Isn't Autumn The Best!?
Isn't Autumn The Best!?
10 Thoughts From My Week
1. Learn Something New About Paul
What is the one thing Paul said he taught in all the churches? Come up with your own answer before reading the article.
2. Billions of Conspiracies
The Powerball is at $1.4 billion. I believe this is the biggest scam in human history. Do people win $50k or $1mil every now and then? Yes. Has anyone ever won some of these ludicrous amounts? No! Mark my words, this will be a Netflix doc one day. MARK MY WORDS!
3. What’s in a Name - A Lesson from an Ent
Few grasp the biblical understanding of Names like Tolkien did. Listen to the words he put in the mouth of Treebeard the Ent, in The Two Towers:
I am not going to tell you my name, not yet at any rate… For one thing it would take a long while: my name is growing all the time, and I’ve lived a very long, long time; so my name is like a story. Real names tell the story of the things they belong to in my language.
Keep this in mind when considering interaction with names in the Bible. Like the command to “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” The name points to the reality, the story or essence of the one to whom it belongs. It’s not just casually saying, “In Jesus’s name.” The former is plenipotentiary work, the other is superstition.
4. On Giving Up To Work
Vulnerability time.
I think about quitting all the time; this happens a lot when I’m at denominational events — like the one from earlier this week — where we have to do work that is, admittedly, important (for the denomination), but feels like a misuse of my time.
My pastoral identity causes me to see ministry opportunities everywhere, but institutional obligations often get in the way of actually giving myself to them.
This story from Eugene Peterson’s biography plays in my mind all the time:
Tom introduced Eugene [Peterson] to their waitress, Vanessa, a tired woman with sad eyes. As they rose to pay the check, Eugene stepped away to the bathroom. When he returned, he found Tom and Vanessa in an energetic discussion. Eugene grabbed a newspaper and a seat at the counter. As Tom and Eugene exited the diner, Tom exuded vigor. “Eugene, did you see us talking, the way she was talking—that intensity? I wish I could do that kind of thing all day long, every day. Every time I come in here and there are no customers, she wants to talk about prayer and her life.”
“So, why don’t you do it—have conversations like that?” Eugene asked.
“Because,” Tom answered, with an edge, “I have to run this damn church.”
— A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson
Thanks for letting me complain for a bit.
5. John Mark Comer
Ok, I’m not done complaining yet. The desire to quit often intensifies when I read stories of people who are doing what I want to do.
John Mark Comer is one of those people. He is a pastor; I believe now he mostly serves as a writer, teacher, podcaster, speaker, etc. He and I were both profoundly impacted by Dallas Willard, but he has gone on to write several books based on his learnings. The other day I learned that he is writing another book, which will be amazing, called Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did.
I know this is ridiculous, but when I heard about of it I immediately thought, “Why’s that guy writing my books!? Why’s he living my life!?”
Seriously, check his stuff out, he’s amazing. 🫤
Ok, I’ve gotten complaining and envy out of the way. Thank you for making it this far.
6. On Fasting
I started fasting again this week. I forgot how rich of a discipline it is, not only for the physical benefits, but the spiritual ones abound.
7. Talking During Church
I’m a teaching preacher; as such, I ask a bunch of questions during my sermons. (Pro tip for any public speaker: asking questions keeps people engaged.) The problem with this is many churches have been conditioned to silence during the sermon. My church is doing a better job at responding, they are becoming really good preaching partners; this, in part, is because of those courageous enough to say something.
This past Sunday I asked a question and an unexpected voice responded. A young lady with autism spoke up when everyone else was quiet. She is known for sending cards to people, but not for talking in church. Her response caught everyone off guard, including me!
It goes down as one of my favorite preaching moments. I’m betting more people will feel comfortable speaking up now. Thank you, WP.
8. Prolonging Zoom Meetings
This is a picture of the wall in my office.
It is a wall of people who have inspired me. It’s also the reason many Zoom meetings go 5 minutes longer than necessary. 😊
9. Autumn is the Best!
It is beautiful outside!
10. What God is Teaching Me
There is one lesson God has been teaching me in the last year. That is, he is my portion! It’s the same lesson from the 23rd Psalm, but I am learning it in new ways. It’s a hard one to learn, but a good one.
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