restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

Culture of Death: The Roman Precedent

Darrell Dow

The alien who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower… You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 28:43, 62).

Trolling the Web recently, I came across an article by Larry Eastland arguing that abortion is literally killing the Democratic Party.  According to Eastland’s back-of-the-napkin calculations, Democrats have lost 5,848,000 more voters than the Republicans as a result of legalized abortion given that: a) children tend to absorb the values of their parents; b) children tend to have the same political views as their family; and c) Democrats are more likely to slaughter their children in utero than Republicans. 

Aside from the general squeamishness of liberals to deal with any matter that touches on race, Eastland’s analysis helps to explain Democrat support for mass immigration. After all, if you are going to kill off your voters in the womb, political expediency demands that you replace them with a new voting bloc. Hence, the Dems want to import voters, and it should come as no surprise that the onset of the sexual revolution coincided with the demolition of U. S. immigration restrictions. 

The combination of massive immigration from the Third World, one of the less benign consequences of imperialism, and the birth dearth among people’s of European descent is leading to what Pat Buchanan has called the “Death of the West.”  The nation’s of the West have turned from their Christian heritage to worship at the twin altars of multiculturalism and economism, the myth that man is merely an economic animal, and that free markets in and of themselves will produce peace, prosperity and happiness. 

An emerging New World Order is being birthed by an elite that, according to Christopher Lasch, is “international rather than regional, national, or local.”  The perverted ideologies propagated by that elite are turning a once free people into serfs in a global empire, overseen by international bureaucrats and bankers, and entertained and fattened by the unholy trinity of McDonalds, Microsoft, and Wal-Mart.   

How did this come about?  The short answer is that Christianity has lost its grip on our people.  Feminism has liberated women from the “narrow” and “constricting” roles of wife and mother.  Meanwhile, the siren song of the marketplace drowns out God’s command to be fruitful and multiply.  According to Buchanan, in 1950, 88- of women with children under six stayed in the home.  Today, 64- of American women with children under six are in the labor force. 

With their new status in the work world, fewer women marry.  In 1970, just 36- of women ages twenty to twenty-four were unmarried.  By 1995, 68- were in the “never married” category.  Women are not just waiting longer to have children, but are conceiving fewer of them as well.

The Psalmist says that without a vision, the people die.  Christianity provides adherents with a framework that encourages them to consider others and engenders a concern for the future.  If history is the outworking of God’s sovereign prerogatives in time and space, then Christians will be future-oriented rather than present-oriented.  As Christianity has lost influence, that future-looking perspective has been replaced by an idolatrous consumerism and overweening selfishness.

Since the mid-1960’s, cohabitation has risen dramatically, while marriage and fertility rates have dropped precipitously.  With women having children at a rate below the replacement level, policy-makers and business interests have found another source of cheap labor and tax dollars—immigrants.  The flood of newcomers has reshaped our institutions, politics, and culture in ways unimaginable to our parents. 

Santayana said, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.”  Unfortunately, thanks to public education, many of us never learned anything to forget.  Read what Will Durant has to say about the fall of Rome, and see if it sounds familiar.  Durant says that “biological factors” were “fundamental” to Rome’s collapse.  He then goes on to say this:

A serous decline of population appears in the West after Hadrian.  It has been questioned, but the mass importation of barbarians into the Empire…leaves little room for doubt…A law of Septimius Severus speaks of a penuria hominum—a shortage of men.  In Greece, the depopulation had been going on for centuries.  In Alexandria, which had boasted of its numbers, Bishop Dinysius calculated that the population had in his time been halved.  He mourned to “see the human race diminishing and constantly wasting away.”  Only the barbarians and the Orientals were increasing, outside the Empire and within.

Durant adds say that “infanticide flourished” and that “sexual excesses may have reduced human fertility” while the “avoidance or deferment of marriage had a like effect.”  Durant then says:

The population of Italy had long since been mingled with Oriental strains physically inferior, though perhaps mentally superior, to the Roman type.  The rapidly breeding Germans could not understand the classic culture, did not accept it, did not transmit it; the rapidly breeding Orientals were mostly of a mind to destroy that culture; the Romans, possessing it, sacrificed it to the comforts of sterility.  Rome was conquered not by barbarian invasion from without, but by barbarian multipliation within.

With the Roman precedent so clearly in front of us, will we have the wisdom to turn back from the folly of imperialism, to be a republic and not an empire?  Will we restore our Biblical and Constitutional foundations?

Our Christian ancestors living in the ruinous culture of ancient Rome did not sucumb to the culture of death that enveloped their pagan neighbors, and we ought to follow their example.  Durant writes that, “Abortion and infanticide which were decimating pagan society, were forbidden to Christians as the equivalents to murder; in many instances Christians rescued exposed infants, baptized them, and brought  them up with the aid of the community fund.”

Today, it is the post-Christian West that is commiting suicide. As Christians, what can we do to reverse the trend, to win the war and reclaim the culture for Christ?  Simply, we can have children and teach them to love God, and obey His Word (Deut. 6:4-9). 

August 9, 2004

Darrell Dow writes from Jeffersonville, Indiana where he works as a statistician.  A misanthropic Paleoconservative, Darrell is the husband of Kathy, and the father of Joshua and Andrew.  To see pictures of the boys and get a small glimpse into the Dow house, visit the family website.  Darrell also maintains a website and a new blog.  Darrell can be contacted here.

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Patrick Henry Was Right

 David Alan Black 

What does liberty mean in the twenty-first century? Can it be maintained? “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”— do these words have any relevance for a society that has largely forgotten its historical roots?

Consider the plight of the American people. We have become apathetic, even apologetic of our heritage. We have forgotten that the original intent of the Constitution was to place limits on the government’s ability to intrude into people’s lives. We have bought the Devil’s lie that humans can build a utopian heaven on earth through what Bush the Elder called a New World Order.

Perhaps more than any other Founding Father, it was Patrick Henry who tried to warn his compatriots that adopting the U.S. Constitution would eventually lead to a consolidated empire instead of a federated republic, which they had under the Articles of Confederation. If our Founders had foreseen that the Constitution would be used to overthrow liberty and establish despotism, they probably would never have ratified it. The Anti-Federalists like Patrick Henry were distrustful of a central government that was built at the price of liberty. That’s why they insisted on the Bill of Rights—to stay the hand of tyranny for as long as possible.

Henry said,

We are descended from a people whose government was founded on liberty…but now the American spirit assisted by the ropes and chains of consolidation is about to convert this country into a powerful and mighty empire; if you make the citizens of this country agree to become the subjects of one great consolidated empire of America, your government will not have sufficient energy to keep them together; such a government is incompatible with the genius of republicanism.

Years later, Alexander Stevens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America, would say,

The great vital question now is: shall the federal government be arrested in its progress and be brought back to original principles, or shall it be permitted to go on in its present tendencies and rapid strides until it reaches complete consolidation?

More recently James Hall, writing in Etherzone, noted:

The events of September 11, 2001 were tragic, but hardly provide justification to abandon our Constitution or deploy the military to every corner of the globe. The security of the United States is not enhanced by perpetual intervention and permanent war. The Presidency is meant to lead the country, not to transform the nation into an empire….

President Bush has overseen an expansion of the federal government, that no Democratic administration could accomplish. His use of executive orders has only increased the scope and reach of central authority. Resonantly absent are any efforts to enact fundamental conservative policies, or to reverse past policies of liberal administrations. Appointments and procedures all reinforce and expand a dominant role of bureaucratic agencies over local jurisdictions. The defense of liberty has been forsaken and is the ultimate causality of the Bush legacy.

In the end, Patrick Henry and the Anti-Federalists were right: People are far too trusting of government. Henry realized what few of us are willing to admit any longer—that men are basically evil, intrinsically power-hungry, and inherently incapable of being anything but tyrants in their feeble attempts to play God.

September 19, 2005

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

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15 Stupid Things Ron Paul Would Never Do

 David Alan Black  

The more Ron Paul bashing I see in the press, the more I want to curl up in a fetal position and quit reading. “They’re not being malicious,” you say. True, possibly. But when you bear the brunt of falsehoods, it’s hard to maintain your perspective.

Right now, I’m writing several books, one of which has to do with American politics and Christian statism. (Yes, I said Christian statism.) I’ve also been doing a lot of reading, especially books and essays by authors who are stimulating, informed, and growing. By my standards, Ron Paul is one of the best. Talk about credentials, Paul has them. He’s educated, intelligent, and energetic. There’s something exciting that happens whenever he speaks – fresh enthusiasm, meaningful content, a good, relaxing laugh. The French call this “rapport” – the ability to gain the attention of your audience and to create warmth and good will. As a public speaker myself, I appreciate these qualities. I even like Paul’s gestures. They seem to come naturally, from within.

But what I like most about Mr. Constitution is his honesty. For example, he’s honest enough to admit he’s not perfect. He’s admitted as much on air. He insists only that his message is inerrant – the message of liberty, of freedom from needless government constraints, of true republicanism. I’d be shocked (and chagrined) should I ever see him do something ridiculous. In fact, I’ve started a list of stupid things I’m pretty sure Ron Paul would never do. Here are a few:

1. Say that God told him to run for president.

2. Compare the torture at Abu Ghraib to a fraternity hazing.

3. Pander to the Bush/Cheney base (i.e., the quasi-Christian right).

4. Promote “imperialist” Christianity as the U.S.A.’s official state religion.

5. Support a “war on terrorism” that only creates more terrorists.

6. Let Americans forget that the freedom fighters that morphed into al Qaeda started out as creatures of the U.S. government.

7. Stoop to the sanctimonious rhetoric of Ann Coulter, Michael Savage, or Sean Hannity.

8. Utter the words, “I’m the person who gets to decide.”

9. Engage in personal attacks rather than statesmanship.

10. Say, “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.”

11. Keep a carrier task force at sea an extra day for the sake of a photo-op.

12. Sacrifice our constitutional rights under the guise of fighting terror.

13. Lower himself to such puerile prose as, “We don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.”

14. Forget that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

15. Betray the Constitution of the United States.

Of course, I may be wrong. After all, Mr. Paul has got plenty of chances to blow it between now and next November. How many of you think, honestly, that he is completely immune to the pressures of politics? No politician is. All the more reason, in my view, to pray for him.

In short, Ron Paul is human, like you and like me. But Ron Paul is not a buffoon. Which in my book is cause for great rejoicing.

November 4, 2007

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

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December 2004 Blog Archives

Friday, December 31

8:46 AM I’m sitting here reading Acts 2 and thinking about evangelism. Now here’s a missions opportunity that’s just begging for me to participate in. I can already hear them playing “Aloha Oe” on their ukuleles. Or is it “Hawaii Pono I”? (Head slap.) Stop your dithering, Dave, the car shed roof is awaiting you.

8:43 AM Mark over at Gimme Back My Bullets joins the growing “chorus” of voices questioning the need for choirs in our churches. He has a nice summary of arguments. I don’t want to speak for anyone but myself, but I know there’s a grave need for more participation in our services than we currently have. At least our choir still sings the great hymns of the faith and a few of us can actually read music – which is becoming a lost art today. That’s one of the prices we are paying for giving up hymnals and going with an overhead instead. If I had my druthers, I’d like to see the entire congregation bring whatever musical instrument they have and together blend their talents and voices in praise to God. I’ve seen this done, in fact, in home churches. Then again, in Ethiopia there was nary an instrument to be seen anywhere in church but some of the best praise music I have ever heard!

And one more thing: Stop with the cheeseball canned music already!

8:35 AM You should look up ninny in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then read this gushy essay: 

So take heart. As we head into a new year, both the U.S. and the world are growing safer, healthier, and less violent. Most of the world is getting freer.

8:23 AM It’s not my cup of tea, but it might be yours. The One Year Bible Blog, that is. Here’s a companion site.

8:18 AM It’s hard to say what I loved the most about this great article about the short-lived Bush honeymoon. Folks, 3 million votes out of 120 million is hardly a mandate.

Thursday, December 30

5:36 PM Guess who’s been nominated (scroll to the bottom) for the best culture blog of 2004? Let’s see, there’s Carmon Friedrich (great choice!), then there’s Izzy Lyman (another great choice!), then there’s little ol’ DBO. I feel truly honored to be mentioned in such great company. Aakash, you are too much!

4:55 PM SERMON FOR DAVE: Yesterday I complained about being sore. Well, today I am sooooore. We got the basic structure of the car shed built today, which entailed lifting heavy cedar and pine posts into place and nailing them together with spikes (not nails). At the end of the work day I could hardly grip a pencil in my hand. I keep thinking of those pioneer farmers who did everything by hand. At least we have a tractor to help us with our building and farming. So while we can still call the land “the good earth” since God created it, it has been marred by sin, and as a result our labor is hard work permeated with “thorns and thistles” – i.e., tons of obstacles. It will be that way until Jesus comes, so get to use to it, Dave!

OK, sermon’s over for tonight.

4:49 PM I’m not the first person to blog about how animals seem to have a sixth sense, but now the topic has come up with reference to the tragedy in the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lankan wildlife officials have said the giant waves that killed over 24,000 people along the Indian Ocean island’s coast seemingly missed wild beasts, with no dead animals found.

I don’t know what it is, but my Sheltie can tell just by looking in my eyes whether I’m telling him we’re going for a walk or he is to bark or he can lick my ice cream bowl, or any number of other behaviors. And at least one of my horses needs absolutely no aids to get him to walk, trot, or canter. I just think it and it’s done. It now seems that animals can feel subtle vibrations in the earth long before humans can. Amazing!

4:42 PM Pay attention to the “Peroutka 2004” site. It’ll soon change to “God, Family, Republic.” I just hope it keeps the John Lofton stuff.

8:59 AM Rewriting TULIP?

8:57 AM Growing up in Hawaii, we often heard the tsunami warning sirens whenever there was an earthquake in the Aleutians. Everyone had to evacuate to higher ground, causing considerable inconvenience to businesses (especially tourism). This happened on several occasions, but we had learned our lesson from the great April Fool’s tidal wave that practically wiped out Hilo. So you can image that my eyes bugged out when I read this report that Thailand could have been warned about the approaching killer waves:

“The very important factor in making the decision was that it’s high [tourist] season and hotel rooms were nearly 100-per-cent full. If we issued a warning, which would have led to evacuation, [and if nothing happened], what would happen then? Business would be instantaneously affected. It would be beyond the Meteorological Department’s ability to handle. We could go under, if [the tsunami] didn’t come,” said a source who attended the meeting.

Perhaps they assumed that the tsunami would be blocked by Sumatra. I don’t know. But tourism can’t be that important, can it? Meanwhile, watch out for tsunami relief scams.

8:55 AM If you’re reading this little blog of mine, you might be wondering which of my web pages receive the most  hits. (OK, maybe you aren’t wondering about it, but I am.) So, while I’m in a reflective mood, here are the Top Ten hits at DBO in the month of December:

• /blog.htm

• /columns.htm

• /reading.htm

• /marriage.htm

• /you_know_you.htm

• /we_will_live_to_regret_it.htm

• /no_id_for_me.htm

• /about.htm

• /future_of_the_church.htm

• /tv_or_not_tv.htm

8:43 AM I still think the Internet is underused by evangelicals to get the Word out. Especially among the post-literate. By the way, there’s now a term for them:  Generation Text.

8:40 AM Children, the hardest hit.

8:23 AM One of my daily stops is the Dow Blog. His posts are witty, insightful, and hopeful. His latest post on education is fantastic.

8:14 AM Antiquities trading in the Holy Land is, at best, a murky business.

7:45 AM I would never belong to a church that everyone knew as “Pastor So-and-So’s church,” this man usually being the “senior” pastor. The Bible makes it very clear that, while corporate instruction is limited to men (1 Tim, 2:11-12), all elders teach, not just one (1 Tim. 5:17). All elders are to be “apt to teach”( 1 Tim. 3:2). All elders are to be “pastor-teachers” (Eph. 4:11). To paraphrase Phil Lancaster, it is an affront to Jesus Christ and an insult to the other elders in the church for any pastor to assume the title Senior Pastor.

There’s Only One “Senior Pastor” and It’s Not Us!

7:18 AM A Catholic theologian who was rebuked by the Pope for saying that all religions lead to God has died. Question: Why are evangelicals silent about our theologian-in-chief who says that Christians and Muslims pray to the same God? Immediately I’m struck by the RCC’s willingness to confront (certain types of) heresy and our persistent head-in-the-sand approach toward theological heresy of the most egregious kind.

7:16 AM If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I think the world of this Greek professor. Here’s a statement of his that is dynamite:

I find there exactly the same evils that are rampant in the world — centralized education programs, the subservience of the church to the state, contempt for the rights of minorities, standardization of everything, suppression of intellectual adventure….I see more clearly than ever before that unless the gospel is true and there is another world, our souls are in prison. The gospel of Christ is a blessed relief from that sinful state of affairs commonly known as hundred per-cent Americanism.

7:13 AM OK, we don’t do the gift thing at Christmas, but if we did, I’d ask Santa for this book.

Wednesday, December 29

6:15 PM A warm welcome to the blogosphere, David. I look forward to reading your posts. Best wishes to you!

5:55 PM The other day I mentioned that my Arab and Thoroughbred have almost become inseparable. So today I rode both horses – at the same time. Well, not exactly. I saddled up Cody and off we went, Traveler cantering on the starboard side in gleeful abandon. The goats tried to follow but couldn’t keep up. What a blast! What buddies!

5:43 PM Cutter and hauler. My son’s job and mine, respectively. There’s nothing like the smell of freshly cut pine and cedar. We hated to cut down such beautiful trees, but our 1820s-style “carriage house” (aka, carport) needs to be done before the heavy snows arrive next month. Some of the pines we hauled (by hand) topped 25 feet. Tomorrow we dig the post holes and begin construction. Tonight I feel – well, sore.

11:30 AM TSUNAMI UPDATE: Here’s an important FYI from Baptist Press. Tonight I think we’ll take an offering at our prayer meeting.

Southern Baptists and other Christians can help by sending financial gifts for aid through the IMB disaster relief fund. Send gifts designated “Asia Earthquake Disaster Relief” to the International Mission Board, P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, Va., 23230 (to give online, go to the International Mission Board’s website, www.imb.org, and click on “Give Now” in the box highlighting this story). All funds given will go to relief efforts; none will be used for administrative costs.

11:20 AM QOTD:

If there is a religion that should be rejecting blind acceptance of the status quo it is Christianity, [but] Christianity has done a rotten job of sticking to its revolutionary roots and has come in many ways to represent the very things to which Christ stood in opposition. Andy de Lapp

10:50 AM Just got a very kind invitation to teach Intermediate Greek at the Meserete Christos college in Addis Ababa next summer. This is the Mennonite school in whose chapel I spoke last November. I hope I can fit this in. I am already scheduled to teach elementary Greek for six weeks at the Evangelical Theological College there in June and July, after returning from our Reformation Tour to Germany, France, and Switzerland. It’s shaping up to be another busy summer. Isn’t God good?

10:40 AM Yesterday I talked about visiting with my in-laws, who served in Ethiopia with SIM. It’s now my turn, I guess, to receive letters from my (former) students in Ethiopia. May I share one with you?

Dear father Dr. Black:

Last time you gave a wonderful book, “It’s Still Greek to Me.” May God bless you. The week which you spent with us was a wonderful week. God spoke to us in many ways through you and your wife. It is very difficult to get someone who is equipped with both spiritually and knowledge. Glory to God for he has given you this amazing gift. May God be with you.

8:37 AM In the vein of “making spirits bright” this essay should make you truly happy this Christmas season, especially if you thought Michael New was a traitor for not wearing UN Blue. For the full story, go here.

8:28 AM Here’s what you get when baggage handlers call in “sick” on Christmas Day. Not to worry, though. The government has launched an “investigation.”

8:23 AM DRAFT UPDATE: Here’s another good reason to get your kids out of government schools pronto.

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the DOE is required to send home a notice every year that includes several types of disclosures, including that student contact information could be given to military recruiters.

8:20 AM A post-9/11 bump in seminary enrolment?

7:25 AM Justin Raimondo suggests (tongue in cheek) that we should have nuked Iraq, thus saving American lives and limbs, citing this disturbing report recommending the intentional targeting of noncombatants. This is eerie, folks. When we look back at the Iraqi debacle years from now and begin writing the new history books, guys like Raimondo and Pat Buchanan will be chapters in those annals, as they deserve to be. Still, you have to wonder: How many more lives will it take before we declare “victory” and leave? As Raimondo writes:

Remind me again why American soldiers are fighting and dying in Iraq. Is it so they can hand the fruits of their “victory” over to Iran? Did some kid from Kansas get his arm blown away, and lose half his face, so the mullahs of Iraq could establish an Islamic “republic”?

7:18 AM You saw it here first (maybe).

2004 Year-End Google Zeitgeist

7:14 AM I ain’t got it. German schools are horrible, but the German authorities outlaw the only sensible alternative? I still ain’t got it!

7:10 AM The Real Lincoln : A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War by Thomas J. DiLorenzo. Read it if you haven’t already.

7:05 AM The reason the New Testament was written in Greek (and not some other language) is due to one fact: a man named Alexander. But do we really need a dumbed-down “version” of his (love) life? This is ridiculous, people! Stick to history!

7:01 AM Did you know that il Papa is speaking out against watching TV or football games on Sundays? Good for him. As far as I can tell, anyone who champs at the bit during the meeting of the church because he can’t wait to get home to watch his favorite team has his priorities real messed up. Why not simply luxuriate in the Lord on the Day of His Resurrection? That’s what they did in the early church when they had a communal meal and a time of mutual sharing/exhortation. (By the way, don’t you love that term – luxuriate? Shades of Christian hedonism!)

lux·u·ri·ate    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (lg-zhr–t, lk-shr-)
intr.v. lux·u·ri·at·ed, lux·u·ri·at·ing, lux·u·ri·ates

1. To take luxurious pleasure; indulge oneself.
2. To proliferate.
3. To grow profusely; thrive.

---

[Latin luxurire, luxurit-, to be luxuriant, from luxuria, luxury. See luxury.]

Tuesday, December 28

1:14 PM This goes out to everyone thinking about making New Year’s resolutions. Yes, it’s very convicting. I think it’s safe to call Jonathan Edwards a great Christian! Read 70 Effective Resolutions.

12:45 PM Let us remember that all authority has been given to Christ. Jesus said so Himself (Matt. 28:18). Leaders, therefore, are not “over” the church in authority. Be careful of faulty translations that might imply otherwise. One is Acts 20:28: “…over whom the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.” This mistranslates the Greek preposition en as “over.” The text actually reads “among whom….” Another example is Hebrews 13:17. Are leaders to “rule” and are we to “obey”? In the Greek there is no idea whatsoever of authority/power on the one hand, or blind, slavish obedience on the other. “Rule” means “stand before” or “lead,” while “obey” is in the passive voice and means “allow yourselves to be persuaded by.” The point is clear:

Jesus Christ alone is the one Head of the Church.

If this is so, shouldn’t our church structures reflect that fact?

Monday, December 27

2:30 PM For anyone looking for an intelligible explanation for the terrible tragedy that occurred in the Indian Ocean, I highly recommend you spend some time reading the wisdom of a great Baptist preacher of yesteryear, Charles Haddon Spurgeon:

“The desire to know the times and the seasons is a craze with many poor bodies whose insanity runs in that particular groove. Every occurrence is a ‘sign of the times’: a sign, I may add, which they do not understand.

An earthquake is a special favourite with them. ‘Now,’ they cry, ‘the Lord is coming’; as if there had not been earthquakes of the sort we have heard of lately hundreds of times since our Lord went up into heaven. When the prophetic earthquakes occur in divers places, we shall know of it without the warnings of these brethren.

What a number of persons have been infatuated by the number of the beast, and have been ready to leap for joy because they have found the number 666 in some great one’s name. Why, everybody’s name will yield that number if you treat it judiciously, and use the numerals of Greece, Rome, Egypt, China, or Timbuctoo.

I feel weary with the silly way in which some people make toys out of Scripture, and play with texts as with a pack of cards. Whenever you meet with a man who sets up to be a prophet, keep out of his way in the future; and when you hear of signs and wonders, turn to your Lord, and in patience possess your souls. ‘The just shall live by faith.’ There is no other way of living among wild enthusiasts.”

10:18 AM I want to extend a warm welcome to new visitors to DBO from catholictradition.blogspot.com, wildernessvoices.org, and draughthorsepress.com. Thanks also to the editors of the sites for posting links to our site or referring to our essays!

10:14 AM Jim Rudd, who does a fantastic job at Covenant News, just sent me this email:

Hi Dave,

On your blog today you ask: “why do most evangelicals still not get it?”

I believe the great majority of the Church in America today is manipulated by public relation practitioners using the social sciences through secular news media — TV and print.

Jim

As usual, Jim is right. It is perhaps an understatement to say that the evangelical right is manipulated by the secular press. Statist mags such as World Magazine don’t help much either.

9:10 AM My father-in-law just had an interesting question about the origin of language, and we found this great site with loads of information to help us. Check it out!

8:40 AM Emails like the following one always grab my attention. But I’m just wondering, why do most evangelicals still not get it?

Dear Mr. Black,

I enjoyed reading on your website of your intelligently critical approach to
faith and politics, and its current unfortunate “marriage”.

In history I find sometimes that the rule “watch what you wish for” seems to apply. One grotesque example was the pervasive anti-semitism of early
20th-century Europe, where many hoped long that someone in power would finally put the Jews in their place. When that hope was eventually answered it had devastating consequences for all.

Evangelicals have for decades worn their knees down to nubbins praying for a true born-again Christian president and a Republican Congress so that God’s will might finally be done on Earth, as though the Creator of All needed to hold American office to accomplish His will. Many Christians uncritically embraced Bush Jr. as the answer to these prayers. The insanity we’ve witnessed these past five years, from presidential vacations as terrorist threats loom large to the awarding of a medal to the most fumbling CIA director of all time, is a result of this uncritical embrace.

It appears that Christians continue to support Bush despite the fact that
many of the issues they’d hoped would be dealt with lie forgotten. I fear
things will become worse in America and the world before the attitude you
demonstrate catches on in the Christian community.

I hope your work prospers and spreads quickly. And I doubt that’s a hope
I’ll regret.

Sincerely
Bill G.

8:34 AM ALEXA A FAD? Ever notice how Alexa ratings used to be a big deal at certain websites? I’ve noted that some of them (such as LRC and Dixie Daily News) have removed their Alexa charts after their ratings began plummeting. It’s all become a big joke, really, as this “bolster-your-Alexa-ratings” site indicates. (Below: LRC’s ratings slump.)

At the same time, some of the best sites on the web have abysmal Alexa ratings. I’d venture to guess most people don’t care anyway, unless they’re advertisers.  

8:23 AM How’s this for a knock-dead graphic? The story I found it in is also an eye-opener. Read Why Did George W. Bush Let Osama bin Laden Escape from Tora Bora? 

8:15 AM Wow. A whole year has gone by. Here are some ideas for your reading wish list:

DBO’s Books of the Year

• Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror by Michael Scheuer
• Where the Right Went Wrong: How Neoconservatives Subverted the Reagan Revolution and Hijacked the Bush Presidency by Patrick J. Buchanan
• Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War on Terror by Richard A. Clarke
• Plan of Attack by Bob Woodward
• The Price of Loyalty: George W. Bush, the White House, and the Education of Paul O’Neill by Ron Suskind
• Running On Empty: How The Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It by Peter G. Peterson
• Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush by John W. Dean
• American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush by Kevin Phillips
• House of Bush, House of Saud: The Secret Relationship Between the World’s Two Most Powerful Dynasties by Craig Unger

Sunday, December 26

1:55 PM TRUE CONFESSIONS: It is interesting to see some of my favorite bloggers leaving the blogosphere. I write online because I love writing, not because I don’t have other things to do, and certainly not because I can’t (or don’t) write anywhere else. I simply have things in my head that have to come out. I try to tell the truth as I see it, but I don’t assume that anyone will agree with what I have to say. After a year of blogging I still feel like I’m trying to find my voice, and I have a constant conversation within me about how to blog and when. For better or for worse, I opt not to remain silent about most topics, but writing down my thoughts is a good way of setting them in concrete. I also try to post interesting links on my site – within minutes of an important news story you can get the word out and even have a comment or two to make about it.

Of course, I need to be very careful about what I write or link – there’s always a slim chance someone out there might read it!

At any rate, happy web-logging to me – and to you, fellow blogsters!

1:14 PM Speaking of Jim Elliott, here’s my favorite quote of his:

Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God. 

12:55 PM This evening we will be with Mama B and Grand-Daddy (my wife’s parents) at an Ethiopian restaurant in Raleigh for some of the best cuisine in the world. Hot and spicy. I can already taste the injera, the Doro Wat, the Kai Wat, the Ethiopian Coffee. I can’t wait for my father-in-law to see the video tape we shot in Ethiopia, including the testimonies from dozens of his former students attesting the impact he and Mrs. Lapsley had in their lives. Jim Elliott, martyred missionary to the Auca Indians, put it in these memorable words:

Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on earth! I care not if I never raise my voice again for Him, if only I may love Him, please Him. Mayhap in mercy He shall give me a host of children that I may lead them through the vast star fields to explore His delicacies whose finger ends set them to burning. But if not, if only I may see Him, touch His garments, and smile into His eyes – ah then, not stars nor children shall matter, only Himself.

God indeed granted mom and dad a “host of children,” and it is now our generation’s turn to do our part. But why am I blithering on this way? You already know how much we love the Ethiopians!

12:39 PM Our little congregation (25 in attendance on any given Sunday morning) has given more than $1,500 this month to missions, including a very generous gift to the church in Burji, Ethiopia. All out of a heart of love. They say good things often come in small packages…. How I love the folk at Averett Baptist Church!

9:15 AM Just got an email correcting my use of “cow” to refer to our male calf Bert. What a strange trip the cyber highway can be.

9:14 AM The way things are going in our nation….

Ordering Pizza In 2008
 

9:10 AM Now here’s a subversive thought.

Let me see if I have this right. Hundreds — if not thousands — more Americans will have to die, thousands more Iraqis will have to die, and we at home will have to cough up hundreds of billions of dollars more out of our pockets because a thoughtless, insensitive President decided to invade a foreign country without having the good sense to personally check the evidence justifying the invasion.

He could have thrown in RatherGate and election politics for good measure.

8:48 AM Not to pound a dead horse, but the question of how many units of biblical languages should be required in our seminaries assumes we answer another question first: Are pastors “preachers” or “teachers”? As I’ve stated my opinion elsewhere (see below), I’ll only add that although mastering the languages is a rough road, it’s the only way to go if we want to be able to teach the Word with credibility and authority.

No More Excuses: Pastors Must Get Serious About Teaching Their Flocks

Let Pastors Teach!

8:45 AM The Baptist Board is currently pondering this question: How much Greek and Hebrew should be required in seminary? Perhaps the best comment comes from PreachinJesus:

Without the understanding and ability to competently work in the original langauges our pulpits will languish in doctrinal malaise and find it hard to produce competent, meaningful exposition based on an understanding of the text and not some happy-go-lucky topical idea.

All I can say to that is: Amen.

Saturday, December 25

11:39 AM In the latest twist on reality, an artist has rendered Jesus’ face at the age of 12, based on the Shroud of Turin. This discovery may be unprecedented in all of human history. I know these are troubling times, but do we really need this kind of humor to cheer us up?

10:12 AM The new issue of News With Views has a great essay by Paul Proctor on our pseudo-conservative government in Washington. Here’s what we can expect from them:

1. Roe vs. Wade will not be overturned
2. Human cloning and fetal stem cell research will proceed as planned
3. Euthanasia will abound
4. Homosexuality will be exalted, protected and promoted more than ever
5. The government will go right on growing itself at an alarming rate
6. Taxes will rise unabated
7. Debt and deficits will soar to unprecedented levels
8. Congress will vote themselves more and more raises
9. The dollar will decline into nothingness
10. Corruption and waste will increase dramatically
11. Public education will continue teaching theory over truth
12. Prime time TV will become porn time TV and involve younger people
13. Sex will be used to sell more products and services than ever before
14. Freedom and privacy will forever fade into memories
15. Violence, war and occult activity will become the norm and…
16. Those who persist in proclaiming the absolute truth of God’s Word will be ever more harassed, arrested, fined, incarcerated, persecuted, tortured, and/or killed, for their faithfulness.

I think Paul is essentially correct that the emerging New Right in America will have little or no positive impact on the culture.

10:10 AM Well, as much as I want the whole Iraq thing to die down, I simply can’t resist:

One must support the troops, I am told. I certainly support the troops the best way possible: Bring them home, get them out of a war for which the planning was inadequate, the training nonexistent, the goal obscure, and the equipment and especially the armor for their vehicles inferior. They are brave men and women who believe they are fighting to defend their country and have become sitting ducks for fanatics. Those who die are the victims of the big lie. They believe that they are fighting to prevent another terror attack on the United States. They are not the war criminals. The ”Vulcans,” as the Bush foreign policy team calls itself, are the criminals, and they ought to face indictment as war criminals.

I’m sure this discussion will continue for a long time. I promise to pick it up again in future blog posts and essays.

10:05 AM CHRISTMAS PLANS: Get the house ready for my in-laws, who will be visiting us from Dallas. Cut down cedars for the car shed posts (weather permitting). Take puppy for long walk. Feed oats to horses. Sing at Meadowview, the convalescent hospital in town. (Can you believe that most of these folks never have a single visitor on Christmas? But that’s a topic for another time.) Relax and listen to Hodie and Gloria.

9:55 AM Tom Ascol says to forget about trying to keep Christ in Christmas. We need to keep Christ in Christianity. So there you have it.

9:53 AM Robert Webber is the author of The Younger Evangelicals. In it he predicts: “Lots of people are starting neighborhood groups or house churches. The emerging church is being birthed underground. Give it a few years, and it’s going to explode.” There is a great deal of frustration out there with the traditional church. Perhaps the best comment comes from A. W. Tozer: “We must have a new reformation. There must come a violent break with the irresponsible, amusement-mad paganized pseudo-religion which passes today for the faith of Christ and which is being spread all over the world by unspiritual men employing unscriptural methods to achieve their end.” Last year at this time I wondered the same thing about our Christmas celebrations, which tend to squeeze out the centrality of the cross. I’ll have more to say later, but if you want my take on Christ’s Mass, go here.

9:50 AM FARM UPDATE: We finished the smoke house yesterday. Just need to complete the shelving, then we’ll store our reenacting stuff inside. What I’m still trying to figure out is: Why do people let these quaint old structures self-destruct through time and neglect? At any rate, their loss is (often) our gain. Now the question is: Anyone know of an old horse barn someone wants moved? Well, maybe we’ll just do it ourselves and have an old-fashioned barn raising.

Friday, December 24

6:25 PM While we were in Azanou’s village I sketched the portraits of the children we met. It was neat to see the expressions of glee when I presented the kids with their likenesses. I found drawing to be a good ice-breaker wherever we traveled in Ethiopia. The young lady I am sketching here finally sold me one of her baskets – after I had talked the price down about 50-. She kept pleading with me that she needed my ballpoint pen for her school work. Before we left the village, I gave it to her.

2:42 PM When I took the photo of Azanou that appears on today’s front page and in our lead essay, I never imagined this picture would mean so much to us as it does today. My wife is holding a basket she bought for a dear friend of ours (the homeschooling mom of nine children) as well as the “lunch pail” she purchased from Azanou. It is this lunch pail that I will proudly use this coming semester when I take my lunch to work. Azanou himself is holding the lunch pail he gave us as a gift of his love. The boy next to him is holding a flask made from cow’s horn (which we also purchased). You can see how happy these children are despite their living conditions (no electricity, no running water, etc.). I think you can also see how easy it was for us to be touched by Azanou’s condition. I did not mention it, but Azanou is from the one and only Falasha village in Ethiopia, situated near the town of Gonder. The village is comprised mostly of Ethiopian Jews. Though most of them have emigrated to Israel, a handful of mix-blooded Falashas remain in this tiny village on the road to Axum. Our tour guide made special arrangements for us to tour this site, and now we see the hand of God in it. Please pray for us as we seek the Lord’s guidance for Azanou’s corneal transplant operation, and if any of you have had any experiences with this procedure, feel free to share with us your perspective. And thank you so much for your prayers on behalf of Azanou.

12:18 PM Rummy sent back to Iraq. Hmm, do ya think he shook hands with Saddam this time?

12:15 PM MODERN CHURCH MUSIC: OK, who said it?

There are several reasons for opposing it. One, it’s too new. Two, its often worldly, even blasphemous. The new Christian music is not as pleasant as the more established style because there are so many new songs, you can’t learn them all. It also puts too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than on Godly lyrics. This new music creates disturbances, making people act indecently and disorderly. The preceding generation got along without it.

The author was William Romaine, and the year was 1775.

11:23 AM It happened a week ago today. It was four o’clock in the morning when I heard a loud noise coming from the pasture. Our cow “Bert” was being savagely mauled by a hunting dog. I found Bert in the frigid pond, desperately trying to fend off his enemy. His nostrils had been reduced to mush, and he was suffering from hypothermia. Bert was dying. My son and I somehow managed to drag him out of the pond and we covered him with warm blankets. My wife administered Penicillin to ward off pneumonia. That day was freezing cold. Bert gasped for air through his mangled nose.

Today I am grateful to say that Bert is almost back to normal. The Lord healed his nostrils and he is eating normally. We spent hours tending to his needs, but it was God who brought him back to life.

I could not think of a better Christmas present.

11:20 AM Your kids will have a blast with this. I’m talking about the Dialectizer. If you haven’t checked it out you simply must. Its “dialects” include Elmer Fudd:

A popular church sign reads, “Enter to Worship, Depart to Serve.” It is a well-known saying, but it is unscriptural. It might better read, “Enter to Serve, Depart to Worship.”

A popuwaw chuwch sign weads, “Entew to Wowship, Depawt to Sewve.” It is a weww-known saying, but it is unscwiptuwaw. It might bettew wead, “Entew to Sewve, Depawt to Wowship.”

This is weawwy neat!

Thursday, December 23

1:33 PM When studying in Israel I visited the ruins of the Pool of Bethesda but not of this pool. 

1:25 PM AMERICA AS GOD: Bush divinizes America by ascribing to our nation what can only be said about Christ:

“Ours is the cause of human dignity: freedom guided by conscience, and guarded by peace. This ideal of America is the hope of all mankind. That hope drew millions to this harbor. That hope still lights our way. And the light shines in the darkness. And the darkness will not overcome it.”

Remember this the next time you read John 1:1-5.

1:23 PM How’s your handwriting? Find out by entering this contest. (Sorry, no cash prizes.)

10:55 AM In Malaysia, the government wants references to Christ to be removed from carols. They may be on to something here. It wouldn’t hurt us to exercise some discernment when it comes to the words of our most beloved Christmas hymns, as this essay notes.

10:36 AM I often have students ask me where they can earn an accredited European doctorate without having to relocate. The Highland Theological College in Scotland offers just such an accredited Ph.D. program. This looks like an excellent course of study. From their online catalogue:

The degrees of MPhil and PhD are research degrees with no course work involved.  They may be taken either as full-time or part-time degrees. There is no residence requirement for part-time students, although overseas part-time students should anticipate making at least one trip to the UK each year during their studies to meet with their supervisor(s). Prospective students whose first language is not English must have reached 6.5 in the IELTS examination or its equivalent prior to application.  Day to day supervision will be undertaken by an HTC supervisor.

If you are interested in other opportunities, feel free to email me and I will send you some additional links.

10:23 AM Here’s a handy bookstore for you students of one of the neatest languages in the world (other than Hawaiian Pidgin, of course).

10:16 AM The largest volcano in the solar system. And I thought Mauna Kea was big.

Wednesday, December 22

6:50 AM Le mot juste:

This war was a horrible mistake. What American soldier, what innocent Iraqi citizen, will be the last to die for this mistake?

6:49 AM “Bush is the first incumbent president to have an approval rating below 50 percent one month after winning re-election.” A new record – in failure! Not to worry, though. ABCCBSCNNNBCFochsNoose to the rescue!

6:47 AM Looking for that perfect Christmas gift?

Tuesday, December 21

9:15 AM There’s an interesting discussion on Bible translation over at the Baptist Forum and, for what it’s worth, I’ll jump into the discussion for a minute. (I will, of course, leave out of the discussion for the time being the International Standard Version – both because the Old Testament isn’t completed yet and because I served as the New Testament editor and am therefore totally biased.) In my opinion, the major differences between modern English translations is not so much the reading level or style of the English per se as it is the underlying Greek text. As everyone knows, there is a huge debate today between those who prefer the modern critical Greek text and those who back the so-called Majority text (often confused with the Textus Receptus). From my limited study of the science of New Testament textual criticism, it is my conclusion that, in places of textual variation, the best reading is generally found in the Byzantine text type, which is represented by the majority of Greek manuscripts. This is not, however, to say that the Byzantine text type is a perfect or pure text type. All of the major text types have been corrupted to a greater or lesser degree by copyists’ errors. What I have found in doing collations of Matthew’s Gospel, for example, is that the Byzantine text type least often stands alone in places of variation, which, again in my view, attests its good quality. So then, in my opinion I would recommend that Bible readers use a translation that is based on the Majority/Byzantine text type – which means we are talking about the KJV or the NKJV. The Nelson Study Bible, which uses the NKJV, is an excellent resource for those wanting some built-in helps. If you would like to read more about my views on the text of the New Testament and Bible translation, you might want to take a peek at these books:

                                            

Even better, why not take a basic course in New Testament Greek then get yourself a Greek New Testament? With that in mind, Southeastern Seminary will be videotaping my Elementary Greek course this J-Term and Spring semester, and by this coming summer yall will be able to take my course on DVD! 

8:10 AM Who says nothing good can come out of California? Here’s a dandy of an essay by a fellow living in Oakland-by-the-Bay. A classic oxymoron – the Bushism “catastrophic success” – is its subject. Superb!

7:55 AM “The more things change….”

7:38 AM “Most bloggers are women” and other blog factlets you didn’t know.

7:22 AM Bored? Try playing Bible Dingbats.

7:15 AM BAH HUMBUG: Another reason not to observe Christmas.

7:10 AM I see that Jonathan Grubb’s favorite person in American history is a man I also greatly respect. Here’s my lament on his passing.

Monday, December 20

2:10 PM My gardener wife and I are looking for a book by Ruth Stout: Gardening Without Work. It is out of print. Anyone know where I can get a used copy?

1:05 PM Hadn’t thought of this, Charles. Thanks!

Dr. Black, sure agree with your selection of Michael Peroutka as Man of the Year for 2004. Please let your readers know that Adolph Hitler received Time’s Man of the Year in 1938.  So Bush is in some select company.  Here’s two links…

http://history1900s.about.com/library/weekly/aa050400a.htm

http://history1900s.about.com/library/weekly/aa050400a.htm

Charles Porter
 

Don’t I have some awesome readers!

12:32 PM For 27 years I lived in the erstwhile Golden State. California is a symbol of America’s future if we do not stop illegal immigration. It is 40 billion dollars in debt and is being destroyed culturally and economically by illegal immigration. The federal government is not even trying to stop it. With the 160,000 troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan assigned to the defense of the United States of America, we could man the US/Mexico border from the Pacific to the Mexican Gulf with an armed soldier every 75 feet. I think Steve Greenhut is right. It’s time to say Hasta la Vista, America!

10:12 AM Schwarzenegger to GOP: Move left! So what’s new? I’ve commented on this before.

I used to think that the best joke about Arnold Schwarzenegger was David Letterman’s late-night quip. He said the number one Arnold Schwarzenegger Campaign Promise was to “Speak directly to voters in clear, honest, broken English.” I’ve changed my mind, however, since reading the latest flurry of support for Schwarzenegger coming from conservative Republicans, many of whom are evangelical Christians.

9:55 AM Go LadyEagle!

Rumsfeld to personally sign all condolence letters

By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Friday, December 17, 2004

(See Secretary Rumsfeld’s statement at end of story)

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will begin personally signing condolence letters sent to families of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, after receiving criticism over his use of mechanical signatures.

In a statement provided to Stars and Stripes on Thursday, Rumsfeld tacitly admitted that in the past he has not personally signed the letters, but said he was responsible for writing and approving each of the 1,000-plus messages sent to the fallen soldiers’ families.

---

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=26085

It really makes me angry that over 1000 of our young men and women have died and this man (excuse me, jerk) didn’t have enough class to personally sign the condolence letters from the DOD. Disgusting. Just goes to show that being wealthy doesn’t automatically mean you have class. It’s so easy to dehumanize the loss of human life in our military if you aren’t forced to look at the names – there was no excuse for this! None! 

9:50 AM Kinsley muses about blogging. I agree completely with his excellent assessment.

Some of my best friends are bloggers. Still, it’s different when you purposely drop an idea into this bubbling cauldron and watch the reaction. What floored me was not just the volume and speed of the feedback but its seriousness and sophistication. Sure, there were some simpletons and some name-calling nasties echoing rote-learned propaganda. But we get those in letters to the editor. What we don’t get, nearly as much, is smart and sincere intellectual engagement — mostly from people who are not intellectuals by profession — with obscure and tedious, but important, issues.

9:14 AM Despite its infelicities of grammar – or maybe precisely because of them – this is one of the most inspiring emails I have ever received:

Dear brother in Christ.

When I say about unrighteousness and sinful life we are witnessing, and
close our eyes and our mouth. And ignore all cruelty and appreciate all
thing. My answer which I receive  even from Christian is “if you do not like, why you do not go to your country. Then I say what about Jesus Christ teaching. If we claim we are Christian.  Then they say “it is God will”.

But tonight I could not believe what I red what you wrote.
Then I praise the Lord my Jesus Christ our savior for He answer  my cry.
Now ,I know I have a brother in Christ not only he see, Also he stands too. May Lord keep you and your family in His almighty hand and protect you.

In His love,

F. E.

7:50 AM DUMB DECISION OF THE YEAR: The man who said “We are resolved to root out terrorism wherever it exists to save the world from freedom” has been named Time Magazine’s Poster Boy:

“For sticking to his guns (literally and figuratively), for reshaping the rules of politics to fit his ten-gallon-hat leadership style and for persuading a majority of voters this time around that he deserved to be in the White House for another four years, we name George W. Bush as TIME’s Person of the Year for 2004,” writes managing editor Jim Kelly in a letter to readers.

Time mistakes Bush’s resolve for intransigence. Heads of states have to think. In Bush’s regime there is no flexibility, only fear of weakness. Well, what do you expect from a nation that is stupefied by our newspapers and newsmagazines, however “left” or “right” the group-think.

7:45 AM John MacArthur on leadership (and its phony substitutes):

I heard Rick Warren, the other night on Larry King [Live], say that his mentor is Peter Drucker. That’s an interesting statement for a pastor to make: “My mentor is Peter Drucker.” He’s a guy who writes [secular] books on the corporate structure. That’s a change. The model that’s being imported into the church is the marketing model, the entrepreneurship model — cultural sensitivity, social savvy, style, form, determining felt needs. That’s the model.

7:35 AM Here’s a brief response to our essay on tithing. Very well put, I thought.

Dave,

Thanks for the good article on the tithe. The tithe is part of the law, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law” (Galatians 5:18). However, the Spirit is very generous.

Thanks again….

7:28 AM In his essay, “The Modern Threats to Religious Freedom: They Are Greater than One May Think,” William Anderson exposes the dangers awaiting America:

On the surface, it would seem that Christianity has never been stronger or more influential in this country. Not only are the president, attorney general, and other cabinet members and advisors open about their Christianity, but Christian books are on the best-seller lists and Christian popular music dominates the radio airwaves. However, for a long time, I have been intensely looking at the current scene and have concluded that (1) the political authorities have squarely targeted Christians and Christianity for harassment and are freely carrying out their agendas at the present time, (2) the historical legal protections in this country for Christianity have been eroded past the point of no return, (3) most Christians are clueless in understanding this situation, and (4) when Christians do happen to recognize dangers to practicing their faith, they tend to endorse legislative and political actions that in the long run will make things even worse for themselves and those Christians who will follow after them.

 Caveat civis!

7:23 AM President Bush is vowing that the United States will never retreat from Iraq. It’s called “quagmire,” Mr. President.

7:20 AM The Baptists’ unpardonable sin.

7:12 AM I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I did manage to read Senator Robert Byrd’s outstanding autobiography yesterday. Now here’s a man who is willing to stand alone.

7:10 AM In his book Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Word, 1976, p. 21), former United States Senator Mark Hatfield has described the lack of ideals in the political world with great insight: “Such ideals are, for all practical purposes, disregarded. At best, they form stirring rhetoric for speeches to constituents. Rarely are they what move men and women to seek and preserve political power. A façade of statesmanlike idealism conceals a brothel of egomania and lust for power which prostitutes those in political life for often nothing more than personal vain-glory.” A brothel of egomania. Such seems to be the case with outgoing Defense Secretary Rumsfeld.

“Rumsfeld’s abstract, dismissive response to the soldier’s question was very much in character, but it underscored the lack of political sensitivity and accountability that many feel have characterized his tenure,” Thompson said.

Saturday, December 18

9:50 PM Anyway you look at it, this story is heart-wrenching.

One reason for the high rate of dead parents is the reliance by the U.S. military on reserves, who tend to be older and have more children.

6:23 PM QOTD:

It’s amazing we live in a country where Sobran is ignored and people actually care what George Will or Maureen Dowd have to say.

4:05 PM AMERICAN REBELS: “The revolution by which a self-governing, decentralized, diversified, and participatory republic (such as the one that the U.S. Constitution and its drafters originally founded) is replaced by an elite-ruled, centralized, uniform state, economy, and mass cultural empire – this is exactly what Americans now involved in grassroots protests are rebelling against.” LINK.

4:02 PM Say what? The British have one, and we don’t? What would the Duke (Kahanamoku, that is) think?

4:00 PM I’d rather starve than pay for airline food. Come to think of it, even when they serve a meal I starve….

11:55 AM You may have already read it, but Jim Lobe has a great essay on the Bush myth. It’s a review of The Folly of Empire. Kudos, Jim!

11:30 AM So you still want to tithe? Here’s how one mega-church is doing it.

According to last year’s church theme – “Be ID’d With CBCC in ’03” – the congregation of 15,782 outfitted each member of its flock with a subdermal microchip in the right hand. The device, smaller than a mustard seed, contains the banking information of each worshipper and is scanned by an usher as he or she enters the sanctuary.

Link. (Kepi tip: Dr. Lyman.)

9:55 AM From today’s mailbag:

Mr. Black,

I just wanted to thank you for what you are doing. For months, I have enjoyed your web-site and the articles you have written. They have been a real eye opener. As Christians, we should be voting on principle rather strict party lines, which I have been guilty of. We should be glorifying God in all we do, including those who are willing to uphold the God-given laws this republic was founded upon. I believe God is using you for a just cause and I believe its no accident I stumbled upon your web-site. I wrote a similar email to John Leone from Silverback Standard just to show some appreciation for what you guys are doing. I happily voted for Mr. Peroutka and I will continue to support those who are willing to do what is right. I think I will go ahead and switch parties, The Republicans are not the answer. I vote Christian, the Constitution Party will continue to have my vote.

John M

Williamstown, NJ

It was very kind of you to write, John, and I appreciate your support and prayers. It was not so very long ago that I too just happened to “stumble” across a website that got me rethinking my priorities and values. Isn’t God good?  

7:36 AM Does the buck ever stop at the White House? It doesn’t today, and it didn’t in 1941 with the Pearl Harbor fiasco:

All the top commanders have now been blamed, plus various lesser commanders. But the greatest commander of all is left out – the Commander-in-Chief. In the 150,000 words of these findings and comments the name of Franklin D. Roosevelt stands out in almost monumental conspicuousness by its absence. The Army and Navy chiefs, the former Secretary of State and Congress have been blamed and the President of the United States has added to the culprits the 130,000,000 people of the United States. The only person not blamed is Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was running the whole show.

Read The Final Secret of Pearl Harbor. Our solders and sailors could have been warned – should have been warned – but were not. It is an unbelievable tale of an attack that most certainly was not a “surprise“!

Pearl Harbor cannot be disassociated from World War II and its causes. It was the ultimate, inevitable, and logical conclusion to some three decades of international diplomatic skullduggery, in the course of which Japan had, invariably, emerged with the “short end of the stick.”

7:34 AM STRANGE BUT TRUE: Now here’s a first. Yesterday, as my son went to the store to buy more nails, I did what every hippomaniac would do. I saddled up and went for a ride. Now, my Arabian gelding and my Thoroughbred race horse are practically inseparable, and whenever I ride one horse, the other always runs hither and thither in a bout of grave and incurable anxiety for his friend. Alas, the pastures are all fenced in, making it impossible for the forsaken horse to meet up with his alter ego. Well, as I was returning to Bradford Hall on my Arab, guess who jumps in the pond and swims across to be with us? Can you believe that? Traveler swam across the deepest part of an acre and a half pond because he missed Cody. Don’t tell me country living ain’t interesting!

7:32 AM A former student of mine has started his own blog. It’s called Faith and Dominion. Check it out – you’ll like it!

7:30 AM It’s official: The second most senior member in the Church of England has declared his nation is no longer “Christian.” And yet we are lax about sending missionaries to Europe? I don’t get it.

Friday, December 17

7:30 AM SPECIAL NOTICE:

Dave Black Online will have to close down permanently without your generous financial support. If you value the essays published here and want to see the truth about Leviathan trumpeted far and near, send in your tax-deductible contribution TODAY. Dave can’t do it without your help!

(OK, this is a spoof, inspired by today’s front page of a widely read libertarian site. You know, somebody ought to write an essay about the shameless begging [er, appeals for financial support] that goes on all the time on the Internet. Come to think of it, someone already has.)

7:26 AM Hmmm, ten thousand people gather to watch a guy earn $50, 000 riding a wave. Wish I was there! The bad news is that Windward Oahu (where I used to live) is being plagued by power outages.

7:24 AM We’re putting the tin back on the roof of our new smoke house today. Just in time for the rain and light snow they’re predicting for this weekend. These old buildings are just plain nifty and are a blast to reconstruct. My son (and fellow carpenter, really my BOSS) ran across this ditty that says it all:

 A man who works with his hands is a laborer,
A man who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman,
A man who works with his hands, his head, and his heart is an artist.
St Francis of Assisi

7:22 AM ON A LIGHTER NOTE: Elvis is alive and well. As you know, he’s working at MacDonald’s in Waikiki. (Nostalgic note: I used to work in a restaurant in Waikiki when I took a semester off from college. I would surf all day and bus tables all night in one of those fancy, upscale restaurants. Then I would spend all my tip money eating – where else? – at the MacDonald’s on Kalakua Blvd.)

7:20 AM You geeky types will enjoy this one (it’s way over my head). The British government’s intelligence service has launched a Christmas code cracker quiz in a bid to attract new recruits. It’s based on the famous Enigma machine of WWII. If you take the challenge, let me know how you fared.

7:16 AM A friend of mine once asked me if I thought our generation would be the first one entirely equipped with hearing aids. Spiritually, we are just as hard of hearing. Blessed is the man who keeps his ears attuned to heaven (John 10:27), not the idiot box.

The TV watching masses make up the perfect audience to take marching orders from the State. They love TV, and it often seems that some of them would give you their children before they’d give up their TV.

7:15 AM Rats! He beat me to it. I wanted to be the first educator to say you don’t need a college education.

7:12 AM NEWS YOU CAN USE: Are you a “Woosie” preacher? Don’t even know what the term means? Find out here.

7:10 AM I couldn’t agree more, Mr. Moyers. The New Right has co-opted the media from Fox News to MSNBC to Sean Hannity, et. al. The press has indeed failed America. That’s why I gave two cheers to Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11.

“We have an ideological press that’s interested in the election of Republicans, and a mainstream press that’s interested in the bottom line. Therefore, we don’t have a vigilant, independent press whose interest is the American people.”

Happy retirement, by the way.

Thursday, December 16

7:55 AM It’s infuriating! Soft-skinned trucks and Humvees. That’s how much we think of our soldiers? Heads should roll, but the cover-up only continues.

The Humvee armoring company had told reporters only a few days before that it was operating at 22 percent under capacity, but that there were no more orders from the Pentagon. Then suddenly there were more, for reasons the Army did not make clear.

7:50 AM “Three studies in the review have shown that women who have migraines and who take oral contraceptives were up to 8 times more likely to have a stroke than those not taking the pill. Strokes are caused when a blood clot forms and blocks the flow of blood in the brain. The researchers postulate that the increase of blood flow during a migraine attack is a cause.” LINK.

7:48 AM Does the UK have its own Guantanamo?

7:45 AM QOTD:

In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of life,
Be not like the dumb, driven cattle
Be a hero in the strife.

From “Psalm of Life”- Longfellow.

Wednesday, December 15

10:10 AM FARM UPDATE: Today is the day, folks. The smoke house is going up. Yesterday we somehow managed to move the remaining walls and flooring from our neighbor’s farm, and, as God gives us strength, up it goes today behind Bradford Hall. It’ll make a perfect match for our garden shed. Don’t yall just love old buildings?

10:07 AM Okay, our family doesn’t do the gift thing, but if you’re thinking about buying a good Christmas present that will last a while, why not boogie over to Carmon’s site and check out the great book deals she has going? However annoying it is to see a title by Sean Hannity, it’s still a bargain basement.

10:07 AM I’m sorry, I don’t know much about local Afghani politics, but isn’t the mayor of Kabul just a wee bit too expensive?

10:05 AM What would happen if you inputted just the first letter of a search on Google? Here’s the answer.

N is for News An absolute pure revolution brought on by the internet. Anyone can publish anything they like on the net. Suddenly not only has the control over information been loosened but we are able to see the same story as presented from the other side, instantly. It has made it far harder for determined and powerful figures to control how people see events and that can only be a good thing. The Register, you will note, is part of that revolution.

9:55 AM Thanks to all who turned out for the third annual Christmas party at the Oxford Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp. You folks have every right to feel tired this morning. It was a period dance which my son called. He also instructed us on proper etiquette.

“Never dance without gloves.  This is an imperative rule.  It is best to carry two pair, as in the contact with dark dresses, or in handling refreshments, you may soil the pair you wear on entering the room, and will thus be under the necessity of offering your hand covered by a soiled glove, to some fair partner.  You can slip unperceived from the room, change the soiled for a fresh pair, and then avoid that mortification.”

8:31 AM Some good advice on laying down worldly things. Thanks for the tip, Charles.

Tuesday, December 14

8:01 AM I agree totally with both the caption and the content of this news piece: Bush’s America: A National Nightmare? This intrepid Californian has some good comments on the issue, by the way.

7:59 AM LRC has a great read this morning on why most of us prefer the Internet to the newspapers. Now there’s word that entire libraries of books are going to digitalized – by the good folks at Google, no less. This shouldn’t be too hard nowadays. I sent my last three books to the publisher by the click of a mouse, after all.

7:45 AM “The Christians have no future here.” Guess where?

7:25 AM Tithing Update: Here’s another quote from David Jeremiah’s booklet on teaching children how to tithe:

Can you count how many grapes are there? What if I ate one…then how many would be left? Does one grape out of ten seem like very many? (NO) That’s all that God asks of us.

This, I’m afraid to say, is your average Baptist’s understanding of giving. Give one-tenth to God, and you’re scot-free to do whatever you want with the rest.

7:23 AM Is Iran next? I mean, this is as much a spiritual/ethical/moral issue as it is a political one, folks.

7:22 AM It’s that time of the year. Big surf is back on the North Shore, and I mean some pretty radical stuff. Can anything beat a squeaky-clean Pipeline tuber like the one pictured below? I can literally feel the spray.

7:21 AM An “atta-boy” to John McCain for riding the prez hard on his Iraq policy. I bet he even voted for Kerry. One thing’s for sure: The 2008 campaign is already heatin’ up! Michael and Chuck, we haven’t forgotten you!

7:20 AM VENDORS OF WORDS: It’s with great joy that I announce that the DBO blog has been harassing cyberspace travelers for over a year now, joining about a zillion other self-styled pundits who have convinced themselves that other people might actually enjoy reading what they write. So, if I may be permitted to quote from my very first entry:

Introducing the DBO blog: news, commentary, musings, and miscellaneous blatherings from your web host. I begin with a quotation from one of my all-time favorite authors, Malcolm Muggeridge, from his book Confessions of a Twentieth Century Pilgrim:

Changing from teaching to journalism, he discovers, is not as drastic as might be supposed. Both professions are exercises in fantasy; the instruction that teachers pass on to their classes is as dubious as the news and comment that journalists pass on to their readers. Such difference as there is lies in the time factor; within reason, the Teacher can devote as much time as he likes to expounding his subject, whereas the Journalist is exclusively concerned with the immediate present. The Teacher, that is to say, is liable to be a long-drawn out bore; the Journalist, an instant one. Otherwise, there are in the same business–as St Augustine puts it, “Vendors of words.”

Being a de novo web journalist, in addition to passing myself off as a teacher, I find quite an interesting (and often challenging) combination. The sincere prayer of my heart is that of an ancient saint:

God, humble my pride, extinguish the last stirrings of my ego, obliterate whatever remains of worldly ambition and carnality, and in these last days of a mortal existence, help me to serve only Thy purposes, to speak and write only Thy words, to think only Thy thoughts, to have no other prayer than: “Thy will be done.” In other words, to be a true Convert.

Do stop by often, as these ruminations will be coming to you at any time of day or night.

Yep, I really enjoy spreading ideas, especially when they’re free. So here’s to you for making this happen. After all, if it wasn’t for your kind emails, this dribble probably would have dried up long ago.

7:18 AM Devvy Kidd has a new post about the latest GOP-approved “security” measure that flies in the face of our now-forgotten Bill of Rights. I found this article to be right on the money. Great stuff!

The Republican controlled Congress has passed the so-called ‘Intelligence Reform Bill.’ Without any doubt in my mind, new world order facilitator George Bush, Jr. will sign this massive draconian piece of legislation into law.

7:14 AM BATTLE OF THE BULGE: Does it bother anyone else that we (Baptists) are the most obese Christians in America? The only overweight people you find in Ethiopia are those who own cars (and there are only a handful of them). Anyway, I don’t know about you, but by God’s grace I’m determined to overcome the ubiquitous pastor’s pouch.

7:12 AM Yet another theological oxymoron: “creative incoherence.” Yeesh. Is it that easy to become educated beyond one’s intelligence?

7:10 AM Got a nice email yesterday from somebody wanting to know if I had studied under Dr. Oscar Cullmann during my years in Basel. Actually, Cullmann had already retired by the time I arrived in Switzerland, but I did have several opportunities to meet with him in his home on the Birmannsgasse (the same street where I lived when I first came to Basel). I was deeply impressed with his scholarship and humility – that beautiful  balance between humanitas and pietas that also characterized my Doktorvater, Prof. Bo Reicke. I still think Cullmann’s Christology is the best book ever written on the subject (excluding the New Testament itself, of course). If you haven’t read it yet, you simply must!

Monday, December 13

4:40 PM Since I’ve been blogging about Iraq today, I might as well go for the trifecta and post this link about this poor soul.

4:37 PM It must be 20 degrees out there. Could hardly hold the oat buckets for the horses. (Yep, I forgot my gloves.) The Million Dollar Question: When’s the first snow?

4:34 PM Been writing all day, so this brought some comic relief. I dig the beard, by the way.

11:46 AM Another interesting blog I just stumbled across. Check it out. Actually, the author happened to email me and provided a link. Thanks!

9:23 AM I like this New York dairy farmer. He’s a fellow agrarian and a lover of the Constitution. Bravo! 

8:12 AM It’s tempting, VERY tempting. But the ground’s still too wet, methinks. Riding my thoroughbred Traveler, that is. Maybe tomorrow….

8:10 AM “Republican war can be acceptable as long as it’s balanced by the participation of the überstatists at the United Nations. Mass murder is not a crime, you see – as long as you don’t try to pull it off yourself.” Read more.

7:59 AM This just in from my good friend Lee Shelton, editor of Ever Vigilant, a top dawg site if there ever was one. Lee’s got some good thoughts on the tithe, and more….

Dear Dave,

I appreciated your latest essay. Tithing is definitely something we don’t hear too much about anymore.

As you pointed out, the Old Testament mandated a tithe while the NT teaches that everything we have belongs to God. I happen to think this is a point Jesus was making in Matt. 22:21.

It’s also interesting to note other contrasts. For example, in the OT, we read of animal sacrifices; in the NT, we are to be living sacrifices. The OT taught that God dwelled in the temple; the NT teaches that our bodies are living temples and that the Holy Spirit dwells within each believer. The Law in the OT commanded, “You shall not murder,” but Christ taught us that even feeling hatred for someone is tantamount to murder.

Some Christians have been accused of over-spiritualizing scripture, but I think one of the biggest problems in the church today is the tendency to UNDER-spiritualize. As a result, many important Biblical principles are missed.

Keep up the good work!

-Lee

P.S.: A belated “Welcome home!” You were missed.

7:45 AM This headline caught my attention. I’m thinking: Will this really make the Spanish people feel more safe?

7:43 AM Given the propensity of the GOP toward anti-leftism, institutional Republicans believe they have no reason to resist the government’s unconstitutional anti-terrorism policies. The agreement among the GOP faithful to numerous pieces of “emergency” legislation that curtail civil liberties not only strengthens the president’s hands but will play into his strategy of spreading democracy (i.e., secular humanism) worldwide. Fortunately for all of us, there are still some sane voices out there. Here’s one.

7:40 AM Some of us may remember the jingle: As Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks were walking out one Sunday, said Tommy Snooks to Bessie Brooks, “Tomorrow will be Monday.” This is thought to be a record low in inane conversation, but I’m not so sure.

For “girls aged 15 to 17 the percentage who had ever had intercourse declined from 38 percent in 1995 to 30 percent in 2002. For boys, the agency said, the decline was 43 percent to 31 percent. …The agency said that when teens do have intercourse, 79 percent reported using contraception in 1991-02 compared with 61 percent in the 1980’s.”

Susan Olasky of World Magazine thinks this is “good news.” Figure that one out.  

7:37 AM Name the face (he was 21 at the time and a student at Oxford).* O the joys of youth.

* rialB ynoT

7:05 AM If there’s one thing Baptists do well, it’s giving. This week a friend who works with their church’s AWANA program gave us a check for almost 150 dollars, raised by the children of their church to support the Lord’s work in Burji, Ethiopia. This is half of what it costs to support a fulltime evangelist for a whole year. Someone else kicked in the remaining money, so now this little group of children in rural Virginia will have their very own Ethiopian missionary.

Sunday, December 12

6:37 PM Another theological oxymoron.

6:34 PM I can see this website becoming very addicting.

6:30 PM WANTED: Cyber-evangelist to the millions in China who surf the web. Predictions are that Chinese will become the predominant language of web users worldwide, overtaking English. Let’s wise up, church, and take advantage of this!

6:23 PM QOTD:

Divisions and separations are most objectionable in religion. They weaken the cause of true Christianity…. But before we blame people for them, we must be careful that we lay the blame where it is deserved. False doctrine and heresy are even worse than schism. If people separate themselves from teaching that is positively false and unscriptural, they ought to be praised rather than reproved. In such cases separation is a virtue and not a sin.  – J.C. RYLE

1:43 PM This is one of my favorite portraits of General Lee. The reason I mention him is that this afternoon we are attending the Christmas concert of one of the youth in our church, which will be held in the Robert E. Lee auditorium on the school’s campus in Chase City. Unbelievable that the name hasn’t been changed by the PC crowd – yet. Speaking of the general, we are now in the planning stages of our annual Lee-Jackson dinner here at Bradford Hall – a formal, black tie affair followed by a period Lyceum. I’m just doing my civic duty as a proud citizen of Virginia….

1:15 PM The Dow Blog is talking about it…the movement in the SBC to rescue our kids from those government indoctrination centers. I know just how insidious they are since I am the product of three – Kainalu School, Kailua Intermediate School, and Kailua High School. That’s why I like homeschooling so much. The big question, of course, is whether we are willing to take the Bible seriously on these matters (see Deut. 6; Eph. 6). Not that I’m too sure that belief in inerrancy always leads to saner or more biblical lifestyles….

12:30 PM  Recently one of my students in Ethiopia sent me a letter asking my opinion on whether practicing polygamists who come to Christ should be allowed to be baptized. This was my response:

Dear ____:

Thank you so much for your letter of November 15. I cannot tell you how much we miss all of you there in Addis. The Lord blessed us beyond what we could have imagined during our five weeks in Ethiopia, and a big part of that blessing was getting to know believers like you. I am glad you are enjoying It’s Still Greek to Me, and I trust your studies are going well.

In responding to your letter I think I will answer your last question first – the one dealing with polygamy. When you say that you have polygamists in your church, I assume that these women are members of the man’s household, and not his mistresses or concubines (i.e., women used primarily for the man’s sexual gratification). The latter relationships would, of course, be immoral and would have to be discontinued.

I’m quite sure you are referring to men who have taken, legally, two or more wives. It is my understanding that such an arrangement is a socially accepted marital unit in your culture. Of course, in Islam polygamy is a time-honored tradition and is sanctioned by the Koran. I assume that Ethiopia does not legislate against the practice?

At any rate, polygamy is not limited to Africa. It has existed here in America, most notably among the Mormons, some of whom still practice it. Neither Augustine nor Thomas Aquinas taught that polygamy was in itself evil. Only if its purpose was sexual pleasure was it considered evil. But as a means of propagating the race, it was not considered an offense to God’s moral law. Luther approved of the polygamous marriage of King Phillip of Hesse, his protector, and he advised King Henry VIII of England to take another wife rather than divorce his first wife. (Henry did not follow his advice). In 1531, several of my own spiritual forbears, the Anabaptists at Muenster, Germany, became polygamous, maintaining that “he who wants to be a true Christian must have several wives.” And, as you well know, David and other Old Testament believers had several wives.

So what should be the policy on polygamy among sincere Christians? (I am not referring to Christians-in-name-only.) I think it is obvious that the Bible neither explicitly advocates nor condemns the institution of polygamy. In fact, it is portrayed as a divinely accepted institution in certain cultural contexts, where God apparently viewed it as a legitimate marriage. At the same time, the silence of the Bible does not necessarily give us permission to practice polygamy today. Perhaps the silence in Scripture is due to the fact that references to polygamy are almost exclusively found in the Old Testament, which, as you know from your studies, is largely comprised of historical narrative. Such narratives do not normally include value judgments or indications of God’s pleasure or displeasure. So it seems to me that we must return to the broader view of marriage that is clearly established in Scripture (see Gen. 2, Matt. 19). This is God’s standard, or we might say ideal, for marriage, and here polygamy clearly falls short. God puts one man and one woman together in marriage, and this bond is to be an exclusive one. Remember, the marital bond is a picture of Christ and His church (Eph. 5), and there is only one Bride of Christ!

So to get back to your question: although monogamy is clearly and unquestionably God-established, is it the only acceptable marital institution to the exclusion of polygamy? Here are my conclusions according to the light God has given me.

• Christians who practice polygamy should not become elders or deacons in the church (see 1 Tim. 3). This is the obvious meaning of the statement “he must be the husband of one wife.”

• Men who are believers should not seek a second or third wife, even if polygamy is socially sanctioned. They should always seek God’s ideal for the marital relationship.

• Current polygamists who come to Christ should not be prohibited from baptism. If they are Spirit baptized (which they are, according to1 Cor. 12:13), they should be water baptized. Nowhere in the New Testament is baptism conditioned on a changed life. Obedience follows as baptized believers are instructed in the ways of the Lord.

• It is my opinion that polygamists who come to Christ should refrain from sexual relations with more than one wife. He should, however, still care for and support his other wives financially. I do not recommend divorce in these situations, as the divorced wives would likely be considered “used furniture.”

In short, although the New Testament teaches monogamy as the ideal or normal form of marriage, in my view it does not expressly prohibit polygamy except in the case of a church leader. Yet should not the qualifications for elders and deacons in 1 Timothy be traits that all of us should strive to emulate?

One final thought. In the Old Testament, there are dozens of passages where polygamy is mentioned, and it always results in trouble, jealousy, and strife. The subtle hint is that polygamy is a great temptation to evil. As you know, Solomon had 700 wives. We read in Deut. 17:17: “He [the king] must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray.” And then we read in 1 Kings 11:3: “His wives led him astray.” How tragic! Then there is the story of Lamech in Genesis 4 (where polygamy is mentioned for the first time in the Bible), a story that implies that polygamy is a corruption of God’s initial intention of what marriage should be. Therefore, it seems to me that just as God allowed divorce because of the sinfulness of man, so He evidently permitted polygamy for a time, even though it was (and probably still is) the cause of great heartache, much like divorce.

8:45 AM  In other happy news: there’s a giant statue of Jesus being erected along Interstate 75, but it’ll have to compete with Larry Flint’s billboards.

8:40 AM  Will the next revival come as a result of Christian bloggers? I doubt it, but I do agree that more pastors could be blogging. I’m really a Johnny Come Lately to this whole blogging thing, but I do think it’s going to become a trend among Christians. The key fact to remember is that blogging takes work and consistent effort. Blogs are being abandoned as quickly as they are being started, and even those I check regularly are rarely updated daily. These are not really blogs, in my opinion.

8:35 AM  The Messiah was presented last night at the seminary. Kudos to Dr. John Davis and the choir for an outstanding job. And the orchestra? Magnificent!

Saturday, December 11

5:36 PM  My son just heard this joke:

There were three country churches in a small town: the Presbyterian
church, the Methodist church and the Baptist church. Each church was
overrun with pesky squirrels.

One day, the Presbyterian church called a meeting to decide what to do
about the squirrels. After much prayer and consideration they determined
that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they shouldn’t
interfere with God’s divine will.

The Methodist group got together and decided that they were not in a
position to harm any of God’s creations. So, they humanely trapped the
squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later,
the squirrels were back.

It was only the Baptists who were able to come up with the best and most
effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as
members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.

Sadly, this is not a joke.  

8:55 AM  The House of Degenhart just celebrated Multi-Cultural Day with an ode to their German ancestry. You’ll love it. Since I’ve got more sauerkraut than spaghetti in my blood I can identify. And yes, the VW Beetle was the concoction of Adolph, believe it or not! (There were oodles of VWs in Ethiopia, by the way.)

8:43 AM  Now this was refreshing. I’m excited to pass on the news that I am not alone in thinking this way!

[The] heart-cry of the emerging church—or what many call postmodern Christianity—appears to be not a finicky demand for perfection but an authentic search for the real deal, the no-frills, non-packaged, stripped-down version of Christianity that Jesus walked and talked. After being fed a spiritual diet of glam-gospel and grandstanding for so long, many believers can’t stomach another bite. They hunger for the meat-and-potatoes of authentic community coupled with meaningful teaching.

8:35 AM  Here’s an interesting infographic:

8:34 AM  Les blogs anglais comportent maintenant moins de 50- des blogs dans le monde entier. Englische blogs enthalten jetzt weniger als 50- von den blogs weltweit. Und so weiter….

Friday, December 10

9:32 PM  BTW – tomorrow night is the performance of Handel’s magnificent Messiah at the seminary’s Binkley Chapel (shown below). Starts at 8:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

(BTW2 – The most stirring rendition of the Messiah I have ever heard was in Israel, as performed by a kibbutz choir with full orchestra.)

5:55 PM  My political great awakening began just a few short years ago. Among the chief culprits on this religious-cleansing campaign was Lewis Goldberg, who until very recently published a website called the Patriotist. Lewis and his site constantly reminded me that it’s impossible not to be committed to some value system, and his editorial labors will be sorely missed. God bless, and fare thee well, my friend.

5:43 PM  The following is a sampling of letters I’m getting on my essays dealing with the New Right:

The Christian right has strayed further than most of the German
Christians strayed in their support of Adolph Hitler. Hitler came to
power prior to the Jewish Holocaust and the good German volk may be
excused for not having the foresight to see the evil that was to come.
President Bush presides over the American Holocaust and fails to use the
Constitutional power provided in his Oath of Office to immediately
return the issue to the States as it was prior to 1973, yet Christians
support him with as much or more fervor that the Christian Germans
supported Hitler prior to the Holocaust….

If abortion is murder, then as practiced in the U.S. it is mass murder
on a scale that exceeds the Jewish Holocaust. The President, instead of
using his Constitutional power to end federal enforcement of abortion,
hails the power of the U.S. Supreme Court as the church prostrate falls
–  compelling the candid citizen to confess that there is no moral
difference between American evangelicalism and Nazi Germany.

5:22 PM  “Speaking outside the court after the hearing, a relieved Trevor Adams said: ‘I will continue in my job as huntsman, and will continue to offer the pest control service the landowners and farmers have requested from us. I am personally very pleased that our interpretation of the new form of hunting has been supported by this judgment.'” Read more on Scotland’s fox hunting “pest control service.”

4:45 PM Like most Americans I was glad when the election was over, but even gladder to see that more and more of us voted for principle over politics. The difference, as we’ve been writing about on these pages for two years now, is at a worldview level.

4:35 PM Heartiest thanks to those who attended our Ethiopian report last Sunday night at our wonderful home church in Virginia. We had 25 in attendance (a large Sunday evening crowd for our church) and raised over $600 to support the believers in Burji. The money will support two full time Ethiopian evangelists for one entire year! We wired the funds today, and this morning I spoke personally with the church’s superintendent in Burji. These gifts are GREATLY appreciated and, needless to say, will meet many needs in the Horn of Africa. Thanks again to all who came and contributed.

4:28 PM My son, chicken farmer par excellence, thought this was funny:

4:20 PM “How Teddy Roosevelt Fathered the ‘Bush Doctrine’,” by William Marina
and David T. Beito.

4:15 PM More kudos for Francis Schaeffer:

Dear Dave,

Greetings from another Francis Schaeffer fan. I guess I must be getting old too!

I’d like to say that Dr. Schaeffer was a great speaker. I once heard him
lecture at Westminster Chapel (London), and was truly amazed. He was not only a brilliant author, and, IMO, one of the greatest evangelical minds of the 20th century, but also one of the most eloquent, articulate speakers I have ever heard. His ideas live on in his books, but also in the hearts of those who were touched by his ministry in one way or another.

God bless,

Rubén Gómez
Bible Software Review

I’ve heard him speak, too, Rubén, and I agree totally with your assessment. By the way, we Jesus Freaks gotta stick together – we’re not getting any younger!

4:05 PM My father-in-law is still serving the Ethiopian church. Here’s his latest endeavor, http://www.good-amharic-books.co, along with his promo:

By way of additional information — which you’re possibly
wondering about our new website, good-amharic-books.com. This
website presently contains 51 books, most of which are
translations, but a good number are the original writings of
Ethiopians.

Authors include Lewis Sperry Chafer, John Walvoord, Charles
Ryrie, Billy Graham, Bill O’Donovan, Alemu Beeftu, Tim Fellows,
Stan Gundry, Bob Thomas, Charles Dyer, Ramesh Richards, Dwight
Pentecost, Norton Sterrett, Alemu Himbaro, Kay Bascom, Demoz
Ababa, Alan Redpath, Ron Wiersbe, Lois Bixby, Bruce and Carol
Britain, Jonathan Hildebrandt, and Paul Enns.

The books are divided into 7 categories: Doctrine (11 books),
Prophecy (2 books), Bible book studies (8 books), Christian life
(14 books), Scripture versions (6 books), Church history (5 books)
and Teacher’s helps/aids (5 books). Altogether, 10,621 pages have
been scanned into this website.

We earnestly ask you to help us, by all means possible, to get
the word out to the folk who can use this material, both in their
daily life and in their ministry.

Thank for your help! And may the good Lord bless and keep
you!

In His Service,

B. N. Lapsley

Thursday, December 9

12:56 PM Yes, I am a HUGE Francis Schaeffer fan. Since not everyone has heard about him (you know you’re getting old when you say “Francis Schaeffer” and everyone goes “Who?”), here are a couple of good links:

The Shelter

L’Abri

My wife and I are doing something similar at our Virginia farm and enjoying it tremendously.

12:48 PM Day before yesterday I spent two hours on the phone with Dell Support trying to improve my monitor resolution. We tried this and that, but nothing worked. Later I called my IT guy at the seminary and in two seconds he had revolved the issue (I simply needed to adjust my Net Zero settings). This is the picture on the Dell technical support webpage. No wonder she couldn’t help me – she was too busy posing for their ad.

12:36 PM Who said the Brits don’t have a sense of humor? (Or is he perhaps being serious?)

To the citizens of the United States of America, In the light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy. Your new prime minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair, MP for the 97.85- of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a minister for America without th! e need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect….

Read more.

12:36 PM OK, here’s some serious news. Combat deaths in Iraq hit 1001. Little wonder Uncle Sam wants more of our kids – NOW.

By the end of this recruiting year, the Regular Army, Reserves and Guard could fall short more than 50 percent of its projected requirement, or about 60,000 new soldiers. And according to many recruiters, quality recruits are giving way to mental midgets who have a hard time telling their left foot from their right.

12:20 PM BELIEVE IT OR NOT: “Britney Spears” is an anagram for “Presbyterians.”

12:17 PM Too rainy to work outdoors today so checked my emails and received this heart-warming message:

Professor Black,

It is very good to have you back and writing.  As a former Southern and
now Reformed Baptist I look forward to reading your articles.  You are a
clear voice, and in you I hear the best of our ancestors.

Thanks for the service you do us all!

Yes, it is good to be back. Thanks for sending me this gem of an email.  

8:43 AM I devoted a whole chapter to this topic in my latest book, but to hear the same views expressed by a Yankee is like drinking a cup of Ethiopian coffee on the front porch of Bradford Hall (which, by the way, I am getting ready to do with my lovely wife). Read A Yankee Apology.

7:30 AM It’s like being punched in the nose every morning. I’m talking about these superbly written devotions by Oswald Chambers. Read today’s if you dare.

7:28 AM This was just posted by Dr. Lyman. I hope that parents here in the Old Dominion State will be more discerning about their children’s education.

“The 2003 SAT scores: national private — 1123; national homeschooling — 1100 (for 2001); national religious — 1065; Fauquier public — 1055; Virginia public — 1024; national public — 1020.”

7:25 AM Only bloggers will want to read this.  

7:23 AM The Herald-Sun of North Carolina is offering blogs to political candidates. If I run for governor, I might take them up on it.

7:20 AM Hey, Bikehiker, as the author of Why I Stopped Listening to Rush, these are supposed to my lines!

RUSH LIMBAUGH IS ANTI-CHRISTIAN. Has it occurred to Christians who avidly or passively listen to Rush Limbaugh that not only is Rush not Christian, but the philosophy, views, and policies he advocates–not to mention the spirit in which he conveys his views–are thoroughly anti-Christ?

THIRTY MINUTES AND TWO HOURS. I’d be happy to sit through a mere 30-minutes of the Limbaugh radio show with any Dittohead so we could spend the next two hours with the Bible unpacking the sub-Christian and anti-Christian philosophy and views he espouses durinig that brief period.

GROW UP, WISE UP. If you buy Rush’s political and economic conservativism as Christian, you are gullible and undiscerning. You need to grow up in the faith of Jesus Christ. And you need to begin to question why this functional athiest’s ideas appeal to you. It’s time to wise up. Turn off the noise. Tune into the Word that gives life.

Just kidding. Keep up the good work.

7:18 AM This is one for rottenessays.com.

What worries me even more than all this is your willful blindness. You refuse to see that it is you, not we Americans, who have abandoned Western Civilization.

Who are we to criticize Europe for being a bunch of wacko liberals? (Come to think of it, that’s a pretty consistent theme among the New Right.)

7:16 AM Operation Streeeeeetch.

7:14 AM The day is coming when all of us – each and very one of us – will have to make a similar, fateful, life-changing decision.

7:12 AM There are plenty of people not named George Bush who aren’t falling at the feet of Donald Rumsfeld, so I’m not surprised to see the anger of our troops coming to the surface. (Oh, by the way, charges will not be pressed. How gracious of our government. Aren’t you relieved to know we are still the home of the free as well as the land of the brave?)

7:05 AM As an artist and a Christian I found the rush by evangelicals to canonize Gibson for making The Passion pretty inane. It’s at best just a movie made by one man, and at worst a breach of the Second Commandment.  Decide for yourself.

Wednesday, December 8

6:30 AM There are no easy answers to the question, How much time should I spend preparing my sermons? Here’s one answer to that query.

6:25 AM HOMESCHOOL UPDATE: Moving from burden to lifestyle. An excellent essay by Charlene Notgrass.

6:23 AM Them Brits are at it again – inventing new verbs, and willfully engaging in other abuses of words, apostrophes, etc. The shame of it all!

6:20 AM I’ll never forget attending an outdoor performance of Turandot with my wife while we were visiting Rome. Era magnifico! I see that La Scala has reopened. Now, attending an opera in that beautiful hall would be a real treat.

Tuesday, December 7

4:59 PM It’s this Saturday night at the seminary chapel. Can’t wait!

4:55 PM There are significant differences between the traditional church (like the one you might attend) and the New Testament church. Here’s a succinct summary of those differences for your perusal and consideration. Perhaps you can use it as a basis for discussion in your Sunday School class or small group. Hope it helps.

4:45 PM The Abortion Abolitionist. A superb read!

4:12 PM Flash cards for the vocabulary in my beginning Greek grammar, Learn to Read New Testament Greek, are now available on the web at:

http://crosswire.org/flashcards/

Sincerest thanks to Troy A. Griffitts of the CrossWire Bible Society for rendering this service to students of Greek.

2:59 PM I had a craving for these while in Ethiopia. Man alive, what makes them soooo gooood?

2:58 PM What do these words have in common?

academy, acrobat, attic, canopy, ceramic, dogma, drama, echo, helicopter, history, and many others…

The are all borrowed from this language. (J-Term students, take heart!)

2:57 PM Happy Birthday to Horace, Latin poet, born this day in 65 BC. He authored Ars Poetica, a book I still use to teach my students rhetoric.

11:14 AM DBO contributor Matt Gamel sent me these observations about TV. (You know, Matt, I too think I was born at least a century too late!)

Mr. Black,

Great article on the issue of television. Here are some of my thoughts:

One thing that has always concerned me about the tube is the fact that it
actively promotes pacificity and intellectual slothness. It simply does not
take any energy or thought to veg out in front of the tube for hours at a time and it has done a marvelous job of “zombifying” Christians and conservatives, at that.

It is my observation that Christian parents have unfortunately made the
excuse that the television is a “cultural” necessity that prompts them from ever doing away with it (although, ironically, the Lord has not yet blessed me with a wife and kids). I simply do not agree with many of these parents – I believe that television is part of the problem in our culture and would gladly ‘can’ the wretched device for a thousand acre farm. Consequently, many parents practically let the television raise the children; even if they are fed “Christian” programming, such is no substitute for real time in the Scriptures, especially with ones children. Instilling values does not come with the click of a Veggie Tales tape; while these things aren’t bad in themselves, per se, they are no substitute for living by example and by constantly submerging our kids in the Scriptures and I fear that instilling values in our children has been reduced to a formula.

Whatever happened to picking up a good ‘ole fashioned book? Or playing a
board game with the family or taking our children on nature walks or
horseback riding? You know sir, I cannot help but sometimes ponder if I was born 1.5 to 2 centuries too late :-)…

8:17 AM When I was growing up, the “Day of Infamy” was December 7, 1941. Not so anymore. No doubt America’s vision of empire, like Japan’s Empire of the Sun, will one day pass. But at what cost?

8:15 AM “Just in time for Christmas, America’s two largest news magazines devote this week’s cover stories to debunking the story of Jesus’ birth. Among the conclusions in Time and Newsweek: Jesus was born in Nazareth, not Bethlehem; there is little evidence of three kings following a star, and the story of the virgin birth may have been borrowed.”

Read more.

7:22 AM From today’s mailbag:

There is a reason the TV Guide calls it Programming. It is. They are Not Lying.

7:20 AM Over the years bibliophile Carmon Friedrich has taken a lot of hits on her website – in fact, over a million. Kudos and heartiest congratulations!

7:18 AM Guess what? The Founders of our nation had an antipathy toward militarism – a fact well-documented in this essay by Jacob Hornberger.

7:15 AM A belated Happy Birthday, Terri.

7:12 AM December 7, 1941, is a day that had many “what ifs.” For example, we know the Japanese were detected by a mobile radar station at Kahuku Point on Oahu’s north shore 52 minutes before the attack began. The inexperienced operators reported the finding to headquarters. The young officer in charge mistook the formation as a flight of U.S. planes due from the West Coast. He told the operators to ignore the data. Many people also do not realize that the windward side of the island, where I grew up, saw action at both Kaneohe and Bellows Field. I remember climbing to the top of the pillboxes still in the area, including the one at Lanikai Point, which offers a superb 360 degree view of windward Oahu.

Below is a photo of Lanikai with Flat Island in the foreground and Kaneohe (where our aircraft were attacked on Dec. 7) in the background.

7:10 AM He was a New Testament scholar who waged war not only against theological liberalism but also against ever-increasing government power. Read about him here.

7:05 AM Here’s a very interesting aspect of television viewing that I overlooked in my essay TV Or Not TV?  Thanks to a perceptive DBO reader for pointing this out to me:

I read the article on television today. I tend to believe that it is  something Christians should not be doing not only because of the content, but also because of the time it takes up….

Another negative about television rarely gets spoken of: When you are watching the tube your brain waves are being altered. A good article on this was in AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC MAGAZINE a couple of years ago. As adults we come in and turn the tube on just to have it on (so we think), but in reality, we are craving that altered brainwave state that television induces.  This is why when one show is over we turn to find something else to watch, and settle for a program even if we really aren’t interested in it just to keep the  “high”  going.

Now if it is not good for adults to induce our brains into an altered state, how much more detrimental is it for a child under eight years old to do this. We would never let our toddler children smoke pot, but how often do we sit them in front of  “BARNEY” for hours at a time….

Thank you for having this wonderful site.

7:03 AM Church growth methods that are highly questionable.

[M]inisters have become managers, facilitators, and motivators—everything but heralds of the whole counsel of God—and this all because they have lost confidence in the preaching of God’s Word as the primary means for the growth of the church and the individual Christian.

Monday, December 6

4:03 PM Tired of the neo-dark ages? Fresh agrarian winds are a-blowin’.

[T]he Agrarian vision for thousands of small, independent farming communities, carefully ‘husbanding’ their own land (Creation), and actively caring for their own people is far from dead. Given the gradual bankruptcy of Modern culture, such as it is, a fresh Agrarian wind is blowing. A distinctively Christian covenantal Agrarianism will take its rightful place in the communion of the saints.

4:00 PM The real Lincoln. (In other words, we’ve had this problem for a long time, folks.)

9:34 AM J-Term Greek students, take a look at this link on learning New Testament Greek. It will blow you away!

7:58 AM Guess who made this loving statement:

And I’m for the president to chase them all over the world. If it takes 10 years, blow them all away in the name of the Lord.”

7:55 AM Russmo just about says it all:

7:52 AM From the mailbag:

Brother Dave! Excellent site! Keep up the great work. There are others who agree with you and are doing our part!

Thank you, Sir, for this very kind expression of support. 

7:50 AM HISTORY UPDATE: November 28 is a little-known holiday. In the Kingdom of Hawaii, November 28 was an official holiday called Ka La Kuokoa, or Independence Day, commemorating the day in 1843 when England and France formally recognized Hawaii’s independence. Because I was born and raised in Hawaii as a kamaaina, I have little stomach for the illegal overthrow of the monarchy that took place a century ago through a faked revolution and puppet government.  Not surprisingly, the native Hawaiians are seeking recognition of their sovereignty and are also seeking justice through legal means, a fulfillment of trust commitments, and the settlement of land claims.

7:47 AM I have never made the case for the appeasement of our Islamic enemies; but policies that are likely to diminish terrorism are saner than those which merely perpetuate the violence. It’s interesting to note that even the Pentagon is now admitting that we have lost the hearts of minds of Islamists worldwide, despite our efforts at “pacification.”

“Americans are convinced that the US is a benevolent ‘superpower’ that elevates values emphasising freedom … deep down we assume that everyone should naturally support our policies. Yet the world of Islam – by overwhelming majorities at this time – sees things differently. Muslims see American policies as inimical to their values, American rhetoric about freedom and democracy as hypocritical and American actions as deeply threatening.

“In two years the jihadi message – that strongly attacks American values – is being accepted by more moderate and non-violent Muslims. This in turn implies that negative opinion of the US has not yet bottomed out.

7:45 AM Three great thoughts from a marvelous New Testament and Greek professor of yesteryear:

God is the ruler of history. His times are well chosen. The Roman
Empire was an instrument in his hand. And so are the nations of the
modern world. –J. Gresham Machen

After listening to modern tirades against the great creeds of the
Church, one receives a shock when one turns to the Westminster
Confession… and discovers that in doing so one has turned from
shallow modern phrases to a “dead orthodoxy” that is pulsating with
life in every word. In such orthodoxy there is life enough to set
the whole world aglow with Christian love. — J. Gresham Machen

I can see little consistency in a type of Christian activity which
preaches the gospel on the street corners and at the ends of earth,
but neglects the children of the covenant by abandoning them to a
cold and unbelieving secularism.– J. Gresham Machen

7:42 AM Government grade school costs more than college. And the results are just as abysmal. Read about it here.

7:40 AM The consequences of constitutional ignorance.

7:35 AM Lindsey Hurd reviews How to Read a Book.

7:33 AM Ban truth, reap tyranny. Read the latest updated essay by Berit Kjos.

7:30 AM The Bikehiker is being impeccably logical, again:

All of the “evidence” and “rationale” for opening up a war in Iraq have collapsed like a house of cards. Still, our President doggedly deploys more troops to Iraq for a war he declared “won” a year ago.

Iraq did not provoke war. An American President declared he had the right to attack any nation he deemed a threat on “preemptive” grounds. He did so. Those “preemptive” grounds did not and do not exist.

If our nation is a nation that values the power of reason over the sheer use of whimsical and personal will, it follows that American citizens have every right and responsibility to insist that the American President use his “political capital” to extract his nation’s young men and costly resources from a quagmire into which he blindly charged us.

Saturday, December 4

9:45 AM From my morning devotional:

Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.

8:32 AM I can identify with Phil Kent’s frustrations and struggles to be a good father. Read his testimony and let it encourage and motivate you this day to at least begin PRAYING more fervently that God would help you to become a godly leader in your home.

Let’s face it. Most of us fathers, including myself, have not done all God would have us to do in the teaching of our children. I have even struggled at times in being consistent in the planning of family devotions. However, God calls us to be spiritual leaders in the home in more than just title. When we ignore the call we are just plain disobedient. I cannot think of any good excuses, can you?

What can we do? Start with this day. What does God want you to do? Do not let my words, or your wife’s words guilt you into doing something in your own strength. Wait on the Lord, Pray about this, and let Him lead you. Maybe you are already doing enough, or even too much. If you were like me, you can start looking at how God has gifted you. Pray about how God can best use you and your limited time to help in the training process of your children. Maybe, you will need to give up some things, as I did. I am not watching as much TV.

Read Becoming a Spiritual Leader.

8:28 AM Want to teach your kids what real life is all about? Here’s how.

8:23 AM “Bush Elected, Work Done.”

8:19 AM And the winner is:

 

BLOG

 

7:34 AM Youth Ministry Update: In 1968 W. J. Seaton wrote this essay on The Problem of Youth in our Evangelical Churches. I was a freshman in high school at the time and  leading our church “youth group.” I am convinced now that this did more harm than good, as our youth group become a clique within the congregation and did very little by way of service to the senior adults. I can only wish that I had been exposed to essays such as the one by Mr. Seaton long before I left for college in California.

7:32 AM Destroying Fallujah to Save It: The following email I received yesterday is the perfect caption to Clay Bennett’s latest cartoon on Iraq.

I used to be a great amateur student of the War Between
The States, & I agree with your perspective. I have long held that the
real substantive issue was almighty central government versus
constitutional republicanism. I would have to say I think black slavery
was pretty objectionable, but I would also have to say that the northern
remedy was immeasurably worse, both in itself & in its long term
consequences. Robert E. Lee is one of my enduring Christian heroes: so
gentle even in warfare. I love the way he restrained his army from
damaging civilian property, in contrast to the north’s brutal “scorched
earth” policy, a precursor of such modern horrors as the fire bombing of
Dresden and – er – the American rampage in Iraq (destroying Fallujah in
order to save it, no doubt: the mass destruction of Iraqi civilian life
makes me numb with moral shock). One wonders whether some Christians
know anything at all about the “just war”. It’s all crusade these days.
Have we learned nothing from what the “Christian West” tried to do to
the Islamic world in the Middle Ages? Have we once again plummeted to
the level of “kill a Muslim for Christ”?

7:31 AM Meet “Rambo.” He actually thinks America is safer because of the Department of Homeland Security.

Friday, December 3

7:15 PM I had an extremely busy day at the seminary, meeting with students and getting caught up with my faculty colleagues, so blogging has been kind of slow, but I did want to alert you to an excellent essay published today by Debbie O’Hare, who (like so many of us) thinks the Christian right has taken a hard turn to the left. Here’s a teaser:

It seems that Christians will accept the lie of “liberalism” as long as it is disguised behind the term “Republican“. I heard a lot of vitriolic speech spewed forth from professing Christians who were upset with their brethren who would not vote for George W. Bush. They said that not voting for Bush was the same as voting for Kerry. While I don’t agree with that statement, I would at least like to comment that if Kerry was in the White House there would be far more objection from America’s Christians to the totalitarian agenda being forced upon us!

I’m hoping to add many more items to tomorrow’s blog just as soon as we set up my new PC and reinstall Front Page. Till then, God bless, and have a great evening.

Thursday, December 2

2:35 PM John Leone’s excellent series on our culture wars is now complete:

THE IMAGINARY GODS

 

PART ONE

Including:

The foundation of the authority of the church

The substitution of authority by the enemy within

Termites in our church foundations

 

PART TWO

Including:

The “Outdated Book” – Can it address our problems?

When churches ignore the Bible

Will you go to heaven if you are a “good person”?

Don’t believe the false teachers

 

PART THREE

Including:

The uninvolved God

The emotionless universe of the Deist

Omniscient? Or not?

The futile mind of the spiritual deadman

Imposing on the Almighty One

2:31 PM I meet constantly with pastors who are alive to the very real need for reformation within our churches. What kind of man does God use in revival? Here are some insights from the Founders Journal:

1. One must be willing to forfeit denominational popularity and public approval. The work of reformation is not the way to climb the denominational ladder. Sometimes sacrificial reformers may emerge as denominational leaders as some elements of reformation become widely embraced. But such status cannot be the immediate goal of a reformer.
2. They will, at times, be in that awful task of tearing down some false super-structure that has been built without a doctrinal foundation. This super-structure was built by cheap, shallow, man-centered evangelism. Not only is the biblical teaching on grace victimized in these practices, but the Baptist distinctive of regenerate church membership suffers.
3. Consequently, in a work of reformation, its promoters may have to suffer at the hands of a large, unregenerate church membership, and especially, from unregenerate and religiously ignorant deacons and leaders.
4. They may also have to suffer the pain of being misunderstood by the church leaders, fellow ministers, and more painful still, sometimes by their own loved ones (wives who do not understand their husband’s position).
5. This often leads to financial sacrifice, especially in some cases where carnal and ignorant church leaders use money as a threat to drive preachers from the pulpit.

1:15 PM The Bikehiker shares our concern about Bush’s militarism. He writes:

MILITARISM ON THE RISE. I wonder: how long will America be known and feared for its new militarism? This is what we lead with now, isn’t it? Military might. Arms, war, violence. In the 1980’s, our nation began an unprecedented peace-time military build-up under Reagan. Now, in the name of “homeland security” and a nebulous “War on Terrorism,” George W. Bush has dramatically escalated militarism.

MILITARISM ON THE DOORSTEP. But militarism is no longer the nasty business America carries out overseas. It is now on our doorsteps. Militarism is the spirit and policies we encounter everyday in our hometowns and households. We see and sense that we are living more and more in a police state.

AN ADDICTION WE CAN’T SHAKE. The end of the Cold War engendered hope for a transformation of our economy’s heavy reliance on the military-industrial complex into peaceful, world market developing purposes. But apparently America’s leaders are addicted to militarism. Since then, they’ve used every excuse, every provocation, every conflict to rationalize and justify reinvestment in and new reliance upon military resources. Under our current leadership, there appears to be no end in sight.

9:41 AM Here’s an interesting website. Orange Ukraine is written by a Ukraine resident who writes first-hand accounts of what is going on in the protesters’ tent city in Kiev. I remain very concerned about the situation there as I have a good friend from America who teaches at a seminary in Kiev.

9:30 AM Want a Christian name? You can forget it if you live here.

Wednesday, December 1

5:24 PM Wisdom from the House of Degenhart:

If you study the typology of Pentecost, you’ll find that the modern Pentecostals have it all backwards. Pentecost is not about speaking in tongues, its about hearing God’s voice, specifically his law, which is a part of his covenant with is and inseparable from it. The Bible shows that we have been steadfastly unwilling to do so, and the days of Pentecost in Exodus 19 and 1 Samuel 12 expose our tendency to want to appoint a man as a mediator between us and God instead of hearing him directly. In one sense this is quite right, for we do need a mediator, but the sin lies in trying to choose a mediator from men instead of accepting the mediator God appointed. Its a perversion of federal theology, if you will. The Pentecost of Acts 2 follows the resurrection of Christ, our true and only mediator who was both fully God and fully man. And though modern Christians accept Christ as their mediator, we are still guilty of the ancient sins of refusing to hear God’s voice and obey his law.

5:15 PM My son and I just got back from kidnapping our pastor’s wife and taking her to a nice restaurant in South Boston (the nearest “big town” to our rural community) for lunch. What a blast! Then just a few minutes ago I checked in on the animals. What fun to be totally surrounded by all the horses and goats. Even the cows were trying to MOO-ve in on the action. Amazing how popular a bucket of Southern States Reliance 12 pellets can make you. Tonight it’s Prayer Meeting – and I mean praying the WHOLE time we are there. Simply marvelous. I hope you had as great a day as I did!

9:59 AM Jonathan Grubbs just posted this helpful information for homeschoolers. Thanks, Jon, for the heads-up.

Free Homeschool Tracking Software

The Homeschool Tracker is a software program for your Microsoft Windows computer. It was designed to consolidate all of your tracking, reporting and record keeping tasks that we found ourselves performing as homeschool parents. Whether or not your state or school district has lenient reporting requirements, with Tracker’s powerful and easy to use planning and scheduling features you will want to use the Tracker, not only for your mandatory recording and reporting tasks, but every day for management of assignments, reading lists, general record keeping, keeping track of attendance and grades/scores. This application was written using the latest Microsoft software development tools, and is available for Microsoft Windows only. The Basic Edition is offered for free (no strings attached, and no expiration date). The Plus Edition is available for purchase from their web site at a competitive price.

Source: www.tghomesoft.com

9:50 AM Your new school prayer (tip: Jim Rudd):

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God’s name is prohibited by the state.

We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the ‘unwed daddy,’ our Senior King.
It’s “inappropriate” to teach right from wrong,
We’re taught that such “judgments” do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It’s scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen

9:14 AM Dr. Mark Walton, pastor at Glenwood Baptist Church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and a Southeastern graduate, has graciously invited me to give their Winter Bible Study this January. Mark has done a lot of study in the area of men’s and women’s roles in the church and has just published an essay at the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood website. You can access it here.

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   restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

A War Lesson from First Manassas

David Alan Black 

On July 16, 1861, the army of Union General Irvin McDowell left its fortified camps along the Potomac and drove in the advance of Confederate General Beauregard from Fairfax Courthouse on the 17th.

The Federal Army consisted of 60 pieces of rifled artillery and 60,000 men, including nearly all the United States regulars east of the Rockies. It was equipped with all that money could buy and armed with the latest implements of destruction.

Both the Northern army and people alike were inflated with the assurance of victory. Supply packages were labeled “For Richmond.” Lincoln’s volunteers had stuffed their haversacks with ropes with which to hang the “Southern Rebels” as soon as they were captured in battle. The Federal Congress, then in session in Washington City, was adjourned to allow its members to accompany the army and witness the spectacle of a Confederate rout. Long lines of civilian carriages, filled with Washington’s finest in holiday attire, followed the army with baskets of champagne.

Northern newspapers mocked with disdain any idea of defeat and declared that, in ten days or a month at the most, their triumphant troops would establish themselves in Richmond. The Tribune said: “The hanging of traitors is sure to begin before the month is over. The nations of Europe may rest assured that Jeff. Davis & Co. will be swinging from the battlements of Washington, at least by the 4th of July. We spit upon a later and longer deferred justice.”

The New York Times commented: “Let us make quick work. The ‘rebellion,’ as some people designate it, is an unborn tadpole. Let us not fall into the delusion of mistaking a ‘local commotion’ for a revolution. A strong active ‘pull together’ will do our work effectually in thirty days.”

The Philadelphia Press declared that “no man of sense could, for a moment, doubt that this much-ado-about-nothing would end in a month.”

Few could imagine that only four days later, on Sunday, July 21, the first major battle of the Civil War would end in the complete and utter rout of the Union Army, with every soldier seeking the nearest crossing of the Bull Run. The Confederacy was saved from the immediate danger of invasion, and the federal Army was thrown into a panic as abject as its previous boasting had been arrogant. It was, indeed, an end to innocence.

Ten days into the Iraqi war, the optimistic assumptions of the Pentagon’s war planners have yet to be realized. Before the U.S. launched the war, military planners confidently predicted a rout: Iraqi troops would quickly surrender, Saddam’s rule would collapse, and the Iraqi people would welcome the U.S. and British troops as liberators.

Now, in the face of fierce resistance, U.S. commanders are conceding that the war is likely to be tougher and longer than anticipated. “This is the ground war that was not going to happen in [Rumsfeld’s] plan,” a Pentagon official said. Because the Pentagon didn’t commit overwhelming force (as it did in the first Gulf War), “now we have three divisions strung out over 300-plus miles and the follow-on division, our reserve, is probably three weeks away from landing.”

“Our force package is very light,” said a retired senior general. “If things don’t happen exactly as you assumed, you get into a tangle, a mismatch of your strategy and your force. Things like the pockets [of Iraqi resistance] in Basra, Umm Qasr and Nasiriyah need to be dealt with forcefully, but we don’t have the forces to do it.”

John Collins, a retired Army colonel and former chief researcher for the Library of Congress, said the worst scenario would be sending U.S. troops to fight for Baghdad. He said every military commander since Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese strategist, has hated urban warfare. “Military casualties normally soar on both sides; innocent civilians lose lives and suffer severe privation; reconstruction costs skyrocket,” Collins said, adding that fighting for the capital would cancel out the allied advantages in air and armor.

One thing is certain, however. U.S. expectations that this conflict would be a repeat of the First Gulf War—that our troops would march in and everybody would surrender in four days—have been dispelled. “We were not expecting that kind of resistance from any of those towns,” says Gen. Louis Weber of the 20,000-strong 3rd Infantry Division, which is spearheading the ground campaign. “They dispersed the forces so we didn’t get a clear picture of them moving in. It was pretty astute,” he added.

Hindsight is always 20-. Talk of frightened Iraqi soldiers surrendering in droves was based more on hubris than sound military strategy. The overly optimistic assumptions made by administration officials, military planners, and their neocon cheerleaders have had a sudden collision with reality.

As the U.S. adjusts to the inevitable realities of war, the lesson of First Manassas is worth remembering: Never underestimate your enemy.

March 31, 2003

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

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December 2007 Blog Archives

Monday, December 31

2:05 PM We’re keeping the boys again today, who are down resting, which leaves me with a few free moments to provide a brief update of sorts:

1) If you are wanting to brush up on your Brazilian Portuguese, might I suggest you take a look at this site? (My college roommate for 4 years, who was a native of Brazil, taught me just enough Portuguese to be dangerous.) Muito Obrigado.

2) Don’t anybody tell me that New Testament textual criticism isn’t important: Is it 666 or 616? 

3) Ron Paul is the only pre-Constantine candidate. This latter essay is excellent, even if you are not a history buff.

Meantime it is a gorgeous day today, and the sun is shining brightly — and not only weather-wise.

7:58 AM The latest addition to our home page is called New Years Greetings from DBO.

7:56 AM There is “absolutely no front runner” in the GOP race, and “13- of Likely Primary Voters remain undecided,” according to this report, which is pretty good news for Paulistas everywhere, including Germany, France, Portugal, etc.

7:50 AM Nathan stumbled upon this picture yesterday. Can you guess what this building is?

Guess again. This outhouse even has wainscoting. It appears that some people just have too much money.

7:43 AM It seems that every year here in the South one hears the expression about the weather, “This has been a very unusual season.” At least this is true the10 years we’ve lived here. The falls seem unusually wet and the summers extraordinarily dry, or vice versa. No longer being a peripatetic family doesn’t mean that the seasons about us will not wander from their natural courses. It has indeed seemed unusually dry these past few years. We live in what is referred to as growing zone 7, which (as I understand it) means that the climate will always be somewhat variable and unpredictable. But we must have water to live on, and the Lord does promise to meet our needs. How beneficial, then, the rain we have received in abundance, and how grateful a farmer must be to the Almighty. As everyone who enjoys an agrarian lifestyle knows, little things mean a lot, especially a good soaking rain every now and then to replenish the wells and to convey much-needed moisture to the fields. Very thankful I am, then, to the Creator for His abundant goodness to us these past few days.

7:35 AM Attendees at the Ron Paul “Straßburg Tea Party” issued this declaration. Here’s a portion of it. Ausgezeichnet!

Niemals zuvor hat ein Präsidentschaftskandidat der USA Menschen auf der ganzen Welt so inspiriert, wie Ron Paul dies vermocht hat.

Ron Paul hat unsere politische Apathie geheilt und die Begeisterung von jungen Menschen in ganz Europa entfacht, genau wie er das auch in den USA geschafft hat. Er hat uns die Hoffnung auf eine Beschränkung der Staatsgewalt gegeben und unser Vertrauen wiederbelebt, daß Demokratie funktionieren kann.

Wir sind begeistert von seiner Botschaft der Freiheit und Selbstverantwortung, die sich so grundlegend von der von normalen Politikern unterscheidet, die der Meinung sind, daß die Menschen, denen sie eigentlich dienen sollten, kaum mehr als hilflose Kunden sind, die vom Staat verwaltet werden müssen.

Sunday, December 30

5:13 PM Becky continues to fight a spell of sub-parness, and I would greatly appreciate your prayers for her physical strength and health, as she is scheduled to leave for Africa in only 8 days.

9:09 AM Last night we lit a fire and watched “Gettysburg” — as passionate and piercing a movie as I’ve ever seen. I do not like to watch it often as it fills me melancholy and sadness, though the bravery of Lee and Armistead, Reynolds and Hancock, can be appreciated with comfort. The movie is a crass reminder that war is capricious and always unpredictable. In most cases it is wholly unnecessary and superfluous. Any way you look at it, it’s a dreadful business. Meantime, my constant prayer to God is that He might bring our men and women home soon, si telle est sa volunté.

Saturday, December 29

3:53 PM Forgive me for reminiscing, but I’ve got Alaba very much on my mind these days. These photos were taken two years ago in Alaba on our (Western) New Year’s Day, a surprise party having been given for the two faranjis who were visiting. Seems just like yesterday.

The Ethiopian New Year is, of course, in September. How very thoughtful of our friends to remember us in this way.  

I miss Alaba deeply, including these two church leaders. May God bless them and assure them of my prayers.

3:37 PM Have you read anything of interest lately? My own serious reading has been in the French Bible, in La Bible de Semeur to be exact (which I greatly prefer to Louis Segond). I am impressed with its precision and accuracy, and it is entirely illuminating for anyone seeking to master the language. I feel terribly encouraged, for example, by its translation of 1 John 3:18: “Mes enfants, que notre amour ne se limite pas à des discours et à de belles paroles, mais qu’il se traduise par des actes accomplis dans la vérité.” A truly magnificent rendering. The entire Bible reads this way.

3:23 PM Becky has written a wonderfully fine essay called “The Role of Humanitarian Aid in Building the Kingdom,” and I agree entirely with its perspective and thrust. “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” is a wise saying and may be supplemented, in many cases, by another: “Sufficient unto the method is the evil thereof.” Ethiopia is a field that has, in my opinion, suffered tragically from a wrong policy with regard to humanitarian work. If drilling wells and providing health care are pursued too narrowly, and apart from relationships, they lead only to sterile materialism, the fruit of which is the complete absence of evangelistic outreach. To me this situation is deplorable. The secret here, as in most other things in life, lies in considering one’s ultimate goal. Genuine life, real life, eternal life, even abundant life in the here and now cannot be achieved by aiming directly at humanitarian ends, but only by aiming primarily at something else — or, better, Someone else. Becky’s article is painfully good, and I hope she will publish it for all to read and benefit from. She has made her point in a brief, clear, and practical way. I believe, as Becky has shown, that it is always necessary to subject ourselves and our methods to the teaching and pattern of Scripture, especially of Jesus and the apostles, if we are to refrain from excessive indulgence in do-goodism.

Speaking of relationships, men hug each other in Ethiopian society, a custom I think is very commendable. This man is a former Muslim leader and a hajj. A rural congregation now meets on his property. I love him as a brother, which indeed he is.

8:36 AM “Nous avons le bon message: liberté, paix et prospérité,” s’est exclamé le directeur de campagne Kent Snyder. “Et nous avons aussi le bon candidat: Docteur Ron Paul.”

8:33 AM Herewith I acknowledge a bit of political web-surfing. Huckabee, I confess, leaves me remarkably unmoved. No doubt the man has a certain charm, but he has a fearful streak of hubris in him that comes out with a vengeance in such unguarded moments as his notorious cell-phone conversation with God. On the other hand, Ron Paul’s speeches are like coals of fire. I shall be curious to see how he he fares in Iowa. I have a sad feeling that the Ron Paul Revolution is too good to be true and that the nation is condemned to repeat history by electing the “ideal” politician who will lead us into some new and dreadful conundrum. Aren’t they remarkable, these Republican candidates? I have reached the point where I value Jerusalem more than Athens and certainly both more than Washington. But gratefully, there is the sovereignty of God to rely on and the hope that our politicians’ panaceas will be exposed for the delusions they are. Alas, Americans live under the fatal illusion that our national problems are susceptible to solutions at the federal level, when they are not. And so we may well be at the point of missing the last bus.

8:23 AM Weather-wise we have had the worst drought since Dante wrote the Inferno, but we are now seeing some rain showers and it looks like they may extend throughout the weekend. God does answer prayer, though we are undeserving.

Friday, December 28

9:51 AM Alaba was and is a strong center of Islam in Ethiopia. It is also known for its manifold diseases, including malaria, typhoid, and typhus. I well remember how astonished I was when I realized that even the most basic precautions against these illnesses were not practiced or even known. The government health clinics there are doing what they can to treat these diseases, but the lack of education remains a problem. We have now received word that an epidemic of malaria seems to have broken out and almost every family has one or two members who are sick and some are dying. It is an enormous strength and encouragement to spend time in prayer together seeking God’s help in this dire situation. I wish that I could convey more effectively the need for the concerted prayers of God’s people on behalf of the people of Alaba, especially those who are now in a life-and-death struggle, not only physically but spiritually. Again and again I must remind myself that the physical matters little when issues of eternal significance hang in the balance. If the dynamic power of the Gospel is at work, all else will fall into place. And what a difference the Gospel has already made! I have come to have a deep respect for the believers who live under such harsh conditions, and especially the evangelists who labor day after day and year after year for a pittance. Their work is a reminder to me of the Parable of the Sower as they carry the name of Jesus far and wide to enable others to experience the blessing of spiritual life. Already there is an astonishing harvest from the seeds that have been planted in the soil of Alaba, but do we not have the responsibility to water them if we are able?

7:45 AM Ron Paul on abortion: in his own words. 

7:42 AM We did get to the nursing facility on Wednesday night for some singing and visiting. I’m sure the systematic boredom and dreary schedule of the nursing home is very trying, but it is a splendid place to attempt to fulfill James 1:27 and, besides, we must all face times of loneliness. I did notice and appreciate the fact that someone had brought their pet dog to visit its “grandfather,” and I witnessed again the joy an animal can bring to a man. For most of us, I fancy, animals are objects we take for granted until they are taken from us, and then we are ashamed of ourselves and our lack of appreciation.

7:36 AM Once again I am discovering the wit and eloquence of the apostle Paul in his great letter to the Romans. The effect he gets out of the Greek language is something incomparable. The play on the phron-root in 12:3 appears quite unattainable in English and in German and French as well. “Don’t hyper-phronein beyond what is necessary to phronein but instead phronein so as to so-phronein.” Incredible. Language, I find, gives me as much pleasure as music, and strains of Paul’s prose continually waft in my ears. What I should like now more than anything is a year or two of quiet meditation in this cavernous book, but then it would be impossible to do anything else. Reading the Scriptures in the original is a pleasure and so is not having to read for a class assignment but simply for the joy of it.

7:23 AM Not much news here. I potter about on my Anabaptist book, and of course the farm always needs attention. I have sent and received numerous emails as I try to put together my 2008 speaking and travel schedule, and it is all very lively and exciting to imagine what the Lord Jesus might have in store for me. Quien sabe? I may be in Asia again, and in Eastern Europe, and plans are definitely on for Ethiopia both in the summer and late fall, when I hope to be on sabbatical. Becky’s suitcases are beginning to fill up and she has already arrived at the point of having to say no to requests to take this or that along for someone else. She has a great deal going on and I have asked to her write a blog entry, if she can find the time to do so, to bring everybody up to date.

Thursday, December 27

5:19 PM The news? Not much, except that I’ve received some gratifying correspondence from converts to the Ron Paul Revolution, and to the U.S. Constitution. People are beginning to educate themselves, in a desultory way perhaps, about politics, and the more one knows about the Constitution the more solid a foundation one has to build a Weltanschauung upon and the more easily one can reject the jejune and unhealthy notions of nationalism. Readers of my website, at least those who become correspondents, are finding in Congressman Paul one of the few oases in the pervading gloom of Washington.

Meanwhile I am reading Maupassant for the sake of my French. It’s very beautiful I think, but also very difficult. I know nil about French literature but I am told, and readily believe, that Maupassant’s works are masterpieces of French prose. As for my future plans, school for me starts up again in a week’s time, and several dozen students have already signed up for the class, choosing, I suppose, to study Greek rather than waste away their days in idleness. Speaking of idleness, I can imagine no dismaller waste of time than to wait for a web page to download, and this problem is no doubt due to the latest fad in web design: the advertisement. This is happening even at my favorite sites such as LRC. Speaking purely selfishly, I think this is an abysmal development in every way. One ought to be able to make one’s point without prostituting one’s pen or causing country folk like myself to suffer like Job. I will consider capitalism a complete and utter failure if we don’t get DSL out our way in the very near future.

Finally, after a day of delivering hay and mucking manure, Nathan and I completed the building of our new hay barn by constructing and installing the upstairs doors, a picture of which follows for your amusement.

7:55 AM Yesterday my wife did the nicest thing. She collected pictures of some of the dresses she had sewn and sent the photos to her mother in Dallas, along with a robust “thank you” to her mom for taking the time to teach her that skill — a dying art among today’s mindless TV generation. Here are a couple of the pix Becky included in her letter. They speak for themselves.

I am myself astonished at Becky’s abilities and talents. I see in them a fresh understanding of what the author of Proverbs meant when he wrote: “She looks for wool and flax, And works with her hands in delight.” And, “She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.” These efforts received, of course, an enormous impetus from her mother who, while raising 5 daughters in a very busy home, taught them that something truly beautiful can come out of the truly ordinary.

7:20 AM Here’s the best quote I’ve seen in ages. It comes from a fellow horse lover.

“I’m not too old to ride. I’m too old to fall off.”

I can say a hearty Amen. Note: For more on the magnificent and rare Caspian breed of horse, go here.

7:13 AM Today the Ron Paul Revolution comes to Des Moines. Like the Little Engine That Could, Congressman Paul just keeps on chugging along. I’m not convinced that the “movement” is at hand, but it does seem that movement is happening, and that in itself is a very positive development. Ever vigilant against freedom-restricting pressures, Ron Paul is fearless in challenging demagogues and exposing political salesmanship. While George W. Bush frightens the nation with baseless epithets and impugns the loyalty of patriots who oppose the ill-conceived and ill-executed war, Paul insists on focusing attention on the truth about our economy and foreign policy, however distasteful. He realizes that America’s greatest aspirations are embodied in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. More and more Americans are hearing the ring of honesty, goodwill, and liberty in his words. He is attempting to do the impossible: alter the course of American democracy and move the United States from a position of unfettered, unilateral power toward a humble foreign policy based on a scrupulous concern for international peace and national sovereignty. Along with so many of those who are gathering in the mid-west, he finds the America of saber-rattling and chest-thumping detestable. There is an appalling lack of awareness of the seriousness of the emergency confronting the nation, and he is doing his best to dispel the darkness. No wonder he has captured the imagination of the younger generation of Americans who are assembling by the thousands today in Des Moines.

Keep on chugging, brother Paul.

Wednesday, December 26

5:53 PM Peu de nouvelles ici. The rain has just stopped (we got just over two and a half inches), the doggies have been walked, and the sunset photo of the year has been taken.

Due to the “season,” our Wednesday night praying meeting and Bible study has been canceled, so we’ll be going to the local nursing facility instead to sing for the fine folk there, after we enjoy our fine Chinese cuisine.

12:30 PM Rick Saenz of Cumberland Books emails to say that he has just made his Plain Talk conversations available for free download on his website. I must say this is a very gracious offer, and one for which we can all be thankful.

12:15 PM This is a powerful word on forgiveness from the BBC:

“If we don’t forgive men of the wrong that they do, then how can we be forgiven?” she asked.

“I’ve been hearing of other Christians who have been suffering persecution and how they actually forgive those who have done something wrong to them.

“Altogether, I think if we don’t forgive, and hold grudges against people, then it affects us, creates bitterness in our own life.”

Read Missionary widow’s emotional return.

12:12 PM I have recently been reading Peggy Noonan, with the greatest pleasure and profit. What a really creative writer, when she is at her best, as she is here writing on Huckabee. It’s a pity that evangelicals tend to avoid her work, probably because she is a devout Roman Catholic. Her essays deserve more than a passing glance, agree or disagree with what she has to say.

11:37 AM Life goes on here as usual. Becky has completed one of her two long dresses for Ethiopia and has just finished the beautiful embroidery work she’s adding to the second dress she’s still sewing.

With the rain now falling I suppose we are poised in the brief halcyon period between the rains and the snowfall that occurs (though not always) in late January and February. I am using the semester break to improve my French, which I speak very badly and in a horribly illiterate manner — well enough, though, to find my way through the maze of Paris. My goal one day is to travel to francophone Africa and perhaps do some good for the kingdom, in what form I have no idea as of yet. The difficulty is finding someone who is fluent in French to converse with, though I must confess that I am very loathe to speak the language to anyone at all. My German I’ve managed to keep alive and well only because I spoke it for so long in Germany and Switzerland, and Becky and I will sometimes lapse into it when we want to utter secrets in the presence of others. I prefer reading Barth, Bonhoeffer, Moltmann, etc. in the original German and always find the substance interesting and the manner of speaking eminently lucid. There is always some loss when one translates foreign works into English, and for this reason I strongly encourage all of my Ph.D. students to read their French and German every chance they get. Cullmann’s Christ and Time, for example, is an uncommonly interesting book that I have read both in German and French (Cullmann was, of course, from Alsace). For beauty it compares with the elegant English prose of Markus Barth’s Ephesians commentary in the Anchor Bible series, perhaps the greatest commentary ever written on that great New Testament epistle. As one can see, I am an incurable language-lover, though learning languages is a lifetime process and an unsatisfactory one at that, since one never seems to master any of them as one should like to. At any rate, à bientôt, I hope.

10:52 AM How very thoughtful of Camilla S., a pastor’s wife in Virginia, to send along this handmade blanket for Aberesh’s baby. I think it is a magnificent work of art and also very practical, don’t you?

This, or something like it, it seems to me, is what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote Rom 12:13: “Share what you have with God’s people who are in need.” I only wish I could see Aberesh’s face when Becky presents it to her, and especially to see the baby snuggly wrapped in it.

7:46 AM I have received a very nice photo of David Yoo at his graduation ceremony two weeks ago. David (Dae) was one of my two graders last semester and assisted me very ably in various and sundry projects, mostly of a research nature. The Lord Jesus always, without exception, gives me the very best assistants. I feel very close to Dae not least because we share a common patronym: my Korean name is Pae Dae Ho, bestowed upon me during my third trip to Korea by my pastoral students. I’m not exactly certain what its meaning is, but I’m told it’s complimentary.

7:42AM It’s a rainy day, and no one is complaining of course. Yesterday was a good start to our fencing project, but several posts still need to be set before we can put up the wire itself, so mountains of work must yet be scaled.

6:34 AM In my daily reading from the book of Romans I was pondering chapter 15 when three Greek words leaped off the page as I read them. In verse 20 we read, “My goal (philotimeo) was to spread the Gospel where the name of Christ was not known.” In verse 23 we read, “For many years I’ve deeply longed (epipotheo) to visit you.” And in verse 25 we read, “Right now I’m going to Jerusalem to serve (diakoneo) the Christians there.” I think these three terms wonderfully describe Becky in every way, for she is very goal orientated, she has a deep desire to return to her second home in Ethiopia, and she is traveling to Alaba simply for the purpose of trying to be of some help to the Christians there. Paul’s Greek here is really very skilful, and its weight and concentration basically untranslatable. Yet in English one can still see the richness and breadth of Paul’s missionary passion to be and do and say everything for the sake of others. Soon Becky Lynn will find herself amidst a sea of goats, little children, and dusty streets, and she will revel in every minute of it.

By the way, a rumor is circulating that needs to be dispelled before it gets out of hand, and that is that I am sending Becky to Ethiopia so that I can cook Chinese food every evening for supper, using our farm fresh round steak plus my special secret ingredient. That’s an untruth of enormous proportions. I may cook it for lunch as well.  

Tuesday, December 25

6:39 PM No big news to report other than that we set several posts today, and that it took us all day long. Meanwhile a very pleasant portrait of George Washington has found its way into Nathan’s front downstairs room (is it a “parlor” yet?) courtesy of EBay. I wish you could see it in person, but this photo will have to do. The nation’s father seems a bit out of sorts if you ask me, but I may misjudge. It does, however, make a nice companion to the portrait of R. E. Lee, another famous Virginian, that hangs in Nathan’s kitchen.

8:55 AM Are foreign languages really worth the trouble? Not always.

Am Stachus werden zwei Einheimische von einem Norddeutschen gefragt: “Wo geht es bitte zur Asamkirche?” Die beiden Münchner geben keine Antwort. Der Tourist fragt in Englisch. Keine Antwort. In Franzözisch, Italienisch, und Spanisch. Die Männer sehen ihn gross an und schweigen. Darauf entfernt sich der Frager. Sagt der eine Münchner zum anderen: “Hast’s gehört? Der Preiss kann fünf sprachen.” Antwortet der andere: “Na und? Hat’s ihm was g’nützt?”

At Karlstor in Munich, two locals were asked by a North German tourist, “Which way to the Asam church, please?” [a famous baroque church in central Munich.] The two Munichers did not answer. The tourist asked in English. No answer. In French, Italian, and Spanish. The men just looked at him with big eyes and did not speak. So the questioner went away. One of the Munichers said to the other, “Did you hear that? The Prussian can speak five languages!” The other answered, “So? Was it any use to him?”

8:50 AM We received an incredibly wonderful email from Gondar yesterday with details about conversions and discipleship training, details that I cannot share here because they involve sensitive work but for which we can all be thankful and joyful. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for making the evangelization of Gondar a matter of concerted prayer, and please know that Becky and I think most affectionately of you. Bless you all!

8:43 AM Have you read Wordsworth’s Ode to Duty? It is exceptionally well done I think. The following lines reminded me of my wife as she prepares for her journey into the great unknown:

To humble functions, awful Power! I call thee: I myself commend Unto thy guidance from this hour; Oh, let my weakness have an end! Give unto me, made lowly wise, Thy spirit of self-sacrifice; The confidence of reason give; And in the light of truth thy Bondsman let me live!

8:34 AM I am sure than no one will be very interested, but today Nathan and I begin putting up more fencing on the farm in hopes of subdividing a rather sizable portion of land as a place for the goats to graze before spring arrives. Do you know it is still in the high 50s here during the daytime, with little prospect of any significant precipitation in the forecast? In fact it is ideal weather for working in the woods, cutting down cedar posts, digging post holes, etc. It’s difficult to explain, but Rom. 14:5 came to my mind today as I put on my work clothes. Here the original literally states, “For one judges day from day, and one judges every day” (meaning, of course, “One person decides that one day is holier than another, while another person decides that all days are the same”). I suppose I am an every-dayer on a day that most of my friends are day-from-dayers. But all of us, I trust, are enjoying the blessings of hearth and home and in this way share a common experience. I hope all goes well with you and your family wherever you are on this day the Lord has made, and whatever you may be doing in labor or leisure.

Monday, December 24

9:20 AM In a time of reflection upon the “glad tidings” that “a child has been born unto us,” I have natality much on my mind. But it does not concern the sterile ceramic deities of our puerile manger scenes (was there no manure in the stall?) but a real child, a living child, a growing child in a faraway land whose 5 siblings are dead and whose mother faces the shame of childlessness in a society that values fecundity. Today I am prayerful that our God, who is rich in mercy, may intervene in the destiny (in fact He controls it!) of this precious unborn infant and grant both mother and child, as He did 2000 years ago, life, health, and strength. Perhaps one day in the not too distant future I will be able to wish them a “Happy Birth Day.”

9:12 AM Two weeks and counting until Becky departs.

9:06 AM Today we’re off to Mount Tirzah Baptist Church in Charlotte Court House for their annual Christmas eve service and, most especially, to have lunch with the pastor and his wife and 3 sons, who are family to us. This is the same church where Becky and I presented Ethiopia to a home school fellowship as well as to the entire congregation, so you can see how we love them dearly. Theirs is a most beautiful piece of the country in graceful Charlotte County, which boasts of nary a stop light, a fact which adds a certain charm to the neighborhood. We ourselves once looked for a farm in the county, but nobody was willing to sell one at the time, and I can’t say I blame them. If you ever have a free day and would like a pleasant drive into a very beautiful part of Virginia, do yourself a favor and visit Charlotte County. (The antebellum court house is pictured to the right.) 

No further news, beyond the fact that I’m feeling much better, lobe den Herrn.

8:55 AM I have nothing to add to the incessant chatter about Tony Blair’s conversion to Catholicism, but you might find this essay interesting, including these amazing statistics:

Churchgoing in Anglican and Catholic parishes had stood at about a million each for the past 10 years, though the relative equality in their numbers over recent years is surprising considering that there are 25 million people who regard themselves as Anglicans, and only 4.2 million Catholics.

8:48 AM I took this photo last night in our library here at the Hall. It shows how I do most of my writing, with the “Three Ps” of pad, pen, and puppy. It’s almost become a nightly ritual. Shiloh is nearing 12 years of age, which means we household Methuselahs have to stick together.

(Mini-sermon: Enjoy your pets while you can. They are exceedingly wonderful companions. But they won’t be around forever.)

8:38 AM A hearty and sincere thank you to everyone who has written to me with the promise of interceding on behalf of Becky while she’s in Ethiopia and for Aberesh and her infant. I am keeping a list and thanking God for you by name. So far Aberesh’s blood pressure has been normal, so the Lord Jesus is already answering your prayers. However, preeclampsia tends to do its devilish damage in the final stages of pregnancy, so we must not relent in our praying.

8:23 AM The Republican primaries are now in their opening stages of ebullition. It is gratifying to know that it is no longer a question of the lesser of two evils, as a really great American is in the race, and to stay, while others are beginning to drop like flies. Meanwhile, the whole dreadful business of war grinds on, producing exactly the kind of political, economic, and moral results predicted by Ron Paul in 2003. The funniest feature of the primaries will no doubt be the people who try to make Paul look like a silly isolationist, which, of course, he is not. They will couch their attack in the flag, but the ploy will not work – thank God for the Internet! I’m glad that the good Congressman is flourishing to the extent he is. It’s good for the nation, and it’s good for the principle of constitutional government. Still, I am always appalled when I hear people who ought to know better prattling away of “isolationism” and “pacifism” and the like, when in fact the beast has quite a different nature. The hostility that Mr. Paul evokes among many church people is piercingly clear evidence of the extent to which Orwell’s Nineteen Eight-Four has come true. But Ron Paul can handle all this and a great deal more. He is an excellent toreador, and tosses his constitutional darts where they have the greatest effect. 

Sunday, December 23

5:49 PM Becky was the perfect hostess today as we welcomed 4 new members of our rural community to Bradford Hall for dinner and a walk on the farm. Her menu: beef roast with carrots and onions, garden fresh greens, oven-fried potatoes, gravy, rolls, dessert (fresh apple cobbler), and coffee. I passed on the cognac. (Just kidding.) I see the blogs are quoting something we’d written about our family not observing Christmas, not giving gifts, etc., and one would think that I had committed the sin against the Holy Ghost. For us the issue can be boiled down to one or two basic principles, I think, one of which is purely economic, as I cannot justify spending a dime on the trappings of the holidays when this year I will need to fund 5 round trip tickets to Ethiopia out of my own pocket. I can’t see that there’s anything to be gained, however, by debating the matter, and if people want to distinguish their rationalizings from mine it’s their prerogative. We have, up to date, not discovered anything in our family that would make us any better than any other family, Christmas or not. On an entirely different note, here’s a picture I took a few minutes ago of the moon rising above the pines of Rosewood, a reminder to me that it is unnecessary to fret over such little things in life when there is One capable of such irrefutable power and beauty.

8:43 AM Dictionary.com has posted its words of the year for 2007. What a crazy world we live in.

8:40 AM News here is unexciting. I have been been doing some reflection lately on the fact that so few Greek teachers employ linguistic science in the teaching of New Testament Greek. I tried to address this issue in a chapter in a book I co-edited, Interpreting the New Testament. The language of the New Testament is just that — a language. As such it is to be studied and taught as one would study and teach any language: according to the acknowledged principles of sound linguistics. There is obviously no hope of thinking rationally about language apart from linguistic science. Linguistics is over 150 years old, yet it has barely entered into the curricula of our seminaries and Bible schools. Most pastors remain perfectly ignorant of it, and seem perfectly content with their ignorance. I hope this will all change for the better in the future. I do see the younger generation of Greek students taking definite steps toward consolidating their linguistic knowledge and applying it to the languages of the Scriptures. The really deplorable thing is that the number of teachers of the linguistic method is at present ludicrously small. Je le regrette beaucoup. A change would entail, I’m afraid, some very radical alterations in the way evangelicals think of the sciences.

No other news, except that I’ve come down with a bit of a sniffle, “overwork” no doubt playing a role in it all. If it becomes bad enough, maybe I will ask Marse Nate for a day off tomorrow.

Saturday, December 22

3:02 PM Miscellany:

1) On the writing front, after my Anabaptist book is polished off I hope to get down to a volume of essays, beefing up a number of old ones and writing some new ones. Meanwhile I am much engaged in the works of Ron Paul, who is in so many ways representative of my own viewpoints. He is like a highly educated professional living in the midst of barbarians who don’t understand and take no interest in any of the things with which he is concerned, and by whom he is constantly mentioned with ridicule. Long before Ron Paul became a household name I was reading his essays and I even quoted him when I wrote the Welcome to my website years ago. His writings have crystallized my thoughts round some difficult points, though they have also convicted me of the asininities of some of my earlier writings on religion and politics. My book of essays won’t be too interesting and it won’t offer much that people haven’t read before; but if there is a fair prospect of reaching an audience that prefers books to the Internet (or that simply does not have access to the web), I am sure that the project will not be a total waste of time and effort.

2) On the political front, the longer the war goes on the more one loathes it. Prussianism seems everywhere. Even habeas corpus is almost a thing of the past. More on this in my book on statism.

3) On the Ethiopian front, we are now deeply involved in ministry that requires word and deed to be wedded. The feeding of the prisoners in Gondar, for example, gives credence to the preaching of the Gospel, and the preaching gives eternal significance to the feeding. Likewise down south in Burji the reopening of the Galana clinic (if that be God’s will) will go a very long way in evangelizing that arid and unhealthy region and also make the preaching work of the evangelists carry weight. Wherever Becky and I travel in Alaba and Burji I sense that our words are given a respectful hearing not because we are Americans but because we are doing what little we can to care for their sick and to relieve their heavy burdens to a degree. I think the important thing is that we do not separate word from deed in the work of the Lord.

Meanwhile Becky has begun shopping for last minute items for Ethiopia. She was on the Internet for a long time trying to find a Doppler for Aberesh’s baby, and just now she and Nathan have gone off to shop down in Oxford for protein bars for the evangelists. Her Amharic is coming along splendidly, as far as I can tell, and there are reminders throughout the house, at eye level, that we have a dedicated polyglot in our midst.

7:58 AM Brother Paul often referred to the church as a body. I suppose you can learn about the working of a body even if it’s a cow’s. The most important members are normally hidden from sight: the viscera, including the heart, lungs, liver, etc. These, Paul would say, are worthy of great honor, and protection, by the other members of the body, including those parts that are “out front.” Nobody ever sees the viscera, but apart from their faithful operation, day in and day out, the body could hardly function. In my little essay, Got Any Splanchna?, I was eager to show how people who exercise humble deeds of mercy in the Body of Christ are every bit as important as those who teach. Indeed, being loving toward others is a message, a logos, just as surely as a three-point, carefully alliterated sermon, perhaps more so. So then, I think Paul would say: whether we teach or serve, or do both, we can all be splanchnatic: genuinely loving, caring, considerate.

7:45 AM The textual variant in the Greek text of 1 Thess. 2:7 is hugely important. Does Paul refer to himself as a “baby” or as “gentle”? The difference in Greek is almost imperceptible (cf. the English sentences “The cattle eat it” and “The cat’ll eat it”). And there are many ramifications for Christian leadership as well. For a detailed discussion, go here. Either way you end up on the textual slide rule, the humblest men in our congregations ought to be the spiritual leaders, don’t you think?

Friday, December 21

6:03 PM G’Day, mate. We’re done with the cow. And with cutting firewood. And with spreading manure. The Massa really worked me today. I can only think of one thing: Gen. 3:19 sure is true. Can’t stop now, though. Time to make Chinese stir fry, with BOTH of my secret ingredients. Then read a great book. 

Life is good.

8:36 AM Seems most everywhere I speak, people know about this interview with Nathan. Happened just last weekend. Home school types, with stars in their eyes, want to know, “What’s it like having a real, working farm?” And, “Give us a few pointers on how to get started!” Since many of them have heard Nathan’s interview, I always begin with this one, hard, inescapable fact: Don’t try this unless someone in your family has the natural skills to do it. In our case, I don’t have them. Not one. Nada. Which means that Rosewood Farm would have been an utter impossibility without Nathan’s abilities and dedication.

There’s nothing he can’t do: build a house, bush hog a pasture, bale hay, fix broken equipment, paint a roof, butcher a cow, slaughter a chicken, construct an outbuilding, plow a field, plant corn. Now, I work as hard as he does, but it’s all grunt labor. He da man wit da know-how. And ya’ll need at least one of them on your farm.

By the by, farming is hard work. Very hard work. If you’ve got a paunch, don’t even try it. It won’t get you in shape; it’ll maim you. Be realistic: Is having a farm a starry-eyed dream or a get-your-hands-dirty-24/7/365 goal? Can you build things with your own hands and fix them when they get broken? Do you ENJOY working out-of-doors? Do you have the capital saved to buy a farm property (at least 50 acres)? Around here, land is going for about $4,000 an acre, and that’s cheap. Not to mention the cost of animal care. Not to mention constant building projects and repairs. If this sounds discouraging, it’s not meant to be. I just want you to think realistically. When we first moved from California to the tobacco fields of rural Granville County in 1998, TIME magazine had just published a front page article called “Exurbanites.” It told the story of city-dwellers who had bought rural properties only to sell out after 5 years because they could never adjust to an agrarian lifestyle. So before you take the plunge, I’d suggest you listen to Nathan’s interview if you haven’t already. If you don’t have the CD, you can read this. Bottom line: Agrarianism isn’t for everybody. And that’s A-OK. As with all of life: Know thyself.

8:22 AM Alan Knox is right: whenever church members talk about “holy people” doing “holy things” in “holy places” they are using Old Testament terminology, not New. I’ve written in my series on the Anabaptists:

Clearly, the Anabaptists were more interested in the New Testament than the Old. It was only the New Testament that contained the teaching of Christ and His apostles. The Old Testament was not rejected, of course. It was simply subjected to the doctrines found in the Gospels and the Epistles.

I think the Anabaptists hit it out of the ball park with their New Covenant-centered ecclesiology. This is hinted at by one of the commentators over at Alan’s site. Because the Anabaptists rejected the “externalization” of the church, they were hated and persecuted by their less Baptistic brethren. I say, “Gott sei Dank” that these intrepid dissenters were faithful unto death for their New Testament convictions.

8:15 AM More vocab has been posted. Thanks Alan and Glenn!

8:12 AM Greek students, check out this great link:  A Comprehensive Bibliography
of Hellenistic Greek Linguistics. A huge tip of the kepi to Michael Palmer.

8:10 AM Chuck Baldwin keeps tabs on the Ron Paul Revolution here. Nice, up-to-date listing, too.

8:03 AM I see the blogs are abuzz about the topic of Christian unity, and the net result is, I feel, largely salutary. I expect the discussion to continue for a very long time to come because, like the flowers on our farm, the subject of unity is a perennial matter. I feel impelled to add to the discussion by offering what I believe might be a useful example of what Christian unity looks like, and of course I am thinking of the way in which the 5 evangelical churches of Gondar are cooperating to bring the Gospel (along with soap, toilet paper, and a hot meal) to the 1500 prison inmates in that great city in northern Ethiopia. Note that this unity is not institutional but organic: these churches relate to each other by praying on each others’ behalf and by sharing the burden of ministering in their community. Theirs is a unity expressed not through a complex organization but rather in a wide range of activities, mostly evangelistic in character. This is to me quite a remarkable thing — that evangelical believers from different denominations can manifest the unity of the Spirit not only in a metaphysical heavenly sense but in a dynamic local sense. This fellowship of Christians in the service of the Great Commission is a marvelous example of the commitment to the needs of others enjoined upon us by Paul in Phil. 2:1-4. It is a reminder that the term koinonia in the New Testament refers to a participation in a common objective (including the making of financial contributions) rather than a denomination or even a loose association of churches. I know that I owe it to those humble Christians in Gondar to do all in my power to support their ministry in prison and their attempts to evangelize their neighbors.

Below: Becky and I show the Jesus Film on our laptop during a visit to Gondar in June, 2005. 

Thursday, December 20

4:50 PM Update: Though Becky will be going alone to Ethiopia this January/February, we are both planning a trip at the end of May that will likely last 4-5 weeks. We do plan to get down to Burji near the Kenya border and then out to the Galana clinic to begin preparations for its refurbishing. I trust that the Lord will provide the funding for it, but that’s completely in His hands. Becky and I see ourselves as mere conduits connecting local churches in the U.S. with local churches in Abyssinia. As God provides, we move forward. We are also making definite plans to visit Gondar during this trip. Very exciting things are happening in northern Ethiopia among the Orthodox, but the details will have to wait. Meanwhile, I am considering invitations to teach in Tennessee, Ukraine, _______, and ________ in 2008. (I cannot mention the latter two countries by name.) Decisions, decisions!

4:45 PM I just cleaned up the yard, Another few hundred pounds of lean beef about to be put away into the freezer. Becky’s still shrink-wrapping in the kitchen, but I just had to get off my feet. We plan on doing cow # 4 tomorrow.

10:20 AM Speaking of the U.S. Constitution:

It’s wanton disregard for everything we stand for as a nation.  We elect representatives to government to do our bidding.  We expect them to operate within a framework of due process set forth by the rule of law.  We might call this the Constitution or laws derived from the Constitution.  We speak of checks and balances where we have three separate but equal branches of government, and when it comes to foreign policy and national security policy, really, two.  The judiciary takes a step aside and it becomes the executive and the legislative branch.  And there’s a system, a bureaucratic system there—the State Department, the CIA, the Defense Department—that is supposed to weigh in on these issues.  And like I said, you want to gather the facts, examine the reality, and then make the policy.  What we have here is an administration that, ideologically, has committed itself to certain policy actions divorced from what we’ll call reality, early on in the Bush administration.

Read Scott Ritter on War with Iran.

7:56 AM Homeschool mom Carmon Friedrich explains why she prefers Paul over Huckabee.

7:39 AM Today we are butchering yet another cow. Again, none of this could be done without Nathan living on the farm, though he has his own house. Propinquity makes cooperation so much easier than if he had chosen to live elsewhere. The weather is perfect for our task: a high of 53 under partly cloudy skies and little wind. Still no measurable precipitation in the last few months, so it only makes sense to take advantage of the dry weather to do outdoor projects. Meanwhile I work away at my book on the Anabaptists, getting more deeply and deeply involved in all the difficulties. I wish I could afford to spend years on a book, but those days are long gone, if they ever existed. The bleak wintry scenery makes indoor activities like writing all the more attractive, however.

7:30 AM I want to mention that our eldest Ethiopian son Fasil is to be married next year on June 14, and Mama B and Papa B have been asked to attend the ceremony. After 31 years of it, I can say I am definitely in favor of holy matrimony, and I am sure Fasil’s bride will be of the same opinion. How curiously our Lord works in relationships — to think that Fasil waited many, many years to get married. What a beautiful picture of Christ and His bride emerges. I am so happy about this occasion though I’m sure an Ethiopian wedding will hold many surprises for faranjis like Becky and me. Nothing else occurs to me at the moment other than to say: Felicitates, Fasil and Rahel!

7:23 AM This email blessed our socks off. I publish it with the author’s permission.

You all don’t know me, but I feel like we’re neighbors. I have followed you to Ethiopia several times now. I have watched you minister to the believers and non-believers alike in that country. I have been watching from the relative safety of the internet via your web page and your blogs.

The Lord will not let me sit idly by anymore. After reading Becky’s message about God opening the prison and the opportunity to minister to the prisoners in Gondar, I HAVE to join in. I printed out that letter and read it to my family last night at the dinner table. I told them that I want to be involved in this effort to reach the prisoners in Gondar. I asked if they would like to join in, too. My wife almost cried and my nine year old daughter was excited. We have never done anything like this as a family before. Yes, our Church body supports missionaries around the world, but this is something that we as a family can get more directly involved in.

Since we started so late (12/18/07), I grabbed the last three bills I had in my wallet – 2 ones and a ten. My wife and I each took a dollar bill and I handed my daughter the ten. She did not want it. For about two seconds I was surprised, then she said that she wanted to use her own money to put in the basket I had set on the table. She went upstairs and got a dollar of her own and placed it into the basket. We then prayed for the prisoners, the prison officials, the believers in the five churches over there willing to do the work, and we prayed for you both. We started our basket with thirteen dollars last night, and it will grow each night until the day appointed. We have committed to adding to it and praying for the prisoners every night.

Wednesday, December 19

12:19 PM Chuck Baldwin, my good friend, is a kook. If Chuck’s a kook, I’m a blithering idiot.

Reminds me of what Vance Havner once said about true Christianity: The normal has become so subnormal that we think it’s abnormal.

11:49 AM Becky and I just had a great meeting with a local church pastor who is interested in a new work that God is doing in Burji. It involves refurbishing a decrepit health clinic in the middle of a malaria-infested valley and hiring a medical staff to provide basic health care to thousands of Burji people. Here are some excerpts from the bullet points Becky Lynn put together for our meeting:

1) First, the emphasis on spiritual ministry:

Primary focus is the Gospel message, so a full-time chaplain is fundamental to the clinic program.  He will minister/teach/equip the clinic staff thru Bible studies & prayer.  He will preach/pray/console the clinic patients.  He will make home visits to the bereaved for prayer & comfort.  During clinic hours, he will provide continuous Gospel witness, using flannelgraph, cassette tapes, preaching, etc.

2) Secondly, the potential to reach the lost with both medical care and the Gospel:

An estimated 7,500 people will be exposed to the Gospel each year thru the clinic. This is based upon an estimate of 25 people/day, 6 days/week, 50 weeks/year. We estimate that 95 percent of these people will be Muslim.  Given the nature of repeat visits, these people will be repeated exposed to the Gospel & hopefully their hearts will soften toward our Lord with each visit. Churches are already established in the regions that the clinic will serve, so those coming to Christ can easily be embraced by these congregations for discipleship, the Bible memory program, etc.

3) Thirdly, the specific medical treatments that can be attained at the clinic:

This clinic will serve those people in the Burji Valley, and the Burji Mountains to the north of Soyama Town.  It will provide medical examination, basic lab testing, basic pharmaceutical services, labor & delivery care, pre-natal & well-baby care, immunizations, wound care/basic orthopedic.  Common medical ailments in this region are: malaria, tuberculosis, infections (STDs, eye, wounds), childbirth problems, dysentery/diarrhea, malnutrition, as well as accident/trauma.  Historically, many of the people from this area who have been seriously ill have died en route to the government clinic in Soyama Town.  It is about 4 hours’ walk from the Galana Clinic site to the government clinic; it is about 8-12 hours’ walk from the far regions that the Galana Clinic will serve to the government clinic.  So it is easy to see that large groups of sick people do not get health care from the government clinic; the distance is too great to walk.  Many people die en route. Additionally, childbirth problems cannot be dealt with by the government clinic; it is too difficult to carry the birthing mother 4-12 hours to the government clinic.  So there is a definite need for medical services here, and the spiritual setting amongst Muslims allows for a great spiritual witness as well as medical assistance.

4) And here’s what a church leader in Burji had to say about the need for a health clinic:

“…. there are no enough heath institutions in the woreda (Burji District). This caused very much mothers and infants mortality. Especially, around Galana clinic, in the mentioned kebeles, there is not any clinic that can give clinic service. Because of this peoples carry their patients on primitive stretchers to Soyama town about 30kms (20 miles). Among the patients many die on the way; especially pregnant women are facing much problem.”

I closed the meeting with two simple verses: “Now suppose a person has plenty to live on and notices another believer in need. If he doesn’t help the other believer, how can God’s love be in that person? It’s just impossible! Dear children, we must show love through sincere actions, not through empty words” (1 John 3:17-18).

By the way, here’s a picture of the now unused and unusable Galana clinic:

I snapped the following photo of Becky in the Burji highlands just above the Galana clinic site. Who knows how many of these women have lost their children due to the lack of medical care near their homes? They and their families could easily come to the clinic if it were refurbished and opened again. And while receiving the medical care they needed, they would hear the story of the Great Healer! 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: we sure don’t deserve to be involved in the work of the Lord in Burji, but we sure do appreciate it. What a great Savior!

10:48 AM “Greetings! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Paltry. That’s right: people think I’m pretty insignificant. (I used to be called Sha-ul, “Asked of God,” but that was long ago.) Jesus Christ is my owner. Because of what he’s done for me, I’ve made myself his slave. He owns me and everything I have. In fact, I’ve gotten out of the ownership business. I’m now a steward of what he owns. I’m willing to make any sacrifice for him. God has chosen me to personally represent Jesus on this earth — to show others his goodness and his love. I have one goal in life: to tell people how much God loves them and how he has provided a means by which their sins can be forgiven. This is all God’s doing, not my own. He appointed me to be Christ’s representative. He separated me to tell others about his love for them. Isn’t he good?”

Thus my paraphrase of Rom. 1:1, which I’m translating in my daily devotionals. (The text reads literally: “Paul, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, called an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.”) As you can see, I’m rewording the meaning of the text, trying to avoid Christian jargon. It’s an awfully difficult task — to make words written thousands of years ago come alive to me, in my own life and circumstances. I’m finding it electrifying. I recall what J. B. Phillips wrote in the preface to his Letters to Young Christians: “…again and again the writer felt rather like an electrician re-wiring an ancient house without being able to ‘turn the mains off.’ ” This is not the result of pure reasoning. God must reveal Himself to us through His Word as we depend on the Holy Spirit to “guide [us] into all truth” (John 16:13). As I say, it’s electrifying!

8:06 AM I don’t want my indebtedness to Alan Knox to pile up, so I think it best that I link to this article sooner rather than later: Guaranteed church building program. Alan writes (to church leaders):

According to this guaranteed church building program, the church will grow only when ALL parts of the church are doing their part, not when you are doing everything the best you can.

I have one question: Have we learned nothing from the indigenous mission movement? At one time missionaries refused to let the indigenous people do anything. The latter were not considered fit for responsibility. The “efficient” operation of the mission station was more important than giving others responsibility. Meanwhile, the mission staff was sorely overworked.

Is this not the very same situation in our churches today? A huge gap exists between the pastors and the people. The professional clergy are unwilling to entrust full responsibility to the “laity,” failing to realize that all believers are equally ministers and priests. The result is the tragedy of overworked leaders and underworked parishioners. The main business of pastor-teachers is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry, with everyone putting his or her effort into the task. It is clear that the fundamental problem is a faulty understanding of the doctrine of every-member ministry and the priesthood of all believers.

When Becky and I fly to Ethiopia, there are perhaps 5 crew members for every 100 people. This is a fine proportion in that situation, but an awful percentage in the church!

7:26 AM I see that Miss Belgium was booed for speaking French. Join the club. The French utterly dislike my accent, and I can’t say I blame them.

7:21 AM Calling all Christian surfistas: I know there’s a group of you reaching out to the surfing community along North Carolina’s beaches. Does anyone know of an organizational name or a website I can link to?

7:13 AM In 2008 I hope to return to Europe to teach pastors again. Could I only set before you what I have seen in places like “Christian” Armenia, your spirit would be stirred in you like Paul’s to see the city of Athens wholly given over to idolatry. The darkness is so great and the chances of the true Light shining so small. I am full of sober hope that God can work a miracle in Europe, but I am by no means sanguine. There is a vast amount of work to be done, for Europe is as much a mission field as Central Asia. Indeed, the combined populations of Spain, France, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Austria—197 million people in all—has but a total of 0.7 percent evangelicals, the same as the entire nation of Egypt! Somehow or other we have to wake up to the needs of the “Dark Continent.” What on earth are we doing to evangelize the current generation of Swiss, for example? (To my knowledge we have not a single Southern Baptist missionary working full-time in Switzerland.) It is something I struggle to understand. Whenever I have shared my faith in Europe there were always people ready to listen, sometimes to heckle, sometimes to engage in serious conversation. Over the holidays one of my seminary colleagues will be taking a group of students to the Czech Republic, and in previous years groups have gone to Austria, Spain, and Scotland. It is the devil’s lie that “Christian” Europe can be left alone while we reach Asia for Christ. More than once I have heard dedicated young people in Europe tell me, “This is God’s continent. The devil has taken it over. We are going to do everything we can to push him out by taking the Gospel to every European.” That sounds too simple perhaps, but I am convinced that this idea of simply living out one’s faith actively is a vital key to evangelizing Europe. My question is: What can we Americans do to help? A spiritual Berlin Airlift might be a good place to start.

Below: My students and their wives in my pastors class in Alba Iulia, Romania, last year. My translator was my friend and colleague at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Radu Gheorgita.

Here’s my best Dracula impersonation, standing before the Count’s infamous castle in Transylvania. Do I look Romanian? In fact, I am half Romanian, my mother’s family having emigrated from Cluj to America in the early 1900s. Maybe that’s why I love Europeans so much.

Tuesday, December 18

2:34 PM The dry, dusty town of Alaba in Ethiopia has become for us one of the best-loved parts of planet Earth. When I first visited Alaba I was eager to see how direct evangelism was taking place everywhere in this Muslim province, even in the remotest towns and villages. Alaba indeed holds a very special place in our hearts. It’s been fun listening to Becky practice her Amharic as she prepares to return to Alaba. To learn a foreign language you have to become a little child again. So far Becky has been well-supplied with lessons suitable to her powers of comprehension, but very shortly she will dive in head first, and either sink or swim! I trust it will be a happy time for her and Aberesh; and even should something go wrong, God can still turn it into a source of manifold blessing for which we can give thanks. And yet, now that Becky is returning to minister among the people of Alaba, I wonder: Is she being prayed for as she should be? I am asking the Lord Jesus for 10 friends who will take this to heart and pray daily that Aberesh will have a healthy baby and that Becky will know exactly what to do as her medical advocate.

Here endeth my sermonette on prayer, but it will do me a world of good to know that there are 10 of you interceding for Becky and Aberesh. If God should give you that desire, perhaps you would be so kind as to let me know in an email. Thanks, and God bless. Dave

12:28 PM Guess what I’ve been up to on this sunny day? Well, first of all we delivered 50 bales to a ranch in Stovall, NC. Since the proprietor is a long-time customer we kept our prices low (only $5.00 a bale, instead of the $9.00 a bale that hay is being sold for at Southern States). This drought has been hard on horse people. Last Sunday in Wilkesboro I spoke with a lady who is selling off her three horses. She can’t afford to buy enough hay to keep them through the winter. Very sad.

Take a look at these gorgeous ponies, enjoying some of Virginia’s finest horse hay, grown at Rosewood Farm.

While dropping off the hay we saw a stack of old tin in desperate need of salvaging. Never fear, Nate is here! With the owner’s permission, we grabbed the whole lot. I figure we saved a couple hundred bucks on this tin, and it only cost us a half hour of labor.

And here’s some good news. Today we released Aster from our goat hospital into the main pasture. That’s an answer to prayer.

When we got back in the house, look at what Becky Lynn had waiting for us. It’s just like her to take such good care of her men folk. Home made vegetable soup, piping hot.

All in a day’s work….

9:23 AM Exactly three weeks from today, Becky will arrive in Ethiopia to help our dear sister Aberesh. To me it is all very thrilling to be engaged in such an adventure of faith. We have complete peace that we are doing the right thing, though we have never been separated for such a long period of time before. I do not recommend it — especially if you have small children at home! Needless to say, I will miss her very much. I will also miss Ethiopia. To visit that country is all very odd and mysterious at the beginning. My first taste of Ethiopia was so vivid it can never be forgotten: the loud noises and street smells of Addis Ababa; the rows of tropical fruit trees in Dilla; the graceful movement of the women in their beautiful national costumes; the big, umbrella-like acacia trees on the road to Hosanna; the simple huts and branch-built corrals for the goats and oxen. Down-country it was like leaving the twenty-first century and stepping into the world of a first-century inhabitant of Galilee. Above all else was the breath-taking beauty of the country, from the Rift Valley to the mountains of Burji. I never expected to find such beauty or hospitality in a country that would soon become my second home.

Sadly, the sewage of western pop-culture, with its hedonism and materialism, is seeping into the nation at an alarming rate. I often wonder: Is Ethiopia, the only African nation never to be colonized, now to be colonized by Western culture? Will the church of Jesus Christ be able to preserve what is worth keeping in Ethiopian culture while rooting out what is worst? There is so much about Ethiopia I simply do not understand, and I find so much unpredictable, except for this one truth: We must, all of us, take our bearing from the Morning Star, the Light of the World, who dispels our darkness and shines even unto death and beyond.

I am feeling nostalgic about Ethiopia today, so you’ll have to forgive me for posting these pictures. One never forgets walking from village to village. Here’s the “road” to Shargo, in the Burji highlands. The entire village came out to welcome us.

Here Becky is sharing the love of Jesus with a group of curious students in a government school in the Burji highlands.

These women stare in amazement at my wife. She is probably the first white foreigner they have ever seen. The rapport with Becky is instant.

The elders often insisted I have my feet washed after a long day’s work. I didn’t resist. Foot washing is still practiced in parts of Ethiopia.

These children prepared a special musical program for Team Ethiopia when we arrived in Soyama last June. 

“We live for Gospel. Gospel is our power.”  These hand-made signs greeted us wherever we went. Remember: 60 years ago there was no Gospel witness in this area of the world. Amazing.

Here’s a thought: There are no ordinary Christians. Christ’s love compels us — controls us, urges us, impels us. We have no choice but to share the Gospel with others. Christ’s love grips the heart of the humblest Christian, propels him along one course of life to the exclusion of all others. Is that not so? Let the kingdom expand!

Monday, December 17

4:15 PM We had some holy and hilarious fellowship this weekend visiting with the Austins in Abingdon on Friday and Saturday and the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church family in Wilkesboro on Sunday. With all due respect to Martin Luther and the apostle Paul, I can state as a categorical fact that the just shall live by food. Becky and I don’t observe Christmas, unless the party happens to be at a good friend’s house and involves lots of finger food and a wacky gift exchange. We love the Austin clan. They’re a little bit crazy, but which family isn’t?

Becky and Julia did hand work in the cozy living room…

…while Nathan and Joy sang songs of the season.  

Josh and I enjoyed reading Romans together in Greek. All in all a really marvelous time, including watching the premier of “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” My favorite (unscripted) moment in the movie is when yours truly (Sir Charles Baskerville) is walking in the yew alley and along comes one of the Austin’s hens. She really stole the show.

Then it was off to Mt. Pleasant. It came as a great surprise to me how tall pastor Kevin is. And get this: he’s pastoring the church he grew up in. I think there’s something healthy and beneficial about that. He’s a man of great zeal, controlled by the guidelines of Scripture. Like the Bereans, he’s knock-down determined to acquire the truth and to put it into practice. The church made a huge sacrifice for Ethiopia. They contributed just under $1,000, and every penny of their love gift will go to help the saints in Ethiopia. Both Becky and I had the privilege of addressing the congregation, sharing with them how easy it is to get our eyes off life’s real purpose and on to secondary issues. As much as I support age-integration, homeschooling, and other worthy (and, I believe, biblical) causes, in ultimate terms these are all secondary matters. We should not get diverted from life’s great aim — to spread the Lord’s name and love throughout the earth until He is glorified by all the nations. To see this congregation exercise the ministry of giving with such joyful generosity was a huge blessing to me.

It was a reminder of a great truth: Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today. A big thank you, then, to the Austins and to brother Kevin and his flock for loving God, us, and the Ethiopians!

Friday, December 14

6:44 AM This is too funny. (Thanks to Jeff Mackey.)

6:40 AM I’ve decided to take the plunge and begin re-reading Romans in my daily Greek devotions. Romans is probably the most complete and condensed statement of the Gospel and yet it is hardly obtuse theology. I have the strong conviction that Paul sees the finished work of Christ and the centrality of the atonement accomplished on Calvary as having tremendous ecclesiological implications. Political (ch. 13) and social (chs. 14-15) issues are no less important to Paul than soteriological (chs. 1-11) and ethical ones (ch. 12). I especially want to learn what Paul thinks about the kingdom of God and how it impacts history. The book no doubt is full of profound insights, and Paul’s lucidity and brilliance in the Greek text will, I’m sure, make for some challenging twists and turns. I have no doubt it will be an uphill and at times discouraging task.  I confess that I embark on it with considerable trepidation, but if I do not set an example for my students how can I ever expect them to read their Greek daily?

Below: The ruins of Corinth, where Paul spent 3 months writing the book of Romans on his third missionary journey. He could write to the Latin-speaking Romans in the Greek language, which had become the lingua franca of the day.

6:25 AM This Sunday Becky and I will be speaking at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Boone, NC, rekindling interest in foreign missions (especially in Ethiopia) and also speaking on adolescentism. We hope to show that, in a world deeply divided by barriers of race, culture, and class, the church is a supra-national center of unity. It is through loyalty, not to a national cause, but solely to the Kurios of the universe, that there can be genuine unity of any kind.

Thursday, December 13

5:23 PM Taking a break from grading, I went auf der Suche for our helpers and found them busily occupied. Now we know what Isaac and Mama B were up to!

And look at Nathan and Caleb, spreading horse manure down in Hidden Valley to cover up the new grass seed they had just sown.

As for Micah, he had his hands full checking up on the goats and cows. Here he is reporting in: “Everything’s fine, Papa B.”

And finally, some very good news: It just now started to drizzle. Let her pour, let her pour!  

12:13 PM I’m busy grading exams from my New Testament class but had to pause to congratulate John N. and Craig T. for earning a perfect 110 on our Greek final. In fact, 23 students (out of 55, excluding audits) earned a semester average of 100 or higher in the course, thus receiving an A+. They did this by consistently doing the extra credit work: translating from English into Greek. All are to be commended, though, for putting up with me and finishing the course. 

Meanwhile, Greek Student: Quo Vadis?

10:56 AM We’re having a blast with the boys today. They are always eager to help us with our work. Here Caleb works with uncle Nathan to load the trailer with 50 bales of hay for delivery today.

Then it was time to fill a bucket with fresh water for one of our sick goats.  

Meanwhile, Isaac was busy as a beaver helping Mama B by stirring up some secret concoction they’re working on.  

And Micah is always eager to help rearrange our pantry.  

Their mommy and daddy will be joining us for supper tonight. Meanwhile, back to work.  

9:35 AM I am very grateful and happy to report that our son David in Alaba is doing much better. If you recall, he had been suffering for weeks from malaria, typhus, typhoid, and a bacterial infection. Your prayers have made a big difference. Many thanks indeed.

9:27 AM Becky leaves for Ethiopia in only 3 weeks. Almost immediately upon her arrival in Addis Ababa she will have a most important meeting. It will be with the head of an organization that teaches villagers how to do well drilling. As you know, it has long been our desire to dig wells and thus supply fresh drinking water in Alaba and Burji. There is always a certain tension among missionaries between those who are devoted to personal evangelism and those who are concerned about social issues. We see no problem in bringing both sides together in a joint operation. Once we have trained local church leaders to dig wells on church property, they will have an important preaching point where their evangelists can point non-believers to the Water of Life as they come to draw water for free. It will, no doubt, be very hard work. Kindly remember Becky in prayer as she meets with this organization. We are hoping that several church leaders from Alaba and Burji will be able to attend the conference as well.

7:53 AM What do these countries have in common? Armenia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom. The fact that (1) I have been on their soil, and (2) they’d rather have Ron Paul as the next U.S. president than any other candidate.

7:47 AM Azusa Pacific University announces an opening in Practical Theology, while Golden Gate Seminary seeks to fill positions in Church History and Pastoral Care and Counseling.

7:42 AM Forgiveness in action:

Warren says, “The young man – I don’t know who he is; I don’t think [the victims] knew him – but he must be going through a lot personally in his own life to do something like this. Our belief is that only God is the judge and our place is to forgive and that’s a difficult thing to do, but really, I think it’s the right thing to do,” said Warren.

Read more at the YWAM website.

7:35 AM Students: My J-term syllabus for Greek has just been posted to the seminary website. If you are taking the course no need to cumber the virgin soil with any preliminary reading of the textbook. We will start everything from scratch, as if no one knew anything about Greek.

7:31 AM Mennonite missionary and teacher Mark Baker discusses what we can learn from church-to-church relationships across the great cultural divide. My own opinion is that we cannot understand our own church culture until we have traveled abroad and have something to compare it with. Or maybe the word is contrast. At any rate, there’s an awful lot we can learn from other-culture churches, as Mark points out.

7:28 AM Alan Knox has begun posting our beginning Greek vocabulary over at StudySEBTS. Thanks, Alan, for providing this service to our students. It really looks good.

7:25 AM I have been a monster not to have linked to this before, but you simply must read David Gordon’s review of A Tragic Legacy: How a Good vs. Evil Mentality Destroyed the Bush Presidency, by Glenn Greenwald. You’ll find it at the von Mises Institute site. Yes, this is the same Glenn Greenwald who deftly handled Dennis Prager in their on-air debate.

7:20 AM Alan Reynolds has posted a delightful essay called Those Wonderful (Christmas) Holidays. He’s listed (with tongue firmly planted in cheek) a few things we might want to forego if we really wanted to placate the secularists during the holidays. His approach is charming and thought-provoking. For what it’s worth, I venture this response, with sincere apologies if I offend anyone who just cannot live without the fanfare of Christmas:

1) Actually, we’ve given up on Christmas trees in our home. Long time ago, in fact. Alan writes, “No wreaths, garland, lights, candles, etc.–anything that wreaks [sic] of Christmas.” That pretty much describes our household during this time of the year.

2) Christmas vacations? Time off, maybe, but I still work. In fact, six days a week, if not seven. My “vacations” are dedicated to traveling abroad, usually to Ethiopia, or else speaking in churches stateside about missions (as we will do this weekend in Boone, NC).

3) Easter. No big deal to us anymore. Every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday.

4) Taking two days off on the weekend? Not moi. As I said, Saturday is a work day for me (I do farm projects). And Sundays? Preaching and/or teaching.

5) Other holidays? Happy to live without them.

Having said that, my personal views will do nothing to spoil the fun we’re going to have at a friend’s Christmas party this Friday night, nor will it stop us from taking advantage of the Christmas holiday to evangelize the prisoners in Gondar.

7:05 AM I am now reading Ben Witherington’s Making a Meal of It – the best thing, in spite of a rather obscure style, I’ve read in a long time on the subject of the Lord’s Supper. Ben notes that the supper was partaken in the early church as part of a larger fellowship meal that symbolized the unity of all believers. He writes (pp. 60-61): 

The Christian meal was to depict the radical leveling that the kerygma proclaimed – whoever would lead must take on the role of the servant, and all should be served equally. This social leveling was meant to make clear that there was true equality in the body of Christ. All were equal in the eyes of the Lord, and they should also be viewed that way by Christians, leading to equal hospitality toward all.

Ben’s emphasis on unity is well-placed. I cannot see the early church having two tables of the Lord: one for men and one for women, one for the weak and one for the strong, one for the educated and one for barbarians, one for homeschoolers, and one for government-schoolers, etc. When I published my essay The One Table of the Lord it was gratifying to get an email response from an elder of a church whose practice was to have the heads of households serve the elements to their family members only. This elder came to see that the basis for unity is never to be an ancillary to faith in Christ such as an age-integrated philosophy of ministry or a patriarchal style of leadership in marriage and the home. But the question remains: if the table is such a symbol of our unity, why do we observe the supper so infrequently? My essay Temples of Ceramic Deities tries to address this problematic issue head on:

Here we spend a month of frenetic activity in elaborate preparations adorning our humble church sanctuary in candles and greens, in the lighting of the Advent Candle, in the reading of the Christmas story, in decorating trees and tables, in canceling Bible Study so that we can rehearse our Christmas play. Yet how often does our congregation celebrate the Lord’s Supper, the one memorial that Jesus Himself commanded us to observe? Once a quarter.

Wednesday, December 12

8:38 PM No special news to report on the writing front. I work away at What I Have Learned from the Anabaptists for the moment – an odd, crossword puzzle endeavor if ever there was one. It seems impossible to reduce to 30 brief chapters the work of the Anabaptists in light of modern ecclesiology. As my editor wrote to me when I first sent him the proposal, “You’re not supposed to be learning from the Anabaptists. You’re a Greek professor.” He has a point. I suppose my work in ecclesiology is an Ersatz for my interest in the local church. I hope and even anticipate – in so far as any rational anticipation is justified in this lunatic industry – that the book will clarify for the general public my thinking about the Body of Christ. At the very least I hope to avoid casting a haze of dubiety over matters of plain biblical significance. In every respect I find myself going against the stream, and in a good many places I am finding that I have to rethink long-held opinions. I suppose that is the main reason why I am writing this book. I think that should I ever write an autobiography it will be full of my struggles to find out how to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus.

Meanwhile, you may have noticed that I haven’t produced very much in the way of Greek tools recently. That is intentional on my part. It often happens when beginning a writing career that one mounts a single subject and rides round and round on it without being able to dismount. I hope to avoid that tendency. I’ve also slackened in my production of journal articles, choosing instead to focus on my website (both essays and blog). Not long ago it occurred to me that I gave the better part of 30 years to the writing of “timely” articles, and those articles sleep now in forgotten volumes of Novum Testamentum and New Testament Studies. I am not a grouser, but I had hoped for greater influence, especially in the area of New Testament textual criticism. Maybe someday an obscurantist scholar will revisit my work in this area, though he will have go back at least to the Crusader level before his archeological dig turns up anything noteworthy.

Meanwhile: Onward and upward!

Tuesday, December 11

4:59 AM This is the last week of our fall semester. A few reminders:

1) If you are in my New Testament class (“Jesus and the Gospels”), you will have the entire class period on Wednesday (3 hours) to take your essay exam. There are 4 exam questions, which may be accessed online at Campus Net. Please provide your own writing paper. I will provide the stapler. Remember: the more thorough your answers the better. You may also use an unmarked Bible during the exam.

2) If you are in my Greek class, tonight your take-home exam is due at 6:30, at which time you will grade your own exams (as usual). This is your last opportunity this semester to get a copy of one of my books for free (the “110 Award”), so do your very best to denude my library.

3) I am going out of town after graduation on Friday, so I plan to have all of my semester grades calculated and reported before then. No need to go to the Registrar’s office anymore to check on your grade or wait for a written grade report. Just check your student account at Campus Net and save a tree.

4) I am teaching J-term Greek again this year. Classes begin on Jan. 3. We meet daily from 9:00-12:00.

These 9 years of teaching at Southeastern have greatly enriched my life. Nine years — as long as the siege of Troy! For most of these years my thoughts have been directed to international missions more constantly than to anything except my family and my professional work. This holiday season will be no exception as we prepare to send Becky overseas and I as teach during J-term to help pay for our trips to Ethiopia this June and again in the fall. But as much as I enjoy and love mission work, the romance of teaching has always held sway in my affections. I’m thankful for a good semester and I look forward to the next one with eager anticipation.

To all: Finish well in your assignments!

4:45 AM I think “Festschrifting” is great fun. I have already edited, in deep secrecy prior to its revelation at an annual SBL meeting, a Festschrift honoring J. Harold Greenlee, and now it seems I am compelled to add yet another “celebration writing” to the volumes that grace our library shelves. Who it is will have to remain a secret for some time, however.

Monday, December 10

3:18 PM We just spent several hours pulling cut nails from this flooring. We sold it to a gentleman in Durham who’ll use it in three of his bedrooms. This is all part of Nathan’s salvage business. The man found us on Craig’s List. Brought in a nice little income for Nate too. Old tongue-and-groove flooring like this is very hard to come by.

Right now Becky and Nathan have gone down to Oxford to swap out manure trailers. My job? Turn off the pressure cooker when the buzzer sounds. Becky’s been cooking up more of her delicious garden greens. 

6:54 AM The latest addition to our home page is called Are We Still a Nation of Liberty-Lovers?

6:50 AM Meet your sister in Christ: Aberesh. I’m glad we found this picture of her. I pray daily for her and her husband Tilahun. What humble servants of our God.

6:43 AM We all had a big laugh in Sunday School class yesterday. After I had requested prayer for Becky’s trip to Ethiopia to assist Aberesh and to learn Amharic, I also asked prayer for Nathan “while he’s trying to learn how to speak the local Southern Virginia brogue.” Seemed everyone had a funny “accent story” to tell, especially about, well, “about” (pronounced “a boot”). Growing up in Hawaii I spoke pidgin, the “unofficial” language of the Islands. My thick accent caused me some embarrassing moments when I went to California for college in 1971. That and my surf bumps. What are those, you ask? Nobody knows today, now that no one knee paddles their surfboards anymore. They’re big, ugly bumps on your knees and feet (topside) due to the constant rubbing against the board as you paddled out great distances. As I gradually adjusted to mainland living and did less knee paddling (the beaches in California are all shore breaks), my bumps disappeared, as did my accent. As for Nathan, he’s got a ways to go before he’ll be mistaken as a local by his speech (even though his neck gets red when he works outside).

6:34 AM As everyone knows, I am childishly fond of escapes into escapades about World War II allied airmen, especially those held in German POW camps. I watch as they are violently shot down and captured (“Für Sie ist der Krieg vorbei”), as they tunnel or disguise their way to freedom (or death), as they are recaptured and begin to despair of ever seeing hearth and home again. If I had not early fallen in love with the Greek language, I have not the slightest doubt that I would have become a professor of modern history. Allow me to share yet another example of the superb prose one finds in Free As a Running Fox, the story of British Spitfire pilot Tommy Calnan. Here he has just been surrounded by a group of farmers with their shotguns near Merseburg after making an escape through the window of a train and being free for three days:

These yokels with their dangerous twelve-bores formed a most important audience. I ought to give them what they expected. Their idea of a major would be, I suspected, an arrogant and authoritative man, not a meek scarecrow with his hands above his head. I had to make a quick metamorphosis. Pity I had no monocle.

I addressed the leader of the group.

“Meine Uhr, bitte.”

I tried to sound assured and to reproduce that unpleasant intonation of Teutonic arrogance reserved for addressing inferiors. I was asking for my watch.

I held out my left hand to receive the watch at the same time lowering my right arm to my side.

It was a critical moment. Would the farmer yield and give the Herr Major back his watch, or would he re-assert his own, unchallenged authority? He had only to raise his gun. As we looked each other in the eyes, I wondered what he was thinking.

He handed back my watch. My battle was won. It just needed the coup de grâce.

“Meine Zigaretten, bitte.”

He handed me the pack of Players. There had been four left. I looked inside. There were still four cigarettes and there, too, was my precious cigarette holder. I fitted a cigarette into the holder and put it into my mouth.

I waited.

The Herr Major needed a light.

Would anybody be stupid enough to fall for this one.

Two men in the circle were fumbling in their pockets, but the leader himself lit my cigarette. It was all over. My status was established. I had surrender with dignity.

I wonder if anyone else in history ever surrendered with such aplomb. Calnan’s assumption of an air of “arrogance” was indeed a stroke of genius. I only wish I could hear him speaking, hear the disdain in his voice, the haughty look in his eyes, or see the bumbling idiocy of the farmers, for whom unthinking obedience to authority (even that of an enemy combatant) came automatically, as it did to many Germans during the war.

Sunday, December 9

7:59 AM Last night our guests watched one of my favorite movies, The Black Stallion. It brought, as you can imagine, a flood of happy memories of my own Arabian gelding Cody as well as my great and good Thoroughbred Traveler. Our guests were surprised that I had given up riding, that Cody had died, and that I had given away Traveler. At 55, I told them, it was time to take in sail — just a little. The truth is, I was a very fast rider, and I was always a little afraid I would not be able to tolerate the potential injuries that come from cross-country riding, including the inevitable unplanned dismounts. There are few temptations more subtle than the temptation to go beyond one’s physical strength. Should I, then, buy an older horse for pleasant rides in the pasture? That thought has crossed my mind a thousand times, but being earthbound has given me more time for essential farm projects and for what I like doing best — writing. I still sense that at the end of the tolerably long row of books that bear my name on their fading dust covers there exists room for one or two more; at any rate, I am already committed by contract to press on. For 15 wonderful years I took great pains to be a rider and a very good one at that. But to watch a beautiful movie and get my riding enjoyment vicariously is not all that bad. Not bad at all.

7:43 AM Becky and I were married in September, 1976, but we had been seeing each other since September of 1973. Our weekend guests asked us how we met, and we told them our separate versions of the story, mine using a strict economy of words, and Becky’s filling in all the important details, much as Mark’s Gospel does in the triple tradition passages. The short version is that we met while standing in the cafeteria line at Biola College. I had just received a box of chocolate-covered Macadamia nuts from home, and when I noticed a tall young lady behind me I offered her a nut. We sat together at lunch that day, and two years and 8 months later I proposed to this graceful Texan. I fear my version is much duller than Becky’s, and she is always quick to mention that she knew, the instant she saw me for the first time, that one day I would be her husband, that my days as a single man were numbered, and that I would begin the responsibilities of my teaching career with her by my side. What would you call that? A word from the Lord? Female intuition? Prophecy? No answer to me seems wholly conclusive. But there you have it: a fait accompli in a cafeteria line brought on by two hungry stomachs and cemented by, of all things, a nut.

Saturday, December 8

5:02 PM Below is a photo of a very common but simple Ethiopian meal, consisting of injera (a pancake-like bread) and wat (a stew dish).

Becky and I have been afforded a unique opportunity to provide a simple meal like this to some 1500 prisoners in an Ethiopian prison on their Christmas Day, which is January 8. That’s only one month from today. Along with the meal will come a simple but clear Gospel presentation. Perhaps you would prayerfully consider becoming involved in this wonderful outreach. Becky has written a report about it called Christmas and Prisoners.

Thank you. Love to all, Dave 

12:21 PM In 1988 I published Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek: A Survey of Basic Concepts and Applications. There are dozens of books on that topic now, but mine was then almost a pioneer volume. It suggested new methods of approaching the field of Greek grammar, was promptly adopted by many colleges and seminaries, and has apparently been one of the most influential of the books the Lord has allowed me to write. A few years later I revised it and added a chapter on discourse analysis. It is now time to pour the old wine into even newer wineskins, and I would gladly entertain suggestions for improvement from anyone who has read the book or has used it is a textbook, on either side of the desk.

10:32 AM While we’re on the topic of Christian unity:

Je mehr die Christenheit eine Minderheit in einer multireligiösen Gesellschaft wird, umso mehr müssen wir zueinander kommen.

This from Moltmann. There’s a great deal of truth to what he says. Of course, one of the “religions” he is referring to is the worship of the state (Nazism). Hence the development of the “Confessing Church” during the Second World War.

10:19 AM A reader sent along this link to Tiny Texas Houses. (I didn’t think anything was tiny in Texas.) She thought Nathan and I would enjoy the pix. We did. Here’s my favorite:

10:08 AM Here’s an assignment for your weekend enjoyment, prompted by Alan Knox’s post called Jesus died for unity. Take your Bible and turn to Rom. 15:1-8. (You will recall that Paul calls Christ a diakonos in verse 8.) Study the text, then rephrase it in your own words. Here’s one possible approach:

Verse 1: We need to be patient with one another, especially with those with whom we disagree in the Body of Christ.

Verse 2: We must stop thinking only of ourselves.

Verse 3: We must be like Christ, who did not think only of Himself. He endured insults on our behalf.

Verse 4: The Scriptures are our source of confidence and encouragement.

Verse 5: These Scriptures teach that if we follow the example of Christ, God will allow us to live in unity and harmony with each other.

Verse 6: Having unity brings great praise to God the Father.

Verse 7: Let us, then, accept one another in the same way that Christ accepted us. He did this to bring glory to God.

Verse 8: Christ became a servant to the Jewish people to set an example for us Gentiles.

See how everything ties together? In fact, it can be said that the whole argument of Romans leads up to the problem of Romans 14 and 15 (disunity) and Paul’s solution: love. A good summary statement is Rom. 14:29: “So let’s pursue those things that bring peace and that are good for each other.”

As Alan says, “doctrine without unity is not sound doctrine at all.”

8:29 AM Next week I will complete my sixty-first semester of teaching, broken only by my graduate studies in Switzerland. I have had the blessing of meeting many interesting people during this time, have written several books (I wish I had written them better!), and have taught thousands of students — from Korea to India to Spain and around the world —  who seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. I gladly echo the words of John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress:

I will dare say, that this Boy lives a merrier Life, and wears more of that Herb called Hearts-ease in his Bosom, than he that is clad in Silk and Velvet.

Many weaknesses I have, but ingratitude is not one of them, and today I wish to express my sincere thanks to all of my students, in three classes this semester, for being such serious-minded scholars, and I trust that the scraps they may have gleaned from our table will only whet their appetite for more. I have never cared for fiction, but if I did I should describe my pilgrimage in education as the “best of times” and the “worst of times,” worst only in the sense that it took me several years to learn to loathe intellectual pride — which explains my disinclination for honorific titles and my keenness for the natural beauty of a plain agrarian lifestyle. During my first year of teaching I discovered the simple beauty of the Greek New Testament and was intoxicated by it, as I still am. It never surprises me when my students tell me that they actually love the Greek language, and I am quite sure that any skepticism they might have about the ultimate value of their labors will be dispelled once they gain a working knowledge of Koine. Years ago I too was bent, grimly and ferociously, upon mastering every secret of Greek grammar. I owe my interest in the language to my Greek professor at Biola, Dr. Harry Sturz, who, though not a “scholar” in the strict academic sense, was a model Christian. (He had a precedent: “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”) Any teacher can communicate facts, but facts do not necessarily bring wisdom or insight.  Dr. Sturz invariably instilled within the hearts of his pupils a passion for the language of the New Testament, and an even greater love for its Author and Subject. Personally, I owe a great deal to Harry Sturz, and not merely because he offered me my first chance to earn a living by teaching at Biola.

A wise educator once told me, “Remember that your classroom is your own house. Treat your students as your personal guests, and you will have no trouble.” I must at times confess during my 31 years of teaching that I have seemed a worried and anxious host, but the guests have always been uniformly considerate. They have been most kind to me, and I shall miss their presence in my “house” until we meet again in January.

Note: As you can see, my “house” occasionally migrates to foreign soil. Below is my beginning Greek class at the Evangelical Theological College in Ethiopia.

My intermediate Greek class at the Mennonite Bible College in the teeming metropolis of Addis Ababa. The campus has now relocated to Debra Zeit, an hour southeast of the capital.

My students in Oradea, Romania, a year ago. These were younger pastors who were dedicated to following the Scriptures in their ecclesiology and who found the autocratic form of leadership so prevalent in that part of the world deplorable.

Giving a lectureship in the Ukraine last July. Here my audience was comprised of the elders of the largest Baptist church in Nikolayev. Again, our textbook was the Bible.

Friday, December 7

1:55 PM Chuck Baldwin has just written one of his most perceptive essays on politics and the so-called Christian Right. Read it here.

12:25 PM Two brief comments on Alan Knox’s excellent blog entry of today:

1) Jesus Himself is a diakonos (see Rom. 15:8 — don’t you love the Greek text!!).

2) Perhaps the question is who should “deac,” not “deacon.” If you’re befuddled, go here.

10:28 AM This week I received a couple of new books on Greek from various publishers. The contents are well enough, but I am not impressed with the print, font, or paper quality. Look at most any book published prior to 1960 and you will discover a significant difference. Publishers then were experts in typography. Their passion was the making of beautiful books. They considered it their job to make books faultlessly, rather than to read them. Simply take a look at Eugene van Ness Goetchius’s magnificent Greek grammar and you will see what I mean. Even the paper has an aesthetic quality rarely found in today’s publishing world, where an exact profit-and-loss accounting of each book and each author conspicuously wags the dog. Sadly, “inexpensive” today also means “cheap” in far too many cases.

10:20 AM We had rice for breakfast this morning. Along with fried eggs and toast. In Hawaii rice was typically served for breakfast, just as grits used to be served in the South (rather than hash browns). It really is quite tasty with eggs. Becky reminded me that while we were in Greece, okra was served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Odd, isn’t it — the culinary customs of nations and people.

7:17 AM The latest addition to our home page is called Pearl Harbor and the Cycle of Fear.

7:12 AM I want to take a minute and commend this excellent website to anyone who is attempting to master theological German. There is certainly something to be said for availing oneself of such wonderful helps if you are a student of the language.

Before leaving for West Germany as a short-term missionary in 1978, I worked incessantly at my German, for it was obvious that I could never study in a German-speaking university (which was my desire and goal) without an expert knowledge of the language. I used the simplest of conversational grammars as my textbooks, and later proceeded to intermediate-level readers. Paul Mittmann, an erstwhile Wehrmacht soldier who after the war had emigrated to Anaheim, California, became my tutor in conversational German. Once in a while I preached in his small church — one of the few Lutheran Brethren congregations in Southern California — reading from the hand-written notes I had labored over for hours. It soon became necessary to decide on my doctoral program, and naturally I discovered plenty of reasons for applying to both Tübingen in Germany and Basel in Switzerland. Though accepted to work with professors at both institutions, I chose the latter due to the reputation of my soon-to-be Doktorvater, Professor Bo Reicke, who hailed from Sweden. That an American should go to the continent to study theology seemed a natural course of action to me. Indeed, it scarcely occurred to me that I would go anywhere else. The only schools in America that I considered attending all had professors who themselves had received their own training abroad, and I did not think it very wise to get my education secondhand.

Basel to me was an entrancing place, and it was not long before I got some inkling of the meaning of that mysterious German word Gemütlichkeit. Since I could already speak and write German, Professor Reicke was eager for me to move speedily ahead with my dissertation, which I decided would investigate the various Greek words for “weakness” in the Pauline corpus. The lectures I attended were unlike anything I was used to back home. As soon as the professor entered the lecture hall we students stopped our chattering and literally knuckled our applause on our desktops. There were free organ concerts every Friday evening and church services every Sunday morning. Becky and I secured a tiny one-room apartment a half block from the Rhine and settled down to endure the coldest winter that Switzerland had had in years. I was duly matriculated as a doctoral student and began attending seminars. The air in many a doctoral seminar was notorious for its foulness, as most of the students had taken up pipe-smoking in apparent imitation of their esteemed professors (e.g., Markus Barth was an avid pipe-smoker.) Unlike the American system I was so used to, there were no tests or exams to measure a student’s progress. The professor merely signed each student’s registration card at the beginning and then at the end of the course. We had, of course, no shortage of motivation to attend lectures given by such world-famous scholars as Martin Anton Schmidt, Jan Milic Lochman, and Ernst Jenni. One of my favorite seminars was conducted by Professor Bernhard Wyss, a Greek philologist then at the height of his fame. There were three of us in the seminar on Greek minuscule manuscripts of the ninth century, and the reward for our perseverance was a visit to the university library at the end of the semester to examine an original Erasmus Greek New Testament, published in 1516.

But of course I had been drawn to Basel by the fame of that great New Testament scholar and delightful teacher, Bo Reicke, under whose tutelage I worked on my dissertation. Within a year’s time I was able to return to California and resume my teaching responsibilities at Biola University. In 1983 I spent 7 weeks in Basel preparing for my orals and graduated that summer. While there I made a pilgrimage to all the important sites in the life of Ulrich Zwingli, the great reformer of Zürich. All the while I attended the Baptistengemeinde Basel and preached there numerous times. On the Sunday before my final departure from Basel I gave a sermon in dialect, having made an arduous but belated effort to learn Baseldeutsch.

Professor Reicke’s impact on me is difficult to measure. He showed the imaginative instinct of an independent thinker as well as a consummate technical scholar. I feel very blessed to have been his student. When I left Basel in the summer of 1983 I never saw him again.

What I have been relating would have been impossible without a knowledge of the German language. I remember how surprised I was at learning that many of my American colleagues could neither read nor speak German with facility, even though they had doctorates in New Testament. I hope, then, that my students do not mind if I try to seduce them into not only learning but mastering this wonderfully useful language.

Below: A panoramic view of the beautiful city on the Rhine, where Germany, France, and Switzerland all meet.

Thursday, December 6

11:56 AM Today is a perfect day for walking on the farm: bright, sunshiny, and crispy cold. This is one of my all-time favorite views of Bradford Hall with its dependencies.

Nathan raises all of our calves from about 2 days old, so they are very human-friendly and will come right up to you. This little feller allowed me to rub his back.  

The dogs sniffed out these feathers in the pasture. Looks like we lost yet another duck. O well, I suppose the predators need to eat too.  

I was curious to see how Sheppie would react to the animals. His herding instinct kicked in immediately. Here he’s facing down Edelweiss.

Over a year ago our Nubian Floppy gave birth to this beautiful white girl but sadly died two days later. I raised Snowball and bottle fed her until she was a month old. I guess she thinks I’m her mommy. She’s my favorite goat by far.

I’m so thankful that God has allowed me to live on a farm. I don’t deserve it, but I sure do appreciate it.

11:17 AM James Ostrowski’s pep talk for Ron Paul just about says it all:

There is no logical reason why Ron Paul can’t win the nomination and the White House. We have the messenger, the message, the troops, and the money. We have the most powerful communications technology ever invented on our side: the internet. Our adversaries are weak and disorganized and fighting each other. The time is right.

And don’t forget the tea party on Dec. 16!

9:31 AM People have been asking me, “How in the world can you and Becky be separated for 9 long weeks while she’s in Ethiopia?” I will try to answer this question, though here I can do no better than a brief croquis.

1) As you can imagine, we’ve had some long prayer and much earnest thought about the matter. We are in complete agreement that this is the will of God for us. “Can two walk together unless they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). (By the way, in 31 years of marriage we have never made an important decision unless both of us were in complete agreement. My thinking has always been, “Why should the Holy Spirit tell me to do one thing and Becky another?”)

2) Becky is uniquely suited for this ministry. As you know, Becky will be in Ethiopia to help Aberesh, an evangelist’s wife who has lost several babies in utero. The problem is likely pre-eclampsia, which requires very close monitoring. Becky has been a nurse for 30 years and has risen to the height of her profession (ICU). Also, Becky has herself experienced pre-eclampsia, and so she has personal knowledge of its dangers. It is Becky’s task to watch Aberesh very closely and do all she can to see that this precious sister in Christ is given the best medical care that is available in Ethiopia, both pre- and post-partem.

3) I like to tell people, “If you want to understand my wife, just read Romans 16:1-2.” Usually, people compare Becky and me to Priscilla and Aquila. We always travel to Ethiopia together. But on this trip she will be more like Phoebe. Note that Phoebe is described by two words: “diakonos” and “prostatis.” In the New Testament the noun diakonos is often translated “deacon,” not always a good choice in my opinion. The English word has a religious connotation lacking in its Greek counterpart. A diakonos is simply a person who serves other people. If you know Becky, she is a deacon par excellence. (I have written about this often.) The second word is even more emphatic. The Greek term prostatis is defined by Douglas Moo as “one who came to the aid of others, especially foreigners, by providing housing and financial aid and by representing their interests before the local authorities.” Moo thinks Phoebe was “a woman of high social standing and some wealth, who put her status, resources, and time at the service of traveling Christians, like Paul, who needed help and support” (Romans, p. 916). Now, if you will combine Rom. 16:1-2 with Phil. 2:3-4, you will understand exactly why Becky is going back to Ethiopia.

4) Finally, Becky wants to learn the Amharic language desperately. Being in-country is by far the best way to do that. Having learned to speak a few foreign languages myself, I can empathize with her. Language is made up not only of words but of rules and logic. It is precisely vague, if you will. You can’t learn Amharic in haste. It takes time and commitment. So let’s all be rooting for Becky as she climbs this enormous mountain!

In short, Becky and I both feel we are called to do all we can to spread the Good News of the kingdom and to assist God’s people to the best of our (limited) abilities and resources. We have discovered that the god of TV or sports or pleasure or “Christian” holidays can be just as much an artificiality as any of the monstrous deities of pagan cultures. The same can be said for our culture’s love for “Christian” radio and TV  preachers, which for some crazy reason we prefer to the pure milk of the Word of God — a book filled with joy and vitality, courage and wisdom. God inevitably disappoints the man who is attempting to use Him to prop up his own comfort and plans.

You ask, “What will you eat while she’s gone?” I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that there’s one meal the man of the house can make (it calls for a very special ingredient). It’s a good thing that both he and Nathan enjoy this meal, because the bad news is that’s about all he knows how to cook.

7:58 AM Ron Paul – the conscience of the GOP.

7:54 AM Our family will be watching Tora, Tora, Tora again this year – probably the best dramatization of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. And this reminder: The story of Mitsuo Fuchida, who led the attack on Pearl Harbor, is a wonderful testimony to the mercy and grace of God. You can read about it here.

7:45 AM Alan Knox, one of my outstanding Ph.D. students, has just been interviewed at Said at Southeastern. Alan blogs over at The Assembling of the Church. This isn’t the first time Alan has been interviewed, however (see his DBO interview).

7:42 AM Celebrating Christmas – in October?

7:40 AM The Swiss are (justly) proud of Ron Paul:

Interviewerin: “Gibt es irgendein Land in der Welt, welches Sie für ihre sozialen und politischen Werte bewundern, abgesehen von den USA?”

Ron Paul: “Ja, ich mag die Schweiz irgendwie.”

Interviewerin: “Und warum?”

Ron Paul: “Weil niemand den Namen des Präsidenten kennt. Niemand kennt den Namen des Präsidenten und es gibt in der Schweiz Kantone, welche unabhängige Bundesstaaten sind und in denen unterschiedliche Sprachen gesprochen werden.
Die Schweiz verhält sich in Weltkriegen immer neutral, sie ist militärisch gut ausgerüstet, sie haben eine Millizarmee und jeder Bürger hat ein grosses Gewehr bei sich zu Hause – es gibt kaum Kriminalität und Gewalt.
In der Schweiz ist die Regierung nicht zentralisiert – die Schweiz ist in vieler Hinsicht die Art von Republik, wie sie eigentlich auch für die USA vorgesehen war. Also, ich glaube, es gäbe hierzu noch viel zu sagen.”

Read Ron Paul Lobt die Schweiz. (Note: It’s true. I don’t know the name of the current president of Switzerland. Even when I lived there in the early 1980s I couldn’t tell you who he [or she] was.)

7:35 AM The New Year will be fast upon us. With that in mind, some 300 years ago a man named Jonathan Edwards made 70 resolutions. Here’s a sample:

58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May 27, and July 13, 1723.

Each resolution is still worth reading today. They are a reminder that our business as Christians is to glorify God in body and spirit, by life or by death, in sickness or health, by what we do and what we do not do, whether we eat or drink. Like Edwards, I want to learn to pray, not “Lord bless me,” or “Lord use me,” but “Lord glorify Yourself through me.”

7:31 AM Click here to see a tribute to Larry and Jean Elliott, two simple Jesus-followers. The Elliotts were killed March 15 in Mosul, Iraq. They are buried at Grassy Creek Baptist Church, 15 minutes from my farm. Their life and death confirm the words of yet another Christian martyr, Jim Elliott:

Wednesday, December 5

6:17 PM Mavericks in Monterey, CA, has been breaking big lately, as in HUGE. In fact, on Tuesday a 45-year old man died there trying to surf nearby Ghost Trees. Tonight NPR was reporting that waves as high as 80 feet were being ridden. I have three brief thoughts:

1) Having surfed waves both in Hawaii and California, I know that each place measures wave size differently. In Hawaii, where I was born and raised, we always measured a wave from the back. In California, where I lived for 27 years, waves were measured from the front. Thus in Hawaii a 25-foot wave would measure 40-plus feet in California because a wave sucks out in the front. So I find it hard to believe that actual 80 footers were breaking at Mavericks. Here’s a shot of a big wave at Mavericks. I estimate the wave size to be 20 feet, even though the face of the wave is at least 35 feet.

2) I am 55 years old and haven’t surfed in 10 years (since I moved to the East Coast from California). Even though I’m in very good physical condition and am an expert swimmer (I was a life-guard in California), I think it’s a bit overboard for anyone over 30 or so to risk life and limb riding big waves. When I was 16 I thought nothing of it and could hold my breath for a couple of minutes when taken under by a huge wave. But I’ve noticed that the older I get, the weaker my lung power has become. It’s just the natural process of aging I suppose.

3) That said, everyone has to test one’s own limits. “Know thyself” is a famous Greek saying, and it applies as much to surfers as to anyone else. My sympathies to the family of Peter Davi, whom I know died doing something he enjoyed. If you have never felt the thrill of speeding down the face of a monster wave at 30 mph, you have really missed something special.

5:38 PM Izzy Lyman is writing again, this time over at Taki’s Top Drawer. Don’t miss her take on the Ron Paul Revolution here. And while you’re at Taki’s site, why not check out this essay on the myth of adolescence? It deals with a new book exposing the fabrications of a whole generation of social scientists. (For the record, I prefer to call the myth adolescentism, since it’s a social theory and not a fact.)

5:32 PM Special hello and thanks to our four presenters in New Testament class today: Blake, Wes, Bob, and Paul. Each presentation was centered in the cross and Christ-exalting. I am blessed to be part of such a great class. I have sensed a strong working of God’s Spirit among the students all semester long.

5:28 PM Here’s a cool web page I ran across recently: UK Baptist Blogs.

Tuesday, December 4

5:57 AM Today is a very big day. I begin orals at the seminary. This time I’m on the giving end. Each student in my Ph.D. Greek Linguistics Seminar gets a half hour to shine.

5:53 AM A message from Ron Paul. (Thanks to my friend Lee Shelton.)

5:50 AM Bro. Matt reviews Spirit-Led Preaching.

5:45 AM Last night we crawled into bed at 7:30. Barely. We were that tired. At least we were able to process another cow. Our freezers are now full enough to take us through 2008. Not bad for two days of work. And the beef? Never tasted better. We even had Chinese food last night to celebrate (with my secret ingredient, of course.)

Monday, December 3

7:24 AM The latest addition to our home page is called Regrets.

7:21 AM Click here to read about the fascinating advice Bruce Metzger gave to one of his doctoral candidates just prior to that student’s oral dissertation defense at Princeton. Apparently Metzger was fond of telling his students to say “I don’t remember” instead of “I don’t know” if they didn’t know the answer to a question. This brings back memories of my own oral exam. At the University of Basel, you took your orals after your dissertation had been approved. You had to wait several months from the time your dissertation was accepted before you could schedule your exam. In my case, the orals were to cover 3 areas in New Testament studies, one of which was Paul’s letter to the Philippians. As you can imagine, I spent several weeks studying that epistle and everything written about it in English, German, French, etc. When the day of my orals came I felt confident that I could answer any question thrown at me by the 3 examiners. If I recall correctly, the subject of Philippians came up after the other 2 areas had been discussed. Professor Reicke was the one who began the questioning on Philippians. Guest what? He asked not a single question about Philippians! Instead, he used Philippians as a platform from which to ask me questions that would show whether or not I understood the Pauline corpus. He would ask, for example, “Where in Paul’s other letters does he discuss the theme of suffering, as he does in Phil. 1:29?” Or, “Phil. 2:5-11 is not the only example of the Adam-Christ contrast in Paul’s thought. Can you discuss how he develops that theme in his other writings?” Again, not a single question was asked about Philippians per se. Very wise on his part, I thought later, but I sure was sweating bullets during the exam. Needless to say, I felt very stretched after taking my orals. But that was one of the reasons I went to Basel in the first place.

On one occasion during the exam I did indeed have to admit “I don’t remember.” I had been asked by Professor Martin Anton Schmidt to repeat Oscar Cullmann’s famous couplet. The answer, of course, was “schon erfüllt, noch nicht vollendet.” I knew the answer but developed a bad case of stage fright. I couldn’t spit the answer out for the life of me. Here’s the funny thing. They knew the answer. I knew the answer. They knew I knew the answer. I knew I knew the answer. Why, everyone in the whole universe knew the answer to that simple query. It was perhaps the easiest question I was asked during the entire 3-hour session, and I was completely tongue tied. So I admitted, in a sheepish voice, “Ich hab’s vergessen.” They mentioned the answer, we all got a big laugh, and on we went to the next question.

Sunday, December 2

1:27 AM Just back from Bethel Hill. Nice serendipity: the entire service was missions-focused. The Bethel Hill Puppeteers did a skit on reaching out to the lonely in our communities. Excellent! Their skit was called “Light the World.”

Then pastor C. Balasingh from Tamilnadu, India, brought a powerful message entitled, “Four Reactions to the Birth of Christ,” from Matt. 2 and Luke 2. He teaches in a Bible College and also runs an orphanage in southern India. Pastor Jason Evans has ministered with brother Balasingh on four different occasions in India. Here’s a pic of Jason and his wife Molly and pastor Balasingh and his wife Helen.

I wish every church was as missions-minded as our dear friends at Bethel Hill. May their tribe increase.

8:24 AM This morning Becky and I will be visiting the Ethiopia team over at Bethel Hill Baptist Church in Roxboro. I can tell you one thing: all of them are eager to go back to Burji. So are we.

8:17 AM Click here to read Jeff Tucker’s latest essay on good table manners. Allow me to add three more.

1) Always seat the ladies first. Men (and boys) may not be seated until Mama and sisters and female guests have been seated. Yes, guys, you are permitted to seat the ladies.

2) After the food is passed around and served, everyone waits until the lady of the house gives the okay to start eating. In our household the magic word is “Enjoy.” Everyone is to follow this rule, even infants in high chairs.

3) Nobody gets up from the table until the meal is over. This includes restless children. In our home it’s usually the lady of the house who determines when the meal is over.

You will notice that all of these rules have something in common: they display deference, respect, and love toward the lady of the house.

Happy wife, happy life.

Saturday, December 1

5:47 PM Nathan sure is multitalented. Not only can he build, he can tear down. Today, after completing our gutter ministry, we traipsed off to a neighbor’s farm to get the tin off the roof of his old barn.

As always, I did all the hard work while Nathan goofed off. Not really. On projects like this, Nate takes the tin off while I load it into the trailer (and take pix, of course).

A couple of hours of labor and — voila! — a trailer load of free tin.

The owner’s riding mower was on the fritz, but Nate had it working again in no time all, much to the joy of the proud driver. The problem was a belt that had come off, and the poor man was about to spend 100 dollars just to get a repairman out to the farm. Once again, Nathan saves the day!

You know you live in the country when you see bumper stickers like this one: “As a matter of fact, I do own the road!” 

By the way, the barn was located next to this old house (early 1900s) that Nathan restored about a year ago. The owner’s wife grew up here. Her grandfather built the house and barn.

So there you have it. A day in the life….

8:07 AM Becky has written the following financial summary on our work in Ethiopia. I hope it will help you as you consider your missions giving this year and next.

Following is a summary of the things on which we are focused this year. Each of these items is designed to help the local Ethiopian churches in Gospel outreach and in internal spiritual growth. These projects have been appointed by the Holy Spirit to us and have been developed in partnership with the local Ethiopian church leaders. As always, all gifts to this work are forwarded 100 percent to Ethiopia; our personal expenses, the expenses of our Ethiopian children, and all administrative expenses are borne by us personally. Will you commit these needs to prayer? 

If God has appointed you to help in this way, please send all checks to 2691 White House Rd., Nelson, VA 24580, payable to BeckyLynn Black. Tax-deductible checks (minimum $500, please) should be payable to Averett Baptist Church, with “Ethiopia mission” noted in memo section.

Burji:

• Rural medical clinic (refurbish building & stock equipment & supplies): $18,000

• Rural medical clinic (salaries for nurses, guards, janitor, lab tech, accountant, and chaplain): $8,000

• Bibles for 800 people: $3,200

• Resource Building (library, bookstore, and teacher resource/school tutoring room): $10,000

BURJI TOTAL: $39,200.

______________________________________________________________________

Alaba:

• Evangelists’ Assistance Fund (medical/nutritional aid, salary supplement for 14 evangelists): $10,000. (Goal)

• Well-drilling near 9 rural churches: $4,500.

• Bibles for 300 people: $1,200

ALABA TOTAL: $15,700.

______________________________________________________________________

Gondar:

• Living expenses for 6 evangelists: $3,600.

• Prison Outreach (soap, tissue, Bibles for 1000 prisoners): $5,000.

• Teaching for 6 evangelists: $500.

• Training for 30 under-cover Orthodox believers: $4,000.

GONDAR TOTAL: $13,100   

______________________________________________________________________

As you can see in Becky’s report, the needs are plentiful. For further information on any of these projects, or to be added to our email update list, please contact us at dblack@sebts.edu. You may also access our Ethiopia Files here. Thank you for your love, prayers, and support for God’s church in Ethiopia. Dave

7:17 AM Did you try translating the following sentence into Greek? Remember, there are 10 possible words in Greek.

“You (s.) have sinned against God because you are an evil tax collector.”

Here’s the answer:

su hēmartēkas kata tou theou hoti su ei ponēros telōnēs.

6:55 AM Any literature profs out there who want to move to Basel?

6:52 AM If you like the participial ambiguity in the old saw, “Did you see the grandfather clock going upstairs,” you’ll love this one.

6:45 AM The Lord Jesus had His paint brush out this morning:

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Saturday, April 30

9:22 PM “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” This is the message of a wonderful movie we just enjoyed as a family. Dear reader, if you have never experienced the love of God through the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray you will do so this very day. “This is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life.”

5:51 PM Saturday shout-out to all who attended our Student Day here at the farm, including lots of little ones. The food was plenteous and the weather delightful. In addition to sharing sweet fellowship together, we took a special love offering for the church in Southern Ethiopia, which totaled an amazing $517.00. Mrs. Black and I enjoyed having all of you here, and thank you so very much for your generosity toward your brothers and sisters in East Africa.

We have been blessed with several students from Asia including these from South Korea (where I have had the privilege of teaching on 6 different occasions). These men have just introduced themselves to my thoroughbred Traveler.

The lunch line wended its way through the “Lee Room” (you can just barely see the General’s bust on the fireplace mantel) and into the formal dining room. Here students from different classes are getting acquainted, including Mike Rudolph (left) and Ben Laird (right). 

Our table was spread with dishes from several continents, including my all-time favorite — Korean Pulgogi with Kim Chi. 

A young man studies his next move. In the background is our reed organ that Nathan played to the delight of all.

Emmanuel Cakpo is my personal assistant and hails from the West African nation of Benin. It was great hearing him speak French with his Francophone sons. 

Shiloh and Sheba were big hits as always and graciously allowed themselves to be pampered and loved on.  

Friday, April 29

7:42 PM The latest addition to our home page is called Every Member a Minister.

3:51 PM I’ve got to hand it to the new Pope. He speaks Italian, German, French, English, Spanish, and Latin. And he likes to travel; he has already said he will attend World Youth Day in Cologne in August. Hmmm, maybe he can get me into the Vatican Library to see Codex Vaticanus?

3:35 PM As the persecution of Christians increases in Eritrea (a neighbor to Ethiopia), the church is asking for prayer.

3:31 PM You’ll never guess where they just opened up a surfing beach.

1:27 PM Mr. John Lofton, whom I had the privilege of meeting when I gave the election sermon at the Constitution Party’s Convention in Valley Forge last year, defends the true pro-life position in this excellent essay. It reminds me that the gravest danger we face in America today is from ourselves, not the opposition. This is perhaps most clearly seen in the plethora of public officials who say that although they hold an antiabortion view themselves they would never dream of “imposing” their views on society. John, I appreciated this reminder that all law is in fact some form of legislated morality, and the only question is whose morality will dominate.

By the way, some of you will recall John’s eloquent response to Ken Gentry’s opposition to third party candidates. You can read it at the Vision Forum website.

11:49 AM Izzy, that’s one of my all-time favorite Groucho lines.

Why I Love Marx

10:08 AM How would you like to ride around in this?

10:06 AM Pope’s coat of arms to show head of Ethiopian.

9:58 AM A dark day in North Carolina.

9:25 AM Tomorrow is Student Day at Bradford Hall from 10:00 to 5:00. Lunch will be served at 11:30. Students from any of my classes are welcome to come with their families. Email me if you need directions.

9:19 AM Time to get caught up on a few emails. Buddy Walker sent me this very nice letter:

Wonderful essay. One part caught my attention. I think the main thing
that is missing in the seeker sensitive, etc. “churches” is reverence
for God. He’s “the Man upstairs” and other stupid, sacrilegious,
irreverent title. These pastors should be required to read the parts of
the Bible where the writers are totally overawed in His presence, such
as Isaiah, or John in Revelation where he fell at His feet as dead. I’m
always appalled at the familiar, buddy-buddy way some “pastors” refer
the the God of the universe. Most of them wouldn’t refer to their
senators in the manner they refer to our Lord and Saviour.

And here’s a response to our essay Bound by Conscience. 

THANK YOU and AMEN, AMEN! Excellent Article.

Finally, we just received a wonderful email from Ethiopia. When we met first Bereket  in his village last November, he was working in the shop of a man named Beyene. Bereket is now back at home and doing well, both physically and spiritually, as this email from Beyene shows. (Note that the Austin and McNutt families are specifically mentioned!)

Dear Mrs Black,

      How are things in verginia? I wish every thing is cool in you.

I wrote you this short line to tell you the returning of Bereket, your son, to Gondar in safe. he arrived here yesterday in the morning around 3am.I picked him at the air-port and brought to my house. He is good and the surgery is now already healing, I asked him if it has pain, but no.he told me about those kind people in addis abeba and he would never forget the time he spent there. all the people are very kind and helped him in many ways besides you, they gave him a cloth, very sufficient food, even they let him a phone to give a call any where he like, so that we had been meeting once in a week. throguh the phone. now he is a  little home sick about them especially samuel, b/che did many things and never let him to be alone even for a seconds.

       Thank you for the items you sent me through Bereket, your son. he gave me the shooes, a pair of socks, the nick tie, and so on thank you very much for your kindness and may God let me to pay your greatfullness.

     Bereket is very happy in you and always thank God the father who gave him a kind mom and dad he also thank people those who sent him a card, letter as wel as money for his surgery. I think mony people  know  bereket, since you introduced him through website so that he order you to pass his thanks and reguards for those who helped him in praying and donation for his surgery. he passed his greetings for Austin’s familly, that is mr and mrs Austin Joshua, Jacob, Julia, Joy and Jessicahe also he  gave his reguards to Stephen Macnut and his family. totaly, just say hello for the people who knows him.

       I also would like to say hi your son Natan.

                        Sincerly,

            Beyene and your son Bereket (from fellasha Village)

                 Take care

Thursday, April 28

8:01 PM The latest installment on our home page is titled Paper Perfect Churches.

7:09 AM “I got a phone call from a neighbour who said there was an unusual happening going on at the tennis courts and they weren’t playing doubles.”

7:04 AM My namesake likes being a gift. But he doesn’t think too much of gift control. Stumped? Read on.

6:53 AM Have you ever seen such a meenie? They’re saying, “We’ve been working hard too, daddy. And look —  we’re begging soooo politely.”

6:49 AM I’m praying for you, young man. I know it’s scary, as I had my tonsils taken out in the hospital when I was about your age. But remember: The Lord Jesus is with you every step of the way, and so are your parents. Love, Dr. Black.

6:30 AM Seen this yet?

The next time you hear a politician use the words “billion” casually, think about whether you want that politician spending your tax dollars. A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into perspective: 

A billion seconds ago, it was 1959. 

A billion minutes ago, Jesus was alive. 

A billion hours ago, our ancestors were living in the Stone Age. 

A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate Washington spends it.

6:25 AM You can check your blog’s readability by clicking here. 

6:14 AM Next Monday we welcome another visitor to Bradford Hall. Here’s a shot of our most popular guest room, with its cozy wood-burning fireplace. We call it the Renn Room since we purchased and retrieved most of the moldings and doors from the historic Renn House in Granville County, NC (ca. 1790).

Wednesday, April 27

5:49 PM The latest addition to our home page is called America’s Harsh Winter.  

7:28 AM As you can see, I’ve got Ethiopia on my mind this morning. Here is the Intermediate Greek class at the Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa last October. I gave each student an inscribed copy of my It’s Still Greek to Me, their textbook for the course. Beforehand they had been using photocopies of certain pages due to the prohibitive cost of imported books.

Becky served in the clinic in Shashamane. Here she is with a proud mother and her firstborn. Becky delivered the baby. 

These men were children when they studied under Mr. Lapsley in grade school. Today they are church leaders in Ethiopia. Becky and I held a special dinner in their honor, and we videotaped their testimonies to show Becky’s mom and dad. Each of them had the highest praise to God for the Lapsleys’ ministry among them 50 years ago.

These street urchins now have a home in Addis thanks to SIM missionaries. Using her flannel graph, Becky taught these precious girls about the love of Jesus.  

This is the school that my father-in-law built in Hosanna. Today over 3,000 children are in attendance, 1500 in the morning and 1500 in the afternoon. During the lunch break I saw a mule standing around and asked its owner if I could go for a little ride. To my surprise, he consented. You should have heard the glee among the children as this crazy American pranced over hill and dale. Becky got a photo after the fateful ride. The mule’s owner is to my right.

This crate lid was being used in Ethiopia as part of a book shelf when we stumbled upon it on our trip to Hosanna last November. My father-in-law had used it to send a bath tub to their mission station back in 1955! Becky and I decided to bring it home with us. Here we are presenting it to Mr. Lapsley at an Ethiopian restaurant in Raleigh. You can imagine his joy and surprise when he saw it. You can just make out the words “HOSANNA” and “B N LAPSLEY” on the underside. Becky, by the way, is wearing a traditional Ethiopian dress.

Yesterday 14-year old Bereket returned to his village near Gonder to await the call for his cornea transplant in Addis Ababa. He has been given an A+ rating for his transplant eligibility. The doctor thinks the surgery could happen as early as June. Before Bereket left Addis he was able to hand deliver gifts that Becky sent for all those who assisted him during his stay in the capital.

Yesterday I received Buddy Walker’s eyeglasses for the Ethiopian church leaders. If you have any old glasses lying around and would like them to be used by elderly pastors and evangelists, we would be happy to distribute them in Ethiopia this summer. You may send them to Bradford Hall, 2691 White House Road, Nelson, VA, 24580.

Tuesday, April 26

7:58 PM I just checked out from the library this book that details one of the most amazing stories of escape and recapture from German POW camps. Time to light a fire and settle down for cozy read.

7:50 PM Kristen over at Walking Circumspectly continues her discussion of a woman’s design in the plan of God. This is an excellent series that can be read with profit by all God’s people.

7:44 PM The latest entry on our home page is called Bound by Conscience. By the way, one of the stops on our Grand Reformation Tour this September will be the city of Worms. Please consider joining us.

6:09 AM Yesterday I linked to this essay. Here’s one response I received via email:

I have to agree with the Austins. Too many “church people” become just
exactly that—“church people.” And they think they’re serving Christ
when they’re really just “doing church.” I know because I’ve been there.
I was, all at the same time, a SS teacher, deacon, lay preacher in a
nursing home, on the pulpit committee, communion preparer/server, usher, shut-in visitor, and probably a couple of other things that I now
forget. And I thought I was sooooooo spiritual and really serving the
Lord. Until one day I just got—BOOM!—totally burned out with do, do,
do, do, do, do, do. I’m sure there are many others who have been in the
same boat. It’s the old story; 20-f the people do 80- of the giving and
80- of the work in any “church”….

Our Lord never meant for his servants to be “energizer bunnies” in that way. He said “Go.” Not “Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go and keep on going to serve a “church.”

“My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

6:03 AM Here we are enjoying dessert at Bradford Hall with our revival speaker Brad Reynolds (far left) and friends of Averett Baptist Church. Standing is the hostess with the mostest, who set a most beautiful table. To her right are our precious pastor and his wife, Horace and Joyce Murray, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in grand style last week. How we love this precious couple and all our fellow believers at ABC. You will not find sweeter people this side of heaven.

5:50 AM Only 35 days to our departure for Ethiopia.

5:46 AM Don’t forget to honor your secretary this Wednesday.

5:40 AM It’s back to school day after a great week putting in our garden beds and hosting guests here at the Hall. The only thing I missed was riding due to a head cold I caught on Wednesday. Traveler, my lean, mean, running machine, says “Ready when you are.”

Monday, April 25

5:46 PM Don’t you be puttin’ the Austins in a home school box. (This is a great post, Julie and John.)

5:25 PM This just in:

Dave   I visit your site often and have high regard for your writing.  Please keep up the great work !   Have you commented in any of your essays re the PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE phenomenon ?                                                                       Sincerely,                                                                       Doug Brinson

Thank you, Doug, for the suggestion, but lately I’ve been a bit preoccupied with teaching in various churches on the topic of The Scripture-Driven Church.  

5:21 PM Tonight my gifted wife hosts 9 for supper, including our revival speaker (and my esteemed seminary colleague) Dr. Brad Reynolds. Fresh home-made bread and three (3!) different home-cooked soups bless the menu. And this ain’t nothing special – I eat this good all the time.

5:16 PM I sit here at my pooter enjoying the latest addition to the Bradford Hall (well, the Bradford Pond) family – mama duck, papa duck, and 5 little ducklings. We first saw mama emerge from the brush last week with her brood, while papa stood guard against predators (including a sprite little puppy over at the big house who seems to have a killer instinct). As long as they stay within the fenced pasture area they should be safe from Little Miss Sheba. Haven’t been able to get close enough yet for pics, but we’re having a blast watching the “fowl play” through our binos. (Pics soon.)

10:17 AM Good news for my adopted second home.

9:58 AM Monday morning shout-out to Ben and Erin Hames, who spent a couple of days with us at Bradford Hall chilling out and preparing for their move back to Georgia. Ben is completing his M.Div. at Southeastern and Erin is planning on entering law school in the fall. May God richly bless you both as you follow His leading in your life.

9:50 AM Blogs may or may not improve your busi-ness, but they sure will make you busi-er.

9:43 AM Chris Yokel on the sword and the Spirit:

Christian Heroism in J.R.R. Tolkien

9:33 AM Quote of the day (Abraham Kuyper):

When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become your sin; you must, at the price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith.

9:22 AM Here’s an interesting discussion of distance education. I hope to post an essay on this topic soon. 

9:20 AM So you think you know German?

9:12 AM Oh no, not another bad rap for the city where I lived in Switzerland. Inventing LSD was bad enough.

Saturday, April 23

10:27 PM Here’s a great post by Darrell Dow on the pope. Darrell, I’ve been meaning to write a similar essay, but you say it much better than I ever could!

10:14 PM For Scott Brown —  surfing at Huntington Beach. Can’t you just feel the wave? Have a great Lord’s Day, bro!

10:08 PM DBO reader Greg Hyler sends this link to World Net Daily. Thanks, brother.

9:59 PM If you are a John Owen fan (like I am), you’ll want to check this out.

6:41 PM Buddy Walker had this response to our essay on names:

I think I would change my name to Weeble. Remember them? As in 2 Cor. 4:8-9.

Nice choice, Buddy.  

6:26 PM Tomorrow we wrap up our series on The Scripture-Driven Church at the Raleigh Chinese Christian Church. My thanks to Elder Don Hong and all the RCCC staff for making my visits so enjoyable (including the after-church fellowship supper with great Chinese food plus a touch of Korean Kim Chi!). Here’s my outline for tomorrow’s message. Most of the time will be spent reading the passages listed in parentheses in order to allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves.

The New Testament Church Meeting

1. Jesus Christ is the sole head of the church (Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:18).

2. Every believer is a priest unto God (1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:5-6) and a minister (Rom 12:4-8).

3. No single member is to be dominant (1 Cor. 12:7-11).

4. Church meetings are to be participatory (1 Cor 14:26-31).

a. The doctrine called “Hekastology” (v. 26, “each one”).

b. No tension between mutual participation (v. 26) and an orderly church service (v. 40).

c. Each saint can be involved if so prompted (cf. Col. 3:16).

5. Leaders have the responsibility of equipping the saints (Eph. 4:11-16).

a. The saints are the ones who “do the work of the ministry” (v.12).

b. The Body’s growth is directly related to its members’ ability to function (“which every joint supplies,” “the proper working of each individual part,” “for the building of itself up”).

6. Mutual encouragement should be a strong focus of every gathering (Heb. 10:24-25; Rom 15:14).

7. More than pastors are allowed to instruct the church (1 Cor 14:26; Acts 13:1; Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor 12:29).

8. The corporate teaching by the pastor-teachers is not limited to one pastor (1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Thess. 5:12).

6:18 PM As a big fan of WW II escape stories, I was glad I happened across this story about the infamous Colditz in Germany. This so-called “escape proof” castle saw 11 British officers make home runs back to England. An amazing place indeed.

Below: A still from the 1955 British war movie, The Colditz Story.  

12:22 PM The latest entry on our home page is called What’s In A Name?

10:33 AM Saturday shout-out to all our agrarian friends. I thought yall might enjoy this overview of Rosewood Farm, with Bradford Hall in the center left and Nathan’s farm in the center right of the photo. We are now preparing our pastures for their annual hay crop. Last year the Lord provided us with an un-heard of 4 cuttings of horse quality hay, most of which we sold to buyers from as far away as Rocky Mount, NC. One of our goals this spring is to complete the fencing in our main pastures so that we can rotate the livestock. Currently we are up to 5 head of cattle and 9 goats (8 females and one billy, so we hope to increase our goat population this summer). By the way, if you are interested in reading about the meaning (and myths!) of agrarian living, you simply must read this essay by my friend Franklin Sanders. And to all who are getting ready to grow their edibles and adorables, Happy Planting!

10:16 AM Lady Carmon is in a confessional mode in this excellent blog post.

10:12 AM Buddy Walker responds to this essay.

Interesting article. However, like your reader who sent in the link, I
fear the writer is missing the whole point. They say Rick Warren is
something people are running “to.” I think he’s one of the things people
are running “from.” It’s almost impossible to find a church that isn’t
using his materials and ideas anymore. I certainly couldn’t find one in
this area so I gave up looking. One of my criticisms of most churches is
their music. I love the old hymns AND the new hymns. The key word being “hymns.” I personally DESPISE repetition and just can not abide the little choruses (I refer to them as jingles) where one sings the first
couple of lines twice or more, then another couple of lines and then the
first couple over a couple of more times. That is so inane and
meaningless to me. We have hundreds of theologically sound hymns
available to uplift, encourage, and inspire us. The “Sesame Street” type
jingles do absolutely nothing for me.

And I understand Warren also puts out “canned sermons” or sermon
outlines to follow his 40 days program. In my former church, I could
tell within the first 5 minutes or so of the pastor’s sermon when he was
following someone else’s outline. I could get more from reading one of
Spurgeon’s sermons at home. I’ve tried preaching someone else’s sermons and could never make it fly. Maybe others can, but not me.

But I think this is one of the things, (or a couple) from which the
“stayaway saints” are fleeing. They, and I, are seeking true,
meaningful, heartfelt worship to, and service for our Living Saviour.
Not happy clappy, feel good, what’s in it for me, services. Perhaps I’m
wrong. But that is what I’ve seen and heard in my personal experience.

I’ve read on some websites that people see a huge revival happening in
this country. I must ask, “Where?” I certainly don’t see it. Not real,
true Biblical revival such as we see in Acts. Although I would truly
love to see that since I see no hope for this country or this world
unless it comes. I pray for it. I hope all Christians are praying
likewise. And for the soon coming of our Lord Jesus.

In Christ,

Buddy

Friday, April 22

1:54 PM Believe me, this would not work in southern Virginia.

1:07 PM Work on the farm never ends. Here we are putting in our raised garden beds behind Bradford Hall.

Our landscaper friend Scott helped us with the project. In the background are the carriage house (right) and smoke house (left). These buildings were “rejects” from neighboring farms that Nate and I took apart and reassembled. As you can see, we are trying for the “old” look in everything we do (well, gravel excepted).

11:20 AM Islam is on the march in Africa.

11:05 AM A pastor from Baltimore had this request:

Dave,

May we print your article “My Big Fat Greek NT” on the back of our weekly bulletin?  And may we occasionally print in our bulletin other pieces you’ve written? 

I am honored that he asked. My response was to say that he (and anyone else) is welcome to use whatever I write in any way that would glorify God.  

10:55 AM My good friend Buddy Walker (who also happens to be an avid fisherman) has joined our “eyeglasses ministry” for Ethiopian pastors and evangelists:

I finally got them on the way. I had to put a screw in one pair and
couldn’t find one and that caused a delay.  Three pair of good
prescription glasses and one pair of reading glasses. I keep a couple of
those around. One in my tackle box of course. 🙂

How I thank the Lord Jesus that He places the desire to help the Ethiopian church on so many hearts. Thank you, Buddy, and thanks to everyone else who has joined the cause.

10:42 AM My wife has been preparing Ethiopian coffee at home lately. Did you know that, according to one ancient tradition, coffee was discovered by a young Ethiopian goatherd?

10:33 AM Surfing is more ancient than even I thought. (Below: A Hawaiian petroglyph of a surfer.)

10:21 AM Before my wife and I went to Germany as summer missionaries in 1978, I taught myself the language and also read everything I could get my hands on about the German people. In view of the pope’s German background, I recently reread this book that covers all the bases (though it is now a bit dated). The author was a GI in WW II and has some fascinating tales to tell about his experiences in the final allied push in 1945.

10:15 AM Long-time DBO reader Jim Cutler sends the following link about Bedside Baptists, Pillowtop Pentecostals, Comforter Charismatics, and Eiderdown Evangelicals

Dave,

I found this article to be both insightful and troubling.  You may have seen it already.

I wonder if “churches” are catching on to this whole “church as a body of believers” underground.  They don’t seem to like that people would get together and minister to one another rather than being needy.  Note the continuous worry over financial losses.  Where did our Lord ever indicate that He needed our money?  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills!

http://www.charismamag.com/a.php?ArticleID=10434

God bless you

10:12 AM This essay on ancient Greek is out of this world.

10:10 AM YARDS, GOD-STYLE: Since moving to the country, I have changed my “philosophy” (if one can call it that) about mowing and weeding. I would add to this category raking leaves. So when my son (whose farm is already au naturel) pointed out this essay to me, I had to chuckle my agreement. I especially loved the phrase “an open field full of landscaping, God-style.”

10:03 AM A fellow classroom teacher sends these thoughts:

Dr. Black,

I just had to tell you how much I enjoyed your article “Graders Who Don’t Grade”.  As a teacher myself, I often wonder how a teacher or professor can fully gauge their student’s understanding when grading by proxy, even if using a rubric of some sort.  Thank you for being so dedicated to serving the Lord and your students in this way.    

Thursday, April 21

12:21 PM The latest entry on our home page is called Graders Who Don’t Grade.

10:16 AM This 15-year old writes:

The United States of America is ruled by a tyrannical force, and I do not mean the Republican Congress, the conservative Supreme Court, or even George W. Bush. At the end of the day, the men currently in power will eventually be booted out of office at the voting booth, be term limited, step down and retire, or they will die, as we all must. They do not hold true power in this country. There is a stronger force behind them – behind all of America – and it is the tyranny of misperceptions.

Read A Tyranny of Misperceptions. 

10:12 AM In his “Dominus Iesus” published in 2000, the new pope said that Protestant and evangelical churches “are not Churches in the proper sense.” He may be on to something here. For more on the pope, see Who Is Benedict XVI?

10:08 AM Don’t ever say this can’t happen in America:

Eritreans resent the strong-arm tactics of President Isaias Afewerki and his administration. His government refuses to implement a 1997 constitution that guarantees freedom of religion and other democratic rights. Prominent politicians who challenge the party line are jailed. Privately owned newspapers are forced to close. For many now, the sacrifice for independence has yielded only more authoritarianism.

9:54 AM Yesterday I received via snail mail my copies of the Portuguese edition of Why Four Gospels? From what I can see, parece ser uma edição boa (my college roommate was from Brazil and taught me just enough Portuguese to be dangerous).

9:45 AM Today we also say goodbye to the Hamm family, who spent several days with us at Bradford Hall. Casey is a student at Southeastern College of Wake Forest and audited my Greek class at the seminary.

The children enjoyed feeding our 10-day old calf named Charlie.  

Casey, his wife Tina, and their children Taylor, Logan, and Kylie will be relocating to Texas, where Casey will begin his M.Div. studies at Southwestern Seminary this fall. We wish this precious family God’s richest blessings.

9:33 AM Today my wife and I are going to Danville to get our second Hepatitis A shot for Ethiopia.

Wednesday, April 20

7:54 AM Here’s an email from a kindred spirit:

Dave, I just read your article about writing a book and I want you to know that I will be praying for you. I am an avid reader of your articles and find them very enlightening. I am deeply concerned about the state of Christianity in America today and seem to find myself at odds with much of “organized religion.” Churches have made far too many compromises with both the state and the culture. That’s why it’s good to find like-minded individuals, even if it’s only in cyberspace. God bless you, C.

7:44 AM PRAYER REQUEST: Today Bereket has his final follow-up visit to the doctor subsequent to his eyelid surgery. He will now return to his village in northern Ethiopia to await his cornea transplant. We are asking the Lord to make that possible while we are there so that Becky can wait upon him post-surgery. But the Lord Jesus will work out the details perfectly, as He always does. One thing is certain: This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

7:40 AM The Association of Reformed Baptist Churches in America annual meeting is now taking place. Tom Ascol is the featured speaker. I find it interesting that the program header is written in Modern (and not Hellenistic) Greek:

7:35 AM Ho Hum (Jim Elliott):

“The acquisition of academic knowledge (the ‘pride of life’) is a wearing process and I wonder now if it is all worthwhile. The shiny paint laid on by curiosity’s hand has worn off. What thing better can a man know than the love of Christ, which passes knowledge? Oh to be reveling in the knowledge of Him, rather than wallowing in the quagmire of inscrutable philosophy! My philosophy prof says I can’t expect to learn much in his class—all he wants to do is to develop an inquiring mind in order to ‘make explicit and critically examine philosophical problems of the widest generality’. Ho hum.”

7:30 AM Here’s some good news if you live on the left coast. Golden Gate Seminary will be reinstating its Ph.D. program. 

7:26 AM I just stumbled on this surf map of Oahu in Hawaii. I surfed most of these spots while growing up there. My home turf was Kailua on the windward side (numbers 53-56). 

7:18 AM At last weekend’s Uniting Church and Family Conference in Raleigh I met several dads who were teaching their sons New Testament Greek. Many of them asked me if I had any teaching helps available for beginning students. Other than my grammars, I might mention that my beginning Greek course will be available on DVD this fall. Meanwhile, my beginning grammar is suitable for self-study, and includes a key to all the exercises in the back along with a handy fold-out chart of the entire Greek verb system. It is thrilling to see more and more homeschoolers studying the language of the New Testament, using the many helps available in print or on the Internet. May God richly bless your studies.

7:12 AM My wife and I are spending a couple of days in Zurich on our way to Ethiopia. I love that city on the Limmat and can’t wait to visit Zwingli’s church again. One of the main reasons I chose the University of Basel for my doctoral studies was the chance to live in a leading city of the Reformation and to study for a degree in a school that offered degrees before Columbus stumbled upon America. I strongly urge those considering a university doctorate to study abroad. Not only do you get a challenging and rewarding course of study but you are also exposed to living in a foreign culture and (in my case, at least) the opportunity to speak a foreign language. I well remember meeting my professor for the first time upon my arrival in Basel as a student in 1980. I found him in the library. Here I am — a guy from Hawaii speaking to a renowned Swedish New Testament scholar — and the language we used to converse with each other was German. He immediately became my “Doctor Father” and I his “Doctor Son” until I graduated in 1983, when suddenly I became his peer. I am sorry, but I cannot commiserate with students who are constantly complaining about their doctoral studies. My academic experience was pure joy, and Becky and I will never forget the wonderful days we spent along the Rhine in Switzerland.

(Below: The house where Erasmus lived in Basel. Erasmus edited the first published Greek New Testament in Basel in 1516.)

Tuesday, April 19

3:50 PM Are you a homesteader? Find out here. (Hint: You might be a homesteader if you feel you were born a century too late.)

Below: A beautiful old house on a neighboring farm. Nathan and I recently repaired and repainted the roof for the owner. There are dozens of these wonderful homes just waiting to be restored.

3:33 PM The new German pope’s harshest critics are likely to be the Germans themselves. Here’s why:

Nirgendwo ist die Kritik an ihm so harsch, so unerbittlich wie in Deutschland, für viele ist der Mann mit den eisgrauen Haaren schlichtweg das Symbol für Dogmatismus und Konservatismus. In vielen Ländern wird er, trotz mancher Kritik, dagegen einfach als »Bewahrer« angesehen – was in Zeiten dramatischen gesellschaftlichen Wandels durchaus anerkennend gemeint ist.

How interesting, I thought, that the new pope should have taken the same name we gave our Ethiopian “son” Bereket. Both Bereket and Benedict mean “blessed” or “blessing.”

3:19 PM It was exactly four weeks ago today that I said goodbye to my first horse. Time does not heal, though healing does take time. There is hardly a day when I do not think about Cody. I still miss him, but gradually the sorrow is being replaced by the happiest of memories. (Below: Cody doing what he did best — about to give a child a ride. He did this literally hundreds of times.)

3:05 PM Glenn Ansley has some food for thought:

We must daily “continue in His word.” It is only through the daily study of Scriptures and time in prayer that we will come to know the truth. If we will do this, Jesus promises that the “truth will make us free.”

3:00 PM Greek students: What’s wrong with this title?

THE ALETHEA REPORT

8:39 AM Guess what I’m doing today? I am working through my checklist for Ethiopia. We leave in just a few short weeks. For samplers, I need to order some of my Greek textbooks for the Evangelical Theological College, purchase an English-Amharic Dictionary, get copies of my book on Textual Criticism for use when I lecture at Addis Ababa University, and get a Thompson’s Chain Reference Bible for an Ethiopian student. Our CD project is almost complete. Each CD will include several dozen Bible study books. Each graduate of ETC will receive a gratis copy from the Lapsley-Brooks Foundation (my father-in-law’s foundation). Perhaps most exciting of all, I just received an invitation to teach and preach for a weekend down in Alaba, a stronghold of Islam. If you recall, this is where a young Christian was killed for his faith recently. I have been invited to meet his family and then minister to the fledging Christian community there. I am more convinced than ever that the church in America faces similar anti-christs. The truth takes root in resistant soil, and persecution can be demoralizing, but it can also be a cause for taking heart since it tests character (James 1:2-4).

8:35 AM Here’s an encouraging email from someone who attended last weekend’s conference:

Wanted to say a BIG thank you for your message at the conference in Raleigh! What a challenge. What a continued challenge to me to spend the majority of my time in Scripture! Thank you so much! We listened to the CDs again on the way home of your message.

It is vital that we continue to pour the new wine into new wineskins.

8:32 AM The new president of Moody Bible Institute has some wise words about traditionism (as opposed to traditions), the priority of teaching and studying the Bible, and what church ought to be.

8:25 AM The latest addition to our home page is called My Big Fat Greek New Testament.

8:22 AM Greek students will want to check this out.

Monday, April 18

8:22 AM To all my fellow wave riders, including Scott and Doug: There is hope for us.

8:14 AM I had the privilege of meeting several wonderful pastors at the Uniting Church and Family Conference last weekend, including this one from High Point, NC, who believes in family integration. Yes, it can be done, and it is being done. God bless you, Sir, as you seek to follow the Lord Jesus in love and obedience.

8:05 AM If you live near Greer, SC, you won’t want to miss this great opportunity:

Family Together Ministries presents

From Generation to Generation

Hear “Little Bear” Wheeler
Historian, Father and Pastor

May 13
7:00pm – 9:00pm
May 14
9:00am – 3:00pm

8:01 AM A good friend of DBO sends along these thoughts:

As you know, I am not opposed to the church being active in civic life.  Indeed, I think the church must be the conscience of the culture.  After all, we are to be salt and light to a dying world.  But aren’t our well-meaning brothers turning the bride of Christ into little more than an interest group, looking for scraps from the emperor’s table rather than an abundant life in Christ, filled with the Spirit of God?

 

I guess there is little we can do about this other than act locally, right? On that note, I’ll finish this up by telling you that as I have been searching for a church home, I’ve come across some WONDERFUL Baptist churches….

 

Dave, it really is heartening to see the Word preached and taught well, to see children worshipping with parents and being rigorously instructed, to see true fellowship and love among the brethren. 

 

It is in these things, despite all of the other wickedness and foolishness around us, that I am continually reminded that God IS at work, and there is a wind blowing.

 

May we redeem the time, and may God continue to bless your efforts.

Yes, it is heartening to see this, as believers become more and more aware of their family responsibilities and of the truth that each and every member member of the Body of Christ has been gifted with at least one kind of charisma. This truth often runs in complete contrast with so many of our churches, which have become spectator-oriented. Fundamentally, we need to give ourselves to others in ministry and do our part in the church. I am so glad you are finding this to be true in the churches where you live. May their tribe increase, my friend!  

Saturday, April 16

9:35 PM For your weekend reading:

The Ascent of Lost Man
in Southern Baptist Preaching

9:19 PM Civil War Dads has a great post titled When Ladies Were Ladies.

9:12 PM Prepping the soil for the raised beds. The dirt came from a spot on our farm. The garden should be good to go Monday evening.

9:08 PM The worst kind of outsourcing.

3:37 PM What kind of “American” do you speak?

3:21 PM It’s that time of the year again. Nathan has already planted potatoes, carrots, and onions at his farm.

Here he is preparing our fields for orchard grass and clover on this gorgeous Saturday morning. All of this was scrubby cutover when we bought the place. We cleared the land and erected pasture fencing around our new acre-and-a-half pond. This afternoon a landscaper friend is helping us put in my wife’s raised garden beds behind Bradford Hall.

3:12 PM Martin Luther (Tabletalk):

God alone, through his Word, instructs the heart, so that it may come to the serious knowledge how wicked it is, and corrupt and hostile to god. Afterwards God brings man to the knowledge of God, and how he may be freed from sin, and how, after this miserable, evanescent world, he may obtain life everlasting. Human reason, with all its wisdom, can bring it no further than to instruct people how to live honestly and decently in the world, how to keep house, build, etc., things learned from philosophy and heathenish books. But how they should learn to know God and his dear Son, Christ Jesus, and to be saved, this the Holy Ghost alone teaches through God’s Word….

2:59 PM Last night I fielded a couple of questions about Bible translations, including a question about the difference between dynamic equivalence and literalness. Wayne Leman has a helpful glossary of technical terms related to Bible translation at his website Better Bibles Blog:

Technical terms

• Accuracy
• Audience (also, Target audience)
• Biblish
• Collocational clash
• Dynamic equivalence
• Field testing
• Functional equivalence
• Inclusive language
• Literal translation
• Meaning-based translation
• Paraphrase
• Register
• Transparent translation
• Word-for-word translation

Speaking of translations, an ESV Kids Bible is on its way. 

2:53 PM If you are at all interested in learning more about the so-called emerging church, a post by Andrew Jones is a good introduction.

1:24 PM The latest addition to our home page is called The Bible Plus Nothing.

10:47 AM Tomorrow I am continuing my series on the Scripture-Driven Church at the Raleigh Chinese Christian Church.

10:37 AM At the Uniting Church and Family Conference last night, Voddie Baucham did a superb job explaining from the Scriptures why a biblical philosophy of age-integration should be adopted by every local church.

Over 400 attendees heard Scott Brown lay out the qualifications of an elder based on the detailed requirements of 1 Timothy 3. 

Scott and I go way back together. We were in classes together at Talbot Seminary back in the late 70s, and both of us were part of the Jesus Movement craze of the 60s and 70s — he in Southern California, I in Hawaii. In case you didn’t know it, Scott has a great website.

Friday, April 15

8:29 AM Greek students take note. A colleague of mine at Golden Gate Seminary has written Interpretive Implications of Using Bible-Search Software for New Testament Grammatical Analysis. Definitely worth a read.

8:20 AM A New Jersey cop is challenging the Establishment. You can check out his blog here.

8:13 AM Feeling a draft?

8:10 AM Today’s conference schedule. I hope to see many DBO readers there!

12:00 p.m.      Getting our Houses in Order (Lunch provided) Voddie Baucham 2:30 p.m.      The Home is the Factory for Church Leaders Scott Brown 3:45 p.m.      Why Family Integration? (Panel Discussion)   5:00 p.m.      Break   7:00 p.m.      Revival: Lessons from the Life of Josiah Voddie Baucham 8:15 p.m.      The Doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture – Scott Brown interviews Dr. David Black on the implications of the Bible for modern church life Scott Brown

8:07 AM Look what they’re cloning now.

8:04 AM Yesterday in chapel Voddie Baucham spoke on the many false gospels being “preached” in our churches these days. Likewise, Wes Barnett has some excellence thoughts on The Man-Centered Gospel.

8:00 AM I enjoy going into schools and speaking on “The Christian Character of Robert E. Lee.” In that vein, Richard Williams has edited a book that should be required reading for every young man south and north of the Mason-Dixon line:

the maxims of robert e. lee for young gentlemen

Edited by Richard G. Williams, Jr.

Foreword by John J. Dwyer

128 pp.  5½ x 8½ 

7 b/w photos  Notes  Biblio. 

ISBN: 1-58980-310-8  $12.95 pb

13-Digit ISBN: 9781589803107

---

Readers may order the book toll free from Pelican at 1-800-843-1724.

Thursday, April 14

6:53 AM Here’s a trombonist with a website that “points the way to Jesus Christ.” I like what I see!

6:50 AM Check out these acronyms.

6:45 AM I met William Einwechter at the Saint Louis Uniting Church and Family Conference last year. His work focuses on church and state issues from a uniquely biblical perspective. Here he offers a thoughtful analysis of Election 2004. An excerpt:

The Bible reveals that Jesus Christ is the center of all things and not the state. Whenever Christ’s lordship over all things is not recognized in a society, as we see in America today, the state inevitably rises to supreme prominence as the expression of law and order on earth. Christians must reject messianic politics, and emphasize the lordship of Christ and the institutions of the family and the church. Cultural factors drive politics, but, ultimately, culture itself is determined by the condition of the family and the church. Furthermore, the condition of the family and the church is decided by submission to Christ and faithfulness to His Word. Cultural reform, and, thus, political reform, usually comes from the bottom up.

6:43 AM Ethiopia is on the verge of a cyberspace explosion. Gospel opportunities will abound. Does anyone have a desire to get in on the ground floor with Christian e-education or cyber-cafes? The possibilities are endless.

6:37 AM The religion of “Generation Y.”

6:35 AM Will the “Panzer Cardinal” become the next pope? In this interview, Cardinal Ratzinger answers questions that vary from ecumenism to liberation theology to the ordination of women. He also relates his experiences in WW II Germany.

6:23 AM The world’s first global map to bring $1.5 million.

6:19 AM Thursday morning shout out to my friend Voddie Baucham, who speaks in chapel today and then at the Uniting Church and Family Conference on Friday and Saturday. Voddie has authored this book about our post-Christian culture.

6:15 AM The word “church” in English is ambiguous. It can refer to a building or to a group of people. Only the latter meaning is reflected in the Greek word ekklesia. That’s why I prefer not to use the word ” church” to describe a group of believers that come together regularly for Bible study, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer (this is the basic definition of a “church” according to Acts 2:42). If I ever need a name for a new Christian fellowship, here’s one I would seriously consider.

6:12 AM Can you name these famous Baptists? (Hint: They were all very Reformed-minded.)

(The faces, beginning at noon and moving clockwise, are J. P. Boyce, John Bunyan, John A. Broadus, William Carey, B. H. Carroll, and Charles Spurgeon.)

Wednesday, April 13

7:43 AM One of my dear colleagues will be a featured speaker at a Canadian conference on translating the New Testament (thanks to Lee Justice for the link):

 http://www.macdiv.ca/coned/bingham2005.php

7:31 AM When he was a student at Wheaton, Jim Elliott had his priorities right:

My grades came through this week, and were, as expected, lower than last semester. However, I make no apologies, and admit I’ve let them drag a bit for study of the Bible, in which I seek the degree A.U.G., “approved unto God.”

7:26 AM How livable is your state? I was born and raised in Hawaii (#26) and lived for 27 years in Southern California (#35). Today I reside in the great state of Virginia (#5)!

7:20 AM The latest essay on our home page is called Men Who Risk It All.

7:18 AM So Putin is the apostle Paul?

7:15 AM Two seminary professors join the blogosphere.

7:12 AM Wayne Lehman sent me an email with a link to his new blog on English Bible translations. He welcomes your comments.

7:08 AM Our puppy seems to run on two speeds — all out, and totally exhausted. Here she is dead asleep in our breakfast room, arm perched on wall.

Tuesday, April 12

6:51 AM The importance of mentoring.

I’ve been mentored and have mentored many people in my career. These are, by far, the fondest memories of my career. Due to my views on training, views on life, personal convictions, and attraction to high-risk/high-reward activities, we’ve started down this path.

6:48 AM It happened 44 years ago today. I remember it well.

6:45 AM I’ll admit it: I love Shelties. They make an exceptional pet. They can be  reserved with strangers (that’s good), but they possess an insatiable longing to please their owners. They are very responsive and develop a lasting loyalty to their families. Their natural affinity for children make them gentle companions, and their propensity to guard their home make them highly protective.

Shiloh (below) is having quite a time trying to keep up with our new puppy, Sheba, but I’m sure he’ll figure her out one of these years!

6:40 AM Will you start vlogging?

6:37 AM Fifteen Evil Consequences of Plexiglas Preaching by John MacArthur is full of rich insights.

6:35 AM Mrs. Julie Austin offers some excellent advice for homeschooling parents.

6:30 AM Long-time DBO reader Matthew chimes in on the Charlotte Mason discussion:

Dear Professor Black (even though I’m not in your classes, you’ve been
a great teacher for me )

I read your question about Charlotte Mason and the response from Izzy.
As a home school dad, who strongly believes that God has given us the
position of choosing, reviewing and being involved with the daily
lessons of our children, I have only briefly read some of the
Charlotte Mason materials. The problem with Charlotte Mason, in my
opinion, is she is not completely Christian or Biblical in her
worldview.

We have chosen to bring our children in direct contact with art,
however, from a Christian worldview. The Lord graciously led us to
David Quine’s material at http://www.cornerstonecurriculum.com/ David
and his family have been a blessing to us in the areas of music and
art. They take the principles of Francis Schaeffer (sp?) and apply
them to how we take dominion over these important areas of our lives.

I would agree with Izzy, that we just don’t expose our children to
art, just for arts sake. Our weekly art consists of the following. We
use the paintings that we get from the Quine’s material and go over
questions like, was the person painting this picture using the Bible
in what he was trying to say. What was the artist saying about God,
what was he saying about man, etc. We then have a short background on the painting and then we have it displayed in one of our rooms during
the week. We come back at the next sitting and talk about it some
more.

We have been doing this for about a year. I can say, I have about -10-
art appreciation in me. I never saw the purpose in it. During this
year, I still can’t say I like it at the 100- level, but I have
learned to understand how the expression of your belief about God is
expressed clearly in the art you do. How, for example, art has slowly
digressed from a Biblical worldview. From early 9th century art then
up through DaVinci, Rembrandt and then into Monet shows a clear
digression of a Biblical worldview. My children have been able to see
this too.

My favorite stories are of my three year old. She’ll sit and look at a
picture and try and find objects in it. We also make our own version
of the picture as well with good old crayons. We were in a Confederate
museum once, about 8 months ago. Our three year old was looking around and the next thing I know, she’s down on the floor looking at a
painting of a battle. The museum hadn’t hung the picture yet, but she
found it and was just studying it, intently. I went over and asked her
what she saw. She said fire, guns, cannons, etc.

Long email, but bottom line, as in anything we do, it must bring us to
God and dominion over what God has given us and what God has given
others, both past and present.

Matthew

P.S.: Lord willing, looking forward to meeting you this weekend in Raleigh!

6:20 AM Fellow Virginian George Lansing sent me this wonderful news. His wife began the first Beta Club chapter of homeschoolers under the name “Grace Academy” in 1999. Every year this small group of central Virginia homeschoolers has done extremely well at the state convention. Last weekend it placed third in “Scholastic Sweepstakes,” which was their accumulated point totals in all categories. Keep in mind that this group of some dozen or so students was competing against the best of the public schools throughout the state. Of greater importance was the beautiful testimony of their love for Christ and their desire to see Him redeem all of education. Their son Eric placed first in Oratory again this year and will be delivering his winning speech at the national convention in New Orleans in June.  Please take a moment and read this wonderful essay by a young man we can all be proud of:

Truth in the Streets

If you would take a moment with me to travel back in time a couple of centuries, and over the ocean several thousand miles, we will find ourselves in a street in Paris.  And as you look across the street, a man steps out of the door with his mistress, a woman whom he has described as the “ugliest woman I have ever laid eyes upon.”  The man steps to the edge of the street, and you see that he is holding a newborn baby girl—his own baby girl.  Seeking to draw attention to himself, he casts the baby into the street, and walks back inside.  Amazingly, this baby girl has four siblings who have all been left on this very street, the same way someone today would throw a trash bag into the street, to be picked up by the garbage truck.  If this newborn baby is fortunate, she’ll be found by some caring soul, and taken to an orphanage.  But if she’s not fortunate, she may be trampled upon, hit by an oncoming carriage; or she may die out in the cold.

If you had the privilege of following this man into his home, you would have seen a paper lying on his desk, bearing a phrase that this very man has coined.  The paper says, “The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.”

Ladies and gentlemen, you have just arrived at the house of one of the most powerful philosophers of modern history—a man whose writings would bring about the mass executions of the French Revolution, a holocaust of one third of Paris’s population.  This man’s name is Jean Jacques Rousseau.

Whether we realize it or not, the man who has just left his child to die in the streets is a man whose philosophy has permeated our own society beyond measure.

In response to this, I bring before you an unusual assertion: there are absolutes.  I, for example, believe in a true meaning of life—an absolute truth expressed by King Solomon nearly 3,000 years ago: “Fear God,” he said, “and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Our culture has often tried to refute absolute truth by telling us to always have an open mind.  Think about it—this is an absolute statement in itself.  I believe that a better alternative is to have an active mind.  The active mind understands freedom of thought, and it is willing to change when necessary; but when it is anchored by the foundation of absolute truth, it is not blown about like an unsecured sail in the wind.  My encouragement to you is to seek out truth, and rise above the whims of popular culture.

When a college professor once told his class that there are no absolutes, one of the students raised her hand.  When she was called on, she asked the professor, “Are you absolutely sure?”  Another teacher once asserted that there is no truth, and was asked, “Is that a true statement?”  Whether we realize it or not, all of us believe in some form of absolute truth.

So journey forward with me through time and expanse—the place is the Beta Club state convention in Richmond, Virginia; the time, 21st century.  We are no longer standing in a street where a baby girl is crying out in fear.  We’re in a modern world full of people crying out for truth.  So let us not seek to change the world simply for the sake of changing it.  Instead, let future generations in America know that we took a stand for the truth and did not let it die in our streets.

Bibliography:

• The Bible (Ecclesiastes 12:13), King James Version (KJV)

• “The French Revolution” (recorded lecture), by Dr. George Grant, Ph. D., D. Litt., Gileskirk Curriculum (“Modernity”), © 2001.

• “Arguments that Commit Suicide,” July/August 2001, by Gregory Koukl (President of Stand to Reason), www.str.org

(Below: Eric Lansing.)

Monday, April 11

7:59 AM It’s official: We purchased our airline tickets for Ethiopia. We depart RDU on Monday, May 30, and arrive in Addis Ababa on Wednesday, after a brief stopover in Zurich. We will have the privilege of participating in the graduation banquet for the Evangelical Theological College (ETC) in Addis that Friday evening and then in the commencement service that Saturday. I’ll be gone a total of eight and a half weeks. I will be lecturing at the University of Addis Ababa and teaching Intermediate Greek at the Mennonite College and Beginning Greek at ETC, plus preaching/teaching every weekend. At the commencement ceremony, Becky Lynn will be presenting each of the 90 graduates a gift CD we have prepared that will have some 50 Bible study helps on it, including basic theology texts, Bible dictionaries, and commentaries. We are also taking copies of the Jesus Film to pass out to bush evangelists. It’s mind-boggling to think of all the doors the Lord Jesus has opened to us! Needless to say, your prayers for wisdom and strength would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a photo of the beautiful campus of the Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia:

7:43 AM Yesterday our little congregation in Southside Virginia held our second communion service at the local nursing home. My wife and I took several pictures then discovered we had forgotten to load the memory strip. These sure are some precious people.

7:19 AM The latest addition to our home page is called What If There Is a God?

7:16 AM “Press on to maturity” or “Carried along to maturity”? You decide. 

7:14 AM Slowly but surely, our horse stable is being constructed. Below is a photo of our neighbor’s tobacco barn, whose siding they permitted us to tear down and use for our barn. Unfortunately, the logs were too rotten for us to scavenge.

Et voila! Here is our horse barn (seen through the eyes of faith, that is). Rafter poles, siding, tin roofing. Can’t ask for anything more: Free materials, and free labor!

 

7:10 AM Dr. Izzy Lyman of the Homeschooling Revolution had this response to our query about Charlotte Mason:

Hey Doc!   I think Mason’s exercise is silly and pretentious.   I say, what’s the hurry and what’s the point? It’s like overexposing kids to high fashion or haute cuisine because it seems cultured.   Simply pointing out that bridges, plowed fields, or loud trains are useful “works of art” strikes me as the better exercise for younguns.   Don’t get me wrong. A trip to certain museums, now and then, is fine. And if a child does seem to have an artistic bent, that’s another matter. But I never get why some middle American homeschoolers want to try to appear to be like snobby, passive Europeans constantly talking about the Iliad and the masters of art.

7:05 AM The reenactment of the Battle of Saylor’s Creek on Saturday was a huge success. For a change of pace, my wife and I dressed in our period civilian clothes, while Nate fell in with the troops and valiantly did battle. He functioned as one of the brigade buglers, and we could hear his crisp battle calls throughout the fateful struggle. He fell in with the 59th Virginia Regiment, whom we had the good pleasure of meeting for the first time. It was a special honor for our family: buried in our farm cemetery is the former owner of Rosewood Farm, Corporal Anderson Boyd of the 59th Virginia Regiment.

Below: A shot of Stonewall (er, Nathan) just before Saturday’s battle reenactment.

7:00 AM As I sit here this morning watching the sun rise over the pines, the words of my morning devotional speak volumes: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and Keep His commandments/For this is man’s all” (Eccl. 12:13). I am also reminded that the author of these words, Solomon, despite all his wisdom and advantages, made some very foolish choices in life. He could not hide his regrets in his later years, and I certainly share some very similar feelings. Life without God is not only meaningless; it is the height of folly. Amazing — to be 52 years old and yet to feel like you are just beginning to know true wisdom. How thankful I am that I, like Solomon, can find my joy this very day in the secure trust in our Father.

Saturday, April 9

7:26 AM On this historic date in American history, we are spending the day in Appomattox, Virginia. I fondly recall an event that took place eight years ago when my wife and I were living in California. We decided to celebrate our anniversary by flying to the east coast and visiting Civil War sites (Gettysburg, Sharpsburg, Manassas, etc.). As it turned out, we just “happened” to arrive in Appomattox on April 9, which that year just “happened” to be Palm Sunday (the actual day of the surrender). If that wasn’t interesting enough, we looked for a church to attend (as is our custom whenever traveling), and the church we just “happened” upon was a Bible Baptist Church in Appomattox. When we looked at the bulletin and saw the pastor’s name, we just about fainted. The pastor was named Robert E. Lee. Now that was eerie.

One word of warning: Civil War history is both fascinating and addicting. It’s like a big deep hole — once you fall into it you’ll never get out again.

7:18 AM I love art, as you can probably tell. Does anyone have any thoughts on the Charlotte Mason way of teaching art appreciation? Does it work?

Bring the child into direct contact with the best art. Choose one artist at a time; six paintings per artist; study one painting per week (maybe 15 minutes per week). Allow the child to look at the work of art intently for a period of time (maybe five minutes). Have him take in every detail. Then take the picture away and have him narrate (tell back) what he’s seen in the picture. Excellent prints can be viewed and purchased from the National Gallery of Art.

7:13 AM The noose of government regulations on small farmers is downright intol’able, says Joel Salatin. Read why.

Friday, April 8

5:05 PM Kristen has some excellent thoughts about being forgiving and tenderhearted toward others. Made me think of a wonderful Greek word found in Philippians 4:5, which is usually translated “gentleness” or “forbearing spirit.” These are great renderings, but the one I like the most (and the one that I find most convicting!) is William Hendrickson’s “big-heartedness.” “Let your big-heartedness be known to all men.” A big-hearted person doesn’t sweat the small stuff, isn’t picayunish, but has a forbearing attitude toward all people. Ron Ritchie paraphrases the verse this way:

You people who live in Philippi, let your sweet reasonableness, which comes from the very character of God, permeate like perfume through your community. Let men and women see you as God wants them to see you. I want you to let it be known to all men.

Above all, the word is directed toward those who might be suffering at the hands of others (indeed, it seems likely that the Philippians were being persecuted for their faith). These believers had a choice to make: they could either become angry and vengeful, or they could choose to bear patiently with those who were persecuting them and determine to treat them kindly.

One thing is sure: Paul didn’t mean what is reflected in the Bible translation called God’s Word:

Let everyone know how considerate you are.

I really doubt that Paul would have us boast about how kind we are!

2:17 PM Reaching the “unchurched“:

So how do you engage the unchurched? Just like you would anyone else! Open your heart, open your life, open your world to them and they will open their world to you. The unchurched must know you care about and accept them where they are. Then they will enter your world with you. It’s not easy and it’s not quick, but it’s eternally important and rewarding!

12:19 PM I have just been invited to lecture on Greek linguistics in the Linguistics Department at Addis Ababa University during the week of June 6-10. Concurrently I will be teaching Intermediate Greek at the Meserete Kristos (Mennonite) College in the same city. Needless to say, I feel very blessed. I am also reminded of Ephesians 5:16:

Because we all have a limited amount of time on this earth, Paul urges us to use as much of that time for advancing Christ’s purposes as possible.

12:11 PM Will having a family-integrated church hurt evangelism? Matthew McDill thinks not:

Relationship evangelism in the context of genuine friendships is much more effective than programs, events, and door-to-door strategies. We can focus on the home and family while we reach others for Christ by revitalizing the ministry of hospitality. A powerful strategy for evangelism is for families to have those who need Christ in their homes and to work together as families to meet the practical needs of others.

11:22 AM Our puppy Sheba has become quite a hunter. She has already brought us a dead hawk and a dead rabbit — both freshly killed. How she caught them I’ll never know. My wife calls her a Proverbs 31 dog: “She brings her food from afar.” It is fun having a female dog for the first time and watching her interact with our male. She is already 3 pounds heavier than he is, and she’s still a pup. We can’t wait for their first litter.

11:20 AM Here’s a zany thought. I think I’ll try to talk Scott Brown of Trinity Baptist Church in Wake Forest (who used to surf in California) into going on a surfing safari with me this fall in search of the perfect wave on the east coast. Maybe we can even get Doug Phillips to send a camera crew to record the exploits of two veteran (er, over the hill) surfers. What think ye, guys?

11:15 AM From the Basic Blog:

Personally, I think that we need a more “wholistic” brand of Christianity that rejects the labels of “Right” and “Left”. I think we need to stop looking less to politicians and Government for assistance and more to God and His agents, the Church, to address society’s needs. Do you realize that there was a time when Welfare did not exist in this country? When Americans helped one another out, and if a problem was too severe, the Church picked up the slack? The reason we have welfare and other social programs are two-fold: the increasing immorality of this nation and the Church’s unwillingness to address it directly.

The Amish do not accept any form of public assistance and get along just fine because they are a community. They have an organized mutual aid program. There is a lot of wisdom here (see Acts 2).

Large medical bills within an individual church are eventually paid by regular free will offerings within the congregation, and may extend to neighboring churches and adjacent districts.

11:12 AM A “model church.”

11:10 AM How shepherds should deal with lambs.

11:03 AM My thoughts on the WORD:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word became flesh, not pixels. If the Internet is going to be used by believers, then it will have to be used for affirmation in the sense in which one of the church fathers described Christ’s teaching: “Love me, and do what you will.” Computers can never be a substitute for relationships.

10:58 AM The Austins are looking for tips on raising chickens. (By the way, don’t you just love those chicken names?)

10:52 AM Angus Nicholson has started a website listing the homepages of evangelical scholars. Thank you for providing this service, Angus. To this might be added the New Testament Gateway’s Directory of Scholars and Societies.

10:46 AM I just received this interesting email:

Hi Dave!

I’ve been reading your blog the last few weeks and have been really
enjoying it. I noticed your posts on the Trapp Family Singers and also
on another family who is “doing the same thing, only for the glory of
God”.

Now, I know you are not in the least Catholic, and I’m afraid I haven’t
read enough of your blog to know quite your take on Catholics. However,
I hope that your remark was based on ignorance of the actual von Trapps.
The books The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, Maria My Own Story, or Around the World with the Trapp Family (the last available online at
http://www.ewtn.com/library/FAMILY/TRAPP.TXT) shows that the family were very strong and devout Catholics who did indeed sing for the glory of
God (as well as in order to eat when they came to the US as refugees!).
You might also find it interesting that they bought and worked a farm in
Vermont. They did a great deal for Catholicism and Catholic culture in
the US in the 1940s and 50s. After they stopped singing as a family,
Maria and three of the children went as missionaries to the south
Pacific – one of them for 30 years. It is a great pity that their true
work has been entirely overshadowed by the Sound of Music movie.

God bless
M. R.

10:35 AM Here’s something I’m learning: “We get old too soon and smart too late.” Life passes like a vapor. So let us be wise and enjoy what the Lord has given us while we can. Like sitting on the front porch this morning enjoying a cup of coffee with my wife. Delicious!

Thursday, April 7

6:46 AM This author says you don’t have to live in the country to have a garden. She is right. My wife’s first garden was in a community plot maintained by the City of La Mirada in California. We then began growing edibles in our small backyard (raised beds worked best), which also boasted 27 fruit trees. All this on one third of an acre, no less. We also had chickens, goats, and horses, and thus enjoyed a bit of the country in the middle of the city. And those farm fresh eggs — who can eat store bought ones after you’ve had them!

Happy gardening, cyber-friends!

6:36 AM REFUSING THE GRAIL: When I first came to California in 1976 to study the Bible at Biola College (now University), the largest major there was Biblical Studies. It might seem a little thing, but for me it was a rather tremendous experience to study with so many Jesus Freaks (as we were called), culminating in many of us going into so-called “full time Christian ministry” (a misnomer, I realize, but you’ll forgive me for the momentary lapse). From what I have said on this website for the past three years now, you know I am convinced that hard and testing days lie ahead for the church in America, the more so because the prophecy about the false shepherds in the sheepfold will be amply fulfilled, indeed is being fulfilled already. How beautiful, then, to see so many induced these days to live in the reality of Christ abstemiously — rather than indulging in what Pascal called “licking the earth.” They are reading the Bible with a voracious appetite (and related literature as well), and they know Jesus Christ and follow His way, even if that means inconvenience of a major sort. Like Bunyan’s Pilgrim, they go withersoever the true path leads  — sometimes through pleasant pastures, at other times over gigantic hills, at still other times into sloughs and valleys of the shadow of death. But in their eyes there is always the vision of the Celestial City, not just in prospect, but in glorious and daily reality.

You fellow citizens of a heavenly kingdom, I applaud you with joy and honor, for it is to you that these web musings are primarily directed. You are precious friends and fellow travelers.

May you continue to refuse the Unholy Grail.

6:23 AM MUSINGS ON THE INTERNET: There is a great deal of truth and wisdom in this excellent essay about the Internet. I agree wholeheartedly that the web isn’t and can never be true community as God intended us to have.

I would add, however, that cyberspace can indeed involve more than “talk and listen,” as witnessed recently by Carmon Friedrich’s Blogathon for our Ethiopian “son” in the faith, or the many online friends the Black family has made through our blog, some of whom have already visited our farm in Virginia. Above all, perhaps, our blog is a place where we can share our prayer requests at a moment’s notice and know that many dozens, perhaps even many hundreds, of like-minded saints will offer up a prayer on our behalf that very day. (Yesterday our site received over 12,000 hits, many of them to my blog.)

Future historians may see us as having created a Frankenstein monster that no one knows how to control or direct, and marvel that so many should have so meekly subjected themselves to its destructive and often malignant influence (a close parallel is the TV set). By the same token, I am more convinced than of anything else that I have ever believed that the only antidote to the world’s flight of fantasy is the reality of Christ’s kingdom proclaimed in the Gospel. The world may have erected the Internet as a temple of the arts and muses to the Almighty Dollar, but we Christians may claim it for other purposes, and pray that through it good seeds may be sown and bring forth a good harvest, and that the people, inclining their ears to what is honest and of good report, and shunning the all-too pervasive evils of cyberspace, may tread anew the paths of wisdom and righteousness.

At the very least, the Internet is a superb alternative to the great media harlequinade.

Wednesday, April 6

6:50 AM “Swarming,” “the long tail,” and other reasons why church leaders ought to blog.

6:45 AM David Black (1762-1806) was pastor of Lady Yester’s Church in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 1794 until his death. It was said that:

His manner [of preaching] was solemn and affectionate, earnest and persuasive. When expostulating with sinners, or unfolding to Christians the consolations of the gospel, there was often an animation in his address — a sacred fervour — a divine unction, which powerfully impressed the auditory. He evidently felt the truths he was delivering, and spake as one standing in the presence of God, animated with a pure zeal for the glory of the Redeemer, and the salvation of immortal souls.

Mr. Black’s essay The Deceitfulness of the Heart is well worth reading.

6:38 AM Seven years ago this month we said goodbye to city life. Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like (our country) home. It’s nice to see we’re not the only crazy people doing this.

 

Tuesday, April 5

5:19 PM The latest addition to our home page is called Of Sheepdogs and Christians. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

5:12 PM Hmmm, I think I might try this with our new puppy.

8:44 AM Here’s the latest link to Rosewood Farm, our country home. (Scroll down almost to the bottom of the page.) Should you visit, Alfie will greet you with a warm bovine smile:

8:34 AM The Austins offer some good advice about raising girls to become young ladies (something I have no experience doing but a great interest in watching others do!). Here’s a pic of John and Julie during their recent visit to Bradford Hall:

8:12 AM An interesting follow-up to a recent blog posting:

Hello Dave:

I am a regular reader of your site and blog from Montana. (I met you at the CP convention) I noticed your post about the Von Trapps, and I thought I would tell you that the actual grandchildren of Captain Von Trapp live here in Montana, homeschool their children, and travel around the country as a singing group.

I appreciate your website.

Last year we saw a live performance of The Sound of Music in Raleigh featuring the actual descendants of the von Trapp family. The show inspired this essay.

8:05 AM Our “eyeglasses ministry” for Ethiopia continues. The church in Soyama requested 50 more pairs. We bought some, people from our church bought some, and then on Sunday a neighbor contributed 60 pairs to the kitty. You cannot believe how excited these aging evangelists and pastors are to receive their very own pair of eyeglasses. Large print Bibles in Amharic are simply not available! Becky and I will take the glasses with us when we return to Ethiopia this summer.

Monday, April 4

5:41 PM Kim’s pen is alive and well. Welcome back.

5:39 PM Just finished getting more boards for our horse barn, and guess what? My son requests “Chinese” food for supper. Now just where did I put the soy sauce?

9:50 AM Saturday night we watched the video of The Sound of Music again, featuring, of course, the von Trapp family singers. Here’s a family in Massachusetts that is doing the same thing, only for the glory of God. I wish they lived closer to Virginia!

9:44 AM The latest essay on our homepage is called Behold Lady Liberty!

9:34 AM Monday morning shout-out to Elder Don Hong of the Raleigh Chinese Christian Church for presenting me with a replica of a Civil War era officer’s sword yesterday after I taught at their church. What a thoughtful surprise, Don!

9:13 AM Kudos to Mr. Robert Parkins, organist at Duke University’s Chapel, for a fantastic recital yesterday featuring toccatas on the superb Flentrop Organ. My wife and I thought we were back at the Gross Munster in Basel, Switzerland. His interpretation of Bach’s famous toccata in D Minor fascinated me, with its Italian style trills and frequent changes in tempo. What a wonderful way to begin the week.

I wish I could say the same thing for the “worship” that goes on at Duke’s Chapel.

9:05 AM Quote of the day (J. Lawrence Burkholder):

“The problem of the traditional Protestant conception of the professional ministry is that it expects the minister to take on the world and the devil alone, while the congregation watches in the bleachers. Occasionally, one of the members would get out there and help him, but the professional is ‘the ministry.’ Not only does he play the game alone, but he is supposed to gather together within himself all of the graces and gifts of the church. He is, therefore, not only supposed to be the leader of the church, but also a religious man; indeed, he is prophet, priest, teacher, ruler, and ideal family man as well. The error of the Protestant concept lies not only in its exaggerated demands for technical and spiritual competence, but it is a basically wrong understanding of the ministry. The ministry, properly speaking, belongs to all the people, of whom certain especially gifted ones may be ordained, and to whom may be called a professional leader who will teach them what can be taught from books, and who will give them the kind of undivided service which full-time employment makes possible.”

Saturday, April 2

3:26 PM The package for Bereket that we mailed today included a booklet written especially for him by the children of last week’s guests to Bradford Hall, the John and Julie Austin family. You will never meet a more Christ-centered family or a more wonderful group of godly children. Their website is awesome. In the photo below the children are sitting around the breakfast table writing their notes for Bereket. From left to right: Jacob, Joshua, Julia, Joy, and Jessica. Thank you, dear children, for your labor of love on behalf of your brother in Christ on the other side of the world!

8:59 AM SEA HEAVEN: I see that the surf’s up in Kailua on the East Shore of Oahu this weekend. On a day like this we would surf the magical Mokulua (“Twin”) Islands, which are just a mile and half away from Kailua Beach Park. A long paddle out, but well worth it when the reef was breaking over 5 feet. Occasionally we would sail out with our boards in tow and then park the Hobie Cat on the islands while we surfed.

Windward Oahu – no ka oe!

8:58 AM Wapishana is spoken by only 10,500 people, but this couple risked their lives to bring the Word of God to these precious people. I thank God for missionaries like them.

8:52 AM Missionary Jim Elliott (January 15, 1950, age 22):

What good are Greek, commentaries, insight, gift, and all the rest, if there is no heart for Christ?

8:45 AM Yesterday Becky spoke with Bereket in Ethiopia. Today we are sending him tennis shoes, some thick socks, writing pens, notebooks for school, a cassette tape player with ear phones and batteries (for listening to the Scriptures on cassette), a calculator to help him in arithmetic, a long-sleeve warm shirt for the rainy season, a backpack bag, and a toothbrush in a holder. For the children in his village, we have gotten some coloring books and crayons. We’re also sending pens for the adult men in his village and some earrings for the women. Bereket will hand deliver these gifts in the name of the Black family (of which he is now a part) and especially in the name of the Lord Jesus. Below: Some of the many children in Gonder who will be seeing Bereket for the first time since he became a believer.

8:35 AM I am writing an essay on the tragic case of Terri Schiavo. I hope to publish it on Monday.

8:23 AM Springtime has arrived, and winter is but a memory. We had one of the mildest winters in a long time here in Southern Virginia. I love the seasons in the Piedmont.

8:12 AM Long-time DBO reader Buddy Walker (who doesn’t watch TV either) sends these thoughts on the Third Commandment:

Hi Dave,

As I said before, I’ve been reading Thomas Watson’s “Ten Commandments” and in the section on the Third Commandment, he list numerous ways in which we can transgress this law of God. The Westminster Confession as I’m sure you know, enumerates it more fully. But this book has made me realize how society today has totally lost respect for God. The phrases “Oh my G.d,” “For G-d’s sake,” and of course the GD words are so common that no one even thinks of them as swear words anymore. When I was a child, no one would have considered using those phrases in public and now they’re heard on TV, from what I hear. (I don’t watch TV) I chastised my stepdaughter a few years ago for saying “OMG” and “For G-d’s sake” and she said those phrases didn’t mean anything. And I said “That’s exactly the point! You’re using God’s name without meaning anything by it. You’re taking his Name in vain.” She disagreed and still does it. And so do so many others in today’s society. How sad.

When Jesus said we would be held accountable for every idle word we speak, I think he had exactly this in mind. Even high-schoolers or younger in church use these words. And what’s even more sad is that no one in authority in the churches corrects them. Probably because they do the same thing and don’t consider it a violation of the Law of God. I lay most of the blame on today’s preachers because they don’t preach against TV and movies and modern music. I guess I’m just an old fogey, huh? But I’m glad if I am. I respect the name of our Lord and Saviour.

Friday, April 1

5:12 PM AN EXPLOSIVE SITUATION:

So what did the Baptists do? The situation was potentially explosive. They knew that it was essential to demonstrate that they were not radicals, subversively undermining the fabric of society. To the contrary, they were law-abiding citizens, who were being misrepresented and misunderstood by many around them. They wanted and needed to demonstrate that they were quite orthodox in their theological beliefs, and that they had no agenda beyond a faithful and conscientious commitment to God and His Word.

Read more. (Below: Benjamin Keach: Signer of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.)

1:47 PM Ain’t she sweet?

1:23 PM Thanks to all who have inquired about my MRI. I saw the neurologist yesterday. He said, “Which do you want first – the good news, or the good news?” I said, “Let’s try the good news first.” He said,” The good news is that you have a brain.” (Relief.) “The other good news is that your brain is normal.” (Misdiagnosis, no doubt.) The long and short of it is that my headaches are probably due to a bunch of cysts in my nasal cavities that tend to swell when the barometric pressure changes. The doc’s got me on some medication that is supposed to prevent these headaches (though even he admitted there was nothing he could do about the barometric pressure). I don’t get these headaches often, but when they hit, they HIT.

1:18 PM Another ministry start-up, inspired by this essay:

Dear Dave,

Thank you for supplying me with the final ingredients for my new (and
enormously lucrative) ministry,

“Instant Microwave Christianity”. 

It is uniquely designed for the contemporary thin-spiritually & ethics!

Seriously, I have not found a church which is not afflicted by your Ten Easy Steps. I spend much study on the Book of James to guide my behavior as a consequence of the Lord’s salvation;  and I point others to it as well.

It is no surprise that the hardest hitting book is also one of the shortest;  it allows no excuses.

Yours,
D. S.

1:16 PM My surfing buddy Scott Brown of Trinity Baptist Church is back from his jaunt to the Pacific. He too is a “shark man” and offers some interesting statistics:

Hi Dave,   I too like sharks and I want you to be aware of important statistics to lessen fear and increase understanding. Did you know that more people worldwide die from drink machines falling on them than from shark attacks?  Did you further know that the overwhelming majority of shark attacks happen in waist deep water. Do you know why?  Think about it… that’s where all the people are swimming!  No one swims in thousand foot water!   If you want shark attacks in deeper water, just go out there.   Scott

1:12 PM The Black Regiment is looking for a few good men.

1:10 PM A pastor in New Hampshire sent me this wonderful email:

Brother Dave, PRAISE THE LORD!  Along with very much appreciating your articles and websites such as “The Unleashing of The Church”… we have yet another thing in common… we both lived and were saved in Hawaii. I lived for many years in Hana, Maui and came to know CHRIST as my Savior there. My wife is a native Hawaiian from Maui. Although, I was never much of a surfer, I certainly had a ministry to many of them. I was a very avid diver and spear fisherman. Thanks for all you do to teach people about the true New Testament Church … America is very much in need of these truths. We share this dedication.

Although the Jesus Movement was certainly eccentric, many of us came to know the Lord Jesus through it. And what can I say about Hana? It is one of the most beautiful spots on earth, though getting there takes you on one of the roughest roads in the Islands. The only town that can compete, in my estimation, is Lahaina, whence I used to sail to Oahu with some high school buddies. Maui – one gorgeous place.  (Below: One of the many waterfalls on the road to Hana.)

9:40 AM Just added to our homepage: A Fowl Lesson. (Thanks to Rachel Layne for the tip on the graphic.)

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   restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

Current Needs for the Burji Ministry in Ethiopia

 Becky Lynn Black  

In November twelve of us will travel the long distance to remote southern Ethiopia, to the land of the Burji and Guji tribes. As we have reported in other sections of this website, we will have a multi-faceted ministry, including animal workshops, farming workshops, hygiene classes, Bible classes, mentoring, medical assistance, solar power placement with loudspeakers, etc. In all these activities, our one focus is the Gospel. Right alongside these activities, simultaneous with these activities, we are teaching about Jesus and we are demonstrating His salvation!

Preparations for this trip involve more than just a few shots and an airplane ticket. Each person on our team has their own unique ministry. As I write this, each team member is diligently preparing for that ministry. In addition to the $2500 each person needs for their personal expenses of the trip, we must gather funds for other things. You see, these rural people are so poor that many households cannot afford even basic food or wash basins or seeds. What good does it do if we teach them, but do not give them the tools to implement our teaching? We submit a detailed list of these needs to you for your prayerful consideration.

1. Seeds to distribute in villages after Leigh’s farming workshop. Also, seeds to distribute toGujis as part of the Reconciliation Conference. The drought of this year has not only caused the loss of food, but also the loss of seed. By teaching about farming productivity and by distributing seeds, we are helping much in the area of family nutrition and economic stability. We’ve purchased the seed (field peas, kale, Crowder peas, turnips, etc.) because seed is fast becoming unavailable. We purchased these on credit. Some gifts have been received toward this cost already; the remaining need is $285.

2. Food for widows and orphans as part of a Reconciliation Conference.We are dealing with about 10 widows who have been put in this condition by the warring of the Gujis upon the Burjis. Scripture commands us to care for the widows in the world, as evidence of God’s care for the down-trodden. It is an outward demonstration of His stooping to us in our poverty and need. The Guji churches are collecting an offering for the food for these widows as a way of making restitution for the sins of their tribe. We want to supplement that offering, so that we can offer more substantial help, and also to demonstrate the unity of the Body in dealing with spiritual issues. If we give $100/widow, this will buy a large sack of tef grain and some vegetables. So the total needed is about $1000.

3. Food for the rural church men and evangelists coming for the 4-day Bible Conference with Jon. In Ethiopian tradition, when conferences are held, those attending bring their food with them. Last year, the conference was cut short because their food ran out. They walked long distances to get home on an empty stomach. This year, we want to provide the food needed for these men. This conference is for men from the rural churches. The book of 1 Corinthians will be taught by Jon, pastor of Ca-Vel Baptist in Roxboro, NC.  These men have “homework” to do before the conference, and they have ministry assignments to do after the conference. Our goal is to develop the men of the rural churches so that they can better guide their rural flocks. Figuring 150 men at $3/day, this would be $1,800.

4. Purchase of the OromoJesus Film DVD and gasoline to run the generator in the Guji villages.  Dave and Jason are trekking village to village, teaching and preaching and visiting among the Guji people. The Jesus Film has been translated into their language. We want to get this film and show it in the evenings. Undoubtedly this will be the first time these people have ever seen a film, and it will draw large crowds for the Gospel. The film is about $15; our guess is $200 for the gasoline.

5. Warriors of Ethiopia book (in Amharic) for the evangelists and rural churches. This is a fantastic book about the primitive evangelists of Ethiopia in the Omo Valley. This valley is very close to the Burji valley. It is the story of their own people! And it is filled with testimonies of those who fully surrendered to the Gospel work. (It reads like Hebrews 11.) We would like to give this as a gift to the evangelists and rural churches of Burji. We will need 60 copies at about $4/copy, for a total of about $250.

6. Wash basins and soap for the village homes after Lynette’s hygiene workshop. There is very little hand washing in the typical rural Ethiopian home. This leads to big health problems. Lynette is teaching women and children about hand washing, and we want to give a wash basin and a bar of soap to each household that attends and passes a “quiz” on the material of the workshop. The price is $2/household; we are guessing 150 households/village X 4 villages, for a total of $1,200.

7. Food for the Burji Youth Corp as they help us. Half of Ethiopia’s population is under age 17! The church leaders have asked us to help them deal with the youth. As we know from Scripture, youth are simply young adults – they are not adolescents! So we have invited the Burji Youth to “compete” spiritually for the privilege of belonging to the Burji Youth Corp. After memorizing Scripture passages, and completing some other requirements, the leaders will choose 15 young people who will work alongside us in our ministry. They will cook, clean, teach, and assist. And in the process, we will mentor them in English and God’s way. They will sleep on the floors of the churches like we do.  But who will pay for the food of these young people? If we invited them to work with us, we should pay for their food. 12 corps members at $3/day X 12 days is $432.

8. Cloth pictorial timeline for the evangelists and rural churches. The IMB has a story cloth that tells the story of God’s working from Creation to Christ’s ascension. This cloth folds up and is easily carried to villages in the back pocket of an evangelist. Or it can be hung on the wall of a rural church and used for teaching. 45 clothes cost $485.

You may send your gifts, payable to BeckyLynn Black, to Bradford Hall, 2691 White House Road, Nelson, VA, 24580. And remember that every penny to goes to Ethiopia. We are completely self-supporting missionaries.

August 19, 2008

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August 2018 Blog Archives      

Friday, August 31   

1:25 PM Hey folks. Despite a flat tire, I knocked out a pretty good bike today. It was hot, it was challenging, and it was just what the doctor ordered. Training is going well, but there’s nothing like actually racing. Can’t wait for Sunday. I don’t think any course records are in jeopardy, but it should be boatloads of fun, even if I have to drag myself across the finish line.

7:45 AM Two reminders:

1) I saw this on CNN.

John McCain was one of my favorite politicians. His complicated dance with DC politics and all its tentacles is one that is familiar to so many of us. He lived with the fire of a preacher and the soul of a mother. His memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church was thoughtful, moving, compelling, and real. McCain modeled a stripe of politics that many are seeking but are afraid to voice. He was strong but gracious, prophetic but approachable, strident but accessible. I have no idea how he managed it. But I’m sure his faith — and his wife — had everything to do with it. “You were his ballast,” said Joe Biden to Cincy McCain. How do I possibly name the ballasts that have been in my life? I can’t. They are simply too many. You know who you are, and that I wouldn’t have survived this season of life without your practical help and prayers. Still, no one can compare with Jesus. Your name is honey on my lips. With You, life is beautiful and terrifying and wild and intimate. I love You more than life itself. I desperately want to come to know You, deeply and intimately.

2) This came in today’s inbox. Hype it’s called.

The Rock ‘n Roll Marathon Series has 28 marathons and half marathons, 20 of them in the U.S. The San Diego Marathon was its original race. Their philosophy is, “Anybody can do it. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to cross the finish line.” Me, I like that. Some races can expect upwards of 30,000 runners. Think of it as a huge block party. What’s more, the Series has raised more than 335 million dollars in their charity program. If you’re ready to go the distance, give them a look.

Time for a bike. Just to be able to move my body is a pretty awesome feeling. All this to say that I’m thankful for the things I can do. Thank you, body. I appreciate and honor you.

Thursday, August 30   

6:42 PM Why do older people run? I can’t speak for others. But I run for several reasons, including these 4:

• I’ve always been fascinated by challenges and feats of stamina that people endure. I ran my first half marathon because the notion of seeing if I could go 13.1 miles proved irresistible.

• I like to prove myself not to others but to myself. I like to prove that age is simply a number. I’m finding aging more positive and beneficial because I run. I’m not fast but I have tons of determination.

• I like my own company. When I run, I often stay inside my own head. I think about all sorts of things: my walk with the Lord, my kids and grandkids, the research and writing I’m doing, and sometimes I lose a few miles that I didn’t know were there because I just tuned out. Running makes me forget I’m 66.

• I run because I need to be outdoors. I need to feel the sun on my neck, to see the fall foliage and the winter snow, to hear the sounds of silence. I grew up in the ocean. Now I am a landlubber. But God’s creation is something I will enjoy until I draw my last breath.

It’s unbelievable. This Sunday will be my 15th half marathon. I can’t quite fathom it. Talking about how the Lord has helped me to stay active after losing Becky is very much in keeping with my reasons for writing this blog. Runners are exceptional, yet they are also ordinary. I will never be an elite athlete. But I believe that ordinary stories hold just as much value and that we can learn much from them. 

If you’ve been sideswiped by life, I have some advice for you. Start again. Get up and get going. Don’t hate yourself. Focus on the new thing the Lord has for you. You can’t let obstacles stand in the way of your journey to the goals He has given you.

1:02 PM I got out of the house today and there was no way I wasn’t going to get me some exercise. I plain and simple needed a workout after 3 days of physical inactivity on campus (no time for any workouts in Wake Forest this week). Sometimes the best way to rejuvenate your body is to get it moving. So after a 45-minute workout at the Y, I managed to get in a 10-mile bike.

Yeah, that worked! I almost died from the heat, which makes me wonder what race conditions will be like this weekend. Fall weather tantalized us last week, but hot and humid conditions have returned with a vengeance. Besides, the course on Sunday is notorious for having very few water stops in the last 3 miles of the course. Realizing this, I’m actually toying with the idea of carrying several liters of water with me in my backpack and hope that it will help me to cope better with the hot weather. It would be so much easier to get water along the course but that may or may not happen. Water intake is crucial for me. Even when I crank the pace down to a slow plod, I perspire like nothing you’ve ever seen. I’m trying hard not to think too much about this aspect of the race, but it’s hard not to do. As you know, heat and me are not the best of friends. However, I WILL master pacing, hydration, and fueling some day — I promise! The one time I didn’t freak out over the weather was during the St. George (Utah) Marathon and it got me a PR. I hope I can get my mind back there again. It’s a sweet place to be, for sure. 

Today I have a couple of writing projects I need to work on. I was hoping to mow (the grass is tall!) but that will have to wait.

Happy Weekend,

Dave

7:10 AM It came out of nowhere. I awoke from a nightmare feeling as though I was under direct assault from the Evil One himself. I reached with frantic hands to pull back the nightmarish reality in the fog of my weariness and fear. Hubris is what the ancient Greeks called it — pride, arrogance, the cult of me-ism, temptations that have dogged me all my adult life. I’ve travelled the globe, explored dozens of countries, but the darkness of my own soul will always be my greatest adventure.

What do you in such circumstances? You do what the apostles did on the Sea of Galilee. I cried out, “Lord, save me! I’m drowning!” I threw my arms around Him. I got out my iPhone and listened to a Haven of Rest song.

 

Though you walk through darkest valleys, and the sky is cold and gray, though you climb the steepest mountains, He will never let you stray.

Like a lamb who needs the Shepherd, by your side He’ll always stay. ‘Til the end of life’s long journey, He will lead you all the way.

I have no wisdom, no insight, no words that can match the onslaught of the Devil. Sometimes I feel completely trapped, crying out for salvation from myself. And then in the face of all the darkness, hope and joy appear. In the face of the blackness, another Face pulls me out of my own darkness, every single time. I went back to sleep and awoke refreshed and renewed, the suffocating fear removed as if by an unseen hand.

When I get to heaven, I’ll see who had the most faith, and it won’t be me. I’ve always been good at life. I learn languages easily and read quickly and speak widely. Somehow I allowed these things to define me. But thorns are no respecter of talent. Thank God, O thank God, that He is the one who walks through this fire with me. Because He is enough, I am enough. Should I be stripped of everything, I would still have Him.

It’s hard to imagine a world without Jesus. Christ is victor, whether I understand it or not, whether I feel it or not. I experienced a miracle last night, a forerunner, a precursor perhaps of a different kind of miracle where the healing will be forever. Until then, dear Lord, my kind Shepherd, stay by my side and lead me, all the way home. 

Wednesday, August 29   

7:58 PM Hey folks! This week is turning out to be another busy one. The highlight so far was having lunch with two Southeastern grads. Both earned their doctorates in New Testament from our seminary. Mel Winstead was visiting the campus from Charlotte, where he teaches New Testament and Greek at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

Alex Stewart is currently spending a semester on campus as a visiting scholar. He teaches New Testament and Greek at Tyndale Seminary in Holland.

I believe still today what I’ve always believed: Teaching is one of the greatest vocations God can call us into. And here are two of His choicest servants. And of all the things I’m grateful for right now, being able to be in the classroom again after 41 years of teaching might be at the top of the list. Since Becky died, I’ve somehow made it through to a new, better place. Our hearts are more resilient than we think, and the work of healing and transformation can do things you can’t even imagine from where you’re sitting now. Now is your time, my friend. Own it. Believe it. Become it. Walk in the path God has placed you in. Don’t get stuck in the past. And don’t try to second guess the future. Give today everything you’ve got. Never lose the dream.

P.S. Here’s my assistant Noah Kelley introducing himself to one of my Greek classes this week.

He’s helped to organize a new group on campus called Biblical Languages for Everyone. You can check out their Facebook pagehere. Almost makes me want to start my Greek studies all over again!

Monday, August 27   

6:48 AM News and notes …

1) This is week 2 of beginning Greek and by far the most important week of all. If students can’t grasp the idea of how the Greek verb works (conjugation — ugh!), then the party’s over. Knowing a littleSpanish will help. Mucho.

2) So far this year I’ve ridden 554.2 miles on my bike. I guess you could say I’m hooked.

3) I highly recommend theJoshua Project for anyone wanting to know how to pray for the nations. 

4) In NT 2, we’re studying the Pauline epistles in their chronological order. One reason I treat 1-2 Thessalonians before Galatians is the absence of apostolos in their opening greetings. If you’d like to see what I mean at a glance, here’s aPower Point.

5) This morning I prayed Phil. 1:9-11 for my grandkids. They will need love. They will need knowledge (love is never blind). They will need discernment (NLT: “I want you to understand what really matters”). And they will need a fruitful life (“By their fruit you will know them”). “Prayer is the very sword of the saints” (Francis Thompson). I need to unsheathe it more often.

6) For what it’s worth, I enjoy listening to John Stott’s sermons. Hisseries on Ephesians is outstanding. His sermon titles are always catchy and, hence, memorable. I bet you can complete the following message titles:

• Amazing ______.

• When everything begins and _____.

• History and _________.

• New life — new ________.

• Unity and _________.

• Be what you ___.

• Spiritual weapons for spiritual ________.

7)Daily Dose of Greek continues to amaze me. Greek student, bookmark it today.

8) The director of the Boston Marathon, at age 63,completed the World Marathon Challenge this year. That means running 7 marathons in 7 days on all 7 of the world’s continents. I got to meet Dave MacGillivray at the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati in May. The man is truly an inspiration.

9) Why your kids shouldstudy Latin, the “other” classical language. (You see: I’m not biased.)

Sunday, August 26   

5:35 PM Haying has concluded for the evening, early. A bolt broke on the bailer and a spare was nowhere to be found.

Oh well. You win some and you lose some. I felt exhausted this afternoon. Like the kind of tired you feel when you can do nothing but crash and burn, which I did for about 3 hours. I’m still a bit tired but it’s nothing a good night’s sleep can’t fix. My training goal for the week is to begin my taper for the half on Sunday. Come race day, I need to be in top form, both physically and (maybe even more importantly) mentally. I actually think I was long overdue for a bonk. By far the best part of my afternoon (after napping, of course) was working in the fields and enjoying some good old-fashioned farm labor. I’ve noticed that about a week before a big race all my runs feel horrible. But when I decide to run more conservatively something in me tells me I’m running too conservatively, and then I kick myself for being lazy. What a life. I know part of it is physical fatigue, but part of it has got to be mental fatigue as well. So frustrating, but that’s all a part of life, no?

Anyhoo, it’s time to cook supper. The rice is already cooking. I made extra for you know who. Sometimes I think Sheba must hail from Asia.

8:44 AM Although it’s somewhat reductive, I categorize most New Testament scholarship as either cutting edge or traditional. There are pros and cons to both approaches, and lots of overlap too, but still, most of us tend toward one or the other. (Any guesses where I end up? Hehe.) That’s why I was delighted to see on the Nerdy Language Majors website this morning someone cite Stan Porter’s view on the “Go” versus “Going” debate in Matt. 28:19. (You may recall that I just blogged about this.) Is there anything quite like a debate about Greek grammar? I’m conditioned to hold to “my” view and never even consider that I might be wrong. Sometimes the value of Greek is obvious. Sometimes it’s less than obvious. We don’t live in a cocoon. We have to deal with differing viewpoints.

Can I tell you my goal for my Greek students? That their Greek experience will help them read and obey their New Testament. Also, that they will never see Greek as an Open Sesame or an Abracadabra to biblical interpretation. Exegesis can be mind-numbingly hard, and none of us is perfect at it. After teaching Greek for 41 years, I still feel like a child wading on the shore of a limitless ocean. That’s why we cheer on each other’s attempts to do exegesis. We give each other the permission to hold to minority viewpoints. The best kinds of conversations are like those found at the NLM site. Sometimes the debate is boring and pedantic, sometimes it’s rich and rewarding. But it all sets the table for sound exegesis. Good friends can disagree with each other. The church can handle it. Sure, life would be simpler if we didn’t have any disagreements. I mean, I always have the best answers, right? However, the best transformation takes place when we listen to each other respectfully.

Dear reader, you have permission to disagree. But do it well. Being proven right is not the highest goal. Engage your empathy, and then watch how God grows you.

7:48 AM Despite my great love for India, I haven’t been able to return to that great nation in many years, so I love it when I get updates from brother Mammen Joseph in Bagdogra (Northern India). I once had the privilege of teaching his son Moncy at the seminary. Moncy’s father-in-law just passed away so they are now in Kerala, where, as you know, severe flooding is taking place. Mammen reports that thousands of people have lost their homes. I remember thinking to myself the other night during a thunderstorm, “I sure hope the power doesn’t go out.” And here you have people losing their homes and all of their belongings. Mammen also gave me an update on the Bible School in Bagdogra (whose building is named after Becky). Last year they had 21 graduates who have joined with their mobile evangelism teams. This makes 6 mobile teams working in 6 different directions. This year the school has 65 students and some of them were the first to convert from their people group. Here’s the current class.

Even though I’ve spent much of my life teaching, writing, and bouncing in and out of all kinds of theological debates, I still don’t know how to live my life except at the feet of Jesus, eyes focused squarely on His. Once you taste His love, once you see His heart for the nations, you are ruined forever. “I have found the paradox,” wrote Mother Teresa, “that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” Joseph, I thank God for you and your family. I imagine your legacy is more far-reaching than you will ever know. Thank you for allowing me to be a very small part of your beautiful ministry. Together, we are the people of God, moving forwards, prophetically embodying God’s shalom. Blessed be His kingdom, now and forevermore.

Saturday, August 25   

9:12 PM Today I got back into running. But first I did a 40-minute workout at the Y. That was followed by a mere 5-mile run at the Tobacco Heritage Trail. My goal was simply not to kill myself as I was coming off a long bike yesterday. So I took my time and just soaked in the gorgeous weather. We were going to get up hay this evening but the grass was too damp so we’ll finish up that job tomorrow, Lord willing. Oh, and guys, I found the perfect Airbnb for next weekend’s half in Virginia Beach. It’s in a quiet neighborhood and the parking is free. I’m hoping I can get a good night’s sleep there. Road races are cruel because they make you run (I use that word somewhat loosely) hard the whole way. I still have a lot more running to do this coming week, so it’s forge ahead with my training plan and see what the Lord has in store for me next weekend. I’m not sure my 66-year old body can hold up doing 4 major races in the next two months (two halves, one ultra, and one full marathon). We’ll see, I reckon.

And now I must get back to watching my favorite Hitchcock film, North by Northwest.

Run strong, my friends.

Dave

8:10 AM Hello virtual friends. Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. Mine is exhaustingly delightful. Today I need to spray Roundup. This evening I need to get up hay. In between, I’m going for a long bike ride. Not. My quads are pretty much trashed so the best I can do today is either a long walk or a lift at the Y or a swim. This coming week on campus I’m teaching some really heavy duty material, both in Greek 1 and NT 2. I’ve been doing this for 42 years. This is shocking, I know, because I look so young (thanks for playing along). I clearly haven’t always placed the proper emphasis on what’s of eternal value, however. Ladies and gentlemen, teachers don’t teach forever. So I’m extra careful about what to include in my lectures these days.

For example, this week in NT 2 my students are reading my book Seven Marks of a New Testament Church. This is literally the only book I will ever write on the church. When I assess the current state of the evangelical church, I sense the subject of chapter 3 (“Apostolic Teaching”) is more relevant than ever. I don’t care a whit about preaching styles. I love teaching that’s based on the text, that’s simple without being simplistic, and that’s affective — it affects you, the listener. Obedience inspires me. Talking heads don’t. I’ve been listening to sermons since I was 8. That’s 60 years. I once thought that listening to someone else talk about God was where it’s at. Not anymore. Now, I’m grateful for God-gifted pastor-teachers. I’ve known many of them through the years, and I’ve been training them for 42 years. But Paul is clear about what their main function is. The passage I have in mind, of course, is Eph. 4:11-12. The purpose for which the risen Christ gave the gift of pastor-teacher to the church is to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry” — or, better, “to prepare God’s people for works of service.” Notice that the “service” (diakonia) mentioned here does not describe the pastors but the so-called lay people — you and me. Paul does not mean, of course, that there’s no place for pastoral ministry. There is! He means, rather, that pastoral teaching and training ought to be directed to the enabling of all God’s people to be ministering actively according to the gifts the Spirit has given them. Too often we think of the pastor-teacher as the primary conduit by which God speaks truth into our lives. He drives the bus while we sit docilely in the back. I argue in my book that all believers have direct access to biblical truth themselves. For clearly the way the whole body grows is not by becoming dependent on human teachers but by all the members relying on the Holy Spirit to use God’s word to help them become more healthy and mature. The word of God, then, comes to us in three ways: through the teaching of gifted pastors, through us “one-anothering” the word (see Col. 3:16), and through personal Bible study and meditation. When we come to Christ, we begin a life of friendship with Him — a personal rather than a mediated relationship that is meant to grow richer and richer until we see Him face to face. Once we understand this, personal Bible study will become an important part of our lives, a discipline we can hardly afford to neglect. As our “Anointing,” the Spirit not only teaches us the truth of God’s word but guides us as we seek to live out that truth in our everyday lives. To allow ourselves to depend on others for spiritual truth is to condemn ourselves and the church to perpetual immaturity. What Paul is calling for is a balance between formal teaching, informal teaching, and personal reflection. The apostle calls us to hold these three truths together.

It’s our turn to step up to the plate. Run headlong into the life-changing power of the Bible for yourself. Allow the Spirit to speak to you as you read His word. Let your “Anointing” teach you, and you might be shocked how that changes your entire life.

P.S. Did you see the photo of John Lennon’s son Sean and Paul McCartney’s son Jamesposing for a selfie? The headline reads, “Lennon and McCartney sons come together for selfie.” I suppose the words “come together” could have been placed in quotation marks. If not a direct quote of their fathers’ song Come Together, it’s at least an allusion to it. Those familiar with the interplay in the book of Hebrews (which I’m teaching this fall) and the Old Testament often face the same question. Is this a direct quote from the Old Testament? Is it an allusion? An “echo” perhaps? Or a paraphrase (see 10:38 and 13:6)? One thing is clear: The theology of Hebrews derives in large part from an engagement with the Scriptures of Israel. And just as obvious is the fact that the author of Hebrews  read and knew these Scriptures himself.

Friday, August 24   

8:30 PM Today I biked from Jamestown to Richmond.

It’s a distance of just over 50 miles.

It was the longest ride I’ve ever done. It was so much fun. As you can see, the weather was perfect.

Afterwards I treated myself to Ethiopian food at theKuru.

My road bike didn’t skip a beat. I’m so glad I bought it. This brings my monthly Map My Run total for August to 245.6 miles. As crazy as it may sound, I’ve loved every mile. I am blessed, truly I am. I am filled with the happiness and peace that comes from being out in God’s nature. Right now I’m about to sit on the front porch with Sheba. We’ll enjoy a full moon rising in the eastern sky.

What a historic day. I’ll always remember it. I think I’m getting stronger. I know I’m getting stronger. Soli Deo gloria!

P.S. If you would like to bike this route, the shuttle service I used from Richmond to Jamestown is called theCapital Trail Bike Shuttle. Highly recommended!

P.P.S. Praying for all my Hawaiian friends!

Thursday, August 23   

9:08 PM “Dig deep, and remember that you like to do hard things.” I’ve decided that’s gonna be my mantra for the Virginia Beach Half. When your body tells you to stop, you must ignore those voices. As I’ve said, I’m using the half marathon as a training run for my ultra on Oct. 13. I don’t have any wild expectations for next weekend’s half. I’ve given up on the notion that I’m anything faster than a 2:45 half marathoner. I know that sounds slow, but for me it’s actually a good time. My PR is 2:27 (set in Petersburg), but I really don’t care if I ever beat that time. If I’m healthy, I know I can finish a half. Plus, I’m learning to feel my pace effort without always having to look at my watch. The main thing is that I’m getting outdoors and enjoying God’s beautiful creation. When I run, I’m lost in wonder and don’t care about doing X distance in Y time. I’m just happy to be alive, completely immersed in this adventurous life God’s allowed me to live.

It’s not lost on me that my days spent on a race course are numbered, so I soak up every drop. Running is the best therapy I’ve ever had, and mountain climbing comes in a close second. Both sports give me an awareness of my God-given strength and the confidence to run the rest of my life with gusto. I’m eager to get back to the Rockies and climb Mount Elbert. Although I’ve already summited two 14ers, I don’t consider myself a “peakbagger” who has to conquer all of the 14ers in Colorado. What I like most about hiking in the Rockies is the vast array of scenery. You start out below the tree line, then all of a sudden you’re doing rock scrambling. I’m so immensely grateful I’ve had the chance to enjoy these gorgeous peaks. The view from the top of a 14er is stunning, like a well-written love note from the Creator.

A summit always reminds me that the best views in life are those you have to work for. I’m not sure how much longer my body will hold out, but if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough. Entering an unknown ultra in October, I don’t have much of a gauge to tell me when I’ll land across the finish line. But I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that I’ll be smiling if and when I cross it. Sometimes I have fleeting thoughts of reaching my breaking point before the end of the race. But I will never, ever give up trying. And to you, all of you, who’ve been by my side ever since Becky passed away, I am deeply filled with gratitude. I’m honored to take you along with me on my journey. I truly hope one day, when I’m long gone, to have painted for my children a vast landscape describing a life that placed its hope in Jesus. We need one another, all of us, sharing our life experiences with each other. We’re not designed to thrive as Lone Rangers. Life can be hard, really hard, but not for a second will it ever be impossible, not as long as we have Him and each other. Adapting to our circumstances is the key to survival. Just ask anyone who has summited a 14er.

Dear reader, you can’t change the past. You can’t change the inevitable. But you can take charge of your attitude. I hope, my friend, you embrace each opportunity you have been given and never get too down on those days that are inordinately tough. Somehow you’ll find the strength to keep on climbing — even on legs that are absolutely spent. “Fill all thy bones with aches” said the sorcerer king Prospero in The Tempest. Or, to paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt, it’s not the spectator who counts, nor the one who points out how others stumble. The glory goes to the one who enters the arena and whose face is marred by blood, sweat, and tears.

1:10 PM Raise your hand if you can’t wait for fall weather to begin. Today we got a taste of fall: no humidity, a cool breeze, and temps in the lower 70s. I spent the morning in South Hill having the oil in my van changed. While there I did an 11.3-mile bike followed by a half hour workout at the Y. I’m praying about biking the entire Virginia Capital Trail tomorrow, all 50 or so miles of it. If I do, that will be my major workout for the week. I’ve already done both halves of this trail and I can tell you it’s nothing short of spectacular. My next big race is in only 10 days in Virginia Beach. I’ve done the Virginia Beach Half Marathon twice before. This year the race will mark my 15th half overall. I love half marathons. I think the 13.1 mile distance is my personal favorite. A half challenges you without beating you up too much. I think most of you know I’m training for two big races in October — my first 31-mile ultra, and the Marine Corps Marathon. Before doing these races, I’m trying to build up my base mileage. The idea is to sort of snooker your body into thinking its only going 20 miles and then gently coax it into going farther than that. I’m so thankful I have lungs that can go the distance without exploding. But I still need to teach my brain to fight through fatigue. I thank EVERYONE who has given me advice about running.

I think that’s it for now. Pretty simple, eh? Until my next post, happy miles!

6:12 AM Good morning, folks! Time to fire this old blog up again after spending 3 days on campus.

1) Remember my “Five Minute Greek Club”? You know, the club that never meets and has no dues? I launched this “club” years ago to encourage my students to continue to use their Greek during the summer months. Translate 2 verses daily, Monday through Friday, and you get one of your prof’s books for free. Well, club members have begun collecting their prizes. The more the merrier!

2) On Monday I got in a 26.2 mile bike between Wake Forest and Raleigh. Hope to do another long ride today.

3) Joining our office quad this semester is Ben Holloway, who teaches philosophy. (I don’t understand a word Christian philosophers say, but I’m sure glad they’re on our side.) Yesterday we enjoyed some Korean bulgogi together at the Seoul Garden in Raleigh. Ben is a Brit to whom I will henceforth defer all questions about the English language that arise in my Greek classes.

4) In NT 2 yesterday, we did a thorough exegesis of Matt. 28:19-, the Great Commission passage most of us are familiar with. Who would have thought there were so many hidden gems in this text? Jesus promises to be with us “all the days” (not “always”; Greek has an adverb for that idea). I would render this as either “day after day after day” or “each and every day.” When you’re suffering for Christ in an overseas prison, methinks you will probably need Jesus one day at a time! Then there’s the verb “Make disciples” (one word in Greek). I asked the class not to use biblical jargon in rendering that verb. We came up with something like “Train.” You get hired at Wal-Mart, and you become a “trainee” for the first few months. I might render Jesus’ command as “Train the people from every nation how to follow Me in obedience.” Finally, is it “As you go” or “Go”? Enter Stan Porter. If you’re able, take a gander sometime at his essay “The Grammar of Obedience: Matthew 28:19-” in his outstanding book Linguistic Analysis of the Greek New Testament. (Even Sheba likes it.)

He’s one of maybe two scholars who argue for the translation “Going, therefore….” I’m convinced he’s right.

5) Finally, this week I was able (thank you Jesus!) to send to my publisher the final page proofs of the Mandarin translation of Becky’s book My Life Story. Mind you, her book will now be available in English, Spanish, and Chinese — the 3 most widely spoken languages in the world. That’s over 2 billion people!

“Amazing” might be applicable here.

Love each other well, my friends.

Dave

Monday, August 20   

7:10 AM “Old teachers are better.” That’s the catchy title of ablog post I stumbled upon this morning. And just how are old teachers better?

• We know ourselves better than we did when we were young.

• We have discovered the difference between wisdom and knowledge.

• We tend to take more account of deeds than words in our spirituality.

• We are often gentle and kind.

• We have usually become more tolerant and open.

First of all, let me reiterate: I’m not an expert in pedagogy. But you already know that. I write based on my personal experience and maybe some research I’ve done through the years. Take what I say here with a grain of salt and do your own research. If you’re a teacher, only you know what’s going on with you. That said, what’s my response to this post? I say hogwash. Age is just a number. You can be 70 and have the physiology of a 30-year old. And you can be 30 and have the physiology of a 70-year old. Ditto for spirituality and maturity. Of course, I’m protective of older teachers because I am one. But at the end of the day, what I look for in a teacher is very simple:

• Vulnerability.

• Diligence.

• Humility.

• Passion.

• Discernment.

• Spiritual depth.

Teacher, I really don’t care how old you are. Find your tribe and love it with all the grace and ardor you can muster. Love God and love other people. That’s pretty much what teaching is all about. Learning dies in the toxic soil of self. Be someone who aspires to change the world. Keep your office door wide open, and remember: You’re as much a learner as your students are. Put their interests before your own. Flee the original sin of teaching (being a bore) with all you’ve got. Our students crave examples. Let’s give them the goods. A good place to start might be with setting a precedent. Teach them: This is how to love the lost, this is how to spend our dollars, this is how to serve the needy. And remember, even if ultimately we aren’t able to live up to our own standards as teachers, God is always at work. Blessed are the wonderers who look beyond the faults of their teachers (no matter how old or young they are) and place their confidence squarely and only in Jesus. He is always the best Teacher and the greatest Example. With good reason my students may doubt a man entering his 42nd year of teaching, but it’s a lot harder to doubt a Master as good as Jesus. Even if you’re not a teacher, I think your discipline, drive, determination to be your best, and guts in the face of life’s trials speaks volumes.

By the way, I never did get in my bike yesterday. It rained again. As in thunder and lightning. Don’t tell anyone, but I schlepped and chillaxed and even griped a bit. I went to bed early. If you read this blog as I hope you do, you know that I have a Sheltie named Sheba. She is the most lovable dog you could ever imagine. Anyhoo, while I was laying in bed having a mental pity party, I heard the pitter patter of a dog’s paws on the steps. It was Sheba, scared to death of the thunder, seeking solace as she used to do in my upstairs bedroom. I knew that, because of her arthritis, she was struggling with every step, so I bounded out of bed to carry her the rest of the way up the steps but she had already arrived on the landing. There she was, with that same pitiful look in her eyes that says, “Daddy, I’m scared.” The best word to describe how I felt at that moment is stupid. Here you are, feeling sorry for yourself that you couldn’t bike for 20 miles when your puppy can barely make it up the steps. What kind of a man are you anyway? I got down on the floor and Sheba tucked her head into my lap. We just sat there, and I cherished every moment. I guess every dog owner gets attached to their pets. For almost 14 years we’ve been inseparable, Sheba and me. I know the day will come when there will be no more walks on the farm together or lounging on the front porch. Losing a pet is losing family. I love Sheba and worry about her. My senior tail wagger follows me everywhere and never lets me out of her sight. And don’t get me started on how therapeutic these fine furry creatures can be. A dog is never “just” a pet. Thankfully, I still have her with me. For now.

Well, I’ve rambled on long enough. Time to get to school. There’s a short saying I once read about dogs and I think I’ll close by quoting it here.

Old dogs, like old shoes, are comfortable. They might be a bit out of shape and a little worn around the edges, but they fit well.

Have a blessed week,

Dave

P.S. C. S. Lewis had 8 dogs. You can read about themhere. You will even discover why Lewis called himself “Jack.”

Sunday, August 19   

9:12 AM This morning I’ve been reading the Shepherd of Hermas. It’s not in our Bible, but Irenaeus considered it canonical. It’s even part of Codex Sinaiticus. Like so many other writings from the 100s and 200s, it shows just how sacrificial the earliest followers of Jesus were. In the section on fasting, the writer says you’ll eat nothing but bread and water, then you’ll count up the money you saved and give it “to a widow, or an orphan, or someone in need.”

Tertullian likewise notes how Christians of his day used a common fund to support widows, the elderly, burials for the poor, the disabled, and even the release of slaves. Even the pagan Emperor Julian declared that “The impious Galileans relieve both their own poor and ours …. It is shameful that ours should be so destitute of our assistance.” I’d call this extravagant giving. Rather than extravagant hoarding. And note: Believers didn’t only help other believers. They spared themselves no effort to serve the lost community all around them. Me, me, me? No. Other, other, other.

When sacrifice is left out of the Gospel, then it isn’t the Gospel at all. Those who have received mercy dispense mercy. I’m a huge fan of “causes.” But the real secret? Making the decision to live sacrificially and do it every day. What it boils down to is a pretty simple solution. Stop thinking inside yourself so much. Look outside yourself. Exercise some self-discipline (maybe even fast?). Yeah, yeah, yeah. Easier said than done. I know that. Boy do I know that. My biggest challenge this week is not the office appointments I have or the classes I’ll teach or the writing I’ll do. It’s to stop focusing on myself and balance kingdom blessings with kingdom duties. The good news is that it’s a lot more fun and satisfying to be a giver rather than a mere consumer of God’s blessings. I can do better than I’m doing. I must do better.

Glad to get that off my chest.

6:44 AM Sunday morning scattershooting ….

1) This was my view at 6:00 am this morning.

It rained all evening yesterday, and I mean it poured. The pond is about to overflow. I think the skies will clear later today. After church I’m thinking about doing a bike since I need to take tomorrow off from training to prepare for classes.

2) Speaking of rain, I just got an email from a friend in India. He asks for prayer for the millions who’ve been displaced by the recent flooding in different parts of the country (especially Kerala). The constant downpour is hampering the rescue operations too. Please pray.

3) After I finished yesterday’s 5K, I stood at the finish line to cheer on the other runners. I think it took the last person just over an hour to finish the race. Big cheer! When you see somebody who is overcoming obstacles to reach their running goals, it’s like watching a victorious gladiator. I see such resilience in my fellow runners it’s amazing. This is how the running community is. We celebrate each other’s personal victories, one victory at a time. Our church communities could well do the same.

4) Next month will be busy. I’ll be speaking at churches in both Greensboro and Severn, NC. As for running, my races include:

• Virginia Beach Half Marathon on September 2.

• North Hills 5K in Raleigh on September 8.

• Virginia 10-Miler in Lynchburg on September 29.

If I can cash in some flying miles, I also like to climb another 14-er in the Rockies, Mount Elbert in particular (because it’s the highest).

5) I’ve been reviewing this book for Filologia Neotestamentaria.

The author’s argument is that ekklesia never lost its civic denotation even when writers like Paul used the term for “God’s people.” The word “in Paul’s time denoted predominantly the honorable body of citizens” (p. 218). As such, ekklesia was rarely used for voluntary associations. The use of the term by Paul also suggests the existence of a hierarchical structure. Interesting perspective, to say the least.

Stay blessed,

Dave

Saturday, August 18   

6:44 PM When I heard that BirthChoice was sponsoring a 5K run in Cary today, I jumped at the chance to participate in it. The WakeMed Soccer Complex is maybe my least favorite course in the world because of the hills. (I tried not to think about it.) I finally did what I always do: Hit the Go button, and see what happens.

I quickly discovered: The race was trying to kill me. Murder might be a better word. I finished it only to learn that I had come in first place in my division. I began to believe that maybe I’m not a Cessationist after all. I resumed my will to live and made my way to the awards table.

Instead of a silly medal I got a nifty gift certificate to the local running store. (Yes, I’ve already cashed it in.)

I could have, at this point, gorged myself on bananas and oranges, but I decided that since I was in Cary, why not beat a retreat over to the Awazé and grab some doro wat. The finish line is nice, but the post-race food is even better.

Before I left the race venue, I listened to the sponsors share about their ministry to pregnant mothers.

Last year BirthChoice counseled 1,000 mothers at their clinic. When I heard that 80 percent of the women chose to carry their babies to term, I spontaneously broke out into tears. I tear up now just thinking about it. Moral of the story: Beware of falling in love with the sport of running. It might renew your faith in humanity. It might also help you to maintain perspective when you’re passed by a mother pushing a 40-pound baby stroller during a 5K. Aargh!

Friday, August 17   

7:25 PM Got up two loads of hay this evening. This was the first.

Nate drove the second load to his farm while I walked back to my car. 

I can see the commercial now. “Honda Odyssey. Farm Car of the Year.”

Bulgogi time!

2:12 PM Sweet, sweet, sweet. SWEET. Today at around 7:30 I left the house to get in my 20-mile bike between LaCrosse and Brodnax. I would be remiss not to mention that this was one of my fastest bikes ever.

A speedier Dave has never been known. Yay me! May I also brag on my road bike, my Garmin watch, my padded riding shorts, and my anti-chafing goo? Please act impressed, because I am a biking moron and have no idea what I’m doing. If I don’t hear from at least five of you, with very complimentary emails, I’ll curl up into a ball. Please don’t make me read my Amazon reviews. Again.

Afterwards I returned to the public pool and got in some laps. The pool is Olympic-sized, which means that there’s plenty of room for people who want to swim laps and for people who just want to play in the water. Since the public schools are back in session, the pool is practically empty these days, but not completely. Today I witnessed, for the very first time, an Amish family enjoying the cool water on a warm day. They were dressed to the hilt — fully clothed, ladies’ hair in buns — and frolicking like ducks taking a bath, all the while speaking Pennsylvania Dutch (which I can understand). I mean, isn’t America a crazy cool place to live?

And good news! We’re getting up more hay tonight. Yep, the weather’s been dry enough to cut, rake, bale, and trailer. (I may have just invented a verb.) I’m poised for pickup, but not before mowing again. What happens when the Lord sends rain? You mow, and mow, and mow some more. Then you bale, bale, and bale some more. Also called farming. Which I love. Farming is hard but it’s a good hard. It puts you to bed at night with a good tired. Know what I mean?

By the way, just because I haven’t been running doesn’t mean I’m not training for my next foot race. Biking is making a huge difference in my overall fitness. Besides, miles go a lot faster when you’re biking. Running is the absolute best. But I also like swimming and cycling. It’s all bliss for me!

6:22 AM There will always be only one Aretha Franklin. When I was playing trumpet in a soul band as a teenager in Hawaii, she was my hero. Aretha had pure talent on loan from God. She was inspiring. She was beautiful.Here she is singing at the age of 73 at the Kennedy Center. I shed a tear:

• When she sang her very first note.

• When Carole King reacted.

• When President Obama teared up.

• When Aretha stood up to sing.

• When she tossed aside her stole.

• When she hit that final high note.

In its tribute to Aretha Franklin yesterday,Christianity Today wrote these powerful words:

But standing before the frenzied Kennedy Center audience, singing from somewhere deep inside the pain, Franklin tapped into the gospel music of Jackson and Ward, into the sanctified sermons of her father, into a lifelong belief in one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and came out triumphant and redeemed on the other side.

Whitney Houston once said, “We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever. The goal is to create something that will.” Rest in peace, Queen of Soul. I just said a little prayer for your family. You will be remembered as the greatest soul musician in history. You earned the RESPECT of an entire nation. I’m glad I got to live in a world that included your music. Heaven is now blessed with your wonderful voice.

Thursday, August 16   

8:28 PM Well, just so I don’t leave the impression that I never miss a workout, I needed today to recover from all the miles I’ve done so far this month. That’s why when chapel let out I didn’t do what I had planned to do today: bike 20 miles. Besides, the heat was oppressive. So I drove home and celebrated the day the best way I knew how. I took a really long nap. I missed a day of training but I’m not worried about it. I’m still good to go for my October races if I can stay healthy. I’ve enjoyed running as a learning exercise. I like the constant challenge and the ups and downs of it all. When I feel stressed at trying to balance it all, I put my family first and let everything else fall into place. If you’re a beginning runner, the best piece of advice I can give you is to be patient and gentle with yourself. Find gratitude even when things are hard. This summarizes my general approach to life, though I don’t always live up to it.

6:54 PM Today’s powerful convocation message was on the incredible life of John Paton, missionary to cannibals. His story was popularized inthis post by John Piper. When I think of John Paton, old fashioned terms like stalwart, fortitude, guts, and character come to mind. Our circumstances are less important than our response to them. When Paton arrived in New Hebrides, both his wife and his newborn died of the fever. He dug their graves with his own hands. He stated, ” … my reason seemed to give way.” “But for Jesus,” he added, “and the fellowship He vouchsafed to me there, I must have gone mad and died beside the lonely grave!”

Ah, the words of an honest widower.

I felt her loss beyond all conception and description, in that dark land. It was very difficult to be resigned, left alone, and in sorrowful circumstances; but feeling immovably assured that my God and father was too wise and loving to err in anything he does or permits, I looked up the Lord for help, and struggled on in his work.

That’s widowerhood (or widowhood or divorcehood) in a nutshell.

• Your reason seems to give way.

• You feel her loss beyond all description.

• It’s difficult to be alone.

• Then you look up unto the Lord for help.

• And struggle on in your work.

That’s been my life exactly for the past 4 and a half years. When unfortunate incidents come up in your life, you have a choice. You can give up or you can grow up. You can shake your fist at God or you can trust God to help you fight off the discouragement. When that time comes, remember the words of John Paton:

… feeling immovably assured that my God and father was too wise and loving to err in anything he does or permits, I looked up the Lord for help, and struggled on in his work.

Paton would serve alone for the next 4 years. Eventually he would remarry and experience the Savior’s blessing on his ministry among the cannibals.

I’ll just add this. It’s true that widowerhood can affect you physically. But in the long run, loss shouldn’t take away our strength. It should give us new energy and strength. It should fill us with the joy of the Lord, to whom we now look, as perhaps never before, for strength in the midst of our struggles. We must rely upon God. We must also believe that He knows what’s best and will help us decide how to serve Him in our singleness.

It must be dreadful to face loneliness without Jesus. If you’re in that category today, my friend, you need to start — I mean really start — getting the Solid Rock beneath you. The water is rising, and only a house that’s build on solid rock can stand.

7:45 AM It’s another beautiful day here in Southside. Off to convocation and then (I hope) a long bike on the Neuse River Greenway. Classes for me begin next Monday. In 1929, Ernest Dimnet wrote a book called The Art of Thinking. He believed that 19 out of 20 people don’t think. They react. They are automatons. I would hope things have changed a bit since then. I want my students to learn the art of thinking. Nothing is more important. Except the art of living. Thinking gives rise to the actions that determine our lives. We must make every effort to develop the habit of thinking. That’s true whether you’re a 6-year old or a 66-year old. “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts” (C. S. Lewis).

Time to get out the water hose again!

Wednesday, August 15   

1:44 PM Now here’s a scary thought. There’s only 52 days before my first ultramarathon on Oct. 6 in Farmville. D minus 52, I guess you could say. I’ve read a ton about how to prepare for your first ultra and to be honest, the more I read, the less confident I become. Here’s the thing. No matter how well you train, things can always go terribly wrong on race day. No matter how well prepared (you think) you are, you can still end up not doing well. So if you have any tidbits of advice, let me know. Meanwhile, my training continues. Today I did a 1-hour lift at the Y. Nothing too strenuous, just some upper body work and stomach crunches while being very careful to avoid anything having to do with my delts (which are still recovering from being overworked by yours truly last week). Then I went to the public pool (which happened to actually be OPEN today) and got in a swim. I would LOVE to lose about 10 pounds, because the more weight you carry around with you, the more difficult it is to run. Being a bachelor who’s also a meatasaurous doesn’t help. Dietary changes need to be gradual if they are to last, but I’m a very impatient guy. I’m a healthy eater for the most part (I do cheat from time to time), but I struggle with a body that’s not built to run long distances. Cooking at home more often is helping some, as well as trying not to live off of freezer food. But hey, the temptation to throw junk food down the gullet never seems to disappear. I still eat meat, just less of it. I know I need to eat more vegetables. Training (and diet) are definitely a challenge. In fact, life is all about the challenge. But truth be told, I have completely fallen in love with racing. How much longer? Only God knows. I’m just happy to be mobile. 🙂

After my swim today I kicked back and soaked up the gorgeous sun. My mind went sort of in a weird direction. I began to muse, “Dave, any regrets? Anything you’d do over if you could in your 66 years?” I thought about my career. Let’s say I didn’t end up in the classroom. What would I have done with my life? Or how about studying abroad for my doctorate? Was it worth all the trouble and expense? I honestly can’t say enough about how much fun it was to study in Basel. Living in Europe was such an amazing (and humbling) experience. I mean, where else can you:

• Embarrass yourself in several languages? (Make a mistake in German or French, and you will be corrected.)

• Play an alp-horn off key.

• Be laughed at because Ronald Reagan was your president (“You mean to tell me that your president is an actor? You gotta be kidding.”).

• Have your landlord control your apartment’s thermostat so that you froze during the winter.

Okay, so we never really froze during the winter (that’s what hot baths are for). But as I look back at my life, there’s very little I think I would want to do differently. I guess I could have become an airline pilot (my Walter Mitty identity). Well. Not really. I can’t even change a light bulb without instructions. Or I guess I could have stayed stateside and done my doctorate. Well. Probably not. Too much busywork for my taste. I am now, more than ever, convinced that God has only good in store for us, and that nothing can separate us from His love, and that He does indeed guide His children both personally and professionally. No matter how hard I think things have become, and no matter how much second guessing I do, I have been blessed with friends who show me with their lives that God always makes a way for His children.

I could arguably be the poster child for worry. As I look forward to the next 10 years or so of my life, I wonder: Will I finish well? And by “well,” I don’t mean “well” by worldly standards. I mean “well” as God defines “well”ness. In the middle of my brokenness, I’ve arrived at the place where Jesus’ “well done” trumps my publishers’ and students’ “well said.” Before you desert me, let me add that I think things should be said well. But I want to belong to a Christian community known for its deeds as much as its words. As John Stott puts it in the book I’m now reading (one of many books by Stott I’m reading these days), “What we need is not less knowledge but more knowledge, so long as we act upon it” (Your Mind Matters, p. 84). Paul put it this way: “If I have not love, I am nothing.” I thank God for my mind. I thank God that He delivered me from the spirit of anti-intellectualism in which I was raised. I also thank God that He’s still in the business of changing me, not only my habits but my heart.

Like I said, I like challenges. While exercising, my body talks to me. It’s telling me that I’m not really 66. “Age is just a number,” it reminds me. It’s telling me that I am an athlete capable of so much more activity than I ever suspected. Maybe, just maybe, even a 31-mile ultra. In short, today I am the man I always was. Lazy and undisciplined. Studious and self-giving. Confident yet fearful. The body, soul, and mind that I have — for whatever length of time I still have on this earth — can still become whole and healthy. For that, I can only thank Him.

8:10 AM Hey guys. Just wanted to give you a brief running update. This morning I registered for the Flying Pig Marathon to be held next May in Cincinnati. It will be my third consecutive Pig. My daughter and her husband will be running it with me. It will be their first marathon. The race usually falls on the same weekend as the Kentucky Derby so the city is slammed packed. I can definitely recommend the Flying Pig if this is going to be your first 26.2 mile race. The course is fun but it does have its challenging sections. I’ve divided the course into five parts:

• My Old Kentucky Home

• Conquering Everest

• Enjoying the ‘Hoods

• Will This Highway Never End?

• The Home Stretch

Actually, the worst hill comes at mile 24. It’s not huge, but it comes at a point where you just want to be done with the race and have very little gas left in your tank. So … will you be doing the Pig next year? How did you get into long distance running? Do you dislike hills as much as I do? Today I also registered for this Saturday’s 24th annualRun for Life 5K in Cary. I think this will be my fourth time competing in this race at the WakeMed Soccer Park. All proceeds benefit BirthChoice, which provides free services to pregnant women in the greater Raleigh area. Great race. Great cause.

That’s all for now.

Make America Chafe Again!

Dave

Tuesday, August 14   

9:08 PM The other day I got this crazy idea in my head. More than anything, I had an insatiable craving to entertain guests in the formal dining room here at Bradford Hall, something I hadn’t done in a very long time. My wife designed it, and my son built it, so the room has a very special place in my heart. So tonight I hosted the Bradsher clan and we spent the better part of 3 hours having the most fun. My granddaughter set the table, and did a marvelous job don’t ya think?

They risked their digestions on my homemade spaghetti, and then we enjoyed fresh cobbler (as in baked today) that my daughter brought.

The kids enjoyed feeding the donks …

… and petting them …

… and Papa B, of course, enjoyed reading to them a story (“Melody’s Cookie Cover Up” in the Psalty series).

It’s hard to sit down and try to quantify just how full my heart is right now. Today? Definitely a good one.

Let’s see. Shall I bike or climb a mountain tomorrow?

3:30 PM Just back from my bike in Farmville. As you can see, it was a beautiful day to be outdoors.

The humidity was less than 50 percent. I got in my 20 miles.

But I felt like I could have kept going forever. I came home floating. Thank you, Lord, for this gorgeous day.

8:24 AM Good morning, fellow Gospelers! Today I’m writing up my review of this 600-page doctoral dissertation.

Ronald Hock, in his now classic The Social Context of Paul’s Ministry: Tentmaking and Apostleship, argued that Paul had four possible means of support to finance his missionary work:

• He could charge fees (as did the Sophists).

• He could accept literary patronage.

• He could beg (as did the Cynic philosophers).

• He could work as an artisan.

In this dissertation, the author argues that Paul availed himself of a fifth model: the societas. There’s nothing really new here, of course. Years ago, Paul Sampley made much the same argument in his Pauline Partnership with Christ (which I cite extensively in my essay on theauthorship of the Christ hymn in Phil. 2:5-11). What’s new in this dissertation is the author’s thorough examination of hitherto neglected documentary sources, namely the papyri and inscriptions. Indeed, for me the most helpful part of this lengthy tome are the two appendices on (1) partnership language in the inscriptions and (2) partnership language in the papyri. 

Right now I’m off to pick up my mountain bike in Farmville and get in a long ride. The day is absolutely gorgeous and I may end up getting in some laps at the public pool afterwards. Then it’s back home to mow the yard and prepare a meal for my dinner guests.

Make it a great day wherever you are!

Monday, August 13   

4:55 PM I’m having dinner guests tomorrow night so I figured it was time to get the puppy all purdied up. Sorry, Sheba girl, for using men’s shampoo on you, but that’s all I got.

Right now she’s experiencing post-bath hyperactivity. Don’t know what that is? Just ask any dog owner. Sheba is 97 years old on the human scale. The sweet thing has to use the handicap ramp to get up and down the porch. Girl, I’m probably not far behind you. There’s only so much you can do when a faithful companion grows old. Old dogs, like older people, need lots of TLC. I’ve had Sheba for just over 13 years now. I can still remember the day when Becky brought her home from Greensboro. Sheba stole my heart then and she steals my heart today. I’m one blessed guy to still have her around. She is such a big part of our family. Everybody loves Sheba. Shelties are awesome dogs. Great temperaments, and loving personalities. I honestly can’t imagine life without one.

4:04 PM Hey guys. Just thought I’d give you a quick workout update. My training schedule for today called for a 20-mile bike at the High Bridge Trail in Farmville. Because it’s a crushed gravel surface, I can only use my mountain bike on it and not my road bike. My mountain bike has been in the shop in Farmville and I was planning on getting it out today for my ride but forgot that the store is closed on Mondays, so instead I did a 10-mile bike at the Tobacco Heritage Trail between LaCrosse and Brodnax, VA. Afterwards I planned on doing a 250-yard swim at the public pool, but for some reason it too was closed today, so I did my swim at the Y instead.

I feel really good about both of my workouts today, so I’m giving myself a big thumbs up. My ultra is exactly 2 months from today and I still have lots of preparation to do for the race. So tomorrow I’ll pick up my mountain bike and try to get in a good long 20-miler. I’m halfway through the month and I still plan to get in another 100 miles or so of training, Lord willing.

I’m getting real excited about the ultra in October. Can you tell? I’ve never attempted anything of this magnitude before so I had better be prepared for it.

Well, I’ll stop my rambling (for now at least).

8:40 AM Next week Wednesday my NT 2 class begins. The official title is “New Testament Introduction and Interpretation 2.” Yawn. I’m calling it “Becoming New Covenant Christians: Living a Life of Sacrificial Service to God and Others by Following the Downward Path of Jesus.” The course deals with Acts through Revelation. There’ll be a lot of facts, data, details, information, etc., most of it drawn from my book The New Testament: Its Background and Message. But the goal isn’t knowledge. I think of this class as “training” for life.” It’s like learning how to run a marathon. The first step is knowledge and motivation. But the real test comes only by running the race itself. It’s the same with learning how to become New Covenant Christians. Truth receivers need to become truth practitioners. Here’s a screen shot from the syllabus. Get the idea?

Hence I’ve designed the following SLOs for the class (Student Learning Outcomes). By the end of the course students will be able to:

• Show from Scripture what Christ’s upside-down kingdom looks like.

• Discuss what a New Testament church looks like.

• Outline each New Testament book from Acts to Revelation.

• Explain the basics of the authorship, date, purpose, etc. of each of these writings.

• Wrestle intelligently with the major interpretative issues that arise within these books.

• Engage in towel-and-basin ministries with a view towards leading not-yet Christians to faith in Christ. Each student must choose a ministry that is new to them and is regular and sacrificial.

Hear this: I don’t think God wants us to minimize knowledge. Ignorance isn’t His medium. But Jesus finished the “discussion” on the cross, and that’s exactly where we all need to go as well. There’s no time for anything else. So while we’re warring with each other, Jesus is waging war against sin and injustice and is calling us to join Him. The Christian life actually isn’t all that complicated. You gain your life by losing it. What really counts is that all the information and knowledge we amass be conformed to one purpose: to allow us to speak more clearly and unambiguously God’s truth into a hurting world.

Today I’m happily sequestered on 123 beautiful acres enjoying the morning breeze and watching the donkeys nip grass. The Artist of the Universe is everywhere you look, but He’s also fanning to flames in my heart the desire to live out His mission. If we all lived sacrificially, the world couldn’t ignore us any longer.

Sunday, August 12   

6:02 PM Thank You Notes:

1) Thank you, petroleum jelly. You make races possible. You are my soul mate.

2) Thank you, Phil. 4:13. I know Paul probably didn’t have running in mind when he wrote that promise, and yes, I realize that the exegesis here might be a little suspect, but the guy I met today at the race with that verse on his t-shirt was at least being intentional about the Gospel.

3) Thank you, anonymous ATC who tried to help a suicidal pilot land his stolen aircraft yesterday, for doing such a great job in what I imagine were very trying circumstances. No controller I would suspect is trained to deal with mental heath issues but there you were, dealing with it anyway. Hope you get the support you deserve. You did one fantastic job. I might use the YouTube of your conversation when I discuss Jesus as our sympathetic High Priest in Hebrews 4 this semester.

4) Thank you, Heather Heyer’s mom, for the reminder that we never forget our lost loved ones but work as hard as we can to leverage their death for good. Prayers going up on this, the one-year anniversary of her senseless murder.

5) Than you, Other Runners. Just when I feel like I want to quit, you give me the Head Nod of Approval, and on I go. Lord, let me be an encouragement to others like that.

4:12 PM Hey guys! The race is over and the results are in. First place went to 33-year old Dwayne Dixon with a time of 40:54. I finished 258th out of 358 participants with a time of 1:17:54. I placed second in my division (ages 65-69).

I’ve gotten to know both of these guys pretty well over the past year. They’ve been regulars in the greater Raleigh tri circuit for decades. In fact, this is the same order the three of us placed in the Rex Wellness Triathlon in Garner a few weeks ago. Ron Sauer always comes in first, and Ken Frinzl or I usually appear in second or third place out of about 6 runners in our age group. Today was Ron’s 68th birthday. His wife told me before the race, “It’s Ron’s birthday today, so be sure to let him win.” To which I drily replied, “You have nothing to worry about, I assure you.” Ron always beats me by a good 12-13 minutes. After the awards ceremony, I told Ron to hurry up and graduate to the 70-99 age group so I could be rid of him! I consider myself a casual runner and not a competitive runner. As someone who finished next to last in the Allen (TX) Marathon on January 1 of this year (the temp was 1 degree that morning; there were 750 runners signed up for the race; 44 finished; I was #43), I can tell you what it feels like to have a police car or an ambulance trailing you. But the emotion of just crossing the finish line is as powerful for the last place finisher as for the first. That said, there’s no denying the fact the human soul is made for competition. I’ve found myself locked in battle with people twice my age and half my age. As long as the competition remains “friendly,” all is well. I love running with (and against!) Ron and Ken, but regardless of my finish time, I can look myself in the eye with respect after the race because I’ve done my best. You may not be the fastest person out there on the course, my friend, but running will embrace you anyway and offer you rewards beyond a cheap medal and a t-shirt. One day, in fact, you won’t even recognize yourself. And if you run long enough, you’ll come across some really inspiring people and even get to know their names and faces. Ken climbed Kilimanjaro last year. In a month he leaves for Machu Pichu. And he’s 67. Both of these guys are in-your-face reminders to me that I have the God-given capability inside myself to overcome so much. Today I got back to the house sweaty and a bit weary, but then I immediately started planning for my training tomorrow. I guess the old saying is true after all: Behave like a runner long enough and you eventually become one.

Thanks for reading,

Dave

Saturday, August 11   

3:40 PM I’m very excited — and nervous — about tomorrow’s sprint triathlon in Wake Forest. Excited because when I did this event last year I did the bike portion on my super slow mountain bike and was killed in that leg. Hopefully this year I can set a new PR for the course. But I’m also nervous. Last week, while lifting at the gym, I pulled a muscle in my right deltoid. Not a big tear, but just enough to make you uncomfortable. Of course, since you don’t use your delts when cycling or running, that shouldn’t be an issue tomorrow. But swimming is altogether another story. I use the crawl stroke during triathlons. This involves four basis phrases:

• Catch (when your hand enters the water)

• Pull (when your hand moves the water toward the back of your body)

• Exit (when your hand exits the water just past your hip)

• Recovery (when your hand comes back to the front of your body)

You use your delts during each phase of this stroke. I’m not anticipating any major problems tomorrow, though I won’t be surprised if my swim time is slower than usual. Once again, I’ll be starting the swim at the back of the pack because there’s a lot less jostling when you do that and it allows you to avoid the “washing machine” effect. At 66, I love the challenge of a triathlon. I triathlon (there, I just made the noun into a verb!) because I love the hours you put into training and because I enjoy being around obsessed people. Oh yeah, I can also be competitive, but mostly with myself. Am I trying to prove something? Maybe!

By the way, one of our new faculty members is a runner. He’s even done a few marathons though he tells me he hasn’t run in years. Well, I told him it’s never too late to start running — again. When I finished my first 5K, the urge to keep going hit me like a ton of bricks. In many ways, running was my own mental therapy. Today I wake up every morning more thankful than ever for the ability to move. I hope to run both Chicago and New York next year, and maybe Boston the following. But I also love to motivate others to cross the finish line. Don’t let your age stand in the way of your running. It’s never too late to start. Studies have shown that it’s not only safe for people over 50 to run marathons, but that it can improve your overall fitness. If I’m that slow and can still finish endurance challenges, surely you can too. First place, last place, or somewhere in the middle, get out there and just enjoy yourself!

P.S. The latest weather in Wake Forest? “Showers and a thunderstorm tomorrow morning through Monday afternoon.” O my.

10:50 AM Hey, check out Flourishing Faith, where you can preorder custom made paintings like these.

Ain’t they beautiful? I’ve already ordered two as gifts (one for myself!).

9:45 AM Hello bloggers! I’ve finally decided to give you a summary of John Stott’s bookThe Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to summarize the writings of a man who was such a profound thinker? For cry’n out loud! Stott discusses (among many things) the church’s “self-understanding.” In fact, I might call chapter 3 a “mini-theology” of the church. I can summarize the heart of Stott’s discussion in three points:

1) There are two false images of the church prevalent today. On the one hand is what Stott calls “introverted Christianity.” This is the church that is completely into itself, like an ingrown toenail. The church resembles little more than a golf club, except that the focus is God rather than golf. At the opposite extreme, says Stott, lies “religionless Christianity.” The focus here is not on divine service but the secular city. Worship is reinterpreted as mission, love for God as love for neighbor, and prayer to God as encounter with people.

2) There’s a third way to understand the church, says Stott, a way that combines what is true in both false images, a way that recognizes that followers of Jesus have a responsibility both to gather and to go, to worship God and to serve the world, to maintain a vertical focus and a horizontal focus at the very same time. Stott calls this the “double identity of the church.” The church is the people of God who’ve been called out of the world to worship God and then sent right backinto the world to witness and serve in Jesus’ name. The church, in other words, is both “holy” (set apart) and apostolic (incarnational).

3) Nobody has exhibited such “holy worldliness” (the term is Alec Vidler’s) better than the Lord Jesus Himself who, on the one hand, never compromised His own unique identity but who, on the other hand, assumed the full reality of our humanness and made Himself one with us in our frailty. This Jesus now sends us into the world (John 20:21) to penetrate other people’s worlds just as He penetrated ours. We do this in three ways, says Stott:

• We struggle to understand their worldview.

• We try to empathize with their pain.

• We acknowledge the humiliation of their social situation, whether homelessness, poverty, unemployment, racial discrimination, etc. In short, we go inside the loneliness of the lonely, the doubts of the doubters, the questions of the questioners, and the sorrow of the sorrowing. As we do this, we gain the right to share with them the gospel.

I don’t think any of us would disagree with the three points Stott makes above. Our churches are either too ingrown or too worldly. But our divine calling is to be holy and worldly at the same time. Stott writes:

The most common fault is for the church to be structured for “holiness” rather than “worldliness,” for worship and fellowship rather than mission.

Please read that again. The center of the church, Stott insists, lies outside itself. Or, as I’ve said ad nauseum on this blog, the gathering exists for the going. This is essential. Because if we fail to get this right, we are in danger of perpetuating “come” structures rather than “go” structures. The gathering becomes an end in itself, not a means of impacting the world with the gospel.

Put all this together and you arrive at Stott’s main point. “Come to Christ for worship and go for Christ in mission.” If you didn’t grow up in a Christian subculture, this will probably be all Greek to you. But for those who did, do you remember the centrality of “going to church”? Nothing was more important, not even evangelism (which was often defined as “bringing the unsaved to church”). So here’s my invitation to you. Turn yourself outwards to the world. This entry into other people’s world need not involve compromise. It should not be undertaken at the cost of your own Christian identity. But beware of becoming so insulated that you fail to live a mission-shaped life. Stott suggests (among many other things) adopting a local nightclub, not for the purpose of making occasional evangelistic “raids” into it, but to visit it regularly over a long period of time in order to make friends with the people who congregate there with a view to sharing with them the evangel, the good news. For me, the running community has become one of my newest mission fields. Many people look to running to help them cope with life. Jesus fraternized with the common people of His day. He identified with their sorrows and pain even though He never comprised, even for a moment, His sinlessness. His life was the very definition of “holy wordiness.”

There’s no substitute for genuine connection. We have the keys, folks! All we have to do is be the kind of friend we want for ourselves. Where to start? Maybe we could begin by looking around us. Who needs a helping hand? Who is lonely? Who is new to the neighborhood? Sure, we can spend all our time doing things with our Christian friends, but doing so leaves us starving for something else. Let’s be the body of Christ. And what did Christ do with His body? He gave it away for the world.

I encourage you all to read Stott’s powerful book. In another post (to come), I’ll try and summarize Stott’s chapter on “Giving.” Until then, let’s stay centered in Jesus.

Dave

Friday, August 10   

5:52 PM Whew! These past two days have been busy! Our faculty workshop took up most of yesterday and today. Then I got an invitation via email yesterday to write two 1,200-word essays for an online magazine. The topics? “Why Four Gospels?” and “Aging.” Aging? Now why would anybody want moi to write an essay on aging!!!??? I mean, seriously!!! I got up early this morning and knocked out both of those pieces. Old geezers don’t pussyfoot around, ya know? #writingnerd.

Yesterday too, I had dinner with one of my former doctoral students who now teaches New Testament fulltime in Wisconsin. Nice to see you again, Paul!

Finally (for now), after I left my Wake Forest office today I drove over to the Neuse River Greenway and got in a 20-mile bike.

It’s totally worth putting all these miles on your bike since the running leg of the triathlon will be easier if your legs and lungs are strong from cycling. We’ll see….

Before the sun sets, I still have to get up a few hundred bales of hay. No matter how busy you are, you’ll always have time for what’s important to you.

So there you have it. Short and sweet!

Thursday, August 9   

6:45 AM Today is Faculty Workshop, and I see that the school has been busy hiring new faculty. I look forward to meeting each and every one of them.

The sunrise this morning reminded me that God is always shining the sunshine of His truth upon our lives, truth that goes far beyond mere head knowledge. An example might be a truth which John Stott wrote in his Ephesians commentary and which I meditated upon this morning. “The traditional model [of the church],” he wrote (p. 167), “is that of the pyramid, with the pastor perched precariously on its pinnacle, like a little pope in his own church, while the laity are arrayed beneath him in serried ranks of inferiority.”

It is a totally unbiblical image [he adds], because the New Testament envisages not a single pastor with a docile flock but both a plural oversight and every-member ministry.

Remember, the good Dr. Stott was a member of the Church of England! Like all of us, pastors are so human. Little wonder the New Testament talks about a shared ministry, a “fellowship of leadership” to use Michael Green’s famous statement. After 58 years under steeples, I’ve become convinced of the truth of this. We’ll have more to say about this when we get to the so-called Pastoral Epistles this semester. The moral of the story is: Keep learning, keep growing, keep striving to become more obedient to the Scriptures. I’ll try to do the same. 

P.S. I’m a bit obsessive about the weather. They’re calling for rain on race day morning, with the possibility of thunderstorms. Ugh. Are umbrellas legal in a triathlon?

Wednesday, August 8   

7:04 PM Hey guys, and welcome back to my blog. Today I drove up to Richmond to try and get in a 20-mile bike in preparation for my triathlon this weekend. I ended up going 30!

The course is called the Virginia Capital Trail.

If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because I biked about half of it a couple of months ago. My idea was to finish the other half today. I arrived in Richmond just in time to get one of the last parking spaces at the trailhead.

Then it was time to enjoy the beautiful day the Lord made. Isn’t the scenery fantastic?

I must have crossed 20 of these wooden bridges.

If you like historical markers as much as I do, then you will love this trail.

By the time I finished I had worked up a mammoth appetite. I knew that Richmond had a few Ethiopian restaurants so I thought I’d try the one on Grace St. It’s called the KuRu. As soon as I walked through the doors the owner Mesi made me feel right at home. The decor, the ambience, the food, the service, and of course the prices were outstanding!

The topper was that the restaurant was impeccably clean. Mesi’s restaurant has been open for only about 6 months and I hope it does really well. It’s location is perfect to attract business people and university students. Thank you for the outstanding service and meal, Mesi. I hope you enjoy Becky’s book. After all, she was a fellow Ethiopian!

I hope y’all had a fabulous day. I know this will make everyone’s green eyes pop out, but I’m cooking Korean barbeque beef for dinner tonight. I know, I know — that all’s I can cook. 

Happy miles, folks!

6:45 AM Like you, I begin my day by planning it out. When it’s not too hot, I do this on my front porch enjoying the beauty of the sunrise.

Then I usually end up in my office typing up my thoughts as I’m doing now. (Dear coffee: Thank you for making all of this possible.)

This is a good time to tell you what I’ve been reading these days in the Scriptures. This morning I was in a wonderful part of Ephesians I’m calling “Walking in Wisdom by Being Filled with the Spirit.” The passage is Eph. 5:15-22.

(Many translations, and even my Greek New Testament, begin a new paragraph in v. 21. This is a grave mistake in my opinion. Verses 18-21 are all one sentence in Greek.) In this chapter, Paul’s been describing the standards that are expected of God’s new society the church. God’s people are called (1) to personal purity (5:1-14) and (2) to practical wisdom (5:15-21). What’s immediately obvious is the threefold contrast Paul sets before his readers in 5:15-21. He says, in effect:

• Don’t be unwise but wise.

• Don’t be foolish but understand the will of God.

• Don’t get drunk but go on being filled with the Spirit of God.

In other words, wise Christians make the most of their time. They invest every passing moment in eternity. Wise Christians also discern the will of God. Nothing is more important in life. What is God’s will for you this day, David? Have you thought about it? Prayed about it? Finally, wise Christians are filled (controlled) by the Spirit, the results of which are fourfold (as seen in the participles that follow): The praise of God, the worship of God, gratitude “always and for everything,” and mutual submission to Christ and to one another. If I’m filled with the Spirit, I will be (1) constantly worshipping and praising God with joy and thanksgiving, and (2) constantly speaking and submitting to my fellow believers. I don’t know how many more years God will leave me on this earth. But I acknowledge that what Paul is describing here is not the way I always live. I want to live more humbly, gratefully, hopefully, joyfully. Clinging to the past has not made me happier. It’s just made me mordant. That’s not the legacy I want to leave to my children and grandchildren.

So this has been my morning — trying to discern the will of God for me, praying over the day, making my plans, acknowledging to God how disappointed and tired I am of the American rat race, trying to be like Jesus, the most completely unselfish, ungreedy, and unpretentious man who ever lived. “Don’t be an imbecile,” says Paul. “Wise up. What you do today matters, and so does the why.”

So for now I’ll continue to pursue a life that is marked by simplicity and obscurity. It doesn’t matter what others think. For Christ’s kingdom to come, my kingdom will have to go. Time is fleeting, Dave old boy, and the days are evil. Once it has past, not even the smartest and wisest and most gifted Christian can recover it. 

Tuesday, August 7   

2:05 PM Remember when I told you that I am learning, ever so gradually, to balance activity and rest as I train for my October races? I don’t. But I went back and reread Sunday’s blog and then remembered that I had not only told you that rest is an essential part of training, but that you have to know when to say “when.” Well, today I woke up and my body was telling me to get outdoors and exercise, so off I went to South Hill to cycle 10 miles on the Tobacco Heritage Trail before swimming laps at the pool. Bike? Checked! Swim? Checked! When I left the pool I decided that since I had such a good workout I could gorge myself on hot dogs at the local convenience store. Boy was that good. After my jaw muscles had cramped from all the chewing, I stopped eating and struck up a conversation with the cashier, who I sensed might have hailed from India from his complexion and accent. Sure enough, he turns out to be from a state near Mumbai and also happens to be the owner of the convenience store/gas station. As we reminisced about his home country, I had the chance to share with him the story of the Becky Black Building in Bagdogra that was dedicated to the Lord in 2013. Before leaving, I gave him a copy of Becky’s autobiography My Life Story. What a very nice man. I’m so glad we could meet and talk.

On a different (though perhaps related) subject, earlier today I listened to a sermon while cycling. It was John Stott (there’s that name name again!) talking about the assignment Jesus entrusted to His followers shortly before He returned to heaven, and how we are to be His body, His hands, His eyes, His heart, and His mouth in this world — serving Him, loving Him, speaking for Him. This assignment is one we can fulfill wherever the Lord places us during the day. Our words, our thoughts, and our actions should all mirror His character and His love. If people fail to recognize Him in us, could it be that we are failing to do our job? Real love, said Stott, wants to share, to give, to reach out. It thinks of the other, not of itself. We’re here to shine in Jesus’ name, to bring out all the God-colors in this dark world and to help illuminate people’s way toward heaven. That’s the way it is with Christ. If He is truly Lord, we can’t keep silent about what He has done for us.

Well, it’s time to get back to work. The yards need mowing, the water troughs need cleaning out, and the weeds are craving a good dose of Round Up. It’s nice to do something other than swim, run, and bike. Anything to get me outdoors, I guess!

P.S. This beauty arrived today. It’s worth its weight in gold (and cost about as much). Eager to peruse it tonight while sipping mango juice on the front porch with my puppy.

Monday, August 6   

1:50 PM Today I slept in until 7:30, even though I originally awoke at 5:00 am (as I normally do). My body felt tired so I went back to sleep. When I woke up again I was entirely restored and refreshed in body and mind and ready to face the day. On the docket was a workout at the Y and a swim at the pool. I’ve done both and am now back on the farm. Today’s swim workout was important to me because my next sprint triathlon is this weekend. Tris are easy if you know what you’re doing. First of all, start at the back for the swim leg so you don’t have to pass (or be passed) by other swimmers. That way, when you get to the first transition area, you’ll be able to find your bike easily as it will be the last one there. Then all you have left is the cycle and the run. Easy cheesy. If things go well, you’ll probably end up in the back of the middle of the pack. If you doubt this, go to howtoloseatriathlon.com, a website that doesn’t exist.

Right now I’m typing up some notes on church unity for a lecture I plan to give this semester when we get to 1 Corinthians. Warring factions among the Corinthian believers had led to deep splits. Each group advocated their own “hero” for leadership. Paul was snubbed by most. For my lecture, I’ve been reading an appendix in John Stott’s wonderful book entitled The Living Church. The appendix is called “Why I Am Still a Member of the Church of England.” Years ago, it seems, there was a major falling out between  evangelicals in the Church of England, with some of them quitting the church altogether while others deciding to remain within its folds. Stott adopted the latter course of action. In his appendix, he tells us there are three options open to evangelicals who face this question of whether to stay or to leave.

The first option is that of separation or secession. These evangelicals argue that it would be intolerable to remain within a doctrinally compromised church. Stott agrees partially with this view. He commends the secessionists for their concern to maintain the doctrinal purity of the church. We should all share a zeal for the truth of God’s word, he says. But, he adds, secessionists tend to pursue the purity of the church at the expense of its unity. Stott notes how the 16th century Reformers were reluctant schismatics. They didn’t necessarily want to leave the Catholic Church. They wanted to reform it according to Scripture.

The second option, says Stott, is compromise and conformity. He notes that there are those who would be willing to remain with the Church of England at all costs, even if this meant that they lost their evangelical witness. In this option, differences are minimized for the sake of unity. This position, says Stott, is misguided. Evangelical Christians can’t conceal or smother their biblical convictions, he notes. That’s because our highest loyalty as evangelical believers is not to a party or a denomination but to revealed truth. We therefore insist on sola scriptura. And, while nothing is gained by becoming obstinate or uncooperative, for the good of the church and the glory of God, we must maintain our evangelical convictions.

The final option, and the one Stott himself prefers, is what he calls “comprehensiveness without compromise.” He argues that one can “stay in” without “caving in.” In short, Stott believes that both options 1 and 2 are unacceptable. Option 1 pursues truth at the expense of unity. Option 2 pursues unity at the expense of truth. But option 3 pursues truth and unity simultaneously, which is the only kind of unity commended by Christ and the apostles, a unity in truth.

Stott makes sense to me. His position (option 3) does justice to Scripture and to the power of the Gospel. I’m afraid, however, that in some situations this option will simply not be possible, especially when a first-order doctrine is at stake. Seeking unity is noble, necessary work. But it’s not easy. That’s because we church people are regular old sinners. However, God is big enough to lead us all, and who knows — together we just might see the kind of unity Jesus prayed would exist among His followers (John 17).

Sunday, August 5   

7:34 PM This morning’s message on Col. 3:1-17 was fabulous, not simply because I’m hopelessly biased toward the speaker (my daughter’s husband) but because his message contained all 3 essentials of a good sermon: transparency, relevance, and faithfulness to the text. Obviously, sermons are only starting points. Today’s message triggered a half dozen questions in my mind:

1) Is “on the sons of disobedience” in 3:6 to be retained or not? The words are almost certainly original in my view yet they are missing from many English translations today.

2) Why does Paul’s list in Col. 3:11 differ from the very similar one he writes in Gal. 3:20? In particular, why does the Colossians list mention “barbarians” and “Scythians” but leave out the “male/female” contrast? 

3) Finally — and this has nothing to do with the sermon today — since when can the editors of a hymnal change the wording of a hymn (in this case, “At the Cross’) without any explanation or footnotes? Didn’t Isaac Watts write “For such a worm as I” instead of “For sinners such as I”?

Why should we have an issue with worminess? William Carey’s tombstone reads:

If you feel your “but” rising up, I completely identify with the desire to make our hymnody less offensive, but my argument should be considered, especially when the original text makes for very good theology. Afterwards we all enjoyed pizza and I even heard a piano concert by my granddaughter.

When I got back home my intention was to get in a long run. Not. Sunday is my rest day, and my body needed it. At least my 3-hour nap seemed to indicate that. Dave giving himself permission to rest? Yep. This thick head of mine is finally learning that rest is a part of training. The physiological benefits of rest while training should be obvious to all, but novices like me tend to forget that the greater the training, the greater the need for recovery. “I can’t be tired; I only did a 5K yesterday” is not the healthiest example of self-talk. The last 30 days in numbers:

• 200.5 miles.

• 33 workouts

• Weekly average of 20.3 miles, 4 hours and 47 seconds

I guess it’s all about knowing “when” to say “when.” Train, and then rest, and then train again, right?

Time to cook my supper!

6:58 AM Good morning friends! Happy to report that the race last night went well. It was even rain free!

I have to start by saying a huge THANK YOU to the race sponsors — Habitat for Humanity of Durham.

I am overwhelmed by the support they received for the race. It will help them build at least 3 houses in Durham. Besides that, I can honestly say this was one of the best 5Ks I’ve ever done. Not because of my finish time. I missed a new PR by about 3 minutes. I’m happy because I paced myself intelligently. My goals from start to finish were to give it my best, run the entire course, and conquer the hills (and there were many hills). Post race, though, I was absolutely drenched.

But I had completed a really difficult course in what for me is a great time and a better-than-usual pace. Glory to God!

Afterwards I hung around for the post-race shindig and had some great convos with fellow runners. It’s all about planting seeds for you know Who.

Running, like life, is alternatively easy and hard, good and not-so-good, boring and exhilarating. Above all, it’s immensely satisfying. If I can’t get any younger (and I can’t), I can at least get a little bit fitter. Today I’m living a life that only 4 years ago I would have considered a fantasy. I’m enjoying running so much (especially what it’s been teaching me about my walk with God) that I’ve started writing a book about it. I’m calling it They Shall Run and Not Grow Weary: 52 Devotions to Lighten Your Running Load. I love to take my experiences and distill them into black and white. And what keeps me going? Faith in God. His strength. Undeserved grace. His hand in mine. Don’t know if I can put into words what I’m thinking, but I’m going to try.

So there you have it. The briefest post-race report I think I’ve ever published. Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it.

Enjoy your day,

Dave

Saturday, August 4   

4:55 PM Just when I was about to build an ark, the sun came out. Whatdja know. Hey, what’s that blue stuff in the sky?

Which meant I could get in a 9 mile walk today between LaCrosse and Brodnax, VA.

If I look serious, it’s because I listened to several heavy-duty sermons by John Stott while I was walking.

I like listening to God speak through regular people. No affectation. And talk about deep. Anyways, I gotta get in the car and make my way down to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park for tonight’s run. Can’t let anybody beat me to the back of the pack.

8:12 AM It’s race day! Woohoo! The 5K starts at 7:45 tonight in downtown Durham, rain or shine. For many runners, it will be their first race. Millions of racers have gone before them. Each of us has faced the exact same fear and excitement. Each has learned the truth in the Runner’s Credo: There are no losers in a race. The measure of a true runner has very little to do with speed and PRs. I was reminded of this fact yesterday while I was perusing the running blogs. Have I ever mentioned the name Jamie Watts before? This year, Jamie completed her first marathon. She was born with cerebral palsy. She didn’t walk until she was 3. Jamie has to concentrate with every step to get her body to cooperate. She took up the sport of running in 2012, two years before I did. At the age of 33, she decided she would run 34 races before she turned 34. She went on to finish 40 races by her 34th birthday. In 2016, she ran her first half marathon. She started the Marine Corps Historic Half at 2:28 am. She finished 7 hours and 53 minute later. In April of this year, Jamie completed the New Jersey Marathon. She started the race at 10:00 pm the night before. The other competitors started at 7:30 am. The winner finished in 2 and a half hours. Jamie’s time was 14 hours and 33 minutes.

Sometimes in life I think we need to rethink our definition of success. The road of life is not always smooth or flat. Every runner has to learn to take the first step. Each of us, in our own way, has to find that courage. Whether you like it nor not, you’re the only you that you will ever get. What you decide to do with your life is up to you. Every day, every race, gives you the opportunity to improve. And, as a follower of Jesus, I realize I never run alone. I have never won a race. I never will. But life is bigger than loss because God is bigger than loss. Life on earth is not the end. My loved ones are in heaven now because they trusted in Jesus, who loved them and died for them and who was raised for their sake. My wife Becky lives in a reality I long to enter one day, in God’s good time. I hope and pray I will see all of you there too. Let me encourage you to trust Jesus today if you haven’t done so already. As a Christian, you will still have problems on this earth. But believe me, the story that God will begin to write in your life will be a story that He will finish, and it will be a good story. Countless people can testify to the limitless power that God has to sustain them through every challenge of life.

Gohere and watch Jamie finish her marathon. It will truly move you. I will never forget the look of pure, unabashed joy on her face. It’s a reminder to me, and I hope to all of you, that we need to be more grateful for what do have and spend less time complaining about what we don’t have. 

Run on, Dave

Friday, August 3   

9:24 PM Hey guys. I’ve been offline all day. Advanced System Care just took 8 hours to remove a very malicious trojan on my hard drive and run a full scan. Sure glad we found it. I found a wonderful story about perseverance that I can’t wait to share with you in the morning. Night, all.

8:55 AM Good morning, fellow bloggerites! I’m currently reviewing a book called Liebe als Agape (Love as Agape) for publication in Filologia Neotestamentaria.

Love is difficult to define in any language. I love my kids and grandkids. I also love Korean food. What is love? Next time you’re reading 1 Corinthians 13, you might try “fleshing out” love. Be practical. Be real. For example:

• Love is the patience Becky displayed when I was building her raised garden beds.

• Love is the kindness my son showed me when he volunteered to repair my bush hog.

• Love is the absence of jealousy among the faculty at my school.

• Love is the humility I see in my elders whose gifts could otherwise make them conceited or proud.

• Love is the politeness I experience whenever I’m at Food Lion.

I think you get the idea. Try writing down a few applications of your own. Remember: Hebrews is a “word of encouragement” (13:22).

I beg you, my dear brothers and sisters, to listen patiently to this message of encouragement ….

And we are to answer with our willingness to be conduits of encouragement to each other (3:12-13):

My fellow believers, be careful that no one among you has a heart so evil and unbelieving that they will turn away from the living God. Instead, you must keep on encouraging one another each and every day, as long as the word “Today” applies to us.

Paul is writing to a group of people whose world was caving in around them. They were bruised with adversity. They needed to be encouraged, to be helped, yes, even to be rebuked. But if you’re going to confront and rebuke and wound, be sure to be there to apply the salve afterwards.

Is my life a message of encouragement today? Is my blog? Is my classroom demeanor? What can we say this very day that will lift the hearts of others? After all, none of us can be assured of another “Today.”

Love,

Dave

Thursday, August 2   

6:22 PM Hey folks! Time for a training update? The funny thing about my “20” mile bike ride today was (1) that it was cut short (I only did 12.7 miles) and (2) that I finished much faster than I started. That’s because at around mile six I got caught in a downpour and had to race back to the car as fast as the crushed gravel would allow me to pedal (see avg. speed summary below. It’s hilarious.).

When I finished, I felt liked a drowned rat. I was soaked, but at least I was cool. I’m calling it a successfully failed bike ride. I am not a cyclist and don’t claim to be one. But rides are good for crosstraining, and so I doeth them. Meanwhile, Map My Run sent me this reminder.

While July wasn’t in the “incredible” category, I feel good about going over 180 miles. Definitely feeling good about my fall races. Right now, though, our weather is crazy. Let’s just say we’re soaked. Which makes working out all that more challenging. Weather teaches you to be flexible. You do what can, when you can. But, you are tough. You meet your goal. You suffer. You get wet. Today I came this close (imagine my thumb and forefinger about a centimeter apart) to not biking today. Of course, if I had heard thunder, I would have bailed, big time. That’s why I try and keep my goals in mind always. And my biggest, hugest, gignormousest goal for 2018? Finishing a 31-mile ultra.

What are your year-end goals? I’d like to eat cleaner and cook more at home. I’d like to have a more plant-based diet. I’d like to shed a few more pounds. I’d like to eat only locally sourced meat (since I’m not slaughtering and butchering my own beef any more). I’d like to push my body and mind to boundaries unknown. I’d like to draw closer to my Father. I have lots of other goals but they all revolve around stewardship. Nothing I have is mine — not my body, not my house, not my strength, nothing. Being a faithful steward is the hardest thing we will ever do. It’s a sweaty struggle. But it’s the most rewarding thing we’ll ever do too.

Thanks for reading,

Dave

8:44 AM Just listened to an excellent message on “brotherly love” in Heb. 13:2. Note the verbal aspect here: “Let brotherly love continue.” My question is: What would we lose if we rendered the Greek, “Keep on loving one another as Christian brothers and sisters”? Much would be gained, I should think. By the way, the sermon pointed out that the 7 virtues Peter mentions in 2 Pet. 1:5-7 include both philadelphia and agapē:

Do your best to add goodness to your faith; and to your goodness add knowledge, and to your knowledge add self-control, and to your self-control add endurance, and to your endurance add godliness, and to your godliness add brotherly love, and to your brotherly love add love.

“To your love add love”? I like what the NET Bible does with the last two virtues here. The words philadelphia and agapē are translated “brotherly affection” and “unselfish love.” Koester, in his Hebrews commentary, takes it a step further. He translates Heb. 13:2 as: “Let care for the brethren abide.” He wants to show how “philadelphia is more of a bond than a feeling” (p. 557).

Using “care” rather than “love” helps to show the connections with care for strangers (13:2) and care fore [sic] money (13:5).

Just how can I better express care for my Christian brothers and sisters? I know can I do better at this. I’m going to start by saying “Thank you” more often than I do. In my emails. On my blog. In my classrooms. In my office quad. It’s not just people I forget to thank. It’s God. Why couldn’t we write an email to … God? Maybe it would read something like this:

Dear God,

Thank You for _____________. And for ___________. These gifts have made a huge difference in my life. I’d just like to say, “Thank You.”

Love,

Dave

I thank you for reading this. The Lord bless you as you discern how to better express your love, care, and gratitude toward your brothers and sisters in Christ this very day.

7:45 AM A couple of random musings before starting my day. Very random!

1) You might have noticed that yesterday’s post dated 9:55 am wasn’t actually published until about 9:00 last night. I had just uploaded the latest version of FileZilla and it took that long before my site could be read by my server. For a while there, I was worried that FileZilla was no longer working, and since FZ is the only platform that allows me to upload from Front Page I thought, “There goes my blog.” Does anyone else feel my pain? When you self-identify as a blogger, and can’t blog “normal,” it effects your entire life. It would be very hard for me stop blogging after 15 years of doing it almost daily. Idol or hobby? Honestly, sometimes it’s hard to say. I once wrote a piece calledWhy I Blog. I think I still agree with what I said then. I blog because I’m trying to become a follower of King Jesus. I share this journey with you in the hopes of showing you how the soul grows through loss and how God uses the ordinary stuff of our lives to redeem us. Sometimes, of course, my blog is little more than a brain dump (like this morning). Either way, I hope you continue to benefit from reading it.

2) The older Tom gets, the farther he runs and the better his movies become.That’s a fact, folks. (As for MI: Fallout. Preposterous plot. AMAZING STUNTS.)

3) Meet Yovana Portillo.

In 2016, as a healthy 35-year old, Yovana was diagnosed with stage 1B mucinous adenocarcinoma, i.e., lung cancer. Doctors removed the lower lobe of her left lung. Two years after her diagnosis she’s celebrating being cancer-free by running in her first marathon. I’ll be joining Yovana and other lung cancer survivors on October 28 in DC, where I’m running the Marine Corps Marathon as part ofTeam LUNGevity. Thank you, God, for the ability to enjoy running, and for allowing me to meet so many wonderful people like Yovana. 

4) What makes somethinga cult?

5) How tostart running. (You knew this was coming!)

Ciao!

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.

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