeans and a Delta Sigma Phi t-shirt, either. I just have a hunch that my professor isn't too impressed when I've got a t-shirt that says "Miss Fall Rush 2003" on the front pocket. What is a young guy to do?

I'm tempted to simply cast away all of my societal concerns and dress the part of who I believe I truly am: a 50-year old man in a 24-year old's chubby body. I admit it, I'm not ashamed. I appreciate leather briefcases and three-piece suits. Bowties and fountain pens. Fine writing paper and classical music. This makes me an outcast, but yet I don't care. I'm simply just too poor/cowardly to actualize my inner retiree. Go figure.

My question is simple: Am I alone here? Most of you who are reading this blog are in this same life stage. Lauren, I know that you have been in the "real world" for a couple of years now, but my seminary buddies and Shiver are all living in the undefined intermediacy of now. I'd love to hear some anecdotes if you've got any. Cheers! (In my mind, I'm apparently a 50-year old British man.)

When a Nerd Gets Bored...

2006-03-20T12:55:00.000-05:00

As I hope you can tell, I've changed quite a few things on the blog. I never knew what a computer geek I could be until I realized that I could actually manipulate the underlying computer code without a manual or anything. That's pathetic. Enjoy the new look. I'm going to cry now.

An Intern's Spring Break

2006-03-09T08:31:00.000-05:00

This week is Spring Break at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. My pastor took his family to Disney World for the holiday and so I was offered an opportunity to preach this Sunday for the congregation. Being the ravenous pulpit-fiend that I am, and given the fact that my preaching needs a lot of practice, I jumped at the chance.

I once thought that preaching wasn't that tough. Just choose a portion of Scripture and explain what it means to the people. I'm into my second year of graduate theological education, and therefore I am now a bona fide expert on all things theological, right? Right? Wrong. I'm on like my fifth draft of the sermon. I preached it yesterday to the wall (thank goodness my wife wasn't home to laugh and snicker), and I think I heard it yawn. Paranoia? Maybe. But I'm now retooling my sermon yet again.

The beautiful irony of this entire process is that while I am supposedly off from academic endeavors this week, I'm actually doing more research and more writing that I would otherwise do in a week of classes. Don't get me wrong, it's fun because you get to take the meaning of a particular section of the Bible (in my case, Psalm 13), and be creative in how you communicate it. The aspiring writer in me salivates at the opportunity. I just hope it doesn't bomb. Oh, and did I mention that my wife's aunt and cousin are coming into town this weekend? That'll be great. They'll get to see me up-close-and personal, and then go back and tell Janel's parents what a terrible preacher I am. Then, in my twisted imagination, for the welfare of their daughter's future, her parents will instantly jump on the next flight to Raleigh and smuggle her out of the house. Janel's gotta eat, right? Maybe I'll just go to Lowe's and practice on the drywall aisle. I can be a roving street preacher who preaches the gospel to the pigeons in the park.

On a completely different subject, my afternoons have been spend at none other than my favorite YMCA after-school program. The children are ravenous. I swear they can smell joy. In my mind it goes something like this:

Evil Lil' Johnny: Hey, I hear that Drew is on Spring Break this week.

Satanic Sammy: Yeah, that's right! He's supposed to be relaxing. We can't allow this!

ELJ: Straight up [in my mind, they are little gangstas]! What can we do?

SS: A preemptive strike. When we come through the door, let it all go.

ELJ: Scream and shout. Run around in a circle. Hit every child you lay your eyes on. Deny all.

SS: Yeah!

ELJ: Yeah.

I need to find the biggest, thickest, heaviest Bible I can get my hands on and smack my kids upside the head with it. And there's my Spring Break. Cheers.

Capturing Every Moment

2006-03-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting question: How do you spend your time? By that I mean, do you consciously think about what you're doing and why you're doing it? I heard a minister mention this subject a few weeks ago in a sermon, in which he stated that life is like a race, but you only get one lap. Now, he wasn't advocating a naturalistic, "one run and you're done" annihilationist position. Rather, he was making the point that if there is only one lap in this life, we'd better make it count for something beyond ourselves. Well, that got me thinking about my dreams and goals for the years that God has given me. Am I using them wisely?

Here's something to think about: What are five things that you want to do before you die? Here are mine, just off the top of my head:

Tour the Holy Land.
Earn a doctorate.
Officiate the weddings of my children.
Regularly make out with my wife when we're old.
Pen a book that is beneficial to the health of the Church.

I'm not sure if each and every one of these is at the very top of my list, but it's a good start. What would be on your top-five list?

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)

Bring It On

2006-02-23T07:44:00.000-05:00

In about three hours I'm taking the final exam for the course I took at Reformed Theological Seminary over Christmas break. What am I doing to prepare? Blogging. Yep, this is a classic case of avoidance. My bane continues, but oh what pleasure it brings! Since I must suffer, then guess what? You, my devoted minions, get to help me study!

Q. What are Thomas Witherow's Six Principles of Biblical Polity?

Elders and deacons were chosen from the congregation. (Acts 6:3, 14:23)
The offices of elder and bishop are identical. (1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Pet. 5:1-2)
In each church there was a plurality of elders. (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; Heb. 13:17; James 5:14)
Ordination was the work of the presbytery. (1 Tim. 4:14)
Right of appeal in the assembly of the elders. (Acts 15)
Christ alone is Head of the Church. (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:20-23, 5:23)

Q. What modern form of church polity most closely reflects that of the apostolic church?

A. The presbyterian form of church government most closely reflects that of the apostolic church, because it fulfills all six points. The episcopal system fails on all six points. The congregational and independent form fulfills points 1, 2, and 6 but fails on points 3, 4, and 5.

Q. What is the biblical justification for infant baptism?

A. Five Point Argument for Paedobaptism:

Baptism is the sign and seal of the covenant of grace. (Rom. 4:11)
Children are included with their parents in the covenant of grace. (Gen. 17ff)
In the Old Testament, circumcision was the sign and seal of the covenant of grace. (Gen. 17:10-13)
In the New Testament, baptism has taken the place of circumcision. (Col. 2:11-12)
Covenant promises belong to the children of believers as well as their parents. (Acts 2:39)

Q. What offices has Christ instituted for leadership in His Church?

Elders (1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5; Acts 14:23)
Deacons (Acts 6; 1 Tim. 3)

Q. Were these the only offices in the apostolic era?

A. No, there were four offices in the apostolic era (1st Century AD). They were (1) Apostle, (2) Prophet, (3) Elder, and (4) Deacon. (Eph. 4:11)

Heritage Idol

2006-02-17T20:48:00.000-05:00

Being my flagship blog, I apologize for allowing my brainchild to go unguarded and unnourished for so long. With that being said, I now offer my explanation and sincerest apologies for the adjacent picture.

Here goes: Heritage Idol, Heritage YMCA After School's knock-off of the ever popular Fox show. Eight counselors began this venture two weeks ago, only six remain. Guess who's gone? Yeah, that's right. Me. Ungrateful dirtbag kids. I give them the best show they've ever seen and they discard you like garbage. Vengeance shall be mine.

Now, I admit that I'm not much of a voice talent, but that does not mean that I'm not going to be a serious contender in a head-to-head competition. I sweated. I bled. I shook what I've got. What is my reward? Scorn. Here is the rundown:

Week One: I kicked off the competition with a stirring rendition of Hillary Duff's Come Clean. I figured that the song choice would score some points with the kids, and I was right. I was awful. Imagine an off-key baritone trying to follow a seventeen-year old bubble-gum princess's soprano. Kindergarteners booed. My own kids screamed for my removal and drowned out all of my lyrics with scorn and cursing. So what was left for me to do in order to save my skin? I stooped to a level that I never would have previously considered. The Booty. Oh yes, the picture is photographic evidence of my degradation. I got screams, shrieks, and even more boos. Yet I survived.

Week Two: Nearing Valentine's Day, the mandated genre was love songs. After failing to find an MP3 of 2Gether's The Hardest Part of Breaking Up (Is Getting Back Your Stuff), I found the perfect song: a punk remix of the Backstreet Boys' I Want it That Way by a band named Allister. My performance was flawless. I knew every word, hit every note (well, almost), and worked the crowd like a punk ninja. Boos. Those little ingrates simply hate me. When five-year olds scream for your blood, you know you must really be a jerk. And so that day my talents were dismissed from Heritage Idol, much to the chagrin of the demon children. Vengeance will be mine. Oh yes, vengeance will be mine.

New Blog

2006-02-06T08:54:00.000-05:00

So now I am diversifying. A friend of mine at the seminary suggested that we and two other guys start a joint blog, as a way of discussing stuff (both life and theology) and also as a way of keeping in touch with one another after our respective graduations. Here's the link, sorry no posts yet.

Pain & Providence

2006-01-31T19:31:00.000-05:00

I'm bored. It's been a long day and I'm flat out beat. Being bored is not to say that I do not have plenty of things that I could/should be attending to, but I choose to deny and delay. So, while I'm being neglectful of my calling to study, blog I shall.

Today has been frustrating for me emotionally and intellectually. I love seminary, and it has been a time where I've been challenged emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually, but there are points in the process where you simply grow weary and fainthearted. Today was such a day. Not to make denominational differences a big issue (which they are not, because we all confess that Christ and His message of grace is of most importance), but sometimes I fear that when my time at Southeastern is done, I'll be left out in the cold because of my seminary choice. Petty fears, but they jump up sporadically.

The reason the logo at the top of this entry appears is that it is the logo for Janel and I's local church, Christ Our Hope. When days like this come along and I wonder why in the world I would continue in the school that I am at instead of transferring to a traditionally Presbyterian seminary, I am reminded of our church. For reasons that only He knows, God has brought us to this one little representation of the worldwide church and called us to grow, love, and serve her. God loves His Church, which the Bible says that Christ bought with his own blood (Acts 20:28). Depression and fear go away when I get to spend time with this community, which has become a second family, a home away from home along with my friends from seminary. I'm grateful. This church gives me the "Intern" to accompany "Indigent." I'm a minister-in-training, and this gracious congregation lets me use it as an ecclesiastical guinea pig. May God have mercy on us all.

Who is Jesus?

2006-01-26T13:09:00.000-05:00

As promised, I am now neglecting my scholastic duties to pursue other things. Here is a discussion/lecture given by Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Awesome thoughts on the person of Jesus. Was he really God? Whether you're a born-and-raised churchgoer or a complete skeptic, this is for you. Check it out here. The name of the talk is Who is this Jesus?

I hope you few, poor, dedicated readers have a great week.

The Gap Explained

2006-01-23T13:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I know that I'm a hypocrite. You see, I usually harass people when they allow excessive periods of time to go by without updating their blog. I am a blog-nerd and there are rules, people! We've covered this already. Now that I've confessed my guilt, let me explain.

I've been on Christmas break for almost six weeks now. It's been awesome. I've slept. I've read. I've worked. I've played tennis, golf, and racquetball. Life has been good. I've also discovered a phenomenon. Blogging is an activity of evasion. Blogging has unbelievably magnetic power when you've got a million things demanding your simultaneous attention. It's uncanny, really. Give me ten papers to write and I'll author a blog-novel. Give me six weeks of freedom and suddenly the nuances of life aren't so vivid anymore, and thus not worthy of a blog entry. I can't explain it, but don't mess with the system. This is my justification. So Lauren, no pictures needed.

And to all of my rabidly loyal readers (all five at last count), take heart! School begins yet again on Thursday, and the forecasters all predict a sharp spike in Drew's stress level. Then the whole world shall prosper at the outflow of my wisdom. Good day.

2006- The Year of Death

2006-01-03T09:18:00.000-05:00

So yeah, I'm not a superstitious guy, but I think that in my case, you'd be a fool not to see the signs. Let me explain. The picture to the left was taken in the twilight moments of 2005. Good friends. Cute, cuddly, terrified animals. Good times all around. A great evening. Let me illustrate.

Janel and I's friends from the seminary and the Y were kind enough to put together a small New Year's Eve shindig at their place. The evening began innocent enough at the Armadillo Grill, which by the way, has the best buffalo wings in Wake Forest. Actually, they are the only buffalo wings I've ever eaten in Wake Forest, but that's beside the point. I'm a connoiseur- I know what I likes! Following dinner we all went over to Charlie and Emily's place to hang out until the ball dropped. Games, IBC root beer (mmm), and diabetes-inducing fudge. Oh, and a spoiled-rotten ball of fur named Milly. But it 'twas too good to last. Chaos. Death. Intrigue. All were lurking around the corner of 2006.

See the photo at the right, while I explain. At precisely 12:00, we celebrated the New Year with kisses and confetti. Like a moron, I saw the confetti on all of us and decided it would be funny to roll on the floor and get coated in the stuff. While on the floor I took a brief rest, because I'm an old man and was up way past my bedtime. I took a deep breath, and that's when it happened. Assassination! At the exact moment that my mouth was opened, some fiendish bandit who will remain anonymous thought it clever to throw the rest of the confetti bowl into the air. It didn't scatter! Instead, the clump of confetti plummeted toward me on its death mission. One minute I'm enjoying a nice yawn on a piece of plush carpet, the next, I'm fighting for my life. That ball of confetti guided itself directly into my exposed airway. The next few moments were a blur, but I distinctly remember hearing howling laughter. I'm a moron. I'm a moron.

Final Tally

2005-12-28T22:27:00.000-05:00

199. That's an increase of five. Thanks, Mom.

The Good Life

2005-12-20T09:48:00.000-05:00

So, final exams ended last Wednesday, and life has been beautiful ever since. I've read fiction. Fiction. It's been so long since I've been able to indulge my overstuffed brain with something that I'm not required to regurgitate in the future. Marvelous! I read Memoirs of a Geisha, which you may have heard of because of the film coming out on Friday. I highly recommend it.

In addition to reading about the lives of young Japanese women, all that has been required of me is three hours per day at the YMCA. Three hours well served, mind you. You may never know what damage can be done to your soul and complete mindset in three hours until you've spent them with fifteen six-year olds who love nothing better than to lash out at each other in word and deed. I have a group of about four girls who I swear are going to bring the movie Mean Girls into elementary school life. They are beautiful, but vicious and savage. Frightening.

My favorite winter Y moment: The Sneeze. Here's how it goes: Evil Johnny comes through the doors of the gym with watery, glass eyes. He begins to cough and sneeze, with a hint of mucus making its appearance. Then it begins. In slow motion, he leans his head back in preparation for the mother of all sneezes. He violently heaves forward while carried along by a nasal blast of hurricane proportions, only partially covering his mouth and nose. A light mist of saliva and mucus flows around him and affects all in a two-foot radius. As if this is not bad enough, he deals out the death blow. With his hands infected, he spots you. Before you can realize his intentions, he decides that at that exact moment he must express his undying love and devotion for you, his counselor. He rushes forward and engulfs you with his Hug of Death. Before you can fully realize what has occured, you are infected. That, my friends, is The Sneeze.

All that remains of this week is basically waiting for our flight to Huntsville, AL on Friday. I have some sermon research to do for New Years' Day, which will keep me busy in the meantime. By the way, time spent with my folks equals unrivaled eating. My wonderful mother expresses her love by caring for her family, and a large component of this is having fantastic food available twenty-four hours a day. So, I am arranging a test this year. My current weight is 194lbs. I don't want to hear any comments. I'm fat, we've covered this. When I get back from Huntsville on the 28th, I will update you on my weight and we'll see just how much my mother really does love me. There's nothing that says love more than the gift of obesity.

New Air Force Chaplain Guidelines

2005-12-18T08:28:00.000-05:00

As a commissioned officer in the US Army and one who is training to be an Army chaplain, here's something that I'm submitting for your feedback. You may or may not know that the US Air Force (USAF) has recently changed its religious policy, which has huge implications for military chaplains in all of the branches of the military. Basically, the USAF has placed much more binding restrictions on chaplains in the ways that they can discuss and practice their faith with other members of the AF. To read the Air Force's statement, click here. This means that they are not allowed to initiate any type of religious conversation with anyone, even if their express intent is not to "convert them." It also places even more stringent boundaries on chaplains' prayers, particulary mentioning the name of Christ ("in Jesus name...") in any prayer outside of the weekly Sunday chapel service. The board that controls the military chaplains for my denomination (the Presbyterian Church in America, aka the PCA) has submitted a response as requested by the USAF. Here's a brief paragraph that captures well the PCA's concerns about these new guidelines:

Insofar as the proposed Guidelines would apply to Air Force chaplains, a long term effect will likely be the incremental transformation of the Chaplain Corps from a good example of corporate moral strength, theological discernment, ethical leadership and prophetic rebuke to a corps of anemic social workers and psychological counselors with a politically correct veneer of religious busy-ness and exuding timidity could only try to please everybody and offend nobody.

I recognize that we do not live in Christendom (everybody is a Christian). It's important to note that when Christianity has dominated the culture throughout church history, the message of Christ has tended to be anemic and actually had less of an effect on the culture and individuals for real life change. I am not arguing that the US was founded with an exclusively Christian identity. I am not a theonomist. This is exactly why I am so concerned about these new guidelines from the USAF. By purposely seeking to curtail any type of theological dialogue, they are creating a de facto Church of the Air Force, in which USAF core values are held up as sacred and the airmen's truth for living. This is, ironically, an establishment of state-endorsed religion that not only tramples on the belief and practice of Christianity, but all religions. Everybody loses, except perhaps those service members who are radically secular. In my judgment, it is simply not a wise decision.

Christ and New York

2005-12-13T08:53:00.000-05:00

For a few months, I've been taking notes on the work of a church called Redeemer Presbyterian Church in center-city Manhattan. Their pastor, Tim Keller, is one of the most innovative figures I've ever known when it comes to infusing Christ and the Gospel with the real lives of modern urban professionals.

I think that their purpose is both intelligent and beautiful: To build a great city for all people—through a gospel movement that brings personal conversion, community formation, social justice and cultural renewal to New York and, through it, to the world. Why? After pondering their success, I think I've come to the conclusion that their work has been so effective because 1) It's true; 2) It is seeking to answer the real and valid questions about Jesus Christ; and 3) They are showing a heart of compassion for the city as a whole. They don't exist for themselves, to be some insulated institution that exists for its own good. They are about loving New York City in all ways, for those who accept the claims of Christ and those who do not. It's intelligent, holistic ministry!

Something that has really impacted me and pushed me lately is their view of how Jesus relates to culture. Sometimes the American Church (big "C" meaning all American Christian groups) has been openly hostile and needlessly antagonistic towards its neighbors. I've seen that tendency in my own life. Redeemer's approach, I think, really takes Jesus's words to heart when He said, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39)

Finally, its devotion to relating Christ to all parts of culture is inspiring. Of special note is their fearless commitment to cultivating the Arts. If Christians really believe that Christ came to make all things new, then we should embrace the artistic nature within us! This means that Christian artists create works of remarkable beauty, flowing from a "new heart." Redeemer has designated ministries to serving and growing the Artistic Community of New York. I highly suggest taking a look at their Worship & Arts page on their website.

Wow. I've become a ecclesiastical groupie. Should you check out those links, I hope you find yourself as inspired and curious as I am.

I'm Scarred. I'm Scarred: A Tribute to Shiver

2005-12-10T07:57:00.000-05:00

Would you graciously allow me a moment to vent? Thank you.

The end of the semester is almost here. O the semester it has been! These past fifteen weeks have been the toughest in my entire academic career (19th year by the way; how sad is that?!), and the end now draws nigh. On Wednesday I am a free man. As I sit here looking retrospectively on this semester's accomplishments (and dismal failures), here's the rundown:

Theology term paper: 15 pages
Two Sermon Manuscripts (12 each): 24 pages
Ethics Project: 37 pages
Theology Doctrinal Summaries: 4 pages
Greek Exegesis Paper: 15 pages
Theology Journal: 14 pages

GRAND TOTAL: 109 pages

Let's not even talk about the 1500 pages of text I've read and the 800 Greek words I've learned. If I ever complained about being overworked in college, I repent! Somebody finish me off. If you flicked me in the head, it would be likely to pop like a giant zit. The trauma this has placed in my life is irreversible. I now walk down the street trembling and mumbling to myself. My wife thinks she is married to Rain Man. I'm scarred. I'm scarred.

High Culture Drew?

2005-12-03T09:13:00.000-05:00

I am becoming a cultural elitist. Yes, I can sympathize with what you are probably asking yourself, "Drew. Culture. You?" It is true. I shall not deny it. Classical music twenty-four hours a day? Absolutely. Opera? Ballet? I am investigating the local possibilities. Apparently the Triangle area is quite interested in the Arts. Magnificent!

What brought along this shift? I have been pondering this question for the last few weeks, and I believe that I have figured it out: Much of pop culture is hollow garbage. Now, now, I know that many of my five readers will object to the generality of this comment, and I can sympathize. I have preserved my devotion to John Mayer and other acoustic artists (their work tends to have some keen insights into life and culture), and besides, I like them, so why don't you just BACK OFF!! I refuse to confer the title of Artist upon the Pussycat Dolls and Nickelback. I think you understand.

Wow. That last paragraph was actually unplanned. I am becoming a snob. This question has popped into my head, and I want to solicit your opinions. Is there a difference between an elitist and a snob? If so, what is it? For all of the fans of classical music, I am requesting your favorite pieces so that I can check them out. I may claim to be the classical fan, but at this point I'm quite ignorant!

Handel's Messiah is this afternoon at Duke Chapel. I have never heard anything beyond the Hallelujah Chorus from this piece. For all of the non-locals reading this, Duke University has a full-size Gothic cathedral at the center of its campus and it is simply breathtaking. The acoustics in it are phenomenal!

Okay. I'm done. Feel free to point out my hypocrisy with your humbling comments.

Technology Geek

2005-11-29T05:42:00.000-05:00

I got this in my email from my dad. Don't you love science?

When a cat is dropped, it always lands on its feet, and when toast is dropped, it always lands buttered side down. It was proposed to strap giant slabs of hot buttered toast to the back of a hundred tethered cats; the two opposing forces will cause the cats to hover, spinning inches above the ground. Using the giant buttered toast/cat array, a high-speed monorail could easily link New York with Chicago.

Thanksgiving

2005-11-25T09:34:00.000-05:00

The damage is done. The massacre is complete. All that is left is a torn and mutilated turkey carcass, and I have emerged as the victor.

Oh yes, Thanksgiving is over for this year. Here's a recap of my day:

6:30am- Wake up and prepare for the day. I must be fully awake and alert to inflict maximum damage.
7:00am- Homework. If you are going to be obese, you must be intelligent to compensate.
9:30am- Load up in the car for a tour of the tornado damage. This is the only serious part of this post. It was horrible. Complete devastation which television can not do justice.
10:00am- Arrive on site at the Official Eating Center. The marathon begins.
10:30am- Family pleasantries completed, time to get to work. First course: the famous Thanksgiving cheeseball. Cream cheese with crushed pinapple, coated in almonds. Heaven.
12:00pm- The Main Event. On the menu: Turkey, stuffing (alas, no cornbread dressing), rolls, green beans, mashed potatoes with gravy, olives (both green and ripe). I had two helpings of each. When completely stuffed, made room for chocolate pecan pie. Sensed the presence of my meal piled up in my esophagus, tickling the back of my throat.
1:00pm- Passed out on the couch due to massive tryptophan overdose.
2:00pm- Revived from gluttony-induced coma; summoned to partake in annual football game out in the backyard.
2:15pm- Sucking wind. Dropped three passes. Humbled when I was scored on by a girl, whom I was assigned to cover. (In my defense, she is a college track athlete!)
3:00pm- Called the parents in Alabama and arranged the logistics for another binge-fest in a month.
5:00pm- Round Two. Same menu as before, two more helpings of all consumed. Total: 4 helpings.
6:00pm-9:00pm- Games with family. Mocked by Janel's cousins concerning my inability to count. Ate M&M's. Injured small dog while wrestling for the last spoon during a friendly game of Spoons. Departed from battlefield for the evening.
10:30- Retired to bed as I must conserve my energy for Round Three on the morrow.

An Alarming Use of Grammar

2005-11-21T21:48:00.000-05:00

I consider myself to be a reasonably educated fellow. I'm currently progressing through my nineteenth year of formal education, and while I'm not an Einstein, I hold desperately to the hope that I'm not a Bubba, either. O the deluded dreams to which we cling! Day after day, I find myself increasingly embarassed by my use of English vernacular. That's educated-speak for REDNECK. Perhaps it's the good old boys (who quite often are stand-up guys, by the way) that seem to be in abundance in a few of my classes, or perhaps it is constantly trying to speak on the level of elementary school students. Either way, my speech is atrocious.

Now I know this seems petty and a bit above my breedin' (see--my case in point), but it's frightening. No less than three times today did I use the phrase, "What choo got?" The very moment that monstrosity leapt from my lips, I recoiled in horror. I have even fallen so far as to utter the words, "I got me..." All of the "ing" suffixes on my verbs have disappeared into linguistic purgatory, never to be seen again. In their place is the syntactical antichrist himself, the exclusive use of "in'." Fishin'. Talkin'. Bloggin'. Edumacatin'. O my perplexed readers, it's beyond quaint Southern drawl. There is no sophisticated regional charm flowing forth from these lips. Only ignorance. Sheer idiocy. Nineteen years of hard work have been forsaken. Teachers, alas, for thou work hast been wrought in vain!

I must escape. I am unwilling to resign myself to a lifetime of moronic speech that dishonors my family, my church, and Mr. Webster (the dictionary man) himself. Their labor in training me shall not be in vain! If you speak with me in the near future and get the impression that you are speaking to a wooden, grammatical prude, know this: It is for your good and mine. This life shall not be a testimony to the demise of the written and spoken word in Western civilization! Excellence shall not be sacrificed upon the altar of pop culture! May beauty flow forth from these lips as a genuine effort to glorify the Creator of all that is beautiful. Prose. Poetry. Music. Art. It all glorifies Him, so let us do it well!

Well, what began as a rant has quickly become an exhoration and possibly a sermonette. Be blessed, readers, and learn from the tribulation of this ignorant man as he clings to hope.

The Other Side

2005-11-19T22:31:00.000-05:00

In celebration of my birthday (big 24), Janel and I made a jaunt over to the Streets at Southpoint, which is a super nice mall on the opposite side of the Triangle from Wake Forest. It's a really cool setup--half of the mall is indoor, like a traditional mall. The other half of it is outside (like a street, hence the name) with different types of fountains set up periodically for aesthetics sake. It's one of my favorite places to go in the Triangle area. Two reasons why: (1) The Apple Store. I'm not really much of a gadget-guru, but Apple just does something within my soul. (2) Firebirds. It's a Rocky Mountain themed steakhouse, and the inside of it resembles a high-class ski lodge. Best steak I've ever had; it makes Outback seem like putrid rubber. Get the black peppercorn encrusted steak w/ the loaded baked potato. Mmmm.

In addition to eating and gadget-drooling, we got to do a little shopping, 'cuz Drew has a bit of birthday cash. I'm not the metrosexual type, but I'm finding that I enjoy shopping more than I probably should. I can't quite make my budget fit Banana Republic, but GAP is right up my alley. Ooh...chain-store conformity! It beats digging through the racks at Goodwill, which to my utter shame, I must confess to resorting to from time to time. Lastly, the NBC affiliate station has a huge Christmas tree lighting at Southpoint every year, and so we stood out in the cold for 2 hours watching small children run around and demolish every inch of landscaping in the main square of the Streets. Sometimes I think that hanging out with children just might be the greatest contraceptive one can ever have. It was fun, however, to use our childless mobility to outrun the armada of strollers and minivans in departing the mall. Eat that, breeders!

Tasty Turkey and the Eternal Summer

2005-11-16T06:28:00.000-05:00

Hallelujah! I can see the end of this week within sight. Not to say that much is not left to be done for the next few days, but the vision of turkey and punkin' pie is now becoming my motivation to finish well. Janel's (the cute brunette who married me) entire extended family descends upon Evansville, IN for Thanksgiving each year and that is where we shall gather together in warm fellowship and corporately dismember some poor bird. Thirty five folks in one house at one time--trust me, we'll do some serious damage to any table spread you place before us.

One issue I have with my new Yankee Thanksgiving posse: North of the Mason-Dixon line, dressing disappears. I'm talking about cornbread dressing. They have stuffing. Like Stove Top kind of stuff. It's tasty, but it's not my momma's cornbread dressing. Mom, if you read this, freeze dry me some and ship it to NC, okay? All you Southerners know what I'm talking about and can relate. I'm determined to introduce sweet tea this year, too.

So yeah, I tried to subject this urge to silence, but alas, I have failed. There is something very, very wrong about the temperature being 77 degrees in mid-November. Southern life has its charm, but the constant inferno that is its eternal summer it simply awful. I left Auburn, AL thinking that I'd get to experience at least a taste of fall in North Carolina. Nope. Wrong. Summer (no spring, no fall) extends from late March to early December apparently. It's like the bloody NBA! Nine months chalked full of sweaty crap. Can I get some relief? Where is my fall? Yeah, yeah, I know I just gave some sentimental Robert Frost-like musing just a few short days ago on the virtues of fall in Wake Forest, but I obviously was deceived. It's hot. I'm a chubby kid, and heat does not go well for me. I've got to go north. Shiver, tell me there's hope for a genuine fall up north?

Even more fun is the daily fiasco that is getting dressed for the day. It's hovering just below 80 degrees outside, but each and every classroom in the seminary is like 60. Therefore, I must wear sweaters so I don't lapse into hypothermia during class, but upon the close of my academic endeavors each day, I must go to the YMCA and chase around 1st graders in said winter wear. Thus, from 3:00pm until I come home at 6, I smell. Yes, I admit it. I smell. It's a disturbing aroma, too, like a hybrid between sweat and the sickening sweet odor of children. Not a pleasant sweet smell, mind you; it's the smell that says, "I'm not old enough to stink like an adult, but I'm also giving evidence that I haven't bathed in two days, either." [Shudder] So at this moment I (1) Have no cornbread dressing; (2) Have been slighted of my long-awaited autumn; and (3) Possess the alluring fragrance of pre-adolescent body aroma constantly. At least Harry Potter is being released this weekend. There won't be any foul-smelling children there, right? RIGHT?!

Great Photograph

2005-11-13T14:06:00.000-05:00

Autumn's Arrival

2005-11-12T12:17:00.000-05:00

Whew. This week has been a whirlwind. I spent about 98% of my time outside class and work this past week chained to my laptop, working on a massive Ethics project that is due on Friday. Almost done. While I was staring at the endless pages of Microsoft Word, autumn made its debut here in Wake Forest. I've been waiting for it since July (when it reached 115 degrees regularly), and when it hits in force, I'm stuck inside!

Wake Forest, as the name subtlely implies, is in the middle of a forest. Beautiful! It seems that almost overnight every deciduous tree decided to burst into shades of amber, gold, and orange. Driving to and from work has become something of great enjoyment for me, as I go down the old Main Street lined with rows of oaks and elms amidst the homes of the Historic District. I complain about being a suburbanite, but the view of smalltown Wake Forest may be hard to beat this time of year. This doesn't mean that I'm still not wanting to catch a glimpse of Central Park, though.

Eek. Two sentimental posts in a row. I'm becoming a softie. I need to relate some kind of cynical anecdote. Hmm...

Sunday Afternoons

2005-11-06T15:28:00.000-05:00

Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us togethew, today. Thus speaks that great cinematic masterpiece, The Princess Bride, which I have enthusiastically been imbibing in today. Sunday afternoons are fantastic. Absolute quiet. Tranquility, if only for a few hours, marks the day. It is a blissful experience.

The Spaniard is now fighting the Six-Fingered Man, forcefully proclaiming, "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die!" What a great film. Jenny from Forrest Gump is reciting cheesy romantic dialogue with the dude from Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

That Prince Humperdinck is a punk. All bark, no bite. O what artistic wonder! What craftsmanship! And Andre the Giant? That casting director deserves an Oscar. Somebody get that man an Oscar!

Sundays may also allow fits of delirium. If idleness is the Devil's Workshop, then call me Bob Vila on Sunday afternoon. It's beautiful. One last gasp of freedom before the week begins with all of its accompanying demands.

So speaking of Sundays, this one has been a bit crazy. What type of morning begins with massive tornadoes in your bride's hometown, attempted cruise line hijackings by Somali pirates, and 80 degree November days? A guy doesn't know what to believe these days.

The fun thing about blogging is its pointless nature. Look at this post: utter nonsense. Do you, reader, if you were truly being honest, really care about spending time reading random quotes from The Princess Bride, musings about the wonder of Sunday afternoons, and modern-day swashbuckling? It's magnificent foolishness! Yet we do it so willingly. My only hypothesis for explaining this phenomenon is that perhaps it correlates with reality television. It's like a non-stop confessional room where we can all examine the chain of pericopes that when woven together, create the tapestry that is our lives. We will sit for hours watching the television tell stories of people who are just as mundane as us, while we whittle away what precious time our Lord has given us. I don't mean to be pessimistic; it is simply a fascinating observation once you think about it.

Okay, add esoteric ranting to the above list. Good day to you. I said Good Day!

Strife

2005-11-02T06:18:00.000-05:00

Insanity. Chaos. Sheer pandemoneum. This is my life now. And what am I doing instead of working? Blogging. That's right- blogging. For all of you psychology majors, this blog has now become a coping mechanism. It's like my drug. Escapism, if you will. It's a wild conversation in my head that goes something like this:

Responsible Drew: Let's see here....a sermon, a Greek test, a theology paper and a massive ethics project due all in the next two weeks? Well, we'd better get going! [Mentally whistling the dwarves' song from Snow White]
Evil Drew: But I don't wanna! You're so mean! I never get to have any fun! [full tantrum mode]
RD: Don't you do this to me again. I refuse to be the bad guy here!
ED: Oh, but you are. You never let me play.
RD: That's not true! Give me one example!
ED: [This has been edited to preserve intra-personality confidentiality, but understand that ED decisively wins]
RD: Oh wow. You're right. What should we do?
ED: Blog.
RD: Blog?
ED: Yes, blog, my precious! (Sorry, felt the urge for a Gollum reference given the context)

And so Evil Drew carries the day. This is what seminary does to you. You enter as a nice, clean-cut, Christian guy and by the end of it you're running around on all fours in a loincloth.

I Thought I Knew

2005-10-27T06:37:00.000-04:00

I have an obsession. The Gorillazs' song Feel Good Inc. It's stuck in my head and I don't really want it to depart. The funny thing is that I don't have the first clue as to what they are saying, I just like the beat. This indeed must be evidence that I am yet still a white boy.

So...weird times. Drew is listening to pseudo-rap and the White Sox are World Series Champs. The White Sox?! Seriously? The times they are a-changin'.

Lessons Learned

2005-10-23T08:04:00.000-04:00

Here's the testimony that I gave to my congregation about what the Marriage & Family Seminar taught me:

"I’d like to have everyone step into my world for a minute or two. Imagine it’s a Wednesday afternoon, around three o’clock. You have been up since five AM, and been sitting in seminary classes since seven thirty. You’re mentally exhausted. You’re hungry. Your head is so full that you think it’s about to burst. All you want is to go home, relax for a moment or two, and then try to make sense of all that you’ve learned before your brain just dumps it all out due to overload. Not to happen. You see, you know that now it’s time to go off to work at your local neighborhood YMCA after-school program, where thirty, that’s right, THIRTY first graders are lying in wait to destroy what is left of your tired and tattered soul! You walk into the school gym where they are already sitting and race to fill out your roll sheet before first activity begins. With one eye you complete the roll, with the other eye you’re watching Timmy, the kid who can’t seem to go ten minutes without a violent eruption against one of his fellow campers. He starts to squirm, not being able to sit in one place for more than a minute or two. You inform him that he needs to stay seated quietly until our huddle is dismissed to first game. He keeps moving. You can see it coming. The boy three people down just stuck his tongue out at Timmy, and Timmy has gone into killer-combat mode. You warn him, but it’s too late, because Timmy has already gotten up and slapped the other child. You probably then swiftly swoop in, instruct the child that this behavior is unacceptable and that he needs to spend the rest of assembly time on the back wall. You might do that. I don’t. I’m exhausted, remember. I don’t really want to be there in the first place. And I don’t react as I should. I pounce on this child, venting my righteous rage for his obvious coup on my sovereignty over this huddle. He has become my bane, my enemy, and must be eradicated.

Enter this relationship conference. Dr. Paul Tripp spent a large portion of the time explaining the purpose of relationships. I learned that relationships are part of God’s ordained means of making me holy, and that the adversity that occurs in the realm of how I deal with other people has a purpose. That purpose is to prepare my heart to be molded and shaped so that I react to broken people just like myself in a way that more and more reflects the character of Jesus Christ. God has sent relational adversity to mold me into someone who lives the Gospel even during the trying times. A great illustration that Dr. Tripp used was that of raw gold ore. Gold does not come pure like we have it in jewelry. When it is mined, it is filled with impurities and other materials that take away from gold’s beauty. In order to get the gold to something that is beautiful and valuable, the goldsmith has to melt down the gold. He has to heat it so hot that the impurities separate from the gold, and only then can the beauty of that gold be seen and made into something of worth. Relationships are God’s boiling pot for removing impurities within me, that I may become something beautiful for Him.

The second major truth that I learned is that much of the conflict and turmoil I experience in relationships is due to idols in my life. By idols, I mean those things that I value more than God Himself. When I argue and war with another person, whether it is my wife, a friend, my parents, or any other person, it is a power struggle within me. Do I let my idols rule my heart and behavior, or do I submit myself to doing what God desires? The real war is within me, not with the other person.

So how does this related to the YMCA situation? Well, little Timmy is not the problem here. Unwittingly, Timmy has become God’s chosen boiling pot for my heart. His eruption against the other camper has become a venue for God to turn up the heat in my life and to boil out impurities. Those impurities are the idols in my life. When I descend upon Timmy, I am outraged because he has stepped all over my authority, my control, my sovereignty over his little six-year old life. He obviously failed to realize my superior status, and thus must be chastised. The fact of the matter is that Timmy became God’s chosen vessel for exposing the idolatry of my heart, in this case, a desire for control and to be made comfortable. If I do not get what my idols crave, then I feel cheated and thus justified in my response. Timmy is not the problem here, I am. But the Gospel gives me hope, because God has promised that He would complete the good work that He began in me (Philippians 1:6). Jesus Christ is the only One who can bring true change and growth to my world, my relationships, and my life."

Workin' It

2005-10-22T23:01:00.000-04:00

I'm tired. Flat out beat. It's Saturday night, and already this weekend I've been to Virginia and back for a Marriage & Family seminar (by the way, Paul Tripp is the man-check out www.ccef.org), had a kickoff event for COH's Youth and Family Ministry, and completed a school assignment. Oh yeah, let's not forget about preparing a brief talk about the seminar for the congregation tomorrow morning. And getting the lesson together for Junior High Sunday School. I'm not complaining (seriously, I'm not), but ministry is exhausting!

I discovered yet another piece of useless trivia yesterday night. The seminar was in Suffolk, VA, and according to the expert advice of our hotel desk clerk, Suffolk is the largest city in the state of Virginia in terms of land size. No people, lots o' land. I knew my blog would serve a higher purpose for the benefit of mankind. So there you go. Next time you get the Daily Double on Jeopardy and Trebek asks, "The geographically largest city in the Old Dominion State," you will be able to unhesitantly proclaim, "What is Suffolk?!!" I expect compensation and praise should such an event occur.

Fair Fare

2005-10-20T07:28:00.000-04:00

Last night Michael, Julie, Janel, and I went to the NC State Fair in Raleigh. We figured that all people need to enjoy some occasional and wholesome carnie fun. Actually, the main motive operative in all our minds was an excuse to ingest vascular toxins and not feel the slightest trickle of guilt. So here's the breakdown for Drew:

1) Giant roasted turkey leg. I'm talking like a 5 pound piece of meat. Have you ever seen the Flintstones and the brontosaurus legs they eat? Mmm....
2) Blooming onion. The Outback keystone makes its way to the mass market.
3) Dipped vanilla cone. The favorite by far. By this time, I've already got sticky traces of turkey juice plastered on my face, and my breath reeks of deep-fried onion. It is at this point that I ask myself, "Self, do you really need any more food?" Self quips back, "If I don't get my ice cream, I'm going to throw a hissy fit!" Drew gets Self ice cream- STAT.

Something fresh...

2005-10-18T19:59:00.000-04:00

Greek exegesis homework just isn't calling my name tonight. Suddenly, blogging has begun calling out like a Homeric siren and as we know, all resistance is in vain.

What is it that is so fascinating to us young folks about metro life? The past two weeks have birthed a desire to go urban and be the yuppy pseudo-intellectual that I either am, want to be, or fake being. Who knows? Self-discovery. Testing. Perhaps simple boredom with suburbia. These are all voices that cry out within for novelty. What do you do with all of this?

You've got to find some way to vent...

2005-10-18T09:34:00.000-04:00

After receiving inspiration from the blog of my dear friend Amy Shiver (Shikaka Eternal), I've started my own venue for cyberrant. I hope this is grossly entertaining for all who may meander across it. Feel free to comment and mock at will.