restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

Bush Is No Hero of the Pro-Life Movement

 David Alan Black 

While conservatives are celebrating Bush’s signing yesterday of the ban on partial-birth abortion, the president’s true legacy on abortion is getting drowned in the gush. “Thank God we have a president who stands up for the unborn,” said one writer. “God bless President Bush for signing the law banning partial-birth abortion,” said another.

Hogwash.

Bush’s actions contradict his rhetoric, a fact clearly borne out in his public pronouncements and cabinet appointments. The president has said, “I don’t think the culture has changed to the extent that the American people or the Congress would totally ban abortions.” Ashcroft has asserted that Roe v. Wade is the “settled law” of the land. Rice is not held to a pro-life standard. Powell is pro-abortion and in agreement with population control. Bush named the pro-abortion Governor of New Jersey, Christine Todd Whitman, to head the EPA. This is the same Whitman who vetoed the New Jersey Legislature’s ban on partial-birth abortions, led the fight to get the pro-life plank out of the Republican Platform, worked hard to raise money to elect pro-abortion candidates, supported condom distribution to children in the public schools, and endorsed special legal privileges for homosexuals. Yet people still believe that Bush is pro-life!

Yesterday’s pro-life “victory” was pyrrhic and will hurt, not help, the anti-abortion movement. Indeed, the president passed up an enormous opportunity to say something profound at the signing ceremony. Here’s what he should have said:

No matter what the U.S. Supreme Court decided in Roe v. Wade in 1973 or in subsequent rulings, every form of abortion is illegal and unconstitutional. Amendment V to the U.S. Constitution states that “No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Because abortion deprives an unborn human being of life, every form of abortion—not just partial-birth abortion—is wrong, and I will oppose it with all the influence of my office!

Randall Terry, Founder of Operation Rescue and President of the Society for Truth and Justice, was right when he said: “This bill, if it becomes law, may not save one child’s life. The Federal Courts are likely to strike it down. Furthermore this bill would only insure that unborn children would be murdered in some other hideous fashion. The bill also provides political cover in an election season to cowardly ‘pro-life’ political leaders who have done little for the pro-life cause. Worse yet, this bill would provide political cover for supporters of Roe-v-Wade within both parties, especially the Republican Party whose constituents are pro-life. This enables certain pro-choice Congressmen to support this bill and play both sides of the political fence. If the President and Congress want to accomplish a small, but real step, they should outlaw all abortions after 20 weeks—the age when a baby can live outside the womb.”

Joseph Parker once paid tribute to the great Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon. He said, “The only colours which Mr. Spurgeon recognized were black and white…. With Mr. Spurgeon you were either up or down, in or out, alive or dead. As for middle zones, graded lines, light compounding with shadow in a graceful exercise of give-and-take, he simply looked upon them as heterodox and as implacable enemies of the Metropolitan Tabernacle.”

Christ would have His followers either hot or cold but not lukewarm. The most frightening peril today is not evil per se but the climate of compromise and appeasement that characterizes the political culture in Washington. There is only one biblical and constitutional stance when it comes to abortion, and that is a total abortion ban. Bush, however, has consistently stated that the United States is not ready for one.

Real leadership means standing up for what’s right, even at the risk of political suicide. When the president says he isn’t ready to ban abortions, he’s no hero of the pro-life movement.

November 6, 2003

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com. He is currently finishing his latest book, Why I Stopped Listening to Rush: Confessions of a Recovering Neocon.

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August 2014 Blog Archives

Thursday, August 28

7:54 AM Jody Neufeld is writing a wonderfulseries on mourning. May I join the conversation for a moment?

Caught up in the crossfire of circumstances, we humans sometimes become as unpredictable as the weather. We suffer from a crippling disease: being a human. I have known discouragement – a life that Thomas Hobbes once referred to as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” So have you. I have also known elation. So have you. Most days I’m striving to find a balance between the two extremes. Life is a psychic infirmity brought on by the reality of the struggle between darkness and light, flesh and Spirit. So I’m always grateful when I read how Jesus had compassion on people experiencing this kind of distress. I imagine that I struggle where many of you struggle – being preoccupied with the things I’ve done (or failed to do) in the past. When I think of Becky going Home, I think How much better of a husband I could have been! How much better of a Christian I could have been! I run the film backwards, and misery ensues. Then I look into the face of the One who took the brunt of Martha’s mocking words at the tomb of Lazarus: “Well, I see you finally made it. Don’t you think it’s a bit late to do anything about it now?” The Rabbi is not defensive. His face mirrors her own grief. The past is tragic, He seems to say. But there’s hope. “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Through all the vicissitudes of my life, I have discovered that the only answer to discouragement is hope. Hope made David get dressed and begin to act like a king again after his son died. Hope made Simon Peter a rock after he had denied his Lord. Life is impossible without hope. Yes, Jesus frustrates me. He will frustrate anybody who tries to live in the past. “It is finished,” He says. “It’s all under the blood.”

7:38 AM I get to spend the weekend with one of my all-time favorite Christian educators, my colleague Ken Coley, head of our Ed.D. program. As an educator myself, I am deeply concerned with what people think. But I am equally concerned with how people think. Unfortunately, due to the tragic condition of the American school system, most students are simply told what to think rather than being equipped with tools to think for themselves. This is not a time for evangelicals to ignore biblical truth. Still less is this a time for mindless conformity.

It is no longer possible to ignore the academic vacuum that exists at all levels in our churches. Even pastor-teachers fall prey to what I call educationism – the belief that one can’t know anything unless one learns it from this or that “expert.” Such an attitude actually produces a shallow conformism since it leads us to believe that we need others to tell us what to think. Many well-meaning friends once warned me about going to the University of Basel for my doctorate. “You’ll lose your faith!” they exclaimed. Actually, one of the many reasons I ended up in Switzerland was to have my faith challenged. Thank God I came though still believing in unchanging standards of truth and goodness, but my point here is that students today seldom look for ways to have their beliefs challenged. When I was in college and seminary, I allowed my professors to dictate what the questions were and the method of approaching them. I was told that Mark was our earliest Gospel, that Paul could not have written Hebrews, that the Byzantine Text was secondary. I was rarely asked to look at the evidence for myself and make hard choices. What I sought and desired in school, but rarely found, was a map or a guide by which I could know what questions to ask.

Modern education in the U.S. has largely forsaken the scientific method of inquiry. The result has been unreflective rigidity. This inattention to discovery and heuristics is often a product of an anti-intellectual stream in our past. This is very unfortunate. I want my students to leave seminary with solid biblical convictions, of course, but I also want them to understand how one comes to know (epistemology) and to think (logic). Pedagogy matters. It matters because the systems that are opposed to biblical Christianity use logical arguments and philosophical methods. Michael Peterson, in his magisterial work Philosophy of Education (p. 83), writes:

A complete Christian view of knowledge recognizes that reality is complex and that each of its domains must be known on its own terms. There is no single way to discover all the different truths there are. We must discover empirical truths through observation and experiment, historical truths through records and artifacts, logical and mathematical truths by abstract reasoning, and so forth. Christians have no shortcuts in these areas, but share basic noetic capabilities as other humans.

In other words, if our business as Christians is to glorify God, then that includes glorifying Him with our minds. Whatever it takes, whatever it means, whatever happens to me, am I willing to obey His lordship over my thinking? Students, beware of the pedagogy that says, “You sit still while I instill.” And to my fellow Christian educators I say: let us teach our students how to think and not only what to think.

7:34 AM Southern California has become a surfer’s paradise. Just when you thought you’d seen it all, check out this footage of a guy shooting the pier at Malibu, shot from a drone:

 

Wednesday, August 27

6:38 PM This and that …

1) Geoff Smith writesWondering what to read before seminary?  He also has a great post calledThe King James Bible, with reasons why you should read the KJV and why you should read other versions as well.

2) “I’m his master but his best friend as well.” Alesson from the BBC about being a good pastor/shepherd.

3) Henry Neufeld has some thoughts aboutVoting in Local Elections.

4) Beautiful day on campus:

5) “The Bible was never intended to be a book for scholars and specialists only. From the very beginning its was intended to be everybody’s book, and that is what it continues to be.”  F. F. Bruce.

7:45 AM “Missions is ravenous in its hunger to please God. It knows no other purpose for its existence. It lives for the single pleasure of hearing God say, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave’ (Mt 25:21). You have told the truth in a false world, you have turned the iron key of liberty in the steel door of hell, and the captives are freed (Lk 4:18)! For this liberation you have been called ‘missionary.'” Calvin Miller.

7:22 AM “My heart is singing for joy this morning. A miracle has happened! The light of understanding has shone upon my little pupil’s mind, and behold, all things are changed.” Anne Sullivan, referring to her student Helen Keller.

Tuesday, August 26

7:28 PM I know of several students who are beginning their seminary studies this fall. Believe me, your first semester is likely to be your most challenging. So, for what they are worth, here are seven tips for those just starting seminary:

1) Be prepared to work and to work hard. Seminary is usually harder than college. Much harder. The expectations are high, and the requirements heavy. So be prepared to learn self-discipline and good study habits as well as theology and missions.

2) Consider a reduced class load for your first semester. That is, instead of taking 15 hours, take 12 (or even 9). Allow yourself some time to get over the initial hump of adjusting to graduate studies. Four classes will keep you plenty busy.

3) Buy a day planner and use it. Don’t ever wing it, schedule-wise. Be sure to write out your weekly assignments for each course you are taking, and then review your schedule frequently to make sure nothing is slipping through the cracks. Know your due dates, and keep them.

4) Get to know your professors outside of the classroom. My office door is always open, and I would love to meet you in person, whether or not you are a first semester student. So take some time to become acquainted with your teachers. And then be sure to go to them during the semester with your questions.

5) Take the languages first. Yes, I recognize that Greek and Hebrew are not usually prerequisites for theology courses or even for NT and OT Introduction. But if your professor is anything like me, you will be hearing lots of Greek and Hebrew in even the most basic general ed classes, and the more of the discussion you can follow, the better.

6) Use the library. Get to know its ins and outs. Take a guided tour and then make use of its ample resources. Librarians are some of the most helpful people on any campus. They are eager and able to help you with your research. Use them.

7) Finally, take a mission trip at least once during the semester. I do, and it is a constant reminder to me that inflow requires outflow. After all, you are learning to serve other people, and the best learning is by doing. Your “mission trip” might be a visit to the local soup kitchen, or it may be to some faraway country. The “where” doesn’t really matter.

Have a great semester!

5:18 AM More on Phil. 1:1-2….

Cooperation in the Gospel is essential if we are to reach the world for Christ. This is one reason why Paul writes to all the saints who are in Philippi (1:1). Philippians is fundamentally an appeal for Christian unity. It is organized in such a way as to allow Paul to address tactfully two women who had quarreled badly and were endangering the church’s unity (4:2). It is because of the need to maintain the unity of the church that there arises in the very heart of the letter the great passage about selflessness and humility (2:1-11). Thus the words “to all the saints” (1:1) sets the tone of the whole letter.

The word “saints” here is not so much a reference to behavior or conduct as it is a reference to the Philippians’ position “in Christ Jesus.” Far from connoting otherworldly piety, it pictures a people who are set apart from all other people because of their commitment to follow and obey Christ. Believers in Jesus Christ are the “different ones” – different because they live in the sphere of eternity and in the encircling presence of God. They are, moreover, consecrated to Him because of their special relation to Jesus. Like Paul and Timothy, they too are bond-slave servants of Christ Jesus, set apart for a different and special function in life. This function is nothing less than full participation in the work of the Gospel (1:5). The Philippians had been drawn together by the grace of God, and when people are really touched by God’s unmerited favor their hearts begin to beat with the pulse of Christ and their love begins to go out to the men and women for whom He died.

The Philippians lived, of course, in two spheres simultaneously: “in Christ” and “in Philippi.” Christians must live out their sainthood in this world. But wherever they live in the world, and whatever outward circumstances they may face, they are always in Christ, enjoying His presence and purpose and power. My “Philippi” happens to be Southside Virginia. Yours is wherever you reside. My job happens to be teaching Greek. Yours is probably something quite different. But wherever we live and whatever we do, we can do it willingly and cheerfully, because we do all things as unto the Lord and in His presence — and service.

When asked how he attained such great victories, Nelson said, “I had the happiness to command a band of brothers.”

The church is a genuine church only when it has the quality of togetherness. The Philippian church was just such a church, a group of saints whose first concern was to put their Christianity into practical action for the sake of others. That this togetherness was in danger of being torn asunder did not prevent Paul from addressing his loving thoughts to all of them rather than to some of them or most of them.

Monday, August 25

7:12 PM Odds and ends…

1) My poor mechanic. It took him as long to figure out how to reset the “change oil” warning light on the dashboard in my van as it did to change the oil.

2) It was a perfect 76 degrees today as I mowed. An early taste of fall perhaps?

3) It’s hard to take a bad picture at Rosewood.

4) Been cooking supper, and, no, it’s not Chinese stir fry tonight but another special concoction I’ve brewed up. Ingredients? Cooked hamburger meat with cream of chicken soup and a can each of kernel corn and green beans. Served over Jasmine rice. Mmmmm mmmmm good.

5) While I was cooking, the Market Place Evening Report on NPR was interviewing the person at Google who designs their little doodles in their search engine. The young college graduate being interviewed began every response with “so.” That used to drive me crazy, but it turns out this overused conjunction actually has alogic of its own:

The rise of “so,” he said via e-mail, is “another symptom that our communication and conversational lives are chopped up and discontinuous in actual fact, but that we try in several ways to sew them together — or ‘so’ them together, as it were — in order to create a continuous experience.”

“Sew.”

Get it?

Sew now you know!

6:15 PM Continuing our discussion of Phil. 1:1-2….          

In this opening salutation we also note that Paul goes out of his way to greet “the overseers and deacons” (so most translations). In the New Testament there are two Greek words that are used interchangeably to describe church leaders. The word presbuteros is usually rendered “elder,” while the word episkopos is usually rendered “overseer.” The uniform practice of the early church in the New Testament was to have a plurality of elders or overseers. This is because leadership by one person always tends to exalt one man over others, while the Bible clearly teaches that only Christ is to be exalted, for He alone is the head of the church (Col. 1:15-; Matt. 23:8-12). Thus, Paul does not greet the “overseer” (singular) of the church in Philippi, but the “overseers” (plural). Though the churches we attend may have a “pastor,” this is generally not the teaching of the New Testament.

It is instructive that Paul describes these believers in Philippi, not as being “under” their leaders (in which case the Greek preposition would have been hupo), but rather “along with” (Greek sun) the overseers and deacons. This is not accidental. In terms of biblical teaching, every Christian is a minister. There is no separate class of those who minister while others stand by and watch. Though some ministers may devote more of their time and energy to the ministry, and some may even be paid for their ministry, all Christians are “in fulltime ministry.” As Alec Motyer of Christ Church, England, writes: “Within the local church there was fellowship (all the saints) and leadership (the bishops and deacons). The leadership, however, was not an imposition upon the fellowship but an expansion of it. For the saints are not ‘under’ but with (‘in company with’) the bishops” (The Message of Philippians, p. 33). Motyer adds, “As is always the case in the Bible, the existence and activity of such ministries arise out of the needs of the church, and they can be exercised only in ways that are suited to what the church is. Thus, for example, the New Testament never speaks of any ministry as mediating between God and the church” (p. 35). Motyer is referring to the great New Testament doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, which is an essential part of the biblical idea of the church.  

It is also important to note that neither “overseers” nor “deacons” is used with the Greek definite article. This seems to be significant. In Greek, the use of the definite article generally points out particular identity, whereas the absence of the article generally emphasizes qualities or characteristics. Apparently Paul uses this construction to emphasize the work these individuals do and not their titles. Evidence for this functional meaning of the terms comes from other Pauline epistles as well (see 1 Thess. 5:12-13; 1 Cor. 12:28-31; Rom. 12:6-8).  The clear impression we receive is that of local churches under apostolic authority with each church managing its own affairs under the leadership of qualified men who oversee and serve the congregation.

The implications of this are tremendous. If you were to go into practically any Protestant church today, you would likely encounter a hard and fast clergy-laity distinction, and very often a church led by one man (sometimes with an iron fist). Or you may find the leadership divided into pastors, elders, and deacons, or into ruling elders and teaching elders, with the ruling elders functioning more like administrators who are involved in very little pastoral ministry. None of these models is, in my opinion, truly biblical. While some passages suggest the presence of an elder who became the spokesman for the leadership, there is no suggestion anywhere of one man who was viewed as “the” pastor. Such a person was always accountable to the other elders and never led in a hierarchical manner, as was the case with Diotrephes (3 John 9-11). Thus the church is never viewed as a one-man team with the “pastor” doing all the work while the “laypeople” watched. Because of the limited capacity of one man to lead the church, New Testament leadership was plural and equal, with no system of hierarchy. True, certain people will generally function as leaders among the leaders because of their wisdom and experience, but all are equal and accountable to each other.

Moreover, in the worship of the church, the leaders are never seen as dominating. Instead, a pattern of multiple participation by the congregation seems to have been the mark of all apostolic churches (see Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 14:26; Eph. 4:11-16; 5:19; Col. 3:16; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Pet. 4:10-11), regardless of their geographical location (see 1 Cor. 4:16-17; 11:16; 14:33). The New Testament teaches that the congregational meeting is to be a place where Christians exercise their spiritual gifts and stimulate one another to love and good deeds. There is no division into two classes of people: clergy and laity.

In addition, the leaders in the congregation did not take upon themselves honorific titles that might set them apart from the rest of the “saints.” Alexander Strauch, author of Biblical Eldership, correctly notes (p. 259):

There were prophets, teachers, apostles, pastors, evangelists, leaders, elders, and deacons within the early church, but these terms were not used as formal titles. For example, all Christians are saints, but there is no “Saint John.” All are priests, but there is no “Priest Philip.” Some are elders, but there is no “Elder Paul.” Some are pastors, but there is no “Pastor James.” Some are deacons, but there is no “Deacon Peter.” Some are apostles, but is no “Apostle Andrew.” Rather than gaining honor though titles and position, New Testament believers received honor primarily for their service and work (Acts 15:26; Romans 16:1, 2, 4, 12; 1 Corinthians 8:18; 2 Corinthians 8:18; Philippians 2:29, 30; Colossians 1:7; 4:12, 13; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; 1 Timothy 3:1). The early Christians referred to each other by personal names—Timothy, Paul, Titus, etc.—or referred to an individual’s spiritual character and work: “…Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 6:5); Barnabas, “…a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith…” (Acts 11:24); “…Philip the evangelist…” (Acts 21:8); “Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus” (Romans 16:3); “Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you” (Romans 16:6); etc. The array of ecclesiastical titles accompanying the names of Christian leaders today is completely missing from the New Testament, and would have appalled the apostles and early believers.

In light of what we have seen above, there is a great need for reformation within local churches in the way we view leadership. Traditional pastoral ministry tends to promote a one-man model of leadership under the self-styled “pastor.” In contrast, the New Testament teaches oversight by a plurality of men usually called elders. Some elders might be gifted differently and may even excel in specific pastoral tasks, but there is no biblical warrant for dividing church leaders into separate, highly-developed “offices” with honorific titles. The New Testament does not speak of two classes of Christians, as we do today. According to the Bible, all Christians are the people of God who through the exercise of spiritual gifts do the work of the ministry. Such is the teaching of Paul in Phil. 1:1. Once again, Alec Motyer summarizes it well (p. 40):

How is leadership to be exercised? What is the relationship between leaders and led? The one word with provides the answer: ‘…the saints’, writes Paul, ‘…with the bishops and deacons.’ The strong natural leader chooses the easy path of being out front, taking it for granted that all will follow; the low-profile leader ‘plays it cool’, submerges his own identify and takes the risk that the tail will soon wag the dog. The more demanding exercise, the sterner discipline and the more rewarding way are found in companionate leadership, the saintswith the overseers and deacons.

This kind of leadership has many facets. It involves realizing that leaders and led share the same Christian experience: both are sinners saved by the same precious blood, always and without distinction wholly dependent on the same patient mercy of God. It involves putting first whatever creates and maintains the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It means that leaders see themselves first as members of the body, and only then as ministers. In this way they face every situation from within the local body of Christ and not as people dropped in from the outside (or even from above!). It involves patiently waiting for the Holy Spirit to grant unanimity to the church in making and executing plans. It involves open relationships in which the leaders do not scheme to get their own way or play off one against another, but act with transparent integrity. It involves willingness to be overruled, to jettison role-playing and status-seeking, to be ready to cast a single vote with everyone else. It involves putting the welfare of the body of Christ before all personal advantage, success or reputation and it involves co-equal sacrifice for the Lord and his Gospel. It is the leadership of those who are content to stand among the saints as those who serve.

12:25 PM Oh, the joys of trash!

No, not the trash itself. But on the way to the dumpsters I did have a chance to hear a great Diane Rehm interview about care giving. The interviewee had lost her husband to Alzheimer’s. This statement of hers caught my attention: “Military men are the best caregivers. You know, ‘honor,’ ‘duty,’ ‘leave no one behind’.” Wow. Men, some day you might be called upon to care for your dying wife. How will you do it? Honor. Duty. Leave no one behind. For it is the special magic of love to demonstrate convincingly that the real goal of marriage can only be achieved by total self-sacrifice. It will not be easy to watch your spouse die. But even more startling is the realization that there is nothing your wife can do to unearn your love. “How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!” (Song of Songs). “You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes!”

If a man and a woman spend enough time looking into each other’s eyes, they will realize that they are really one, and that there is nothing in the world that can destroy their love for each other. 

11:34 AM My friend Robbie stopped by to help me fix the truck’s windshield wipers. I did the hard part (bought the parts at NAPA).

10:56 AM One of my daughters just texted me to ask me if I was working today. I told her, “Yep. Fixing plugged drains, spraying Round Up, writing, doing a trash run, getting an oil change … and texting you.” And did I mention mowing? Love my work!

10:12 AM In the opening greeting of Philippians (1:1-2) we see that the letter was written and sent by two of Jesus’ slaves, Paul and Timothy, men who worked side by side and shoulder to shoulder for the Gospel. Timothy is mentioned because he was with Paul when the church at Philippi was established and is now with Paul in Rome. Of all Paul’s churches, the church at Philippi was the church to which Paul was closest, and of all Paul’s companions, no one was as dear to him as Timothy was. The great contribution of Timothy to Paul’s missionary service was that he could be entrusted with any task. His one desire was to serve Christ. Paul could therefore send him to Thessalonica, to Philippi, and to Corinth with perfect confidence that Timothy would get the job done. Like Paul, he was simply a bond-servant, a slave of Christ Jesus, His absolute possession and the One he owed absolute obedience.

Only rarely in life does one find such a trusted friend as Paul found in Timothy. Becky and I were extremely blessed to have known and worked with many such “Timothies.” I’m not talking about people who merely put on a show of affection for others or who feign concern for the Gospel. I’m talking about believers whose sacrificial service for others in the name of Christ is exemplary, just like Timothy’s was (2:19-24). I must tell you, these radical Jesus-followers were a great encouragement to us. Our work in Alaba, in Burji, in Gondar, our work among the nomads, the animists, the Muslims, the Orthodox of Ethiopia – all this work would have been impossible without the willingness of Timothies who worked with us side by side and shoulder to shoulder.

Sometimes our closest Timothy is our own spouse. I know that was true in my case. Jonathan Edwards’ last words before he died were those of gratitude to his wife Sarah for the “uncommon union” they had enjoyed by the grace of God. Whenever I think of the partnership between Paul and Timothy or between Aquila and Priscilla I think of the similar kind of relationship I enjoyed with Becky. We had the opportunity to spend large amounts of time serving the Lord Jesus together both in America and abroad. We tried to set priorities for our marriage that elevated the kingdom to a place of precedence over everything else in our lives. I am not ashamed to say that God used Becky tremendously in my life to draw me closer to Him and to nudge me toward greater Christian maturity. Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China, had a similar relationship with his life partner, Maria. J. C. Pollack, in his book Hudson Taylor and Maria (p. 102), writes:

Maria tempered without question his zeal, was largely responsible for the common sense and balance characteristic of Taylor at the height of his power…. Under the influence of her less mercurial yet gay temperament he shed those moods of melancholy; he would discuss every matter with her and forget to be introspective. He became more assured, grew up…. Her passionate nature fulfilled his warm-blooded yearning to love and be loved. She gave him full response, fostering and feeding affection so that together they had such a reservoir of love that it splashed over to refresh all, Chinese or European, who came near them.

I’m sure you would be as blessed as I was to see Becky’s servant-style selflessness. She was a woman of great faith and prayer and an indispensable part of my work in the Gospel.

Notice how Paul elevates Timothy to his own level as a co-equal partner in the Gospel. Later he will tell the church, “I have no companion who has a spirit like Timothy does, no one else who is so genuinely concerned about other people, no one who lives so selflessly. He practically enslaved himself to me in the Gospel!” (2:19-24). Like Paul, I am a wealthy man because I have been blessed with such selfless companions in the service of the Lord Jesus. What makes my work in Ethiopia and Asia and the Middle East so precious? It’s simply the people – people who join me in the work, who faithfully continue the job, and who hand it on to still others.

9:20 AM Today I’m starting a brief series of posts on Phil. 1:1-2, the opening salutation of Paul’s love letter to the Philippians. Christianity was a revolution that changed the attitudes and values of the ancient world. It was an entire way of living and not merely a set of dogmas. What made early Christianity so revolutionary? The salutation of Philippians contains several answers to our question.

But before I begin, allow me to say something about the first word of the letter: “Paul.” When I think of Paul, I am reminded of his scholarship. No, I’m not referring to his academic achievements or his publications or his reputation as a graduate of one of the world’s leading universities of his day. In fact, the term “scholarship” is completely redefined when we think of Paul’s missionary life. I’ve often heard Paul referred to as a theologian. I can’t dream of Paul ever using that term to describe himself. Paul wrote great theology, it is true, and he was a thinker of the first magnitude. But he thought of himself, first and foremost, as a preacher of the Gospel, a church planter, and a lover of souls. He was God’s “chosen instrument” to take the Good News to the Gentiles, and to that single task he was fully devoted. He was, as every Christian should be, “separated unto the Gospel” (Rom. 1:2), and whatever publishing he did he did for one purpose: to advance Christ’s kingdom and to build up the church.

Many years ago I came to a similar conclusion in my own life. Like many others before me, I had viewed my scholarship as an end in itself, as an entrée into the world of academic conferences, as a means of gaining recognition and affirmation. But as I read the New Testament – I know that is a novel thing for a New Testament professor to do! – I began to see that my priorities were terribly misplaced. The words of Kierkegaard spoke to my heart (Provocations, p. 201):

The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obligated to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh priceless scholarship, what would we do without you?

Today, I seek to use whatever scholarly abilities the Lord has given me for His service. Simply stated, I try to practice serving, as did Paul. The opportunities are endless to model the Jesus walk to others. Don’t wait for politicians to bring about cultural renewal. Be the hands and feet of Jesus – evangelizing the lost, feeding the hungry, teaching the illiterate, caring for unwed mothers, rebuilding the broken walls of our culture.

There is much to savor in Paul’s opening salutation in Phil. 1:1-2. I hope you enjoy our brief excursion into these two verses.

8:06 AM Money and mission trips can be a sensitive topic.

Most of us find conversations about Christian finances difficult, as did Paul. What on earth are we supposed to do when a close relative of ours asks us to support their summer mission trip? We, like Paul, must be in vital touch with the Lord. We must be prayerfully open to sensing His leading towards the individual He wants us to help. I am certain that I have missed many opportunities because I have been too distracted by my own agenda. But it is essential if we are to help other people that we follow the Lord’s leading. One approach that has occurred to me is this: When a loved one asks me to support their summer mission trip, I can say: “I’m happy to help you, but you must match every dollar I give you from your own savings.” When I give, I want to see that there is at least some effort by the recipient, if he or she is able, to add to the kitty out of their own savings and thrift. Serving Jesus is costly. Paul knew this very well. During the day he preached; during the night he plied his trade. The truth of the matter is that Paul, united with Christ, was able to face life confidently, irrespective of the aid of others. He was “untroubled by the vicissitudes of life” (Hawthorne). He lacked nothing. And this is true partly because he was willing to support himself.

ReadPaul’s “Thankless Thanks” in Phil. 4:10-.

7:48 AM Historical background issues of interest in Philippians:

1) The history of Philippi as a Roman colony

2) Latin as the official language of the city

3) Emperor worship (the imperial cult) in Philippi

4) Paul’s use of the “citizenship” motif in the letter

5) The absence of a synagogue in the city

6) Paul’s ministry as described in Acts 16

7) Why were only Paul and Silas arrested (and not Timothy and Luke)?

8) The membership of the nascent Philippian church

9) The (unique?) place of women in the church at Philippi

10) Where was Paul when he wrote the letter?

11) The nature of the opposition in Philippi

12) Paul’s “thankless thanks”

13) The leadership of the church

14) The pax Romana v. the pax Dei

15) The koinonia/societas motif as pecuniary

We will be discussing all of these topics (and many more, I’m sure) in tomorrow’s Ph.D. seminar on Philippians. Our first presenter is my assistant, Joshua Covert. Wish him well!

Sunday, August 24

7:22 PM ReadBritain Is Not a Christian Country. Key quote:

Besides, who cares what David Cameron says about Christianity, and who cares whether he or any secularists think Britain is ‘Christian’, or even ‘christian’? What matters is that we “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-).

6:53 PM My prayer for my children and grandchildren this evening:

Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead that Great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, by the blood of the everlasting agreement, equip you thoroughly for the doing of His will. May He effect in you everything that pleases Him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

6:34 PM This Tuesday one of my missionary friends will be sharing very briefly in my Ph.D. seminar on Philippians. Makes sense, since Philippians is all about the way we can partner together to advance the Good News. I want these doctoral students to be exposed to a fairly novel idea in academia, namely that their skills and degrees can perhaps best be used in overseas settings. This was the point made by Keith Campbell in an outstanding essay that appeared in JETS. His article is well summarized inthis blog post by Bruce Ashford, my provost. Ashford concludes:

There are hundreds of major universities in Asia, Africa, and even the Middle East who are eager to hire Americans who hold a PhD. Many of them are willing even to hire an evangelical whose PhD is from a seminary and whose expertise is in New Testament or Theology. Most American students who graduate with a PhD will never find a full-time teaching job here in the United States, but they might easily find one overseas in a country where their gospel influence would be significant.

This is wisdom for today. It is sound advice. And even if you should find a fulltime teaching position here in the states, you can still leverage your doctorate for the Gospel by serving overseas on an occasional basis.

What about it? Would you consider going overseas to teach?

6:10 PM Once again, I listened to the TED Radio Hour on NPR as I drove to church this morning. Today’s topic? Vulnerability. Transparency. I loved it. You say, “I don’t do vulnerability.” I understand that. It takes a good deal of courage to be transparent. In fact, according to one person interviewed on today’s show, “Vulnerability is one of the greatest expressions of courage.” I agree. The apostle Paul embraced vulnerability. Just read the book of 2 Corinthians — a book that most scholars agree is Paul’s most personal writing. God led Paul down one of the most difficult and harshest roads imaginable. He speaks of having the sentence of death within him; he speaks of being weak and broken; he speaks of coming to the end of himself. “Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.” If there was anyone in the ancient world who knew what it was like to be transparent, it was the apostle Paul. He was truthful, honest, and open in his dealings with others. And he sought to develop a culture of openness in the churches he founded. He knew that truth and trust were the twin building blocks of relationships. And even though he talked openly about his weaknesses and infirmities, he always seemed to find comfort and victory in union with Christ. He was hard-pressed but never crushed; he was sorrowful but always rejoicing. And all because of the Savior.

Transparency is a flattening force that has the potential to have a profound impact on every one of our relationships. When we are open and transparent, we share our struggles with others. Not everything. Not all the details, for sure. But we are, in a word, real. My favorite bloggers are like that. I sense they are real human beings with real flaws and real aspirations and real victories. Their example is worth following.

2:55 PM Lunch with the Glasses today in Durham:

Earlier, Jon began a series on the book of Nehemiah at Cresset Baptist. It was excellent. Later I heard my son Nathan bring a wonderful, Gospel-centered, Christ-honoring message at a funeral at a church near the farm where he ministers. I am a blessed man.

Now I need to get some writing done. See ya!

7:20 AM As you know, I’ve had to come to grips with the fact that I’m not married. Most of my friends are wedded. Most of my children are. Many of my students are. But God does not owe us a spouse. Nor is singleness a disease. I have a good friend who has been single for a very long time. Today his “family” is comprised of hundreds and thousands of Iraqis in Kurdistan. I’m not saying that marriage is not an option. But for those who pursue God’s calling for a single life, there is still a great blessing. Jesus, who was a bachelor, knew that some people are called to singleness (“Some choose to stay single for the sake of the kingdom,” Matt. 19:12). Paul had much the same notion (1 Cor. 7).

God has given me peace. I once made a vow, a holy pledge, spoke sacred words that required perhaps 30 seconds of my time. Keeping that vow was the work of a lifetime (37 years to be exact). Becky and I consistently looked back to our vows. And now God has called me to comfort, encourage, and perhaps even challenge those who have made those same vows to protect them. He has given me many “children” to care for and look after. In my affliction I have been comforted, and now it is my turn to comfort those who are afflicted with the help of God’s gift of widowerhood. Single or remarried, my goal is to give glory to God. There is much love in my life. The face of that love is seen in so many ways and in so many individuals. But it is the Lord who makes this gift of love possible in the first place. It is He who calls all of us, single or married, to be transformed into His own likeness and image, to demonstrate His great love to others, to allow ourselves to be sucked into the great vacuum of the world and its sin and horrors and make His love incarnate. Thus marriage (and singleness) is not something we need to carve out for ourselves but a gift from God to be used in the service of the kingdom. Our identity is not in our marital status but in our God, who allows us to see all the weaknesses and failings of others (our spouses included) and then, by the pure grace of God, accept them and love them.

I suppose I’ve become used to being identified as “widowed” on the forms I sign. To the government, I am a single taxpayer. To the banker, I am no longer required to have another’s signature. Nevertheless, I am not what others think of me. I’m not just an insignificant blip on someone’s radar. Rather, my name is known to God and is inscribed in the Book of Life. And that’s what I have: an identity secured by all that God intended. It is truly a foretaste of heaven, where there will be no marriage other than the marriage of the Bride to her Lover.

Christian, are you struggling today with loneliness? I understand your struggle. But we’re free to turn back to God. “Look at Me. I stand at the door and knock,” Christ says. You opened the door once. Go ahead — open it to Him again.

Saturday, August 23

8:15 PM Let the chase begin! 

 

5:30 PM It’s been two months since my daughter and her husband lost their full-term baby named Kai. Parenting is inevitably a trap — a trap in which two people are caught up in the absolute necessity of trusting God and loving each other. Marriage is the closest possible bond between two human beings, and the fruit of that bond (children) are the most tangible results of that permanent commitment. Such a bond always comes at a very high cost, and the cost is nothing less than one’s own will. The capacity to love your spouse is, in fact, nothing less than a death to self, and there is nothing really one can do about this but to allow that death to occur and to make use of the event as an opportunity to lift one’s thoughts to God. Marriage is a living demonstration to the world of the inexplicable intimacy into which God desires to draw us. It also opens us up to heartache and tragedy that we could never ever have imagined when we said our wedding vows. Naturally, I love my children and want to do anything I can to assuage their grief. I have prayed for them constantly over the past two months, and I have done so because I know no one except God who can comfort their grieving hearts. As with Becky’s death, the Homegoing of Kai personalizes Christianity — the joys, but also the pains. For in our losses we discover a new thing — a love that is deeper than anything we had dreamed could be possible, a love independent of any earthly thing at all, a love that finds its meaning in Love Himself. Kai’s death challenged me anew to find my true contentment in God. To all who are grieving the loss of a loved one I say: God isn’t just watching your pain; He is experiencing it with you. You’re a unique creation of His whom He loves and is lovingly guiding along the route that is best for you according to His eternal perspective. I know that fact doesn’t lessen your pain. But God says, “I am working this out for your good, and therefore you can release your grip on worries.”

On the first Easter morning Christ burst His bonds. But the day is coming when all those who have died in Christ will arise victorious from death. That reality, I believe, will one day be Becky’s, and it will one day be our precious Kai’s. Blessed by the name of the Lord.

3:38 PM Yes, it’s true … I survived another farm work day here at Rosewood. I had lots of excellent help, as always. My heartfelt thanks to Matt (landscaper) and Luke (farm boy) and Russ and Leah (very hard workers) for coming all the way from the Forest of Wake to help out — on very short notice. If you’re a small-scale farmer like me, you know how quickly farm buildings have a way of becoming messy and overgrown with bushes and weeds. So having a farm work day was long overdue. I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed working with my “crew.” I was especially impressed with Luke’s rendering of the “Greek Alphabet Song” (last picture). Way to go, Luke!

Greek students, we’ll have another work day this semester, and this time I will give you plenty of advanced notice (warning).

Now, for the pix:

8:28 AM Good outline of Philippians by Walter Hansen in the Pillar series:

Greetings and Grace (1:1-2)

Reports of Gospel Ministry (1:12-26)

Imperatives for Citizens Worthy of the Gospel (1:27-2:18)

Recommendations of Christ-Like Servants (2:19-30)

Disclosures of Personal Experience (3:1-12)

Final Appeals (4:1-9)

Thanks for Gifts from Partners (4:10-)

Greetings and Grace (4:21-23)

What’s your favorite outline of Philippians?

8:22 AM “The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” So said Gerard Manley Hopkins. Well, the grandeur around here has succumbed to weeds and fallen tree branches. So grateful for the students who are coming over to help me clean up a bit today. At times, 123 acres can be a bit much to care for by yourself.

8:13 AM Pastors, let’s be careful what we say about Ferguson tomorrow. There is often a huge disparity between our human reaction when wronged and that of our Lord, whose response to those who shamed and beat and killed Him was, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” We humans are good at seeking revenge, at hating. That’s why, I suppose, He died for us. Let’s pray for justice, yes. But justice tempered with mercy.

8:10 AM ReadBiblical Languages and the Local Church.

Friday, August 22

9:12 PM Just spent time in prayer for my family. So many needs. Relationships can be a hot tin roof. It’s a place where love never sleeps. Only a God who knows all things can be called upon to help us in our challenges. As obvious as it sounds, prayer can be the most difficult priority to keep in perspective. I want to DO, not pray. What it amounts to, finally, is a kind of pride that says I have the answers when I really don’t. Thankfully we have a Lord who has hair on His body and blood oozing out of His wounds. Today is the day to carry to Him all of my burdens and rest the whole weight of my responsibility as a father and grandfather on His shoulders.

7:08 PM I’ve been reading Henry Neufeld’s blog and was so impressed by his thoughtful post calledWhy Not to Tithe that I just had to stop and comment on it. Henry says he’s always been against tithing in a legalistic sense, even before he published David Croteau’s book on the subject. Yet he was afraid to tell others he didn’t believe in tithing. He was afraid that people would give less than 10 percent if he did. As it turns out, I share that fear. If I were to teach pure grace (as I indeed do teach), people might assume that I didn’t think giving was all that important. Actually, grace giving ought to be the easiest type of giving of all, but instead it can be the most difficult. It takes maturity to know when to give, how much to give, to whom to give. Giving is an abstract subject. There is no black and white. For when Christ enters a person’s life, it is always on the level of grace and never on the level of legalistic morality. Tithing reduces all decisions to one simple decision, and there is no struggling with the Holy Spirit. When, however, we come to understand and accept the place of grace in our lives and love relationships, it becomes easier for us to grasp the theological doctrine of grace giving. Somehow we must learn to love as God loves and give as He gives. Our giving should be watered with tears and bedecked with affection. For now is the time to give, now is the time to be generous, before the opportunities have passed and it is no longer an option.

5:19 PM Just picked these from the back yard.

Roses to honor the memory of my rose.

10:30 AM Please pray for me. I have several upcoming meetings to speak with individuals and churches about India: Today, Sept. 7, Sep. 14, Sept. 28, Oct. 22, Oct. 26, Nov. 2, and Dec. 7. I take great courage from the fact that many of us are taking steps toward greater obedience to the Lord’s Great Commission. There is a brilliant truth that I have come to see, largely through Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In 1:5 he thanks God for the church’s “participation in the Gospel.” We have a God who promotes His own mission through the lives of His people. And note: This participation came about in three very specific ways, which I believe are patterns for how we are to do missions today. The Philippians actively participated in Paul’s Gospel mission by:

1) Praying for him (1:19)

2) Sending him regular financial support (4:10-18)

3) Sending someone to care for his needs (Epaphroditus; 2:25-30)

The body of Christ in Asia is looking for Christians in other lands who will link hands with them in this time of great harvest for the kingdom. With prayers, support, and love we can help native evangelists and their families march forward to complete the task of world evangelism in our day. That’s my vision, that’s my goal, that’s my burden these days. Believers in North America and believers in India are made of the same dust. We cry the same tears. And we are free to help each other by becoming partners in the Gospel. I am trying to raise up an army not simply of mission supporters but of lovers — people who have fallen desperately in love with God and with suffering, lost people.

9:50 AM Loved these posts:

• On Removing the Comma from My Brother’s Eye

• Priorities of a new Bible Professor

9:05 AM A word to my beginning Greek students:

So you’ve chosen to take me for baby Greek. I’m glad for that, and I’m glad to teach these classes. But I do have a word of caution. Two things ought never be entered into prematurely: embalming and a Greek class. So let’s make a deal. I will do my very best to fulfill my side of the bargain. And that’s to teach the language in a way that is easy, simple, understandable, and motivating. I promise to be as clear, accurate, and precise as possible. I also expect you to be as careful with your part of the bargain. What’s that? you ask. Blood, sweat, and tears. Tons of memorization. Hours of study. Let’s both do our part, okay?

Nothing we strive to do should begin in a context of vagueness and uncertainty. If I have time, I’ll …. No, no, no! Purgatory has a special room for procrastinators. If we say we are going to do something, we need to do it. It’s called commitment. In our irresponsible society, I realize that commitment is a dirty word. I also realize that many of you are already over-committed. Then I might suggest that you delay your embalmment — and your Greek class — until the right time.

One last thing: You can’t do this on your own. It takes what I call divine discipline. On Wednesday I was brutally honest with you about my own failures in this area (I lasted only three weeks in my first semester of Greek before dropping the class). We’ve all failed in one way or another in this area of life. I’m simply suggesting that before you begin a new project you count the cost. It will require a great deal of divine discipline. As with a marriage, you must choose to adapt, adjust, and work through the obstacles that will inevitably come your way. I’ve already pointed out on this blog how William Gladstone, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, took up a new language when he was 70. That really convicted me when I read it. I myself am thinking about jump-starting my Spanish this school year. It will come in very handy as more and more Hispanics move into our area.

In the end, you do whatever you know is God’s will for you. As Jim Elliott put it so eloquently, “Wherever you are, be all there, and live to the hilt whatever you are convinced is the will of God for your life.” And if Greek is part of that purpose for you, you can rely on Him for the grace to get you through.

8:59 AM “He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.” Harold Wilson.

8:40 AM Claire Smith’s study of the concept of “teaching” in the Pauline communities disappointed me. I read it in its entirely last night.

She attempts to give us a portrayal of what Paul’s “scholastic communities” might have looked like, but she delimits her study to only 1 Corinthians and the Pastorals. This is, in my opinion, a critical oversight. It means that such crucial verses as Col. 3:16 (which emphasize fraternal instruction) are completely overlooked (“Teach and instruct one another in all wisdom”). In terms of specific cases of exegesis, I also found her study wanting. For example, I was particularly curious to see her discussion of the adjective didaktikon (which is one of Paul’s requirements for being an overseer in 1 Tim. 3:2). She renders the term “able to teach.” In a footnote she states “This translation … is to be preferred to ‘able to learn’ or ‘teachable’.” But why? No rationale for her position is given. BDAG allows for both renderings. My preference is for “teachable” in light of the context (character traits are in view, not skills or aptitudes). Besides, the best teachers are those who are always learning. They are, in a word, teachable.

A final thought. I do not think the word “scholastic” is appropriate for the Pauline communities. That they were didactic is beyond doubt. That teaching took place — both formally and informally — is beyond question. But Paul’s churches were not mini-seminaries. I encourage you to put no trust whatsoever in scholarship per se. We all know people who have been educated beyond their intelligence. The only real knowledge is knowledge of God, a knowledge that can be attained without a formal biblical education. I say this as a professional educator and as one who is often called a scholar. We must remember Paul’s words (in 1 Corinthians no less!): “God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and He chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important.” The world thinks that scholarship is very important. It indeed is, when we understand its purpose: to be placed in humble service to the cross.

Thursday, August 21

8:14 PM I was 7 years old on this day in 1959 when the original “Hawaii 5-0” (as in “50th” state) was officially launched. I remember it (and the fireworks) well.

Little did not I know at the time that Hawaii had been an independent nation when U.S. Marines illegally overthrew its government in 1893 and when President William McKinley handed it over to the U.S. in 1898 (though he had no authority to do so). In 1993 the U.S. Congress passed a bill officially apologizing for this illegal history. Public Law 103-150 reads in part:

Whereas, on January 14, 1893, John L. Stevens (hereafter referred to in this Resolution as the “United States Minister”), the United States Minister assigned to the sovereign and independent Kingdom of Hawaii conspired with a small group of non-Hawaiian residents of the Kingdom of Hawaii, including citizens of the United States, to overthrow the indigenous and lawful Government of Hawaii;

Whereas, in pursuance of the conspiracy to overthrow the Government of Hawaii, the United States Minister and the naval representatives of the United States caused armed naval forces of the United States to invade the sovereign Hawaiian nation on January 16, 1893, and to position themselves near the Hawaiian Government buildings and the Iolani Palace to intimidate Queen Liliuokalani and her Government;

Oh, well, sometimes childhood innocence is a good thing. At any rate, Happy Statehood Day to my native state of Hawaii. All together now:

Hawai’i pono’i
Nana i kou Mo’i
Ka Lani Ali’i
Ke Ali’i

Makua Lani e
Kamehameha E
Na kaua e pale
Me ke ihe

Makua Lani e
Kamehameha E
Na kaua e pale
Me ke ihe

12:16 PM This morning I enjoyed having Kim and 5 of my grandkids over. They played so nicely. Now I’m getting caught up on reading all of my favorite bloggers. There seems to be some discussion about the purpose of the church. Some of the discussion was apparently prompted by my new book on the church. Well, I have an opinion (surprise, surprise!). Let’s start by asking a few questions:

“The Son of Man came to …. what?”

“You shall be My …. what?”

“As you go …. make what?”

“Go into all the world and …. do what?”

“As the Father sent me, so I am … what?”

“I became all things to all people in order to …. what?”

To me, the evidence is more than ample. I am not against the gathering. I gather regularly. I love the gathering! But: The gathering exists for the going. I suppose you could call this a mantra of mine, but I will keep repeating it ad nauseum if necessary. To return to the above statements:

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

That’s a missionary purpose!

He told us to be His witnesses.

That’s a missionary purpose!

His final command to us was to make disciples of all the nations.

That’s a missionary purpose!

He instructed us to go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to everyone.

That’s a missionary purpose!

As the Father sent Him, so He is sending us.

That’s a missionary purpose!

Paul became all things to all people so that he might save some. 

That’s a missionary purpose!

YES! YES! YES!

And so I ask my readers: Are you heartbroken that countless people have never experienced the forgiveness of their sins? Will you do whatever is needed in order to fulfill Jesus’ final command to His disciples? In short, are you a missionary – locally, regionally, globally, even cross-culturally (Acts 1:8)?

I think it’s very dangerous when we’d rather be good businessmen or pastors or scholars or churchmen or homeschoolers than good witnesses for Jesus. I think it’s very dangerous when we find good reasons for hiding our faith. I think it’s very dangerous when we learn how to be “all things to all men” but not for the purpose of “saving some.” What is the point of Christianity if not to lead men and women to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord? Why does the church exist if not for the conversion of the lost?

Here’s the gist of my argument. To me it’s a matter of priorities. Jesus taught that as we humble ourselves before God and reject all earthly standards of success and happiness we learn to view the world as He sees it. We then want to make Jesus and His teachings known as far and wide as possible. We learn that the way of the Gospel is the way of suffering, trial, poverty, and sometimes despair. We no longer cling to our creature comforts. We are ready to sacrifice everything for the Gospel. It becomes the object of our preoccupation (Phil. 1:27). It gives meaning to all of life. We now find the true significance of our earthly existence. We learn to accept the insecurity of freedom in God. We do not need security! We are free in Christ to live for others, not ourselves.

In my book The Jesus Paradigm, I had a lot to say about the Anabaptists, because I think they got it right when it comes to this matter of priorities.The purpose of the Anabaptist movement was more than to recall Christians to their biblical roots or to the notion of “proper” church services. At every point the Anabaptists sought to correct the notion of their contemporaries that the Great Commission had been fulfilled by Christ’s original apostles. It was this emphasis that explains the disgust, and even contempt, that some of the magisterial Reformers felt for the missionary program of the Dissenters. I believe that our own situation is much like that of the Anabaptists. Today we have to strip off the false notion that missions is only for professionals. Jesus is asking His followers today to take seriously not just the gathering but the going. What we must learn to say to the world is: “Here we are. We are willing to make any sacrifice to see that you know Jesus. We are not asking you to come to church with us. We love you right where you are. We love you no matter what you do to us. If we have to build a hut next to you for the rest of time just to witness to the love and grace of the Lord Jesus, we are going to make that effort.”

For the Anabaptists, the church was a community consisting of those who had a vital relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior. It was the brotherhood of the redeemed, purchased by Christ’s spilled blood. It was the fellowship of the regenerated who as “living stones” were being built up into a holy temple. It was the body of Christ where each bore the other’s burdens and thus fulfilled the law of Christ. The church was all of this to the Anabaptists.

But it was much more than this.

The church was the community of those who not only worshiped God and learned of Christ but who witnessed to others and proclaimed in word and deed the Lord Jesus Christ and His salvation to anyone who would listen. For the Anabaptists, the biblical church was at heart a Great Commission church – witnessing, evangelizing, and ministering in love both to each other and to the outside world. For them the whole of life was to be one of service and sacrifice. Members of free churches were not to be left alone to their own devices. This meant that they would not only serve the needs of the brethren but carry their witness into the world. No words of Jesus meant more to the Anabaptists than the Great Commission. They believed that the true church was obliged to take that commission seriously. We are obliged, I think, to do no less today.   

In my opinion, then, if the ministry of the church is God’s means of fulfilling His mission in the world, it is necessary that we view what we do on Sunday as merely the beginning, not the climax, of our work. In other words, we need to change the basis for evaluating the effectiveness of the ministry of our churches. The question is not “How many attended on Sunday?” or “How well were we edified?” but “What did those who attended on Sunday do during the week to advance God’s mission?” This is what it means to be the People of God. It is a people who understand that the mission of the church is to fulfill God’s redemptive mission. Our calling is to join God’s army and become aggressively involved in His mission in the world.

I want to thank all of you who have interacted with my new book on the church. The conversation will continue. But in the meantime, may I encourage all of us to not wait on the outcome of the discussion. Starting now, let us unite with other disciples and manifest Christ’s love to a lost world. How you gather on Sunday isn’t necessarily going to change the world. How you live will.

Blessings on you all,

Dave

______________

Possibly interested in more? See:

On Being a Missionary

Philippians, Missions, and You       

Top Ten Misconceptions about Missions

Missions As a Lifestyle of Worship

Will You Join the Cause of Global Missions?

The Future of Southern Baptist Missions

Missions As Partnership

How We Do Missions

Are You a Missionary?

Every Member a Missionary

Understanding the Great Commission

The Supreme Importance of the Great Commission

Life Is a Mission Trip. Take It!

Wednesday, August 20

8:14 PM Here’s another book I have to read! Primarily because my good friend and colleague Daniel Heimbach gave me a personal copy.

Please check it out atAmazon. Thank you, Dan, for this gracious gift and for the privilege and joy of serving with you on campus. I know that many will be challenged in their thinking as they read this book.

7:48 PM Here’s the latest photo of the new school building in Northern India that, with God’s help, will be completed next spring.

The school will hold 2,000 students. The Peniel Gospel Team sent me this update today. I could scarcely contain my excitement when I read it.

Regarding the building we are hoping to have at least two thousand students in the building. These children come from the local region and will pay tuition because we would be providing them education in English and also because we are a Christian school. There is a general feeling among the local people that the Christian schools environment is better for their children. As English is growing languages in our country there are many that want their children to be educated in this system. The window of opportunity is great, not just financially but also gives us a very open venue and opportunity to talk to these children and parents about the great love of our Saviour. All the children and parents sign a waver stating that they are fine with us talking to the children and them regarding our King and Lord to them.

By charging a monthly tuition fee of $25.00 USD per student, not only the school but the various Christian ministries of PGT will be maintained. The building will be used for public and Christian education during the daytime hours and for the training of evangelists and “lay” leaders during the evening hours. Brilliant plan, eh? Yup. Becky thunk it up.

As I mentioned a few blogs ago, the bottom line is that Indians are ready to reach India for Christ. They have been placed in the harvest fields of this work by God. The question is, What is the Western church’s role in these matters? Lord willing, I believe that if we follow God’s instructions (2 Cor. 8-9), we will see these endless millions of Indians come to know Him, and ministries such as this school will be the bridge to reach them. God is already doing a wonderful work in India by His Holy Spirit. He is building “His” church in every nation of Asia. The day of the native missionary movement has arrived.

Well, sorry for preaching at you all the time about this. Well, not really. I am passionate about this, can you tell? My prayer? For hundreds if not thousands of North American Christians to awaken to what the Lord is saying to His church. This involves sacrifice and, for some, suffering. But that is what the kingdom of God is all about. And it’s also the only way to know true joy and the abundant life that Jesus promised His followers.

Holy Spirit Blessings (and I’m not even a charismatic!),

Dave

6:24 PM Sometimes words just don’t cut it. A case in point is Wake Forest. Man, I have more fun there than a barrel of monkeys. Our opening convocation was packed with new students.

Then I taught three great groups of students. Then I was honored to be interviewed again by my good friend (and former grader) Abidan Shaw. Then I was blessed to meet with several of my doctoral students.

Then I got home only to see thatanother review of my Seven Marks book has been published, as well as an interview with one of our Areopagus authors, David Croteau, on theJanet Medford Show (David’s treatment of the subject of tithing will really get you thinking). My heart is filled with song.

I do believe I love this life of mine.

My friends, despite feeling so unworthy, despite feeling so inadequate for the task, our limitations are not liabilities to God. We carry on — in His name. And when we become tired from all the effort and from the investments we make in the lives of others, just picture His open arms as He calls us close and says, “Come to me, all of you who are exhausted and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Tuesday, August 19

5:30 AM Back to school day. I’m grateful for Southeastern and its focus on the cross. There is no place in Jesus’ band of disciples for those who are not willing to accept suffering and uncertainty. We have millions of theology books today and more head knowledge than ever before in Christian history, but what good will any of this do unless we pick up the towel and the basin? We will stand powerless and defeated. “Mere garbage” (Phil. 3:8) is perhaps the most famous euphemism in the New Testament. Paul uses an expression that carries a highly offensive connotation. Perhaps the best we can do in English is “unspeakable filth.” Many people who call themselves Christians have never arrived at the point at calling their assets “debits,” or their accomplishments “manure.” Our Lord invites us to gain Him and reckon everything else as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable.

May all of us find Him this semester.

Monday, August 18

7:55 PM My topics at the Apologetics Conference in California?

• The problem of the New Testament text: A Sturzian perspective

• The problem of New Testament translation: An inerrantist perspective.

7:50 PM Tomorrow we begin Dr. Little’s email to the Horse-Lovers. Get it? I’ve modernized it a bit 🙂

7:40 PM You will enjoy this:

 

7:20 PM Philippians students, please, please, please read this fantastic blog post by Brian Fulthorp calledOn Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. The man nails it. The reason he writes is “because I know the church local and global is in the midst of conflict. There is strife about certain preachers locally. The church in the Middle East is being systematically murdered. The church is facing new levels of conflict both from within and from without.”

The answer?

I think Paul’s prophetic and pastoral word here is most pertinent for our times – I mean I could be over reaching but it seems to me that if ever there was a time the church needed to be “striving together as one FOR the faith of the gospel,” it is now. I could be wrong but I see a lot of finger pointing going on (not that I haven’t been guiltless of this myself) and some complaining going on, a ton of “folding of the arms” so to speak (a resistant defensive posture), all kinds of line drawing in the sand and the like.

Yep. You are right, Brian. Thank you for your own “prophetic and powerful word.” Let the church of Jesus Christ be known for what we for, not against. And, let it be noted: This unity cannot be drummed up on our own. The Spirit of God alone can initiate and empower such unity.

Incidentally, this is why Becky and I intentionally adopted a consciously cooperative model of doing missions. (See How We Do Missions.) That is, when we go into a nation, we do not go as representatives of the American church bent on pursuing our own strategies and agendas. We have no American “experts” telling us what to do. No, we simply come alongside the churches that are already there and ask, “How can we help you?” The reason we have done this is very simple: Christ does not have “bodies.” He has one body. And every local church is a manifestation of that body. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one kingdom, one church, and one authority — the word of God. Individualism is out; we strive together as one person.

Do you see your local church as one with Christ’s worldwide body? Are you fighting side by side with the brethren in other nations for the sake of the Gospel? We can. We must!

5:53 PM Cooking supper now. Yes, stir fry with my super secret ingredient. 

5:42 PM I thought my Ph.D. seminar started at 7:00 in the morning but then I was gently corrected by my new assistant. We actually start at 7:30. Thank God for assistants!

1:25 PM I just sat down to write a thank you note to John Reumann, author of the magisterial commentary on Philippians in the Anchor/Yale Bible series, only to find out that he died from cancer in 2008. I cannot speak too highly of this work. It is an excellent book written by an excellent scholar and churchman. Reumann taught New Testament for 50 years. Having read the book in its entirely (805 pages), I have come to the conclusion that I should have read it years ago. The Spirit has already used it in my personal walk with Christ. Reumann takes great care with the text, as if it were something precious and holy (which it is). I especially loved the way he challenged conventional wisdom — for instance his view that the Greek word normally rendered “humility” should actually be rendered “humiliation.” His commentary, in short, is a deep study of Paul. It is tough reading but thankfully all the Greek has been transliterated. I plan to read the book again as our class goes through Philippians this semester. And I can’t wait to thank the author personally when I get to glory.

10:42 AM It’sofficial! In September I will have the honor of being a keynote speaker at an apologetics conference in San Jacinto, California as well as speaking at 412 Church on Sunday morning.

My talks will center on the absolute trustworthiness of the New Testament, including the four Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus. I just love the warmth and enthusiasm of my Calvary Chapel friends who always make me feel right at home. In all honesty, I probably won’t be saying anything these folks haven’t already heard a thousand times. I hope they won’t be too bored with me!

Get the word out, all you Southern Californians!

10:04 AM Remember “our” Indian evangelist who received his new motorcycle? I received this email from him this morning. Praise God for the internet!

Greetings in His marvelous name,

My wife and I are very much delighted to have this new Bike which we were praying for last few years. Whenever we were riding bi-cycle a long distance through the forest we were praying for this blessing. Our God is so good and has given the answer for our prayer through all of you. Presently I have concentrated my outreach ministry in six different villages and altogether with different 9 people groups. After getting the Motor Bike I have added two more people group to preach the gospel. Because we are able to save much travel time.

All together 89 new converts are ready for water baptism. As per their request we are arranging their baptism at their respective villages. In India, Baptism is a witness among the public that now I am a Christian. Therefore they want to witness Jesus at their villages among their people. Now this is the monsoon time we cannot reach easily many of these villages. So we are waiting and once the rain season will be over we will arrange baptism services at these villages.

From a family 4 brothers and their families accepted Christ as their personal savior. They were very drunken and always fighting with each other. This is a joint family therefore they were facing lot of problems. Due to the bad life they lost their land property and many belongings. At their village there were no Christians. When I got the new bike I have decided to work and establish a church there. Now these people are regularly gathering to worship Lord and decided to follow Jesus. Other people are also attending the evening meetings in which we are sharing gospel. Our plan is to visit each house of this village and share gospel. When we visit we will verbally share gospel and distribute literatures. Once we complete the door to door evangelism then we will show Jesus film and preach gospel. Always the film show will bring a good crowd and we are getting good response.  This village ministry is the reason of New Motor Bike.

We assure our prayers.

Thank you.

We assure our prayers too 🙂

9:36 AM Well, I’m off to a terrible start this morning. There I was, sipping my first cup of coffee and enjoying the view from the back porch when NPR ruins my day. It ran a story about the Fields Medal, a prestigious mathematics prize that is given every four years to the nation’s top mathematician under 40 years of age. This year the award went to an Iranian scientist working at Stanford. But that’s beside the point. The story posed a different sort of question: What happens to these recipients after they receive their prizes? Do they become more productive in their future work, or less? With whom are they being compared? you ask. Well, you have to remember that the prize is given only every four years, so the study involved 37 year-old mathematicians who lost. Who was more productive: those who received the award, or those who lost out? And the answer is …

The award winners were less productive than their prize-losing counterparts.

Now, it’s important to keep in mind that the whole purpose of the award is to encourage productivity in that mathematician’s particular field of research. What the study showed, however, is that once a person receives the award, they tend to lose interest in the subject that got them the award in the first place. In a word: They lose their single-mindedness.

Now stop what you’re doing and listen to thestory over at NPR.

The reason this story ruined my day is because I wasn’t planning on blogging much this morning. Too much work to do on Philippians. But how can’t I blog after such an interesting report? Let’s see if I can’t weave this it into my work on Philippians, okay?

In Phil. 1:27, Paul begins the hortatory part of the letter (i.e., the section in which he begins to show us how to live as Christians) with a single Greek word monon: “Only!” Since the word is a neuter adjective, we might translate Paul’s meaning as: “[The] only [thing that matters]!” Paul says there’s something in life that we can be absolutely sold out to. It’s the only thing that matters in life. Now I’d called that single-mindedness, wouldn’t you? Jesus spoke about this subject in Matt. 13:44-46. Remember? He said that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure in a field. It’s there but it’s hidden. Then it’s accidentally found. The finder is ecstatic. He sells everything he has to buy that field. No, he doesn’t care about the field. He cares only about the treasure.

Let’s say you were to visit my farm and you notice a big sign out front: “For Sale: 123 Acre Farm with Two Houses.” Not only that, but when you pull up the long gravel driveway you see a “For Sale” sign on my Honda Odyssey. You’d say, “What’s up with Dave? What in the world is he doing? Looks like he’s selling out. For what?”

Now let’s ask the apostle Paul the same question: “What is the ‘only’ thing in your life, Paul? And what will it cost you to acquire it? Will it cost you a beating? A shipwreck? Going without food or water? Your finances?” Paul’s answer might go something like this: “Yes, I had it all. I used to be a pure-bred American. No immigrant, me. Had a Harvard Ph.D. to boot. I had everything, man. But then I caught a glimpse of that treasure in the field. Since then, everything else seems like ______ (untranslatable). No, I don’t have it all figured out yet. But I’m working on it. My goal is now very simple: I want to know Him and to make Him known. At whatever personal cost. Even if it costs me my life.”

So let’s go back to Phil. 1:27. For Paul, living as a good citizen of heaven in a manner required by the Gospel was the only thing that mattered to him. Now, just how you and I flesh this out is between us and the Holy Spirit. There’s no magic formula that says “do A-B-C.” You’ll notice that I haven’t literally sold my farm and car.

Yet.

I might.

Bonhoeffer put it this way (Letters and Papers from Prison, p. 211):

The Church is the Church only when it exists for others. To make a start, it would give away all its property to those in need. The clergy must live solely on the free-will offerings of their congregations, or possibly engage in some secular calling. The Church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live for Christ, to exist for others.

Listen. Our time is limited. Yours and mine. Our days are numbered (by the Lord). Our resources are limited. Our money is limited. Have you found that treasure yet, Dave? What will it cost you? What is your “only” thing in life? Being a native son of America? Having a Basel degree? Enjoying a reputation as a “scholar” (whatever that means)? Well, I’ll tell you: I don’t have it all figured out. But I’m working on it. I want to have the same single-mindedness that Paul had. “This one thing I do” — not “these 50 things I dabble in.”

Coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” Now that’s single-mindedness. And that’s precisely what the award-winning mathematicians lost.

Little wonder I stopped sipping coffee and started blogging.

Sunday, August 17

8:25 PM Hey there, all you missions-minded people out there. Check out thishistory of the church in Africa as told in maps. It’s a brilliant essay. About one of every four Christians in the world lives in sub-Saharan Africa.

Now contrast that with the Indian sub-continent. The world’s least-evangelized people groups are all concentrated in India. According to Operation World, of India’s 159 people groups of over 1 million population, 133 are unreached. Christians number barely 6- of the total population of the nation. Hindus comprise 75-. Many Indian states have no church and very little Gospel witness.

But there is a bright side to all of this. An entire generation of young Indian Christians is mapping strategies to reach all of India with the Good News of Jesus Christ. I believe (as you well know by now!) that the church in the West is being called to be involved by sharing both prayerfully and financially in the great work of evangelism that lies ahead. It is time, is it not, to launch the biggest missions movement in history, one that mobilizes hundreds if not thousands of native Indian missionaries to reach their own people with the Gospel.

Will you not join me?

6:34 PM I’ve now had my iPhone 5s for three weeks and I’m loving it. Here are ten things I like most about my new smart phone:

1) It’s thin and light.

2) It’s handsome and elegant.

3) I can hold it easily.

4) It’s fast.

5) Siri works great (most of the time).

6) The fingerprint sensor is awesome. (I actually use my thumbprint.)

7) It allows me to answer emails anytime, anywhere.

8) The emojis are fun.

9) The space pack battery case I bought provides all the extra juice I need.

10) It takes great pix.

Thanks to my daughters for suggesting (i.e., needling, provoking, urging, insisting, cajoling) that I buy one. 

Below: Dave’s iPhone (***actual photo!!!!***).

3:04 PM Looking forward to another interview on Tuesday with my former student Abidan Shaw for his podcast seriesHoi Polloi. We’ll be discussing my bookWhy Four Gospels?

2:54 PM Another great morning at The Hill. We said “goodbye” to our pianist Leanna. But she won’t be going very far. She starts at the College at Southeastern tomorrow! As for moi, I’ve been working outdoors. I love mowing.

I love being outdoors period. I even enjoy mowing around the farm cemetery.

In case you can’t read it, this marker says: “Anderson Boyd. Corp. 59th VA. Inf. C.S.A. November 21, 1936.” Boyd is the former owner of the property. I’m grateful for this entire farm, even the parts that cause me to sweat like a horse. I call this “willful gratitude”!

9:58 AM As our Philippians class begins this week, I thought I’d link to some essays I’ve written on the book. Enjoy!

• The Real Message of Philippians

• Lasting Lessons from Philippians 1

• Lasting Lessons from Philippians 2

• Lasting Lessons from Philippians 3

• Lasting Lessons from Philippians 4

8:48 AM Our retreat ministry here at the farm is kicking into high gear and I’m afraid I can always use help in completing my (ever-growing) list of farm, yard, and garden projects. This coming Saturday I am announcing a work day here at Rosewood from 9:00 to 1:00. Please send me an email and let me know if you’d like to participate. The more the merrier. My email address isdblack@sebts.edu. My street address is 2691 White House Rd., Nelson, VA, 24580. You’ll need your work gloves and a chain saw if you have one. I’ll be passing around a sign-up list to my three classes this week. I know this is short notice, but this is the only Saturday I’ve got free. Ladies, there’s plenty of house work that needs to be done too!

8:14 AM Ship ahoy, matey! Eight bells and all is well. Did I hear someone ask how the India work was coming along? Since last Sunday I’ve had four invitations to speak about India in various churches. It’s such a strange paradox. I don’t feel like a fundraiser or that I am doing fundraising. But I love talking about what the Lord Jesus is doing in other parts of the world. So we’ll keep speaking as long as He opens doors. I’m glad I live among people who think the same way.

I was talking with someone yesterday and we realized all over again how dangerous it is to be an American and to grow up with wealth (all of us are wealthy when compared to people living in the Majority World). DC is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. But to be honest with you, I have the same reaction that Paul had when he entered Athens. I think of that wonderful verse in Philippians that says our citizenship is in heaven. As Christians, the Jerusalem that is above is our mother. On this earth we are nothing but “resident aliens” (to quote the title of a fantastic book). Do we pride ourselves in the halo of big government, the marble edifices, the laws and protections afforded by our constitution? Far more real is the heavenly commonwealth of which we are citizens, the commonwealth that gave us birth and that governs our lives by its dictates. The greatest display of power this world has ever seen is when God used His almighty power to dive into the murky waters of humanity with all of its weakness. At the incarnation, God took upon Himself all that is hideous and redeemed it all, making it shockingly beautiful. Now, I’m fully aware that many find the Bible’s teaching about human government offensive if not insane. And it does sound crazy: We are to love our enemies, not kill them. Jesus is no prize fighter beating up His enemies. He’s clothed in a blood-soaked robe (Rev. 12:11). And if we are His true followers — true citizens of His kingdom — the only way to conquer is through Jesus’ lamb-like way. This is not to say that Christians can’t participate in politics or government, but the only real security the Christian has is in Yahweh and living as He has revealed in Jesus Christ, even if it means dying. The portrait of human government in Revelation 13 is very instructive here. So is the apostle John’s statement that “the whole world lies under the power of the Evil One.” Over and over again God stresses that He does not in any way conquer evil by evil. He seeks time and again to awaken us to our bondage to the ugly, illusory notion of political power. Scripture teaches that cosmic forces are loose in this world and governments are held hostage to these forces — but not forever! It’s from this perspective that we refuse to grant ultimate and unconditional allegiance to the nation-state (Acts 5:29). By contrast — by sharp contrast — believers are to follow the Lion/Lamb with absolute loyalty and undying love (“all who love His appearance,” 2 Tim. 4:8). Jesus said it’s impossible to serve two masters. I don’t think this means we can’t be involved in the political process. It’s a democracy, so go ahead and assert your opinion about who to vote for or what policy you’d like to see in place. Never forget, however, that for our God, the governments of this world are “less than nothing” (Isa. 40:15-17). Our job is stay centered in the King and run after His righteousness and not the things the pagans run after. To use a military metaphor (2 Tim. 2:4), our responsibility is to please our Commander-in-Chief and put His beautiful character on display at all times (Eph. 5:1-2).

On a completely unrelated (and possibly contradictory-sounding!) note, on Friday, Sept. 29, I’ll be walking the field where Pickett’s charge occurred at Gettysburg. If you’d like to join me, let me know. It’s an easy walk. There are usually a couple of mowed paths from in front of the Virginia Monument all the way past the Emmitsburg Road to the Angle on Cemetery Ridge. We may even climb the trail up Little Round Top afterwards. On Saturday and Sunday I’ll be speaking at theMiddle Creek Bible Conference just a few miles from the park, thanks to a very gracious invitation from my colleague Ken Coley.

This Tuesday is Convocation, of course, thrusting us all into a new semester. The church in the West is at a vital crossroads. My prayer? That we all would hear what the Lord is saying today to the North American church. Are we willing to live for eternity and follow Christ’s sacrificial lifestyle? I hope so!

Saturday, August 16

6:58 PM Last night I watched the movieInto the West for the fifth time. It’s got a cute story line: Two “traveler” boys (gypsies) in Ireland steal a horse in order to return to the West and leave behind the tenements of Dublin, including their drunken father. Their acting alone makes the film worth watching. I think the toughest role is played by their conflicted father, “Papa Reilly” (Gabriel Byrne), who has never come to grips with the death of his wife seven years earlier.

I think the movie is profoundly right about this. I suspect any widower watching this flick would say, “That’s exactly how grieving feels.” The movie thus has potential to be a great story about redemption. Unfortunately, it has too much mysticism mixed in with it for the truth to win out. Too bad. The movie has a good plot line and is exceptionally well acted. In one scene, where Papa Reilly kneels down and grabs two handfuls of ash and then “washes” his face with it all the while crying out “Mary, Mary,” the note of absolute realism is glaring. He had wept in private but never publicly, and in that one public act he experiences the long-awaited catharsis. Denial has its place in the grieving process. It’s like a cushion that eases the initial blow. But watch out if it turns against you and keeps you from moving forward with life. We all need to learn how to say goodbye. I’m not one for etymologies, but perhaps because the word “goodbye” originally had the notion of “God be with you,” it’s a bit easier to let go when we realize that God is part of the process. At least that’s how it’s been with me.

How about you, fellow traveler?

6:32 PM FromSeven Marks of a New Testament Church:

As we gather with our church families, then, let our purpose be body edification. Each Christian, without exception, has a ministry. That includes you. You ask, “Can I teach?” The answer, as we saw in chapter 3, is a resounding “Yes!” To be sure, teaching is a special function of overseers (who must be “able to teach,” 1 Tim 3:2), but it is not exclusively theirs (Col. 3:16). Paul allowed any member to take part in the ministry of the word if he or she was led to contribute (1 Cor. 14:26-29). “Can I baptize or serve the Lord’s Supper?” Again, in the New Testament we are never told who should baptize or who should serve the bread and the cup. Both were lay celebrations. The concept of a special priestly cadre that alone could administer the “sacraments” (a term the New Testament never uses) will not stand the close scrutiny of Scripture and ought not to be allowed to stand in the way of congregational participation. If we are to see a return to a healthy body life, there has to be a revolution in the churches in the way we think about ministry.

2:42 PM 541. That’s the number of miles I just put on the old horse and carriage. On Thursday I decided to drive up to DC to see my daughter Karen. She had just moved there from New York for work, and so I wanted to catch a glimpse of her new apartment and meet her roommates. One of the things I’m no longer very good at is driving all day or through the night, so I broke the drive up there into two parts. I’m really glad for that, because there is something about taking your time when you’re driving across this great nation of ours. You can hop into bed whenever you want to and can get up late. You can just luxuriate. Since I avoid driving on the Interstates (unless I’m in a very big hurry), I have acquired an embarrassingly large amount of knowledge about Virginia’s two-lane highways. Of course, the GPS on my new iPhone worked wonders to keep me relatively on course to my destinations. I was thinking — I suppose I am always thinking — about how we used to travel during the dark ages, when I pulled a tent trailer full of kids and dogs through countless states during summer vacations. No internet, only a crumpled up map. I think I like the modern way of traveling a lot better. I had always wanted to visit the site of the Civil War’s greatest cavalry engagement at Brandy Station, so that was my first destination on Thursday. After that I decided to spend the night in a quaint old (ca. 1859) bed and breakfast right on the Fredericksburg battlefield grounds. (General Lee ate his breakfast there on the morning of the battle.) On Friday I drove the rest of the way up to DC, paying my respects to the old man of Arlington House before crossing the Potomac and taking Karen out to dinner. I overnighted back in Virginia, whence I left this morning to get back to my farm work. On the way home I stopped by the historic Manassas Battlefield to say hey to Old Jack.

What I am about to do is detestable, I know, but here are a few pix if you can bear them. Augustine once quipped, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” Happy Trails to you, wherever your own horse and carriage — or someone’s words and pictures — should take you! 

1) Leaving Clarkesville (“my fair city”) and heading up Hwy 15. The traffic was terrible, I tell you, terrible! 

2) Enjoying a delicious bacon and eggs breakfast at the famous Wyliesburg Diner, just around the bend from Podunk. I was their only patron.

3) And get this: Gas for only $3.09. Ever seen a 62-year old man do a back flip? Woo-hooo!

4) Hwy 15 is famous for its ante-bellum homes. This one has been turned into a restaurant.

5) This is Jeb Stuart’s HQ at Fleetwood Hill near Brandy Station, where the Gettysburg campaign began in 1863.

Can you imagine 21,000 sabers going at it right here? Good old Jeb was taken by surprise, though he did eventually manage to send the Union boys scurrying back across the river. Embarrassing for old Jeb for sure. Think that’s why he decided to ride around the Union army again, maybe just to save face? When he did, of course, he left Lee and his army blind.

6) Care to purchase this old structure in Brandy Station? I wish I could move it the farm!

7) Braehead Manor, where I spent Thursday night. Isn’t she a beaut?

8) Warren and Karen were the perfect hosts, along with their two dogs and cat. If you ever want to break up your trip going north through Virginia, do consider Braehead. Their website is here. I give it 5 stars out of 5.

9) They even let me play their period piano forte.
 

10) Beautiful Arlington House, once overlooking a 1,100 acre plantation.

11) The monstrous unfluted Doric columns are almost enough to send one scurrying back down the hill. Lee once wrote, “My affections and attachment are more strongly placed here than at any other place in the world.”

12) The room where Robert and Mary were wedded on June 30, 1831. Military life took a heavy toll on Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee.

13) The gardens are kept immaculately, even today.

14) Here’s Karen’s three-story apartment in DC. She shares it with 5 other young Christian ladies. It’s about two blocks from Capitol Hill Baptist Church and not much farther to the U.S. Capitol.

15) Although there are several good Ethiopian restaurants in “Little Ethiopia,” there is also an excellent diner only 5 blocks north of Karen’s apartment. We decided to try it for dinner.

16) Ethiopia is definitely one of the top contenders for the best food in the world, and our meal at the Ethiopic was right up there with anything I’ve eaten during my 17 trips to Addis. Check them out whenever you’re in DC next.

17) Recognize this?

18) And this?

19) And him?

Well, this concludes our travelogue for today — only a few highlights from the oodles of things that happened as it were in an instant of time. To travel is to be swallowed up by time and events. For one moment I saw nothing but clean and wondrous sky and thought, My Father made all this. He also made each one of my wonderful daughters, has them at different stages in their life. And I am their dad. Wow. That word carries with it a lot of joy but also a whole lot of responsibility. Like Judas at the sight of Mary pouring out her costly perfume at the feet of Jesus, part of me cries out “This money could have be used for other things!” But Jesus, of course, loves scandalous acts. He is the inventor of the “scandalous waste.” Parenting involves an extravagant commitment of pouring out time and effort and resources into the lives of the people we love. I guess, in the end, that is what this little jaunt up to DC was all about. To share love with those who love you. To talk, to eat, to encourage and be encouraged, to say goodbye — “Till the next time!”

Sometimes I think the only real way to demonstrate that something is not ours is to give it away. And that’s why I love taking 541-mile trips like this one.

Thursday, August 14

8:20 AM Imagine this scene: You’ve just exchanged vows and your bride says to the minister, “Would you mind holding off on the reception? I just saw a man in the audience that seemed to, well, be more attractive than the groom. This man here is too short and a bit too grumpy, and his eyes are the wrong color. I just want to be sure that this other man is not meant for me.”

This scenario is, if course, absurd. When you got married, you accepted your spouse without qualifications. Your love was not based on works or performance. You loved them because of your choice to love them. Granted, at times they were not very lovable. There were times when you withheld your affection — such as the time when your spouse offended you in public or was caught telling you a lie. Your affection is great but it does have its limits. But you’ve never stopped loving your spouse, because love has no bounds. Your love is unconditional.

This was the message I took away from reading Mike Mason’s The Mystery of Marriage last night. In marriage, he says, you have to give away everything. The marriage ceremony itself is nothing but a symbolic gesture of giving it all away. It’s only the start of a long process whereby God is demanding that you become selfless.

There is no one who is not broken by this process [writes Mike]. It is excruciating and inexorable, and no one can stand up to it. Everyone gets broken on the wheel of love, and the breaking that takes place is like nothing else under the sun. It is not like the breaking that takes place in bankruptcy or in a crop failure or in the loss of a job or the collapse of a lifetime’s work. It is not even like the breaking that takes place in a body racked by a painful disease. For in marriage the breaking that is done is done by the very heel of love itself.

For 37 years God broke me on the wheel of another’s love. She was my hermitage, my dwelling place, and I was her hermit. Her body led through a glorious forest and her heart shot arrows into my own. Two rocking chairs on a porch, a voice on the other end of the phone, laughter squealing around the door from the kitchen. Just to touch her face was more powerful than life itself, and in her arms I could safely die.

My love, all my searching found its end in you. Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, I had no one like you. You were the best, the cream of the crop. That I knew you intimately still makes me feel thunderstruck. But all this joy, all this light, was nothing more than looking through a glass darkly. Something more breathtaking awaited us when we said our “I dos” those many years ago. “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” has taken on new meaning for you — and for me. I can tell you, it’s mighty painful, but I would not have you back for the world. He gives. Hallelujah! He takes away. Hallelujah! His Name is blessed forever. Hallelujah! And so it will remain for all of eternity. Hallelujah!

But I miss you no less because of it.

Wednesday, August 13

5:52 PM Had to run into Clarkesville (“our fair city”) today, so I decided to grab a quick bite to eat at our favorite Chinese restaurant.

Becky and I spent countless hours here, sipping hot tea and munching down stir fry.

My goodness, what happy memories. Becky was right. She knew I’d come back, knew that I would finally be able to sit where we used to sit together, this time alone. The work of healing did not cease with the apostolic age, I can assure you. Loneliness is a healthy discipline. Everyone is lonely in some way or another. The purpose? So that we might cling more to the Giver than to the gift. I do not “handle” my loneliness. I hand it over to One who knows all about me, knows what I can endure. He’s made provision for it all.

What a Script. Is your life story as crazy?

1:20 PM GetSeven Marks of a New Testament Church on Kindle for only $2.99.

1:12 PM Finally cleaned out the freezer.

Hated to see all this good food go to waste.

I blame the landlord!

11:45 AM Interested in the Septuagint (LXX)? Here are somebibliographical suggestions for you. But please don’t forget our Greek Portal, which features anentire section on the LXX.

10:42 AM Quite a pretty picture, eh?

Yep, Katy’s latest book is out, and for a completely unbiased report you can read herdaddy’s blog post. Congratulations to you, sis!

9:45 AM The question (as I posed it to you on Saturday) is a simple one: How can Western culture, which is so “Christian” and knows so much truth, fail to perform? Is it because we are willing — oh so willing — to be students of Christianity, but not followers of the Lord Jesus? It is always a time of intense spiritual warfare for me to write blog posts like this one, and I battle over practically every word I type. I realize that perhaps for many of my readers, I am just a kind of entertainment for the day. Yet as I write these words the lost souls of millions in India tumble before my eyes into the eternal flames of hell.

Today, in India, a former of student of mine labors, along with his parents, in a region of grave danger and great opportunity. I have had them in my home here on the farm. I have arranged a missions night for them to share their vision with like-minded Jesus-followers in the area. My student’s name is Moncy. Moncy’s father is Mammen and his mother is Alice.

Mammen, like me, has grown tired of church-growth consultants, fund-raisers, and salesmen with shortcuts that do not require us to do anything bold. They ask us to accept horizontal solutions when we are eager for vertical solutions to our dilemmas. And the need? The need is clear. The Peniel Gospel Team is blessed with numerous evangelists, local congregations, children’s homes, and a Bible school. With Becky’s help, they came up with an idea that would make them totally self-sufficient, able to support their ministries without looking to the West any longer for aid. The idea is already becoming a reality. It is a Christian school that would teach in English (English being the ticket out of poverty for Muslims and Hindus in the region). The tuition generated from this school will cover the ministry costs of the Peniel Gospel Team. At the same time, the Bible will be a required course, and the love of Jesus will be shared with each and every student. And our part? The biblical requirement is that we should voluntarily go out of our way to accept assignments that are costly on our part in bringing spiritual birth to the kingdom of our Lord. It means making sacrifices in the small things of life. It may mean “brown bagging” instead of going to a restaurant and using the money you save to support missions. There are thousands of ways we can find to create some extra dollars to help reach lost souls in the Majority World.

The ministry I am describing is on the cutting edge. It borders Nepal, Sikkim, and Bangladesh. Its evangelists are literally willing to risk their lives to preach the uncompromising word of God. These native missionaries are incredibly effective. The latest word from the Peniel Gospel Team indicated that they needed about $200,000 to complete the school building. You may recall me saying that as soon as the first $100,000 has come in, I will personally match the rest from my savings and/or retirement. This remains my pledge. Thus far we have received about $40,000. The work can be done, and by God’s grace it will be done.I am so grateful to all who have already sacrificed to accomplish this great work. Some of you have built a door. Others have built a window. Still others have laid a foundation stone. But we’re all building the same house. It doesn’t really matter who builds what so long as the house gets built.

There are two things I think we can do going forward:

1) First, we must spend time with the Lord Himself, getting to know Him intimately and pursuing His knowledge. We must yearn to become like Jesus. We must rediscover His heart.

2) Second, we must rediscover the full work of the cross. The Father has not only provided for our justification, our salvation from the penalty of sin. He has provided a way for us to experience daily victory over self and our predisposition to hoard and spend what we have lavishly on ourselves. A believer must come to the place of reckoning him or herself as totally dead with Christ, living no more for self. Give the Lord time to work in those areas of your life that are not yet yielded to Him. Put Satan on notice that you reject his claims on your life, your time, your possessions, your vacations even. Then do whatever the Holy Spirit tells you to do. Simply obey His voice.

The bottom line is that the Lord Jesus lives in us by His Holy Spirit. He is always with us. There are no desires or plans that are secret to Him. He leads us daily though our trials and tribulations. He tests our faith and spurs us on to a life of more prayer, of deeper dependence on Him, and of greater generosity toward others. It is all His work. Today there are tribes, tongues, peoples, and nations still without Christ. Many of them are in northern India. There are hungry people who need to be fed and sick people who need to be healed and lost people who need to be saved. The Lord is looking for individuals who are willing to empty themselves of self-sufficiency and prayerfully accept the challenge of reaching the lost billions with salvation. If the Lord Jesus directs you to give toward the work in northern India, simply send your check to:

Leigh Humphries
47 Appaloosa Trail
Roxboro, NC  27574

Every penny you send goes directly to the work abroad. We take nothing for overhead or expenses. Leigh (trained by Becky and a fellow-member of my local church, Bethel Hill Baptist Church) handles the finances. If you would like your gift to be tax-deductible, simply make your check payable to Bethel Hill Baptist Church and earmark it “India.”

Love by sharing. That’s the message I’ll be trying to get across to my Philippians class this semester. I have a long ways to go! Have I ever been overcome by an unsanctified love for earthly things? You bet I have. But bondage to materialism can be broken. I am boldly demanding that you choose a life of total surrender not because I consistency practice this but because it is the New Testament standard for a Christian. If you can’t give money to help others, you can give your time or your energy. God will carry you along in His service. All you need to do is rely upon Him for mercy and grace in your time of need.

Love in the Lamb,

Dave

Below: Partners in the Gospel.

8:08 AM The news report went something like this: “Comedian Robin Williams dead at age 63, apparent suicide.” Honestly evaluate your own life. How do you respond to stress and depression? Peace for some people means drugs and alcohol (as apparently in Williams’ case). Others binge. Some vent their frustration through anger. The best any of those avenues can do is make uscomfortably numb.

Hello? Hello? Hello?

Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?
Come on now
I hear you’re feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again.
Relax.
I’ll need some information first.
Just the basic facts.
Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying.
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I’ve got that feeling once again
I can’t explain you would not understand
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb.

O.K.
Just a little pinprick.
There’ll be no more, ah!
But you may feel a little sick.
Can you stand up?
I do believe it’s working, good.
That’ll keep you going through the show
Come on it’s time to go.

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.

Life — a series of explosions and shrieks, a heap of bricks and twisted girders, a fiery maelstrom. But there, inside the ruins — a Man, seemingly insulated from the chaos all about Him. He is peace amidst our biggest battles and deepest sorrows. Have you found it to be so? Then thank Him. Whether you’re happy or down in the dumps. Thank Him. Whether you’re healthy or covered from head to toe in boils. Thank Him. Even if you’re bawling and sobbing like a baby because of a loss in your life. Thank Him.

He is our peace (Eph. 2:14).

Tuesday, August 12

9:20 PM Good essay onbivocational ministry. Have you ever considered it? Would you ever consider it?

8:58 PMMust listen: Fresh Air’sinterview with Robin Williams.

8:35 PMThis November, as most of you know, I will have the privilege of teaching for the fourth time in Ukraine. I will lecture four times daily for three days. Here are the 12 topics I plan to cover as I “teach the teachers”:

• Greek and Bible Translation

• Greek and Textual Criticism

• Greek and Lexical Analysis

• Greek and Syntactical Issues

• Greek and Discourse Analysis

• Greek and Rhetoric

• Greek and Gospel Interpretation

• Greek and Questions of New Testament Authorship

• Greek and Verbal Aspect

• Greek and Christian Ethics

• Greek and Christian Apologetics

• Greek and Christian Missions

The students will all be either Greek or hermeneutics teachers from the various seminaries in Ukraine. Obviously there is way too much to talk about to do all of these subjects justice. We are keeping the class English only, for two reasons. 1) Translation cuts into my teaching time by 50-. 2) Teaching is much more than content. Translation, as everyone knows, involves too much communicative loss. Lecturing is only 13- verbal. The rest is non-verbal. People pick up cues from my attitude, style, intonation, passion, enthusiasm, good looks (haha!), etc. Most of this is lost in translation. Of course, there will be plenty of time for Q & A. I am very much looking forward to it. Here are two pix from last year’s trip. Speaking in chapel ….

And my hermeneutics class….

I love Eastern Europe!

6:11 PMHey folks, check out Paul Hime’slink to Rod Decker’s final essay.

5:34 PMHad another day of faculty workshop. Among other things, we covered how to use a heart defibrillator and we enjoyed several more sabbatical reports. Online instruction was the main focus. I was suffering (again) from a horrible sinus headache; I get these nasty things whenever the barometric pressure changes. Ho hum, you just cope. While on campus I picked up a copy ofthis book for one of my daughters who is married to a pastor.

We had been talking about tithing the other day and I said, “Boy do I have a book you guys should read.” I’ll get it in the mail to them tomorrow. The author did his dissertation here at SEBTS on this subject, and then Allan Bevere and I asked him if we could publish a briefer synopsis as part of ourAreopagus series. The book received a bunch of neat endorsements. Michael Grisanti of the Master’s Seminary wrote, “David Croteau has provided the church a concise and helpful argument for a biblical approach to giving for modern times,” while Craig Blomberg of Denver Seminary added, “Here is essential reading for the Christian who wants to be biblically obedient!” Finally, Robert Plummer of Southern Seminary wrote, “…well-written, and concerned about the practical generosity of God’s people….” So thanks to David for his book, and I encourage those interested in this topic to be looking for it.

Once again, I thank God for a seminary that lavishes care upon its faculty, including a generous sabbatical policy that allows us to take time off and then come back refreshed and eager to get back into the classroom. Also wanted to say thanks to my out-going assistant (Jacob Cerone) and welcome my new one (Joshua Covert), even though both of them were perfectly useless when it came to helping me change the ringtone on my new iPhone. Their job description even includes proofreading this blog so that we can hopefully keep the typos down to a bare minimum. Believe it or not, one thing my assistants/graders never do for me is grade, as that is my job, and there are far more important things for them to do in terms of my research and writing.

Speaking of writing, this week I received the penultimate manuscript of La Historia de Mi Vida: Un Testimonio de la Gracia y la Fidelidad de Dios, the Spanish translation of My Life Story by Becky Lynn Black. Here’s a sample for all of you Spanish-speakers:

Mi nacimiento en este mundo ocurrió mientras mis padres estaban esperando por sus visas en Dallas, barriles llenos de sus pertenencias, listos para ir a Etiopía. El Emperador Haile Selassie había reinado sobre Etiopía  por varias décadas. Él invitó a misionarios para venir del Oeste para ayudar a su gente. Su deseo era el de establecer escuelas, hospitales, y el Cristianismo entre las ochenta y cinco tribus que conformaban la nación de Etiopía. Sin embargo, hubo una gran oposición a su invitación desde los cuartos de la Iglesia Ortodoxa de Etiopía (IOE). Mis padres pronto descubrieron que todas las aplicaciones de visa de misioneros estaban siendo puestas al final de la pila por autoridades que eran fieles a la IOE. Cuando el Emperador se dio cuenta de eso, él ordenó que todas las aplicaciones sean enviadas a él, y el Emperador mismo firmó la aplicación de visa de mi familia para unirse al trabajo de Dios en la tierra de Etiopía.

Is that cool or what? Bottom line: Life goes on. There are books to write, classes to teach, students to mentor, a farm to care for, guests to take good care of, a huge family to love on, and a passport to put to good use for the kingdom. Tonight I’m playing catch up on some reading and some seminary projects. Anyway, I’m grateful for everything I have, including an office where I can just kick up my heels and be myself.

Monday, August 11

6:36 PM Just back from our faculty meeting. I arrived home to find that the back porch freezer died, apparently several days ago. The motor is shot. Which means that everything in the freezer is spoiled. Oh well….

The meeting went great. Our guest speaker was an expert from Texas on ethnic diversity. He made some excellent points. I thought this quote was profound: “Accept criticism humbly; give criticism carefully.” It was especially neat to see all of my colleagues again. I gave my sabbatical report during the lunch hour along with four of my friends. It was so interesting to see how the Lord has been using our faculty in so many diverse and interesting ways. I am blessed to know them all. We added 6 new faculty members this semester, including posts in Old Testament and Linguistics, so our student body isn’t the only thing that is growing around here.

As I begin my 38th year of teaching, I have never more excited about my profession or more passionate about the classroom. It was a tough sabbatical (I think of Wordworth’s saying, “But she is in her grave, and oh, the difference to me!”), but when something unexpected happens in our lives we have a choice. We can shake our fists and blame God or we can trust Him to help us fight off the discouragement and take one step at a time to regain our footing. If Jesus never flaunted a spirit of self-sufficiency, why should we? Students can see a fake a million miles away. So just be yourself. Be honest. Be transparent. Above all, be loving. As our provost reminded us today, it’s not enough to have a Great Commission seminary. We have to have Great Commandment teachers who love God with all their hearts and love others. Jesus’ summary of the Christian life is simple yet profound. We can never love our students as we ought until we first love the Lord with all our being.

Meanwhile, the normal busy is always around with a lot of stuff going on this week. I’m afraid I’ve fallen behind on answering your emails (and the many requests contained therein), so please be patient with me while I get caught up. Seems impossible that this will be my first year of teaching without Becky at my side. Just goes to show that I still have lessons to do in the school of faith and obedience. A true faith rests solidly on His word and His character, not on emotions. So wish me well as I begin a new semester, will you?

Thankful for your prayers,

Dave

6:40 AM I’m told that the epitaph on Ruth Bell Graham’s tombstone reads: “End of construction. Thank you for your patience.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. At the age of 62 I think I’m finally coming to a sane evaluation of myself. Amid the challenge of helping students over the past 38 years I’ve been learning to live a more Christ-centered life. I used to see problematic students as interruptions rather than as opportunities to show Christ’s love. My agenda at the moment was more important to me than their well-being. Now I realize that they are all works-in-progress, as I am: we’re all still under construction. Frankly, I feel ill-equipped to help them. I’ve had to exchange my own confusion for God’s wisdom. For me, ministry is not fireworks. It’s a daily struggle to be a conduit of God’s love and acceptance at a particular point of need in someone’s life. Ironically, it’s surprising how often I forget, or feel completely unable, to draw on the resources of the God who lives within. I imagine Ruth had the same struggles. We all do I suppose. But one day we come to the end of road — the work finished, perfection attained, Christ finally exalted.

Until that day:

“Construction ongoing. Thank you for your patience.”

Sunday, August 10

7:04 PM Just played the piano. Hadn’t played it since Becky died. Lobe den Herrn. Abide with Me. All of my old favorites.

Is my song returning?

6:33 PM Can’t wait for our faculty workshop tomorrow. Some of my deepest friends are my seminary colleagues. In the Bible, God puts a premium on developing personal friendships. Of course, friendship is something that is earned. “The only way to have a friend is to be one,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson. Friends accept you for who you are. I like that. We’re a pretty diverse bunch, but we all get along exceptionally well. Except when we disagree. Even then, love wins out. I know it sounds a little sappy, but we really do love each other in Christ. More importantly, we seem to be on the same page when it comes to the priority of a seminary: fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission with His Great Commandment love. Of course, He’s on our side, rooting for us to succeed. I just thank God that each of us, regardless of what we teach or how many years we’ve been at it, stand equal before God. And that, my friend, is something to be grateful for.

2:44 PM So how was your church meeting this morning? Like soggy oatmeal? My sympathies if that was the case. As for me, I feel like I just came home from a rollicking banquet and a wedding feast all rolled into one. Joy is serious business at The Hill! And we’re all Bible students. I know I can’t ever get enough of the teaching of God’s word.

Not that anyone is interested, but I sit in the front row along with my iPad open to the Scripture passage, my notebook, and my Greek New Testament.

Jason’s teaching from Matthew 9-10 was both deep and simple to follow. Friends, if you want to know more about God, all you have to do is open your Bible. Before Jason spoke I was given permission by the elders to share about the need for the refugees in Iraq and guess what — $1,340 was given today! This means that our church will send BGR a check tomorrow for $2,680 to prevent kids from dying from dehydration and starvation (someone matched it). I love my church. I love giving whenever I can. Compared to the Bible’s standards, my love and self-abnegation seem pretty puny. And then it struck me: this money wasn’t mine to give. It all belongs to Him. When you have the potential to do something, just do it. This is the challenge that each of us must face: How will I manage what belongs to God? That’s the question that you face every day in a myriad of ways. Giving to charity doesn’t make you a Christian any more than climbing a tree makes you a monkey. Really, God doesn’t need our money. As head of the church, He owns it all anyway. That said, He wants us to experience the joy of giving. What you can do, do. What you can’t do, God will do. Either way, He gets all the glory. As Philippians puts it, the fellowship of the church is a fellowship in contributing to each others’ needs (1:5). We remember the poor, no matter what race they are, no matter who they are, no matter where they live. In our hearts there is room for others. Whatever pertains to the advancement of the Gospel and the glory of our Lion-Lamb — this we will do, and we will do it together!

So I ask: How long? How long before the church in America comes alive to the needs in Iraq? How long do babies have to starve to death before their parents have groaned enough? I’m coming to realize again and again that this is what the church looks like. For a child in Iraq, you and I are the one small hope to hold on to. All we have to do is hold out our hearts.

8:27 AM Hello, fellow bloggerites! For what it’s worth, I agree completely withFareed Zakaria that the U.S. needs to help the Kurds. I have never been in a place that loved America or Americans more. As Fareed says, their leaders are legit, their government a genuine democracy. Of course, if I am going to be consistent with myself, this means that by default I also support America’s “humanitarian bombing” of ISIS forces in Iraq, even though I know full well that ISIS is so strong today partly because of the U.S. program to arm and back the Islamist insurgents who have been trying to overthrow the government in Syria. (Go figure.) But America needs to do something. I would say this whether the civilians being killed were Christians (as is currently the case) or Muslims. However, the criteria for political decisions isn’t my faith but common decency that promotes the common good. In that sense, I agree that any Christian is free to offer his or own opinion, say, about gay marriage or any other political hot potato in the name of “family values.” The problem, of course (and as I pointed out the other day), is that we invite the charge of hypocrisy if we ourselves have as high a divorce rate as the rest of our culture. I spent a whole chapter dealing with this in The Jesus Paradigm. When Jesus exposed the demonic power behind earthly rulers (Luke 4:5-7), it was not to deny the legitimacy of human government. It was to show how government and the kingdom of God are diametrically opposed to each other. The cross, not the sword, is our only authority. Until we live by Jesus’ example of self-sacrificing love, the world will think we are just another PAC trying to have our way politically.

But to the real subject this blog post is all about. My deepest worry is that we will get so busy trying to steer politics in a certain direction that we will stop being the hands and feet of Jesus in this world, that we will stop asking ourselves the question, “How can we bleed together to manifest Jesus’ Calvary-love to this world?” That’s one reason Jesus made the cost of following Him so high. “Are you ready to rough it?” He asked His disciples. “We’re not staying in the best inns, you know” (Luke 9:58, MSG). Instead of becoming caught up in the politics of Caesar, Jesus was beat up, spat upon, mocked, and finally killed. He also warned His followers that they could expect the same treatment. Not only in Iraq but in many countries today, Christians languish in prison, are tortured, have their brains blown out. If you take God seriously, you ought to take Satan seriously. He is ruthlessly seeking to destroy the church, and he would like nothing better than to distract us. Self-preservation can never be our goal. Neither can politics. There will always be Matthew the Roman Sympathizers and Simon the Zealots among us. So … the question is: What can we do together to unite to do something sacrificial to address injustice? Indeed, humanitarian organizations are now on the ground in Syria and Iraq begging for aid. If you’re Southern Baptist, there is much you can do (go here). To give through Baptist Global Response, visit www.gobgr.org. I did so this morning. I am also hoping to mention this to our congregation with a view to perhaps taking a special offering for Iraqi refugee relief.

Lots of other things could be said about this issue, but I’ve got a pile of work to do this morning before heading off to The Hill. I’ll sign off for now, but please keep Northern Iraq in your prayers and give if you can.

Dave

Saturday, August 9

1:58 PM Okay, all you cyber-geniuses out there. I could use your help. I’d like to change the ringtone on my iPhone to the Beach Boys’ “Catch a Wave” (which has already been downloaded to my iPad from iTunes). Any ideas? If you do write, remember that I am the ultimate über-klutz when it comes to all things cybernetic, so please give detailed, step-by-step instructions. Thanks!

1:34 PM It’s official: Guyana here I come! Lord willing, I will give four lectures on Saturday, Sept. 20 in Georgetown on the following topics:

• Are our English Bible translations accurate?

• How textual criticism affects the Christian life

• Why do we have four and only four Gospels?

• Doing missions Paul’s way

On Sunday the 21st I have been invited to speak in the cathedral. I am a total ignoramus when it comes to Guyana — its history, culture, cuisine even. What I’m trying to say, I guess, is that I am excited to be visiting a new continent and a new country. Your comments would be most welcome if you’ve ever visited Georgetown.

12:13 PM Well, I see that Jacob Cerone has just wasted another perfectly good hour listening to Car Talk — and writing anew review of my Learn to Read New Testament Greek.

11:06 AM Philippians students, please watch this short video by Asbury Old Testament professor John Oswalt. His topic is holiness. What does it mean to be holy? This question is important for us because Paul addresses the Philippians as “holy ones” (hagioi) in the very first verse of the letter. Oswalt defines “holy” in two ways. First of all, “holy” is a term of identity. A holy thing — say an altar — is something set apart for a special use. It must be used only for God. Christians are holy in that they are set apart for God’s purposes. They are “God’s people.” But secondly, the term “holy” is a term of character. Holy people do certain things that reflect who God is. The emphasis is on behavior. Christians are to reflect God’s character. Note, for example, how this theme plays out in Phil. 1:9-11. Paul prays that the Philippian believers might increase in their love for each other. The church apparently had a problem with unity and mutual amity. Their love, says Paul, ought to keep on growing more and more. In this way, he adds, they will be “pure and blameless” (i.e., holy) when Christ returns. In other words, since they are already “holy people” (1:1), they need to act out their holiness in blameless living, which requires them to love each other and put aside their differences (see 4:2, where Paul actually confronts the two women around whom the church was polarized). In essence Paul is saying, “Be what you are. You are holy. Now act that way.”

What to do? For starters, thank God for setting you apart as one of His own, for making you “holy” in Him. Then ask God to begin making you holy in your character, in every area of your life, whether spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual, or physical. That’s a tall order, but it’s not one-sided. God promises to make us holy because He is holy.

9:22 AM Today marks the anniversary of the resignation of President Nixon. It might be a good day to watchthis movie:

In his White House farewell speech, Nixon said:

Always remember others may hate you but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself.

Never were truer words spoken.

7:50 AM Good Saturday morning, one and all! It’s just another rainy day here on the farm. Tonight a couple is celebrating their wedding anniversary at Bradford Hall, while I will be concentrating on prepping for my sabbatical report which is to be given on Monday. Had to chuckle when I readthis report of a music duo complaining about those biblical “literalists” out there. I interpret the Bible literally, and have for years. It is false piety of the most pernicious sort (aren’t I being kind?) to demand a less literal reading of the Bible because it shows just how “educated” and smart we are. Don’t buy that. I espouse 6-day creationism not because I am a literalist but because that’s how I interpret the text. Same thing goes for biblical inerrancy. Yes, I agonize over uncertainties and insecurities. I do not not have all the answers. But just because I’m a Christian doesn’t mean I can put my brain in park or neutral. Above all, because we are Christians our success in how we interpret the Bible ought to be gauged by our changed lives. A trail of generosity leads straight to God.

Meanwhile, the situation in northern Iraq worsens. Yesterday I heard a reporter describe what’s happening in Irbil and Dohuk. A few years ago I was in both of those cities. I’ve seen firsthand how difficult a region it is in which to find water. I know I need to pray more for the situation. I mean really pray. But time slips away so easily and I get busy with other things.

Oh, I’ve started passing out a copy of Mike Mason’s The Mystery of Marriage to all my kids. I have begun re-reading it myself. In exactly one month it will have been 38 years since the day I said to Becky, “For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” I vowed to love her, and I did, for 37 years. And when Becky died on Nov. 2, 2013, it was not just a case of “till death do us part.” That’s when life just began for her. That’s when she finally met the Bridegroom face to face. Since I am such an expert in marriage (ha-ha), let me offer some advice to you younger couples. Without respect, love dies. Respect says, “I will accept you for who you are, listen to your heart, honor your privacy, and give you the freedom to be all that God wants you to be.” The purpose of marriage, as I told one of my daughters yesterday, is not to make us happy but to make us holy. And our love for one another is to be complete and unconditional. It should create an environment of trust, respect, acceptance, and sacrifice. That’s how God first loved us, and that’s how we can show our mate that love is more than an emotional rush or a moment of blind physical passion. Above all, as Mike Mason shows in his book, marriage isn’t a matter of works or willpower on our part. It’s grace on God’s part. Period. Almost unaware of what is happening, the Holy Spirit begins to take two selfish people and mold them into one, and they begin to experience a life change from the inside out.

On another note, I’m putting together some more thoughts about the needs in India. I’ll share them with you later. I have long believed that every Christian in North America can find ways of helping to send out native missionaries by sacrificing something in their personal lifestyle. I once read that there are over 600,000 churches in America. There are 314,000,000 people in the U.S. That’s one church for every 523 people. There are over 11,000 unreached people groups in the world still without a church. Jesus gave us a clear command to have a vision that reaches our own Jerusalem as well as our Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. How then can we help? What can we do?

Stay tuned ….  

Friday, August 8

6:58 PM Once got this email:

Dave: As a Greek scholar yourself, looks like you’re going to make it into your 90s – Bruce Metzger lived to be 93 and Eugene Nida made it to 96.  Looks like bearing down mentally on all those paradigms is the key to a long life! You lucky guy!

Nice thought, but the truth is that you can change your Levis but you can’t change your genes.

6:52 PM ReadPhilippians, Missions, and You.

2:18 PM What do lawn mowers and the Holy Spirit have in common? Gohere to find out.

2:15 PM Greek students! Richard Sugg has produced an excellent system of free vocabulary cards for my beginning grammar. If you’re interested in using them, gohere.

2:06 PM This is for all of you who are studying Greek. In his bookA Beginner’s Guide to New Testament Exegesis, Richard Erickson describes exegesis in a unique way. He says it’s like keeping a ball rolling by nudges rather than starting it rolling each time from a complete stop. The ball keeps going unless the nudging stops. Erickson calls this a “crude analogy” but I think it’s brilliant. The key is to never let the ball stop rolling, which is why we’ve got to tap it constantly, which means reading our Greek New Testaments daily. Incidentally, I taught for Richard two summers at Fuller Seminary in Seattle, where he is the director. It was my first exposure to Starbucks coffee. I wasn’t too excited about it then, but today I’m hooked on caramel macchiato.

9:52 AM We have a winner:

My educated guess for the language in Guyana is English, based on your hint of Georgetown.

Congratulations to Matt of Minnesoooota!

9:33 AM I’ve been working for some time now with a couple that is going through a painful divorce. It is a heart-wrenching tragedy. In the past three years I’ve watched two relationships fall with gigantic pain. So I pray for the Lord of reconciliation to do His work and beg, “Thy kingdom come.” Relationships are so fragile. All relationships.

On a different note, if you’d like to meet my new assistant, you can gohere. You will love the name of his blog!

8:35 AM Morning, peeps! No, the language spoken in Guyana is neither French nor Portuguese. “Georgetown” ought to give you a clue.

The question I want to pose today is: Do we honor God by relying on Robert’s Rules of Order and voting, or do we slight Him by ignoring the Holy Spirit and thereby dishonor not only the Spirit but the Lord who sent Him to guide His church? In the past two weeks I’ve gotten into discussions about something I wrote about in mySeven Marks book.

Here’s how I put it there:

A feature of the early church that fascinates me is the way in which consensus was built. They spent time waiting upon God before making a decision. Today we need Robert’s Rules of Order before we can decide on anything.

I added:

Why do so many of our business meetings end up in shambles? Are we afraid of the work and prayer needed to come to a common mind? There was no such fear among the earliest Christians. We have a long way to go until we reach their sensitivity to the Spirit. He is well able to guide a congregation to a unanimous decision if everyone really looks to Him for guidance.

One of my conversation partners objected: “But this could never work in a large church! How can consensus be won where there is inevitably such diversity of opinion?” For the answer, we might do well to look to the Quakers. Several basic conditions lie at the core of their idea of the “sense of the meeting”:

1) The living Christ is present within every born-again member of the congregation. This Christ is well able to lead His people into unity.

2) The “sense of the meeting” (whereby a decision is made without taking a vote) is not the collective human wisdom of those gathered but instead the collective discernment of the will of God.

3) The primary authority in the church is Christ and not any human leader, and all are equally able to discern the leading of God.

4) The “sense of the meeting” is not really a consensus. Consensus is based on mutual compromise, whereas the Quaker way is that of discovering what God wants for His people.

5) Process is valued more highly than outcome. A decision that is made without the Spirit’s leading is ultimately of little value.

6) If there is considerable dissent, this dissent is taken as a sign that the divine will has not yet been grasped and the matter is tabled.

7) True decision-making takes time; it cannot be rushed.

I have witnessed this at work in Quaker meeting houses in California, and it is a delight to behold. “But,” protests my interlocutor, “what if there are unsaved people in your midst?” Well, one answer would be this. The next time you need to make an important decision based on a sense of the Spirit’s leading, require a day of fasting and prayer before the decision is taken. Anyone not present for the time of fasting and prayer would be excluded from the decision-taking meeting. I dare say this would weed out the Christians-in-name only!

Now, I ain’t no Quaker, but I am absolutely convinced that Christ is well able to lead His people into a collective discernment of the will of God. In 37 years of marriage, Becky and I never made a single major decision in which we were both not on the exact same page. After all, I reasoned, why would the Holy Spirit tell me to do one thing and tell her to do another thing? Unless we both agreed that this was God’s will for us or for our family, the matter was tabled, pure and simple. Being a follower of Jesus means that we can’t just blindly follow the world’s model for doing business. Unfortunately, the Western church has on the whole done a rather poor job of relying on the Spirit to move in the congregation.

In any event, if you’d like to read about the sense of the meeting, gohere. How beautiful it would be if for once in history our traditional evangelical churches were to follow the pattern set forth for us in Acts 15:28: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us….” We claim that the Bible is the word of God — a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. But we often find ourselves wondering whether the Bible is worth following. If our God is the same God of the New Testament believers, how can we justify ourselves in resting content with an experience of vote-taking that falls so short of God’s ideal?

Thursday, August 7

9:15 PM Did I hear you say you wanted to see more pictures? Here’s my fair campus, with a freshly mown yard. There is no place like it on earth.

And here’s brother Mark from Guyana. Last year I donated books for the library of the new Christian college he is establishing in Georgetown.

I had him rummage through my office today for more books. And stay tuned — he’s wanting me to go with him in September. But what does my calendar say!!??

In other news … today I hired my new personal assistant. More on him later. He’s a great guy and a provision of the Lord. I also approved a Th.M. thesis and wrote a Ph.D. evaluation. Oh, the highlight of my day? Having dinner with one of my daughters. She’s one of the seven ladies that Becky “adopted” when she was still alive. Moral of that story? If your wife adopts kids, guest what — so do you! My hope is that I can be an encouragement in their lives and serve them as selflessly as Becky did.

Tomorrow will be a quiet day as I try to get caught up with farm chores. Next week school starts — well, sort of. We have our faculty workshop and I expect to run into students new and old. I’m excited to meet people I’ll be seeing over the next few months, and I’m really excited to see old friends I’ve worked with over the past 16 years. It’s getting easier, this grieving thing.One of you wrote me today: “I wanted to tell you I am always so very encouraged when I read your blog. You certainly have a gift for writing!” And yet….  I find myself struggling to blog, to continue to be brutally honest with you about my feelings and this crazy journey I’m on. So I suppose I’ll just keep on keeping on. I’ll do my best to blog, and to blog often, whenever the chance is given to me (divine passive). Blogging is a choice, a willingness to be present to others without pretense or guilt. And here’s the thing. Even if nobody ever read my blog, I’d still write. I’m never going back to silence.

I love days like today. They’re the ones that make me seriously question whether or not I’ll ever be justified in complaining again.

Thanks for blogging in,

Dave

P.S. Trivia question. Guyana is in South America. But do you know what language is spoken there? First person with the correct answer (without Googling it!) gets a copy ofSeven Marks of a New Testament Church.

6:47 PM So glad Simon and his family could visit Rosewood today and tomorrow.

Simon just started working on his M.Div. at the Shepherd’s Seminary in Cary.

They cooked a wonderful (and spicy!) meal, then picked blueberries to take home with them.

Tonight we thought we would watch the historic movie Tora! Tora! Tora! to give them a little history lesson about Dec. 7, 1941. In the meantime I am doing my best to answer your emails. Please be patient. You will get a response soon!

12:26 PM There’s been some talk these days on the web about forgiveness — are words enough? I’ll just tell you what Becky and I decided long ago. “Forgiveness” is an action word. Faith is dead unless it’s accompanied by works, says James. Anyone can apologize. Don’t just say the words. Roll up your sleeves and get to work. When I would do something to offend or hurt Becky, I would of course apologize and ask for her forgiveness. But it got to the point where she would simply say, “Don’t tell me, honey, just show me. Just never do it again.” She was right. Apologies like that speak louder than words. Of course, Christianity is predicated upon grace, not works. However, the way we apologize is the way others will remember us later. In the end, words are never good enough.

9:54 AM Last night I re-readTempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction by David Kuo, former deputy director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The book reveals how the some of the Republicans in the Bush administration sought the votes of evangelicals but had no real interest in leading a new Great Awakening. “This [is the] message that has been sent out to Christians for a long time now: that Jesus came primarily for a political agenda, and recently primarily a right-wing political agenda – as if this culture war is a war for God. And it’s not a war for God, it’s a war for politics. And that’s a huge difference,” said Kuo in an interview on 60 Minutes. His point? Mixing evangelical faith and Washington politics-as-usual is antithetical to the Gospel. I could not agree more. In his book Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis has the demon Screwtape advise his young cousin on how to derail a Christian:

Let him begin by treating patriotism … as a part of his religion. Then let him, under the influence of partisan spirit, come to regard it as the most important part. Then quietly and gradually nurse him on to the stage at which the religion becomes merely a part of the “cause,” in which Christianity is valued chiefly because of the excellent arguments it can produce…. [O]nce he’s made the world an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing.

That’s my take exactly on the issue, on where I stand vis-à-vis the politics of God. While I deeply respect my friends who seek to “take America back,” I really do wish they were aiming at a different bull’s-eye. As I wrote to a friend yesterday in response to their email:

I wonder why we in the church focus so much of our attention on gay marriage when it is so easy to overlook the sins that so easily beset us, such as gluttony and divorce. Did you see the link I put on my blog the other day about Baptists being the worst when it comes to obesity? It’s pretty scary stuff, but you should read it if you have a chance.

http://blog.randallthahn.com/2012/06/05/research-is-in-baptists-are-fat/

The report goes on to state that clergy are the worst offenders. And they are teaching us about self-control? And then there is the fact that many of our Baptist deacons are in their second or even third marriages. Jesus had a lot more to say about the sin of adultery (getting remarried when your first spouse is still alive) than He did about homosexuality. Perhaps we should make divorce illegal? It’s certainly more prevalent. It’s certainly ungodly in most cases (there is one exception — persistent, unrepentant sexual infidelity). I’m not saying you’re being inconsistent. But I do see some congregations jumping on the marriage amendment bandwagon whose own members are living in clear sin (adultery, gluttony).

At any rate, fight the good fight. But to be honest with you, I don’t think it will get you anywhere in the long term as our culture moves in an ever increasing secular direction. Jesus predicted as much concerning the end times. Above all, let’s look to our own households of faith. Jesus teaches us to consider our own sins as worse than others (Matt. 7:1-3). That’s where I think we sometimes fall down and open ourselves up to the charge of hypocrisy.

I fully agree with the Anabaptists that the state is meant to be secular and that a dualism exists between church and state, between political power and the proclamation of the Gospel. So in my opinion there is neither “Christian” liberalism nor “Christian” conservatism. Equally valid (or invalid) perspectives can be found on both sides, and there are no Christian grounds for preferring one side over the other. If Jesus was a capitalist (or a socialist, or a Republican, or a Democrat, or a Libertarian), I fail to see anywhere in the Gospels where He has made that known to us. The fact is that political loyalties are always relative and determined for purely individual and conscience reasons. Our homeland has its fixed location in heaven (Phil. 3:20)!

My feelings about politics didn’t change overnight. In fact, my mouth sometimes feels like it’s filled with cotton balls whenever I talk with others about the subject. But at least now I’m talking. So is David Kuo and others. “Evangelism provides a supernatural remedy for the needs of the world,” wrote Faris Whitesell.I believe it’s time to stop seeking God in the misguided and erroneous teachings of do-goodism, whether the source is liberalism or conservatism. Jesus Christ is the only answer to the malaise plaguing our families, our churches, and our society.

Tuesday, August 5

9:42 PM Tonight, for fun and reading pleasure — haha! — I’m reading Reumann’s magisterial commentary on Philippians.

I love Philippians. This book ruined my life in a good way. It brought me face to face with Jesus (“The only thing I want is to know Him….”) and met me right where my needs were. It’s by far the best thing I’ve ever read on why the church exists: that we should exercise our heavenly citizenship in a manner that is required by the Good News (1:27). Let’s remain united in mind and purpose, writes Paul. Let the mind of Christ, who humbled Himself and became obedient to death, be our mind also. If this means suffering, so be it. Whatever road blocks Satan might set up to stop the progress of the Gospel are really stepping stones to a deeper appreciation of His saving grace and to a greater courage in declaring it.

I love this book. Reading it and re-reading it helps me shake off the deadening effects of religion and get back to the breath-taking quality of the Gospel.

8:21 PM “Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you’re never friendless ever, if you have a dog.” Douglas Mallock.

5:58 PM Odds and ends …

1) ReadIn praise of scholars who answer their email!

2) Kevin Brown is celebratingan eldership vote.

3) Andy Bowden is stillenjoying Bavaria.

4) Big surfexpected in Hawaii.

5) Wheaton College announces an opening in Old Testament.

10:27 AM Nothing like a freshly mowed front yard.

Still to do: Mop the porches, trim the bushes, do a trash run, drive to Ace Hardware in Clarksville (“our fair city”).

8:52 AM I’m a bit ashamed to say it, but last night I had my first introduction to Gordon Fee’s short commentary on Philippians. I gained many insights into the letter just from reading the first few pages.

Fee, for example, asks why the church’s “overseers and deacons” are mentioned in the opening salutation. Highly unusual for Paul. The three answers he gives are spot on and frankly, powerful stuff:

1) He notes, first of all, that the terms are all plural. “No evidence exists for a single leader as the head of the local assembly in the Pauline churches.”

2) The words “along with” are a sure indication that Paul viewed these leaders not as being “over” the church but as part of the whole and simply extensions of the body.

3) The terms are not titles. Instead, they refer to functions: “people who care for others,” and “people who serve others” (in some special way).

What are the implications for today? “Much in every way” (to paraphrase Paul).

1) Does your local congregation have a plurality of leaders? Do you enjoy a “fellowship of leadership” (the term is Michael Green’s)? You can. You should.

2) As leaders, do you consider yourselves as part of the church, first and foremost? Shepherds are still sheep in the flock we call the church. In fact, the latter is their primary identity. Are you willing to recede into the group and become “one of us”?

3) Can you go by your first name? Can you dispense with those fancy diplomas on your office wall? You are either qualified to lead or you are not. People can tell without the external trappings.

My heart was strangely warmed and unusually disturbed by reading what Fee had to say about leadership. I have to say I was impressed with Fee’s handling of the text. So honestly, can you really say your church is biblical if you do not follow these basic principles of church leadership? Now, we could debate the merits of eldership endlessly, as with many other points of doctrine. Fine. But my point is that appealing to our church “tradition” to support our views won’t help the matter. Whatever “leadership” means, it always aims to replicate Calvary. The way up is truly down.

Monday, August 4

9:28 PM So here I was, standing on the front porch, and who should come along but this spider…

… slowly going round and round, weaving his web, patiently, doggedly. To think we can find God only in church is a patent absurdity. Open your eyes and there He is — in the workings of a spider web, the design of a flower petal, a dog’s eyes, a lover’s embrace. Have you seen a tree catch on fire at sunset? Or a firefly light up the path before you?

“Does God seem far away?” someone once asked. “Guess who moved?

8:50 PM The dogs just took me for a walk. Here’s our home sweet home:

8:25 PM This email blessed my socks off:

Just finished your auto[biography]. Loved it! Very encouraged and challenged as I continue to meditate on “the way up is down” and that which was of supreme importance to Jesus, washing his disciples feet. The Christian life is a call to basin ministry… So contrary to the world but so blessed when God gives us the grace to do it. Great reminder for me today. Thanks brother.

8:18 PM Just finished my book about Ethiopian evangelicalism written by an Ethiopian evangelical. Sometimes a book isn’t all you thought it would be. Oh well. I agree that authors should be able to write anything they want to, and to write how they want to write it. Just be prepared to be disappointed — and don’t let that disappointment get to you.

I won’t bother with another book by this author, though.

8:12 PM “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7). Grateful tonight for godly leaders.

6:35 PM Dinner of champions!

This Italian donut should last me for at least three meals.

1:23 PM Okay, so I’m not a “Christian agrarian,” but I do try to farm to the glory of God. And He’s been so good me!

Today He gave me a dry day when I could mow, and look at the orchard grass — leafy and perfect.

Yes, looks like a second cutting this year. It’s all part of the fun of working the land. Once again I’m in awe at the way God orchestrates our lives. He weaves a farm into the tapestry of an Island boy. How crazy is that?

10:10 AM Hey blogging buds! Did you happen to listen to the TED Radio Hour on NPR yesterday? It was a fascinating program on child raising. Parents are asking themselves one question: How can I raise my children so that they will be happy? This question drives American culture. It wasn’t always so, said one expert who was interviewed. Prior to the industrial revolution, children were expected to work for their parents. Today, she said, it is the opposite: Parents work for their children. We are expected to help them with their homework, drive them to soccer games, make sure they play the piano or the violin, etc. We drive them to excel in school so that they can get into college and “succeed” in life. But a good college education doesn’t guarantee happiness. Because it simply can’t.

So the program took a shift in direction. The question became, not how can we make our children happy, but what character qualities can we teach our children that will ensure that happiness is a by-product when they grow up? Now if that’s not a biblical idea! I’m delighted that a secular program had the audacity to challenge pop culture on the topic. They began to talk about instilling within our children, say, a high work ethic, or the priority of loving others. That way, it doesn’t matter in the least whether or not they go to college or play the violin. Happiness is not the goal of parenting. It can’t be. Your faith and love is what counts. These ought to motivate you to love others actively and practically. True living is more than a job or an ability. So much more!

The odd thing is that so many of us American parents are pursuing happiness for our children as a goal in itself. And get this: The “American Dream” has now been exported to other nations, including mainland China. In China they even talk about theChinese Dream. The idea is to build a prosperous society.

Chinese are saying, “I want to have a comfortable home, I want to have a lot of new experiences, I want my family to be taken care of. I want the environment to be better, because I’m worried about my surroundings, and I want to be safe,” Cavender said.

One person interviewed said, “My dream is to enroll my child in the best university, in the best American university.” And so Chinese families are moving to America for one purpose: so that their children can have an American education. As if that would produce happiness! Chinese home buyers now make up a quarter of all immigrant home purchases in the United States. There’s something so, well, human about this pursuit of the “Dream.” I once bought into it, and maybe you did too. The only hitch is that a good job and a nice home do not satisfy, because they were never meant to satisfy. Malcolm Muggeridge put it perfectly in his famous “Living Water” quote:

I may, I suppose, regard myself, or pass for being, a relatively successful man. People occasionally stare at me in the streets – that’s fame. I can fairly easily earn enough to qualify for admission to the higher slopes of the Inland Revenue – that’s success. Furnished with money and a little fame, even the elderly, if they care to, may partake of trendy diversions – that’s pleasure. It might happen once in a while that something I said or wrote was sufficiently heeded for me to persuade myself that it represented a serious impact on our time – that’s fulfillment. Yet I say to you, and I beg you to believe me, multiply these tiny triumphs by a million, add them all together, and they are nothing – less than nothing, a positive impediment – measured against one draught of that living water Christ offers to the spiritually thirsty, irrespective of who or what they are.

Man, that quote will almost give you a coronary! It was the surprise of my life when I acquired all the things I sought and discovered that what Muggeridge said is absolutely true. In the end, I think us parents will do much better (and the world will be a much better place) if we chucked the whole idea of the “American Dream” or the “Chinese Dream.” Don’t try to be a success. Try to follow Jesus. Avoid the bum advice of well-meaning people. Tell your kids there’s no time for Plan B. They’ve got to grab hold of Jesus and then pray like crazy that they will never, ever, seek anything other than the Living Water that He offers to the spiritually thirsty, irrespective of who or what they are.

8:20 AM A friend of mine has been teaching through the Gospel of Mark. “Time’s up! Change the way you think and act!” So says Jesus in Mark chapter 1. He calls for a radical transformation of every aspect of our lives — our attitudes, our thoughts, our outlooks, our priorities, our direction. I often ask my students whether they have ever considered making such a radical transformation. Jesus doesn’t make sense. He hasn’t made sense to me for years. For me, the greatest reason to teach the Gospel of Mark is because the upside-down kingdom of Jesus is real, and because the kingdom is real it has the right to the allegiance of every person who claims to be a believer. The question is: How will I respond?For starters, take Mark’s description of John the Immerser. What a contrast between him and our youth today. He could care less about being “in.” He dared to be different. He lived and ate simply. He said, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” No interest in position, prosperity, power, or popularity. He poured himself into his life’s work. As I begin to teach again in two weeks I keep asking myself, “Am I a prisoner to people’s expectations?” I need to teach to the best of my abilities, not according to someone else’s standards. I love teaching. You might say it completes the loop of ministry: because my own Greek professor poured himself into me, now my students are on the receiving end in a very substantial way. May God help me to teach well.

8:05 AM Recently a student and I discussed Paul’s philosophy of self-support (Acts 20, 1 Cor. 9, etc.). I was reminded of a famous statement George Muller once made. It’s recorded in his Autobiography (pp. 36-37).

The renting of pews is also a snare to the servant of God. Fear of offending those who pay his salary has kept many ministers from preaching the uncompromising Word of God.

For these reasons, I told the brethren that at the end of October, 1830, I would give up my regular salary. After I had given my reasons for doing so, I read Philippians 4. If the saints wanted to give something toward my support by voluntary gifts, I had no objection to receiving it either in money or provisions….

My wife and I had the grace to take the Lord’s commandment literally, “Sell that ye have, and give alms.” We never regretted taking that step. God blessed us abundantly as He taught us to trust in Him alone. When we were down to our last few shillings, we told Him about our needs and depended on Him to provide. He never failed us.

How weak is my faith compared to that great and humble man’s.

Sunday, August 3

9:25 PM My dogs love nothing more than popcorn.

They are such polite beggars too.

Back to my book ….

8:52 PM Hey folks! This is where I sat just a few minutes ago, reading 2 Corinthians 1.

A passage in this chapter spoke to me so vividly that I just had to come inside and blog about it. I’m throwing these words out there as sort of an internet song of praise and an awed hush in the presence of the God who answers prayer.

Let me go back in time a couple of hours. Today I was getting caught up on emails as well as checking out certain Christian websites I visit occasionally. One of the them was defending this blogger’s brand of ____ -ism and mocking a brother pastor with whom he disagreed. In the years that I have lived and worked as a professor and missionary, I have watched all kinds of believers get caught up in all kinds of crusades and causes that, though not sinful in themselves, easily become distractions and keep us from focusing on the goal of building and expanding the kingdom. Folks, when we become apologists for this or that red-hot issue it is often nothing more than a subtle form of pride, which is sin. And then I opened my inbox and read an email from a dear brother in India whom Becky and I have supported for years. In his email he included this picture.

It shows the new motor bike we helped to purchase for an evangelist who works in a number of different unreached people groups in the region of India bordering Nepal and Sikkim. (I have plans to visit there in the next few months.) Here is a man who literally risks his neck every single time he travels to share the Gospel. People, I am not even kidding here. Is it any wonder that I spend so much of my time crying out to my brothers and sisters in the First World on behalf of the lost millions in the Two-Thirds World? Is it any wonder that I am so passionate about coming alongside my brother evangelists in places like India who are ready and willing to do the work if only they had our support? To be perfectly honest, I am offended by the spirit of jocularity and even hubris that I see in some of our apologetics websites. Here we are, citizens of the Western world, free from the basic wants that make living so difficult in other parts of the world, and we are arguing about ____-ism? As I read 2 Corinthians (a book that is all about missions), I see that God’s plan is quite different from ours. God desires that there should be equity between His people on a worldwide basis. Paul writes, “Your abundance should be a supply for their want … so that there may be equity” (2 Cor. 8:13-14). The conclusion is obvious and inescapable: Affluent believers in the West must share what they have with their poorer brethren in the rest of the world. We own nothing. We are merely stewards of these spiritual and material blessings, and God is calling us to invest our wealth in the kingdom of God.

So to return to the first chapter of 2 Corinthians. Here’s what Paul writes: “From such terrible dangers of death He saved us and will save us, and we have placed our hope in Him that He will save us again as you help us by means of your prayers for us. So it will be that the many prayers for us will be answered, and God will bless us, and many will raise their voices to Him in thanksgiving for us.” Tonight I raise my voice in thanksgiving to Almighty God. For months I prayed that someone would help me shoulder the burden of purchasing this expensive motorcycle for a brother evangelist. A congregation in North Carolina took up the call, and together we were able to supply this need. All together now: Praise God! I’m not ashamed to say that I weep when I see God providing for the needs of His people in the Majority World. Our participation makes a huge difference. And so I am here today, asking you to spend time in prayer and even to invest your resources to facilitate the spread of the Gospel in India. I am absolutely convinced that there are enough sponsors in the Western church (North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand) to meet the basic needs of each and every native missionary needed to evangelize the Third World. What a tragedy when we spend our time defending our view of _______ when literally thousands of God-qualified evangelists are ready to be sent forth in India. We seem to be driven more by our powerful egos to be right than by a heart broken for the lost of the world. God blesses us for a purpose — not that we should squander our blessings on ourselves but so that we should use our resources wisely to win the lost to God’s saving grace.

Friends, know that I value you. I treasure your partnership in the Gospel and will lift you up in prayer as we fight this battle together. I am as prone to sloth and selfishness as anyone. I am from laid back Hawaii, remember? Anyone who knows me is probably aware that sitting in an airplane for hours on end ranks right up there with Chinese Water Torture on my list of fun things to do in life. Somewhere along the way, though, God began to get a hold of my heart. I’m not the missionary I want to be, but I love seeing God work in places like India. I love seeing the smile of an evangelist when he receives a motorcycle he thought he would never have even if he lived for a million years. I love to see local churches in North America begin to move forward with deep conviction to see the Gospel preached and the Great Commission truly fulfilled in our generation. Above all, I love to see Christians following the example of Jesus, who kept the supreme priority of sharing the message of salvation before Him at all times, even though it cost Him His life.

The challenge of Asia cries out to us here in the West. God is calling all of us to be a part of what He is doing.

8:37 AM While we’re on the subject of prayer and gluttony…

1)I recall once donating blood to the Red Cross in Southern California. I was seated at a table about to polish off the perfunctory cookie and fruit juice they give you after they draw your blood. As was my custom, I bowed my head to pray silently before eating. Suddenly I felt two Red Cross workers gently lifting me by the arms. “It’s okay,” they said. “You’ll feel better after resting a bit on this cot.” You should have heard me trying to convince them that I didn’t feel faint but was only thanking God for my food!

2) I read the following exercise tweets recently:

• Pastor of small country church: “Just had a long walk.”

• Senior pastor of mid-sized church: “Just back from the gym.”

• Lead pastor of mega-church: “Just met with my personal fitness trainer.”

I reckon the professional ministry has some advantages after all.

8:25 AM Headline, headline, read all about it!

North Carolina restaurant offers a 15 percent discount to pray in public.

Don’t believe me?

Jordan Smith was on a business trip when she got her discount.  She told HLN that she and her colleagues “prayed over our meal and the waitress came over at the end of the meal and said, “Just so you know, we gave you a 15 percent discount for praying.”

Henry Neufeld chimes in:I Think I’d Go Somewhere Else. Man, Henry, you’ve got it all wrong. That’s my kind of a restaurant! Hmmm … I wonder if they’d add an additional discount if I prayed for forgiveness at the end of the meal for over-eating?

P. S. I hate to mention it, but the Research is In: Baptists are Fat!

8:06 AMWant to be published? A major Christian publisher discusses the differences between evangelical publishing houses in a fascinating essay calledOverlapping Publishing Models. You’ll learn a lot about publishing by reading it. Every author needs a publisher, but finding the right match isn’t always easy. I could never run a publishing business, but I love publishers and publishing houses, especially the convenience that comes with a modern publisher. Speaking of publishers, congratulations to Henry Neufeld ofEnergion Publications, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this month. Can you believe it — Henry has publishedseven of my works. Glutton for punishment, if you ask me.

7:58 AM“We should serve God even if there is darkness enveloping our life and even if we don’t understand what’s happening … even when the circumstances of our life don’t make sense. Because He is worthy of praise. Because He is God.” Max Lucado.

 

7:55 AM A local body I know and love well is deciding today whether or not to have elders. I’m praying for them. I wrote the following inThe Jesus Paradigm:

The New Testament presents a clear picture of how the early Christians viewed themselves. They understood each church to be an extended family (an institutionalized church was unimaginable) that practiced plural leadership. This eldership was non-hierarchical (each elder was equal in authority to all the other elders) and arose from within those churches the elders would lead. Because the Lord Jesus is the head of the church (Col. 1:18), the elders led by example, not by “lording it over” the church (1 Pet. 5:2). The elders’ authority lay solely in their ability to “persuade” with the truth of the Word of God (see the use of peitho, “persuade,” in Heb. 13:17).

7:49 AM To gratify the flesh does not necessarily mean grossly immoral living. It means pandering to the old self-life, the Adamic nature, as opposed to Christ. A young seminary student (or professor for that matter) seeking to establish for himself a “name” is living for the flesh as surely as the worst profligate. Certainly the apostle Paul had more right than anyone to claim that he had “made it,” yet even he would boast only in the cross of Christ. A sure sign of revival in our churches will come when our preachers and academicians put away their titles and diplomas and refuse to live any longer in rarified spiritual superiority far removed from the problems of the common parishioner.

Saturday, August 2

9:55 PM How many times?

 

9:39 PM The day is fast drawing to a close and my heart is ready to burst with happiness and joy. I was joined tonight by my daughter Matthea and her husband Jon and we enjoyed the best Ethiopian food this side of heaven at theQueen of Sheba in Chapel Hill. (Yes, Ethiopian food is the official cuisine of glory.)

I end the day realizing how blessed I am. My thanks to sister Friesh for providing the perfect meal, as she always does. Ijig betam konjono!

Today my heart was filled with a new song. I’m gonna try and learn it by heart and sing it the rest of the year.

P.S. Amazon delivers — again!

4:38 PM Off to celebrate Becky’s life.

4:36 PM “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all of your anxiety on him because He cares for you.” 1 Pet. 5:6-7. 

4:34 PM “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:57. 

4:29 PM “For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.  For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.” Lam. 3:31-33. 

4:25 PM “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have receive from God.” 2 Cor. 1:3-4.

10:32 AM It has been quite some time since I changed the air filters in the house, so I got that job done today.

You’ll never guess what clogs up my spiritual filters like nothing else. No, it’s not watching TV or blogging. It’s not wasting time moping around the house. It’s — are you ready? — reading books about the Bible. You smile, think to yourself,Now I know Dave’s gone off the deep end. He loves books! He’s even written a few himself. How in the world can he claim that books about the Bible clog up his spiritual walk with God?

Let me tell you how.

They keep me from reading the Bible itself.

Whenever I’m asked, “What made you and Becky change so much during the last 15 years of your marriage?” I can tell you the honest truth: We began to lay aside everything the “experts” were saying about missions, or the church, or how to raise a family and began just relying on the simple teachings of the word. (Interestingly, the Bereans reached the same conclusion.) Folks, it’s all a matter of priorities. For many of us, the only infallible source of information about God are books by (name your favorite Christian authors) which may be supplemented, illustrated, and illuminated by the Bible. Actually, the truth is the opposite: The only infallible source of information about God is the Bible, which may be supplemented, illustrated, and illuminated by (name your favorite Christian authors). Despite what others are saying (“You’ve just got to read my book, you’ve got to listen to my sermons”), God has given you the ability to think for yourself. He has granted you “an anointing from the Holy One, and you have no need for anyone to teach you.” For starters, I might recommend reading the Bible at least as often as you read books about the Bible. Give the word at least equal time! Or perhaps you just need to detox from reading your favorite human author for a month or so. Generally speaking, authors like myself are the first to tell you that we are hardly infallible. The same is true of any sermon you hear about the Bible. “The trouble with some of us,” wrote Leslie Dixon Weatherhead, “is that we have been inculcated with small doses of Christianity which keep us from catching the real thing.” Years ago I decided to stop living life vicariously. I’m too busy doing the real deal. I still enjoy an occasional movie, but it’s a pursuit that isn’t eternal. As head of the church, Jesus invites us to feast on Him. It’s just a matter of giving Him enough elbow room to do that.

Try reading your Bible amid the noise and confusion of the world you’re facing today. It might well clean out some of the filters that have become clogged through the years.

9:08 AM Today, as you may know, marks an important anniversary of a traumatic event. It was 25 years ago today that a United Airlines plane crash landed in Sioux City, Iowa. This morning on NPR, Scott Simoninterviewed Laurence Gonzalez about his new book about the crash, Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival. Listen to it if you can, especially if you or someone you love has ever gone through a significant traumatic event.

What are the survivors doing today? How are they coping with the trauma 25 years after the event? Most of the flight crew went back to flying within months of the crash. One of the passengers, a young student from Japan, became an airplane pilot and flies every other day. Many never flew again. None got over the disaster emotionally. At least not completely. People who have experienced trauma often have their trigger points. One of the surviving passengers later witnessed the attack on 9/11, and her PTSD immediately returned.

Was Becky’s death traumatic for me? I would have to say yes. Her death seemed so untimely, so sudden, so premature. Really, I have no words to describe how I felt that day. Rest and sleep became a struggle. Tears were common. On the other hand, through those tears I found my heart. I renewed my faith in God. I experienced the One who moves “near the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18). I held out my weak arms to Him and He hugged me, is still hugging me with a grasp that will never let go. I know I am not alone even in my loneliness. Today I am ready to celebrate her life, give expression to my most precious memories. I’m stabilized now, but the trauma is always there in the background, lingering like a bad sinus headache. My goals today are the same they were exactly 9 months ago: accept the loss, work though my grief, adjust to daily life without Becky, and move from presence to memory. One thing is sure: I may let her go, but she will never leave me.

I love you, Becky Lynn Black. You will never be forgotten.

7:40 AM A good (rainy) morning to one and all! Seems impossible that the semester is almost upon us. My year-long sabbatical was just what I needed. I wasn’t anticipating a funeral but God, who always knows best, had other plans. It was a blessing to be able to be with Becky daily as she finished her race. It was great having so much family around too. This is shaping up to be an exceptionally busy fall. A week from Monday our faculty workshop begins, then we have convocation the following Tuesday. In between I’m making a quick trip to upstate New York to see Liz and Matt’s new house. The last weekend of August I’ll be back in one of my favorite spots on earth (Gettysburg) to speak at a conference. In September I’m giving a missions message at Clement Baptist Church and then participating in the 412 Church apologetics conference in San Jacinto, California. I’m tentatively scheduled to leave for Asia on Oct. 2, and then I’m speaking seven times (Oct. 14, 19-22, and 25-26) at three different Bible conferences in North Carolina. November, of course, is my Odessa trip.

I’ve got a pretty normal fall teaching schedule: Greek 1, Greek 3 (syntax and exegesis), and a Ph.D. seminar in Philippians. The latter course will be completely student-led while I serve as a facilitator. Each student will treat one of the steps in exegesis (historical analysis, literary analysis, textual analysis, lexical analysis, syntactical analysis, structural analysis, rhetorical analysis, tradition analysis, theological analysis, and homiletical analysis), plus four students will read papers on special topics in Philippians (the debate over the discourse structure of the letter, for example). I’m not sure I feel very confident about how some of these topics will be handled, especially rhetorical analysis, which is rarely taught as a part of exegesis. Yet this is one of the most rewarding aspects of exegesis, in my opinion. Philippians overflows with rhetoric. Just like we read in the opening paragraph of Hebrews, Paul conveys his meaning in Philippians in a richly textured way, using “many forms and many ways.” He assumed, of course, that his letter would be read aloud to the church (all reading in the first century was reading aloud), so I’m not surprised at his use of catchwords, inclusios, repetition, and chiastic structures. He delights in simple yet profound word plays: We are the peritome (those who cut “around,” i.e., the circumcision), while the Judaizers are the katatome (those who cut “off,” hence the mutilators). In calling his opponents “dogs” and “evil workers” he intends as much to insult as to inform, much likeLuther once called the pope, not “Your Holiness” but “Your Hellishness.” All of these rhetorical devices are designed to foster a greater awareness of Paul’s message: we are to live in a manner required by the Gospel (1:27).

In all of this, regardless of where I am or what I’ll be doing, God wants me to love others. “Life is not lost by dying,” wrote Stephen Vincent Benet. “Life is lost minute by minute, day by day dragging, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.” The bottom line is that I don’t really know what I will be doing this fall; God alone knows that. The same is true of you. You have no idea what kinds of challenges you will face next week, next month, next year. But God does because He’s gone before you and scouted out the territory. “Do not be afraid,” we read in Deut. 31:8, “for the Lord will go personally ahead of you.” Both the Old and New Testaments (see Heb. 13:5) offer the ultimate assurance that God will never fall us or forsake us. We need only follow Him.

For what it’s worth, here’s the sabbatical report I’ll be giving next week in the faculty workshop. Blessings! Dave

________________________________________________________________

Sabbatical Report 2013-14

David Alan Black

Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. Chair of New Testament

I wish to sincerely thank the administration and board of trustees of SEBTS for granting me this sabbatical. Providentially, it turns out I needed to be home fulltime when Becky entered hospice care at the farm. I was with her 24/7 until she drew her last breath on Nov. 2. Thank you, again, for this great privilege. A summary of my sabbatical activities follows. Sincerely in Christ, Dave Black

Sabbatical Ministry Travels:

Asia (September, 2013)

Ethiopia (December, 2013)

Hawaii (January 2014)

California (February 2014)

New York (May 2014)

Hawaii (July 2014)

Conference Organizer:

Pericope Adulterae Conference (SEBTS, April 25-26)

Publications (Author):

The Authorship of Hebrews: The Case for Paul (2013)

Seven Marks of a New Testament Church: A Guide for Christians of All Ages (2014)

It’s All Greek to Me: Confessions of an Unlikely Academic (2014)

(With Thomas W. Hudgins) “Jesus on Anger (Matt 5,22a): A History of Recent Scholarship,” in Greeks, Jews, and Christians: Historical, Religious, and Philological Studies in Honor of Jesús Peláez del Rosal (2013)

ForthcomingPublications (Author):

The Pericope Adulterae in Modern Research (co-editor with Jacob N. Cerone

“Greek Grammar,” Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception

“The Translation of Hebrews 6:1,” Festschrift for Antonio Piñero, Professor of New Testament Philology at the Complutense University of Madrid

Aprenda a Leer el Griego del Nuevo Testamento(Spanish translation of Learn to Read New Testament Greek)

La Historia de Mi Vida: Un Testimonio de la Gracia y la Fidelidad de Dios (Spanish translation of My Life Story by Becky Lynn Black)

Publications (Editor):

My Life Story by Becky Lynn Black (2014)

Friday, August 1

5:25 PM Amazon has come through again:

Yep, Koester on Hebrews and Mike Mason’s powerful book on marriage (which all of my daughters will receive).

Still more to come….

1:05 PM If you’ve already listened to my firstHoi Polloi interview, you’ll want to know that the second interview is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19. The topic? My bookWhy Four Gospels?

11:58 AM Ablogger doth blog on the book of Philippians. Lots of good stuff. Here’s justone takeaway:

The larger a church grows, the more need there is for power structures reminiscent of American corporate business models. A church could have a “CEO Pastor” who is paid (respected) like CEO in a major business. Perhaps they think of themselves as too busy “casting vision” to drive a van for the youth group, or play games with the elementary kids, or teach a small Bible study, or weed the flowers on a work day.

The pastor worthy of respect is the one who sets aside his title, respect and power, and serves others, doing tasks that might be “beneath” their position.

11:53 AM As someone who has raised beef cattle on his farm, I couldn’t resist linking tothis ditty.

11:13 AM Joel Brasherasks, “Do you believe in a pretribulational rapture? Should you?” What I found most interesting was his very next blog post showing his team in Vermont doing works of mercy in Jesus’ name. Love that juxtaposition! The Bible constantly urges believers to be busy about the kingdom while awaiting the return of their King. I care not one whit what your view on the tribulation is unless you are doing something for Jesus. When our Lord ascended to heaven He didn’t vacate the planet. He left His followers behind (“Left Behind”!) and filled them with His Spirit so that they could serve for Him, speak for Him, and love for Him. If people around us fail to recognize Him for who He is, perhaps it’s because we’re failing to do our job.

10:42 AM Loved this email:

Dave, thanks for the 20 best books on the NT. I intend to purchase/check out and read as many as I can, given my time span left at age 80.

10:04 AM Ever feel like a verse in the Bible was written just for you?

I’ve been carrying you on my back from the day you were born, and I’ll keep on carrying you when you’re old. I’ll be there, bearing you when you’re old and gray. I’ve done it and will keep on doing it, carrying you on my back, saving you (Isa. 46:14, MSG).

Becky and I were married for 37 years. I tell people, “Did you know that Becky had three husbands?” They look at me like I have ten heads. But it’s true. Here’s the evidence (from Biola to Basel to Bradford Hall):

Which period of your relationship with Becky was your favorite, you ask? All three, to tell the truth. You know, the excitement of being newlyweds, the passion for life, the eagerness to start a family, the thrill of getting established in jobs and careers. The first trimester of our marriage was for us a thrilling time. We also discovered that God doesn’t promise us fail-safe, risk-free Christianity. Things don’t work out like in the movies. He didn’t guarantee either of us immunity from disappointment and hurt. But we held out and grew.

And the second trimester? We had the world at our fingertips. A modicum of wealth. Solid reputations. Homeschooling. The list is a mile long. We began to realize a deep truth about Christianity: our spiritual maturity mattered more than our physical maturity. Our actions would speak louder than our age.

It seemed like we entered the winter of life before either of us were ready it for it. We began to feel hindered by our age and limitations. We also learned that God could use us in big, extraordinary ways if we were only willing to trust Him. We began to look forward to eternity, to that day when “the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15). Unlike some, we never did hop on the biblical prophecy bandwagon. We thought, instead, that we should be occupying till He comes, and so we worked harder than ever for His kingdom. We felt a new, spiritual, inward power to do His will. As Isaiah writes, “Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isa. 40:31). I think the hardest part of getting old is simply letting go and trusting God for such basic things as the ability to put on your shoes in the morning or to cope with a 15-hour plane ride. Pretty soon you’ve got yourself convinced that God is there to support you in your dotage. In the past few years, Becky and I began to realize that God is in the pearl-making business. Pearls don’t just happen. It begins with a small grain of sand — an irritant — that gets imbedded in the soft inner folds of an oyster. The oyster says, “What’s this?” and begins to soothe the irritant with a rich fluid that forms a smooth surface — a hard pearl. I think that’s the way it was with us. God had been turning the irritants in our lives into priceless gems. Instead of feeling limited by our age and infirmities, we turned them over to the Lord and He began His work of grace.

Today, I am alone in this world. So today I will do what every old man must do if He is a follower of Jesus. I will seek to live out my faith in very ordinary ways and trust God in very extraordinary ways. I’m not just another widower lost in the noise of life. I’m a unique creation of God whom He is lovingly guiding along the path He feels is best for me, according to His eternal perspective. Pure and simple, my salvation is guaranteed by His blood, and He (and Becky) will be waiting for me at the gates with His arms wide open and my name on His lips.

Friend, don’t fear old age. Find on older person whom you can follow because they display God’s beauty — someone like Becky whose faith was as radiant as a summer sunrise despite being trapped in a body withered by cancer. Despite her disease, her smiles were bigger and her praises louder than anybody I ever knew. Not a day goes by when I do not thank God for her testimony and ask Him to make me like that. The amazing thing is that it’s within our power to decide how we will face life.

9:12 AM Because of my schedule I will have to miss this year’s annual Society for New Testament Studies meeting in Szeged. Theprogram looks fabulous. I would especially have been interested in the presidential address:

Udo Schnelle (Halle, Germany), “Das frühe Christentum und die Bildung”

I imagine education in the early church operated a bit differently than what we know and are used to today.   

9:06 AM “The only peace that is worthy of the name is peace with God.” William Hendriksen.

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   restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

Our Times Are in His Hand

David Alan Black

A thought occurred to me this evening having just visited my Favorites on the Worldwide Web. Too many folks (myself included at times) tend to see all people (and issues, for that matter) as either utterly good or utterly bad and leave no room in their thinking for that great mass of mortals who are so mixed that they don’t stand out as remarkably good or entirely bad. Such perfectionists demand too much of others. They easily become impatient and sink into despair because they find few people who can attain the high mark they’ve set for their fellow travelers.

The true perfectionist (and we should all be perfectionists in the biblical sense of Philippians 3:7-11) knows he is not perfect nor is anyone else, but perfection is his goal and he moves forward toward it. No, we are not tolerant of the evil that can and ought to be dealt with, but we must be patient with ourselves and others.

The Psalmist wrote, “My times are in Thy hand” (Psalm 31:15). Please note: The times are ours, but the hand is His. All times are in the hand of the Timeless One, with whom a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day.

In these troubling days of wars and rumors of wars, remember that with our Father nothing ever gets “out of [His] hand.” Truth may seem to be forever veiled, wrong forever on the throne, but this is only one chapter in the book. Everything—I repeat, everything—is in God’s hand, including the future of our nation.

After the first nomination of William Jennings Bryan for the presidency, someone asked the disapproving Senator Hill, “Are you still a Democrat?” “Yes,” he replied, and added after a significant pause, “Very still.” Would it not behoove those of us who write and edit and work and plead to “study to be quiet” (1 Thess 4:11), waiting quietly upon the God of the Ages in prayer, listening to hear what He might have to say to us? When He finally speaks, what He says will have gathered importance from the long silence preceding it. Nowadays, with all of our neocon, paleo-libertarian, conservative, etc. websites to read and ponder, we sometimes enjoy a feast of words and a famine of ideas, and we will honor God—and do our generation a mighty big favor—by indulging only in a few fitly spoken, prayerfully considered words.

February 6, 2003

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com.

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   restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

Ethiopian Spring (May 2006): Part 1

 BeckyLynn Black 

Although this was our shortest trip to date (only 2 ½ weeks), it was still packed full with ministry and the blessing of our Lord. With each trip, we go with ministry goals and objectives; having these clearly in our minds helps us to be focused in our activities so that the best gain is obtained with limited time and energy. However, these goals are held loosely, because this is His work, not ours; and He has the prerogative to change things at any time and for any reason.   

For this short trip, we had 3 goals:

1. To facilitate the final trip of my parents back so that they could minister to their spiritual “children” in person one last time. Mom is 75 years old, and Daddy is 79. Their heart has always been in Ethiopia, but without someone going with them to “make their way straight,” it just was too difficult for them to return again. (Our son Nathan was willing to take time from the farm to help me; I could not have taken Mom and Daddy without his help!)

2. To carry funds to the Ethiopian church for the purchase of Bibles and for the building of churches in Alaba. The 9 rural churches in Alaba need to be built without delay; they are suffering severe persecution now, and the erection of buildings may alleviate some of the persecution. Each church requires $2,250 for materials. The Bible memory program ends in Burji and the main church in Alaba Town on September 10, 2006. We don’t know exactly how many people will complete this program, but we must be prepared to supply the Bibles we’ve promised by the end of September. (Some estimates are that as many as 3000 are memorizing, necessitating $12,000.) If we hand-carry these funds, then the money goes much further.

3. To follow up on the ministry that we did in Dec05/Jan06…computer training, checking the usage of the flannelgraph, taking more eyeglasses, etc….just as the Apostle Paul went back to check on the churches he had planted.

In these reports, I will not only share with you how our Lord met these goals, but also how He brought many, many exciting, unexpected blessings and ministry opportunities.

In this first report, I want to focus on Mom and Dad in this trip. First, a bit of history.  In the 1950s and 1960s, as a young couple establishing their family, Mom and Dad forsook the calling of a materialistic, “get ahead” American culture. At this time in our country’s history, we were still feeling the flush of victory from WW II and were catapulted into the role of the world’s leader. Our country had discovered productivity, women were now in the work force, personal incomes were sky-rocketing, and the accumulation of material goods was the end-all and be-all of life.

                                                    The missionary prayer card for our family in 1954.

Against this secular backdrop, our Lord was calling His own army to forsake the “easy” life and go to the world with the Gospel. Many mission organizations were established, and churches sent young missionaries to the far reaches of the world. Along with many others (like martyr Jim Elliott, who was a college classmate of Daddy’s), my parents joined this missionary army and set sail for Ethiopia. They were young, only 22 and 26 years old. They were busy having their babies. They were “innocent” to the ways of the world, wanting only to serve our Lord. Over the next 10 years, the prime of their life was spent living in very primitive circumstances, amongst tribal peoples who were often barbaric and hostile, alone and isolated from their own family and culture, even separated from their own children as they were sent off to boarding school. During those 10 years, they had repeated bouts of hepatitis, Mom delivered 6 babies (almost losing her life), they suffered the usual intestinal challenges, and they finally came back to the States on an emergency basis, thinking Mom was dying from a brain tumor.

As challenging as the years in Ethiopia had been to this young couple, the first years back in the States were much more so. Their heart was still in Ethiopia; they loved the people greatly; they had unfinished work to do. And yet our Lord, in His wisdom, was preventing them from returning. It took 13 years before He allowed them to discover the reason for Mom’s massive headaches; her top vertebrae had been jammed into her skull from traveling on the rough roads of Ethiopia. By the time she was healed, their children were in high school and college.

             

  Their first home in Ethiopia: Hosanna Station.              The current leaders of the Hosanna church, 4000 strong!

 

               

As a boy, Lampiso (left) helped mom in the garden. Simeon (right), a former student, is now the Director of the only Christian school in Hosanna town.                                                                                                

                     

Mom and Dad left their home at Burji Station in 1964. From our mountaintop station you can see forever; it is SO pretty!  The airstrip was on the side of the mountain; Daddy jokes, “It was the only airstrip in Ethiopia where they issued blind folders to the passengers before landing.”

                       

These “shimagelis” (old people) came to visit Daddy. He gave a word of encouragement to the Burji leaders. 

Although their years in Ethiopia were much shorter than they had expected, truly this period in their lives was the richest for them. They had planted the Gospel and education in the lives of many precious people. They had brought these people spiritual life, eternal life, and had also brought them into this century educationally. My father’s students went on to become leaders in Ethiopian culture and government. Many have said to me, “Your father shaped our country.” Others have said to me, with tears in their eyes, “Your parents opened the door of heaven to us! Where would we be today if they hadn’t come?”   In our previous trips, many of these dear people would ask us about Mom and Dad, with obvious love, longing to see them again. And in the States, my parents would often wonder, “What happened to so-and-so?” Also, there is the usual tugging on one’s soul at their stage in life, “Was it worth it all?”

I know there are many of you reading this report that are at their stage in life, or are perhaps at the stage when they first went abroad. You may be asking the same question. I have a message for you, a reminder from our Lord Jesus. Work for His Kingdom, in His Name is NEVER in vain! You may not see the results, but the benefit is still there! To forsake the temporal world for the eternal one, to yield your heart to love His ideals instead of the things in our culture, to expend your time, energy, money, skills in obedience to His appointment instead of personal gain and recognition….. Oh, my dear friend, the Scriptures are true! There is no REAL gain, no eternal gain, without surrender of everything to our Saviour!  Only in complete surrender is there victory…that is the irony of the Christian life. 

    VICTORY  IS  GAINED  ONLY  THROUGH  COMPLETE  SURRENDER!

The Evil One is always casting doubts, just as He did to Eve in the Garden. “Has God said that his Word will not return void?” This doubting is especially targeted to the older servants of our Lord. So in taking Mom and Dad to Ethiopia, they were able to see with their own eyes a small measure of the fruit of their labor. They were absolutely blown away by the growth of the Lord’s church in Hosanna and Burji, our two mission stations!  Strong leaders were clearly in evidence. They were active in evangelism, not only locally, but also sending missionaries across Ethiopia. And they were diligent about Christian education, not only for children but also for lay leaders. Everywhere we went, Mom and Dad were welcomed as their own parents and grandparents, honoring them and spoiling them with every little comfort. 

I do not want you to think that Mom and Dad came only to “look back.” They also came to minister, and to see first hand the work that our Lord has called Dave and me to do. I wish you could have been there watching Adinew attending to Mom as she climbed a mountain; she was determined to see the first church “we” have built in rural Alaba! Many times Mom played her flute; sometimes to small gatherings in homes, sometimes to 2000+ church gatherings. Mom also taught several women’s classes with me; what a joy that was for me!! Having the personality of the “perfect grandmother,” she nurtured everyone she met.  Daddy spoke on several occasions also, praising our Lord for His goodness and challenging the believers to continue to grow. We had student receptions, where his former students came to greet him. A special blessing of the Lord was the repentance of a student who had wandered away from our Lord for many decades; he came before the congregation just the Sunday before we arrived, confessing all, and asking for forgiveness. What a joy it was to fellowship with him, rejoicing in the never-ending grace of our Lord Jesus!  Also, Daddy launched the 2nd Library CD and bought oodles of books in Addis for the 3rd CD. These CDs are the only ones in Ethiopia; he has scanned hundreds of books in English and Amharic onto CD for use by Ethiopian Christians.

                 

 Alaba church leaders helping Mom cross a creek.        The Director of Christian Education in Alaba fanning Mom.

                   

Daddy couldn’t even wait to leave the airport before getting CD #2 out for Fasil!  Mom’s flute music was a big part of our ministry.      

                   What a delight to work side by side with Mom in encouraging the Christian women of Ethiopia!

There is a second lie from the Evil One that tempts the older generation; it is the lie that Retirement is in God’s plan. Our American culture is so retirement-oriented that even in the Lord’s work we think that beyond a certain age there is no work for us to do. Or worse yet, we have this idea that we “deserve” a break from working! But I ask you, when did Moses retire? Or Abraham? Or Jeremiah? Or Paul?  My dear friends, there is no retirement mode in the work of the Kingdom. The work He assigns us is always suited to us, taking into account our physical limitations, but it is work nonetheless.

My mother is not assigned to climb mountains to visit churches on a regular basis, but she is assigned to teach flute to unchurched school children in public schools, showing them His love, and she is assigned to play her flute in churches for worship times. Daddy is no longer assigned to a rough primitive educational setting, but he is assigned to scan page after page, thousands of them, onto a CD for the new generation of Ethiopian leaders. The key to success in the Kingdom is faithfulness, obedience, diligence. And this is applicable to all ages, all races, every economic stratus, all academic levels, both genders. No one is excused; too much is at stake!

FAITHFUL  OBEDIENCE  IS  ALWAYS  HIS  WAY  FOR  US!  THERE   IS  NO  “RETIREMENT”  MODE  FOR  THE  BELIEVER.

This first report would not be complete without a public expression of appreciation to both of my parents for the example that they have set for me, an example of faithful, diligent work for the Kingdom. Thank you, Mom & Daddy! There is no greater inheritance than this!

                “Pray for us. The Lapsleys in Ethiopia. Bradford, BeckyLynn and Betty.” 2006

“Preaching Christ, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”  Col. 1:28

This report has been prepared by BeckyLynn (Lapsley) Black

Mailing address: Bradford Hall, 2691 White House Rd., Nelson, VA 24580.                              Phone: 434-374-0492.                                                                                                              Email: dblack@sebts.edu.                                                                                                       Website: www.daveblackonline.com

If our Lord wants you to become involved with us in Ethiopia, please make your check payable to BeckyLynn Black. No tax-deductible receipt will be given, but a sincere thank-you note will be sent. 100- of your gift goes directly to the Lord’s church in Ethiopia. We pay our own expenses and we do not deduct for “administrative costs.” May our Lord bless you for your kindnesses to us and our brethren in Ethiopia.

June 19, 2006

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Christian Archy: Introduction

 David Alan Black  

There is perhaps no clearer example of the misguided appropriation of the world by the church than the god of nationalism. Instead of simply following Jesus, whose kingdom is marked by powerless love, we have attempted to use Christianity to support worldly power. And this means that the church has lost its way – a transgression that carries with it an obligation on the part of every Christian to find his or her way back to the correct path. Experience has shown that once the church has become just another worldly “archy” (power), once it has allowed itself to be subverted by politics, it has achieved a “victory” at the expense of the Gospel.

This is the message of two profound Christian thinkers whose writings continue to impact the current generation of Jesus followers. It has only been recently that I added the works of Jacque Ellul and Vernard Eller to my library shelves, and their contribution to what they call “Christian Anarchy” has played no little role in the writing of my latest book, The Downward Path of Jesus (forthcoming). Picking up on something Kierkegaard once said, these philosopher-theologians remind us that the Gospel is something intolerable, for it requires us to renounce the illusions, the misplaced hopes, and the blind cul-de-sacs of religious archys. “Christendom,” wrote Kierkegaard, “is an effort of the human race to go back to walking on all fours, to get rid of Christianity, to do it knavishly under the pretext that this is Christianity, claiming that it is Christianity perfected” (cited in Ellul, The Subversion of Christianity, p. 1). This is not all. “The Christianity of Christendom … transforms Christianity into something entirely different from what it is in the New Testament, yea, into exactly the opposite; and this is the Christianity of Christendom, of us men.”

The tragedy is that Christians have freely chosen this course of action. They have voluntarily opted for Christendom over Christianity. They have willingly forsaken the Holy Spirit for holy orders, the Body of Christ for a body of worldly ideals, the kingdom of heaven for the kingdoms of this world. As I argue in my new book, I am convinced that this “subversion of Christianity” (the title of one of Ellul’s books), this matter of putting our petty gods above Christ, has caused the church to totally miss its way. It is only when we exalt Christus Victor, when we believe in Christ crucified and risen again, when we acknowledge that whatever substitutions for Christianity we have allowed are nothing but false Christianities, that we can make any headway.

The description of our problem – and its distinctly biblical solution as set forth by Ellul and Eller – though obvious to anyone who has read their works, is unfortunately not well known today or, if it is, is rejected partly because it is known as “Christian Anarchy,” a term that to many has an exceedinglynegative connotation. It is here, of course, that Christian theologians have a major role to play in fleshing out these works, but many have not understood that role because (in my estimation) they do not get beyond the nomenclature to the substance of Christian Anarchy. Some have even lent their support to the foolish and utopian ideas of Christendom, seeking the goodness of the Lord in the “wonder-working power” of the American people, to paraphrase an American president. Such pom-pom waving allegiance to the American flag and U.S.-style democracy is no more than one of the ways in which Christendom seeks to “transform Christianity into something entirely different from what it is in the New Testament” (as Kierkegaard said). When the Christian church behaves like this, and when its theologians go along with it, it utterly fails to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, overcoming evil with good.

There is, therefore, a need for the church to rediscover its failure to plant the cross at the heart of its identity as church, and thus for the church to be reborn through the seed of evangelical truth. By way of impudent generalization, I will attempt in this series to describe the way forward. It seems to me, from my reading of Ellul and especially Eller, that we can discern three processes, three movements in this symphony of truth that I will now call “Christian Archy.” I think that we have in this symphony an explanation of the astonishing change that brought Christendom into existence out of Christianity, even though the biblical revelation lends the exchange absolutely no support. From this point on, then, let us briefly examine Christian Archy and see whether it can help us to better understand how the church has been subverted and how it might be reconstituted along biblical lines. It is absurd to think that my synopsis is either sufficient or efficient for this to occur. At the very least, my hope is that my audience will feel compelled to “take up and read” for themselves the provocative works I am merely trying to summarize here.

Next: The Major Tenets of Christian Archy

October 14, 2008

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com.

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Coping with Trauma

Becky Lynn Black  

Trauma. Anyone who has lived any amount of time has had it. It is part of Life.  Those bursts of danger that stretch us to the limit….the car accident, the moment a spouse walked out, the season when a parent walked through the horrors of drug-addiction with a child, getting caught in the midst of a gun battle, hearing the thief enter the house in the dead of night, the rape, identity fraud, discovering a spouse is caught in pornography, getting a cancer diagnosis.

In my own life, there is scarcely a trip to Ethiopia that doesn’t have its moments of extreme stress. In the Nov-Dec ’08 trip, it was landing at RDU airport in a severe thunderstorm; I thought the plane was breaking apart with the wind gusts; an aborted landing (they call it “touch and go”) confirmed my suspicions about the seriousness of the situation. Now every time I board a plane, I “re-live” that stress.

In the June 07 trip, it was coming down the Burji mountain, on muddy roads, after 15 hours of constant rain, with steep inclines and sharp turns, sheer precipices on either side, no guard rails (of course!). In the May 09 trip, we had a similar situation, but far less dangerous.

In the past 2 years especially, we have had times of extreme danger that has left the soul seared with pain and stress, forever stamped with the event.

Walking through this cancer situation in a public way, we are getting testimonies of other journeys. The testimonies speak of the trauma inflicted by the journey, so I thought this would be a good time to put in writing how the Lord has impressed me in the past months regarding dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

I am not writing as a “professional” psychologist. I am writing as a simple person who lives with both feet on the ground and who firmly believes that the Lord Jesus is DIRECTLY connected to all that enters our lives.

Simply put, there are 3 “hooks” on which to hang these traumatic times. 

The first hook is this: remember ALL of reality.

The tendency is to remember only the danger, the horror, the shock. Our minds are so seared with the pain that we cannot look beyond that to see the other aspects of reality in the situation. Specifically, we fail to see the ACTIVE presence of the Lord Jesus.

Let me say that again….we fail to see the ACTIVE presence of the Lord Jesus in the dangerous situation. It is as if the pain short-circuits our perception of anything except the danger. Fear blots out all other realities. We cannot talk about anything except the horror of the situation.

But we must sit ourselves down and purposefully, methodically, systematically look for the actions of the Lord Jesus on our behalf. We must name His arrangement of the timing of events, His strength and mental clarity in our actions, His protection from further harm. We must look for His gifts of aid through other people and His supernatural intervention in the chain of events.

Trauma leaves us feeling very vulnerable. Our underbelly is exposed. Our physical/emotional/spiritual viability is in question. We are about to come apart completely.

And it happens often in a split second, or perhaps a few minutes. The body’s adrenaline rises to meet the challenge briefly…and then we collapse in a heap of fear. Each of us has our own points of vulnerability, depending upon our personalities and our past history. 

The danger is real. The risks are genuine. The situation cannot be escaped. This is no game.

But the danger, the risks, the vulnerability is only part of the reality.

The Lord Jesus and His faithfulness is the other part of the reality!

It is by the power of the Lord Jesus that we His children are kept in tact. It is His strong arm that blocks the danger from utterly destroying us.  It is His knowledge, His “intelligence service” that intercepts wickedness that would overwhelm us completely. It is His covering of our minds that protects us mentally, keeping us from losing our sanity.

In my own life, I have to purposefully vocalize His active presence in these dangerous situations. It is easy to focus on the danger of the situation; it is not so easy to focus on the protection of the Lord Jesus. Writing a list of His actions helps. Telling the story only from the view of His actions is good. Perhaps writing a song (or poem) of praise works for you….it worked for the Israelites after the trauma of fleeing Pharaoh through the Red Sea and it worked for King David in his many traumatic situations.

The point of this “hook” is…..remember ALL of reality….His active presence as well as the danger.

The second hook is this: get back to normal activities.  

The tendency is to put Life on hold while we process the trauma and re-coop some sense of normalcy. But we need to return to the normal activities of eating, cooking, shopping, traveling, working. Yes, we will be in a daze; it will feel surreal. The activities are done with numbed mind and body.

But there is something about the actions of normal life that help us to reconnect with Life, so that we are not “stuck” in the trauma. There is a soothing reminder in the activities that Life is still in tact; Life is stronger than this episode of extreme danger. Life goes on, and we will go on.

Sometimes I think about the Apostle Paul in this regard. How many, many traumas he suffered…ship wreck, beatings, stoning, imprisonments, betrayals, cold/hunger/poverty. After an episode of trauma, what did he do?  Did he sit out the ministry? Did he go to a seaside resort to pamper himself as he processed the trauma? 

Not that I can see in the Scriptures. The story of Paul’s life is largely written by a medical doctor, and if Paul dealt with his traumas in such a way, I would think that Dr. Luke would have recorded it.

No, Paul got up, brushed himself off, praised God for His active presence, and then went to the next town for continued ministry! He carried on with Life.

So, as we cope with a child’s drug addiction, or the horrors of a traffic accident, or the trauma of a rape…..it is important that we embrace the activities of normal life. Life does not consist wholly of the traumatic episode; it is much bigger than this incident of danger. We must continue in school, show up for work, care for the children. We must discipline our minds to focus on the work at hand.  We must busy our hands and mind with the needs of the day. We must be active about Life.

For myself, I have found that if I ignore Hook #1, I have great difficulty in doing Hook #2.  Somehow in the exercise of remembering ALL of reality, I am strengthened to continue on with Life.

Hook #3 is this: take care of yourself. 

This is simple logistics. It is the “balancer” of Hook #2. As human beings, we are limited. We have limited emotional, spiritual, physical capabilities. The expenditure of those limited resources ebbs and flows with the variations of Life.

And when we pass through a time of great expenditure, we must adjust so that we can “compensate” and “renovate” our resources.

This is perfectly exemplified in my body right now. Major surgery is a great depleter of human resources. At every level there is strain. Common sense will recognize this depletion and adjust to compensate for the depletion. So everyone’s word to me in these days is: rest!

So even as I resume normal Life activities, I am “kind” to my body through good nutrition, listening to messages of fatigue, watching body mechanics for lifting, etc.

The same principle is true in re-cooperating from trauma. We must continue with normal Life activities, but simultaneously, we must pay attention to our depleted resources, and seek to rebuild them. This means more time with the Lord and His Word for spiritual replenishment. More time with godly, mature brothers and sisters (who will help us to remember all of reality) for emotional replenishment. (Beware of those who only want us to relive/vocalize the danger component of our trauma!) More rest and good nutrition and walks in nature for physical replenishment.

Life is full of trauma. It is the Lord Himself who keeps us from being destroyed by the trauma. The beginning of healing is to purposefully, consciously, methodically remember His active presence in the midst of the trauma.  From this exercise will come the calm and peace that always flows from Him; His healing oil runs over the wound. The pain does not leave, but now it is mingled with calm as we see His strong arm acting on our behalf.

And from that calm, we have the ability to take up the normal activities of Life again, while simultaneously working to replenish our human resources of emotional, spiritual and physical strength.

And in the end, we are enabled to see Him in His glory, in His utter faithfulness, in His constant love, and in His absolute sufficiency. He is the One who sustains, who protects, who loves in the midst of trauma.

And so, our Trauma opens the door to Praise….joyful song to the Lord Jesus, our Guardian and Protector!

August 29, 2009

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Borderline Christianity

 David Alan Black 

Recently Kristen of Walking Circumspectly pondered aloud the question of whether Christians should be involved with the Lord of the Rings. The ensuing discussion has, I think, been very salutary.

In my mind, this raises a much larger issue: It is possible to enjoy the saving grace of God and to exercise uncompromising orthodoxy without obeying the Lord Jesus? I often hear church members ask, “Can I be a Christian and still do this?” “Why can’t I do that?” “What’s wrong with …?” Sometimes I fear that what they are really asking is, “How much like the world can I live and still be a Christian?”

When we ask such questions, the devil has scored a triumph. Borderline Christianity is actually worldly Christianity. When we find ourselves conforming to the spirit of this age rather than condemning it by the contrast of our godly conduct, the love of the Father is not in us (1 John 2:15).

It has been pointed out many times that Christians are better acquainted with the promises than with the commandments of Scripture. We live in a day when so many fall for everything and so few stand for anything that the normal Christian life seems abnormal. Beware of the Christian profession that is comprised of mere words without music. It is easy to insist upon our standing in the Lord but not stand up for Jesus in our daily walk.

Martin Luther once said, “Here I stand.” Today he would be viewed as an extremist. He would be urged to attend a seminar or to convene a summit conference. It is always much easier to come to terms with Mammon than to stand alone if necessary for conviction and principle.

We had better have deep convictions about what we allow and what we prohibit. Above all, there must be obedience to what the Lord has told us: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Take heed, therefore, to what you hear! We may well enjoy the privileges of the Christian life, but we should also accept its responsibilities and thus avoid the penalties of disobedience.

No man can die to self and follow Christ and live peaceably in a world like this. Nowadays we make God into a Santa Clause, but we cannot use God just for our satisfaction. As the Master, so the servant. If Jesus had to fall into the ground and die, how much more must we?

So as we debate what is acceptable and what is to be shunned, let us be careful of patronizing God instead of obeying Him without question or reservation. Much of the frivolity we call entertainment is a substitute for the real thing. This is a far cry from facing a holy God and obeying Him as Lord.

Beware borderline Christianity!

March 10, 2005

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com. If you would like to know more about becoming a follower of King Jesus, please feel free to write Dave.

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Wednesday, August 1   

9:55 AM Hey folks! August has gotten off to crazy start. It’s already been an extremely busy morning. Not sure how it happened, but I’ve been juggling plates like crazy. Here’s a snippet of my life beyond my farm chores, animal care, cooking and cleaning, etc.

• Just finished Greg Boyd’s book Benefit of the Doubt.

• Started Scot McKnight’s A Fellowship of Differents.

• Stumbled across a YouTube by a guy named Andrew Farley.

• This led me to Google the “Hyper Grace” or “False Grace” Movement.

• I read The Rebellion of Antinomianism.

• Then I read John Macarthur’s excellent sermon calledTotal Forgiveness and the Confession of Sin.

• This led me to the book of Hebrews and how the Father disciplines His children out of love.

See, I’ve got lots of pots on the fire. I’m studying the doctrines of forgiveness and repentance for my book Godworld. I love how John MacArthur distinguishes between judicial forgiveness and paternal forgiveness. Wise words. And with this I (finally!) came back to the book of Hebrews, especially chapter 12, where I spent about an hour this morning studying both the Greek and English texts. Put all this together and you arrive at the conclusion that the Father expects us to look out for our hearts and confess our sins and, when we don’t, He disciplines us. I encourage all to read or listen to John MacArthur’s powerful message.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Today I hope to get in a 20 mile bike before the rains return. I’m looking forward to another long run tomorrow followed by a swim. August will be a time for me to get back into racing — and the classroom. I’m scheduled to do two races this month (the Bull Moon 5K in Durham this Saturday night and the Rex Wellness Triathlon on the 12th), attend our faculty workshop on the 9th and 10th, begin teaching on Monday the 20th, and “other.” I’m not sure what the “other” category entails yet, but there are always surprises in life. I think the old bod is holding up pretty well despite all the workouts I make it do. As for my emotions, I took a pretty big hit yesterday. I was talking to my daughter in Birmingham about attending my granddaughter’s choral performance on Nov. 2 when it hit me: that date will be the fifth anniversary of Becky’s homegoing. Let’s state the obvious: No, I haven’t completely recovered from losing her. The tears began flowing. Thankfully, it wasn’t the crushing, exhausting pain I first experienced when Becky died. Not the searing, agonizing realization that you live alone in a big house where “she” is in everything you see. But then the tears disappeared as quickly as they came. It’s this jumble of emotion that surprises you as you go through your day. And maybe that God’s gift to me. Maybe that’s His way of reminding me that there is nothing in nature that is hidden from His sight, least of all the pain of a widower perched in the middle of a raging river with nowhere to go but deeper into His love. I’m not on this earth to live my own life, untouched by the suffering all around me. Jesus got dirty and hurt when He was on this planet. What I do know is that His victory over death has been won (perfect tense y’all) whether I can understand it or not and whether I can feel it on or not in my emotions. And so you cry and you pray and you read Scripture and you do, because there are grandkids to love and concerts to attend.

In “The Rebellion of Antinomianism” (see above for the link), the author quoted a stanza from “Depth of Mercy,” a hymn by Charles Wesley.

What a promise. Is it any wonder I trust and love Him? For all of this, I count myself as blessed among men.

Tuesday, July 31   

7:40 PM It felt really good to get in a 10-mile run today. Feeling super motivated. Love, love, love it. Here’s a short YouTube in case you’re interested.

Time to cook dinner. Hope your day went well!

Monday, July 30   

4:50 PM Just got back from a 5-mile bike and found these waiting for me.

Fresh off the farm. Thank you Nate, Jess, and boys!!

11:26 AM I just finished an amazing 1-hour workout at the Y. I focused on the incline bench press, dumbbell curls, lateral raises, and regular bench press. I mostly tried to work my pectorals, biceps, triceps, and deltoids. I tried to pick weights that made it difficult to finish all my reps with clean form. I’m not a real heavy lifter. I just concentrate on going slow with good form. Afterwards I had planned to get a run in but it was still raining. I could have opted for the treadmill but I simply can’t bring myself to run indoors. It’s so much fun working up to my races. Training is a great test of one’s overall fitness but I want to train smarter and harder than ever before. In this sport, you live and learn, that’s for sure.

7:22 AM Hey guys. A brief update:

1) Today I was up at 5:00 reviewing some of the essays I’m having my Hebrews students read for our class. I thought I’d share with you a few of the titles:

• F. F. Bruce, “Textual Problems in the Epistle to the Hebrews.”

• Michael Cosby, “The Rhetorical Composition of Hebrews 11.”

• David daSilva, “Entering God’s Rest: Eschatology and the Socio-Rhetorcial Strategy of Hebrews.”

• Dwight Gingrich, “Giving Account for Our Use of Hebrews 13:17.”

• George Guthrie, “The Case for Apollos as the Author of Hebrews.”

• Scot McKnight, “The Warning Passages of Hebrews: A Formal Analysis and Theological Conclusions.”

• Roger Omanson, “A Superior Covenant: Hebrews 8:1-10:18.”

• Victor Rhee, “Chiasm and the Concept of Faith in Hebrews 12:1-29.”

As is obvious, Hebrews contains a bagful of topics that beg for discussion. I believe all of these issues are crucial for the church today.

2) In case you were wondering, Ben Merkle and I will be editing for publication the papers from ourLinguistics and New Testament Greek conference next April. (Yes, we’ve already signed the contract. I’ll announce the publisher later. Both Ben and I have published numerous times with this well-known publishing house.) This morning I began writing my part of the introduction. I’ll begin by suggesting that if we students of the Bible are to have a robust integration of linguistics and Greek, we need to start with a robust doctrine of revelation. We biblical students tend to forget that God is the God of science as well as Scripture, the secular as well as the sacred. In fact, as John Stott was careful to point in many of his writings, nothing is secular in the sense that God is excluded from it, and everything is sacred in the sense that it belongs to and originates from God. This, in our view, would include the “secular” science of linguistics. Ben and I are of the persuasion that we evangelicals should be more grateful than we usually are for the good gifts that God has given us — including the gift of the scientific study of how languages work. A “Christian” mind is one that not only thinks about specifically biblical matters, but one that can think Christianly about so-called secular topics. To approach the study of New Testament Greek linguistically does not mean that we’re approaching the Bible in a way that lessens its divine inspiration and authority. The fact is that a proper application of linguistics to the language of the New Testament is wonderfully beneficial. It enriches us, because God has made us rational beings in His own image. At any rate, I hope that many of you will be able to attend the conference next spring and will also benefit from the essays when they’re eventually published.

3) Once again, it’s back to the gym today. Only 10 weeks out before my ultra. I’ve yet to determine my goal for that event. Let’s just say I’m obviously grateful to the Lord to be able to get outdoors today and exercise. Despite my frailties and fears, I really do want to run this ultra race well. But I’m not obsessing about it. Running is a big part of my life but it isn’t my life. Today I’ll probably try for a short run. All I want to do is get loose and stretch and lubricate the bones and ligaments. I want to be as strong and thin as possible for the race. Today is overcast and breezy but hot. So we’ll see how it goes.

Thanks for reading. Hope you’re doing well!

Dave

P.S. Ordered this book (and its workbook) today:

Sunday, July 29   

5:32 PM One of my all-time favorite pastimes is visiting churches where my former students serve as a pastor-elder. Today it was Clearview Baptist Church in Henderson, NC.

Abidan Shah was not only my student but my assistant for over a year. He’s completing his doctorate at Southeastern in textual criticism. Of course, going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than climbing a tree makes you a monkey. I liken church gatherings to family reunions. Reunions happen because we plan for them. They are times to bring together a diversity of people who’ve led imperfect lives but with whom we remain linked by reason of our common heritage. And what a wonderful family Clearview is. As head of the church, Christ was clearly exalted today. Abidan has been bringing a series of messages on the titles of Jesus, and today’s title was “Christ” — or, as Abidan had us repeating throughout his message, “God’s chosen King.” (I love interactive sermons!) Every week, because we are God’s children through Jesus, our exalted King, we have the privilege and responsibility of gathering to affirm our family ties and encourage one another on to love and good works. Thank you, Abidan, for the reminder today that Jesus is my Saviorand my King, whose every wish I should be eager to obey.

Today I took the entire day off from any kind of exercise (except the type that exercises the jaw. Thank you, KFC.). Instead, I finally got around to registering for next Saturday’sBlue Moon 5K run. It starts at 7:30 pm at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park right in downtown Durham. If you live nearby, why not join us? I did this race last year and it was a hoot. The post race party on Blackwell St. is something you’ll never forget, believe you me. And, while you’re registering, you can make a donation to Habitat for Humanity of Durham, a most worthy cause.

While online I also completed my registration for the 21st Flying Pig Marathon in Cincy next May. Last year the race sold out long before race day so I wanted to be sure I got in again this year. Plus, the price goes up next month. If I’m able to go, this will be my third time squealing in Porkopolis. The Pig was my inaugural marathon race just two summers ago. That day in Cincinnati taught me a very important lesson. You don’t have to be super fit, super fast, or a super athlete to complete a marathon. By the pure grace of God, and after many months of training, I was able to finish what I started and made a personal dream come true. Did you know the Pig raises money for over 300 charities (they call it “piganthropy”). The Lord was so good to me when I ran this race in 2017 by allowing me to raise $7,000 for endometrial cancer research at UNC. This time, a couple of my kids are “threatening” to run the race with me. Now wouldn’t that be fun! The Pig has become a traditional race for me. I plan to run it every year as the Lord enables me. It’s hands down the happiest marathon I’ve ever done. You never forget what it’s like to have that enormous crowd cheering you on. I loved every second of the race, including infamous Mount Adams, Cincy’s equivalent to Boston’s Heartbreak Hill. At mile 18 there’s even a luau with everyone dressed in grass skirts. Taste of home! You can check out the race website here.

Let’s see, what else? I’ve started re-reading my history of the Gettysburg battle again. I haven’t given up on making a trip up there before the semester begins, but the weather isn’t cooperating right now. Either way, I plan to continue my marathon and ultra training this week. No, I’m not happy with where I am today. But yes, I am making progress. I do have goals for both races, but I’m not ready to share them with you yet. I don’t know about you, but being a Type A kinda guy, I hate to plod along in life without specific goals. Without being a tad hard on yourself, you probably wouldn’t be where you are in life either. I think it’s the way we’re wired.

Later this week I’ll have an update for you on some of the books I’m currently reading so I can review them for a journal. But for now, my stomach is talking to me, and it ain’t Greek either!

7:55 AM Good Sunday morning all! I’m feeling really pumped right now about the Marine Corps Marathon in October. It’s a unique event that means a lot to people. It’s called “The People’s Marathon” because there are no big cash awards that attract the elite runners. Just the moms and pops. Everyone is running for the love of the sport. I’m told that the presence of the Marines along the course makes for a really memorable experience regardless of your finishing time. The finisher’s medal features the eagle, globe, and anchor, and the ribbon includes the words “Semper Fi.” See, I’m already getting teary-eyed. The globe even opens up to a rendering of the Iwo Jima War Memorial. Plus, running on the National Mall is pretty hard to beat. Last year, runners from all 50 states and 60 countries participated. I believe something like 27,000 runners finished it.

I love big races like the MCM. You are surrounded by thousands of other amateur athletes who are experiencing the same excitement and fears you are. Just knowing that others are pushing through the same exhaustion you’re feeling makes the race go so much easier. When I first started running, I was scared to death that I wouldn’t be accepted. What I’ve learned is that the running community is one of the most understanding and compassionate communities I’ve ever been involved in. All of us have the exact same goal: to keep moving until we finish. The running community is especially supportive of a beginner’s efforts. That’s true with triathlons too. No one will laugh at you for being slow or overweight of whatever. That’s because it isn’t the shoes or the clothes or the speed that makes you a runner. It’s your attitude toward life.

You have a lot of God-given potential, my friend. Remember that, not only on race day, but every day.

Saturday, July 28   

6:22 PM Hey guys. Today I got on my bike again. I love to crosstrain by cycling. It almost seems like when I’m not running I’m “letting my body rest.” Of course, today’s workout was pretty strenuous. I thought I’d go 20 miles but ended up biking a full marathon distance. That’s correct. 26.2 invigorating miles. And why not? The day was perfect for cycling.

Biking makes me look forward to running, and vice versa. I’ve discovered that my joints just feel a lot better if I alternate running and crosstraining. Here’s the irony, though. Take a look at my total time. Today I finished 26.2 miles in 2 hours and 16 minutes. That’s slower than most elite athletes average in a marathon when running! Today I managed a mere 11.5 miles per hour. Elite marathoners average 12 miles per hour on foot. I couldn’t run at that pace if my life depended on it, but elite runners are doing it for 26.2 miles. Such is life I reckon. Growing up in Hawaii I did no running. None. And very little biking. But give me a surfboard, and ….

All that has changed. And it’s never too late for you to start too. Go ahead, make the last half the best half. You say, “I’m too old.” For the love ofPheidippedes! I started running at 62. And then I began cycling at 64. I feel younger today than I did before I started running and biking. Never too old to do a good thing, right? The neat thing about biking for the runner is that it strengthens your quads, which are the muscles you need for good knee health. In addition, because you’re not pounding the pavement, you’re not putting any weight on your lower joints. So the benefits of bilking are obvious. It’s a great way to stay fit while not running. Running is still the foundation of your active lifestyle but crosstraining keeps you fresh and eager to get back on the running course. I think I’m on track to be ready for my big races in October. I’m not there yet, however. I’ve got to keep training so that when race day comes I’ll be as prepared as I can be. I can still do poorly, of course. But, God willing, it won’t be because I didn’t train hard enough.

Thanks for reading,

“Biker” (hehe) Dave

8:45 AM I’m studying Heb. 1:1-4 this morning. (For a detailed analysis, gohere.)

Here’s a thought I will be emphasizing in my class on Hebrews: In promoting the excellence of Christ, Hebrews never disparages anything or anyone Christ is compared with. The old is not “bad” and the new “good”; the old is “good” and the new is “better.” It is the same God who spoke equally through the prophets and through His Son. The Greek of Heb. 1:1-2 clearly shows this.

Indeed, the whole of Hebrews is an extended qal wahomer argument moving from the “good” of foundational Jewish events, institutions, and persons to the “best” of Jesus Christ. I see no denigration whatsoever of the Old Testament in Hebrews, and certainly not here in the letter’s exordium, which presents a schema of continuity in which the prophets prepare for and are completed by the climactic speech act of God through His Son.

Okay. So what’s the upshot? The principle for living I’m drawing from this text can be summarized as follows: “To make someone look good you don’t have to make someone else look bad.” This principle seems to have been consistently followed by the author of Hebrews. “Moses was faithful in all his house,” he writes in Heb. 3:5. The difference between Moses and Christ is not one of faithfulness (both were equally faithful) but rather one of status: Moses was faithful as a son in the house, whereas Christ was faithful as the Son over the house. And, as everyone knows, “the builder of the house has more honor than the house” (Heb. 3:3). Got it? As we suggested yesterday, all of Hebrews is an early Christian exposition of the Old Testament. In it the author shows how something importantly new and different has occurred in Christ and His once-and-for-all death on the cross. Hence the recrucifixion of Christ is to deny the single and total effectiveness of that sacrifice (6:4-6).

Wedge-building between the Old and New Testaments is still high among the marks of false teachers today. Both Hebrews’ author and Paul  (if they are not one and the same) remind us that if the Old Covenant possesses a transient glory, this was part of God’s plan (compare Heb. 8 with 2 Cor. 3:1-18, the former of which quotes Jer. 31, while the latter clearly echoes Jer. 31). Hence Abraham could look for the city of God to come, and Moses could bear the denunciation of Christ (11:13-16, 26). Hebrews reads the Old Testament christologically, as should we. We are called to the same trust and faithfulness that persons in the Old Testament exhibited, finding our confidence by looking to Jesus while avoiding the unfaithfulness of the wilderness generation. In short, there’s no passivity in attaining holiness. The apostle calls us to be good runners (12:1-2). I for one (speaking to myself first) venture to hope that I will run with endurance the race set before me.

P.S. I see that a Polish dare-devil has skied down K2. (Google YouTube. I mean, this is something amazing.) At one time I thought I could never conquer endurance challenges. I’ve learned to push those doubts aside. I once ran a 5K with a vet who lost a leg in Iraq. That was such a good, simple reminder to me to shuck the victim mentality. Life is hard for everybody. Get over it. Get something done with your life. Don’t just think about pushing yourself. Even with all your doubts and struggles, you can still get out there and take risks. Even if you decide to walk a mile every other day, you are doing something most people will never accomplish.

Now I’m off to get some exercise. But first I have to stuff my face with eggs and corned beef hash.

What’s your Everest? Your K2? Your big hair audacious goal? GET TOUGH AND DO IT!

Friday, July 27   

5:58 PM Happiness is getting in a 45-minute workout at the gym and then a 5-mile bike ride and then a lap swim at the pool right before a huge storm hit. Today I also registered for my next tri in Wake Forest on Sept. 6. It’s the Rex Wellness Sprint Triathlon and features a 250-yard pool swim, a 12-mile bike ride, and a 5K run. This will be my second time participating in this event. I just checked on the ages of the competitors. So far, there’s only 4 of us men over 65 who’ve signed up. I hope that number goes up. I like plenty of competition. I also just paid my registration fees for the Virginia Beach Half Marathon on Sept. 2. This will be my third time running V-Beach. The course is flat and fast and finishes right beside the ocean. I’ll start at the back of the pack in the old man wave, of course. I’ll plan to drive up the night before and stay at the same Airbnb I rented last year. The last thing you want to do is tire yourself out with a long drive the day of the race. Races are the culmination of all of my training, which is why I like them so much. I’m going to take my surfboard with me in case there are any waves at the beach.

Not sure what else I can add here. Oh — here’s a pic of the hot dogs I devoured today after my bike ride.

Mustard, onions, chili, and slaw. The dogs themselves were, no doubt, full of all kinds of healthy ingredients, such as preservatives, flavorings, colorings, and who-knows what other chemicals. No ketchup, of course. No one over 18 should ever put ketchup on a hot dog. Just sayin’. I scarfed down these babies in less than a minute, declaring myself the wiener of my pigging out contest.

Well, that’s about it for now. I relish the chance to ketchup with you later. (Don’t hit me.)

Dave

7:58 AM Good morning fellow bloggers! Today I’m putting the final touches on my Hebrews class for this fall. Our main textbook (after the Greek New Testament, of course) is Attridge’s excellent commentary. I’m also asking students to purchase Lane’s two-volume commentary on the book. (I’m not sure there will ever be a definitive commentary on the epistle to the Hebrews.) Both Attridge and Lane bring up little details you might never think about otherwise. There are 4 assignments for the class:

• Each student will translate selected portions of Hebrews daily.

• Each will be assigned books and/or articles to review for the entire class.

• Every student will present an analysis of one paragraph from Hebrews not covered otherwise in class. Their presentations will include their own interpretive translations as well as a colon analysis following the method taught in class.

• A one-on-one oral exam will take place on the last day of class covering oral recitation, parsing of selected verb forms, discussion of syntax, an evaluation of textual variants, and discussion of any major issues of translation.

We only have one week for this class (we meet from 8:00-5:00 daily) so I’ve had to be über-selective in our translation assignments:

• Monday: 1:1-4, 2:1-4, 3:1-6

• Tuesday: 4:1-11, 5:11-6:12, 7:1-28

• Wednesday: 8:1-13, 9:11-15, 10:19-25

• Thursday: 11:1-7, 12:1-3, 13:1-6

• Friday: Student presentations, lunch together at a local restaurant, oral exam

So much to do. So little time. I love how the author of Hebrews uses Old Testament allusions as clues or hints to a historical situation in the Old Testament with bearing on his audience’s situation. His eleventh chapter is a good case in point. Hebrews itself is an often-alluded-to book. Take Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress (see Heb. 11:13) or W. H. Murray’s Evidence of Things Not Seen (see Heb. 11:1) or Entertaining Angels (see Heb. 11:13) — a movie about the life of Catholic activist Dorothy Day. Almost every day I find allusions in the news. Here’s one I noticed this morning in Chris Cilizza’s piece at CNN about Michael Cohen:

Allusions work because an author can assume there’s a body of knowledge that’s shared by the author and his or her readers. The New Testament depends heavily on the Old Testament in this manner. According toStephen Voorwinde, “The writer to the Hebrews has a mind that was marinated in the Old Testament.”  And, in his peroration, Dr. Voorwinde makes this utterly amazing application:

So when you work your way through Hebrews, don’t take shortcuts. Do your homework. Wrestle with the text. Go back to the Old Testament. You will discover treasures about Jesus you never knew were there. Share those treasures with your people and they will love you forever.

So that’s Hebrews. Today I plan to work out at the Y and then go for either a long walk or a bike ride. It’s quite beautiful outside though on the hot side. By the way, I just found anapp to find the best doughnuts in your area. It’s called Doughbot. Pretty clever don’t you think? For doughnuts, you can’t beat the Amish bakery in South Boston. As for my training schedule, even though the race in October will be my tenth marathon, I’m still nervous. I won’t go into my worries and doubts, except to say there’s no reason to do anything unless it brings joy into your life. Why would someone with as little talent as me want to do yet another marathon? I’m not sure I have the answer. I keep coming back to the finish line. Have you ever stood at the finish line of a marathon? I mean, the pure unmitigated joy you see on the faces of the runners. Even as you watch their bodies giving in to fatigue, you witness their souls as the realty of their accomplishment dawns on them. There’s nothing like it in the world. It’s a joy you can see, feel, believe in. It doesn’t matter what you look like or what position you come in at the finish. The joy is in the act of running. It’s in the joy of accomplishing a goal. It’s in knowing you’re not stuck somewhere in life but moving forward. I suppose that’s why I keep on running. If I had known this would happen, I would have started running years before I did.

So I’m back outdoors again today. Did I mention it’s hot and humid? Now I’m getting carried away! See ya!

Thursday, July 26   

7:28 PM Another day of training is in the books. And I nailed today’s workout. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but really, it was good to run 10 miles and not feel all beat up afterwards. I think my body is (finally) adapting to the warmer weather when I run, or at least I hope so. I met one other athlete out on the trail, who was very kind to take this pic.

I’m just coming up on the 5-mile turnaround juncture in my run. I was real happy with my time and pace.

137.7 total miles so far in July!

After my run, I went to the pool to get some laps in. Then some book reading happened, followed by a long nap. Today I concentrated on my breathing while running. I find this helps me with my pacing. Remaining conscious of your breathing at all times is really important. I’m also trying to improve my running style — elbows high, shoulders relaxed — while trying not to over-think everything I do. I believe God made each of our bodies unique. You have to find the best style for you. It’s so much like the Christian life. As I’ve often said, God calls all of us to ministry but He calls different people to different ministries and expects us to concentrate on our calling and not on somebody else’s. It’s inconceivable that as Christians we should spend our lives in any other way than ministering to or serving others. But there’s a wide diversity of spiritual gifts, and a big part of our responsibility is to discover what our gifts are and to help others to discover theirs.

Well, one of my spiritual gifts is eating, and supper is calling. By the way, at the public pool today, there was a guy with one leg who must have been around 26 or 27. Oh Lord, I should be more grateful than I am to be able to run.

6:55 AM I’m not going to lie, I am kinda bummed about the weather up in Gettysburg. They’re calling for thunderstorms over the next few days. On the other hand, we’re enjoying some pretty nice weather down here, so I’ve decided to take my trip to the battlefield some other time. So what to do today? My plans are as follows. Drive to Farmville and do a 10-mile run on the High Bridge Trail. (Yes, there are super-humans among us who crave workouts in the heat. Either that or they’re just really good liars.) After that my idea is to do some lap swimming before chillaxing poolside and reading a good book. But first, there are my farm chores to do. God provides nature, but we have to tend it. Luther once said, “For God will be working all things through you; he will be milking the cows through you and will be performing the most menial duties through you, and all duties, from greatest to least, will be pleasing to him.” Which reminds me. I also have to clean the kitchen this morning before I leave. But hey — laborare est orare, “work is worship,” so there you have it.

I’m happy to report that the blister I got from my last long run has healed up completely, thanks to some ointment and divine providence. (A sixteenth century French surgeon once said, “I dressed the wound; God healed it.” I couldn’t agree more.) So it’s off to the races with my new shoes and healthy feet. Hopefully I won’t look as tired after today’s workout as I did after my last long run. I’m kinda of hoping to finish before it gets too hot. I’m always surprised at hard the first 1-3 miles seem but I’m sure it happens in order to add more challenge to the miles that follow. Once you get going, however, things tend to improve. Between my run and my swim I plan on filling every glycogen storage space in my body with delicious, fatty Southern-style hot dogs.

By the way, there are only 10 days until my next “official” race. It’s one of the biggest 5Ks in Durham and takes place in the cool of the evening, which makes for a great time for all. I am already craving it. Training is all well and good, but there’s nothing like putting on a race bib.

When’s your next race? Do you ever train in hot weather?

Wednesday, July 25   

6:52 PM I love me a good gym workout. Plus a 5-mile bike ride. I finished just as the rain started. As in one HUGE thunderstorm. I thought for sure the highways would become flooded. My farm lanes were 8 inches deep in water. Tomorrow, if it’s dry enough, I hope to get in another long run. For slower runners like me, long runs are L-O-N-G runs. Part of me really looks forward to them, and part of me dreads them. But when you realize that only 3 years ago the only running I did was out to my car when it was raining, I’ve come a long ways, baby. Who knew this running thing would embrace me the way it has? I love my non-running friends, but they don’t entirely understand this passion of mine. Can’t say I blame them. Running involves faith. You have to believe that you will get better and stronger the longer you keep at it. Running keeps me thankful — for my family, my friends, my farm, my students, my blog, my races, my relationship to God. Not a day goes by that I don’t count myself incredibly blessed. It’s been a lovely year so far, filled with joy and peace. I’m grateful for every single step. I know that I’m on the right road, and that if I keep on moving forward, no matter how slowly, I’ll eventually get to the finish line.

Tonight I’m finishing up John Stott’s book on missions. It’s been a very convicting read so far. Then I’ll re-watch the movie Gettysburg, as I haven’t totally given up on the idea of making a quick trip up there this week. I’ll probably make up my mind in the morning. I have a large, diverse collection of books about Gettysburg, but nothing can top a visit there yourself.

Well, another thunderstorm is approaching and I have to unplug my computer before it gets zapped.

9:35 AM Hey, did you know that investment advisors tell you to do three things: buy quality, hold on to your investments for a long time, and diversify? It occurs to me that these “rules of the road” apply to exercise as well. Invest in activities that you enjoy and that are time-tested for their effectiveness. Then plan to be involved in exercise for the long term. If you’re a runner, it’s the dedication to run for the rest of your life that counts. This is especially true when the initial jolt of inspiration begins to wear off. Finally, diversify. Find as many ways as possible to keep moving and to enjoy your new fitness level. In running, this is called cross-training. There are so many things we can do to improve our running that have nothing to do with running. But note: We don’t do these things instead of running. We do them because we are runners. Examples might be strength training (weight lifting), bicycling, rowing, swimming, hiking, mountain climbing, paddling, surfing, etc. Participating in sports other than running can keep your running fresh for the rest of your life.

So that’s my “financial” advice for you today. And it’s even free.

Today I plan to do a gym workout and then either a bike or a run depending on the weather. It’s down to 9 weeks before my 31-mile ultra and, yes, I’m getting nervous. I’ve said it before, but I’m not a big fan of running in heat and humidity. On some days, the best decision isnot to put on your running shoes. But today’s not that day. As long as I stay hydrated I’ll be okay. The rule of thumb is: Don’t do anything today that might keep you from running tomorrow!

Do you like or despise running in hot weather? Do you train all year long?

Tuesday, July 24   

9:44 PM Well, hello. I really hadn’t planned on waiting this long to blog today. I took the entire day off from training so I could devote my time to academic work, including sitting in on a Ph.D. exam and then dictating a book review to my secretary. I also began reading this recently-delivered book by Stott.

The weather continues to be rainy, but things should begin clearing up on Thursday. I need to get back outside again this week. I haven’t ruled out a jaunt up to G-Burg but it all depends on the weather. As I said, I’m hoping to bike the battlefield. Or maybe I’ll just run it. Either way, I’ll be out in nature. One of the best things about being a runner is being able to get outdoors, pound the pavement (or gravel), clear your head, and remind yourself how closely related you are to your Creator. Yes, it’s hard work to get outside and bust your tail off. But the payoff is absolutely worth it. I could go to the gym and do my runs on the dreadmill. But I know I won’t. I belong outside.

What’s the weather like where you are? Are you okay with running outdoors when the weather is less than desirable?

Monday, July 23   

6:22 PM On Saturday, my neighbor and dear friend Thomas Hayes passed away. His funeral and interment was today. Thomas was 89. For many years we attended church together. He and I used to sing in the choir, and our men’s quartet traveled to other churches and the retirement home on a regular basis. Thomas worked for Burlington Industries and farmed fulltime. He was indeed a hard worker. He and his wife Charlotte welcomed us with open arms when we moved into this farming community in 2004. As I drove to the cemetery today, the oncoming cars stopped by the side of the road out of respect for the deceased.

It’s a wonderful Southern custom. I’m praying for Miss Charlotte. She will miss her husband. I hope she will discover that the Savior is so much greater than one could ever think He is, that His truth can stand any test, and that we can learn to fear and trust and love Him better every day.

You will be missed, Thomas Grey Hayes. Thank you for your love and friendship through these years. I grieve your passing, and yet not as those without hope. The resurrection of Jesus happened. You and I have banked our very souls on it.

9:15 AM Hey folks! John Stott wrote what is perhaps thedefinitive book on preaching. It was all the more surprising, then, when I read these words in his book The Living Church (p. 103).

There are to be no gurus in the Christian community — only pastors (shepherds).

But how do shepherds feed their sheep? The answer is that they don’t! To be sure, if a newborn lamb is sick, the shepherd will doubtless take it up in his arms and bottle-feed it. But normally shepherds do not feed their sheep; they lead them to good, green pasture where the sheep feed themselves.

He then concludes:

Thus all preaching should lead people to the Scriptures and encourage them to browse there for themselves.

Paul often uses the images of milk and meat when he describes Christian growth and maturity. Babies in Christ need the bottle. But very soon afterwards they need to consume meat so that they can begin to discern the mind of God for themselves. It is to that high measure of independence that Christian teachers need to bring their charges.

I love teaching. It’s what I do. But I’m learning that enabling and equipping is just as important to my teaching ministry as is lecturing. I see a generation of Christians who are overly dependent on others for their spiritual growth. Yes, we need each other. But nothing can compare with a personal encounter with the God of the Bible. Thank you, Dr. Stott, for the reminder.

Sunday, July 22   

7:14 PM Hey guys. My first love is running, but I also enjoy getting out there on the bicycle and putting in some training miles. Well, when I saw a break in the weather this afternoon, I immediately drove to Farmville to try and get in a bike at the High Bridge Trail before the rains returned. My goal was, maybe, 10-15 miles, but I surprised myself by surpassing that goal by 5 miles.

That said, I still felt rushed in order not to get caught out during a thunderstorm. It feels good to take a break from running and to be challenging myself with other activities such as cycling. I’ve pretty much decided that I’m a triathlete for life, so it never hurts to get some cycling miles under your belt. To be honest, though, I miss my old friend the marathon. At the same time, I’ve come to embrace the multisport option as well. I feel that cycling makes me a stronger runner as it involves complementary muscles.

Which do you enjoy more — the run, the bike, or the swim? Have you tried a triathlon yet? What exercises make you stronger as an athlete?

Rest is a huge part of training, so it’s off to bed early for this old fossil. Hope you enjoy your week!

8:15 AM Two verses from Hebrews jumped out at me as I read my Bible and sipped coffee on the front porch this morning. The first was Heb. 6:7:

God blesses the soil which drinks in the rain that often falls on it and which grows plants that are useful to those for whom it is cultivated.

Where I live, we’ve entered a very strange weather pattern. It rained all last night, and this morning a steady drizzle is falling. I’m told this is the start of an abnormally wet pattern that will elevate flood risks in the eastern U.S. into the end of July.

Last night there was flooding in parts of Northern Virginia and Maryland. Baltimore saw almost 5 inches of rain, breaking the previous record from 1887. Weather experts tell us we can expect days of downpours, travel delays — and ruined outdoor plans.

But farmers view rain slightly differently. On my road alone (White House Rd.), there are several large farms that grow anything from tobacco to soy beans to grapes (yes, we have a vineyard on my quaint country lane). As you know, our main crop here at Rosewood is horse-quality square bale hay. Where there is no rain, farmers suffer. The effects of an El Niño can lead to under-average crop yields, and irrigation systems are expensive. Of course, rain falling at the wrong time can delay planting and harvesting. Too much rain is almost as bad as no rain. But all plants need water to survive. And God provides the rain for that very purpose, as our verse reminds us. For those of us who live on White House Rd., rain couldn’t have come at a better time. I, for one, am most grateful to the Supplier.

Here’s the other verse that leaped off the page as I read my Bible this morning. It’s Heb. 13:15:

Let us, then, always offer praise to God as our sacrifice through Jesus, which is the offering presented by lips that confess him as Lord.

Last night I attended a wonderful worship service. It took place at my bedside. With evocative works like Dietrich Buxtehude’s “Jesu, meines Lebens Leben” on your iPhone, whose heart wouldn’t be lifted up in worship? It was as though I was transported into the very Presence of heaven with the angels and the archangels. According to Albert Schweitzer (himself an accomplished organist), Buxtehude was the greatest organist between Scheidt and Bach. It was from Buxtehude that Bach acquired his rich harmonic vocabulary. Here’s the work I listened to last night.

I sang along as the choir led me in worship. You’ll notice that this is a prayer.

Prayer is central to anything we do as Christians. Paul advises us to pray with the spirit and also with the mind (1 Cor. 14:15). I think what he means is that prayer should not only be from the heart, but should be well-informed. Paul’s own prayers reveal a deeply spiritual and precise nature (see, for example, Phil. 1:9-11 and Col. 1:9-14). If this is to be true, a great deal of care needs to be given to teaching on prayer in our modern churches. How rich and deep ought the words to our music be!

Jesus, my life’s life. Jesus, my death’s death…. Thanks be to You, my greatly beloved Jesus, a thousand thousand times!

True worship is intelligible worship. This is the teaching of Rom. 12:1. The term logikos here can be rendered either “reasonable” or “rational.” Moreover, it’s clear that Paul is thinking of worship that is expressed not only when we gather as Christ’s body but in the home and in the workplace and in the gym and on the bike path . In view of God’s great mercies that I have received, now more than ever I seek to present my body as a living sacrifice to God.

How is your worship experience these days? What kind of music transports you into the heavens? Do you come to church, not merely to worship, but as a worshipper?

Saturday, July 21   

8:26 PM In a world full of bad news, I hope you’ll watch this documentary on the Thai cave rescue. You will be glued to your computer.

Flooded caves. Monsoon season. Even professional divers wouldn’t have dived in those circumstances. And yet these rescuers pulled 13 people out of the cave. It’s a beautiful thing when people work together to accomplish a goal.Everyone had to work together to come up with a solution. The rescue required thousands of volunteers from many nations working together. Apart from the military personnel, every single person involved in the rescue was a volunteer. Nobody forced them to help but yet they were there, working their tails off. Even the Thai diver who lost his life was a volunteer. Well done to everyone involved. My admiration for you is beyond words. I prayed for your success. God worked a miracle but not without your bravery and sacrifice.

P.S.Australian documentaries rock!

3:18 PM Just did a bike and a swim. (I’ll take my walk later this evening.) Afterwards I sat poolside and read, stumbling upon this great quote (Stott, The Living Church, p. 74):

We do a great disservice to the church whenever we refer to the pastorate as “the” ministry. For if we use the definite article, we give the impression that we think the pastorate is the only ministry there is. I repented of this decades ago, and invite any readers to join me in penitence today.

God calls all people to ministry. Period. Anybody need some sackcloth and ashes? You can borrow some of mine (if I have any left).

P.S. I am refining my race list for the rest of the year. Not overly aggressive but it does contain some biggies. So far it looks like this:

• August 4 — Bull Moon 5K (Durham, NC)

• September 2 — Virginia Beach Half Marathon

• September 29 — Virginia Ten Miler

• October 6 — High Bridge Trail Half Marathon

• October 13 — High Bridge Trail Ultramarathon (NEW EVENT)

• October 28 — Marine Corps Marathon (NEW EVENT)

• November 10 — Richmond Marathon

• December 9 — Honolulu Marathon (NEW EVENT)

Nothing makes me more alive than running. What are you most excited about this year?

10:08 AM Quote of the day (from a sermon I heard this morning):

God is outrageous in His generosity.

Letthat sink in!

9:10 AM Okay, you can stop wondering why I didn’t post last night after I finished getting up hay. We stopped work at 11:30 pm. Yes, I said ELEVEN THIRTY!! That’s over 6 hours of getting up hay, folks. Don’t you ever say I don’t work hard. But it wasn’t all blood, sweat, and tears. It was actually fun getting up hay in the dark. Plus, the temperature was perfect. (Oh my, did I just type “temperature”? For 66 years I had no idea that temperature had an “a” in it.) All that is about to change. We’re back to our daily afternoon thunderstorm weather pattern so common here in the South during the summer months. I’m pretty sure I’ll survive the hiatus from haying. Besides, I’ve got oodles of book reviews to complete. I just finished reading Bradley Arnold’s doctoral thesis (Exeter University) called Christ as the Telos of Life. You would not (please note the “not”) know this from its title, but the book is really a study of Philippians and how Paul develops the image of the runner pursuing the goal (telos) of living for Christ. This becomes “Paul’s overarching argumentative aim in the letter” (p. 2). At this stage, I’m not convinced that the author has proven his point, especially because he seems to make more of Phil. 3:13-14 than Paul does. Now, of course, there’s nothing I would love more than to be able to argue that Philippians is all about running! Goal setting (telosity?) is what the sport of running is all about. I’ve got to admit, however, that my own study of thediscourse structure of Philippians constrains me to see unity for the sake of the Gospel as what Paul is really reaching for in this letter. Oh well. That won’t be anything new to anyone who’s read this blog for any length of time. So this weekend I’ll be writing up my thoughts about this book and getting started on my next book review. I’m not sure how involved I’ll be in the blogosphere in the next few days as I’m sorely tempted to make a jaunt up to Gettysburg to bike the battlefield, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. However, it looks like they’re going to have the same weather pattern we’re in, and if I can’t ride in the afternoons because of thunderstorms that will sort of nix that idea. We’ll see. I wouldn’t be able to leave until next Wednesday anyway because I’ll be sitting in on a Ph.D. dissertation defense on Tuesday.

As for today, I’m going to take a break from running and enjoy a nice long walk out in nature before the rain comes. How ’bout you? Trust me, something happens to us when we begin to move. Our bodies release chemicals that can almost produce a high — and it’s all free and legal. This morning I was reading about a doctor in Houston who wasshot and killed while riding his bike to work. In fact, the man was George H. W. Bush’s cardiologist. Whenever I read about such tragedies I ask myself, “What’s really important in your life, Dave?” It’s so easy to get so inwardly focused that we have little time for other people. I so want to be a better giver/investor, especially in the lives of my kids and their families, who love their dad and Papa B and whose love and support I value and cherish. I often think of my puppy Sheba and how connected she wants to be with me. Her happiness is based on human connection (and marking her territory). Becky and I would often just sit on the porch together, not saying a word to each other but still connecting, if you know what I mean. I know she is no longer suffering but I selfishly want her back with me. Friends, let’s not become too busy to be involved in the lives of those who are most important to us. Don’t pressure yourself to “feel better” when you are sorrowing or feeling loss. Let yourself feel the heaviness. Then get outdoors and spend some time “in the Word.” Allow the Holy One to invade you daily. This is where God has placed you. Thrive in it. May we, the broken, be the ones who don’t give up on radical obedience to our Lord’s commands. You belong to the family of God. You are loved. Now may we in turn love Jesus and the Father and the Spirit to whom He introduced us with all of our hearts. Maybe then, His love will spill out of our lives into the lives of others.

So there you have it. The most disjointed blog post you’ve ever read. Of course, I’m never guilty of over-sharing. Thank you for reading my words and for allowing me this platform to express my thoughts and feelings.

Peace be to you,

Dave

Friday, July 20   

8:55 AM I was looking for a September race to add to the Virginia Beach Half Marathon on Sept. 2 and I think I found what I was looking for. It’s theGenworth Virginia Ten Miler on Sept. 29. I ran this race the past two years. Last year alone saw 3,394 finishers. The venue is the great city of Lynchburg, VA. There’s also a 4-mile run, a 4-mile walk, and a children’s run. Thankfully the race has same-day packet pickup, which means that I can get up early and drive to Lynchburg without having to stay overnight the night before. The race is an out-and-back course with a 1.5-mile long climb to the finish line (for good reason they call Lynchburg the City of Hills). I recall the race being very challenging but also a lot of fun. Join me if you can. It’s the perfect way to get in a long run before your next marathon. It’s definitely a win-win situation. 🙂

7:46 AM Hey guys. This morning I’ve been “in the Word.” Both of them. I think God worked overtime on this morning’s sunrise, don’t you?

And then there was this passage in Heb. 13:1-2:

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Don’t forget to welcome strangers into your homes and show them Christian love, for some did this and welcomed angels without even knowing it.

Two quick observations if I may:

First, I noticed the verbal aspect in the first command: “Keep on loving one another.” I find it interesting that the author didn’t rely on the tense of the verb to express his desire for continuous action. He used a verb that literally means “let it continue.” Perhaps our Greek textbooks should reflect this way of “mitigating” imperfective aspect?

Second, I noticed the morphological connection between “love of brothers” and “love of strangers.” This play on the phil-prefix is often missed in our English translations — “brotherly love” versus “hospitality.” Why should this be?

Finally, this morning I was reviewing my syllabus for the New Testament course I’m teaching this fall. This course is designed to cover Acts through Revelation. Its official title is “New Testament Introduction and Interpretation 2,” but I’ve entitled it “Becoming New Covenant Christians: Living a Life of Sacrificial Service to God and Others by Following the Downward Path of Jesus.” One of the books we’ll be using in class is this one.

I wrote this short treatise because, despite the proliferation of books about the church in recent years, no one had (to the best of my knowledge) ever exegeted 11 brief verses in Acts 2 that seem to practically “list” the hallmarks of the nascent church in Jerusalem. The early church was an evangelistic church, reaching out to the world in witness. It was a committed church, pledging allegiance to Christ alone in the waters of baptism. It was a learning church, devoted to the teachings of the apostles. It was a caring church, eager to share life together with one another (koinonia). It was a Christ-centered church, elevating His supper to a place of continued prominence. It was a praying church, asking God to help keep it pure and to give it bigger challenges to expand its territory. And it was a sacrificing church, generously caring for their poor brothers and sisters.

Today we read a great deal about “unhooked Christians,” Christians who’ve dropped out of the church. The reason they had done this was their disappointment and disillusionment with the local church. These churches seemed to lack a heart of witness, unquestioned loyalty to Jesus, devotion to biblical truth, genuine fellowship, Christ-centeredness, a keen sense of dependence upon God, and a sacrificial spirit, which is always a test of the sincerity of one’s love for Christ. With apologies to MLK, I have a dream of a church that is a truly biblical church, whose people love the Word of God and adorn it with loyalty and obedience. Such is my dream for the church. May it be one that all of us can share in our NT class this semester!

Thursday, July 19   

7:22 PM I know you’ve been holding your breath wondering if I got in my 20 mile run today. Well, I’m happy to say that I didn’t. I got in a 20.78 mile run instead.

Yes, I’m tired. Yes, I’m sore. And yes, I walked quite a bit toward the end. But finish I did, and this ambassador of slow runners is pretty pleased about it too. One of the great rewards of running is being “in the Word” while out on the course. You say, “What do mean, Dave? Were you listening to Scripture on your iPhone while running? Were you listening to sermons on your iPod while running? Were you meditating on Bible verses while running?” The answer is, “None of the above.” You see, my friends, there are two ways of understanding the expression “in the Word.” Let me explain.

For millennia, Christian theologians have spoken about two types of divine revelation — two “Words” from God, if you will. The first is the Word of nature. And the second is the Word of Scripture. Nature reveals the glory of God. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above displays His handiwork” (Psa. 19:1). Scripture, on the other, reveals God’s grace, in particular His offer of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. “As it is written, the just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17). Thus God has provided us with two books: the book of His works, which we call nature, and the book of His words, which we call Scripture. This means that science and theology are closely related. Science seeks to understand what God has revealed in nature. Theology seeks to understand what God has revealed in Scripture. In both of them, as Johann Kempler said, we are thinking God’s thoughts after Him. This is why the Bible and nature should go together. We need both theology and science. In fact, when I studied in Basel, theology was (and still is) considered the “Queen of the Sciences.” Theology is taught as a Wissenschaft, a science, because in both science and theology we are thinking God’s thoughts after Him.

Through nature, God speaks to us, teaches us, and provides for us. Nature, of course, can’t teach us everything about God. But something inside of us comes alive when we’re surrounded by the beauty and grandeur of God’s creation. Nature reflects God’s glory, power, creativity, sovereignty, awe, wonder, and provision. If God takes care of birds and bugs and plants and flowers, surely He will take care of me. God has taught me so much about Himself through my walking and running and climbing and cycling through nature. I’ve always loved God’s creation, but it seems that I am enjoying it more these days since Becky’s home-going. There are so many spiritual analogies to be derived through the study of nature.

Do you ever read God’s “Word” in nature? I dare say, there’s a great need for more Christians to be involved in this Word. It can start with something as simple as a walk in the park or a visit to the local zoo or starting a garden. This was my view today as I listened to the sounds of nature and communed with my Creator for 5 plus hours.

I can say this: You don’t need a church pew to experience God. Today I heard creation singing and saw the trees clapping their hands and I wanted to join in and accompany them. God surrounds us 24 hours a day with evidence of His love and glory. It’s a shame that we are often too busy to notice. Open your eyes, my friend. He’s right there.

Well, there you have it. My sermon for the day. My goal now is to stay healthy and continue my training for my 10th marathon and my first ultra in October. Believe me, I realize I have a long ways to go. An ultra is no joke. Neither is a hilly marathon. Suffice it to say, I’ll keep on running as long God gives me strength. Somehow, He always does. One of the best things about running is you know there’s always an adventure around the next corner. If you lack excitement in your life, dear reader, you ought to try running. The pain involved is a small price to pay to read this “Word.”

Blessings,

Dave

7:55 AM Hey guys. I thought I’d give you another training update as I prepare for my big races in October. But first, a look back. 2018 has already been a great year in terms of my races and overall health. As you know, I’m very slow and a bit on the older side for a runner, but God has given me a strong set of legs and an undaunted spirit, and these are blessings I try not to take for granted, ever. So far I’ve run 16 races in 2018:

Allen (TX) Marathon

Run for Young 5K (Raleigh)

Birmingham (AL) Half Marathon

Carolina Fever 5K (Chapel Hill)

DC 10 Miler

Tobacco Road Marathon (Raleigh)

Ella’s Race 5K (Raleigh)

Durham Park Run 5K (Durham)

Garland (TX) 5K

Petersburg Half Marathon

Flying Pig Marathon (Cincinnati)

Marine Corps Half Marathon (Fredericksburg)

Race 13.1 Half Marathon (Raleigh)

Smile Train Triathlon (Wake Forest)

Liberty on the Lake 10K (The Colony, TX)

Rex Wellness Triathlon (Garner)

Today I hope to get in a long run (maybe 20 miles?). I can’t wait. I’ll share it with you if and when I get ‘er done. What inspiring things have you accomplished in 2018? What setbacks have you had to overcome to reach your goals? I hope everyone has the best of days today pursuing God’s will for your life. I’ve been spending a lot of time with the Lord lately. My heart feels renewed at this point in the year. Perhaps His greatest gift to me has been clarity — clarity about my single status, clarity about my future goals (professional and personal), clarity about relationships. I’m learning to downsize: This matters, this doesn’t. I’m thankful for all the contemplatives who’ve stirred me this year: John Stott, James Packer, Jacque Ellul, Craig Koester, James Boice (who attended Basel just before me), and many others. I have happy memories of yesterday and an anticipation of the next day. In only 4 weeks, classes begin. What a privilege to begin my 42nd year of teaching. So believe me, life is good even though I complain so often about this or that. I love, love, love the farm and every rustic outbuilding. I have no clue where I’d be emotionally had it not been for this country oasis. As the sun sets every evening and I prepare dinner, I love reflecting on the many times Becky and I would sit on the porch together competing for space to tell each other how good God is. I mean, really? This is my life? Oh Lord, use me to be a blessing to others today. Allow me to lean into Christlike simplicity and generosity. Help my kids and grandkids, especially, to see in their dad and Papa B a man fighting back against materialism and overindulgence, a man who’s determined to address his failings and follow his Master in simple obedience, a man willing to align himself with the humble ministry of Jesus.

Do this for Your glory, Lord.

Wednesday, July 18   

6:44 PM Today I got in a workout, a bike, and a swim. Trifecta! Before that, the grandkids came over to pick blueberries.

They are soooo sweet!

One of them has begun piano lessons and treated me to a concert.

Here’s some of today’s loot.

Right now it’s time for me to cook dinner. Tomorrow I want to get back into running. Hopefully my 66-year old body can handle a 20 mile run. If you’re one of those people who can achieve their goals effortlessly, more power to you. Seems I have to work like the dickens to get anything done. That’s why the sport of running is so amazing. Nothing worth accomplishing ever comes easily.

What’s your next challenge?

1:10 PM Hello again, virtual friends. I’m so loving writing my book Godworld. I’m far from being finished, but the driving concern behind the book remains my desire to embrace the kingdom and to do so better than I have in the past. I think some Christian denominations get this profoundly wrong. To take but one example. In some denominations, missions is a most unfashionable concept. (See last Sunday’s post.) C. S. Lewis reminded us in The Screwtape Letters that Satan blinds our minds by persuading us that the Gospel is false or too exclusive or unnecessary. The god of this world is utterly opposed to the personal Gospel and will hinder it at every turn. However, we can’t forget that Paul was a traveling evangelist. For him, people are either saved or lost, redeemed or not redeemed, in Christ or not in Christ, on the broad way or on the narrow way. There is no excluded middle. Paul knew he was commanded by God “to open [people’s] eyes so that they might turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.” This can’t be put any more clearly. Evangelism was foundational to all Paul did as an apostle.

Do we academics have anything like Paul’s concern to reach lost people with the Good News? If not, there is something terribly amiss. I must not remain content with what I have gained in Christ. Others need Him too. The Lamb of God shed His precious blood to set captives free. Paul therefore sees the cross of Christ as foundational to Christianity. It is the centerpiece of the Gospel, and Paul for one is not going to neglect to proclaim it.

When I left the U.S. to study for my doctorate at the University of Basel in 1980, people warned me that I would lose my faith. A European university is a very intellectual place and values the mind very highly. If the Gospel is folly in the world’s eyes, it is also folly to many academics. But the fact is: We cannot reach God through our minds alone. In other words, it takes Scripture to reveal God, and that is exactly what God has done. The unaided intellect finds it impossible to believe the Gospel (1 Cor. 1:21). Unfettered reason rejects revelation. “Why do I need a Savior? Why do I need grace?” The paradox for me, however, was that when I got to Basel, I found that not a few of the academics I met there were genuine believers. They weren’t so bewitched by their own brilliance that they didn’t need Jesus. In Basel, I discovered that it is not a choice between faith and reason. The choice we face is between a reasonable faith and a faithless reason. The true place of the intellect in the life of the believer is not only to immerse itself in active scholarship but to concentrate on the revelation of God (1 Cor. 2:9-10) and to be transformed into the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).

As a teacher of the New Testament, I have a responsibility to develop the mind of Christ in the students I serve. He is the goal of all knowledge. I was reminded of this when, in 1978, I arrived in Seeheim, Germany, as a summer missionary at the Bibelschule Bergstrasse. A sign mounted on the school’s gate read, “In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” It is this truth that allows us to look at the whole of life with intellectual integrity.

If our churches are to be an effective and true manifestation of Christ’s life, they will need to work and pray as never before for steadfast growth in love and truth. We who have pledged our lives to following Christ are to do one thing: love Him with everything we’ve got, including our minds. We’re not called to sacrifice our intellects. But we’re not called to elevate them above Scripture either.

Blessings on y’all!

Dave

8:34 AM Here’s a question for all of you verbal aspect guys out there. How would you render the present tense (imperfective aspect) of the imperative in Heb. 13:18a?

Pray for us.

Or:

Keep on praying for us.

8:22 AM “Do not forget to do good and to help one another, because these are the sacrifices that please God” (Heb. 13:16).

Tuesday, July 17   

8:52 PM Spending a lot of time driving, as I do, can lead to thinking some novel thoughts. Three of them came to mind today:

1) Why couldn’t we do what apparently the earliest churches in Acts did and observe a weekly fellowship dinner (Acts 20:7)? I know of only a handful of churches that do this regularly. But think about this: For the single Christian, this may well be the only dinner in the week they don’t eat alone. The early church was a family. Paul talked about his brothers and sisters. He could refer to himself as a nursing mother or an encouraging father. For Jesus, family life lived out on the spiritual level was just as important, if not more important, than family life lived out merely because of blood lines. Loneliness is one of the burdens an unmarried, divorced, or widowed person bears. It’s part of the charisma of singleness we talked about earlier today. My oh my, how it could be alleviated when the body of Christ makes much of family meals! Today I was talking with a pastor friend of mine about this and he lavished praise on the widows in his congregation who help to prepare food for their church-wide dinners every Wednesday evening. Not only does this get them out of the house, it gives them an opportunity to serve others. What a gift.

2) Why couldn’t we have our people pray before we preach to them? I don’t mean simply bow their heads as we lead them in a brief prayer. Latin American churches, I am told, have something called orando la palabra. Before the speaker begins to exposit a passage of Scripture, the people are invited to turn to that text and meditate on it prayerfully for as long as 15- minutes in hushed silence. We can do no better than to ask, each of us, for God to speak truth into our lives as we first read then hear the word of God taught. Do we have anything like this in our churches in North America? I’m not aware of any such practice. I need others in the body of Christ, including those who teach formally on Sundays, just as they need me. But I also need to humbly approach the word of God myself to ask the Holy Spirit to give me discernment, knowledge, and wisdom (1 John 2:27).

3) Why don’t we have a service of celebration for single followers of Jesus (“eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom”) like we do for Christian couples who are getting married? Marriage, of course, is a wonderful picture of Christ and His bride, the church. Hence we solemnize it by taking vows and making promises and even asking the congregation to formally vow to love, support, and pray for the newlyweds. Is it too much to envision a church service in which persons who know themselves to be called by God (as was John Stott) to a life of singleness and celibacy affirm their calling publicly, vowing to gladly accept the yoke of loneliness and sexual non-fulfillment even as the congregation vows publicly to love, support, and pray for them? Such a service, I should think, would not only speak eloquently and clearly of the Gospel, it would be a goad in the service of that Gospel. (Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not talking about elevating the unmarried state as if it were holier than the married state, as some of the monks did. I’m only talking about the people Jesus described in Matt. 19:12 as those who were willing to forego marriage for the kingdom’s sake. See Davies and Allison, Matthew, 3:23.)

You say, this simply cannot be done. But I know of no good Scriptural reasons why not. These are humbling reflections. I am far too prone to see “doing church” as something static and never-changing. Alas, it may be far more flexible than that. If you’re thinking, “Dave’s gone off the deep end (again),” I applaud you for your skepticism. In the end, what I say or think doesn’t matter. I don’t want to base my life on anything I think. The Bible is true. That’s what matters. Read it. Meditate on it. Obey it. I promise I’ll try and do the same.

6:46 PM Photo update:

1) Picked up these books from my office today.

I’ll be reviewing them for Filologia Neotestamentaria.

2) Stopped by to see my friends at the Awazé in Cary today for lunch on my way to UNC.

Doro wat never tasted better.

3) At UNC, I met with Dr. Vickie Bae-Jump and her team to get an update on their research into the causes and potential cures for endometrial cancer — the form of cancer that took the life of my then-60-year-old wife four and a half years ago.

Afterwards Dr. Bae-Jump was kind enough to send me this summary of how the Becky Black Memorial Fund to Fight Endometrial Cancer is being used:

Please, don’t miss the connection between weight and endometrial cancer. This is yet another good reason to exercise, folks.

I’m going to bed tonight grateful for good health, a blessing so taken for granted it barely registers. May my good health continue to drive me to help others who are less fortunate. Greater yet, may God bless the work of researchers like Bae-Jump who devote their entire lives and careers to doing what they can to relieve the awful scourge of cancer. 

So it’s been a good day for me, and I hope for you. Just simply communing with the Lord. Spending time together, Him and me. “Life together” is what Bonhoeffer once called it. Contributing to cancer research satisfies the deeper part of me that so desires a better, healthier, safer world. I know that the only ultimate solution to sin and death is the Savior. But, in small ways at least, maybe we can do something to help alleviate the temporal suffering of others. It was my own experience of loss and grief that gave me a different perspective on what it really means to live Christianly. Once we see ourselves as people who need God’s mercy and grace, we will be more likely to extend that mercy and grace to others.

In a world where suffering and death seem to win out in the end, Easter reminds us that Jesus has conquered death and that one day, for all those who have placed their trust in Him, all of our tears and pain and sorrow will be swallowed up by inextinguishable joy. Until then, let us overcome evil by doing good.

7:58 AM Good morning, Blogworld! Do you have Amazon Prime? Don’t you just love it? It allows you to use free shipping to justify buying all the books you want. Yesterday I ordered 7 books by John Stott. John WHO? John Stott was only one of the most influential evangelical thinkers of the past three quarters of a century.

I love his books. For one, his prolific writing keeps me humble. For another, he always hid his considerable scholarship behind an amicable smile. Reading his books makes you feel like you’re having coffee with your best friend. Finally, every time I finish one of his tomes I’m left with a renewed love for life, people, and especially Jesus. Let’s face it. I’m very protective of my time. And let me tell you: John’s writings float my boat. You get sucked in from the very first sentence. Here are some things that made the life of John Stott so worth emulating. (This isn’t my list; you can find it here:Six Lessons from the Life of John Stott.)

1) Conviction.

2) Focus.

3) Holistic Gospel.

4) Dialogue.

5) Fulfilled Singleness.

6) Humility.

To flesh this out a bit: John Stott ordered his life by the Word of God. He didn’t dabble in a million things. “This one thing I do” could have been written by him instead of by Paul. He somehow believed that the personal Gospel and a social conscience belonged together. He listened to others, even when he disagreed with them. He chose singleness because he felt he could better serve Jesus that way. He lived a simple, humble life.

Alright, Davey old boy. How do you measure up? Long exhale. It’s horrifying to confront my own materialism, to take just one example. Here’s another: When I think about how many times I’ve complained to the Lord about being single, my heart breaks. John Stott represents, in so many ways, the kind of kingdom man I want to be and the kind of kingdom students I want to raise up. Maybe it’s time we reframed the way we think about these six areas. For instance, our culture stresses that a good marriage takes a lot of hard work. And it does. Well, guess what? A good single life also takes a lot of hard work. Paul was unmarried and wanted everyone to be just like him (1 Cor. 7:7). That is a lovely attitude. There was not a hint of unfulfillment in the lives of Paul or Jesus for that matter. I consider it a great honor and privilege to hear from so many of you who have recently become widowers. Our soul is sorrowful, yet every morning we wake up joyful and eager to see what the Lord has in store for us. We are broken and yet whole. We’ve come to realize, as did John Stott, that both marriage and singleness are a charisma, a special gracious gift from the Lord (1 Cor. 7:7).

I could go on and on but I think you get a taste of Stott’s medicine. The works of John Stott are like breaths of fresh air. You won’t agree with everything he says, of course. However, you will hardly be able to find another author who will challenge you to fight for scandalous love like he does. Read his books for yourself and see what speaks to you.

P.S. Over at theAll Souls, Langham Place website there’s a wonderful sermon calledWhat do singles teach us about the gospel?  Apparently, “much in every way”!

Monday, July 16   

8:28 PM Tetelestai! It is finished! Haying, that is. As we were picking up bales, the Lord protected us from the storm clouds that seemed to hover all around us.

I can’t tell you how often that’s happened. What a blessing. Thank you, Creator Father!

Earlier today I worked out at the gym and then biked 5 miles. When I got home I was exhausted. Seems I had been pushing too hard and resting too little. Without rest, our bodies weaken due to lack of recovery time. So they require rest to adapt and grow stronger. Rob your body of rest, and eventually you’ll burn out. So I took a long nap this afternoon.

Usually I find it hard to take a break. I always seem to run on all 8 cylinders. Not today. I slumped over into bed and kissed the world goodbye. When I woke up I was completely restored and eager to get back out into the hot and humid day to get my work done. Like salt, rest adds flavor to your workout program. I sure needed a good rest today. A little nap time never hurt anybody!

7:40 AM Hey guys. I thought I’d give you another brief training update. I remain super motivated about my big races coming up in October. By God’s grace, I’ve been able to keep up a fairly consistent pace in my weekly/monthly training schedule.

And my new shoes will go a long way toward making my workouts even more effective. There’s no way I can praise the New Balance 1080s enough. I get them in my usual Neanderthal size of 13 double wide.

They feel great just putting them on and even better when running in them. It’s a really nice-performing and good-looking shoe, I think. The guy at the shoe store yesterday told me he’s going to do his first sprint triathlon and was asking me all kinds of questions about the event. Imagine that. People asking me for advice. Nothing is so much fun as trying a new sport with a fresh attitude. I’ve found that participating in tris takes the definition of fitness to a whole new level, and running takes on a whole new character. I told him to be cool, not to freak out over the strangeness of it all, and to be happy with just finishing. Since our body is what’s propelling us over these distances, it’s important that we take care of it. Make sure your running shoes are of the highest quality. Change your diet if you need to in order to ensure that you’re getting the appropriate nutrients for running. Pamper yourself by getting an occasional massage. And be sure to get plenty of rest. For example, today I plan a gym workout and a 5-mile bike — nothing more — because I have a few hundred bales to get up this afternoon. Sure, I’d like to put in a 10 mile run today, but there are times when even the most devoted warrior must sit out the battle. Know thyself. It’s not a sign of courage to push yourself through injury or pain or fatigue. Like anything else, running can become a self-destructive addiction. Make no mistake — I’m not immune!

Speaking of our bodies, last night and this morning me and the Lord were discussing Paul’s teaching about the body, marriage, singleness, and worldly possessions in 1 Cor. 7:29-31. And guess what? I saw something I had never seen before. Here’s the Greek:

I suppose we could translate this as follows:

What I’m talking about, my dear brothers and sisters, is this: the time has been shortened. Therefore people who are married should live as though they’re not, those who weep as though they weren’t sad, those who laugh as though weren’t happy, those who buy as though they didn’t own anything, and those who use the world’s goods as though they didn’t cling tenaciously to them. For this world, as we know it, will not last much longer.

Wow. Did you see it? The marvelous play on words? Paul says that those who use (crasthai) this world shouldn’t cling tenaciously (katachrasthai) to it. In other words, as we go about our daily lives, we have to constantly be dealing with material things — today I’m having the tire alignment checked on my Odyssey — but we are not to be fully occupied with such “things.” Take my singleness as an example. Paul says that if you’re called by God to singleness and celibacy (as I am currently), be useful to the Lord! If you’re married, be useful to the Lord! Do I have the right to remarry? Technically yes, but practically no — unless I have first honestly dealt with the question of the impact marriage might have on my usefulness to the Lord. Either way, the appointed time for the Lord’s return is near. “There’s not much time left.” Which means: even as I go about my daily business of working for a living and getting up hay and caring for my properties and possessions, I can’t cling tenaciously to any of them. I am simply a pilgrim and stranger on this old earth. And whether or not I am single or married, I must make it my chief “business” to give my undivided devotion to the Lord (1 Cor. 7:35). For most American evangelicals, this will begin with a radical deconstruction of the American Dream. God doesn’t pull any punches here. We gain our life by losing it. But there is something sooooo liberating when we unhook from consumerism and at least try to find a path through the me-first culture that surrounds us. Chrasthai, friends. But beware katachrasthai!

Make it a great day!

Dave

Sunday, July 15   

9:10 PM This morning I attended what some would consider to be the most visible (and perhaps largest) church of a certain mainline denomination in North Carolina. My goal was to get a perspective on how this particular denomination views the kingdom. It’s all part of a book I’m writing called Godworld. I’ve attended this church about three times in the past and the sermons all sound pretty much the same. One hears a lot of about human rights, social justice, immigration reform, the evils of mass incarceration and centralized wealth, and the dehumanization of the poor. Today the word “cross” was mentioned, but it was defined as “the struggle to fix a broken world.”

I’ve become used to such language from the pulpits of both conservative and non-conservative churches. Today many Christians think there must be a “Christian” solution to political problems. They are often quick to make judgments based on their views — whether conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat — of how society “should” work. They cherish the hope that all can be resolved if only their approach to social justice is adopted. I think these people forget that there can be no accord between the world and the kingdom, between the values of society and those of divine revelation. As Christians, we are indeed invited to take part in a dialectic with the world, but in my opinion it is a very grave mistake to climb on the bandwagon of political parties or doctrines. The Gospel can’t be reduced to social responsibility and political action. Such a reductionist approach invariably accelerates divisions within the church, and the reason is obvious: Christ had no political axe to grind. Never have there been so many Christian consults on world hunger, the problem of war, race, poverty, etc., but despite the significant increase in knowledge there is less and less active obedience. Jesus cares deeply about social injustice and poverty, about immigrants and their families, but His followers engage these issues in unique kingdom ways. What is uniquely Christian about supporting amnesty on the one hand or deportation on the other? Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily give us any insights into the means of “fixing” society through political avenues. The far more difficult task of imitating Jesus remains. What have I, as a Jesus follower, personally done to alleviate poverty or human suffering? When the Yazidis fled to Sinjar Mountain while being pursued by ISIS, did I give anything to help in their relief? When I heard that Nina Pham was infected with Ebola and was asking for financial aid, did I assist her? When a tornado swept through my community three years ago, did I get out my chain saw? Each party has its mantra. Republicans “don’t care about the poor.” Democrats “don’t care about the law.” Each demonizes the other. Why should the church get involved in any of this mess? It’s a grave mistake, in my view, to confuse Christianity with socialism or capitalism. Christian love is addressed to the “neighbor”; it is an inter-individual matter. Our protest against “injustice” rings hollow because we have failed on a personal level to love our neighbor. The Anabaptists of the sixteenth century knew all about the hypocrisy of church-state politics. They argued that the Christian’s actions must be specifically Christian, that Christians must never identify themselves with this or that political or economic movement. Instead, Christians are to inject into social movements what Christ alone can provide. That view is worth considering again today.

Friends, let’s apply the two great commandments absolutely. Let’s act on them without weakening their power by acting like the world. As Christians, we are called to weave into the fabric of our daily lives the revolutionary teachings of Jesus. I don’t mean “revolutionary” in the sense that Jesus was a Zealot or an advocate of state power. (Oscar Cullmann disposed of this nonsense in his book God and Caesar many years ago). My point is this: When Christians preach the saving power of the state, they only contribute to the evil of our time. Let’s not forget that what people really need is not a few more political advantages, but something that Christ alone offers: forgiveness of sin and newness of life. Christians will be Christians to the degree that they suffer with those who suffer, and if they seek out, along with those sufferers, the one and only way of salvation.

When I got back home today, I wrote the following prayer in my journal.

Holy One, I come to You today with gratitude in my heart for the opportunity to wrestle anew with the Gospel, to pursue truth with academic rigor, with a relentless focus on intellectual engagement instead of of spiritual superficiality, with a zeal directed by knowledge, with a firm “No” to “Mindless Christianity.” In an age of anti-intellectualism, I struggle, dear God, with Your call to stand for truth, for unity, for the Gospel Commission. I struggle with Your holy call to be a true “disciple” (“under discipline”) of Jesus, to follow His teaching, to respond biblically to pluralism, racism, materialism, relativism, narcissism, and injustice. I struggle with how to imitate Christ, to be incarnational like He was, a servant, patient in endurance, like Him in mission. I struggle to demonstrate the distinctiveness of Jesus to the world, with how to display His nonconformity in a world with upside down values — in short, how to become, every step of the way, a radical disciple. Yet despite my struggles, dear Savior, I know You are with me, possibly more so than ever before, and that You are good, and that You created an extraordinary world, and that Your salvation is both personal and social. Even the most bittersweet season of my life still sparkles with beauty because of Your mercy and grace. This is what I want to do: Tell Your story — the sacred, transforming story of what You alone can do in the human heart. May I emerge from the pain of the past new and transformed, beautiful after the brokenness, so that I might live out Your Gospel Commission by giving generously, serving without recognition, putting others’ needs above my own, and sharing with all the life-giving message of the Gospel.

In the name of Jesus the Christ I pray, Amen.

8:20 AM Some will perhaps recall that I’m writing a book called Godworld: Enter at Your Own Risk. It’s about the kingdom of the God in the New Testament. One chapter will deal with how God’s kingdom finds expression through various Christian denominations. I sense there’s a movement afoot in evangelicalism, a holy rumbling. I’ve seen a lot — rural churches in Africa, underground churches in many parts of the world, churches held in living rooms, churches called cathedrals. I want to discover how these expressions of Godworld seek to set up outposts of the kingdom in the teeth of the enemy. I want to wrap up this chapter soon, but there are several churches I still need to visit. I’ll visit one of them today in North Carolina. Afterwards, I’ll “force myself” to have Ethiopian food in Durham. Then I need to stop by New Balance in Raleigh to pick up my new running shoes and visit The Bike Guy in Wake Forest to have a fit assessment. I’ve begun to develop tingly fingers in my left hand when I ride due to strain my ulnar nerve.

I suspect that my problem stems from my riding position and weight distribution on my bike. Hallelujah. I’ve got The Bike Guy to check it out for me.

Wherever you attend today, may God meet you there.

Saturday, July 14   

8:58 PM “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Gen. 8:22).

“The earth has yielded its produce. God, our God, blesses us” (Psa. 67:6).

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Isa. 40:29).

2:06 PM Today I worked on the yards and am happy to announce that I am done! I finally finished pruning the orchards and completing various other landscaping projects around the farm.

I love the “new” look at Bradford Hall.

Now if I can only keep it looking so nice.

Earlier today my new mower arrived.

I introduced myself to the workers, who hail from Mexico. I gave them some Gatorade and we reminisced about their wonderful country (I’ve been blessed to have made 3 trips to Mexico). They even let me try out my super awful Spanish on them.

After that, it was off to South Boston to bike 5 miles, get some nail clippers and bug spray at Wal-Mart, and go to the post office and bank. Arriving back on the farm, I wormed the goats and donks, filled their waters, and then broke in my new mower. I remember the first time I climbed into the seat of a ride mower. That was 20 years ago when we moved from SoCal to the tobacco fields of Granville Country, NC. At the time I had a John Deere. On mowing day, I’d cut about 5 acres. Here I was, thinking about nothing and about everything, totally cut off from the world, the vinyl seat burning the back of my thighs — and loving every second of it. Things haven’t changed since then. Even if I have other work to so, my lawns will get mowed, and the place will look new again. Do you enjoy mowing the lawn, or has it become just another a chore? One of my grandsons has just starting mowing their yard. That’s what I call coming of age. I think we can take it as a general principle of life that hard work is necessary for personal happiness. At my age, I’ve found three things to be necessary: discovering what are the things most desirable in life, dismissing other objects of desire as unattainable, and becoming less preoccupied with self.

And mowing?

I hope I can mow forever.

6:55 AM Will Varner has posted an excellent comment on James 3:17 at theNerdy Language Majors Facebook page.

This is a good reminder that the New Testament in Greek was intended to be heard and not merely read. I strongly suspect that the Holy Spirit is responsible for more than just the words of Scripture. The rhetorical level of language can be chalked up to Him as well. James has a brilliant way of getting his message across. He must have been a fascinating person to listen to.

Have you engaged the text in this way yet? If not, jump on in. The water’s fine. I still haven’t decided how I would translate this verse to bring out its use of alliteration, assonance, etc. I’ll just make a few preliminary comments and leave things there:

1) Clearly, “pure” is set off as the first and foremost virtue in James’ list.

2) Despite the alliteration that follows based on the Greek letter epsilon, only 3 of these 6 alliterated words belong together in any significant way: “peaceful,” “gentle,” and “friendly.” (Will says there are 6 consecutive words beginning with epsilon in this verse, but there are really only 5. The last word is preceded by mestes.)

3) The next 3 alliterated words begin with the Greek letter alpha so in one sense they belong together. But notice that the last 2 words use the alpha-privative, meaning something like “not” in Greek. So I wouldn’t press the alliteration here. “Good works” seems to be differentiated from “un-prejudiced” and “un-hypocritical.”

This is awesome stuff. But how to bring this out in translation? Let’s try this:

But the wisdom that is from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of good deeds and compassion; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.

Like it? If you do, I can’t take credit for it. It’s the way the translators of the Good News Bible rendered the verse. One possible improvement would be to alliterate in English the Greek behind “peaceful, gentle, and friendly.” How about “composed, congenial, and considerate”? Okay, that’s pretty lame. Maybe we should all just learn Greek instead!

Friday, July 13   

6:50 PM Hello, fellow bloggerites. I’d like to share with you two things I’m doing this evening.

1) I’m baking muffins. Since I had forgotten the recipe, I got out Becky’s Betty Crocker Cookbook and found what I was looking for on p. 421 under the entry “Muffins.”

2) I’m reading through Craig Koester’s Hebrews commentary again and noticing how he is constantly referring back to the discourse structure of the entire book whenever he examines a particular verse.

You might be thinking, “What in the world do those two activities have to do with each other?” Much in every way, to quote one of my favorite authors.

We can read a book of the New Testament in one of two ways. We can read it like we read a cookbook, or we can read it like a novel. These are vastly different approaches. A cookbook is simply a repository of facts. It doesn’t really matter where in the cookbook you find your recipe. The page number is irrelevant. You just need to know how to bake muffins. But when you read a novel, the opposite is true. As the story progresses, the entire plot shifts. Only as the story unfolds can we truly understand the significance of the novel’s characters and plot line. It’s important for us to realize that reading a book like Hebrews is a lot like reading a novel. As the argument develops, we learn more and more about the overarching theme of the novel. Nor can we simply go to the ending and read the last chapter. There is no “surprise” ending to a novel unless we’ve done our due diligence and read the entire book. Koester shows how Hebrews is a very carefully argued homily in which all the parts fit the whole in a way that supports the center. At the same time, this concentric structuring is balanced by a more linear argument that moves toward the goal expressed in the final chapters of how to “please” God by offering Him our service and sacrifice. This is a far cry from simply memorizing verses out of their context. InNew Testament Philology, a book edited by Mel Winstead, my good friend Radu Gheorghita offers a chapter called “Scripture Memorization and Theological Education.” He writes (p. 176): “The following considerations are intended as an apologia for reconsidering Scripture memorization as an indispensable part of the instrumentarium of the theologian, the biblicist and systematician alike, especially during the years of their theological formation.” As the essay notes, Radu himself has memorized large portions of the New Testament in Greek, including the book of Hebrews. “The primary cognitive benefit of memorization,” he writes (p. 179)

is a mastery and a profound grasp of the biblical text in its canonical form. Issues such as vocabulary and style of the author, themes dominating the overall message of the book, the atmosphere of the writing, theological nuances, the structure of the book and the intricacies of the argument, and many other aspects are depicted by book memorization with more ease and precision than by other explanatory tools.

What this means is that for us to truly understand a book like Hebrews, we have to read it from beginning to end and study it that way too.

Thank you, Radu, for this important reminder.

And thank you, Betty Crocker, for the muffin recipe.

4:12 PM Wow. Wow! WOW. WOW!!!! My 2-day mini-vacation was off the charts. Just the Lord and me — walking together, biking together, hiking together, talking together (seems I did most of the talking), and just — what word am I looking for here? — communing together. Here’s a teaser. They say it’s the most beautiful waterfall along the Appalachian Trail. I can believe it.

 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Yesterday I drove almost 5 hours to Damascus, VA to grab a shuttle to take my bike and me to the end of the Virginia Creeper Trail in White Top. The Appalachian and 6 other trails intersect this quaint town. Our van driver told us that Damascus was once a booming textile town but is staying above water today mostly because of the bicycle rental/shuttle businesses (I counted 8 of them).

It took us about 30 minutes to arrive at the trail head.

This building is actually a replica of the original station that stood atop the highest point of the railroad until it was abandoned in 1977.

Here’s a pretty good view of what the Creeper looks like. Every half mile or so you cross one of these wooden trestle bridges.

Occasionally, however, you break out into the open, where a huge meadow awaits you.

About 11 miles into your ride, you’re plenty hungry. Of course, the tourism industry doesn’t miss a beat.

I enjoyed a foot-long hot dog, “all the way” as we say in North Carolina. Sure hit the spot. After completing my 17-mile ride, I drove to my Airbnb in Buchanan.

The guest room at the Mount Joy Manor has a queen size bed plus a jacuzzi tub and tiled shower. Awesome.

Phil and Lori were the perfect hosts, even volunteering to cook breakfast for me even though that wasn’t included in our rental agreement. Thank you!

After eating, I made my way via the Peaks of Otter to the trail head for Apple Orchard Falls. Here’s Sharp Top, which I’ve climbed 3 or 4 times (I can’t recall exactly).

I enjoyed the views (and a cup of coffee) at the Peaks of Otter Lodge before heading back out on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You begin your hike at milepost 28. The Apple Orchard Trail is a down-and-back hike for a total of about 2.8 miles, according to my Garmin.

This sign says otherwise. But I think my watch is correct.

The trail moves in a northerly direction, where it crosses the Appalachian Trail at about 0.2 miles.

One mile into your hike you pass a gigantic overhanging rock. At this point, you begin a fairly steep descent to the falls. Stairs are added for safety.

All of a sudden you are treated to a view of the 200-foot high waterfall. Isn’t this place gorgeous?

You’re looking at one happy (and sweaty) hiker.

I had no idea the waterfall would be so breathtaking. Of course, what goes down must go up.

If you ever needed a good cardio workout, I think I’ve found the right place for you. I’ve discovered so much about my body through exercise. When you’re climbing up a mountain, you call on all your reserves. You’re operating at full throttle. The climb, therefore, becomes a good litmus test for your overall fitness. That’s why hiking is an ever-changing learning experience. You learn something new about yourself every time you climb. And when you push to the limit, you become the phoenix, born all over again.

Thank you to everyone who reads this blog. I hope my report today was an encouragement and maybe even an inspiration to put those hiking shoes on again. If someone my age who is as un-athletic as it gets can get out there and conquer a mountain, you must now believe you can too. My little mini-vacation was such a great, simple reminder to stop the pity party and get something done. It’s when I’m actually pushing myself that I can look myself in the eye with respect.

Climb on,

Dave

Wednesday, July 11   

10:16 PM This evening Sheba and I were sitting on the front porch watching the storms going through the area, casting a feeling of foreboding over the countryside. My mind went to a decision I recently made that I have since come to regret. It wasn’t a life or death matter, or even a right versus wrong matter. It was simply a choice I made, made too hastily and without sufficient forethought. The regrets have since piled up in my brain and are sitting there festering. Ugh. I’m often paralyzed by decision making. I have been guilty of making by-the-seat-of-my-pants decisions. Then I say to myself, “Wie dumm von mir!” (Okay, so I don’t really speak German to myself. Well, not often. But I love that line of Rommel’s from the movieThe Longest Day. “How dumb of me!” said the German commander when he realized that the Allied invasion of Europe was taking place in Normandy and not at the Pas de Calais as everyone, Rommel included, had assumed.) Do you know what happened next? I opened the book of Hebrews and my eyes just happened to fall on Heb. 4:14-16. That was a God thing, big time. This text began whispering to me, “You’re ignoring your Great High Priest.” And I was. Not only was I not turning to the throne of grace for help in time of need, I was turning everywhere else for relief from my self-inflicted guilt. Evidently, Jesus understands exactly what I’m going through. “Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses.” And boy do I have weaknesses. Becky would have not made the mistake I made. But I’m not Becky. I’m me. We each had our own weaknesses, but a good many of them we shared, per Craig Koester’s description of “weaknesses” in his Hebrews commentary (p. 283):

1) Physical weakness.

2) Social weakness.

3) Vulnerability to sin.

Jesus enables weak people like me to “approach the throne of grace” (v. 14). “[H]uman beings are subject to forces beyond their control, and they need help to cope with daily life” (Koester, p. 295). There is something so nourishing, so healing, when we remember that our High Priest understands exactly what we’re going through. It’s like falling into a soft cushion. When I’m feeling down, I want to call Pizza Hut. When I fail to look unto Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith, I injure my own soul. A soul divided against itself will collapse, crushing everyone taking refuge under its shelter. Enter Jesus. Is there anything more we could ask for? Sure, we could spend our lives dragging our regrets behind us, but that’s our choice. Jesus allows us to move beyond our guilt and regrets by commanding us to look unto Himself (Heb. 12:2). “You’re not a failure.” “Everyone else struggles like you.” “I understand.” Jesus may have suffered, but I bet you a thousand bucks He was not whiny. I am His friend, beloved and treasured. If I ask Him for strength and mercy and grace, He will give them to me.

Obviously, I’m still working on this wisdom thingy. When we make silly decisions, He’s neither shocked nor horrified. Love still wins. Hope still triumphs. Faith still conquers. I may not be able to see my Great High Priest, but evidences of His presence are everywhere. All I have to do is pause and look for them. If any of you cared what I thought and asked for my opinion (right after Uncle Sam sends me a million dollar tax refund), I would say that we all need to give a lot more space in our lives for the concept of redemption. We need to incorporate a worldview that begins and ends with our Great High Priest, Jesus. I couldn’t fathom living a single day without Him. Could you? This has everything to do with Christian discipleship. Not only is Jesus the compassionate High Priest we’ve always wanted, He creates peace in us that we can only find in Him.

I’ve had many setbacks in life. And there will be plenty more to come. But the fact is, failure after failure has brought me to the place where I am today. The point is that I tried. I wasn’t afraid of failing. Mistakes are always learning opportunities.

Hey, Dave!

Try again.

Learn from your mistakes.

Never let fear paralyze you.

Fall down 10 times, get up 11.

Keep the faith even when you have no earthly reason to do so.

Never be the victim of your circumstances.

Stop beating yourself up.

Grab hold of your High Priest.

In celebration of Him, I’m gonna visit the throne of grace and tarry a while tonight. It’s not about me. It’s about Jesus — not Jesus the tooth fairy, but Jesus the Redeemer and Lover of my soul. This is so cliché, I know, but it really is true.

Through all of my tough times, I will forever be grateful for Him.

3:20 PM Well, it was “one of those days.” No, it wasn’t as bad as being trapped inside a cave or being sucked out of an airplane window, but it was mighty close. My plan this morning was to take my car down to Oxford and have my new tires installed and aligned, then get in a workout, a bike, and a swim before picking up bales at 1:30. No problemo, right? Problemo! A real disaster. I was at the Goodyear dealer when they opened at 7:30. They couldn’t check the alignment (“We don’t have the right specs for a 2017 Odyssey.”). They didn’t reprogram the tire pressure sensors. (“Oops. We forgot.”). I was finally liberated from the tire store at 1:00, just in time to get up hay. Speaking of which, whatcha think of this 6-decker?

We had to really work to get that done, too, especially in 101-degree temps. That’s some nice-lookin’ horsie hay if I do say so meself. Since it will probably rain tonight, I’m going to take a couple of days off from haying and do a couple of things I’ve wanted to do for a very long time in my home state of Virginia — (1) bike the Virginia Creeper Trail (or at least 17 miles of it), and (2) hike to Apple Orchard Falls (a moderately-difficult 7.5-mile loop trail). I’ll need to get an early start tomorrow morning if I’m going to be able to take the bike shuttle at noon from Damascus to White Top. Then it’s a leisurely ride, all downhill, through what I am told is some of the purtiest countryside of all of Virginny. Tomorrow night I’m staying in an Airbnb in Buchanan, VA, close to the Falls trailhead. It’s a restored mansion that was built in 1804 by a Revolutionary War veteran.

I’m told it’s set on a majestic hill with views of the Blue Ridge and the Allegheny Mountains.

I can’t wait to hike again. It’s been a while. Hiking is welcoming to even the least athletically inclined. It’s a mystery drug that  — like a Starbuck’s Caramel Macchiato — will keep you coming back for more. And, unlike running, there are no gross side-effects like toenails falling off or snot rockets shooting out of your nose. Hiking is, in short, an incredible experience.

I might take my GoPro camera with me.

Yes, that’s a threat.

Time to eat ….

Tuesday, July 10   

9:20 PM Just finished my work for the day. And what a lovely day it was. We got up yet another large field this evening and finished up just as the fireflies were making their nightly debut. Beautiful. I won’t bore you with another baling report except to post this message chain that I had with one of my daughters. We were discussing farm work — its joys and challenges (she froze 159 ears of corn today). It can get tiring for sure. I sent her a pic with this message:

We also talked about mom — her work ethic, her seeming tirelessness, and how happy she would be to see us working so hard. Earlier today I got in a 5 mile bike then swam my laps. I notice there’s a major triathlon this weekend at Jordan Lake down in North Carolina but I’m not ready for a half mile open-water swim. Sigh. Maybe one day.

Rice is cookin’ and I’m starving, so ….

Later!

4:40 PM I used to publish a great deal more in the field of New Testament textual criticism than I do nowadays. What motivated me greatly was the way I sensed that some students were simply adopting whichever reading was printed above the line in their Greek New Testament rather than evaluating the textual evidence for themselves. Thus I’m always happy when I see a blog post having anything to do with a major New Testament textual variant, andthis one at the Evangelical Textual Criticism website is no exception. I’m very glad that the author prefers the longer reading (“in Ephesus”) in Eph. 1:1, since I came to the same conclusion both in my master’s thesis at Talbot and the first essay I ever published in a journal, entitled “The Peculiarities of Ephesians and the Ephesian Address” (accessiblehere by permission of the publishers). Not all of my ideas have been adopted, of course, but I do think the days of automatically following the so-called “earliest and best manuscripts” (in this case, p46, Aleph, and B) are waning. The idea is that an opening salutation in Paul that lacks a place designation is out of step with his normal pattern of writing. There are, of course, some who argue for a so-called “encyclical theory” in which Paul is said to have left a blank space that was to be filled in later by Tychicus. But if you carefully read p46, Aleph, and B you’ll see that there is no such thing as a blank space in any of these manuscripts.

Let me try and summarize my views on the variant “in Ephesus” in Eph. 1:1. Both the external and the internal evidence, in my opinion, point to the originality of these words. If this is the case, then the letter we know as “Ephesians” was in fact written to, addressed to, sent to, delivered to, and first read by the Ephesian believers. (Upshot? When you as a pastor ask your parishioners to “Turn to the Book of Ephesians,” you don’t have to go “wink, wink.”) Moreover, it’s no accident that the place designation was excised in some of our early Greek manuscripts in an apparent attempt to transform the letter from an occasional document into a general/catholic/universal epistle. Nils Dahl was right: The problem of particularity existed in the earliest church, and apparently the easiest way to “solve” the problem was by removing place names. This practice stopped once the early church began to acknowledge that all of the Pauline letters were general/catholic/universal in one sense: They were ultimately intended by the Holy Spirit to be read by all Christians everywhere. Which is why I can read a very personal letter like the one Paul sent to his friend Philemon and not feel guilty for reading someone else’s mail!

As an aside, I was a bit surprised to find a number of what seemed to be significant typos in a blog post dealing with “transcription errors.” This might be the most glaring example of them all:

Here, of course, the Greek for “Ephesians” needs a “Phi” instead of a “Pi.” I realize you’re probably thinking, “As if Dave Black doesn’t have any typos in his blog posts.” Clearly I believe I can be a better typist. Evidently, typos matter. And maybe for good reason. On the other hand, typos like these are easily fixable — as I’ve discovered on many an occasion after one of my kids has pointed them out to me. Typos notwithstanding, I’ve been enormously helped in my work as an amateur textual critic by websites such as Evangelical Textual Criticism, whose posts (including this one) are always stimulating and often provocative.

6:40 AM Have you done much sailing? I haven’t, despite the fact that I grew up on an island surrounded by thousands of miles of ocean. In Kailua, my friend and I would sometimes take his Hobie Cat (our surfboards in tow) out to the Mokulua Islands when the reef was breaking.

That saved us a good hour of paddling. The only long-distance sailing I did in Hawaii was when I was spending a week on Maui and a friend asked me if I’d like to sail back to O’ahu with him on his dad’s 35-foot yacht. It would be him, another friend, and 16-year old me. I said sure. We left Lahaina Harbor at sunrise and before we knew it we were in the Molokai Channel, where the winds are treacherous. To say the experience was exhilarating would be an understatement. Eventually Koko Head appeared as a tiny speck on the horizon, and I knew we would make it home safely. I learned a lot about sailing that day. A sailboat never goes in a straight line. You have to point the bow slightly windward via the rudder, allowing it to be constantly pushed to the leeward side. The most important part of this whole process is to leave yourself enough leeway. That’s not always easy to do, especially when the wind direction is constantly shifting. Here’s a picture of what this looks like. (I can’t post a real photo of me and my friends on the boat since we didn’t have cameras in the Dark Ages.)

Life is a lot like sailing. You set your sail, and then watch yourself achieve your goal. Right? Hardly. The fact is, the winds in our lives are constantly changing. Which means that we’re always altering our course accordingly. Like today. I was hoping to get in a 10 mile run this morning but my Achilles Tendon on my left foot is hurting, just a little bit, but enough to make me pause and readjust my sails. You see, I’m the kind of person who doesn’t give himself enough leeway in life. I set my sail and rudder and expect everything to go as planned. Which means I’ve trained when I shouldn’t have, run in races that I had no business running in, and pushed my body when I should have been resting it. Running is so “daily,” if you get my drift. You are constantly having to pay attention to yourself and make adjustments along the way. The winds are outside of your control. But the one thing you can control is the sail and the rudder.

Sometimes I’m asked, “Who is your reader?” I’m going to guess that the person who reads this blog is probably a Jesus follower whose life is mostly blessed and whose world is pretty secure. But occasionally, I’ll hear from someone who’s teetering on the edge of faith. They’ve run into a strong headwind, and are having to make some pretty significant course adjustments, just as I have had to do in my own life recently. I value you desperately, dear reader, whoever you are and whatever you may be going through (or not going through). Hear me: I don’t think God wants you to ever doubt His faithfulness. In fact, He sent Jesus to soothe those troubled waters in our lives. Something wonderful happens in our lives when we yield to the pain and the sorrow. The Spirit begins rushing in, sweeping us up in His wake. I’ve lived long enough to know that you can press extremely hard on the Lord and He will hold you. I’ve discovered that it’s okay to be a widower, to age, to find all of life very challenging and yet equally beautiful. Your life is a story you’ve been given to live. Live it with beauty and light. Banish envy and doubt with truth. And always be sure to give yourself plenty of leeway. It’s a matter of endless fiddling — with your schedule, your priorities, and a dozen other major things that affect your life.

Sail on, friend!

Dave

Monday, July 9   

7:50 PM Farm update:

1) Baled this field again.

2) Our first load of the day.

3) And our second.

4) Yes, we were hot and sweaty. Satisfaction is often disguised as hard work.

Time for supper (did I say stir-fry?). 

3:02 PM Busy day:

• Worked out at the Y.

• Did a 5 mile bike.

• Swam for 20 minutes.

• Went to the bank.

• Did grocery shopping.

• Ordered my mower from Lowe’s (Saturday delivery — can the yard wait that long?)

• Met with insurance guy (he needed pics of my secondary house — Maple Ridge).

• Answered emails.

• Delivered a gift to a neighbor.

• Made lunch (sloppy joes).

• Chatted with Nate.

Tonight we’re getting up hay. Such is the world I live in. I am ready for a nice long nap!

P.S. Here’s my new Husqvarna ride mower. I seem to go through one of these every three years or so. What a weird life.

8:20 AM How do we find just that right balance between exercise and rest? For me, the porridge is usually a little too hot or too cold, when it needs to be “just right” (thank you, Goldilocks). Here’s my Map My Run data for the past 30 days.

I put in 26 workouts for a total of 170 miles. So today I’m asking myself, “Self, are you working out too much?” In other words, regardless of the amount of miles or hours we put in monthly, the solution to the balance question is to listen to our bodies. They are usually quick to tell us when we’re doing too much. When we push ourselves beyond what they are ready for, we experience fatigue and pain. It’s really just that simple. That’s why we have to listen to our bodies attentively. If we don’t, we may find ourselves working too hard and thus working against ourselves.

My goal for October is to (1) complete my first 31-mile ultramarathon and (2) run a PR at the Marine Corps Marathon. I think both are do-able, but I won’t get there unless I find the right balance between too hard and too easy. On weeks like this week, I already know I’ll be getting up hay several evenings in a row, so I have to conserve enough energy for that. As for my training cycle this week, I’ll just have to listen to my body. Today it’s telling me to take the day off from running. However, I still hope to get in a good workout at the Y and then swim some laps at the public pool. Again, it’s all a matter of balance. I’m trying to be a good Goldilocks.

Moreover, I’m beginning to see the relevance of training for my non-running life as well. Through running I’m hoping to find that balance in my everyday life that often eludes me. Facebook? There’s only one site I read. Goodbye everyone else. TV? Haven’t watched it in years (except every time I go out for dinner — where a TV is in every nook and cranny of the restaurant, even in the men’s room. Yikes). I’ve also pressed the reset button on getting news online. Let’s be honest: I don’t have time to stay engaged with all the news outlets that are demanding my attention 24/7. Without the noise and static of being online, I’m learning how to rest and simplify. I know that a media fast won’t make the evening news, but I gotta tell you, it’s so liberating. As for emails, I’m really good at answering them quickly, perhaps too good. I like people who respond to my texts and emails immediately. But later responses don’t hurt anybody. All too often I hold myself at gunpoint by the expectations of others. Let’s face it, that works for only so long.

So where do things stand as of today? Few care whether or not I fast from social media. You don’t need to read my blog as much as I need to write it. Instead, this week I hope to find quality time with family while not neglecting my workouts and my farm jobs. Maybe this is a new beginning on a new perspective on balance. Hopefully so.

7:40 AM I read Stan Porter’s essay on discourse analysis last night.

When I think about the guy who published Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek in 1988, my second book, I can’t remember him. It would be like describing another person. I had only just begun to be interested in the art and science of linguistics and its application to the study and teaching of New Testament Greek. Today, all that has changed. As Stan reminds us, discourse analysis “is important to the future of New Testament interpretation” (p. 208). Stan warns against neglecting discourse analysis for a reason. All exegesis needs to be grounded in linguistics. It’s just that simple. When I wrote my 1988 book, I was a linguistic neophyte. In many ways I still am. So if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by your Greek studies and are considering surrender, do read this essay by one of the world’s leading New Testament Greek scholars. His perspective would, I think, do us all good.

Sunday, July 8   

6:16 PM I did it! My fourth triathlon is in the books! Because the race site in North Carolina was at least a two hour drive from home, I got a room in the Hampton Inn and enjoyed some great Ethiopian food last night.

I woke up at 4:30 (the race started at 7:00 am) and grabbed some coffee before driving to the Rex Wellness Center in Garner. After picking up my bib and getting body-marked, I headed off to set up in the transition area. This time I tried to be scientific about where I put my stuff, and believe it or not, my T1 and T2 times were my best yet for a tri. I tried to keep everything simple and well organized during transition.

The swim was a breeze. So was the bike. The bike course consisted of a simple out-and-back for a total of a mere 10 miles. I usually hug the right side of the road and let the speed demons pass me, but this time it seemed like I was the one doing the passing, thanks to my nifty new road bike. The second transition was easy. You just rack your bike and throw your helmet off. All I had to do was a 2 mile run. I was secretly planning on placing in my age group if possible. I felt pretty good. The 2 miles flew by and I finished the race with a smile on my face. Here are the vital stats:

Official Finish Time = 1:11:49.

65-69 Age Group = 2nd Place.

Lots of thanks to all of the course volunteers who made everything happen today. I’m especially grateful that I placed in my division because let me tell you, the people here in Garner are SUPER FIT. It was humbling to be able to stand on the podium with these guys.

After the awards ceremony I headed to one of my favorite Mexican eateries to celebrate. La Cocina has some of the very best chili rellenos in Raleigh.

I came home and mowed about 4 acres before my lawn mower bit the dust. That’s fine, I needed to get a new one anyway. Besides, I needed a nap too! It was a great race, but I still have things to work on. I’m getting faster on the bike, but my swim times can be greatly improved. This will only happen if I’m willing to put in the effort to get faster at this whole triathlon thing. Hopefully, this is only the beginning.

Another day, another race, another personal victory over sedentary confinement:-)

Thanks for reading.

Run on!

Dave

Saturday, July 7   

9:38 AM I probably shouldn’t be admitting this, but I’m enjoying reading the Festschrift edited by Mel Winstead. My colleague Ben Merkle’s essay (“Verbal Aspect and Imperatives: Ephesians as a Test Case”) concludes as follows (p. 51)

With imperatives, the author is often not making a subjective choice but is merely conforming to the normal or expected use of a term. Thus, we should be careful not to over-interpret imperatives based on the tense-form used.

Ben still thinks the general distinction between aorist imperatives as referring to specific commands and present imperatives as referring to general precepts is helpful. But it’s too simplistic. With that I agree. As I’m prepping for my Hebrews class, I took another look at the present hortatory subjunctive in Heb. 12:1: “”Let us run with endurance the race set before us.” Here trechōmen seems to have the idea of “continue running,” but did the author have the luxury of choosing an aorist form for this lexeme? A glance at the data shows that he did. I found numerous examples of aorist hortatory subjunctives of the verb trechō in Greek. Take a look at these:

And these:

Truth is, I need to do this kind of research every time I examine the use of a present versus aorist imperative/hortatory subjunctive. That said, I do think the general distinction between these two tense-forms holds true. All told, Ben offers some pretty good perspective. We sometimes place verbal aspect on a pedestal it wasn’t meant for. If we’re not careful, exegesis can become over-exegesis, as Ben reminds us. The dangerous part of exegesis is not what it focuses on but what it distracts us from — context and usage.

8:42 AM Hey guys, and welcome back. I just returned from a week in the Big D where I visited with mom and dad as well as her brother and his wife. I’m sure we did more eating than is legal.

On Wednesday morning, I competed in the Liberty-on-the-Lake 10K in The Colony, TX. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure I was going to run in this race. The forecast looked bleak (heat and humidity). But I felt I had trained hard for the event, so why not give it the old college try? On my way to the race site I fueled up at the local Dennys. It was my usual fare: two pancakes and two cups of coffee. Breakfast of running champions! I then drove to the race venue, got my running bib, and waited for the race to start. At 8:10 am we were off. The first mile was probably the hardest. The sidewalk we were running on was too narrow to hold all the runners and we were practically stumbling over each other.

Finally the 5K runners turned around and the 10K runners were left on their own. At this point, I was running with about 300 other people. I tried to keep a 13 min./mile pace, hoping to shave a couple of minutes off my course PR. That was not to be. By mile four, I was beginning to wilt. I was taking three cups of water at every aid station — one to drink, and two to pour over my head and down my back. There was a guy about my age who was really smoking it, and I fell behind him for the rest of the race, letting him pace me.

When I passed the 6 mile marker I kicked it into high gear and crossed the finish line strong. I got my finisher’s medal and chugged down two liters of Gatorade while waiting for the awards ceremony to begin. Believe it nor not, I was awarded third place in my age group.

I felt I had run a mediocre race, but hey, I’ll take it.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the event. The heat was blistering, but if you kept hydrated you were okay. The next morning I woke up feeling super motivated and got in an early 6.6 mile run through the local subdivision. It felt great.

Afterwards I stopped by 24 Hour Fitness and swam laps for 40 minutes in a last-ditch effort to get ready for Sunday’s tri.

Looking back, I was super glad I participated in the 10K on Wednesday. Now I’m more pumped than ever to train for my ultra and the MCM in October. Game on!

Thanks for checking in, and talk to you soon.

Dave

Monday, July 2   

6:40 AM One of the extraordinary blessings of being married to Becky Lynn Lapsley was getting to know her missionary parents, who ministered the Gospel in Ethiopia many years ago. There they raised their eldest daughter, who ended up marrying a surfer dude from Hawaii. Could anyone have predicted that?

Becky is no longer physically present with us, and her death left a gigantic hole in our lives. But we have all grown during the past four years, grown spiritually and — just as importantly — grown closer to each other. This week I get to visit mom and dad in Dallas again. Of course, we will talk about Becky, but not very much. Our focus is more on the present and the future than on the past. We are, each one of us, finding ways to feed our souls, to keep going, to stay involved in the world, to find new places for our lives. Becky would have expected that of us, and I expect that of myself. Becky would have loved having Ethiopian food with us or going to a concert on the Fourth of July. She and her mom would probably work in the garden together. She would, for sure, never allow us to give into self-pitying thoughts. “Go on with your lives,” I can hear her saying. Becky is still with us, if only in our memories. She will always be a part of our lives, a huge part, and we shall love her forever.

Sunday, July 1   

8:18 PM Haying is done for the day. The real feel today was exactly 100 degrees, and it felt that way too. Miserable.

Can’t wait to get to Dallas tomorrow, where the temps are even higher. Not only do I get to visit mom and dad, but Becky’s brother and his wife will be there too. It will be a grand reunion.

This morning I was up at 4:30. I read the entire book of Hebrews. (My daughter tells me that in her Sunday School class this morning the teacher read aloud the entire book of Galatians. Sweet.) Tonight I’ll read something else. Like my book on the 1996 Everest disaster. How foolish of them to climb beyond the agreed-upon turnaround time. Summit fever is very real. I felt it myself in Switzerland. The week after I was on the Matterhorn two 67-year old Brits died on the mountain because they got caught out overnight without warm clothing. My heart goes out to their families.

I have a race this Wednesday in Dallas. It’s only a 10K but the weather will be brutal. Thankfully we have the Weather Channel, cause you’re checking the weather forecast several times a day. The real feel on Wednesday will be 102. Perfect weather, right? The jury is out on whether I’ll run. I may be dumb but I’m not stupid. I am not lying when I say that I love running so much I can easily get running fever every bit as much as I can get summit fever. Be aware of this possibility for you. Sometimes it’s best just to take a couple days off and not risk your health or safety doing what you love to do.

Well, time to get cleaned up and cook supper. (Stir-fry? Yes.). The rice is already cooking. Me? Cooking dinner every night? I still can’t believe it.

See ya,

Dave

7:15 AM Well, I blinked, and suddenly half of 2018 disappeared. Where did it go? The halfway point is perhaps a good time to take stock of where we’ve been and where we hope to go.

Becky.

That’s the first word that comes to mind as I reflect on the first half of 2018. It’s crazy, I know, but I think of her first thing every morning. How can’t I? I live in our house, still enjoy her canned veggies, still see her picture on the mantel and hear her voice singing. Marriages go through phases — newlyweds, first home, children, empty nest, widowhood/widowerhood. People a lot smarter than me describe these as “seasons” of life or psycho-social stages. Each stage of life requires us to learn new lessons. “Even the saddest things,” wrote Frederich Buechner, “can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength for the journey that still lies ahead.” I once read that it takes about two years to recovery from a natural death. But if the death was traumatic, recovery can take a lot longer. Ann Kaiser Stearns, in her book Coming Back, writes: “Recovery from loss is like having to get off the main highway every so many miles because the main route is under construction.” Exactly. I live in Podunk, Virginia. So on my drive to work in North Carolina, I take the countriest of country roads. It seems that one of them is always undergoing a bridge repair. You are rerouted through roads and hamlets you never expected to visit. Basically, you’re still heading in the right direction, but you’re not following a straight line any more. It often takes months for the county to finish building a bridge, and you sometimes wonder if they will ever be done. Ann Stearns basically says, Don’t worry about that. There is a finished highway in your future.

For me, recovery has involved many elements, both good and not-so-good. Concentration and focus have become difficult. Sleep can still be a struggle. The ache in my heart never seems to go away. On the other hand, I’ve discovered exercise to be a great stress reliever. And teacher. Climbing the Alps and the Rockies has taught me so much about grieving. You have to take one step at a time. You look for a rhythm between your breathing and the steps you are taking. You settle into a metronome-like pace, one that can sustain you for a very long time. It took me seven hours to summit Mount Bierstadt in 2016. To manage fatigue, I pictured very precisely in my mind what my body was doing. I saw my legs balance as they prepared to take the next step. I saw my muscles tense as they pushed into the next step. I saw my muscles then relax as they rested for an instant before taking the next step. I saw the air as it moved in and out of my lungs. I was brand new to the sport of mountain climbing, but what seemed strange to me began to feel familiar. Today, as I continue to cope with Becky’s death, I’m creating another “new normal.” It’s like learning to climb. You just take one step after the other, knowing that you will eventually reach your goal. And, as with climbing or traveling along a highway detour, the journey of grief takes you through uncharted territory. Anniversaries are the hardest. Becky’s birthday. Mother’s Day. The anniversary of her Homegoing. I recall the first anniversary of her death. Am I losing my mind? Will I ever get over this? Today, the pain is not as in-your-face, but it’s still there. It’s seems that I have to “let go” on a daily basis. Easy? No. Essential? Yes. You feel, and God continues to heal.

Prior to Becky’s death, I had a very limited view of God’s sovereignty. I now see that God takes all of our experiences and molds them into a greater whole. God’s sovereignty doesn’t protect us from loss. But our Sovereign God is also a Suffering Sovereign. We approach Him boldly because He can feel not only our sorrow but our joy. His presence doesn’t erase our grief. But it gives us peace. The road is still crazy crooked, but at least I don’t have to travel it alone.

I don’t know what other detours the rest of 2018 holds. But I know they’ll be there. If you are traveling on the detour of loss today, I have no advice to give you. I am so done with pious (and even un-pious) platitudes. Thankfully, I have friends and family who want to listen and sympathize. I have often told them how grateful I am for their concern and love. Sometimes a person will write me and let me know how they found meaning in their suffering through something I wrote or said. Recently I received an email from a pastor whose wife died from cancer. “I sure do miss her!” he wrote. Then he concluded his email with these words:

Jesus is wonderful!

I’m sure my friend is still probing for meaning in his wife’s death, trying to make sense of it all. We all do. My appreciation for widowers has grown exponentially in the past 4 years. Our loss joins us. Through it we have found community, a community for broken people like me, a “Jesus-is-wonderful” community. William Blake well captures the meaning of “Jesus is wonderful!” in his poem “Can I See Another’s Woe?”

He doth give His joy to all; He becomes an infant small,/He becomes a man of woe; He doth feel the sorrow, too/Think not that thou canst sigh a sigh, and thy Maker is not by;/Think not that thou canst weep a tear, and thy Maker is not near,/O! He gives to us His joy that our grief He may destroy;/Till our grief is fled and gone, He doth sit by us and moan.

Today, with half the year gone, I feel like I’m halfway up the Matterhorn. Becky’s death was and will always remain a horrible experience in my life. But I’m climbing on. I noticed that Becky always seemed to have had a much higher pain tolerance than I do. I’m getting older. No matter how hard I try to control the airplane I’m flying, I can’t control the natural flow. The lesson here? Do what Becky did, and did so well. Surrender. To the loss. To the pain. To the unmet goals. To the grief. To the fear. To the raw emotions.

Then look forward.

Embrace the future.

Trust the One “who doth sit by us and moan.”

Have faith.

Keep climbing.

So that’s my mid-year report, friends. A jumbled array of feelings, eh? That’s the way of grief, I reckon. Grief is very personal. Each of us mourns in a different way. So heal in your own way, my friend. I’m not a lover of advice columns. But that’s about the best I can do. God doesn’t give us explanations, only a deeper revelation of His heart.

Saturday, June 30   

9:45 PM Another busy but rewarding day of farming. 

 

6:44 AM Today I want to run another 5 miles. Today I’m glad my 66-year old body can still run. Today I am glad I can run another marathon this year. Today I am glad I will never qualify for Boston (keeps one humble). Today.

Dear God, Giver of life and Author of love, the gifts You have given me have really made a difference. Today, I’d just like to publicly say, “Thank You.”

Friday, June 29   

5:58 PM It’s a lot of work to maintain a whole bunch of acres and two homes. But the work goes a lot easier when one of your daughters and two of your grandkids help.

I mowed while they spiffied up the houses. What a blessing. Tomorrow I’ll finish my yard work in the early morning before it gets too hot and then go for a run and swim. My next tri is only 9 days away in Garner, NC. The clock is ticking. Monday I leave for Dallas, where I see the temperature is a mere 100 degrees. Made today’s high of 95 seem nice and cool.

I’m still glad I’m farming. I’m still glad I’m running and biking and swimming and climbing. I’m still glad I’m teaching and writing. Did I mention that I love life? It’s not perfect of course. But it’s the best I could have hoped for.

May today you find the blessings around you.

8:26 AM In one of my essays, I likened the composition of Hebrews to Michelangelo’s work on the Sistine Chapel. Grandeur. Symmetry. Sublimity. Architectural precision. This is obvious from the very first paragraph of Hebrews, which Lightfoot once called “the most beautifully constructed and expressive sentence in the New Testament.” Paul’s momentous theme called for a literary style unparalleled in its beauty and form. Here’s the outline we’ll be using in my Hebrews class this fall.

It’s taken from the work of Albert Vanhoye. As Vanhoye notes, the exact center of the book — its rhetorical “high water mark” if you will — is the anarthrous Christos in 9:11.

Χριστὸς δὲ παραγενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν γενομένων ἀγαθῶν διὰ τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς οὐ χειροποιήτου….

I keep telling myself I should spend more time in the book of Hebrews. But then again, the message of Hebrews is that through Christ we have constant access to and fellowship with the Father, not only when we are praying or reading the Scriptures, but throughout the day. Brother Lawrence once wrote a book called The Practice of the Presence of God. He said that some of his closest times with God were not spent on his knees or in Bible study but “in the noise and chatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things.” I wonder where you are right now as you read my words. Try practicing God’s presence amid the nasty noise and chaotic confusion of your world. Jesus opened that door for us. How ironic if we Bible readers do not walk through it.

7:20 AM I want to thank brother Mammen Joseph for sending me this picture of the Becky Black Building in Bagdogra, India.

Becky organized and funded the school before she passed away. So much love to all these wonderful children and teachers. I get choked up when I see this picture, because I love these people so much. I hardly know what to say. Yes, I miss Becky, but I could not be more grateful for her vision and faithfulness to the Gospel Commission.

Themagnum opus of Becky’s life isn’t this building project, however. Nor is it any of the other works she did for Christ.It’s the way she lived. Likewise, our greatest work will not be seen in the spectacular but in the impact of our ordinary daily lives faithfully lived in extraordinary ways. Becky made a difference in this world because she was always seeking out ways she could help her brothers and sisters in foreign lands. If you will, Becky had a robust theology of Christian vocation, and her life inspired others to embrace common grace for the common good. Having herself embraced the Gospel, she then lived it in humble deeds of service to people small and great. Like the apostle Paul, she didn’t view her work as a tentmaker a distraction but instead saw it as a conduit for Gospel incarnation. Christian discipleship was woven seamlessly into all aspects of her life. Her well-lived life now lives on in this building and the ministries it houses. I am so proud of her.

Thank you, Becky. Thank you, Lord.

Thursday, June 28   

7:28 PM So I’ve done 3 sprint triathlons. No biggie. Lots of people have done that — and much much more than that. But each race has taught me lessons, and so without further ado, here are 7 things to remember if you ever want to try a tri:

1) The swim is always the first part of the race. This is because if they were to put the swim last, everybody would drown.

2) Even if you are fast on your bike, others will be faster. Much faster. Get used to it.

3) Always concentrate on your own form and abilities. Ultimately, you’re racing against yourself.

4) Don’t skip the awards ceremony. You want to applaud the winners — and spy out the competition for your next race.

5) Need gear? Don’t feel like you have to break the bank. You’re not trying to win the silly thing, just finish it.

6) Never worry about “looking” like a triathlete. (Some guys actually shave their legs before a race. Yuk.)

7) Dress comfortably.

The sprint triathlon is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. The beauty of the tri is that you don’t have to be an expert in any of the three sports to take part in it and enjoy it. At least you won’t be bored.

7:35 AM Here’s a connection I hadn’t seen before. It’s between Heb. 1:3 and Heb. 6:1. Note the words highlighted in green.

Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταιςἐπ’ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ὃν ἔθηκεν κληρονόμον πάντων, δι’ οὗ καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς αἰῶνας·ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ,καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος  ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς, τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων.

Διὸ ἀφέντες τὸν τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ λόγον ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα φερώμεθα, μὴ πάλιν θεμέλιον καταβαλλόμενοι μετανοίας ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων καὶ πίστεως ἐπὶ θεόν, βαπτισμῶν διδαχῆς ἐπιθέσεώς τε χειρῶν, ἀναστάσεώς τε νεκρῶν καὶ κρίματος αἰωνίου.καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσομεν, ἐάνπερ ἐπιτρέπῃ ὁ θεός.

In 1:3 the Son is said to carry the universe by His powerful word. In 6:1, believers are described as being “carried along to maturity.” I had always assumed that the Carry-er in 6:1 was the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Pet. 1:21, where the same verb phero is used in the passive to describe how the writers of Scripture were “carried along by the Holy Spirit”). However, I wonder if the agent in 6:1 isn’t Christ Himself. After all, He carries “all things” (Greek: ta panta) by His powerful word.

How practical is the book of Hebrews! The purpose of this book is not only to demonstrate the finality of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. It is also to strengthen and encourage the weary members of a house church to respond to their trials with the resources that God has lavished on them, including the presence of the One who sustains them (and all things) through the word of His power. This is why so many commentators have concluded that the dominant motif in Hebrews is parenetic — that is, the book was not written merely to inform but to shore up the readers’ sagging faith.

This is a word I often need. The amazing thing is that it’s often within our power to decide which way we will go. Ignore Jesus, and we can create horrors. Trust Him to work miracles, and He can heal a multitude of hurts. My friend, what do you need to entrust to Him today? What do I? Who in our lives right now needs an encouraging word? A pat on the back? A touch on the shoulder?

5:55 AM Thisinterview on the authorship of Hebrews just came out and I thought you might be interested in it. The interviewer is none other than Abidan Shah, one of our doctoral students in textual criticism at SEBTS.

Wednesday, June 27   

6:10 PM Hey there guys! My 20 mile run is done. As in dun, dun, DUN, DUNNN!!!!!!! When I finished, I went through my post-run check list:

• Legs: Sore but good.

• Feet: Sore but good.

• Toes: Ugly but fine.

• Quads: Trashed.

• Calves: Hurtin’.

• Hip Flexors: Great.

• Lungs: Perfect.

• Heart: Never missed a beat.

• Motivation: High.

• Goal: Achieved.

As you can see, I ran at a very slow pace.

Since I didn’t want to walk, I chose to combine a jog and a walk. It’s what one famous world-class athlete (me) has dubbed a “wog.” So I wogged until I could wog no more. My wog started out nice and cloudy.

This was the easy part. I guess I averaged about 5.2 mph during this part of my run. Later, the sun came out in all of its force, and my pace slowed to a crawl.

Maybe 4.2 mph max. But I got ‘er done, folks. Thumbs up! The one thing I did forget to do today was apply anti-chafing cream to those places that are most sensitive to chafing. (You runners know exactly what I’m talking about.) I also underestimated how much water I would need today. I took three liters of water with me plus one liter of Gatorade and believe me, I could have used more. Otherwise, I felt good about today’s training run. Running for 20 miles gives me confidence going into the marathon in October. When I run nowadays, it’s like reading Greek. I feel the joy. It’s the same as when you make a brand new friend. “Dave, meet running. Running, meet Dave.” The joy is in the magical moment of watching the world as you pass it. When I pound the pavement (or, as I did today, pound the crushed gravel), I know that I’m truly alive. It’s being a runner that matters, not how far or how fast I can run. I have to laugh, by the way, when I think that my “new” shoes already need replacing. I have to do that every 300 miles. It’s already been 300 miles? Yep.

When I got home this book awaited me.

I read it in less than an hour. It’s great. The five core habits the author speaks about are:

• Eat Everything.

• Eat Quality.

• Eat Carb-Centered.

• Eat Enough.

• Eat Individually.

Actually, I’m already doing many of these things, but I can still make significant improvement. I try and eat “everything” (that is, meals made from the six basic categories of natural whole foods — vegetables, fruits, nuts/seeds/healthy oils, unprocessed meat, seafood, and dairy. My problem is, rather than eating high-quality foods, my diet is still skewed toward eating low-quality foods. Tonight, for example, I made stir-fry and used mostly all fresh vegetables, though I did add some frozen peas and frozen corn to the mix. I want to change that. By “eating enough,” the author notes that fit people neither mindlessly overeat nor consciously restrict the amount of food they eat by enforcing inflexible calorie-cutting “diets.” Finally, he says we are to “eat individually.” Each of us is a unique person and has different eating patterns and diets. We therefore have to develop our own version of the endurance diet. While I don’t agree with everything the author says, I do recommend reading his book.

I’m not a vegetarian, and I’ve raised Angus, but I really don’t eat an awful lot of red meat anymore. What I want to do is increase my intake of fruits and vegetables, preferably organic. I want to eat my veggies as raw as possible (the broccoli in my stir-fry tonight was nice and crunchy). I want to eat whole foods instead of processed foods (hard to do where I live, where the only grocery store is Food Lion). I want to stop eating off of “freezer food.” I know, I know. I’m stating the obvious. You probably know a lot more about a healthy diet than I do. My hugest, biggest goal? Try some new vegetarian recipes. Yes, I, the ultimate meatasaurous, actually said that. Woo … the pressure is on!

Pray for me.

Dave

6:15 AM Happy Wednesday, everybody! I’ll start off this blog post with a disclosure: I think Hebrews is the perfect book to teach novice Greek students. Challenging, but do-able. If you know anything about me, then you know that I’ve defended the Pauline authorship of Hebrews — in print, no less. Thus Hebrews is just another Pauline letter. Did you know that Hebrews has some of the best Greek in the entire New Testament? Did you know that it also contains numerous Septuagintalisms? Did you know that I brushed Sheba yesterday? You get all of this and more if you read my blog. You are welcome.

Moving on….

Today my goal is to get in a 20 mile “long run” at the High Bridge Trail. (Whenever I type “Trail,” it almost always comes out “Trial.” Hmmm.) Yes, I’m telling you this even though I know most people don’t really care. Telling others what we’re doing — ad nauseum — is just what runners do. While I’m running I’m going to try and visualize crossing the finish line of the Marine Corps Marathon. I’ll be listening to Chicago as I do so. Why, there’s even talk about the group doing one final grand tour with Danny back on drums and Peter singing lead vocals again. Danny would sound great, but poor Peter seems to be struggling these days hitting the high notes. The dude is getting old. Believe me, Peter, I know how you feel.

So what are your big plans for the day? Whatever they are, get up, take care of business, drink your coffee, and get on with it. 20 miles is a long way to go, but the last 5 miles aren’t so bad when you spend them planning your post-run meal. What’s your biggest challenge today? Think of the rewards. A fatty pastry. A long hot shower. Starbucks. (They could use our business right now.) And if you should have a mental meltdown? Keep going anyway. One tip: If you visualize where you’re going ahead of time, getting there is so much easier.

Okay. I’m off. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Tuesday, June 26   

8:58 PM Hey guys. Just for fun, here’s the course map for the Marine Corps Marathon:

As I prepare for race day, I’ve been studying this map and watching as many YouTubes as I can about the race. My goals for race day remain undefined. I may want to try for a new PR. Or I may simply lace up my shoes and run as leisurely as I care to. But you have to have a goal going into your races. And, once you set such goals, you accept the risk of failing to meet them. Unlike a daily jog, during a race you put everything on the line. You’re willing to find out what you’re made of. Once you pin that number on your shirt, you’re a racer!

Let me take another look at that map. I noticed the following:

1) The course is marked out for the runners. It is intended to be a track or path kept by them. Runners don’t design the race course. And they don’t have the luxury of going off course either. Their job is to run within the boundaries. That’s their duty.

2) One look at a course map and you quickly realize just how much effort is going to be required of you on race day. You can already see your muscles straining, your body kicking it into high gear. Nothing can be accomplished unless you give it your best shot. Running a race requires concentration and vigorous effort. Nothing less will do on race day.

3) The course by its very nature is progressive. You don’t cross the finish line immediately. You finish mile 1, then mile 2, then mile 3, until you reach the 26.2 mile marker.

The image of a race is a common one in the New Testament, and so I can’t help applying these observations to my own Christian life. First of all, God has a very specific plan for my life. It’s been marked out by Him, and He intends for me to finish it. To diverge from it would be foolish and perilous. I have to constantly ask myself before beginning my day, “What is God’s appointed task for me today? At what stage of the course am I on?” Obligation is laid upon me to finish my course! Secondly, continual effort is required if I am to finish my race. Anything worth doing in life requires effort. The Christian life demands constant concentration and the utmost energy. Finally, is my Christian life one of continual advance? Am I a more faithful follower of Jesus this year than I was last year? Am I making progress? Of course, our progress will be marred by failures and imperfections. One can be blameless without being perfect. Racing is all about putting forth an honest effort. And, one day, I’ll answer for my choices.

Believers, let’s oppose the temptation to become lazy in the Christian life. Let’s challenge the laissez-faire mentality that says “It’s never been done that way before.” Let’s stop lying about ourselves and using our weaknesses and imperfections to keep us from pursuing wholeheartedly the downward path of Jesus. But be prepared for a struggle. We’ve invented a thousand excuses to take the easy way out. According to Scripture, no real disciple is content with the level of spirituality to which they have attained. Time and again, the apostle Paul spoke of the need to run with endurance the race set before him. “I’m not beating the air. I’m not running around in circles. I’m giving life all I’ve got. I’m getting the most out of myself. I am determined to finish all that God intends for me to do. Nothing will move me, so that I might finish my course with joy.” Friend, no one can run your race for you. But be sure of this: The Author and Perfecter of faith will enable you to finish your course, meet faithfully every duty, and overcome every trial.

Oh my stars, what a great way to live life!

6:12 PM You students will love this blog post aboutGreek word studies. Farewell,sloppy agape!

5:36 PM Today I had a great workout at the gym. If I could only be 1/25th as disciplined as some of the people I see working out. So naturally I overdid it. That’s just me. Go all out. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything a long nap couldn’t solve. Now, feeling fully refreshed, I am about to bore you silly with a few mantras about exercise (no need to thank me):

1) If you want to be happy, don’t rely on the horizontal. Good health is a blessing, but real peace and joy come only from above, from the Father of Lights.

2) Share your knowledge. We all have something to give to others. When I need to learn a new exercise, I ask a more experienced lifting buddy. When I was in seminary, I took my professors out for lunch. And guess what? They were approachable, each and every one of them. They were more than willing to counsel a young married man with stars in his eyes about the academy. They were sharers. Nice trait.

3) Travel to a place where you’ve never been before. Like I did yesterday. You see, I’ve lived in Virginia for 18 years but only yesterday visited one of the most historic sites on the planet (Jamestown). As far as exercise is concerned, try running or walking or biking on a new trail. Mix things up. Don’t get stuck in a rut.

4) Remember that there is risk in everything we do with our bodies. Try climbing the Alps. You will quickly reach your limits as an athlete. Risk it my friend. Risk running your first 5K. Risk ugly toenails. Risk getting sweaty. The payoff may well be a new you.

5) When working out at the gym, try not to sing out loud while listening to music. I caught myself doing that today. Not a good idea. You never sound as good to others as you do to yourself. So stop singing. Lip-sync instead. Your gym-mates will love you for it. And stop tripping you.

6) Be prepared for some pretty awesome events that will change your life forever. Learning to run is like giving birth or publishing your first book. It’s amazing, for example, what a marathon will do for you. After months and months of preparation, and miles and miles of training, it all boils down to a single step when you cross that finish line for the first time. That experience will change your life forever. 

7) Live in the moment. The past is past. You will never be able to relive it. And the future is future. Living in the moment means concentrating on this time in your life. For me, that looks a lot like being content to let time march on without becoming complacent about  getting older. Truly enjoy each moment of your life, my friend. It’s a pure gift from God.

8) Be yourself. Always. I get passed in races. A lot. That’s because I’m slow. It’s just who I am. By giving myself permission to be myself, I accept the body God has given me. So if you see me running in a race, don’t be surprised at the sight of my persistent and stubborn style. But don’t expect the smile to come off my face either.

9) Keep moving. Motion is the proof that you’re still living. When I feel the breeze of a bike ride, when I feel the heat of a road race, when I feel a pouring rain as I walk, I know that I’m alive.

10) There is no secret. To anything, least of all diet and exercise. And don’t let anybody tell you there is.

The end.

4:34 PM Welcome back everybody. How’s the weather where you are? It’s been raining constantly here — a nice, slow “farmer’s rain.” Which got my somewhat addled (quasi-theologian’s) brain to thinking: The Bible often speaks about God sending rain upon the earth. In Hebrews, in fact, the author is very clear: richly watered fields produce useful crops instead of worthless weeds (Heb. 6:7-8). These two verses are what I often refer to as the forgotten verses in this famous warning passage. The principle seems obvious: Where there is fruit on the tree, there is life in the tree. This is why the author can be so confident about his hearers’ “salvation” (see 6:9-12). The basis for his confidence is in the work that God is doing in and through them, as seen primarily in their love for one another. Not only did they show practical concern for each other in the past but they continue to do so. (Note the shift from the aorist participle “having ministered” to the present participle “ministering.” See, I told you Greek was useful!). Love is always the first mark of a genuine Christian community. So is progress and growth. Apathy is a sure sign that we are drifting away from our biblical and spiritual moorings (2:1-4). How ironic it would be for, say, students to take a year of Greek and then neglect all of their learning. That would be like a field that was well watered and cultivated producing thorns and thistles. Unthinkable! Growth in knowledge and love are indisputable evidences of God’s blessing and work in us. The issue is not merely facts. It is obedience. Or, as the author of Hebrews suggests in 6:1-3, a foundation exists for only one reason — to build a superstructure on top of it.

If you’re a Greek student — seasoned or unseasoned — it’s worth reflecting for a moment on how you plan to continue your Greek studies. Years ago I wroteA Letter to My Greek Students. If we are going to get better at our Greek, then we’re going to have to participate. The good news is that there are plenty of helps out there to assist us on our way. Why not teach Greek in your local church? I spent a year doing this in my local church and it paid huge dividends. God bless those students of mine. They worked so hard. And for what? The study of Greek has a goal, which is not the careful study of Greek. The object is to discover Jesus and allow Him to wreck our lives (in a good sort of way). Show me a Greek teacher (or student) off mission, and I will show you someone with no concept of what it means to follow Jesus.

To all of my summer Greek students: You are my heart’s delight. It’s been a privilege to truth-seek and rabble-rouse with all of you. I hope and pray, even in a small way, Jesus is wrecking your life. We’re in this together. Let’s do this together.

6:15 AM Hey guys, and a very happy Tuesday morning to you. Here’s a brief update for you as I continue to train for the Marine Corps Marathon in October. Today I’m giving my legs a much-deserved day off and spending most of my time at the gym working on my upper body. My plan for tomorrow (Lord willing and weather permitting) is to get in a long run (maybe as many as 20 miles) at the High Bridge Trail in Farmville, where my ultra will take place (also in October). Last Sunday, when I listed my upcoming races, I forgot to mention that I’m scheduled to do a 10K (6.2 mile) race in Dallas next Wednesday while visiting mom and dad. As you can see, by running so regularly, I’m trying to build up my “base.” The idea is to try and convince your legs/heart/lungs that running 26.2 miles (or, in the case of the ultra, 31 miles) is not that big of a deal. Training is all about maintaining an overall consistency. Having a training schedule is important, but it’s even more important to be out there doing it. You don’t have to be super-regimented, either. Just a bit self-disciplined. And you need to remember to always have fun! (I believe in the “work hard, play hard” philosophy of life.) By the way, the same idea applies to the study of Greek. I was thrilled to see a post about this onNerdy Language Majors this morning. How can I keep up with my Greek? What tools/apps are there to help me? Is there a Greek reading group I can join? If I can throw my hat into the ring …

You probably know that I have a summer “Five Minute Greek Club” for my students. When you join, you agree to translate, unless providentially hindered, any two verses from your Greek New Testament daily, Monday to Friday, until the beginning of the next semester (which is Aug. 16 at Southeastern). If you do this, you get one of my books for free. Today I’m going to make this offer public. The first five people to sign up for the club and who complete their translation work by Aug. 16 will receive a gratis copy of my book Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek. This offer is valid only today, and only to the first five people who email me at dblack@sebts.edu. Want a free book? Enter today!

Okay, back to my training plan. After logging 180 miles in the past 30 days, it’s time to focus on proper nutrition. Yes, one’s digestive system is every bit as important as one’s exercise routine. Of course, the goal is not to get thin but to get fit, so I’m not that concerned about standing on the scales every day. In fact, I haven’t weighed myself in probably three months. I know when I’m feeling/looking good and when I’m not. What I would like to do — and need to do — is learn about how my body uses the food I put into it and to make choices that foster good health. I want to focus on balanced meals — and more of them at less frequent intervals. I need to begin by eating at least three meals a day. I also want to eat several smaller meals a day rather than three humongous ones. I want to make better choices about what I put into my mouth. The key is to work with my body. I have to trust it — and myself. I’ve got to strike the right balance between carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Like a car engine, my body requires the proper fuel.

I hate writing about diet. I am not a nutritionist. Bottom line, my body type is large, and there’s very little I can do about that. But what I can do is eat balanced meals and move my body in a way that makes me happy. I actually don’t think my diet is too bad, but (as with every area of life) I know I can do better. How about you? Do you struggle (as I do) to treat your body with respect and fuel it accordingly? What’s your eating philosophy?

All the best!

Dave

Monday, June 25   

6:40 PM This morning I awoke at 5:00 with an insatiable case of Wanderlust. Where to go today? Preferably a place I’d never been before. But where? An idea had been forming in my sub-consciousness, and now I let it surface and examined it. The Virginia Capital Trail. You know, the one that connects Virginia’s first capital (Jamestown) with its current capital (Richmond). 52 miles of pristine bike trails. 400 years of history. Historic plantation homes by the bucketful. So off I went, enjoying the sunrise over the bridge at “my fair city” of Clarksville …

… before stopping at the Cracker Barrel in South Hill for some scrumptious hotcakes. Now I was ready for a ride!

I started my bike about 20 miles east of Richmond. Which meant that I ended up biking about 30 miles today. (Yes, I’m saddle sore.)

But it was biking through some of the prettiest countryside in Old Dominion. There were cornfields galore.

And wheat fields.

And plantation homes. Here’s Berkeley.

And Shirley.

And Westover.

Eventually you arrive at Jamestown.

Talk about history! You pass historical marker …

… after historical marker …

 … after historical marker.

And in the middle of it all — smack dab in the center of the trail in the town of Charles City — is the cutest little restaurant you will ever find.

The food was out of this world. I couldn’t even finish my meal, the portions were so large. I brought half of it home with me.

I’ve had a love affair with travelling for many years. Wanderlust, the very strong desire to travel, is in my blood. I imagine we adopted the word from German without change because it can’t be improved on. (The Germans actually have a “Tag des Wanderns,” an annual Hiking Day.) Becky and I travelled all over Europe together. I still laugh whenever I recall how we once got lost in Lamorlaye, France. And where hadn’t we gone in Ethiopia?

What will you do with the rest of the year? Where will you go? What are your goals, and what should they be? Do some people have a Wanderlust gene? I think I do. Well, wherever you go and whatever you do, may God be with you.

Thanks for reading!

Dave

Sunday, June 24   

7:58 PM My upcoming races (a reminder, more for myself than for you):

• July 7: UNC Oral Cancer 5K (Chapel Hill, NC)

• July 8: Rex Wellness Triathlon (Garner, NC)

• Aug. 4: Bull Moon 5K Run (Durham, NC)

• Sept. 2: Virginia Beach Half Marathon (Virginia Beach, VA)

• Aug. 29: Starry Night 5K and Lantern Ceremony (Raleigh, NC)

• Oct. 6: High Bridge Trail Half Marathon (Farmville, VA)

• Oct. 13: High Bridge Ultra 50K (Pamplin, VA)

• Oct. 28: Marine Corps Marathon (Arlington, VA)

• Nov. 10: Richmond Marathon (Richmond, VA)

• Dec. 8: Race 13.1 Half Marathon (Durham, NC)

I don’t know about you, but I find goal-setting something to help me stay dedicated. Most of us would agree that when we don’t plan for something, nothing is likely to happen. What are your exercise goals for the remainder of 2018? Remember: Your goals must be your goals. Judge yourself only by your own standards. If you do, the rewards will be yours as well.

Happy running everybody!

7:44 PM The race staff wrote my age on my leg. I gave them explicit instructions NOT to add another 6.

5:42 PM Hey guys! Today I conquered my third triathlon. It couldn’t have been more different from the first two I did last year. This might be the first time I really felt like a triathlete. I loved everything about today’s race. Right now I’m feeling a bit tired but great. Here’s a brief race report.

The setting: The course is set in the beautiful suburbs of Wake Forest, NC. The swim takes place at the Heritage Swim Club pool with a 250-meter swim. You are told to put down 99.99 for your swim time if you want to be placed last in the group. I did so, and was seeded at the end of the line. The bike is a relatively flat 12 miles with police officers and volunteers at every turn. The route does NOT close to traffic so you have to be extra vigilant while riding. Thankfully, the traffic seemed extra sparse today. The run is a simple out-and-back 5K (3.1 miles) and takes you through the neighborhood subdivisions. As I recall, there were water stations at the half mile point as well as at the 1.5 mile turnaround. At about mile 1.4 somebody had their water sprinkler out, which was most refreshing.

I woke up at 4:00 this morning and headed out of the driveway at about 4:45. This put me in Wake Forest around sunrise. It also put me there in plenty of time to find some coffee and pick up my race kit, bike and helmet stickers, timing chip, t-shirt, and a pair of free socks.

I also got my race number written on my arms and my age written on the back of my right calf. Then, as with most of the other participants, I attended the pre-race briefing. I had lots of time to set up in transition, use the porta-potty, put on sunscreen (sorely needed today), and get wet before the race.

The swim: I used to be a very strong swimmer. You had to be a good swimmer if you surfed in Hawaii. But nowadays I rarely swim, so I started at the back of the pack in order to avoid the tangle of swimmers at the start and in the middle sections of the course. (Sidebar: I left my goggles at the pool yesterday and so I arrived at the race venue goggle-less. Thankfully, one of the race vendors had a pair for sale. My new pair is even nicer than my old pair, so everything worked out in the end. I can’t imagine swimming 250 meters without swim goggles!) As in the past, this year the race officials were starting the swimmers out with a rolling start. Presumably, this results in fewer swimmers making contact with each other. My goal today was to continue at a steady pace, using the crawl stroke exclusively. (Last year I had to do the breast stroke when I got tired.) The water was calm and, by starting out at the back of the back, I had absolutely no contact with my fellow swimmers along the way.

Time: 6:25.

Transition 1: I exited the pool and ran to the transition area, where my bike, helmet, and sunglasses awaited me. I think I wasted a few precious seconds putting on my socks and shoes. (I need to work on this.) I also hydrated (simple water, no Gatorade yet) but didn’t feel I needed nutrition.

Time: 2:26.

The bike: In my first two triathlons, I rode my mountain bike. That was a huge mistake. A lot of people passed me. I have to admit: I was so discouraged after those first two races that I seriously thought I would never do another triathlon — until I purchased my road bike. Today I actually passed a few riders. I was pretty happy with my 15.2 mph average speed on the bike course.

Time: 48:37. (Last year it was a whopping one hour and two minutes!!!)

Transition 2: Back at the transition area, I racked my bike, swapped a hat for my helmet, drank some water, and took off.

Time: 1:20.

The run: When I came off my bike, my legs were feeling pretty shot. I was breathing heavily and knew I had to slow down. It was a very hot day. I took water at every aid station and also poured cups of water down my neck and back. The run went fairly well, I think, considering that my legs were dead.

Time: 38:08.

Overall: I had a PR today. My overall time this year was 1:37:35. Last year, at the same event, my overall time was 1:50:02. The best part of the race was the bike. The hardest part was the run due to the heat. However, I wasn’t alone. There were many fellow athletes to commiserate with! My favorite memory from the race? The water sprinkler at mile 1.4. (Suggestion for the race directors: Next year please have the fire department bring their hoses.) Afterwards I stayed for the awards while munching on post-race pizza. I earned second place in my age group this year, as opposed to seventh (and last) place in 2017. Clearly I should do triathlons more often (*wink*).

I highly recommend the Smile Train Triathlon in Wake Forest, especially for any newbies out there. It’s a blast — and an awesome way to spend your hard-earned dollars (all proceeds go to provide cleft lip and palate surgery to children in the Majority World).

With that– thanks for reading! 

Dave

Saturday, June 23   

7:44 PM Hey guys, and welcome back to:

COUNTDOWN TO THE MCM!

I’m sitting here digesting a plate load of carbs in preparation for tomorrow’s tri. After all, my body has to swim/bike/run over 15 miles tomorrow. Although I’m trying to train myself to eat several small meals each day rather than two gigantic ones, I fell off the wagon big time today. For breakfast I had eggs, toast, and a large serving of corned beef hash. Then I pigged out on seafood and hush puppies tonight. Habits are hard to break sometimes. My biggest problem is learning to view food as fuel rather than as a weight management problem. And, where I live, food is all too often a provider of comfort and companionship rather than something we use to fuel our bodies. You know: faith, hope, love, truth, justice, the American Way, and key lime pie. Running is a whole being activity. Ditto for cycling and swimming, I imagine. (I wouldn’t really know since I’m not a very consistent cyclist or swimmer.) It’s much easier to make poor food choices than to get fit. The good news is that I was able to get both a bike and a swim in today.

I am so, so, so excited about tomorrow’s race. I’m eager to see how I do. Can I top last year’s time? I hope so. But rather than just focusing on the destination, I want to enjoy the journey to the finish line. I’m so glad that the pool is located outdoors. I absolutely detest indoor swimming pools, like the one we had to swim in last year during the Rex Wellness Triathlon. Heated water — along with about 500 swimmers expending their body heat — make for cauldron-like conditions when you’re enclosed in a swimming hall. As for the 12-mile bike ride, we’ll see how things go. Having a road bike should make a difference in my time for this leg of the race, but then again, I’m a complete novice when it comes to cycling. The easiest leg for me should be the 5K run, mainly because I’ve learned to accept my own limitations as a runner. As always, I will do my best, not someone else’s best. In my mind, equating “second place” with “first loser” is just plain idiotic. The difference between a win and a victory is huge. Racing meets a need in my life. It’s the need you and I and every other person has — the need to rise up and face a challenge. This need, as with every other need in life, challenges us to meet our greatest need: learning how to love and serve our Abba Father with every fiber of our being.

Tomorrow, I will lose the race. That’s a given. But I can be victorious if I know what I’m striving for.

8:20 AM I’m preparing my initial lecture on Hebrews. Here are a few miscellaneous thoughts:

1) Is Hebrews a letter that lacks the customary opening or a sermon to which an epistolary conclusion was added? The latter seems more likely. Here’s Heb. 1:1:

Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις….

And here’s Heb. 13:18-25:

Προσεύχεσθε περὶ ἡμῶν,πειθόμεθα γὰρ ὅτι καλὴν συνείδησιν ἔχομεν,ἐν πᾶσιν καλῶς θέλοντες ἀναστρέφεσθαι.περισσοτέρως δὲ παρακαλῶ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι ἵνα τάχιον ἀποκατασταθῶ ὑμῖν. Ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης,ὁ ἀναγαγὼν ἐκ νεκρῶν τὸν ποιμένα τῶν προβάτων τὸν μέγαν ἐν αἵματι διαθήκης αἰωνίου,τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν,καταρτίσαι ὑμᾶς ἐν παντὶ ἀγαθῷ εἰς τὸ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ,ποιῶν ἐν ἡμῖν τὸ εὐάρεστον ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας·ἀμήν.Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς,ἀδελφοί,ἀνέχεσθε τοῦ λόγου τῆς παρακλήσεως,καὶ γὰρ διὰ βραχέων ἐπέστειλα ὑμῖν.γινώσκετε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν Τιμόθεον ἀπολελυμένον,μεθʼ οὗ ἐὰν τάχιον ἔρχηται ὄψομαι ὑμᾶς.ἀσπάσασθε πάντας τοὺς ἡγουμένους ὑμῶν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους.ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας.ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν.

Clearly, Hebrews is a “word of exhortation” (Heb. 13:22):

Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς,ἀδελφοί,ἀνέχεσθε τοῦ λόγου τῆς παρακλήσεως,καὶ γὰρ διὰ βραχέων ἐπέστειλα ὑμῖν.

2) Such exhortations were common in the Jewish synagogues of the day (see Acts 13:15):

μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἀπέστειλαν οἱ ἀρχισυνάγωγοι πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγοντες·  Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί,εἴ τίς ἐστιν ἐν ὑμῖν λόγος παρακλήσεως πρὸς τὸν λαόν,λέγετε.

Here Paul gives a sermon in response to an invitation to do so by the officials of the synagogue in Antioch on his first missionary journey.

3) Now note 1 Tim 4:13:

ἕως ἔρχομαι πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ.

This verse establishes the pattern of reading from Scripture followed by an exhortation in the earliest Christian assemblies.

4) Finally, note how Paul expects his first letter to the Thessalonians to be read aloud to the entire congregation (1 Thess 5:27):

ἐνορκίζω ὑμᾶς τὸν κύριον ἀναγνωσθῆναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς.

Hebrews therefore seems to be a homily, intended to be read aloud. Approaching Hebrews from this perspective allows us to see how the book does not neatly fit into the category of “epistle.”

This is so much fun!

6:45 AM A few random reflections on a cloudy Saturday morning:

1) Yesterday I sent the editors of Filologia Neotestamentaria my review of Paul Danove’s latest book called New Testament Verbs of Communication: A Case Frame and Exegetical Study (LNTS 520; London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2015).

I wrote:

Paul Danove, Professor of New Testament Studies at Villanova University, has produced an innovative study relating distinct uses of verbs and deriving their various connotations. Danove is well-known in New Testament circles as the author of two major works dealing with case-frame analysis:Grammatical and Exegetical Study of New Testament Verbs of Transference: A Case Frame Guide to Interpretation and Translation (2009); and Linguistics and Exegesis in the Gospel of Mark: Applications of a Case Frame Analysis and Lexicon (2002). His current study applies case-frame analysis to describe the 4,528 occurrences of the 122 New Testament verbs that designate communication. The author establishes a heuristic model for relating distinct uses of verbs and their various connotations.

I concluded with this statement, which I hope will challenge all of my students to pursue a study of Greek linguistics:

At the present time, linguistic analysis of the New Testament is one of the most active and creative areas of biblical studies. As is the case with other academic disciplines, linguistics is not absolutely essential to the study of the literature of the New Testament. One does not need to know linguistics in order to read and understand, for example, Paul’s letter to the Romans. That being said, linguistics can contribute a great deal to our understanding of a text …. The present study helps ensure a proper foundation for exegesis by enabling the student to recognize the systematic regularities in the language of a text. For this reason, Professor Danove’s book is to be considered a most welcome contribution to the field of New Testament studies.

2) Here are three brief comments based on my reading of the Orthodox Prayer Book this morning. First, I noticed how similar chrestos (“good,” “kind”) is to Christos (see line 7).

In fact, some have argued that Jesus was originally known as Chrestos and His followers were called Chrestians instead of Christians. I seem to recall F. F. Bruce suggesting somewhere that the earliest believers may have been derided as being “Goodie-goodies” (Chrestianoi) because of their high moral character in contrast to the pagan culture of the day. At any rate, the two terms are very similar indeed, and there may even be a word play between chrestos and Christos in 1 Pet. 2:3 (where p72 actually reads Christos).

3) The last line of this famous prayer reminded me that the optative (instead of the indicative) was commonly used in Greek prayer-wishes.

This helps me when I run across Paul’s opening greetings, in which the Greek verb is elided (left out), as in Phil. 1:2: “Grace to you and peace ….” Here the likeliest rendering is “May grace be yours and peace ….” rather than “Grace is yours and peace ….”

4) Even though I don’t see a clergy-laity division in the New Testament, I still think this is an awesome prayer.

5) Finally, “One pearl is better than a whole necklace of potatoes” (Etienne Decroux). There is some awful good prose in Bill Lane’s Hebrews commentary.

Friday, June 22   

6:34 PM Good Friday evening, fellow bloggers! I have so much to be thankful for this week.

1) I enjoyed a Father’s Day celebration on Wednesday with my daughter and her sweet family.

2) I began rereading this fine work on Hebrews.

I admired Bill Lane enormously. I got to know him when he was teaching at Seattle Pacific and I was guest lecturing at Fuller Northwest in Seattle for two summers. Almost all great scholarship involves being intellectually rigorous without being rude. Bill was a scholar’s scholar. I strongly recommend that you check out his commentary on Hebrews. There’s a simplicity and elegance to everything he writes. Bill retired in 1999 and passed away only two years later. He is greatly missed but his ideas live on through his writings.

3) Since summer school has ended, and because I got in a solid 10-mile bike ride today, I decided to treat myself to some Ethiopian food at theAbyssinia Restaurant in Raleigh. Thank you, Tegegne, for the great food and fellowship. As usual, I got kai wat in memory of Becky (that was her favorite dish). 

4) Finally, I laughed out loud when I saw this.

For this weekend’s triathlon in Wake Forest, yours truly has been seeded #313 out of 314 participants. I’ll start the swim a good 50 minutes after the first swimmer begins at 8:00 am. Looks like I’m quickly becoming the patron saint of the back of the pack! My philosophy is: Have fun with it, or why do it?

Next week my summer vacation begins in earnest. I plan to bike two trails this summer: The Virginia Capital Trail from Jamestown to Richmond, and the Virginia Creeper Trail from White Top to Damascus. Weather permitting, I hope to begin my cycling adventure next week. Overall, I’m feeling real good about my training workouts. The marathon can’t get here quickly enough. I think the chances are about 50/50 that I’ll complete the race the same day that I start!!

Tomorrow I’d like to get in a workout at the Y, a run, and a swim. I’m also behind on my farm projects and hope to knock out a couple of major projects.

Happy training wherever you are!

Dave

Thursday, June 21   

6:12 AM Well, today we take the quiz over chapter 25 of our beginning Greek grammar. Only one chapter to go. There it is — the finish line! Only one more mile to go in your 26-chapter “marathon”! You’ve done it. You’ve finished your first race. It’s fantastic.

When I ran my first marathon, someone told me, “When you cross the finish line, don’t stop. You have to keep moving through the finish area. If you stop, your legs will freeze up on you. You’ve got to keep on moving.” Greek 1-2 is only the first step in a lifetime of using Greek in your lives and ministries. Most of us will use it on an occasionally basis at best. Others will go on to become “elite” Greek athletes, even earning a Ph.D. in the subject. What it’s all said and done, the only question any of us needs to ask is, “Did I do my best?”

Greek students, thank you for all of your hard this summer. I mean that: Thank you! I’m so proud of you. This is your moment of victory. Savor it!

Wednesday, June 20   

7:15 PM Hey guys, and welcome back to DBO. I just wanted to update you on my training log for my marathon in October. This week I got in two runs, two bikes, and two swims. That’s right. I finally found a swimming pool where I can do lap swimming any time of the day or evening.

It’s in a town called Knightdale, which is about a 35-minute drive southeast of Wake Forest. But it’s well worth the drive. I’m able to get in as many laps as I want to without anybody disturbing me. And the best news of all is that it’s a YMCA, which means that my Virginia Y membership is valid there — hence no cost to me at all. In addition, I’ve also gotten back into cycling big time. The main reason for this is that I’ve decided to do another triathlon this weekend. It will be my third tri. It’s called theSmile Train TRI and all proceeds will go to the world’s largest cleft lip and palate charity called “Smile Train.”

I did this tri last year at this same time and came in almost dead last. I was pretty good at both the swim and the running legs of the race, but because I only had my mountain bike for the cycling portion, everyone else was racing past me at speeds exceeding 25 miles per hour. All of that has changed as of yesterday, when I visitedThe Bike Guy in Wake Forest and purchased a brand new road bike. It’s called the Marin Argenta Elite and is as light as a feather.

I tested it twice yesterday at the Neuse Rover Greenway and now I’m the one blowing by slower riders. What an adrenalin rush! This means that I now have two bikes, my Marin for road races and for concrete or asphalt paths, and my Fuji mountain bike for crushed gravel. Best of all, I won’t feel like I’m kicking against the goads every time I do a triathlon. This weekend’s race is a fairly short affair: a 250-meter pool swim, followed by a 12-mile bike ride and an out-and-back 5K run. The weather on race day will be hot and muggy, but what do you expect for June in North Carolina? Last year, as I said, I was doing my very first tri and I can remember how difficult and challenging I found this event to be. The swim and the run were relatively uneventful, but by the end of the bike segment I was so discouraged. As I settled into the run part of the race, I thought of the utter futility of trying to do a road race with a mountain bike. It was clear that if I was going to continue to do triathlons I would eventually need to get a road bike. Thankfully, the Bike Guy had exactly what I needed. Incidentally, as Rob (the owner) and I got to talking, he suddenly blurted out, “Are you Dr. Black? Why, I had you for New Testament at Southeastern!” It’s a small world, folks! Right now I’m filled with trepidation, expectation, and a desperate lack of preparation. As I said, I’ve been getting in some good rides and laps at the pool but not nearly enough training to feel that I’m ready for the race this weekend. But I’ve paid my entry fee and I’m not turning back now. I figure I can at least expect to do a little bit better on the bike leg this time around. But I’m not going to push myself too much. I still need to get used to how my new bike handles before I go full bore. Besides — perspective, Dave, perspective! These races I’m doing now are really only training events for my 26.2 mile marathon and my 31-mile ultra in October. I often think to myself, “Is this really happening to me? Am I really going to run in the Marine Corps Marathon?” It all seems like a big dream. Can you imagine standing at the start of the MCM with 25,000 other runners who share a common goal and a common dream? I have to laugh, mostly at my own lack of talent. But what I lack in talent I make up in raw dedication. At the starting line, all runners are equal. All of us are alone, and yet each of us is part of a larger group. The thousands of people standing next to you are both companions and competitors. Each of us has a gnawing need to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, and yet each of us maintains the integrity of who we are as individuals. I can’t imagine another sport where this happens. Tomorrow I hope to get in another long bike ride as well as some lap swimming at the pool in Knightdale. Then Friday, with the end of summer school Greek, I return to the farm for some much needed R & R before this weekend’s race. As always, I’m struggling with balance. Somewhere, all athletes have to find that equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. When I climbed the Alps two summers ago, I recall Walter, my mountain guide, telling me, “Dave, you should climb with as little effort as possible. If you become restless, speed up. If you become tired, slow down. Above all, enjoy each step you take. Tho goal is not just the summit. The goal is to enjoy each footstep to the top and back.”

What a wonderful thought. Equilibrium is so important in every area of life, isn’t it? Nearly all of us find a healthy balance between work and leisure to be an unattainable goal. But we keep striving for that balance anyway. We have to. By not striving for that goal we actually prevent ourselves from improving.

Well, I see I’ve begun to ramble again. Let me close this post with pictures of two websites I told my Greek students about today. TheNerdy Language Majors Facebook page is a real winner.

I hope many of my students will consider applying for membership in this group. As for Rob Plummer’s Daily Dose of Greek, it’s a solid resource to keep you in your Greek for years to come.

When I started running three years ago, my goal was to be able to run a mile without stopping. At the time, that seemed like an unattainable distance. The first time I achieved that goal — it was in Hawaii where I had gone to surf — I couldn’t wait to text my kids and let them know. I wanted them to celebrate with me, not just because I had finally covered that distance, but because I had overcome my self-imposed limitations. Greek student, don’t underestimate your ability to do sound biblical exegesis based on the original languages of the Bible. If you persist in making progress, sooner or later the unthinkable happens. In time, reading a passage of your Greek New Testament that you once thought was way beyond your ability becomes routine. At that point, you’ll begin to set new goals for yourself. What that next step is, you will have to choose, not me. And the greatest joy comes in being enough of a student to make that choice wisely.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dave

Monday, June 18   

6:12 AM Greetings, fellow athletes, and welcome to another episode of:

COUNTDOWN TO MCM!

I can’t believe it’s only 4 months to the Marine Corps Marathon. And frankly, I don’t really know why I’m so excited about this event. Maybe because it will be in DC and I’ll get to see all of the monuments up close and personal. Maybe because this will be the first “major” marathon I’ve done. Maybe I’m going crazy. Honestly, when I ran my first marathon in Cincinnati 13 months ago, I had no plans to run another one. And here I am running my 10th! Surely my motivation would have tanked by now, you’d think. The “inspiration muscle” is always the hardest one to use. Most of us who say we need motivation to get into shape are just dreaming. Dreams are very illusive things. A dream without regular action will get you nowhere fast. So let’s talk about motivation for a second. Here are some reasons that come to my mind this morning of why I think I’ve been able to stay motivated for so long. I’m listing them here for my sake more than yours!

• When I run, my right brain is engaged. My mind is re-energized and the creative juices are really flowing. Which is one reason I can’t wait to blog after a race.

• When I run, my spirit is engaged. I am free to soar and dream even bigger dreams.

• When I run, my body is engaged. My stress levels are reduced, and my attitude is better after every run.

• When I run, I become a “complete” person. Mind, body, and spirit are all engaged, together. You’re learning about connections you thought were never there. Indeed, verses like Rom. 12:1 begin to make better sense to you (“present your bodies as a living sacrifice unto God”).

• When I run, I feel myself being drawn closer and closer to my Creator and Savior. I’m always conscious of His presence, realizing that He is the One who gives me strength.

• Finally, when I run, natural chemicals called endorphins relax me and help my body to cope with all of its aches and pains.

It’s really no more complicated than that. To stay motivated, you simply have to have good reasons to do what you’re doing. When I took Greek, I fell in love with the language. Yes, it was challenging. After all, it was my very first foreign language. But when Greek clicked, everything else seemed to click along with it. I found my “niche” in life, so to speak. And, 42 years later, I am enjoying the classroom as much today as I did when I first entered it.

Today, I am an adult-onset athlete. I believe that having an active lifestyle is the only responsible course of action for a 66-year old who takes Rom. 12:1 seriously. I owe it to my family to stay in shape for as long as possible. Moreover, I’ve found the running community to be one of the most compassionate, supportive, giving, and understanding communities I’ve ever been involved with. Had I known how rich my life would have been as a runner, I would have put my running shoes on much earlier. Staying active is really a matter of faith. It’s part of our stewardship responsibility before our Creator. The people you see running 5Ks on the weekend aren’t any more talented or gifted than you are. They haven’t suddenly discovered the secret to happiness. They aren’t any different from you and me. They’re just normal, everyday people who’ve discovered that running is a whole-being activity. It nourishes your mind, your body, and your spirit. Anyone can be more active!

When you stand at the starting line of a marathon, your goal that day is to complete 26.2 miles. The difference between success and failure is as simple as taking the next step. I imagine that’s how all of life is. “Wherever you are, be all there, and live to the hilt what you consider to be the will of God for your life” (Jim Elliott). Jim Elliott did just that, and entered heaven “through gates of splendor.” The truth is, every step in life is important. Every step takes us a little bit closer to who we want to become. Every step reveals some new God-given potential. My hope and dream is that you will find your “niche” in life and then pursue it with all the gusto you can.

Thanks for reading.

Dave

Sunday, June 17   

8:55 AM Good morning, guys, and Happy Father’s Day to all of you dads out there. This morning I thought I’d continue blogging about the book of Hebrews, which is my favorite New Testament writing outside of the Gospels. This morning I’m meditating on the opening verses of the book. I used to spend a lot of time in the prologue of Hebrews when I was writing my journal article on the subject. What moved me greatly was to see the absolute beauty of the passage. At the time, I profited eminently from the work of Johannes Louw on discourse analysis, and so I called my essay “Hebrews 1:1-4: A Study in Discourse Analysis,” which appeared in the Westminster Theological Journal and can be accessed, free of charge,here. My study of this text was invaluable. It set a trajectory for me in my subsequent studies in Greek discourse analysis. In this opening paragraph of Hebrews, the exalted Christ is found, front and center. And the Greek of this text? It’s perhaps the most exalted Greek in the entire New Testament, which is what you’d expect when the theme of the book is “Christianity Is Christ.” I often tell my students to look for issues of style in a New Testament book every bit as much as matters of theology. The way something is said can enhance its effectiveness. Today I simply want to note the opening two adverbs of the letter. Here the author uses a figure of speech called alliteration in introducing how God spoke in the Old Testament — “in many parts and in many ways” (Greek: polumeros kai polutropos). Note the initial “p” sound. This was designed to make the audience attentive and receptive to the speaker’s message. God, he says, spoke in many parts and in many ways through His spokesmen the prophets. Here the words polumeros and polutropos have to do with the varied and manifold nature of Old Testament revelation. It helps, then, when studying the Old Testament, that we at least try and understand how all of these parts fit together. Likewise — and here’s the main point I’m trying to make this morning (cf. Heb. 8:1!), I believe we can apply these same two adverbs to the letter to the Hebrews. Has not our author (1) used a great variety of parts in order to communicate a single message, and (2) used any number of rhetorical devices (alliteration, assonance, anaphora, asyndeton, metonymy, hyperbole, etc.) in order to increase the impact and appeal of his message, the “hitting” and the “drawing” of his letter on his audience? What this means, at least to me, is that if we are to understand the book of Hebrews aright, we have to begin by understanding at least two things:

Itsdiscourse structure (that is, how all the parts fit the whole), and

Itsliterary devices (that is, how the message is enhanced by the style of the writing).

What an achievement if we could even begin to understand these two components of meaning! For this reason, I’d like to call your attention to two essays of mine that might help us do just that. They are both accessible online, free of charge:

“The Problem of the Literary Structure of Hebrews” availablehere, and

“Literary Artistry in the Epistle to the Hebrews,” foundhere.

At one time, as you can see, Hebrews occupied a good deal of my study time. I do hope you will not find these essays to be “scholarship for the sake of scholarship.” I well recall in the 1980s having to come to grips with a serious academic issue. Would I write for the academy, or would I try to ensure that what I wrote (both my essays and books) would be of some use to the church at large? I have suffered from that schizophrenia ever since. But ultimately I decided that my writings would, hopefully, be useful to more than scholars. Hence my essays and books have tended to be, not less scholarly necessarily (at least I hope not!), but more geared for a broader reading audience. I’ve never had occasion to regret that decision.

Please read these essays if you can. I’m a little embarrassed to call attention to my own essays. Writing is, in fact, at best a supplement to what I do in the classroom. But since most of you can’t attend class with me, I suppose the next best thing is to put my thoughts into words. God has called me to write, and I have tried to obey that calling, but others will have to decide how effective I’ve been.

Below: Heb. 1:1-7 in p46.

Saturday, June 16   

8:45 PM We were able to get up two trailer loads of hay tonight.

We worked until dark, per usual. What a gorgeous evening.

It was so much fun working with my son on this Father’s Day weekend.

As if that wasn’t blessing enough, I just found out today that one of my former doctoral students editedthis book.

Mel, what an honor. I am so humbled and grateful, not to mention surprised! Thank you for your kindness to me. And to all of my fellow New Testament scholars: You will never know just how you, your friendship, and your prayers have meant to me at the time of my own greatest loss and confusion. I am so humbled to belong to the guild of New Testament academics. Thank you all so very much.

Time to wash clothes and cook supper. Pork stir fry over rice. Ono-licious!

2:18 PM Hey guys. I thought I’d update you again on my marathon training. Today my goal was to work out for 45 minutes at the Y, run for 5 miles at the Tobacco Heritage Trail in South Boston, and then swim laps at the public pool. Mission accomplished! — all except for the swimming. By the time I got to the pool it was way too crowded for lap swimming, so I just grabbed one of the lawn chairs and read for an hour or so. Here’s a video of today’s workout. Thanks for sharing my journey to the Marine Corps Marathon with me. I’m still feeling super motivated!

 

7:25 AM I spent the early morning hours on the front porch sipping coffee and reading Hebrews. Paul made this statement in 2 Tim. 3:16:

“All Scripture is God-breathed.”

This verse drives everything I do as a Greek teacher. The Bible is the word of God — every word, everywhere. Theologians call this “verbal-plenary inspiration.” But not only are the words inspired by God. Inspiration includes the words, but it also involves tense, voice, mood, person, number, gender, case, source, word order, phrase order, clause order, discourse structure, rhetorical devices, and the list goes on and on. Exegesis is not something to tackle on our own. The same Spirit who inspired God’s word has to illuminate its truths to our minds and hearts. At stake is a matter of life and death. There’s zero chance of doing exegesis if you think you can do the job alone. But every chance in the world if you trust God to do it. He’ll go with you, helping you study, teaching you what the text is saying, and showing you how you can apply its truth to your life. And, if you think the Bible is something else, look at Jesus. God’s essence was funneled into the plain package of a human being. Through the incarnation Jesus proved to us that God can indeed be known. Today, my friend, harness the heavens. God’s word is there to light our lives for all of eternity.

Friday, June 15   

9:30 PM Hey folks. Just a barebones photo update:

1) Had a wonderful lunch yesterday at a local Chinese restaurant with several of my Greek students. They were a happy bunch.

2) My able assistant taught today’s class on pronouns. As always, Noah did a superb job.

3) I’m enjoying this book.

4) Our secretaries surprised me today with a birthday card and donuts for our entire quad. Thank you, ladies!

But that wasn’t the only surprise ….

5) This came today from one of my daughters.

A healthy fruit basket! Just what the doctor ordered for someone in training.

6) By the grace of God, during the past 30 days I’ve managed to put 170 miles on my Map My Run app.

7) Yesterday I thought I’d do some biking. A marathon on wheels, if you will. 

8) Here’s a time-lapse video of my ride.

 

I’m not a very gifted athlete. That’s an understatement! But I’m tenacious and stubborn. Sometimes when out alone on the bike path I feel Becky with me. I imagine us breathing in the fresh air together and planning our next mission trip. In those moments, I feel her spirit beside me. As with athletics, so with life. And no more than athletics is life a game for rookies. It’s the supreme aging game. I hope I can do a better job of it in the days and weeks ahead.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Have a great weekend.

Dave

Wednesday, June 13   

6:20 PM Hey guys. Dave here with another update. I’m back on the farm doing chores and checking up on the animals. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s Greek class. We’ll be reviewing chapters 17-21 in my textbook and then I’m sending the class home with their second take-home exam of the semester. I’m super excited to see how well they do with the participle and the infinitive. Grammar is never boring to me! Meanwhile, I was sent the final page proofs to Becky’s book My Life Story in Chinese, and after one more pass-through, the book will go to the printer.

I still can’t believe that her autobiography will now be available in the world’s three most-widely spoken languages (English, Spanish, and Mandarin). God is good!

Finally, I’m on target to accomplish all of my marathon training goals for the week. Before this weekend’s long run I only have a 26.2 mile bike ride left, which I hope to do tomorrow. For me, the best part about being outdoors is fellowshipping with the Creator. My running/walking/biking brings me closer to Him. Over and over again I can hear Him saying, “My grace is enough for you, Dave” (2 Cor. 12:9). At the end of the day, I know that He will be with me through thick and thin, enabling me to keep on taking one step after the other. I feel like my breakthrough moment in life came when I realized that anything we do as Jesus-followers has the potential of glorifying God, even if it’s washing dishes or running a road race. (I do both of these activities quite frequently.) God helps me physically every day that I get out of bed, whether it’s to do farm chores or teach my classes. I am about to say something that might sound revolutionary but I believe it’s absolutely true: running is a “ministry” of mine every bit as much as teaching is. The truth is that, as Christians, we find our greatest pleasure when we are doing what God created us to be and do without ever comparing ourselves to anyone else. In Greek, the verbs “serve,” minister,” and “worship” are closely related. My goal in life is to serve and worship God in everything I do. This means, for one thing, that I no longer separate the “sacred” from the “secular” parts of my life. Being a Christian is not about dying to our natural gifts or God-given desires and joys. It’s about living life, the life He’s given us, to the max.

Every day, through my running, God is teaching me more and more about who I am in Him. It’s not about running fast or about running slow. I run not because I want to but because I have to. I teach for the same reason. Yes, teaching is my “job,” my “vocation,” but it’s oh so much more than that. I know of no other way to live than to teach. Likewise, I know of no other way to exist apart from being active, as long as God allows me to be active. Being a runner is so much like being a Christian. You begin at the starting line and then each step takes you closer to the finish line. There is always a goal in your relentless forward progress. Not only do you want to see what you’re capable of accomplishing in life, in your heart of hearts you want to see how God works through your life to bless others. But here’s the clincher: At some point in your race, pain becomes your companion. It becomes part of the journey. Sometimes the pain is relatively minor, and at other times it is practically unbearable. But pain always comes to us eventually. Fortunately, Christianity teaches us how to suffer. Running in the midst of pain is a crash course in perseverance and gratitude. In those moments when you are struggling, when your limits are being tested, you sense that the Lord is with you in a special way. Heaven seems to come down and touch the earth.

C. S. Lewis once put it this way: “If one could run without getting tired, I don’t think that one would often want to do anything else.” I love road races, not only because of the fantastic comradery, but because they remind us that we, yes WE, can do this, that we are capable of so much more than we know. It probably goes without saying, but when Becky died my life changed forever. I realized I faced a choice: I could let her death ruin me, or I could, as much as possible, learn to grow from the experience. My friend, just showing up at the starting line proves that you “dared greatly.” If you make a few mistakes, learn from then and then get right back on track. Life is not supposed to be easy! You just keep plugging along. In my running life, I try not to live with regrets. “I should have done this or that.” Nope. Learn from your mistakes, Dave, but don’t dwell on the past. Life vacillates between peaks and valleys. Get used to it. The one constant is the Lord. Every day, God is teaching me more about who I am and who He wants me to be. It’s awesome to know that while stretching or running or cooking or teaching or cleaning the house He’s right there with me. He created me this way. He created me to celebrate the disciplined, physically hard-working lifestyle. I am meant to be fully alive, fully alive in Christ. I am adamant, therefore, that being a Christian doesn’t mean a joyless existence. “When I run I feel His pleasure,” said Eric Liddle in the movie Chariots of Fire. What are you doing to feel His pleasure, my friend? Our primary role is to find God’s will for our lives and then pursue it with all we have. And this “divining” God’s will for our lives is not exclusive to one denomination, gender, ethnicity, etc. Each of us can know God if we truly seek Him. After all, He’s the one who both designed the race course and finished it (Heb. 12:2). Our only job is to look to Him, “the Author and Perfecter of our faith.” 

I’ll be back, Lord willing, with another update on Friday. I hope that you enjoy your “race” this day!

Dave

Monday, June 11   

6:12 AM Lessons about running (and maybe about studying Greek) from my run yesterday:

1) Never, ever try to predict the future. Stay in the moment. Focus on how you are running now, not how many more miles you still have to go.

2) Expect the race to get harder the longer you go. Before you reach the finish line you’ll have to dig deeper, maybe deeper than you’ve ever dug before.

3) Do not listen to yourself when your mind tells you it’s time to quit. You’re stronger than you think you are. Unless you are injured (or have started hallucinating), you will find another level of strength to persevere.

4) Be willing to embrace hardship and suffering. It is possible to suffer and not give up.

5) Imagine how incredibly amazing it will be when you finish.

Only 2 weeks left in baby Greek. It’s not always smooth sailing for sure. But don’t give up. The good things in life aren’t supposed to be easy.

Sunday, June 10   

9:06 PM Today I tried to get in a 10-mile run in Farmville on a hot and humid day. Here’s a GoPro video in case you’re interested in my run.

 

Thanks, and God bless.

Dave

Saturday, June 9   

4:55 PM Hey folks! What a busy day it’s been. I had to get gas, go to two banks, visit the post office, work out at the Y, visit my favorite breakfast joint, and get to the pool. Plus pick up hay. We just finished (early) and so I’m going to upload a few pix and then chillax. Thanks for stopping by!

1) The local Amish run this place. The food is scrumptious. I had two delicious and fattening glazed donuts along with my coffee.

2) Then I picked up some treats for the donks and goats.

3) While at Tractor Supply, the Humane Society was trying to give away kittens. I made a donation but didn’t take a cat home with me. They sure were adorable though.

4) My 45-minute workout at the gym today focused on upper body strength. For a Saturday, the Y seemed unusually empty.

5) Not sure who Bubba is, but I like his sign.

6) I arrived at the pool just when it opened so that I could get some lap swimming in before the crowds arrived. Yes, I’m actually thinking about doing another triathlon this year.

7) Did I mention we baled today?

8) I’ll leave you with this wonderful church sign I saw in South Boston. I think they left out the word “When,” but the message still comes through loud and clear.

“On Christ, the solid rock, I stand ….”

Friday, June 8   

9:32 PM I turn 66 tomorrow, but you know, that’s merely a number. In this respect, I am the person I was 30 or 40 years ago. I am the me I have always been. “Have I matured?” is the real question. I suppose so, in maybe a few ways. I no longer need a lot of friends. Only a few trusted people. These I call my “Garden Friends” (an allusion to the Garden of Gethsemane). I find myself craving the company of the broken. I can’t seem to get too excited any more about MMMs (massive mega ministries). I tend to meet God nowadays in the small places of life: a hiking trail, a fellowship group, a quiet beach, a hay field. I’ve learned to thrive in the darkness. I seek to be fully human, as Jesus was fully human — the perfect example of how we are to move through life. One thing I’ve come to accept is that the Holy Spirit cannot be controlled. He moves, and we move. I used to think this meant that some stayed while others went (to the mission field). I’m not so sure that’s the correct way to view missions. I have learned to find a mission field wherever I am. I see leaders as empowering the rest of us to be who we are, Christ’s witnesses to the kingdom of God (“Godworld”). I have been many Daves throughout the years. With each phase of life, I’ve done my best to figure out what I should be doing, not always successfully. Instead of fearing the inevitable changes that come with aging, I’ve decided I would (mostly) accept them, make the most of them, but certainly not fear them. Today I cling more to the Bible than I ever did in the past. Jesus came to this earth to show us what God looks like. The Gospels don’t need my books to be understood. Jesus interprets the Gospels. I have learned to challenge my own assumptions in all things. I am free to walk away from preconceived conclusions, free to push into the hard questions. I still have answers for my students, but some of them are not the same answers I had 20 or 30 years ago. My opinions don’t matter so much to me anymore. I would rather equip my students with tools that will empower and equip them to study the Bible on their own. These days most of my metaphors about Christian living come from running. Aging is like a game, and to play the game well we have to become aware of the unused capabilities resident in our bodies and minds. My health, thanks be to God, has never been better. My life is so changed by running that I am restless if I don’t have a chance to get outside and exercise. You don’t have to be old to be out of shape or bored. “It does not do,” said the philosopher Bertrand Russell, “to live in memories, in regrets for the good old days, or in sadness about friends who are dead.” Young or old, we must always be looking ahead to the prize that lies before us. I hope we can all become a bit more relaxed about the future. I hope we can grow and change and push back against lies and become a change agent for the kingdom.

Yes, I am turning 66, but I’m not too old to learn new tricks. Above all, I can grow old, as can you, without living out my years in joyless existence. Sure, people will look at you as an oddity, but we are all capable of staying young (in heart at least), spiritually lithe and supple, remembering that for every disadvantage to growing older there is an advantage. I sometimes long for the past, but I would never want to relive it. There is something exhilarating about another birthday, something wondrous about flinging yourself on the mercy of God, anxious though you may be. We are never alone. We have constant company for the journey. God doesn’t shift or change over a lifetime. He never has a birthday. So bring it on, Birthday Genie. Clinging to Jesus, my Hope, I’m ready to tumble headlong into the future.

6:22 AM I read very little fiction, but when I saw that Hal Higdon — yes, that Hal Higdon — had written a novel about a big city marathon, I just had to get a copy.

I started reading it last night. The book covers the 72 hours preceding the race and then the marathon itself. But like I said, I usually stick with non-fiction. There’s enough interesting stories that really did happen that I don’t feel a strong need to read about stories that never happened in real life. Different brains think differently I guess.

Back to school ….

Thursday, June 7   

9:39 PM We just finished picking up hay.

We worked long after the sun set.

I enjoyed the work except for the mosquitoes, who are out in full force these days. We would have gotten more hay baled tonight but a part on the baler broke and that delayed us for about an hour. We’ll finish up this field tomorrow and Saturday, Lord willing.

Off to put my rice on. Stuck in a rut much, Dave?

2:20 PM Hey guys, and welcome back. I’m back home trying to get caught up on my farm work (“trying” being the operative word here). What a week! Sometimes I think things can’t get any weirder, and then they do. Here’s my list. I bet you have your own.

1) Just agreed to do 10 book reviews this summer. 10! I think I’m having commitment issues again.

2) The frames to my reading glasses broke. Just fell apart. A replacement is on order, but I look awfully strange/nerdy wearing the remains.

3) I tried to find a pool for lap swimming in the Wake Forest/North Raleigh area that didn’t cost me an arm and a leg to use. Failed.

4) I had an awesome week of training for my first ultra in October. My goals were to bike 26.2 miles on Monday, run 10 miles on Tuesday, and walk 6 miles yesterday. By God’s grace, I did all three. The best news of all: I have absolutely no leg or feet pain.

5) I’ve taken the week off from reading the news. They call that being “unplugged” I think. Never been happier.

6) I watched an amazing video about the 2018 Boston Marathon (aka the Bout in the Blizzard). It was your typical message: Shut up and get ‘er done, push through your pain, never quit, etc. The best part was that the runner wasn’t trying to be preachy or anything. He was just being honest and real, and let you derive your own inspiration. Which I did.

7) I finally ordered a hand-held water bottle for my training runs in the heat and humidity. I never, ever, thought I would carry a hand-held during a run.

8) This online article was food for thought:One Running Shoe in the Grave. It’s subtitled, “New Studies on Older Endurance Athletes Suggest the Fittest Reap Few Health Benefits.” I’m not sure what to make of it. My philosophy has always been, regular exercise is good for me, and running is actually better than sitting around all day doing nothing. The study argues that running faster than a 7:30 minute/mile pace could make you die quicker. Well, no worries there. I couldn’t run at that pace if a pit bull were chasing me. My advice is: do try and be reasonable. Always check with your doctor first. (I did, and even had a stress test. I was told my heart is good to go.) Rest between workouts. Eat clean. Listen to your body. But hey: Everything we do carries risks with it. You can kill yourself by running. You can kill yourself by not running. But almost everyone in North America is on the “too little” side of the exercise equation. I’ll take exercise over a sedentary lifestyle any day. But one thing I won’t do is obsess over my health. I eat well, train hard, rest all I can, and try to be the healthiest 65 year-old (66 on Saturday) I can be.

9) Pet peeve: People who walk four abreast during a race. This happened several times last weekend during my half marathon in Raleigh. For crying out loud, move to the right. Otherwise, YOU ARE IN THE WAY.

10) Finally, tomorrow we finish week one of Greek 2 (and week four of Greek 1-2). I get more out of teaching than I put into it. To see these students study so hard in the midst of trying to balance school, home, jobs, church, etc. is an amazing blessing. They remind me to be thankful for all I have. I’m grateful for my health, my job, my family, my friends, my farm, and so much more. Instead of worrying about all the things that are heavy on our hearts, why don’t we start each day with gratitude and end it with expressing our thanksgiving to the Giver of all good gifts, eh?

That’s it for now. Time to mow the lawns and then get up hay. Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m not sure why I started this blog way back in the Dark Ages (2003). I guess I felt it would be something fun to do. But ever since Becky died, the blog has become my therapy. So thank you for reading and being my blogging tribe on bright and cloudy days.

Dave

 

Monday, June 4   

6:10 AM Greek 2 starts today. Yay! My students will continue their “marathon” of 26 chapters. Praying for you guys! Do well in the Lord’s strength! See you at the finish line! As for me, I’m seriously training for the Marine Corps Marathon in October as well as for this 50K monster:

I’ve already begun training at the actual site: The High Bridge Trail in Farmville.

I’ll put in a total of hundreds of miles before race day. But a big part of running is drumming up enough courage to start. You can’t force a race. You can’t predict it. But when running becomes a part of who you are, you find a way not to be afraid. This is easier said than done. The greatest temptation in running is to either train too little or train too much. To be successful, you have to find that elusive balance between activity and rest. I often joke with my Greek students when they’re leaving class: “Study hard, but not too hard.” Only we can decide where that balance is in our lives. Greek is important, but so are our families, our jobs, our ministries. Yes, we want to challenge ourselves. Yes, we want to feel the satisfaction of accomplishing our goals. No one is satisfied by doing nothing. But resting (or taking a break from studying) is not doing nothing. And let me tell you: When you find that equilibrium between rest and exhaustion, that is sweet. Thankfully, in every race, as in every Greek class, there is a finish line. And, my friend, with courage and persistence, you can cross it.

Bye for now!

Dave

Sunday, June 3   

6:30 PM Have you seen this new book yet?

Probably not, seeing that I’ve checked out the library’s only copy. “Proto-Mark” is the theory that all three synoptic evangelists used a document similar to, but earlier than, the Gospel of Mark. Hence it’s not a theory of Markan Priority at all, since Matthew and Luke didn’t use Mark’s Gospel as a source. I’m not buying into it, though this book has numerous salutary features, not the least being the author’s rejection of Markan Priority based on “corrections” or “improvements” of Mark by Matthew and Luke. “Markan priorists have made the mistake of regarding these features as signs of Mark’s relative primitivity,” writes the author (p. 93), adding, “Markan priorists have in many cases presented an overly negative view of Mark’s Greek.” And note this: “Markan priorists have often selectively presented only the data that supports their theory” (p. 94).

As Black observed, “from the perspective of Greek discourse analysis, no linguistic basic can be found for assuming that Markan grammar is inferior to that of Matthew or Luke.

I like this book. After all, the author cites two of my publications: “Some Dissenting Notes on R. Stein’s The Synoptic Problem and Markan ‘Errors,'” and “Discourse Analysis, Synoptic Criticism, and Markan Grammar: Some Methodological Considerations.”

Black emphasized the adjective “linguistic” since certain grammatical forms might be valued as superior from a social or literary perspective.

How can I disagree with that? In other words, the question isn’t a linguistic one after all. It’s a socio-linguistic one. Ultimately, people determine “correctness” and “incorrectness” in language, not grammar books. If everyone says “It’s me,” then “It’s me” is correct. Hence arguing that Mark must be earlier than Matthew and Luke on the basis of grammar is like arguing the use of “shall” over “will” or “like” over “as” today. It just don’t work.

Check this book out when you can. I’m returning it tomorrow 🙂

5:10 PM I won’t bore you with all the details, but today I somehow managed to jam my toe on the rocking chair on the front porch. Now I have a purple toe to go with my ugly black toenails.

Lovely. Oh well. Adjust and move on. As if to counterbalance my little klutzy encounter with a rocking chair, the Lord allowed me to hear a wonderful message this morning. I define “wonderful” as a message that is simple without being simplistic. As Haddon Robinson put it in his classic book Biblical Preaching, “Be clear! Be clear! Be clear!” And this was one doozy of a clear message. The passage? One of my faves: Eph. 5:15-21. I was so caught up in the message that I took two pages of notes.

The speaker did what so few speakers seem to be able to do nowadays: State biblical truths in ways that aren’t trite and platitudinal (I just made that word up, and I’m already feeling proud of it). First, he taught the passage in context. Second, his outline was faithful to the text. (I tell my students that the best sermon outlines are those that are derived directly from the passage you’re teaching. I know, a novel idea.) The rhetorical exigence behind his message was: How can we live a life of wisdom in the midst of our foolish and godless culture? Three thoughts came charging into our consciousness as he spoke:

1) We need to utilize our God-given time for kingdom purposes.

2) We need to understand our God-given purpose in life.

3) And we need to submit our lives to the conforming work of the Spirit.

And just what does a Spirit-filled life look like? It’s when we :

1) Edify one another.

2) Give God praise for all of His work in our lives, i.e., for the good as well as for the not-so-good.

3) Possess a heart of thanksgiving.

4) And practice Christlike humility.

As I said: simple without being simplistic. No, the speaker never used the words “present active imperative” or “series of modal participles.” But my oh my, he told it exactly like it is. I know because I had my Greek text open in front of me.

The Bible is God’s Word. It’s His final word on how to experience a rich, full life. It guides us through the maze of life. And when it is taught as well as it was this morning, well, you almost die of a heart attack, you are so refreshed and challenged. Of course, if the Bible is God’s Word, we have to do more than read and teach it. We must let its truths permeate our lives to the point that we act on it. Like being thankful even when you bruise your toe, knowing full well that you could have broken it. Being a “doer of the Word” (James 1:22) isn’t just an idle suggestion. It’s God’s plan for a truly inspiring way of life.

6:12 AM Good morning everyone. There’s really no purpose for this blog post except that I like to write. Sheba and I were on the front porch this morning at 5:00 to watch the sunrise, which I’m sure happened though we didn’t see the sun.

Today’s another rainy day here in Southside Virginia, but we need the rain, so no one is complaining. I keep thinking to myself, “Dave, someday about all you will be able to do is sit on the front porch.” But that day is not yet. I feel like I still have so much to do, and that includes the book I’m writing about the kingdom, or “should” be writing (I say “should” because I’m unpredictable at best). Right now, however, my mind is still on yesterday’s race, which, of course, I lost. I know I lost because some guy named Brian Flynn won it with a time of 1:14:07. He also finished 700 places in front of me. I was a bit disappointed to find out that I came in 701st out of 879 runners. I was even more disappointed to discover that I came in 6th out of 6 in my age group. The winner in this category beat me by a “mere” 37 minutes. (That was sarcasm.) What’s my point here? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s just to remind myself that a guy my age can still complete a half marathon. If 700 people were faster than me, 178 people were slower. Trust me, I’m not bragging. I just want you to find inspiration from my running stories. There were 11 of us men over 65 who ran in the half marathon yesterday. Only 11. Whatever the reason, the old-timers are still out there, giving it their all. I suppose that’s the other reason I’m talking about this.Do your best, and you can go through life with your head held high. Every semester I give out tons of A plusses. But I also give out Bs and an occasional C or even D. I tell my students, if you think you have to get an A in this class to please your professor, you’re in the wrong class. In college I got Bs in several classes, especially if they had anything to do with philosophy, math, or logic. I stink at those subjects. But I tried as hard as I could. I am incredibly blessed to have finished a masters degree, not to speak of a doctorate. It’s not like I studied or anything in high school. (You wouldn’t either if you lived in Kailua.) Deciding to become a real student (i.e., somebody who actually studies) was the first step toward me becoming a teacher. I had completely run out of excuses not to study. Likewise, a couple of years ago, I decided to take up the sport of running. Without perhaps being fully aware of it at the time, I realize now that Becky’s passing was a reminder of my own mortality and made me a little more health conscious. There are, of course, many reasons for running. For elite runners, it’s their bread and butter. For me, it’s a hobby. They’ll do their thing and I’ll do mine, much, much slower of course. Either way, running is a great sport. Today, there are well over 100 marathons in the U.S. alone. I’ll pass on most of them, but before I end up permanently affixed to my front porch, I’d still like to do some of the majors, including Chicago, New York, and Honolulu. These are known as World Marathon Majors, but to me they’re just races that have oodles of runners in them, and I like running in crowds. By the way, the average finishing time for a marathon is about 4 hours and 22 minutes. I’m happy if I come in under 6 hours. “No one ever drowned in sweat,” wrote legendary football coach Lou Holtz. It’s obvious that Mr. Holtz never met me.

So take courage, my friend. “The glory of God,” wrote Irenaeus (an early church father), “is man fully functioning.” That’s true whether you’re trying your hardest to get a good grade in Greek or just trying to finish a road race. For now, I simply rejoice at being healthy and of (relatively) sane mind. All of that will change one day, of course, but even then I suppose that one can still find the peace that passeth all understanding.

Saturday, June 2   

5:16 PM Hey guys, and welcome back to my blog. It’s been a busy week and I’m feeling super tired but also super motivated. Greek 1 ended yesterday. Yay! You guys did it! Just think: you’re halfway there! I can’t wait for Greek 2 to begin on Monday. It was a great three weeks. I felt like the Lord worked overtime to help us. We mastered most of the indicative mood, as well as nouns and adjectives of the first and second declensions. This semester we get to cover the other moods (including those wonderful participles) and the third declension, plus we’ll read Using New Testament Greek in Ministry (my intro to exegesis) and New Testament Textual Criticism (my intro to how to read the bottom half of your Greek New Testament). We’ll also be taking a look at the structure and theme of Philippians (serving others in Jesus’ name) and I plan to show my slides of Ethiopia. Right now my mind is a mishmash of random musings, so let me try and list some additional thoughts for you below as they come to me:

1) As you know, the month of May was a difficult time for me emotionally. I celebrated both Mother’s Day and Becky’s birthday. Now, in June, not only do we have Father’s Day coming up, but the conclusion of my 65th year is staring me in the face. Not that I’m expecting to celebrate my birthday in any gigantic way this year. That was for last year, when I turned 65 and my kids threw a surprise Hawaiian beach party for me at the farm. I’m not going to apologize for my age. It is what it is. And let’s face it – you’re only as old as you feel. Besides, I’m in pretty good company in turning 66: Sting, Mark Hamell, Anjelica Huston, John Kasich, and so on. Still, I’ve been having some déjà vu moments. Wasn’t it just yesterday I graduated from Kailua High School? Wasn’t it just yesterday I went to Biola and met Becky? Wasn’t it just yesterday I began teaching Greek? Or married that beautiful Texan? I’m SO grateful for all of these things and for so much more. Yet I’ll have to admit: I never expected to grow old without Becky by my side. In the blink of an eye, my life was changed unalterably. That said, I have 37 years to celebrate. OH MY GOODNESS, DO I. She was a wonderful woman, so full of life, an incredible mentor to so many, a passionate missionary, and a superb wife. Yes, I know that June is gonna be another tough month but I’ll make it. God’s grace!

2) Hebrews, Hebrews, Hebrews! That’s about all that’s been on mind lately. I hope to have the course syllabus posted next week. If there’s one book in the New Testament that can speak into today’s stormy situation in our churches, it’s the letter to the Hebrews. It has a special message for a day marked by spiritual drift. It addresses believers who are facing unbelief, disobedience, apostasy, and the temptation to be religious without being right with God. There’s a lot of theology here, for sure, but I’m just as impressed with the author’s deep concern and pastoral heart for his readers. Reading the admonitions that comprise a huge part of the letter are a great encouragement to me:

• It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of a living God.

• We must pay more attention, therefore.

• Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, fix your thoughts on Jesus.

• Therefore, let us be careful.

• Let us, therefore, make every effort.

• Therefore let us hold firmly to the faith.

• We want each of you to show the same diligence.

• Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us draw near to God.

• Let us throw off everything that hinders us.

• Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.

The author teaches, but he also exhorts. The message is clear: Keep the faith. Obey the Word. Keep running your race. Come humbly yet boldly to God. Claim your salvation. Hebrews, if it is anything, is a book of pastoral concern. Its message, I think, is sorely needed today, mostly by me. And I get to teach it this fall! Right now I’m pouring over all of these journal articles trying to decide which ones to use in the class. Help!

3) Last week I was able to donate some books to the new theological library at the North Carolina state prison, where the seminary has begun teaching classes.

I’m told Biblical Hebrew is being offered this fall, and maybe Greek next year. Isn’t that amazing?  

4) Added to my summer writing schedule: 3 book reviews for Filologia Neotestamentaria. They are:

• Paul Danove, New Testament Verbs of Communication: A Case Frame and Exegetical Study.

• Heinz Hiestermann, Paul and the Synoptic Jesus Tradition.

• Linda Joelsson, Paul and Death: A Question of Psychological Coping.

Back in the day I used to write dozens of book reviews for publication. I think I’m going to get back into that habit.

5) This week I got caught up with my journal reading. Man do we have a great library!

6) Yesterday I received the final copy of this dissertation.

David’s work will eventually be published in book form. Greek teachers who participated in his survey include Alan Bandy (Oklahoma Baptist University), Ken Berding (Talbot School of Theology), Jeannine Brown (Bethel University), Randall Buth (University of the Holy Land), Con Campbell (TEDS), David Croteau (Columbia International University), David Farnell (The Master’s Seminary), Karen Jobes (Wheaton College), Ben Merkle (SEBTS), Rob Plummer (SBTS), Stan Porter (McMaster Divinity College), Chuck Quarles (SEBTS), Maurice Robinson (SEBTS), Gary Shogren (Seminario ESEPA, Mark Strauss (Bethel University), William Varner (The Master’s Seminary), James Voeltz (Concordia Seminary), Dan Wallace (DTS), and Danny Zacharias (Acadia Divinity School). That’s quite a list of names!

7) A mere two weeks after running the Marine Corps Half I ran another half in Raleigh today. Let’s just take a closer look at this gem of a race:

Yep, the course was mostly flat, except for the much-dreaded Lassiter Hill at the end. That meant one thing: a much-needed break from running up and down hills. I’m bad at hills. I mean, getting-passed-by-hundreds-of-runners bad at hills. I’m just not built for running hills. So I was very relieved to finish today’s course. I think I had a pretty good race. I’m elated with a time of well under 3:00 hours. I trained hard for this race last week: 10 miles on Tuesday, 12 on Wednesday, and 5 on Thursday (I took yesterday off). I did all of my training at the Neuse River Greenway. The Greenway was gorgeous, per usual. This little fellow even stopped by to say hello.

Happy to report that my feet are doing great today, even my black toenails. But it was humid!

I was so glad to be part of the race today. I was glad I was part of a race that pushes us so hard to be better people, to learn how to push through when the storms of life come. I’m so thankful for that day in 2014 when my daughter said to me, “Hey dad, why don’t we do a 5K together?” That was 14 half marathons and 9 marathons ago. These past 3 years hold a lot of happy memories. Running has changed me, for the better I think. I’m thankful I have had this opportunity. Thanks to all of the volunteers out there on the course today. You were the real heroes of the race. And XXXOOO to Becky. But mostly, thanks be to God, who gives me the strength to run. “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.”

Thanks for reading.

Dave

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