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March 2013 Blog Archives

Wednesday, March 20

10:30 PM I’m sitting here at the computer totally blown away by the goodness of God. This morning I heard the most wonderful retirement lecture by my college and friend Joseph Solc, Professor of Missions and Evangelism. His text was 1 Tim. 6:12: “Fight the good fight of faith.”

A few takeaways:

• “We are living in a time when we cannot just be comfortable Christians.”

• “Many of us have used all kinds of excuses not to move from preparation to engagement.”

• “We must apply biblical truths in daily living.”

• “No Christian should ever just sit on the sidelines and watch while the battle is going on.”

• “As a Christian you have to be a willing soldier of the Lord, not a spectator.”

• “The first obstacle is the cost of the fight. The fight can be extremely demanding, even painful.”

• “There is no cost or suffering big enough that should keep us from fighting the good fight of faith. No excuses will do. None whatsoever.”

It’s the oldest cliché in the book, but it’s true: Only one life ’twill soon be passed, and only what’s done for Christ will last.” My colleague Joseph (now 71) has lived this kind of life. I think it’s called obedience, and it is what our Lord delights in. I’m not sure I always like the taste of it. As Joseph said, it can be extremely demanding and even painful. But, as with everything God has planned for our lives, it is always best. Tomorrow is the start of my next adventure in this crazy thing we call Christian obedience. I will sign off from the internet until sometime in the future. If you’re anything like me, you’re full of anticipation when you leave on a mission trip. You never feel more vulnerable to feelings of homesickness and anxiety. What will happen to Becky and Nigusse while I’m gone? Will my teaching will be well-received? It’s such a strange thing, this wanting desperately to obey God’s leading in your life, yet at the same time feeling so – well – unworthy and inadequate. I will need your prayers, that’s for sure. So I think it’s only reasonable that I publish my itinerary here. Consider it a call to intercession.

I leave with the realization that many of you will be praying for me and my family during this trip. For all of this, I count myself blessed among men. Also, I’d like to just mention that I’m feeling a little under the weather and think I may be coming down with Becky’s cold. I’m not too concerned about it, but I feel I should it mention to you for prayer. I’ll do my very best to serve Jesus well, and God willing I’ll see you on the other side.

Blessings,

Dave

SCHEDULE IN ODESSA

Friday, March 22

Alfie and Sasha will meet you at the airport.

15:00 Light meal downtown

17:00 Deliver things to Seminary and short orientation

18:00 Supper at Seminary

Saturday, March 23

Rest and prepare for week.

Sunday, March 24

Breakfast in room

Leave for church

Morning service in Fontanka

Lunch in Fontanka

Evening Service – Second Baptist – Ethiopia

Dinner at Seminary and Rest

Monday, March 25

Breakfast

Prayer (Conference-hall)

Why Hermeneutics? (Part 1)

Tea

Why Hermeneutics? (Part 2)

Toward a Hermeneutics of Obedience (Part 1: Introduction)

Lunch

Toward a Hermeneutics of Obedience (Part 2: Following Jesus to Ethiopia)

Dinner

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Breakfast

Prayer (Conference-hall)

The Text of the New Testament: Issues in the Current Debate (Part 1)

Tea

The Text of the New Testament: Issues in the Current Debate (Part 2)

New Testament Lexicography: Promises and Pitfalls (Part 1)

Lunch

New Testament Lexicography: Promises and Pitfalls (Part 2)

Dinner: Pizza with the students.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Breakfast

Prayer (Conference-hall)

Reading the Gospels Today (Part 1)

Tea

Reading the Gospels Today (Part 2)

Syntax and Hermeneutics: What’s Old? What’s New?

Lunch

The Medium Is the Message: Rhetorical Criticism and the New Testament

Dinner with Mosse Family

English Bible Study at Mosse home

Return to Seminary

Thursday, March 27, 2013

Breakfast

Prayer (Conference-hall)

Structural Analysis of New Testament Texts (Part 1)

Tea

Structural Analysis of New Testament Texts (Part 2)

Discourse Analysis: Getting the Big Picture of Philippians

Lunch

Sociological Criticism and the Life of Christ: Jesus and the Age Thirty Transition

Dinner

Friday, March 29, 2013

Breakfast

Chapel (Conference-hall) Brother Dave will preach the message

Anonymity and Authorship: Hebrews as Test Case

Tea

The New Perspective on Paul: My Take

Shaping a New Testament Sermon: John 21:15-17

Lunch

Epilogue: Why Hermeneutics Matters

Dinner

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Breakfast

Packing and rest

Lunch

Depart for Airport

Departure: Austrian FLT 7176 to Vienna

9:59 PM We had yet another fabulous LXX class today as we studied Esther 4, led by Josh. So grateful for the gifted students God has given us at SEBTS. These are the future teachers of America and the world.

9:48 PM Here’s Becky with a reminder: 

At about the same time that Halango and Achame were being baptized in Alaba, Ethiopia, another baptism was taking place thousands of miles to the east. Here, in a river setting, a young girl went under water baptism, giving testimony that she was buried with Christ, and raised with Him into newness of living. With this simple ritual, she declare that Jesus, and Jesus alone, is her Savior and Lord. This young girl is “Adhivassi”; this is a general term for the original tribes of India. About 68 million people belong to this group of people. Their heritage is rich but today they are regarded with low esteem, somewhat on the periphery of Indian society.

Welcome this new sister with us, will you? And pray for her to grow strong in the love and service of our Lord Jesus. Others who were baptized with her….

Praise God for these new followers of King Jesus.

Tuesday, March 19

5:08 AM Some of you may have wondered why we call our home “Bradford Hall.” The Hall is named in honor of three of Becky’s ancestors: Governor William Bradford, Dr. William Bradford Brooks, and Mr. Bradford Noyes Lapsley.

William Bradford, author of the Mayflower Compact, was governor of the Plymouth Colony for 30 years and helped shape the political institutions of the first permanent settlement in New England. Bradford is remembered for establishing traditions of self-government (such as the town meeting) that would set the pattern for national political development in years to come.

William Bradford Brooks, my wife’s paternal great-grandfather, grew up in East Texas and operated Brooks Saline, the largest supplier of salt to the Trans-Mississippi Confederacy. During the war he served in the First Texas Heavy Artillery guarding the Texas Coast. Later he became a medical doctor in Fort Worth. A pioneer in the field of medicine, he founded the Texas Medical Examiner, the first medical journal in Texas, and was also the first doctor to specialize in the treatment of chemical dependency.

Bradford Noyes Lapsley, my wife’s father, served with the Sudan Interior Mission as a pioneer missionary to Southern Ethiopia in the 1950s. Today he continues to publish works for Ethiopian pastors in the Amharic language. (SeeGood Amharic Books.) He has left a lasting legacy in the lives of thousands of Ethiopians whom he has touched with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So now you know.

5:02 AM Hard to believe my next trip abroad begins in only two days. My mind is already in Ukraine. I thoroughly enjoy doing all this teaching and lecturing. I especially enjoy showing students how practical the New Testament is, and how clearly it focuses not on any man, not on any pastor, but on Jesus. The goal of a seminary education is not head knowledge — a thousand times no. If Christianity is to make any headway in countries like Ukraine, it must be proved to be more than a theory, and we teachers must show by our walk the reality of lives transformed by the power and love of God. We must demonstrate to a culture that worships knowledge and academic achievement that book learning is dead and worthless unless we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, surrendering everything in our lives that would interfere with this.

So here’s my challenge for you young students, especially any doctoral students out there. Why not use your education on the mission field? Opportunities abound both for long- and short-term teaching. Even secular universities are willing to open their doors to qualified students, not to mention the seminaries that are in desperate need of teachers. Instead of taking that vacation in the Bahamas or at Disney World, why not invest your education in teaching for a week or two in Armenia or Romania or Ethiopia or Asia? I talk a lot about having a Great Commission Marriage and a Great Commission Family. How about a Great Commission doctorate?

Monday, March 18

6:17 PM The papal installation tomorrow will be somewhat historic, I am told, in that the Gospel will be read from the Greek text and not the Latin.  Here is theprogram (with texts in English, Italian, and Greek). The synoptic scholar in me compels me to call your attention to the final line:

The English reads: Ad multos annos, Holy Father.

The Italian reads: Ad multos annos, Padre Santo.

And the Greek? I’ll let you translate it, but it most certainly is not the same as the English and Italian in one very important feature.

4:51 PM From the Way Back Machine:

Whereas many of our churches will do practically anything to draw unbelievers to their services, the earliest Christians were so committed and so radical that few if any unbelievers dared join them. In New Testament times the early disciples came together not for evangelism or even for worship but for teaching, for fellowship, for the Breaking of Bread, and for times of prayer (Acts 2:42). The Lord’s Supper was not an addendum celebrated quarterly or monthly but the main reason the church assembled on the Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7). Jesus was front-and-center, not a pulpit.

“Church” did not mean a state-of-the-art building with all the latest gadgetry. It meant a company of committed believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who met regularly (at least weekly) in homes or perhaps small rented rooms where a committed family spirit could develop. To reach outsiders they took the Gospel to them – a riverside (Acts 16:13), a marketplace (Acts 17:17), a school hall (Acts 19:9). Because expenses were kept to a minimum, funds could be used to support the poor and, when necessary, their teachers (Acts 11:29; Phil. 4:16). Each believer was taught to exercise his or her own spiritual gift (1 Cor. 12) in a spirit of love (1 Cor. 13). When the Body gathered, its goal was that of strengthening itself and building itself up in love (1 Cor. 14:26).

Because every believer was a priest and minister there was no need for an officiating “clergy.” Those who had been appointed by the Holy Spirit as pastors (Acts 20:28) became elders and teachers (Eph. 4:11), guides and leaders (1 Thess. 5:12-13). But their Senior Pastor was none other than Jesus Himself, in whose name they gathered. It was by devotion to Him and not to any human leader that they were held together. How unlike the guilds of the day!

The early church had little of the glitz and glamour of its modern counterpart. Few of its member were from the upper crust of society. It exercised discipline on its members. It preached Jesus as Lord, not as a benevolent butler. It called for total allegiance even when that went against the ruling authorities. Its power, passion, and purity was a flaming sword that guarded the way to the tree of life (cf. Gen. 3:24).

ReadThe Church No One Wanted to Join.

4:34 PM I quite agree:Down with Endnotes!

1:20 PM Good news! Just back from the doctor, who reports clear lungs and no pneumonia at all. Bec will start a new antibiotic and take prescription-strength cough medicine as needed. Praise God. And thank you for joining me in prayer on her behalf.

8:59 AM In Ukraine I plan on walking my students through the entire book of Philippians. I will ask them what the Russian translation of skubala in 3:8 is. Then I will read to them this excellent note in the NET Bible:

The word here translated “dung” was often used in Greek as a vulgar term for fecal matter. As such it would most likely have had a certain shock value for the readers. This may well be Paul’s meaning here, especially since the context is about what the flesh produces.

Perhaps the best rendering of skubala in English is “unspeakable filth.” Paul is saying, in the strongest language possible, that we are to forsake all confidence in human merits and accomplishments. That includes me and my accomplishments.Perhaps Malcolm Muggeridge put it best. In a sermon delivered at Queen’s Cross Church, Aberdeen, on May 26, 1968, he uttered these unforgettable words:

I may, I suppose, regard myself, or pass for being, a relatively successful man. People occasionally stare at me in the streets — that’s fame. I can fairly easily earn enough to qualify for admission to the higher slopes of the Inland Revenue — that’s success. Furnished with money and a little fame even the elderly, if they care to, may partake of trendy diversions — that’s pleasure. It might happen once in a while that something I said or wrote was sufficiently heeded for me to persuade myself that it represented a serious impact on our time — that’s fulfillment.

Yet I say to you, and I beg you to believe me, multiply these tiny triumphs by a million, add them all together, and they are nothing-less than nothing, a positive impediment-measured against one draught of that living water Christ offers to the spiritually thirsty, irrespective of who or what they are. What, I ask myself, does life hold, what is there in the works of time, in the past, now and to come, which could possibly be put in the balance against the refreshment of drinking that water?

Thank God for that living water. I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t make it through a single day without it.

8:37 AM I’ve begun sketching out an article dealing with the impossibility of loving the Gospel without loving the church which the Gospel creates. It seems that Paul was intentional when in one place in Colossians he says he is a servant (diakonos) of the Gospel and then two verses later says he is a servant (diakonos) of the church. What an interesting world we live in — when men and women can claim to be preachers of the truth and pass out tracks and out-bumper-sticker their neighbor’s cars but then have nothing whatsoever to do with fellowshipping with other believers. I see this mentality all the time. But Paul was equally devoted to the word of the cross and to the people of the cross — even half-baked, jejune, and immature Christians. What I have tried to do with my evangelistic friends is to remind them that they mustn’t forget that Christ died for the church and that, like Noah’s ark, the stench may be intolerable on the inside but the horrors on the outside are far worse.

One more thought from Colossians. Did you know that Paul goes out of his way to mention a group of people called the Scythians? Bet you don’t know who they were. I have actually been to the borders of Scythia twice, though the place is now known by another name. Check out Col. 3:11 and see for yourself.

8:03 AMJust made a doctor’s appointment for Becky for noon. I fear her chest cold might develop into pneumonia.

Sunday, March 17

5:30 PMSpeaking of publishing, here’s an interesting post about theprice of books. Two brief thoughts:

1) Most of the publishers I’ve worked with have listened to my appeals and have tried to keep the price of my books in the moderate range. This is especially true of Baker (6 books thus far). This is easier to do, I suppose, when the book can be expected to sell fairly well as a seminary or college text.

2) Students can and should shop around for the best buy. If they can find one of my required texts on Amazon, for example, more power to them. Personally, I buy used books rather than new ones from Amazon. For the most part these have been in very good condition.

I do think publishers have a good feel for what the market will tolerate. On the rare occasion when I require a text that everyone knows is overpriced, I tell my students: “This book is worth its weight in gold, and will cost you about as much.” But in no case do I think any publisher I have worked with is a Scrooge McDuck.

5:18 PMSunday afternoon report:

1) Had a wonderful time at The Hill this morning. Brother Chris led us through Romans 14:1-12. He told us, “Unity is vital to the strength of the church and the success of its mission.” And just what is that mission? “We have the greatest message in the world. Delivering that message is the greatest mission of the church.” Well done, Chris, well done indeed.

2) My poor wife is still struggling with her cold and sore throat. I’m asking God to restore her completely before I leave for Ukraine on Thursday.

3) A family near and dear to our heart is about to lose a loved one to cancer. Our prayers are with you and your family, Molly.

4) During my trip I plan to read — a lot. I love reading good books. Can’t wait to sink my teeth into Reading Romans in Pompeii: Paul’s Letter at Ground Level.

5) In addition, I’ll be working on my book called Godworld: Enter at Your Own Risk. This is (I hope) a project I can put to bed during my upcoming sabbatical. Thank you, Jacob, for your help with this book!

That’s all for now.

Dave Black, Jack of All Trades and Master of None, at your service.

8:34 AMHeard on the BBC: “We read because it makes life more enjoyable. Or at least more tolerable.” I couldn’t have said it better.

8:22 AMOn Friday I mentioned I’m thinking about falling in for the 150th Chancellorsville. What exactly is this crazy hobby all about?Civil War reenactment is first and foremost living history. We try to make the encampments look as authentic as possible, and that includes our equipment. The show battles are real crowd pleasers, and I especially enjoy watching the cavalry demonstrations. On Sundays I sometimes get to teach the Word to a large crowd of reenactors and guests. During reenactments I find my greatest satisfaction in seeing people encouraged to follow the cross of Christ (rather than any human standard or flag) with their whole heart. The reenacting community is a huge mission field and one that is best penetrated by establishing loving and caring relationships. That’s true of every mission field, isn’t it?

If you’ve never considered reenacting as an outreach for the Gospel, I would encourage you to do so. There’s even an organization called Reenactors Mission for Jesus Christ that distributes period New Testaments and is intentional about ministering in the name of Jesus. I think you would enjoy the encampments, the battle scenarios, the camaraderie, and meeting and greeting the public. Besides, where else can you wear wool uniforms in 90 degree weather?

Saturday, March 16

8:48 PMToday marks the anniversary of the Battle of Averasboro, NC. Becky and I reenacted this event just after moving to North Carolina in 1998. I recall a huge storm descending upon the field during the battle scenario, causing the spectators to run for their cars. The battle went on, of course — we called this a “reenactors’ battle” since we were no longer following a script but actually trying to out-maneuver the “enemy.”Averasborowas the largest battle fought on North Carolina soil, and the site would certainly repay a visit should you ever be traveling near Fayetteville.

Be sure to visit the now-restored Harper House in which John and Amy Harper raised their 8 children. In its cemetery are buried 360 soldiers.

7:26 PMGreetings friends! Nothing much new to report here. Becky’s still fighting her cold and feels awful. Will probably have to miss church tomorrow. We did have our work day today at the farm, however. Care to relive it with me vicariously ?It started out with us removing a section of fencing that we no longer needed.

Odd, undoing what you once worked so hard to do. But we will never have a 35-head herd of cattle again, so some of the cross-fencing we put up years ago had to go. Here Johnny and Zach detach the woven wire.

My job was to cut the barbed wire and then roll everything up for transport on the trailer. Nigusse was a great help today. He is always eager to assist with our projects.

The next job was a big one.

How to get this closet upstairs in Maple Ridge?

It was too big to make it up the steps, so the only option was to use an upstairs window.

Sure felt good when that job was done!

Number 3 on the list? Remove a farm gate that had been pushed downstream 500 yards by last year’s super storm. I’m glad to see it’s re-usable.

Finally, Maple Ridge needed firewood.

And who better to split it than Danny and his trusty helper Nigusse?

We were able to get three trailer loads today.

That’s a farm record, I do believe.

Yes, I actually do more than just take pictures!

By the way, the whole farm is ablaze with color. Look at this.

And this.

And this.

And the fruit trees are already blossoming.

Fabulous.

So that was my day. My thanks to all who helped — Nigusse, Johnny, Zach, and Danny.

It’s not like these guys don’t have anything else to do. Nigusse works and works and works at his school work. Johnny works 60 hours a week as a dorm RA, a chaplain in the U. S. Army Reserve, and a server in a restaurant — when he’s not taking classes at the seminary. As for Zach, the guy has five classes this semester — and two exams next week. Danny is officially “retired” but I’ve never seen anyone who is busier. He enjoys nothing more than helping out his neighbors and friends. To all: May God bless you abundantly for your kindness to us. Of course, in the background throughout was Becky, who kept us well fed and watered. Thank you, honey.

So all in all — a very good day. The rain has just started to fall, and we praise God that He held it off so that we could accomplish our work. That’s just like Him — a serendipitous God for sure.

6:45 AM 80 percent of Americans don’t have passports. If you’re one of the 20 percent that does, take a look atthis interview with world traveler Rick Steves. His statement about squatting versus sitting is destined to become a classic.

A few personal thoughts:

1) Americans need to travel outside our own county if for no other reason than that it helps give us an objective perspective on America. It’s like learning English. You never really learn your own language unless you study a foreign language. Ditto your culture.

2) Americans have a much-deserved reputation for being self-centered twits. Our ways are always better than the “primitive” ways of others. Steve’s point that there’s a difference between being a traveler and a tourist is well taken. Go abroad as as traveler/learner and guess what — you’ll learn and grow as a human being. Go abroad as a trinket seeker, and all you’ll get are trinkets.

3) For me, the best reason to travel abroad is that it helps you to become a world Christian. Not a worldly Christian but a Christian who realizes that God loves the entire globe and every tribe and nation in it. One day you’ll be sitting around the throne in heaven enjoying their company. I figure it might be nice to get to know some of them in the here and now.

Elsewhere I askedAre You a Missionary? Perhaps the question needs to be posed again.

Friday, March 15

6:03 PMThis is a bit dated, but over at the Better Bibles Blog note is taken of Robert Thomas’s negative views aboutlinguistics. (Scroll down to the end of the entry to find the link to Thomas’s essay.) Moises Silva and yours truly get knocked about pretty hard in that article. Being the non-linguist that I am, I probably deserve some of Thomas’s criticisms. Usually, though, it’s linguists who question my work. After all, what right does Dave Black to talk or write about our field of study? The answer is: none. I am not a linguist and have never claimed to be one. I wish, in fact, that a trained linguist had written what was probably the first bookintegrating New Testament Greek and the science of linguistics. Since, however, no one had done that job, the task fell upon me, a non-expert. Others much more qualified than I have now taken up the mantle, and we can be grateful for that. My own feeling is that all of us need help in understanding how languages work, and it is here that linguists can make a useful contribution. So I don’t mind friends like Bob Thomas writing about me. In fact, this semester I had my Advanced Greek Grammar students read his essay. It’s good for them to get both sides of the issue and then decide for themselves whether or not the science of how languages work can be usefully integrated with traditional biblical exegesis.

5:55 PMThe latest addition to ourGreek Portal is called “Nifty Greek Handouts.” You will love it.

4:46 PMA reminder to all of my doctoral students: 

Hang in there — I am praying for you!

2:50 PMIt’s been making the rounds, and for good reason.

This photo of St. Peter’s Square in Rome says it all. Folks, if you’re not wired — if you’re not using the internet and social media to the max for ministry — then you are WAY behind the times.

2:42 PMTomorrow we’re having a work day at the farm and the reinforcements have begun to arrive. My thanks to our friend (and Ethiopia vet) Danny Chambers for the use of his tractor.

He’ll bring his wood splitter tomorrow. Of course, our farm has its own splitter, but he’s getting a bit old for the job.

2:26 PMGuess what? I’m actually thinking about participating in the150th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Chancellorsville in May. You say “Ain’t you a bit too old for that, Dave?” Probably, but my inward man still feels like I’m a 25 year-old. I can only imagine what the troops on both sides must have experienced during those fateful days of May. In my view, neither side in that conflict was completely in the right. That is how it always is with war. After World War II, the Western powers hung Keitel for carrying out the orders of a civilian government. Were the Russians punished for slaughtering 15,000 Polish officers in the Katan Forest? Were American and British leaders held accountable for the unleashing of aerial bombardment upon thousands of innocent civilians in Hamburg or Dresden, Hiroshima or Nagasaki? The waging of war is a highly precarious matter. General Omar Bradley, in a 1948 Armistice Dayspeech, put it this way:

We have too many men of science, too few men of God. We have grasped the system of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. Man is stumbling blindly through a spiritual darkness while toying with the precarious secrets of life and death. The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living.

Truer words were never spoken. If I do don my private’s uniform and polish my musket again, it will not be to glorify this war or any war for that matter. It will be to commemorate the honor and bravery of Americans who fought for what they believed was worth fighting and dying for, and in the midst of it to speak a word of hope to compatriots who often use the excuse of playing bang-bang on the weekend to try and escape their problems.

2:15 PMI’d appreciate your prayers for Becky right now, who is running a fever with chills and some bone pain.I know lots of you pray for Becky regularly. Please don’t stop now. She is feeling really ragged today and probably has gotten a head and/or chest cold. Going through the day without Becky is like Lee going into battle without Jackson.

10:57 AM If I ask myself what I desire more than anything else on earth, it is this: to feel that I am nothing, know nothing, can do nothing apart from my Savior – and to know, in addition, the joy that the angels must feel when they see a sinner come to repentance. How ashamed I am of my sense of contempt for prideful, smug, self-centered, comfort-prone Christians when I am the chief of sinners in this regard. Books, lectures, sermons – these are nothing when compared to the salvation of the lost. Any sacrifice is worth achieving it. I am just beginning to understand the value of suffering – its power to free and purge. I am learning how to go the way of the cross, as the Jim Elliotts before me have done. Only let the cross conquer! – let it issue in a kenosis, an emptying that assumes the form of a lowly servant, that repudiates a life of ease and self-aggrandizement, that proves that the Christian faith is genuine. Oh, Father, let me be a Christian!

10:25 AM This is a little dated, but check out Scot McKnight’sfavorite commentaries on Ephesians. I agree completely that Markus Barth’s 2-volume Anchor Bible set is the commentary of first choice. Barth was certainly one of my favorite lecturers in Basel.

8:40 AMQuote of the day (Karl Barth):

Theology is not the private reserve of theologians. It is not a private affair for professors…Nor is it a private affair for pastors…Theology is a matter for the church. It does not get on well without professors and pastors. But its problem, the purity of the church’s service, is put to the whole church. The term “laity” is one of the worst in the vocabulary of religion and ought to be banished from Christian conversation.

8:32 AM This is aboutthe next best thing to actually visiting the ruins of ancient Corinth yourself.

7:33 AMLetter to My Greek Students.

7:22 AM Here is someinformation about the religious demographics of Mecklenburg County where I live. (This site will also allow you to check the demographics of your own county.) I have come to see that there are at least 5 kinds of people in my neighborhood with whom I must constantly deal: the unreached, the agnostic, the religious, the inactive church member, and the committed Christian. The important thing about committed Christians is that they ignite our passion for faith and Christlike behavior. Their lives speak far more convincingly and plainly than any words. I know that this is only the natural expression of a heart given over to God. Together we stir one another up and goad each other to better and more faithful disciple-making. I am of the conviction that most of my neighbors here in the heart of the Bible Belt have no earthly idea just how real and satisfying committed Christianity can be. We need to brood over this picture with serious attention. I pray that God, in His mercy, would pour out His Spirit upon Mecklenburg County and that He might use Bradford Hall as a lighthouse of love and grace in the darkness of hurt and apathy.

7:15 AM Have you seen this lexicon ofGreek personal names, with information about meanings, word formation, etc.? Here’s a sampler of some fairly well-known New Testament names (some Greek, some Latin). Can you come up with their meanings (without looking them up in a dictionary)?

• Timothy

• Paul

• Silvanus

• Philemon

• Onesimus

• Euodia

• Syntyche

• Epaphroditus

• Tertius

• Felix

• Philip

7:04 AMCatholic scholar Michael Barber has begun a series on priesthood over at the Sacred Page. Part 1 is calledThe Priesthood of All Believers and starts:

Let me begin this series of posts by underscoring something that might strike non-Catholics as a bit baffling: Catholics affirm the biblical doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.

Should be an interesting series.

Also at the Sacred Page, Barber has been blogging about thePericope Adulterae — the famous “woman taken in adultery” passage in John 8. It’s a reminder that questions concerning the authenticity — and canonicity — of this passage have not gone away. Barber concludes:

In the end, I agree with scholars who complain that arguments against the story’s authenticity are too often accepted uncritically. The story may very well be a later addition, but I don’t think the evidence compels one to that conclusion (despite the strong rhetoric that may be employed to make the case).

Note: Next year in April we will hold on the campus of SEBTS our next major New Testament conference. The theme will be the Pericope Adulterae. The speaker lineup is stellar. Details shortly.

Thursday, March 14

9:28 PMHere’s a must read calledC. S. Lewis on Devotionals. Jeff, I had to laugh out loud when I read Lewis’s reference to pipe smoking while cogitating. Markus Barth’s seminars in Basel were held in a tiny room and I think I was the only non-smoker in the place. I suppose I’ll pay for it some day, but the stimulating discussions that took place on those Tuesday evenings were something to experience, I tell you.

Of course, your main point has nothing to do with smoking, and I quite agree that the best “devotions” are those that are rooted in the text of Scripture. I, for one, have never found it possible to separate the “devotional” study of the Bible from the “academic.” And why should we?

9:10 PMMoore Theological College announces an opening inNew Testament.

8:50 PM Yet another word of thanks is in order, this time to T. C. Robinson of New Leaven. I do not deserve yourkind words, friend, but I so appreciate your interest in all things missional. God bless you!

8:43 PMI am greatly indebted to Jeff Riddle of Christ Reformed Baptist Church in Charlottesville, VA, for hisreview of Why Four Gospels? My profuse thanks, Jeff!

(I might mention in passing that Dom Bernard Orchard, to whom my work is indebted, was a Roman Catholic scholar and not an Anglican. It was he who originally got me interested in the Fourfold-Gospel Hypothesis and who hosted me in Ealing Abbey in West London while I was retranslating the writings of the Greek and Latin church fathers.) 

8:12 PMI can’t wait to begin my class in Ukraine. Some people claim that teaching is the world’s greatest profession. I’m not sure I agree. But it probably comes close. If my bias is showing, it’s partly because I get to teach the greatest students on earth bar none. You really have to keep on your toes with these young people because they are as sharp as nails. It will not surprise you when I say that I have a great deal of respect for students who are willing to question the status quo on just about any subject, and my pupils seem to be especially gifted at doing this, usually with admirable humility I might add. They love to peel the onion and ask questions about all the fundamentals. I love it.  Can you imagine another career where you get to have so much fun?

5:38 PMI post the following pictures with a kaleidoscope of emotions. Remember how every 6 months I would visit a Muslim village in Ethiopia and share the love of Jesus with its leader? Remember I told you that for 5 years I prayed for him to come to Christ?

It’s over.

He is now in the Lord, walking with Jesus. He was baptized last Sunday.

Into this world of sin God came and stripped Himself of everything He had and clothed Himself with squalor so that a man in a forgotten but not God-forsaken village could experience the forgiveness of sin. I remember praying and praying for him. I asked God for a miracle, and one was given to me. God’s unfathomable love is over and underneath it all.

God is so good to me. And I’m beginning to realize that He will never tire of showing me that He loves me.

All praise and glory to God.

12:40 PMShorter University announces openings inYouth Ministry and Old Testament.

12:33 PMThe calls havealready begun for the new pope to “empower the laity for a greater role” in the church. This reminds me of the work of a Roman Catholic theologian named Hans Küng, whose book Why Priests? A Proposal for a New Church Ministry was published in 1972. In it Dr. Küng argues that the church has failed its members by allowing them to hand over their God-given priestly functions to certain select officiates. Throughout the book he consistently demonstrates that the idea of “ministry” has for far too long been identified with clergy-status. He even suggests that the term “priest” be dropped altogether as a term restricted only to ordained clergy.

In case you haven’t noticed, these are the same issues that Protestant churches have been facing for many years. All believers share in the priesthood of Christ. All are fulltime ministers of the Gospel. All are set apart from the world to fulfill that calling. Yet how well are these precepts being taught in our Protestant churches? Here, seminaries can play a strategic role by emphasizing the people’s role as illustrated for us in the book of Acts. All of us have a ministry for which God has equipped us. And all ministries are expressions of the same priesthood. One is not more important than another. The fact is that no pastor (or group of pastors) can fulfill the ministry that God has given each believer.

It will be interesting to see whether or not the new pope ultimately makes any changes in this area of Catholic ministerial practice. There is no concept that can reverse this error in our thinking more effectively that the priesthood of every believer.

12:12 PMRoger Olsonreminds us of the tendency we all have to inflate our denominational membership statistics. All of this arises, of course, from a light concept of the holiness of God. How ridiculous to act as though the Gospel was a matter of a church roll!

12:05 PMI’ve already mowed the lawn and it’s not even April. Can you believe it?

10:34 AMHere’s a great verse for teachers (1 Thess. 5:14):

We urge you, brothers and sisters, to warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

Students usually fall into one of these three categories: idle (also translated “unruly”), timid (also translated “fainthearted”), and weak. The idle are not to be coddled but “warned.” The timid are not to be warned but “encouraged.” And the weak are not to be encouraged but “helped.”

Students, take note.

10:22 AMSo grateful today for a loving seminary family. Next Monday the Women’s Life club at SEBTS will meet to pray for faculty needs. They asked me for a brief update on Becky and for three prayer requests. Here’s what I sent them:

Over 3 years ago Becky was diagnosed with Stage 4 clear cell uterine cancer, a very aggressive form of this disease. Since then the cancer has metastasized to her lungs. We have now exhausted all traditional treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation). Last October Becky was at death’s door, having been hospitalized three times for a blood clot, stroke, and stomach perforation. But God spared her, and now that we have stopped the chemo she has her strength and appetite back (not to mention her hair!). Becky is currently trying a non-traditional treatment. Our next pet-scan is scheduled for May, at which time we will find out the status of her lung tumors.

We are so grateful for your prayers, dear friends. Here are three prayer points:

1) Praise God that He has allowed Becky to live much longer than any of her doctors anticipated. Apparently He is not finished with His choice servant yet. God has blessed Becky and me with 36 wonderful years of marriage and we have absolutely no complaints. Plus, the health care at UNC has been outstanding.

2) Praise God for Becky’s attitude of utter trust and joy in the midst of her terrible suffering. Her essays have been a great blessing, not least to her husband. (If you should care to read them, you can go to our web page called “Our Cancer Journey.”) Many of these essays have been translated into other languages (including Chinese). Pray that God might use Becky’s example as an encouragement to other women who are suffering.

3) Please pray for stamina as we continue to seek to serve others and the nations with our whole lives. This year I am scheduled to be in Ukraine, Asia (two trips), India, Ethiopia, and Guyana, while Becky is planning on ministering in Asia (August) and India (we will visit there together in October, Lord willing). She is also responsible for taking care of Nigusse (our Ethiopian son who is living with us for three years), the logistics for the work we do in India and Ethiopia, and for helping me take care of a 123-acre farm with two houses! We are so grateful that the Lord has given us a purpose in living beyond our marriage (see our essay “A Great Commission Marriage”).

Oh the beauty and wonder of the Body of Christ!

10:11 AMBecky continues her series on our work in India with her latest article:Building for the Future in India. Excited to see how the Lord will use her essay!

Personal note: I never thought I would see the day when Becky and I would would be led to expand our work from Ethiopia to the great nation of India. I think this involvement springs from a vision of family that is larger than biology or nationality. The early church practiced redistribution of wealth because they were all of one heart and mind. The problem is that we can worship Jesus without ever doing what He did. Needless to say, when we first got involved with the nations I had no idea how difficult this involvement would be. But I would not give it up for anything. I don’t know how much you know about northeast India, but reading Becky’s essay would be a good place to start. Then begin to ask God to show you what to do in this great task of global evangelization.

Blessings!

Dave

8:32 AMThis email arrived today: 

Regarding your blog entry on “Parkinson’s Law” … I fear we have many organizations … that are as bureaucratic as the federal government we rant against so often.

8:30 AMThere’s a lot of truth tothis statement. A lot.

I am always fascinated by the choices the Septuagint translator makes.

8:14 AMI just found this excellent essay by Barry Hofstetter calledWhy Reading Other Greek is Important. I’m all for it. In fact, yesterday in our LXX class I had the students sight read the following passage from the Didache.

Yes, reading other Greek is most certainly advantageous. As Barry puts it:

Where do you get that full benefit, and where do you learn really to read and understand NT Greek? By reading lots of extra biblical Greek literature. You then become familiar with a wide range of idioms. You see familiar friends, so to speak, in new places and doing new things. You see that there is more than one way to say the same thing. Suddenly your Greek NT is no longer an artifact to be studied at a distance, it’s no longer an archeological dig to determine the meaning of the text, but it is a document that makes sense as a nearly living language. The reader also has the added benefit of a better sense not only of the linguistic context, but of the general context of the ancient world.

Amen!

7:58 AMIf you are at all interested in the question about the authorship of Hebrews, this thesis (University of Thessaloniki) might be of interest. The (English) abstract reads as follows:

THE WAY ST LUKE USES THE KOINE IN HIS WORKS, GOSPEL AND ACTS , CONSISTS A CHARACTERISTIC OF HIS WRITING , THAT IS HIS STYLE, WHICH DISCERNS HIM FROM THE OTHER WRITERS OF THE N.T. SO , IT CAN FUNCTION AS A KIND OF IDENTIFY OF HIS , PARTICULARLY INVISIBLE. , SO THAT LUKE CAN BE RECOGNISED ONLY BY THIS AS A WRITER OF A TEXT , WITHOUT THE DECLARETION OF HIS NAME . THE TREARISE EXAMINES THIS FACT WITH A DOUBLE VIEW , FIRST , OF POINTING OUT THE SPECIAL FEATURES OF LUKAN STYLE , AND SECOND , OF LOCATING THESE FEA TURES IN ANOTHER TEXT OF THE N.T., WHICH ANCIENT ECLESIASTICAL WRITERS ASCIBLE TO ST.LUKE , THAT IS THE EPISTOLE TO THE HEBREWS . FOR THIS , THE FEATURES OF LUKAN STYLE , WHICH OCCUR EXACTLY THE SAME IN THE TEXT OF HEBREWS, ARE SEARCHED AND STUDIED WITH LI TERARY METHODS, AND AN ASTONISHING SIMILARITY IS DISCOVERED. THE CONCLUSION IS THAT ST. LUCE’S USE OF KOINE FURNISHES STRRONG SUPPORTS TO THE ANCIENT VIEWTHAT LUKE WAS THE WRITER OF HEBREWS, THE COMPILER WHO RECORDED THE THOUGHTS OD ST PAUL TO THE HEBREW CRISTIANS , BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE GREAT APOSTOL.

7:52 AMQuote of the day:

If you want to emulate Paul, live like Paul. Get a job. Get out in the field. Live among the church. That is how Paul did it and he is the greatest theologian the church has ever produced. Paul’s writings were formed by his missionary experience and zeal, his thoughts were forged in the fires of persecution and hardship. We need to hear more from those who live like Paul because they have so much to teach the rest of us who will never be asked to present a paper at a theology conference.

ReadWrite Like Paul Wrote!

7:49 AMAt Energion Publications, Henry Neufeld has updated hissubmissions process form. If you are thinking about submitting a proposal to the series that I co-edit with Allan Bevere, please click on that link for important information. Allan and I are always looking for cutting edge manuscripts on critical issues. For a current listing of  books in the Areopagus Critical Christian Issues Series, gohere. Our next release (April) is called Tithing After the Cross: A Refutation of the Top Arguments for Tithing and a New Paradigm for Giving, by David Croteau.

Wednesday, March 13

8:39 PMGot a minute?

1) Tonight Nigusse shared his pictures of Israel with the gang at The Hill.

2) As I will shortly be leaving for regions beyond, I have been mulling over a question: Did Paul have a missionary strategy? Parkinson’s Law states that social organizations tend to grow ever bigger and, as they do, consume an unnecessary and disproportionate part of the total resources upon themselves. People have asked Becky and me when we are going to “incorporate,” or at least “name” our work in Ethiopia/India. We don’t think either step is necessary to serve the Lord effectively. In all frankness, we prefer being just a simple mom-and-pop (literally!) ministry, so that people know that every penny sent to us goes to where the needs are, not to pay for our expenses or “overhead.” If we ask, “What was the missionary strategy of the early church?” we will see that it did not establish mammoth, costly mission organizations to direct the work. Finances were not diverted to pay the salaries of the mission bureaucracy. Men and women simply obeyed the Holy Spirit and went through the doors the Lord opened. They preached the Gospel, gained converts, and gathered them into churches. Local churches and individuals were the agency of church planting, not paramission organizations.

So … did Paul have a missionary strategy? I think J. Herbert Kane (Christian Missions in Biblical Perspective, p. 73) gets it right:

Some say yes; others say no. Much depends on the definition of strategy. If by strategy is meant a deliberate, well-formulated, duly executed plan of action based on human observation and experience, then Paul had little or no strategy; but if we take the word to mean a flexible modus operandi developed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and subject to His direction and control, then Paul did have a strategy.

Our problem today is that we live in an anthropocentric age. We imagine that nothing of consequence can be accomplished in the Lord’s work without a good deal of ecclesiastical machinery — committees, conferences, workshops, seminars: whereas the early Christians depended less on human wisdom and expertise, more on divine initiative and guidance. It is obvious that they didn’t do too badly. What the modern missionary movement needs above everything else is to get back to the missionary methods of the early church.”

Friends, how many people in our congregations will ever attend an institution of Christian higher education? How many will be appointed as “career missionaries”? If every Kingdom Hall can become an effective training station for the Jehovah’s Witnesses, why can’t the average local church?

3) Here’s my friend Alfie who teaches at Odessa Theological Seminary. Like all good New Testament teachers, he is an expert in all things skubala. Here he is fertilizing one of our fields.

His form is almost as good as Nigusse’s, wouldn’t you say? See you next week, Alfie, Lord willing.

4) From my Ethiopia trip diary, June 2008:

Wednesday, June 10, Alaba. It’s my break time. I’m sitting here in my room practicing my German. Since there is no one to speak it to, I’m talking to myself. Right now I am totally frustrated. No matter how hard I try I can’t remember the German word for “little.” Every time in my imagined conversation I try to use that word the Amharic “tinish” comes to mind. This is so strange that I have to record it in my diary. I have taught and preached hundreds of times in German, but I can’t remember how to say “little”!

5) Have you seen the book A Thousand Shall Fall? It’s the story of a 40 year-old German pacifist who was drafted and assigned to Pioneer Company 699, Hitler’s elite frontline unit. Having lived in Europe and been in several of the places named in the book, including Frankfurt am Main and Odessa, and having a keen interest in WW II history, I found this book much more interesting than its title might indicate. If all Elizabethan tragedy is melodrama, then German non-fiction is sui generis. Franz Hasel refused to imbibe the pagan philosophies of his commanders and comrades-in-arms, and somehow survived to tell about it. Imagine — a Sabbath-keeping, pork-refusing, conscientious-objecting Christian serving as a cog in Hitler’s war machine as it crashed into Poland, Sedan, and Russia. The notion may be rather absurd, but the story is a good one and the ethics identical to Adventist theology — and this is not even to mention the quite incredible comic statements emanating from the Vaterland: “We are the super race. We are invincible. Victory Salvation!” This vulgar beastliness, alas, did not disappear in the twentieth century. All countries eventually get the disease of decadence, even though individuals in them may see the light of day. As Socrates would say, “O dog!” (ne ton kuna).

Note: One of Franz Hasel’s sons, Gerhard, eventually became an internationally-renowned Old Testament professor at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, IN. He published 14 books and hundreds of journal articles before being tragically killed in an automobile accident in 1994.

6) Students, there are some great Hebrew and Old Testament linkshere: This page is the work of my colleague and LXX co-conspirator Shawn Madden.

I think you will especially enjoyDiscourse Types Hebrew English (.pdf).

7) I well remember my gelding named Cody. His greatest contribution to me was his gentle and kind nature. Cody was a purebred Arabian – a breed in a class by itself among horses. But he was much more than that. We loved and respected each other. Somehow we managed to learn several difficult dressage movements together. He was my barnyard favorite. When he became ill with cancer, we both knew it was the end. I called the vet, and we said our goodbyes. I couldn’t bear his suffering any longer. All of these past memories paraded through my mind as I read Alvin Reid’s latest post about the loss of his catPatches. We who own pets have chosen to surround ourselves with lives that are more temporary than our own. Yet we would have it no other way.

“The very best place to bury a dog is in the heart of his master,” said Ben Hur Lampman. Even when they are gone, our pets are never forgotten.

Tuesday, March 12

5:30 AMBaylor theologian Roger Olson said somethingreally profound on his blog the other day:

Why, you ask, do I not have [this essay] published in a theological journal? Well, to be frank, this is a better way to assure readership. My blog reaches many more people than most theological journals.

Oh, the power of blogging. You tap out words on your computer screen and they end up reaching thousands more people than if you had published them in a print medium. I also marvel at the blog relationships I’ve established through the years. I’ve made a whole lot of new friends. There’s a man in Australia I’ve never met. I’ve never shaken his hand. But our friendship is solid. (One reason I know this is because we pray for each other regularly.) I’m grateful for all the curmudgeons I’ve met through blogging. (Takes one to know one!) I savor knowing that the reach of DBO is wider than any print outlet could ever be. And, in turn, I always appreciate thought-provoking posts written by other bloggers. This is all the more important now that Facebook is on the wane. As for Twitter, I was tweeting long before Jack Dorsey arrived on the scene.You never know who you are influencing when you hit the publish button. My blog reaches every corner of the earth — as does yours, if you too blog. I love getting emails from people who have read my posts. And the writing of my silly posts prepares me for the heavier essays I occasionally get to publish as well at DBO. Roger Olson is so right. If blogging is dead, I haven’t gotten the word yet. It remains the foundation of social media. But ultimately, it allows you to develop yourself, as a person and as a Christian.

Why not give it a try?

Monday, March 11

5:43 PM When I was studying the early church fathers for my book Why Four Gospels? I asked a leading scholar in the field, “How do you know you have the right translation?” His reply was, “I’ve translated them myself!” He had translated the church fathers from the Greek and Latin. That is the best translation of all. I say this to remind my Greek students that no translation is as effective as the I-did-it-myself edition. Of course, some of these translations are very incomplete. Many are mere parodies of the text. But we will never improve our language skills until we do the work of translation for ourselves. Yes, I know it takes time, and lots of it. But it must be done. The average language student is flabby for lack of such exercise.

How’s your Greek? Do you work at it? Have you had your exercise today?

8:22 AMYo folks,

Hope you’re enjoying the spring-like weather. Let me bring you up to date on a few items. The Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa is one of only two accredited theological colleges in Ethiopia. Its students come from all over Ethiopia. It boasts an excellent national faculty as well as a number of adjunct expats who teach there. (Jason Meyer of Bethlehem Baptist Church recently taught here.) I was privileged to teach 6 weeks of beginning Greek at ETC in 2005, at which time my lectures were professionally videotaped. (You can find the 24-DVD sethere.) After seeking direction from the Lord, I have felt led to return to ETC this summer during my trip to Ethiopia instead of going down country. From July 1-12 I have been asked to teach two courses. In the afternoons I will offer Greek 3, and in the evenings I will lecture on “Current Issues in New Testament Studies.” I’m excited to be returning to Addis for ministry. Truly, teaching the future teachers and leaders of the churches in Ethiopia is a very high honor. Inspired by Jacque Ellul, I will be focusing on our identity as Christians as foreigners and exiles on this earth, citizens of the kingdom of God who place their knowledge at the service, not of scholarship, but of the church. Just to be clear, this obviously doesn’t mean that I ignore high academic standards. But what our commanding officer (Jesus!) tells us to be ready to do is to invest our lives fully in living under and expanding the reign of God on this earth by living radically counter-cultural lives. We aren’t called to be revolutionaries in the way pagans are called to advance their own causes. We’re to act like Jesus with sacrificial love toward others. And yes, even the study of Greek should contribute to this goal. After all, how can we follow Jesus in obedience unless we know what He commands us to do? That is why it’s appropriate to speak of Christian education as “likeness education.” We have pledged our sole allegiance to Christ the King and to imitating Him wherever we go. It’s unfortunate, but perhaps understandable, that not all educational enterprises, even Christian ones, understand this principle.

I’ll be sharing basically the same message when I leave for Ukraine next week. Sound like a broken record? I know. But “here I stand; I can do no other” (as a really smart guy once said).

Live in love, as Christ loved you (Eph. 5:1-2)!

Dave

P.S. By the way, here’s my Greek 1-2 class back in the summer of 2005:

I appreciate these men so much. Because they “endured to the end” (we called the class The Great Tribulation) I treated them to a last supper.

Also, every man who finished the class received a free copy of the UBS Greek New Testament. Are they still using them today, seven years after the class? God knows.

Sunday, March 10

3:28 PMLet’s see. We had a wonderful time at The Hill today. In Sunday School we discussed confession of sin and forgiveness. In the main service we continued our study of the book of Romans. I feel washed in the Word. Paul clearly designed this book to provoke discussion! Afterwards we stayed for the India Team 2013 orientation, led by our good friend Woody, who co-led the trip to Bagdogra last year.

The dates are still a bit up in the air, but it looks like the team will be heading out mid-November or so. This will be one month after (Lord willing) Becky and I return from Bagdogra. This will not be the first international trip Becky will take this year. On Monday we are applying for a visa for her to travel abroad in August. I just couldn’t help but laugh with joy at this news. Let’s pray that her visa is approved.

On a more personal note:Tomorrow Becky has asked me to begin preparing her garden beds for planting. Yes, the time has come for us to get our hands dirty in the garden again. And look here — our first gardenia of the year.

Gardenias are, bar none, my favorite Southern flower. Their scent is absolutely divine.

I also want to send a shout out and hearty congratulations to the Mekane Yesus Church in Ethiopia for their recent stand on homosexuality. I will continue to pray that their denomination continues to stand for truth even as they display Christ’s unconditional love for all people regardless of their sexual orientation.

Finally, I would be deeply grateful for your prayers as I prepare to leave next week for Ukraine. What an honor and privilege. And huge responsibility.

May your joy be as full as Becky and mine!

Dave

9:08 AM Not everyone agrees that all of the so-called Prison Epistles were written from Rome. For a minority perspective, see Bo Reicke’s Caesarea, Rome, and the Captivity Epistles. Reicke was my Doktorvater in Basel.

8:12 AM When preachers use Greek from the pulpit, should someone be required to interpret (see 1 Cor. 14:26-32)? A preacher, for example, might etymologize. “The Greek word here [name the word] is composed of two roots [name them in Greek], the first meaning ____ and the second meaning ____; hence the word means ______.” The problem is that these definitions often do not comport with actual New Testament usage. The preacher has committed the root fallacy, exposed so long ago by Don Carson and others (includingmoi). Here’s the problem: Who in the congregation is able to check the accuracy of remarks like that? This is where Paul’s teaching about tongues in 1 Corinthians might have an application. You will recall that Paul requires the one who speaks in a tongue to provide an interpretation at the same time. Or else someone else would have to be present who could show the value (or non-value) of its worth for the edification of the Body. In this way Paul sought to rob the tongues-speaker of the subterfuge and mystery inherent in “unknown tongues” without discouraging initiative of the right kind.

Maybe this is a good reason to always have a Q & A session after we preach/teach. I’m told that even the Golden-Mouthed orator Chrysostom allowed questions during his sermons.

Just a thought.

8:07 AM As a general rule, Paul’s epistles were written when he was actively engaged in missionary work, moving from place to place in the midst of intense preaching and teaching. I wonder: Would he have written better — or written more — had he been, like many a New Testament scholar today, sedentary? Would he indeed have written anything at all had he not been, at heart, a missionary for Jesus? Would we have the great Love Chapter had he not missionized the Corinthians? Would we have the marvelous Pastoral Epistles had he not planted churches in Ephesus and Crete? Here’s what I’m saying: For Paul, as for Jesus (Matt. 9:35-38), Christianity was a way of life, not merely a way of thinking or cogitating in the abstract. The experience of actually serving Christ was central in Paul’s ministry and writing.

So I ask: Can one be a true student of the apostle Paul and not be a missionary?

Saturday, March 9

4:45 PMHope yall had a great day today. We had a super time at Cresset. The following is a collection of pictures from today’s Ethiopia Team 2013 orientation #1. Topics covered included our trip theme (“Living in His Strength”), spiritual preparation, the language of Ethiopia, immunizations, finances, mission trip understanding, and calendar. We closed with a season of prayer. Becky and I left the house at 8:30 and returned at 4:30 but it was worth every second. God is putting together a great team. Friends, there is a beautiful and powerful grassroots movement in the Body of Christ today all over the globe arising from a conviction that the church has to become radical and that believers need to become more authentic followers of Jesus. So, my message to you (in a nutshell) is: Hold fast to your faith, but don’t keep it to yourself. My prayer is that God will use our team efforts to inspire others to fulfill the vital role that God has for them in this great kingdom movement that He is inspiring in our day.

God bless,

Dave

6:54 AM Here’s a thought.The apostle Paul, one of my favorite authors, lacked all of the advantages I have. He did most of his writing on the move, and much of it on the run. He wrote in the midst of an extremely busy church-planting ministry. In other words, I don’t believe we should think of Paul as writing as if he had all the time in the world, using the advantages of a modern home or office. He almost always wrote in the middle of incessant missionary activity. The exceptions were the so-called Prison Epistles. Here, I suppose, Paul had plenty of time to write. Yet even then he wrote to churches (and not for the academic guild) and always to deal pastorally with different situations that had arisen.

I think Paul is a good role model for any Christian writer who also has a passion for missions. (Shouldn’t every Christian writer have a passion for missions?) Paul was an apostle, not a theologian — a church planter and missionary, not an ivory-tower idealist. In the world it is quite alright to call oneself a “scholar” and not be involved in other people’s lives. But our Lord said, “As the Father sent Me, I am now sending you,” and “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” I would suggest that only as we live sacrificial lives will God be content with our scholarship. God is continually rescuing people from trouble — that is what “save” means. And what sinners need is not another weighty tome sitting on their library shelves but a hand to lift them up out of the mire of sin. It is just that liberation that Paul preached. He was never ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. For Paul, Christianity was a God-given opportunity to witness for Christ, whether alongside a quiet river in Philippi or among the intellectuals of Mars Hill.

That missions was at the heart of Paul’s life may well explain why Luke in the Acts never once mentions the letters Paul wrote on his missionary journeys. Paul’s epistles were composed in order to meet either a threatening danger or an incessant need, and for this reason they speak to our human condition today. But the letter-writing Paul was first and foremost the Gospel-preaching Paul, a man who poured out his life to help others experience the mercy and love of God.

6:23 AM I’ve got a question for you this fine morning. Why shouldn’t we be able to enjoy a varied and multifaceted teaching ministry in our local churches? Think this is a crazy idea? Read Acts 15:35. Note it carefully. Paul was not the only teacher in the church at Antioch. The text clearly says, “Paul and Barnabas, together with many others, taught and preached the word of the Lord.” Did you get that? Paul and Barnabas weren’t the only teachers in Antioch. They didn’t monopolize the teaching ministry. My guess is that in most American churches this pattern is not followed, even though there may well be several gifted teachers in their midst. In fact, if your church has qualified leaders, then each of them is required to be able to teach the word of God (see 1 Tim. 3:2). Sure, in many Baptist churches these leaders are often called deacons, but if they are engaged in spiritual leadership then they are really elders.

So think about it. If the apostle Paul, who was one of the greatest Bible teachers the world has ever seen, was prepared to listen to others, why shouldn’t we?

Friday, March 8

6:10 PMGreek students! Check out theAkropolis World News. Modern news stories in classical Greek no less. Here’s the latest headline. Can you read it?

Ἆρα τίς Πάπας γενήσεται;
 

Now all we need is for one of you to do the same thing with Koine Greek. Any takers? 

5:55 PMThis and that …

I spent most of the day down in Oxford town getting Becky’s van repaired. In the waiting room a woman noticed my yellow writing pad and asked me what I did. Well, the conversation soon turned toward Ethiopia, and it turns out she has a great interest in that nation since one her slave ancestors claimed to be an “Ethiopian.” Neither she nor I was aware that Ethiopians ended up in North America as slaves, so I asked Dr. Google and — lo and behold — found this fascinating Harvard study calledThe Long-Term Effects of Africa’s Slave Trades (.pdf). You can imagine my amazement when I read it. If the report is true, it appears that Ethiopia was Africa’s fourth largest slave-exporting nation. Nearly a million and a half (1,447,455 to be exact) Ethiopians were exported as slaves between 1400 and 1900. Talk about a doctoral dissertation that begs to be written.

Speaking of Africa, have you ever seen this?

Finally, earlier today I reflected on the question, “What makes a good marriage?” Here are the basics, as I see them:

1) Communication. As long as you can talk to each other, you can solve your problems.

2) Commitment. Not only to each other, but to stay in the marriage.

3) Companionship. You are a team, not two individuals. I would say this is our greatest asset as a married couple. We are one and, what’s more, partners in the Gospel.

What do you think? What are the main components of a good marriage?

7:22 AMPaul Himes, one of my doctoral students, is a blogger whose occasional posts are always well worth the time it takes to read them (they are rarely short). In his latest post calledChristian identity, Markan soteriology, and a spiritual journey, he relates the conversion story of the famous German theologian Jürgen Moltmann. To quote Paul:

Captured at the end of the war and shipped off to the United Kingdom, Moltmann was touched by the kindness of the Scots: “They met us, their former enemies, with a hospitality that profoundly shamed us. We heard no reproaches, we were not blamed, we experienced a simple solidarity and a warm common humanity. For me this was quite overwhelming” (p. 101). After receiving a Bible from a British army chaplain, Moltmann struggled with the implications of Psalm 39 and Jesus’ cry on the cross in Mark 15:34. He writes, “I began to understand the forsaken Christ, because I knew he understood me. He was the divine brother in need, . . . the fellow sufferer who carries you in your pain. . . . I read the story of the passion of Christ again and again and discovered my little life story in his great story” (p. 102). Shortly after, still technically a POW, at the first post-war SCM conference, he and his fellows were approached by a group of Dutch students: “They told us that Jesus Christ was the bridge on which they came to meet us and that without Christ they would not have been able to speak to Germans. . . . We too could step on this bridge which Christ had built from them to us, even if we did so only hesitantly at first, could confess the guilt of our people and ask for forgiveness.” This defining moment then pointed Moltmann towards his lifelong passion: the study of theology (pp. 103-104). By the end of his term as a POW, Moltmann could say, “What at the beginning had looked like a grim fate became an undeserved blessing. It had begun in the darkness of war and then when I went to Norton Camp the sun had risen. We came with severely wounded souls, and when we went away ‘my soul was healed'” p. 104).

Rarely have I read anything so profound as this. Here former enemies meet on the “bridge” called the Gospel and their lives are forever changed. Is there not a place where you can begin building a Gospel bridge today? This is what God is calling His people to do in these end times. I fear for the nation and people whose Christian churches and seminaries have forsaken the priority of the Great Commission. The church in Scotland is to be given a great deal of credit for their attitude toward the German POWS in their midst. Last December I told you the story of Mitsuo Fuchida (who led the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor) and his conversion when he encountered the love of Christ through one his former enemies in Tokyo. There are probably thousands of ways that you and I can show such compassion in our own neighborhoods and cities. Rather than protesting that mosque which is being built, why not befriend the imam and ask him over for dinner? Sometimes living for the Gospel involves sacrificing some of your hopes and dreams for your lives, your children, or your church. But Jesus insisted that there is no real life until the seed that is planted in the ground dies. We can never experience the cross-life as long as we are trying to squirm out of accepting suffering as a normal part of the Christian life.

Friend, do read Paul’s essay in its entirety if you can. The conversion of a German soldier is a perfect example of the proper attitude we are to have toward our enemies.

5:52 AMLife is concrete. It is a choice. It is active. It is a willingness to live before others without pretense. I’ve always admired people who lived this way. There’s a concrete aspect to their lives. Walking to the edge of the plank will do that for you.

What plank is God asking you to walk today?

5:45 AMPrior to every LXX class session I’ve been listening to the assigned passage as it is read aloud in Hebrew.Here’s the link. Many people in the first century were what scholars call “auraliterate.” That is, they could remember almost anything that was read aloud to them. Jesus seems to be referring to these “hearing-readers” when, in Matthew 5, He reminds them of what they had “heard” when the Torah was read aloud to them. We know that Jesus was “oculiterate” (that is, He could read with his eyes from a written text) because we are told that He read from the Isaiah Scroll in the Nazareth synagogue (Luke 4). In the first century, all reading was done aloud — the Ethiopian Eunuch is reading the scroll of Isaiah when Philip “hears” him (Acts 8).

Students, please do not overlook the oral dimensions of the text before you.

Thursday, March 7

6:13 PMBecky just prepared the most delicious Ethiopian injera b’wat for dinner. Fantabulous!

As for the sambusa … let’s just say no one remembered to get it out of the oven in time, and none of us is especially fond of Carbon 14.

Thank you, Becky, for the superb supper!

5:12 PMLooking ahead …

1) In exactly two weeks I leave for Ukraine. I will cover the following subjects in 20 lectures atOdessa Theological Seminary:

Why Hermeneutics? (Parts 1-2)

Toward a Hermeneutics of Obedience (Parts 1-2)

The Text of the New Testament: Issues in the Current Debate (Parts 1-2)

New Testament Lexicography: Promises and Pitfalls (Parts 1-2)

Reading the Gospels Today (Parts 1-2)

Syntax and Hermeneutics: What’s Old? What’s New?

The Medium Is the Message: Rhetorical Criticism and the New Testament

Structural Analysis of New Testament Texts (Parts 1-2)

Discourse Analysis: Getting the Big Picture of Philippians

Sociological Criticism and the Life of Christ: Jesus and the Age Thirty Transition

Anonymity and Authorship: Hebrews as Test Case

The New Perspective on Paul: My Take

Shaping a New Testament Sermon: John 21:15-17

Epilogue: Why Hermeneutics Matters

Prayers appreciated. Since I know not a word of Russian, please ask for special grace for my translators.

2) This Saturday begins the first of four all-day orientation meetings for our trip to Ethiopia this July. We’ll convene at Cresset Baptist Church in Durham, NC. Several vets will give their testimonies. Becky often calls these orientations “mini-missions courses,” and that’s exactly what they are.

“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail” (Ben Franklin).

4:35 PMTwo more photos:

1) Here’s “our” Nathan, 5 years later. You can read his amazing storyhere. Aren’t you thankful for Skype?

2) Guess who got their baths today? Sheba and Dayda are now CLEEEEEAN.

11:12 AMOdds and ends:

1) In his book Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal, Joel Salatin observes that “…the average farmer is now 60 years old. Serfdom just doesn’t attract the best and brightest.” Well, the best and brightest I certainly am not, and I hardly consider the pleasantness of working the land to be serfdom, but I do qualify on one count: I am exactly 60. The small farm is one of the last places where a man can husband the earth that God created. It’s the “dirty life,” as one author put it, but it sometimes helps me to keep my sanity. I would not say that I am looking for God in owning a farm. And I really don’t care for the agrarian “cause.” It’s just my lot in life, and one I enjoy immensely. Having been gone for a week I needed to get caught up on my chores today — feeding the animals their oats, mucking out the skubala (love that Greek term!), feeding hay, etc. I know the joy of getting my hands dirty, of being licked by cows (does that qualify as a “cowlick”?), of watching the dogs romping, even of finding (and removing) a rusty piece of barbed wire from a field. Silly, difficult, enjoyable, adventuresome, responsible, comfortable, crazy. That’s what the farm life is all about!

2) Recently I met with a good friend who is undergoing a difficult trial. Right now he needs the help of his friends, especially in terms of intercessory prayer for deliverance from what is clearly a Satanic attack. I am very concerned for him. I am inspired, though, by his faith. He — and I –are coming to the realization that we are useless pots so that the power may be clearly seen to be God’s and not ours. With him, I feel my own inadequacy and need. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that they had “helped together by praying for us” (2 Cor. 1:11). The Lord delights in giving us great encouragement in answer to our prayers. You recognize the situation for what it is, then you call upon the Lord with all your heart. This is the life of faith, a life where you willingly accept your circumstances and carry out God’s will despite a profound sense of inability. I assured my friend that I will continually bring his situation before the Lord. I am asking God that my prayers will become the instrumentality of deliverance from this grave trial and that God would get all the glory for it.

“God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you!”

3) We’ve just added to ourGreek Portal the following link: Bulletin of the International Organization of Septuagint and Cognate Studies (BIOSCS). I’ve just started reading the essays. Fantastic!

4) Students, don’t forget that our next Farm Work Day is Saturday, April 6. Mark your calendars now.

5) Finally, read this excellence piece by Craig Bennett:There are times. You won’t be sorry.

8:30 AMYesterday’s LXX class was a blast. I love watching my students shine in the classroom. Thanks, Ben and C.K.!

6:54 AMGood morning,friends! There is so much to share. Got a couple of minutes?

I woke up this morning with the feeling that this year will be a really incredible one. I’m expecting the miracles to continue. Seeing Becky with such good energy is a thing I honestly thought would never come. Once again, nothing makes sense. But God is not asking me to understand everything in my life or to conquer the whole world or to fix everyone’s problems. He’s allowing me to be involved with specific people, in specific tasks, one day at a time, one mission trip at a time. It’s already been a year of paradoxes. A few months ago Becky was lying at death’s door. Now we’re thinking of sending her abroad to India and Asia. It’s all so much bigger than me. Even in the midst of cancer a light is shining. Hope and healing have returned to Rosewood Farm. We continue to make our audacious plans, trusting the Lord to direct our steps. My calendar tells me that this month I’m taking the first of seven international trips this year (one to India, one to Africa, one to Europe, one to South America, and two or three to Asia). This is the world we love. There is no America at Bradford Hall. We are Texans and Ethiopians and Hawaiians who consider the Gujis and the Alabas and the Hans and the Bengalis to be “our” people. The Body is precious to us beyond belief. I have small bouts of panic whenever I look at all the work God has called us to do. I’ve said it before – I’m a petulant, spoiled child. I want a floodlight shining its broad glare into my future, when God only promises me a light for my daily path. And He whispers to me again and again, I’m the one who made you. I’m the one who numbered your hairs. I’ve decided the number of your days and written each one down in my Day Planner even before you were born. You have no idea how big are my plans for you. That’s it, isn’t it? That’s the only thing that matters. Wherever I go, whatever I do, whether I’m in the halls of academia or in the attic of an underground church, my footing is secure because I’m running toward the Savior.

Remember how I told you that I’ve been asked to teach hermeneutics in Odessa this month? I’m calling it the “hermeneutics of obedience.” I am not called to disseminate information. I am called simply to be God’s arms holding a grieving father whose eight-year daughter was just beheaded by the enemies of Christianity. I am called to care for a woman who gave birth and was left with a broken heart and a broken body, a woman who can’t control her urine and who desperately needs fistula surgery. I’m called to give free Bibles to African villagers who want to read no other book. I’m called to probe the meaning of suffering with believers who meet in secret. I’m called to kiss the hands of Muslim leaders and to embarrass myself in Amharic and to take 16-hour plane rides and to dance to strange music in churches whose worship makes ours look ridiculous in comparison and to smile at children in crowded busses and to suffer from malaria – because there is no way in God’s green earth that I’m going to sit in my comfortable office while the world dreadfully needs to see and feel and experience God’s love. Maybe, just maybe, the apostle Paul got it right when he described ministry this way:

But you have followed my teaching, my conduct, and my purpose in life; you have observed my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, my persecutions, and my sufferings.

It turns out thatteaching is not enough after all. It never was. Maybe, just maybe, it will dawn on the Western Church that we are God’s hand reaching out into this fallen world, taking something ugly and broken and putting it back together again, pouring out His love without reservation, giving everything we have for the simple reason that we own nothing in the first place.

I’m not big on postural praying. But yesterday I got down on my knees and prayed. Strong prayers. Big prayers. Because I know He listens to me. Because I know He wants me to be desperately intentional with this brief life of mine. I have no idea what a normal life looks like any more. Truth be told, I don’t ever want to be “normal” again. I never want to be rid of this vaguely unsettled feeling that I don’t belong in this world any longer. I never want to be rid of the shock and pain I feel when Christians are killed for their faith. I never want to be on the “winning” side again. I am content to be part of what the world calls losers (God has a desperate love for losers). I am done with tip-toeing through life. So what if the waters are uncharted. You see, I’ve experienced God’s mercy, and when mercy is received, it must be dispensed. That’s the God I’ve come to experience. Not the God of the seminary textbook but the God who is not safe anymore yet who is always good. Howard Hendricks once said, “The only thing worse than failure is succeeding at something that doesn’t matter.” There are plenty of options for living the Christian life that won’t land you in trouble or jail or difficulty. You don’t get crucified for being a “Christian.” You get crucified for living a cruciform life, for living a radically different sort of life.

To anyone who took the time to read this blog entry, I want to say: If you’re living a broken, shattered, scarred life, cheer up. You’re perfectly qualified to join the gentle revolution. There are easier ways to live than by trying to obey the Gospel. You may get beat up pretty bad by following Jesus to the tough places of this world. (And the toughest place may be your very own household.) But that’s okay. The revolution I’m talking about sets both the oppressed and the oppressors free. Try it and you’ll see.

Viva la revolución!

Dave

Tuesday, March 5

5:08 AMBack from Dallas. A brief report:

If there is anyone who represents your typical seminary student, Jack Bowen isn’t it. Among the many reasons God moved Jack from SEBTS to Dallas Seminary was the fact that Dwight Pentecost and Harold Hoehner taught there. “I’ve just got to sit at their feet personally,” he told me one day in my office. Jack is a lover of the Word and has a huge heart for missions. When he’s not in a class at DTS — or piloting a 747 from Chicago to Hong Kong — you’ll find him on a mission trip. (Here we are in Ukraine in 2007. Jack is the second from the right.)

I also met Clement (from Hong Kong) and Cesar (from Venezuela) — among many other DTS students. Clement (to my right) was a businessman before coming to the seminary, and Cesar (to my left) is a surgeon who returns home one week every month for his operations.

For all of these men, “someday” is arriving soon. God bless each of you as you leave the brain mill called seminary. I am eager with anticipation at how God will use you in the future. Remember: (1) your dreams should be big, (2) discipleship is always costly, and (3) “impossible” is God’s specialty.

As I look back on this trip, I realize that that day on campus was filled with significant kingdom-conversations skillfully engineered by the Spirit of God. I love DTS.

I love DTS missions prof Steve Strauss who served in Ethiopia for many years and is now battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

I loved watching Becky with her friends and family — alive, energetic, vibrant. As we watched her, we all knew that God had vindicated our prayers.

God is neither a divine sugar daddy who pampers us nor a celestial scrooge. But we can always count on Him to give us what we need, when we need it. The trip was both fun and functional. Handshakes, pats on the back, posing for pictures, reunions with old friends, making new ones — with gratitude I glimpsed the glory of another of the Master’s marvels, His ability to make our paths straight. As I type these words, staring at a computer screen, my heart sings.

Oh, the funeral for Howard Hendricks was on Saturday at Stonebriar Church where Chuck Swindoll (Becky’s former youth pastor at Grace Bible Church) is pastor.

Of the many quotes I heard during the service, this one stuck with me:

Always remember the difference between your career and your calling. Your career is what you’re paid for. Your calling is what you’re made for.

Dave

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Thursday, March 29

10:52 PM Becky’s latest Ethiopia vignette is calledEvangelist Olka, Ode to Faithfulness. Olka left a wonderful legacy. You will be blessed by his story.

9:40 PM Hello, virtual friends. Hope you’ve had a good week so far. Mine has been exhaustingly enjoyable. It’s been beautiful here in the Virginia/North Carolina Piedmont. So what’s been going on?

1) I am hitting the road again in the morning; in fact, I have to leave the house at 3:00 to get to RDU in time for my flight to Detroit and thence to regions beyond. I’ll be teaching a subject that’s very close to my heart. As we go through the nuts and bolts of the Greek text of Philippians, we’ll concentrate on the many ways the book addresses today’s church. I can say without hesitation that one of my deepest longings is for Paul’s teaching about ecclesial unity in the cause of the Gospel to be heard and heeded today. God’s Clock is winding down. “The Lord is near” (Phil. 4:5), and His return will be both end and climax. Will we be found pursuing His commission without grumbling and complaining, holding forth the life-giving Word as from a bright lantern that dispels the surrounding darkness? This is the heart of the kingdom of God. It’s what each of us is invited to participate in. Lord willing, I’ll be back on April 7, one day before Easter and in time to join Becky at our annual sunrise service at the lake. But I’m flying stand-by so only the Lord knows when I’ll see home again!

2) Take a look atBecky’s report from the recent women’s retreat she went on. Fabulous. 

3) I had lunch on Tuesday with David Beck (my New Testament colleague) and dinner on Wednesday with my Th.M. student Heebum Lee and his wife. Korean fare is perhaps Nigusse’s favorite food after Ethiopian cuisine. Nice and spicy.

4) By the way, the good doctor Beck did a wonderful job guest lecturing in my NT class. My favorite quote of Dave’s was his reference to the “odiferous consequences of belief” in reference to the Lazarus narrative (John 11). Unforgettable!

5) N. T. Wright addresses the issue of church and state (i.e., the kingdom of God versus the kingdoms of this world) in this wonderful You Tube:

I link to it because much is being said these days about why evangelicals should become involved in political activism. I am not against activism. I do have some significant concerns, however. My initial thoughts are as follows. I will probably not support a so-called “conservative Christian” political agenda if its proponents:

• Give the impression that they are more “moral” than other people. If Paul could consider himself “the very worst of sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15), it will not help your cause if you pit “moral people” (like us!) against “immoral people” (like homosexuals, prostitutes, and abortionists). We are all sinners.

• Think it will “bring America back to God.” America has never been a Christian nation.

• Identify the church with any human institution or political party. God is not a Republican or a Democrat. Please do not suggest that agreeing with your particular political position is a precondition to belonging to the kingdom of God. It is not.

• Fail to submit to God’s reign in every area of life, including Jesus’ command to love sinners. Nonconformity to the world means more than just opposing social evils such as abortion; it includes a humble, beautiful, peacemaking, servant-like, self-sacrificial love. It means revolting against everything in our lives that is inconsistent with God’s kingdom, including the temptation to grab Caesar-like political power.

• Claim that their position is the only “Christian” position out there. We must always be on guard against the seductive lure of a kind of hubris that implies that all “sincere” and “godly” evangelicals share the same view about controversial political actions. They don’t!

• Imply that “inalienable rights” and “the pursuit of happiness” are biblical concepts. They are not! I love democracy, I’d rather live in a democracy than in a dictatorship for sure, but nowhere is democracy or political freedom elevated to a virtue in the New Testament.

The bottom line: Jesus’ holiness did not repel sinners. He did go around promoting “faith, family, and freedom.” He attracted tax collectors and prostitutes while the Pharisees kept their distance. The Gospel is a beautiful and powerful grassroots kingdom movement. No, it does not rule out political activism. But the truth is that the kingdom does not look like the thousands of social movements abroad in the land today. The heart of Christianity is simply imitating Jesus.

6) Who is Jesus? The “Jesus of history” or the “Jesus of the church”? Yesterday I listened to an interesting discussion of this topic calledDer Mann aus Nazareth. It’s not surprising that this is a hot topic in Germany. And it was good to hear scholars calling us back to the biblical, core revelation about Jesus that is found in the Gospels. All too often German scholarship has concluded that the Gospels enshrine merely the kerygma of the early church. They are neither historical nor literary, but dogmatic and cultic – legends in which the Hellenistic mythological interpretation of Christ has been superimposed on the historical Jesus. I plan on returning to this subject in my book Godworld. In any event, I am convinced that it is unnecessary to separate the theological from the historical. The circumstances of the origin of the fourfold gospel will always be a matter of speculation, but historical evidence is not lacking (see myWhy Four Gospels?).

7) On Wednesday night I watched a 3 hour PBS special about the Amish. Theirs has been a beautiful movement focusing on the kingdom of God and abandoning the Christendom paradigm of traditional Christianity. Theirs is also an Anabaptistic vision – which led me to return to theaudio files from the recent Anabaptist and Contemporary Baptists Conference at SWBTS. At the end of the conference Paige Patterson read a summary statement that nicely encapsulates the Anabaptist vision. Eschewing questions about the controversial origins of the modern Baptist movement (Northern Europe or Zurich?), he shows how Baptists are heirs of the Anabaptist Reformers of the sixteenth century. Recently I asked David Allen (dean of Southwestern) if the conference papers would one day be published, and he assured me that they would. I’ve admired the Anabaptists from a distance for years now and even included a chapter on them in my bookThe Jesus Paradigm. Their vision repays serious study.

8) On a much more serious note, I amglad to see that milk chocolate keeps a person slim and trim. This is every man’s dream come true. Is it the sugar? Or the milk? Or the sheer bliss of consuming it? Either way, I am a consummate chocolateer. So is my colleague in Old Testament, who shamelessly markets the stuff at his office. I, of course, out of pure friendship, accommodate him on occasion. My favorite is the almond chocolate bar.

9) So, what to read on my travels? I’ve been re-reading Jacque Ellul – The Subversion of the Kingdom and The Presence of the Kingdom. Brilliant books! “The Christian should neither withdraw from the world, nor be lost in the midst of the world. Instead, the Christian should bring the reign of God and the world into collision.” Love it! Ellul is an excellent writer. His books are always impressive, challenging, and usually compact (“less is more”). One could spend years trying to unpack his philosophy.He is one of my heroes in the upside-down kingdom. He argues that the modern concept of political freedom is a secular concept based on a materialistic worldview. He is so right about this! I have pleaded with my students over and over again to reject the mixture of religion and politics and to mimic Christ’s Calvary-love to others, even our “enemies.” We’re not called to represent a political movement but to live and act as citizens of heaven. As I said above, I would encourage you to avoid self-serving moral categories (such as liberty) this election season and instead lay down everything for the kingdom. It’s really that important! We do not fight as the world does (2 Cor. 10:3-4) or like people with a non-kingdom mindset do, instinctively trying to ensure their self-interests. Our trust is completely in God. The bottom line is that we have pledged to follow Jesus, not any man or woman or movement. I want to be clear: If I didn’t believe this, I wouldn’t take the trouble to travel to the nations. But given the clear and consistent witness of the New Testament, as a follower of Jesus I have no choice but to live as a foreigner and an exile in this world. To live this way is to be a true revolutionary. Anyway, I encourage all of us to join theChristian Archy movement. Vote if you like, advocate if you like, but never place your confidence in government. The cross, not the sword, is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes – American or Iranian or whoever. So let’s get the word out.

Well! How was that for a blog update? Hope it tides you over for a while. Yes, it’s an extremely busy life, but I love everything I do!

Peace on you (unless God starts convicting you about going yourself to the nations!).

Dave

Tuesday, March 27

6:18 AM Quote of the day (Thomas Carlisle):

And Jonah stalked to his shaded seat and waited for God to come around to his way of thinking. And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs in their comfortable houses to come around to his way of loving.

Monday, March 26

7:30 PM As I drove through the parking garage at UNC I was listening to a report on NPR dealing with how things get “lost in translation.” The setting was a restaurant in Beijing, China, and the menu was the focus of discussion. One item on the menu was called “Saliva Chicken.” Not very appetizing! I have no doubt that a computer translated into English a Mandarin expression. The intended meaning? “This chicken is so tasty it will make your mouth water!” Which made me think: How would you render “chicken friend steak” into Mandarin when this dish has no chicken in it at all?

As lay Christians, we need to ask ourselves whether our English Bible translations are more harmful than helpful. A good example is one of my favorite phrases in Romans, which is typically rendered something like “distributing to the necessities of the saints” (Rom. 12:12). Hogwash. What Paul means is much simpler. “Share what you have with God’s people who are in need.” There you have it. Simple. Succinct. Concise. And accurate. Let’s stop flattering our congregations with biblical jargon. One of the truest tests of whether or not we are true Christians is how we employ our material possessions for the kingdom of God. Christ demands nothing less. We are to share what we have with God’s people who are in need — not merely take up an offering. It is said that John Wesley operated in such a way that never had more than a few dollars in his pockets. By the time God called him to heaven, Wesley had quietly and systematically given his estate away to the Lord’s work. What would my church’s budget look like if we trimmed away all of the fat? We must voluntarily turn our backs on all of our excuses for disobedience in this area. The Bible is actually very simple. Let’s not let its message escape from us through big words and fancy syntax!

7:22 PM Ethiopia update:

1) This morning we spoke with a dear precious brother in Ethiopia who has made us appreciate the awesome power of servant-leadership in a whole new way. It is rare to find, even in Ethiopia, people who are willing to risk everything for the sake of the Gospel. Such people bear fruit wherever they go. May God reward him mightily. I know He will.

2) And here’s a huge thank you to Cresset Baptist Church in Durham. They just concluded a clothes drive for Ethiopia. Make that a CLOTHES DRIVE! Here’s proof.

These clothes will be given to the evangelists who suffer so greatly for Jesus. God is beginning to ask for an account of the church in America, so it is greatly encouraging to see a church act so sacrificially toward their brethren in another nation. God has been so good to Becky and me to have allowed us the privilege of knowing and serving with the brothers and sister at Cresset Baptist Church. As a nation, we have received the most undeserved favor of all time. Praise be to God for congregations who feel their obligation to a lost world, dying in sin! 

5:52 PM We are blessed. Thanks to your prayers, Becky was able to have her chemo and Avastin treatments today. No snags at all. I had a wager going with Nigusse. I was to complete my crossword puzzle before leaving the infusion room at UNC. If I failed to do so, I would owe him a cup of Ethiopian coffee. If I succeeded, he would owe me a foot massage.

Coffee shop here we come.

8:15 AM Why the dearth of updates fromDaniel Streett? I do hope the Living Koine movement is not running out of steam.

8:12 AM I see that my assistant Matthew Myer has now publishedhis summary of this weekend’s ETS meeting on campus. His concluding suggestion is very apropos, I should think:

In closing I would like to make a suggestion to ETS ( I am sure you are listening). Make the papers available a week in advance. This way we can be familiar with the paper. This will allow the presenter to summarize their argument, and then allow much more time for interaction.

I was informed that several presenters allowed no time for Q & A, which is a real desideratum. Seems a shame.

8:02 AM Yesterday I was discussing with a good friend the “able to teach” requirement in 1 Tim. 3:2. I was reminded of something Roger Ascham wrote in his book The Schoolmaster: “I have been a looker on in the Cockpit of Learning these many years.” I can’t recall when I wasn’t a learner. I suppose people think of me as a teacher, but I consider myself a mere “looker on” in the cockpit of learning. This is one of the reasons I have invited several guest lecturers into my New Testament class this semester, and this Wednesday we will be treated to one of my favorites, my New Testament colleague David Beck. I’m always a little in awe of Dr. Beck, who also serves as our B-area associate dean. Although trained at Duke (Ph.D.), he cares little for speculative subtleties. He has been one of my closest friends at the seminary ever since I arrived here 14 years ago. I am always eager to what he has to say about the Gospel of John, in which he is a real expert.

Sunday, March 25

8:10 PM Happiness, as many an unemployed philosopher has said, does not depend on external furnishings. Still, I am happy for the accomplishment of Michael Rudolph, one of my doctoral students, who took home the first prize for student papers at the ETS meeting on our campus. I happen to have learned this tidbit from Paul Hime’sexcellent summary of the conference. Paul is another one of our up-and-coming New Testament scholars here at SEBTS. To discover that you have a mind — ill-trained perhaps, but nevertheless a mind of your own — is a thrilling experience. I only wish I could have heard these papers in person but, alas, my computer deprived me of that joy.

The only other report from the conference that I am aware of comes from Jacob Cerone, whosemusings are well worth your time. Of course, Nigusse also gave me a blow-by-blow. I love these meetings. At the very least, one comes away full of fertile ideas for new blog posts.

6:38 PM Becky just called. She’s an hour away from the farm. We await her arrival with eager expectation.

6:32 PM A huge shout out and thank you to Richard Sugg. The poor guy had to come back today since our problem turned out to be bigger than our hard drive. The mother board was also kaput. So off to Wal-Mart we went to buy a new Dell. Richard, God bless you for your kindness to us!

On another note, yesterday I received my AARP membership card in the mail. Membership comes with a “free travel bag.” What a deal. Just think — I am now officially an old geezer.

Saturday, March 24

3:45 PM Enjoyed my Philippians study this morning with Jason and Chris. Thanks guys for spurring me on! Right now I’m off to pick up Nigusse and take him out to dinner. By the way, we could not re-install Front Page so am trying to find someone with a Microsoft 2003 disk. In the meantime I’m using Kompozer.

1:36 PMMy thanks to Richard Sugg for his help today in installing my new hard drive and helping me with my blog. We’re still working out the bugs so please bear with us.

8:08 AM Still hearing the “click of death,” this morning a friend of mine and I are planning on replacing our desk top’s internal hard drive. I have no idea if Front Page will transfer or not — and, as everyone knows, my blog is a dinosaur that still uses that now defunct program. So … if you don’t hear from me in a few days, or weeks, or months, you’ll know why.

8:00 AM Bruce Ashford (an esteemed colleague of mine — he asked me to say that) has published a helpful post calledSeven Reflections on the Danger of Seminary. I double dare you to read all seven. And yes, Bruce, I have been and still am THAT GUY. Argh!

Friday, March 23

7:32 PM So Nigusse is about to hear Scott Hafemann give his plenary address at ETS, Becky is having dinner, and moi? I’ve been sitting on the front porch contemplating the Lord’s great goodness to me and mine. A nice serendipity is watching the duck family that has adopted our pond. Here’s the drake.

The hen is sitting on her egg on the little peninsula to the right. (Their egg, I mean.) Could this be the same family that visited us last year and left after a turtle snatched their eggs? If so, I do hope things work out better for them this year.

Honey, if you’re reading this, the whole farm sends you a shout out — including Mr. and Mrs. Duck.

7:06 PM I just re-read my 6:36 post and had to laugh out loud at my reference to the “resort” hotel where Becky is staying. I know of no one less “resorty” than my Becky!

6:54 PM In his essayLe Canon de la Bible, David Haines asks, Why do we have only 66 books in our Protestant Bible and why did the early church accept these books into its canon? Why did certain “gospels” fail to be recognized as canonical? Good questions all. He argues that canonical authority is found in the books themselves and not in the church.

Si les critères pour la canonicité de la Bible ne dépends pas de l’église, c’est-à-dire, si ce n’est pas l’église qui à inventé les critères pour la canonicité, alors l’autorité du canon se trouve dans les livres, et pas dans l’église. Ca veut dire que s’il y a de l’autorité dans l’église (par exemple, les enseignements ou conseils de ses dirigeants) cette autorité proviens de la Bible. Ca veut aussi dire que la Bible n’est pas autoritaire parce que c’est la liste autoritaire de l’église; au contraire, c’est la liste autoritaire de l’église parce que ces livres sont, en eux-mêmes, investi avec l’autorité de Dieu. L’église les à découverte en comparant des livres potentielle contre les critères de canonicité.

Do you agree?

6:36 PM Praise the Lord! Becky has safely arrived at her 27 acre resort hotel in Myrtle Beach, SC. The ladies are going out for seafood tonoight before their first session. They’re all looking forward to a walk on the pier tomorrow.

I am asking God to give Becky some good conversations this weekend. Larry Crabb once said, “In even the happiest of Christians there are deep pockets of incurable pain.” Being a wife and mother and servant of the Lord is not easy today. Yet I find that circumstances do not change souls. Our response to them does. May these precious women from Bethel Hill each experience a new place of yieldedness before Him who has planned their lives, from the God who has taken the ultimate defeat and turned it inside out, from the Creator and Savior who knows them and loves them and deeply understands each one of them.

5:34 PM Ben Witherington has written a fine book called Is There a Doctor in the House? An Insider’s Story and Advice on Becoming a Bible Scholar. I own the book and like it. Recently, Craig Blomberg of Denver Seminaryreviewed it. One somewhat surprising comment stood out:

But if there is a widespread criticism of Witherington’s work in the academic guild, both within evangelicalism and outside of it, it is that hehas written too much.  Even two-thirds of his current output would have been prodigious, but it would also have allowed him time to hone his own writing style more and leave less for editors to clean up (I have spoken with several of them!).  It would have allowed him to avoid linguistic gaffes that still haunt his writing.  

Blomberg quickly adds, however:

But I am saying nothing Witherington hasn’t heard many times before, and it is clear that he has made his choices for priorities in life.  Even if he does not slow down one whit, I pray that God will grant him many more good years to continue to bless the rest of us mortals with his writing.

Amen to that. As for me, I’ve also tried to do what the more prodigious Witherington has done. You can read ithere. No doubt it contains some “linguistic gaffes,” which you are free to point out to me!

3:42 PM Is your church, like mine at Bethel Hill, moving toward a plurality of eldership and shared leadership? If so, you must read Matthew McDill’s latest post calledMoses and Shared Leadership. Matthew, by the way, wrote his doctoral dissertation under my supervision at SEBTS. So proud of you, Matt. Keep up the good work at Highland Christian Fellowship. 

3:16 PM The Lonely Planet lists itstop 20 Hawaiian vistas.  The Nuuana Pali (#11) is certainly my favorite, and not only because I saw it every day while growing up in Kailua. 

It’s also a very historic site. In 1795, Kamehameha’s Hawaiian troops pushed the Oahu fighters under Kalanikupule and Kaiana over the edge of the these cliffs and conquered the island. Ten years later, Kamehameha became the first king of a united Hawaii by capturing Kauai through diplomacy.

Today one drives through a pair of tunnels to pass through the Pali. When I was a small boy, we drove along the “old Pali road,” which was nothing but a dirt pass. In the picture above you are actually looking at the western side of a volcanic caldera, the eastern side of which has long since disappeared due to erosion. Which means that I was raised in the middle of an extinct volcano!

12:26 PM Both Sheba and Dayda are now as clean as a whistle. Saved me about $80 by doing it myself, money that can go for my mission trips.

11:32 AM Today’s to-do list:

• Register Nigusse for the ETS meeting.

• Mow the fruit orchard.

• Spray Roundup on the sidewalks.

• Go to post office.

• Finish grading exams.

• Weed garden bed.

• Prep for tomorrow’s Bible study.

I’ve finished the first 4!

9:07 AM Brother Jeff calls our attention to thecorrect translation of Abba in the New Testament. I quite agree. Abba was the term used by a son for a father in a home in which trusting obedience was at the core. “Dear Father” captures this thought nicely.

8:50 AM Jason Kees has some concerns aboutmixing politics and religion.

8:45 AM Bless his heart! Poor Jacob Cerone. Herr Cerone, who is about to read his ETS paper, has just discovered that someone has beat him to the punch. That someone is no less than Greg Beale. Ouch. You can commiserate with Jacobhere.

Anyone claiming to have a “biblical understanding” of this or that is probably just repeating what someone else has already said or written. My own doctoral dissertation (Paul, Apostle of Weakness — to be reissued this year by Wipf & Stock in a revised and updated form) may have been the first book in history to have systematically treated astheneia and its cognates in the Pauline letters, but its conclusions probably did not surprise too many people. There is a great deal of “weakness” theology in the major letters of Paul. It all leads to a simple, practical conclusion. I deserve no special merit for having systematized this information.

(By the way, this is the problem I have with so many new introductions to hermeneutics. Rarely if ever is anything new said.)

I agree with Jacob. If we are to engage in genuine scholarship rather than posturing and proof-texting, it is important to gain a lay of the land. We neglect what others have said to our own peril. Good dialogue is always possible. True, we want to appreciate the Bible for what it is, but we must also take seriously what others are saying about the Bible.

8:27 AM Good morning, fellow bloggers!

As you know, I’m involved in writing projects up to my eyeballs. One book I am currently writing is called Godworld. (I think I’ll subtitle it something like Enter at Your Own Risk). Over the past few days I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this topic. Emerson once noted in his Journal that “Life consists in what a man is thinking of all day.” For many years a considerable portion of my time has been devoted to the problem of ecclesiology. Being stubborn by nature and a professor by training and education, I hold to the notion that the status quo is rarely acceptable. John Wesley wanted his movement to recover the full message and power of what he called “the Primitive Church.” He was an ardent student of early Christianity. Wesley also studied the Anabaptist groups and the Moravians. Wesley and his followers knew that awakening interest in the church without bringing people to pursue Gospel living was a waste of time. When pre-Christian people talk about “church,” unfortunately they often refer to people whose alien language and jargon have nothing to do with the real world in which these same people live. Christians dress and act in abnormal ways. Their traditionalist churchianity is a language no one seems to understand. The New Testament, by way of contrast, calls Christians to “exegete” the culture that God entrusts to them and to indigenize their faith — witness the 18th century Methodists who wrote Christian hymns to be sung to the tunes people loved to sing in the public houses. As for missions, the New Testament calls all of us — clergy and laity alike — to live out our faith in our mundane professions. (Few are called to seminary!) We are to penetrate the culture for Christ and thus fulfill the second commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.” The love of which the New Testament speaks is not so much a feeling as a disposition of good will and service toward others, including people outside our own social networks, nationality, and race. We are to love others as God does. It is just as important that we love the lost as it is to believe that Jesus died for our sins. Growing into the likeness of Christ is essentially “downward mobility.” Because people matter to God, they matter to us. The goal is not mere conversion but bringing people to full devotion to Christ. Evangelism is therefore normative for God’s people. It is simply living and sharing the amazing good news about Jesus in one’s own sphere of influence. This is the process I want to be involved in. It is the process of entering this amazing Godworld — and doing so at our own risk! I want to be involved in this Godworld, not because I am a professor in a seminary, but simply because I am a follower of Jesus.

“Life consists in what a man is thinking of all day.” I would not pretend that I am yet consumed with a love for the lost as Jesus was. I have, however, begun to travel this downward path of Jesus. Just as all Christians have been joined to Christ and participate in His life, so all Christians are called to the ministry of witness and invitation.

Think about it.

Dave

8:10 AM Just saw Becky off. She is looking forward to some serious iron-sharpening-iron. No interest whosoever in shopping or chit-chat. I know she will be a huge encouragement to the other ladies. She’s also taking her face masks. Please pray that she doesn’t get sick while she is away.

Thursday, March 22

8:48 PM Brief update:

1) I tried Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, and two computer stores in South Boston today and only one had an internal hard drive for sale and it was way too big for our needs.

2) Nigusse just called from campus. This week he took three quizzes and two exams. I don’t see how he does it. I am, of course, one of his persecutors.

3) Becky leaves in the morning for her weekend retreat with the ladies of Bethel Hill. I am already missing her.

4) My Ed.D. student Thomas Hudgins isteaching Greek tonight —  in Spanish. The man deserves an A for guts alone. I’m so proud of you, Tomas!

5) Still reading and grading my essay exams. What a delightful task.

6) Do you use Kindle? If so, here are someBibles you might like.

2:54 PM What agreat quote from my former professor in Basel, Markus Barth:

Today, a man or document that sells mankind no better means of salvation than a kind of super-enlightenment should not expect to be welcomed as friend and helper in a world whose very existence is at stake and in a church that pays with the suffering of persecution when it is a true witness to Christ. Few, if anybody, would want to be evangelists, “shod with the gospel of peace” (6:15), if that ministry should really produce or imply a haughty, magisterial attitude toward those who are strangers to, or are estranged from, the church.

2:36 PM I continue to be fascinated by the synoptic problem. My bookWhy Four Gospels? examines different elements that play an essential role in resolving this question.

My position is based on two foundational pillars: the external evidence provided by the earliest fathers that Matthew was the first of the canonical Gospels, and the internal evidence that suggests Mark is a conflation of Matthew and Luke (Orchard called this the “zigzagging effect”). I have yet to see a refutation of the external evidence. Most scholars reject the patristic testimony as being of little or no value for source-critical research. Since the internal evidence can never be probative (it can never prove anything about the sequence or interrelationships of the Gospels), it would seem that Gospel scholars would be all the more willing to take the external evidence into account. Whatever option is ultimately preferred, the internal evidence ought to be supplemented by considerations about the empirical circumstances under which the traditions about Jesus were developed in the earliest church. It may be that future generations of New Testament students will perform this task. If they don’t, I predict very little progress in this great area of research. I would dare to hope that my re-examination of the leading church fathers will offer some helpful suggestions for the next generation of scholars.

If you would like to discuss with me the possibility of doing a doctorate under my supervision dealing with this neglect of the external evidence, please email me.

2:22 PM Just back from mowing. A perfect day outdoors. Back to my “other” life.

8:00 AM Talbot School of Theology of Biola University announces an opening inOld Testament and Semitics. Becky and I were associated with Biola for 27 years. You would enjoy teaching there. And Southern California is a great place to live except for the fires, floods, earthquakes, riots, and smog. (Just kidding.)

7:54 AM Becky updates us about her cancer in her essayAt a Fork in the Road.

7:30 AM Odds and ends …

1) Becky’s chemo that was scheduled for 1:00 today has been postponed. Her counts are off. We’ll try again on Monday.

2) We ran the air conditioner last night for the first time this year. And it’s not even April.

3) My project du jour: grading these essay exams.

4) So proud of my students who are reading papers at this week’s ETS meeting on campus:

• Paul Himes (Ph.D.): “Strangers and Foreigners: An Examination of Social Identity in 1 Peter.”

• Jacob Cerone (Th.M.): “The Baptism of Jesus and the Fulfillment of All Righteousness: An Exploration of Jesus’ Relationship to Israel in Matthew 3:13-17.”

• Michael Rudolph (Ph.D.): “Gar When De Is Expected.”

Nigusse will be attending.

5) My assistant Matthew Myers continues his discussion of Bible translation with a great post calledBiblical Censorship.

Wednesday, March 21

6:12 PM Greetings friends,

I have been thinking a lot about prayer lately. Right now I am praying for many things: wisdom for our Ethiopia team members, Christians in Ethiopia and other countries who are undergoing tremendous persecution, reconciliations, Becky’s white count, students who are struggling with sin and failure. The strategy I follow is to speak honestly with God. I’ve discovered that I have to set my face like flint or I will be overwhelmed by life. Jesus had flint-like dedication to the task God had called Him to. He moved with absolute resolution as He pursued that path with all of its demands, set-backs, and deprivations. Yet He went to Jerusalem filled with joy and gratitude.

One thing I’ve discovered is that people today lack this kind of resolution. Our culture produces wimps and weaklings. The way we respond to the problems in our daily lives determines our growth in holiness. Of course it is difficult for me to counsel others since I have my own failed relationships and disappointments. There is virtually nothing I can do about them except to pray – to literally lift up my palms toward Heaven as a physical act denoting my surrender, my acceptance, my trust, my thanksgiving. I realize that only the Father can resolve these issues. Christianity is not for the weak of heart, although the world would have us think so. We have a whole Bible full of suffering and death. Becky’s cancer is not a punishment. It is the result of living in a fallen world. My perpetually sore back reminds me that all of our physical aches and pains and diseases are the natural result of the curse on earth. The upside is that in the midst of our pain we get to see the power of the Light overcome the darkness. And it’s quiet persistence that often makes the difference. The energy of pain can mobilize us to be more redemptive in our lives. This is where Isaiah 40:3 comes into play: Wait for the Lord to act.

On a different note, I leave for my next mission trip in a week. I’m so glad I have a beautiful wife who lets me go on these excursions. I pray for the God of Reconciliation to do His powerful work in the great nation I’ll be in. He’s already begun, and it is beautiful to behold. To say that I am excited doesn’t begin to express my emotions.

Meanwhile, I hope that your eyes are fixed steadfastly on your own Jerusalem, and that you are full of joy as you move into the Easter season.

Dave

P.S. Becky has linked to awonderful video. I trust it will lift you up as much it did me.

Tuesday, March 20

6:58 AM Excellent essay here:Analogy in favor of children in worship.

6:42 AM Our dogs are very special to us. For Scott Janssen, it took several rounds of mouth-to-mouth for him to realize just what role his sled dog Marshall played in his life. I listened tohis story on Weekend Edition (NPR) while driving and almost lost it. Scott’s story is incredible, touching, and emotionally tumultuous. Be prepared to reach for the Kleenex.

Monday, March 19

5:50 PM Profound thanks to Thomas Hugdins for hisreview of Will You Join the Cause of Global Missions?

5:34 PM Greetings, friends! I just put 591 miles on the Odyssey driving up to DC and back, and it turns out it was to no avail, thanks to government red tape. We’ll still try and get Nigusse to Israel this summer, but if it doesn’t work out he can always take his class at Jerusalem University College at a later date. I came home to a clicking hard drive — everyone knows what that means. Becky and I will buy a new internal hard drive at Best Buy when we go to Chapel Hill on Thursday for her next chemo treatment. It may not be until Saturday morning that I can install it, however, so if you don’t hear from us in a while you’ll know why. In the meantime, a few pix for your evening entertainment:

1) Daniel and Lloyd with Nigusse during our dinner party this weekend. Both are missionaries — Lloyd went with us to Alaba, while Daniel stayed behind and held the ropes in prayer. Both are indispensable partners in the work.

2) Here’s a shot of Messiah Baptist Church on Sunday morning — the people, not the building, of course. Nigusse brought a powerful message from Phil. 1:27-30. I even remember the outline: 1) We must persevere in unity for the sake of the Gospel, and 2) we must persevere in suffering for the sake of Jesus. Ah, there’s that word perseverance again. It’s so easy to start something and so hard to finish it!

3) In Christ there is no East or West!

4) The DC area has no lack of good Ethiopian restaurants. We dined at Meaza’s in Arlington. Here’s Nigu with his good buddy Haile.

5) We took the Metro to Embassy Row where we happened to stumble upon this building while looking for the Israeli Embassy. Small world.

6) How was the traffic? you ask. Bumper to bumper from Richmond north on I-95. We got off the interstate and took surface roads up to our hotel in Falls Church, then we returned via Hwy 15 — with all of it historic homes and red bud trees. Purty, eh?

As I said, the plan is to continue chemotherapy this week, pending the results of Becky’s blood work tomorrow. This weekend Nigusse is looking forward to attending the regional ETS meeting on campus, while Becky will be attending a women’s retreat at the coast, Lord willing. I will do animal care and work on the pooter.

Sunday, March 18

8:15 AM As everyone knows, an Austrian sky diver is hoping to make the world’s highest sky dive this summer — from space no less. He just completed atest jump. Once again, man attempts the “impossible.”

I think of that student in my office last week asking me where he should go for a Ph.D. My first response is usually, “Well, you might try Oxford or Cambridge.” Reach high. You’ll never reach higher. You say, “I could never study abroad in a university like that!” No? Didn’t Don Carson? Didn’t Darrell Bock? Didn’t Buist Fanning? Didn’t Scot McKnight? Didn’t John Piper? One of my own Th.M. students is hoping to begin doctoral studies in Munich shortly. Am I minimizing our own doctoral program? Not at all. I accept Ph.D. students. We have a strong program, and our students have been placed as teachers here and around the world. I just don’t think you should automatically exclude foreign studies as if they were something “impossible.” Let’s not put God in a box in any way, shape, or form. Lay all the cards on the table, and watch Him sort everything out.

7:54 AM John Stackhouse just posted anexcellent piece about the current glut of unemployed PhDs in biblical studies (referring to the “horrifying raw numbers”). The bottom of the bottom line? “If you’ve got what it takes, good colleges and universities will see that and hire you.” I agree. But I would like to take it a step farther. Have you ever considered becoming an academic missionary in a place like China or Lithuania or Hungary or Cambodia? I’m not talking about English teachers. I’m talking about professors of Bible or Old Testament or New Testament. If so, the IICS can help. They have helped placed hundreds of U.S. scholars in international contexts, scholars, in fact, of many different disciplines.

Note: I said “academic missionary.” I personally am a “missionary academic.” The difference is subtle but important. I have a permanent teaching post here in the States but use my vacation time traveling internationally to teach in other countries. I believe that all of us who teach in the field of biblical studies can be a missionary academic. An “academic missionary,” on the other hand, resides permanently abroad and uses his or her classroom as an opportunity to developed relationships with a view toward sharing the love and lordship of Jesus with their students. Whereas we have a glut of teachers here in the States (those “horrifying raw numbers”), teaching posts abroad remain unfilled. My small experience goes to support the claim that once a student begins to become concerned about overseas missions, and starts to pray earnestly for laborers to be thrust forth into the harvest, before long he or she begins asking the Lord, “Is it I?” I believe that all of us who teach in America can do a great deal to encourage this outward look, even in a small way, by spending at least one vacation each year ministering abroad. I believe that this sort of cross-cultural enrichment will strengthen not only the home church but also those believers in foreign lands.

Ph.D. student, will you pray about “moving from here to there” as the Lord guides you? If He says “No” to a teaching post here, then maybe He’s wanting to say “Yes” to one in a foreign nation. The fields are white unto harvest. The laborers are few. God is going to need a lot of help to reach the nations, not least from well-qualified graduates in biblical studies. Maybe that includes you?

Saturday, March 17

2:34 PM I do believe every able-bodied male in the great State of Virginia was out mowing their yard today. Including a few old duffers like me. I mowed, edged, and trimmed, before feeling led to come indoors and take a much needed nap. Got a big party tonight to rest up for!

11:25 AM Our study in Philippians went from 8:00 to 10:45. Rich. Felt like we were just getting started when we looked at our watches. “To get the full flavor of an herb, it must be pressed between the fingers. So it is the same with the Scriptures. The more familiar they become, the more they reveal their hidden treasures and yield their indescribable riches.” So said Chysostom. He was right.

7:15 AM Off to my Bible study in Philippians. Today we are studying the passage about Timothy. His example of selflessness shames me.

7:12 AM “We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God.” — John Stott.

Thus begins my little book onglobal missions. It ends with an invitation to sign a commitment statement. You can imagine, then, my delight when I saw this email today:

I read and signed your book 🙂 Thanks for the challenge!

Missions is not the task of professional missionaries alone. It is not an extra option for those who enjoy that sort of thing. It is the sacred duty of each one of us.

6:54 AM Good morning!

• Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly (Psalm 5:3).

• Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love (Psalm 59:16).

• Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love (Psalm 90:14).

• Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you (Psalm 143:8).

Amen!

Friday, March 16

6:44 PM Tonight I treated Becky and Nigusse to the best little seafood place in all of North Carolina.

It was a historic evening indeed. Here’s Nigu enjoying his very first bite of a hushpuppy. Food don’t get mo suthun than that, folks.

Of course, Becky and I were only too happy to join in the festivities.

When Nigusse asked where the word “hushpuppy” came from, we of course explained it to him. But a picture is worth a thousand words, I do believe.

Bye y’all!

3:26 PM Arthur Sido has begun blogging on the book of Hebrews, beginning with the opening prologue of 1:1-4 — the most beautifully constructed sentence in the entire Greek New Testament. I have likened it to the narthex of a great cathedral.

It pulls you in until there you stand — in the midst of a beautiful sanctuary of truth with all its symmetry, precision, magnificence, and sublimity. I call the book the “cathedral of Christianity.” The Westminster Theological Journal once published an essay of mine called “Hebrews 1:1-4: A Study in Discourse Analysis” in which I discuss this paragraph in minutest detail. Email me if you’d like to see it.

12:42 PM This morning, as he does every Friday morning, Nigusse was praying upstairs in his room. His prayers border on shouting. This is the Ethiopian way. It is very powerful. I thought to myself, “Why don’t I pray that way? It is merely a cultural thing?” Consider these verses:

• Matt. 27:46: “Jesus cried out with a loud voice.”

• Acts 7:60: Stephen “cried out with a loud voice.”

• Heb. 5:7: “During His earthy life, [Jesus] offered prayers and appeals with loud cries.”

Am I missing something?

12:35 PM Somebody needs to hit me with the stupid stick again. Two weeks ago I sprayed Round Up on Becky’s garden beds. I inadvertently sprayed a bed in which she had just planted some bulbs. Ouch! But I think I have redeemed myself — most of the bulbs I was able to dig up, and I will replant them this afternoon. Sure hope they survive.

12:22 PM Looking ahead:

1) Tomorrow night here at the farm we’re having a reunion of our missionaries who went with us to Alaba, Ethiopia in 2007.

2) On Sunday Nigusse is speaking about Ethiopia atMessiah Baptist Church near Wake Forest. One of their elders, Alan Knox, is an Ethiopian veteran. He went with us in 2010 as part of this team. Can you recognize him? He’s the tall, dark, and handsome one 🙂

3) On Monday I am taking Nigu to the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, for his required interview before he can get a visa to study there this summer.

4) Next Thursday we’ve rescheduled Becky’s chemo treatment at UNC. If her counts are high enough, I will take my wife to a hospital and intentionally poison her. Such is life with cancer, which is the most irrational disease I know of.

5) On campus this week there was a great deal of discussion about whether or not we were going to hold our semi-annual Student Day at the farm. I mentioned to my students the concern I have about over-taxing Becky’s energies. I said I would talk to Becky about it — if I had at least 5 young ladies who would volunteer to come early and help Becky clean and set up. Well, more than 5 signed on the dotted line! So Becky has declared Saturday, April 28, to be Student Day at Rosewood Farm. We’ll combine food, fellowship, and fun with some work projects around the farm. Students, please mark your calendars now. We’ll gather from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

8:30 AM My dear wife just keeps churning out those essays. Her latest is calledOn Dealing with Reality. The conclusion of the matter?

The Evil One loves to trip us up in our thinking, but the Spirit of God is able to settle our minds and emotions, so that we can operate according to full reality. It takes work. It takes humility. But it is possible.

Amen.

7:59 AM Where does God live? In your kitchen!  

 

7:55 AM Chris White, one of my students, has been teaching beginning Greek in his local church and has begun publishing a few You Tubes of their experience. I thought you might enjoywatching one of them. Whether you’re a rank beginner or an accomplished scholar, I think you’ll greatly benefit from his manner of presentation.

7:50 AM Greetings to all of you out there in cyberspace! Grab a cup of coffee and let’s sit a spell, shall we? Here’s a quote I’d like you to ponder. It’s by one of America’s favorite theologians, Mark Twain:

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on those accounts.

He added:

Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.

In two weeks I’ll be traveling 7,000 miles to a country that is vastly different from America. This summer I’ll be co-leading a team of short-termers on yet another missionary trip to Ethiopia. Traveling is difficult but it opens up the greater world around us. Personally, it has helped me to overcome my ethnocentrism that makes me think that somehow America is the center of the universe. Make friends in other cultures and you will soon leave your stereotypes behind. The “call” to missions is nothing other than the call to step out of our world and begin to wrestle with the implications of the Great Commission in our own lives. God has called every Christian to missionary service. And the mission field is right where you are. In addition, every believer is to pray for the nations and support the cause of global missions, and even go if able. Each of us is to make Christ’s name known around the world. I have traveled in many countries and have known many missionaries, but I have never met a missionary who did not weep over the sound of pagan footsteps on their way to a Christless eternity. I have never met a missionary who thought that America was more important than the other 168 nations on this planet. I have never met a missionary whose love for politics or sports was more passionate than their love for the lost. Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse, used to pray: “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.” The Bible is perfectly clear: The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. In other words, a lost world needs Christ. And He is calling us – you and me – to take the gospel to the nations. The missionary call, just like the love you feel for your spouse, is uniquely personal. Seek to live the missionary call with all you are and with all you have. Engage in international missions as time and opportunity allow. What a joy it is to travel in the name of King Jesus! My prayer is that each of my readers will hear and respond to God’s call to global missions. Central to my concern in maintaining this blog is that the way missions has been outsourced over the last two generations is no longer an adequate model for twenty-first century missions. As the church advances into new cultural centers around the world, traditional sending structures will have to give way to new kinds of missionary efforts that transcend denominational and confessional entities. Don’t get me wrong. I am not referring to a type of ecumenism that sacrifices the essentials of historic Christianity. I am referring to a deeper ecumenism that accepts African and Asian Christianity as equal partners in the missionary task. Clearly, the time is ripe for Christians of every nation to work cooperatively to advance the cause of Christ. This will not happen until Christians in North America move from a “church-focused” to a “world-focused” emphasis. It will require the efforts of both clergy and laity, in fact, a general mobilization of all the faithful. An overly privatized view of salvation will have to give way to a view of the church as a redemptive community. “There is no participation in Christ without participation in His mission to the world” is how the 1952 Willengen Conference put it. Seminary curricula will have to be immersed in a thoroughly missional and ecclesiological framework. Students will have to learn how to become counter-cultural. A renewed emphasis upon intensive discipleship will have to permeate our churches. Missions will then become the natural extension of a dynamic community, the body of Christ. Christian ministry will be viewed through the broadest possible lens. Evangelism and social action will become every bit as connected as the two blades of a pair of scissors. Just as Jesus was sent out into the world to teach, preach, and heal (Matt. 9:35), so we have been sent into the world to continue to reflect Jesus’ ministry.

So then, my dear blog peeps, let’s get “on the road” for Jesus and out of our America-first myopia. I am convinced that diabolic nationalism keeps many Christians from fulfilling the Great Commission. The bottom line is that God plays no favorites. He is color blind, status blind, wealth blind, and nation blind. There are many loathsome aspects of the current presidential race, but none is more insidious than the notion that America has more value than any other nation. Let’s not be co-opted into becoming cheerleaders for the pro-America Jesus! I’m not saying that you shouldn’t vote. I’m not saying you can’t get involved in politics. But just don’t label your manthe “Christian” candidate for “Christian America.” The only Christian nation God is building today is one comprised of blood-bought sinners.  

Blessings,

Dave

Thursday, March 15

8:42 PM Seminary update:

1) Our campus looked absolutely gorgeous this week. Spring has most certainly arrived. There is no more beautiful campus in North America, bar none.

2) This week both ATS and SACS were on campus for our 10-year reaccredidation visits. Which meant that the faculty were asked to wear matching golf shirts. (We’re Baptists, remember?) Lookie here: My colleague in the music department, John Boozer, wore the wrong color trousers. We placed him under arrest and sent him away to the local jail. Not to mention extending his days in purgatory.

3) I finished reading the following books while on campus this week:

• The Content and Setting of the Gospel Tradition

• What Is the Mission of the Church?

• The Missionary Call

• Engaging the Culture, Changing the World

• Called Or Collared?

• Encountering Theology of Mission

• Invitation to World Missions

• Doing More with Life

I was really hoping these books would shed some guidance on my calling as a missionary academic. Instead, I found myself questioning the logic behind several of these tomes. Oh well.

And yes, I dospeed read.

4) Yesterday I lectured on the subject of New Testament textual criticism, a topic that demands our attention today as perhaps never before (think Bart Ehrman). My goal was to try and engage the most important aspects of textual criticism in a way that people who lack technical knowledge of the subject could understand it. As I prepared for my talk I realized anew just how little I have pierced into the intricacies of this subject. (In my bookNew Testament Textual Criticism I sought to communicate clearly and relevantly how the discipline impacts our understanding of the New Testament.) I want to thank my students for their attentiveness and unfailing courtesy and encouragement. Most of all, I want to thank God for preserving for His church the very words of Scripture. It is impossible to exaggerate the relevance of textual criticism for exegesis. The New Testament is without doubt the best attested document from the ancient world. Thanks be to God for this inexpressible gift.

By the way, during class my good friend Dan Wallace stopped by to pay us a visit via You Tube. He spoke about the 400,000 variants in the manuscripts of the Greek New Testament, most of which are, of course, completely insignificant.

To illustrate his point, Dan noted that the sentence “Jesus loves John” has at least 18 permutations in Greek, indeed many more than that. I sauntered over to Google to see if anyone had published a list with those words in Greek and, finding none, decided I’d put together my own list. I stopped at 96. Feel free to copy and use — and add some more to —  my list (which has also been published here).

’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιωάννην.

’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάννην ἀγαπᾷ.

ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάννην.

ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιωάννην ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάννην ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάννην ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιωάννην.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάννην ἀγαπᾷ.

ἀγαπᾷ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάννην.

ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιωάννην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάννην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ.

’Ιωάννην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ τὸν ’Ιωάννην.

’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάννην ἀγαπᾷ.

ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάννην.

ἀγαπᾷ τὸν ’Ιωάννην ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάννην ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ.

τὸν ’Ιωάννην ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιησοῦς.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷτὸν ’Ιωάννην.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάννην ἀγαπᾷ.

ἀγαπᾷὁ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάννην.

ἀγαπᾷτὸν ’Ιωάννην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάννην ἀγαπᾷὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάννην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ.

’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ ’Ιωάννην.

’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάννην φιλεῖ.

φιλεῖ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάννην.

φιλεῖ ’Ιωάννην ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάννην ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ.

’Ιωάννην φιλεῖ ’Ιησοῦς.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ ’Ιωάννην.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάννην φιλεῖ.

φιλεῖ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάννην.

φιλεῖ ’Ιωάννην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάννην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ.

’Ιωάννην φιλεῖ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ τὸν ’Ιωάννην.

’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάννην φιλεῖ.

φιλεῖ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάννην.

φιλεῖ τὸν ’Ιωάννην ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάννην ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ.

τὸν ’Ιωάννην φιλεῖ ’Ιησοῦς.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖτὸν ’Ιωάννην.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάννην φιλεῖ.

φιλεῖὁ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάννην.

φιλεῖτὸν ’Ιωάννην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάννην φιλεῖὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάννην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ.

’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιωάνην.

’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάνην ἀγαπᾷ.

ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάνην.

ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιωάνην ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάνην ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ.

’Ιωάνην ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιησοῦς.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιωάνην.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάνην ἀγαπᾷ.

ἀγαπᾷ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάνην.

ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιωάνην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάνην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ.

’Ιωάνην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ τὸν ’Ιωάνην.

’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάνην ἀγαπᾷ.

ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάνην.

ἀγαπᾷ τὸν ’Ιωάνην ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάνην ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ.

τὸν ’Ιωάνην ἀγαπᾷ ’Ιησοῦς.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷτὸν ’Ιωάνην.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάνην ἀγαπᾷ.

ἀγαπᾷὁ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάνην.

ἀγαπᾷτὸν ’Ιωάνην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάνην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ἀγαπᾷ.

τὸν ’Ιωάνην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ ’Ιωάνην.

’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάνην φιλεῖ.

φιλεῖ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάνην.

φιλεῖ ’Ιωάνην ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάνην φιλεῖ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάνην ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ ’Ιωάνην.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάνην φιλεῖ.

φιλεῖ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς ’Ιωάνην.

φιλεῖ ’Ιωάνην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιωάνην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ.

’Ιωάνην φιλεῖ ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ τὸν ’Ιωάνην.

’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάνην φιλεῖ.

φιλεῖ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάνην.

φιλεῖτὸν ’Ιωάνην ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάνην ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ.

τὸν ’Ιωάνην φιλεῖ ’Ιησοῦς.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖτὸν ’Ιωάνην.

ὁ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάνην φιλεῖ.

φιλεῖὁ ’Ιησοῦς τὸν ’Ιωάνην.

φιλεῖτὸν ’Ιωάνην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάνην φιλεῖὁ ’Ιησοῦς.

τὸν ’Ιωάνην ὁ ’Ιησοῦς φιλεῖ.

7:30 PM A few odds and ends …

1) I just discovered a weblog calledStanding and Waiting. I think you’ll like it. Asampler:

I’m increasingly convinced that preachers and Bible teachers need to do more than just explain what a passage means and what its implications are. They mustn’t do less than that. But they also need to help people answer the question:

Why should I care?

Yes indeed, yet another great blog from Down Under. No moronic pontifications here.

2) Paul Himes asks,If Jude is citing 1 Enoch, is that a problem for inerrancy? It begins with this “hook”:

Leave it to a Japanese developer to actually make a video game based upon the Book of Enoch! No, I’m not making that up. Last year the brilliant Japanese game developer Takeyasu Sawaki (of Ignition Entertainment) helped create such a game, where the player actually controls “Enoch” in his quest to defeat the 7 fallen angels responsible for the events of Genesis 6:1-4 and thereby prevent the Lord from having to send the Great Flood. The game received moderately good reviews and remains one of the more bizarre yet  creative examples of a video game’s exploration of Biblical narrative.

Don’t miss Paul’s peroration.

3) Here’s a really neat video, made just for my wife. Thank you for posting it, Thomas.

http://jpnee.blogspot.com/2012/03/post-for-mrs-becky.html

4) Matthew Myers takes on the traditional rendering ofJohn 3:16:

Here is a comparison between the NKJV and my final revised translation. What would you do?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him might not die but have eternal life.”

Which rendering do you prefer, and why?

5) Somerset Christian College announces an opening inBiblical Studies.

6) Enjoyed reading Jody Neufeld’s excellentOut on a Limb in a First Century Church.

7) Isn’t blogging a blast?

7:18 PM Once again, a blogger has squandered away precious minutes to write a hilarious review of my Why Four Gospels? If you’d like to learn why the synoptic problem isn’t really boring, do read what he says. You may even wish you had jettisoned Q and its cohorts a long time ago.

7:12 PM Last Monday, on a flight from Dallas to Raleigh, I had the very good fortune to sit next to a Shakespearean scholar who teaches at UNC Chapel Hill. Our conversation took many interesting twists and turns, not least into an area of study we both love, teaching and learning.Christopher Mead Armitage once studied under the famous C. S. Lewis and, what’s more, has written about that experience in a delightful essay calledSmartened Up by Lewis (.pdf). How charming was this statement:

Intimidating as Lewis may have appeared to some in his audiences, his confident presentations were not egotistical. Clearly, to him what was important was the subject, not himself.

“The subject, not himself.” Well put indeed.

But can the two ever really be separated?

6:55 PM Ron Paul fascinates me. I like the man. Issues aside, his campaign has several aspects to it I think are downright admirable.

1) He’s durable. He’s already outlasted most of the other GOP contenders. Will he win the nomination? Of course not. The best he can hope for is a speaker’s slot at the convention. And he’ll get it because of his tenacity. (Are you listening, Sarah and Rick?)

2) He’s an underdog. I’ve always been an incurable infracaninophile. I realize that, to many people, Paul represents a “lost cause.” He’s considered eccentric at best, a self-deluded obscurantist at worst. But there is nothing wrong with thinking outside the box. I love people who espouse minority views. Sometimes they turn out to be right.

3) He’s an insider. That is, he works within the status quo in order to change it. Let others campaign under the flag of the Constitution Party. That’s not the track Paul is on. He seeks to reform the GOP from within. His message is a simple one: “The Constitution is the law of land. Why not obey it?” Good question, if you ask me.

4) This last point reminds me that Paul is a radical. He’s calling America back to her radix, her rootedness in a philosophy that limits government’s powers. He’s like one of those sixteenth century Anabaptists who not only espouses sola scriptura but practices it. Gotta love a guy like that.

5) Finally, Paul lacks charisma. Ever notice that? The man looks awkward in his ill-fitting business suits. His speech lacks polish. No one would claim that Paul looks like a winner. But could this not be an asset in life? The charlatan talks a good game, may even dress the part. But with Paul, what you see is what you get. I suppose he feels as uncomfortable in his “spit and polish” role as he does sitting in a Congress that is far more glitter than gold.

The Ron Paul Revolution hasn’t attracted arcane traditionalists. It never will. Support runs strongest among younger voters. Mathematically, his is a lost cause. The establishment practically ignores him. But I like him. I’ve always liked those constitutionalists who are ill-suited for straight-jackets.

Monday, March 12

10:24 PM Greetings to all of you cybernetic peeps out there. It’s been a while. Today I returned from the Big D and am ready to give you a brief update, if you can handle it 🙂

1) Mom and dad treated me to the # 1 Ethiopian restaurant in Dallas/Lake Highlands region — Sheba’s Ethiopian Kitchen. You MUST try it when you’re in the area the next time. The highlight? Calling Becky on dad’s cell phone and talking to her in Amharic. Igig betam ewodashalu!

2) On Thursday morning I pampered mom who is most deserving of it. We had breakfast at the Café de France in Plano. And can you believe it — the place had cloth tablecloths and napkins. Unheard of nowadays. It was a real taste of Europe. Mom tells me the crêpes she ordered were the best she’s ever eaten. She is one special woman.

3) The ETS regional conference at Southwestern was no disappointment. The papers were great, but the highlight was the plenary session in which my esteemed colleague Andreas Köstenberger waxed elephant about the biblical theology of the New Testament, a subject in which he is fast becoming a leading expert. I took gobs of notes, but his last statement was probably his best. Quoting A. Einstein, he stated, “Make everything as simple as possible, but never simple.” The dean of the school of theology (David Allen) and I went out for some REAL Texas barbeque for lunch on Friday, during which time I tried my very best to disabuse him of his erroneous and oddball views concerning the Lukan authorship of Hebrews, but to no avail. And I thought that I was an obscurantist.

4) The rains came down in buckets on Saturday afternoon but not before mom and I had planted her perennials and had rooted this rose bush that she had transplanted to Texas from her former home in Burji, Ethiopia. The idea is for mom to bring a root or two for us to plant here in Virginia when she comes in July to take care of Becky during my trip to Ethiopia.

5) Finally, this morning I met with Chris and Brady Clayton in Dallas to bring them up to speed on the July trip. They are the first Texans to join us in the Great Adventure and will add tremendously to our team. I gave them a brief overview of the work and had them sign our waiver. (Someday I might share that document with you.)

One more note: We had to cancel Becky’s chemo treatment today as her white counts continue to go south. Please pray that God gives her energy and strength to accomplish the writing projects she feels the Lord would have to complete.

Wednesday, March 7

6:50 AM Becky continues her vignettes of life in Ethiopia with her latest essay calledThe Evangelists of Gondar.

6:43 AM Tonight Mr. Lapsley (Becky’s dad) and I are planning on attending the Civil War Round Table of Dallas. The speaker is none other than Ed Bearss, Chairman Emeritus of the National Park Service and one of America’s most renowned Civil War historians. His topic is a doozy: “Civil War Medicine vs. WW II.” Bearss, now in his 80s, still leads as many as 200 battlefield tours every year.

I’m also looking forward to helping mom with her garden. She tells she even bought a brand new wheelbarrow just for me!

6:37 AM I am challenged by the idea of writing a short, simple, and non-technical book about the Anabaptists — one that would bring them into focus for those who want to know more about them. I’ll be working on this project during my visit to the Big D this week. If the Anabaptists had but one goal, I think it was this: “Let’s get back to the business of being the church!” They asked: What ought to be the goals of a local church? How do we get people committed to the right things? How can we prioritize missions?

You’re sitting there thinking, “Yes, and D-O-G spells ‘dog.'” These questions seem trite and obvious, I know. But I wonder if your philosophy of ministry — and mine — could use a jump start from time to time, one straight from the sixteenth century from a group of radicals who were emptied of self-sufficiency and who accepted the challenge of reaching the lost all around them. As we join them on our knees, perhaps we will see the power of God in our lives as they did.

6:33 AM Here’s a heartwarming story from my alma mater, Biola University:Brown Bag ministry serves homeless of Long Beach. I loved this part:

“We don’t just give them a meal, tell them Jesus loves them and then get out of there,” said sophomore music education major Andy Peeler about the first phase. “We sit down with them, talk with them, and develop relationships.”

When I was at Biola in the early 1970s, every student was required to have a “Christian service assignment” that got him or her out into the community, where the needs lay aplenty. I chose to play basketball every Saturday in a pretty tough neighborhood  called Watts so as to build relationships with the street kids and share with them the love of Jesus.

I often wonder what ever happened to those kids I played ball with so many years ago. Thankfully, God knows exactly where they are. He knows them. He loves them. He understands them. God bless you young men, wherever you are today.

Tuesday, March 6

5:07 PM I just finished feeding the animals and couldn’t help but snap this picture of our back yard. I mowed it today. Can you believe how green everything is? Spring is in the air again — that spunky season that makes you want to get outside and start gardening!

4:54 PM Today a student sent along a link to this Bible app:

http://www.youversion.com/mobile 

I just downloaded it. It is great. Thank you Jason!

2:24 PM I just made a trash run. Love it. Nothing like getting dirty and smelly. Reminds me that I am really nothin’ but a country redneck.

1:05 PM Want to check the progress of our intrepid missionaries to India as they return home? Go here:  http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW142. Their flight departs London at 5:30 pm EST.

1:02 PM Klutz Alert! It is now past one o’clock. I started fixing the flat tire on our old truck at 10:00. That’s three hours to do a simple task. The truck had neither jack nor lug wrench. The lug wrenches from my other cars didn’t fit. (The truck was built in the Pre-Cambrian Age.) I drove to town (not in the truck of course) to buy a four-way wrench. I then got the lug nuts off but the wheel was stuck to the rotor (rust). I tried everything and then, in disgust, kicked the tired (with righteous anger, of course). Guess what? The tire came loose. I just got back from having the tire patched at the local tire shop and replaced it. We’re good to until the next finishing nail decides to pay us us a visit.

And to think how much longer it would have taken to finish this job had I not been so gifted with my hands.  

9:45 AM Today in history: Friedrich Bayer trade-marked a new drug called Aspirin. And everyone said Amen.

8:59 AM Just added to our Chinese Essays: Becky’s Life + Christ = Fine (Mandarin version). Our heartfelt thanks to sister Kathy for her labor of love in translating this essay for us.

8:55 AM Allan Bevere saysMake It Easy for Someone to Preach Your Funeral. The money quote:

One day someone is going to preach your funeral service. Are we living our lives in such a way, that when that day comes, and people gather together in one place to worship God and remember our lives, will we have been faithful with our days in such a way that we will make it easy for the pastor to preach our funeral?

7:32 AM Aren’t you amazed by the book of Acts? I am. Its principles for Christian ministry and church structure are so radically different from what is taught and practiced in so many of our churches today. (Can you really see Peter and his wife on a rooftop promoting their new book on sex?) Here’s the problem. It is easy to talk about New Testament church life. It is much harder to practice it. I am very grateful for pastors at Bethel Hill who have taught us the major themes of Acts, including biblical eldership. It gives me renewed hope that things can actually change. So what if we fail? It’s better to try and fail than to sit around and do nothing. Acts has so much to say about church planting, missions, evangelism, church polity, and so much more. No book is more relevant for our times. But with knowledge comes responsibility. Obedience to Christ must be wholehearted. Jesus cannot work through disobedient disciples. If we want to see a genuine Great Commission resurgence in our day, we must get serious about obeying our risen Lord. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we sin either by commission or omission and are not quick to repent. The first Christians sought not only to understand as much as they could the “apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42) but to obey it, whatever the cost. If they were here today, I imagine they would be watching Bethel Hill Baptist Church very closely. They would tell us not to be afraid of the Holy Spirit, of His sensitive touch, of His guidance and power, of His desire to empower the church so that we might believe and obey. Their example stands like a lighthouse to us in our drifting. They would remind us that obedience is not a luxury. It is a top priority if a church is to grow and prosper.

7:02 AM Praying forthis young man as he has surgery this Thursday. Andrew, we love you!

Monday, March 5

7:54 PM You’ll never guess what I cooked for supper tonight (wink, wink). It even included my secret ingredient. I do believe it’s the best supper I’ve had all day!

4:11 PM Looking ahead …

1) On Sunday, March 18, Nigusse will be the guest speaker atMessiah Baptist Church near Wake Forest, NC. This is where everybody’s good friendAlan Knox is an elder.

2) I’ll be taking, Lord willing, Nigusse to Washington DC on Monday, March 19, to get his Israeli visa. Hoping to stop here along the way:

3) My next international mission trip begins on March 29. Can’t wait!

4) If she is feeling up to it, Becky and I are planning on attending Danny and Charlotte Akin’sfamily life conference at SEBTS on April 13-14, along with other Bethel Hillians. I think this is the first ever marriage seminary we’ve attended. You’re never too old to learn how to be a better spouse.

10:46 AM This weekend’s ETS Southwest regional meeting at SWBTS should be a blast. I’m eager to hear these papers:

• God and Caesar: Examining the Difference Between Counter-Imperial and Post-Colonial Hermeneutics

• Education as Dispersion: The Migration Outcomes of International Students

• An Evangelical Evaluation of Charles Kraft’s Missiological Model for Contextualization

• “Bible Storying”: Bandwagon or Bandaid?

I am also looking forward to having lunch with Southwestern’s dean, David Allen, who has the nerve to defend theLukan authorship of Hebrews. L‘audace,l’audace, toujours l’audace!

10:35 AM Rod Decker, thank you for making a distinction betweenthe church and the building!

9:01 AM From time to time someone asks us if they can support an Ethiopian evangelist financially. Good question! The answer is found in Becky’s latest essay called Financial Support for Evangelists.

7:34 AM Confession time. I love my iPad. It was given to me while I was in Asia last year. Although I am a complete idiot when it comes to electronics, I can now swipe its screen with the best of them. I can check emails and listen to music and play scrabble all at the touch of a pixel or two. In fact, I can easily envision the all-iPad classroom. But come on — why the zany keyboard? And please, somebody stop the Apple pop-ups! And why can’t I open more than one window at a time? Did I mention it’s slow? And lacks a back button?

I realize that Paul said we are to do all things without grumbling and complaining (Phil. 2:14). But he never owned an iPad.

What do you think? Will the iPad 3 be any better?

7:18 AM Lovedthis essay by Paige Patterson on the SBC name change. I especially appreciated this:

I have just two requests of you my brethren.  First, let us seek God’s face with ardent supplication to see if the committee’s report is an amazing solution given by the Spirit of God.  Second, if at the end of the process, you do not agree, that is fine.  This is why you are a Baptist, a dissenter, and why I am not your bishop, cardinal or pope.  But may we agree that we will debate and decide the issue without recourse to a discussion of motives and intentions of the heart which only God can see and know.

Wise counsel indeed.

7:06 AM Five Ethiopian evangelists have now beenadopted. Let the praying begin!

7:00 AM Check out these pictures oflife in war-torn Somalia. Glad for a photographer who was willing to expose the situation to the world. “I’m drawn to places that most aren’t willing to go,” he said. Read that again:

I’m drawn to places that most aren’t willing to go.

That should be true of every one of us who claims the name of Jesus. It takes courage to be on mission for Christ. The courage of the Anabaptists is one of the reasons I love them so much (see, for example,Felix Mantz, Man of Conscience). It’s also why I love our missionaries to Ethiopia. They are going to hard places. Intentionally. Places others do not want to go. Not flippantly, of course. But they go. I praise God for them.

Are you going?

Sunday, March 4

2:10 PM There is nothing more enjoyable than to watch God’s people getting caught up in what is eternally important. The clear command of our Lord is to go into the world — whether that world be across the planet or across the street. Today brother Rick Godwin (an Ethiopia veteran) gave a wonderful report of the work Bethel Hillians have been doing in partnering with Rebuilding Hope in Henderson, NC.

Recently Rick and several others from The Hill helped build a handicapped ramp for a woman, and other projects are being planned for the coming months. I have seen wonderful spiritual renewal come to churches when they have united around a common cause, the cause of the Gospel.

Rick, your report made my day!  

1:52 PM Believe it or not, the Internet in India is working again, and today we received a wonderful email update from our son Nigusse. Both he and Joel spoke this morning at the Sunday service in Bagdogra. They just returned from the Bhutan and Bangladesh borders where they “visited many churches and shared the gospel with many people.” Nigusse goes on to say:

I am really overwhelmed with what the Lord has been doing here. The need of the gospel is real. Thank you for sending me here. I have learned lots of things.

He requests prayer so that they might “finish well and being glory to God.” You got it, Nigu.

1:43 PM Just saw an announcement for a cello and piano concert at our former church in Basel. Wish Becky and I could attend. Die Baptistengemeinde Basel welcomed us with open hearts and minds. It was but a short walk from our one room apartment on the Immengasse. What unforgettable relationships we had with our precious Baptist brothers and sisters in that storied city on the Rhine.

8:44 AM How should we do missions? By following the example of the four men who carried the paralytic to Jesus!

• There was a thinker: “Say, guys, old Simon over there needs help. What say we carry him over to Jesus?”

• There was an enabler: “Great idea! I’ve got a stretcher at home. Let me grab it!”

• There was the follower: “What are you guys doing? Can I lend a hand?”

Someone has to get the idea. Someone has to organize the work. And someone has to put his hand to the stretcher.

By the way, they must also work together. Imagine what would happen if they came to a crossroads and two of them wanted to go right and two of them wanted to go left? Or if three of them wanted to walk and the fourth wanted to sprint? Helping people get to Jesus takes teamwork.

Have you noticed? Missions is the perfect laboratory for testing our commitment to Christian unity.

7:56 AM Speaking of the UK, one of the most enjoyable things about researching my bookWhy Four Gospels? was discovering all of the used bookstores in London. If you are looking for that hard-to-find tome, check out Piccadilly Circus and you will not be disappointed. There I found Jimmy James’ escape autobiography that I had been trying to locate for years. (Jimmy went out in the famous Great Escape of 1944.) Naturally, unless you’re visiting London, this is impossible, but I thought I’d mention it anyway. I especially recommend Waterstones.

Do you have a favorite brick and mortar bookstore?

7:50 AM Required reading for our Ethiopia team members:How (Not) to be an American Missionary in Scotland. Note this:

The key to work in Scotland is for the American Presbyterians/Baptists/Pentecostals to come and partner with us.

That, of course, takes humility and a commitment to cooperation, but oh, the benefits!

7:43 AM If there is a heaven on earth I think I found it at last. We had a wonderful meeting yesterday as we met with those who are interested in going with us to Ethiopia in July. This is what they looked like.

So many nice people to get to know. Many of them are veterans of the work. I’m delighted about that. All can expect to apply themselves diligently between now and our next orientation meeting on April 7. The Gospel is an amazing thing, isn’t it? When it begins to weave its spell on a heretofore impervious mind, you had better watch out. It is impossible to do justice to our meeting, for it was simply a succession of great conversations and amusing incidents and questions and answers and food and songs and prayers. I wish you could have been there, I really do.

And how are Becky and I doing? I am feeling splendidly for an old man. (I think I’m the oldest in the group.) I am concerned, however, about Becky. She held up well during the meeting despite having much of the weight of the work riding on her capable shoulders. That will gradually change as more and more of the team members step into leadership roles. When you see her blow her nose and blood mixes with her mucus it makes you realize just how huge an effect the Avastin has been having on her body. I am relieved that she is agreeing to allow me to do certain things for her that she would otherwise insist on doing herself — such as driving Nigusse to DC to get his Israeli visa. I know this sounds paternalistic, but Becky is as active as ever, and I am in charge of making sure that she slows down so that she can accomplish her primary goals of writing. Becky is a woman in whom the years of life have blossomed into something beautiful — honest, sincere, courageous, caring, always seeking the best in life and giving the best. I don’t know why I should be telling you all of this other than the fact that it is important that we pursue the worthwhile life that Christ demands of us. Having tasted the stale cup of academia, I am determined to live out the rest of my days enjoying the rich practice of oneness in Christ that comes to those who consider serving others a priority in life. The last 6 or 7 years have been critically important in our lives, and I think we’ve really succeeded in enjoying spiritual tranquility without sacrificing our enthusiasm and passion. Can there be any greater joy in life that to work with people whose dedication should inspire in us the spirit of sacrifice? It never ceases to amaze me that God should make His appeal through people like me. He relies on us. We — you and me! — are given the privilege of telling other sinners about the Savior.

In our day missions is infrequent, clergy-dominated, and expensive — an exceedingly foolish way of going about fulfilling the Great Commission if you ask me. It is MY responsibility to work and speak for Jesus. And it is yours. If we really want to reach the world for Christ we must all become informal missionaries. This is how the kingdom expands. This is how the Gospel spreads. In a word, this is what our meeting yesterday was all about. However inadequate we may feel, we can all do out part. How can we do otherwise if, like Paul, we believe that there is but one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus?

Saturday, March 3

7:54 AM Yes, there are such things asinternational food etiquette rules. In India, Nigusse and Joel are eating with their fingers. In Korea, you receive a plate of food with both hands. And in Ethiopia? Come to our orientation today and find out. We’re going to undermine a lot of faulty presuppositions, one of which is the good-old American custom of being picky and choosy at the table. Our Ethiopian hosts work long and hard to prepare their simple fare over a wood fire. For us to refuse to eat what we are served is not only disrespectful but a poor witness. For the sake of love, we will be asking our team members — all of them — to lay aside their personal tastes and preferences. Eat and drink whatever is offered, and thereby emulate the unity and humility that marked the apostle Paul (see his “principle of adaptability” in 1 Cor. 9:19-23). Ministry without love is fruitless. But show love, and the rest falls into place. People are drawn in, as to a vortex. So yes, we will follow food etiquette rules. What a magnificent gesture this exercise is in community living!

Below: The women of Burji preparing a meal for our team. What precious fellow-laborers in the kingdom!

7:22 AM Newsflash, America! It’s not about the economy!

America has always been used to abundance, and the result is a society of extravagance and waste. The rest of the world deals with scarcity by preserving rather than wasting. “American exceptionalism” requires us to value “more” and “better,” but such talk is mere hyperventilation. No one really wants to give up their entitlements or their retirement benefits. America is in a mess, but it isn’t one that can be solved by a college education or a government bailout. WE ARE A NATION OF BLOATED CONSUMERS. That goes for evangelicals too.

A missionary I heard recently said, “We have a glut of training and education in our seminaries. Is it really worth the cost? Shouldn’t our vast knowledge be used to train pastors in Africa or Asia?” If you want to believe that America is still a superpower, go ahead. As for me, I think it’s time we bypassed all the partisan nonsense we call politics and honestly address the materialistic environment we are living in, and how Christians must adapt. I truly think that we, as the evangelical church in America, do not have the resolve to overcome our own self-interests. Paul calls us to equity (2 Cor. 8:13). In a flat world, where everybody is hyper-connected, achieving this equity between churches ought to be more possible than ever. It’s high time we jettison gerrymandering — and not just in the political arena. My prayer is that we may encounter the fresh wind of God’s Spirit that launched the infant church and that is ready and willing to work through us today if we would surrender the American Dream and make global evangelization a priority again. The only Christianity that will be an effective power for change in the twenty-first century is a Christianity that is moved by the sheer need of men and women, many of them without God and without hope in the world. How can we withhold from them the life-giving word?

We frankly do not believe in the power of the Holy Spirit or in the outward thrust of the Gospel. Christ called His earliest followers to the regions beyond. What about us? Christians in China and Ethiopia know exactly what persecution and privation look like, yet they venture out with the Gospel and risk. Christians in America who have the benefit of a good education should use that education to help “the least of these.” Christians who enjoy wealth and prosperity should take material needs very seriously as a part of their Christian commitment. Service and sacrifice — these are the vital ingredients in all great leadership. We could take this much further. I have tried to do so inThe Jesus Paradigm. If we are to turn the tide of apathy in our generation, it will not happen without a fresh moving of the Spirit of God and a costly following of a crucified Savior. This is what the early Christians experienced. Why should it not happen to us?

Friday, March 2

3:55 PM Got time for a brief update? Today we drove to South Boston to get a CBC for Becky. We just got the results. Her counts are dropping (white cells, platelets). Good thing she wasn’t scheduled for chemo next Monday, as they would have had to cancel it (her counts are too low). Right now it’s a week by week proposition for us. Thankfully Becky’s energy has been good today. At one point she cried out, “It’s Oshe, it’s Oshe!” She was referring, of course, to the fact that Oshe was Skyping us from Burji. Here’s Becky showing him one of the Kidz Kards with Scripture verses.

He could read and translate it into English without a hitch. Awesome. Speaking of Burji, during tomorrow’s orientation I have the joy of coordinating the prayer time as well as giving the overview of life in Ethiopia (history, geography, economy, demographics, clock and calendar, religion, health, and other important issues). While Googling for some information I ran across a very interesting website called If It Were My Home. If Ethiopia were your home instead of the United States, you would:

• be 13 times more likely to die in infancy

• be 3.5 times more likely to get HIV/Aids

• have 3.1 more babies

• die 23 years earlier

• use 99 percent less electricity

All of this will make for some very interesting discussion tomorrow I’m sure. Right now Becky is resting. She’s told me she’s going to prepare one of my favorite suppers tonight: Sloppy Joes. Can’t hardly wait. Life is good. Family. Fun. Food. Fellowship. Kingdom work. Peace.

Thanks for listening,

Dave

10:38 AM We’ve already had two evangelists adopted. Praise the Lord!

10:32 AM Don’t forget to pray for our stalwart missionaries to India. Today they are traveling down country to southern West Bengal to visit some 20 different churches.

10:32 AM I’m still planning on attending theETS Southwest regional meeting at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth next weekend. The focus will be on biblical theology. Hope to see some of you there.

9:40 AM Do you have a love for missions? Perhaps God has placed Ethiopia on your heart? If so, would you consider adopting an evangelist and his family for prayer? Here’s the scoop. As Becky writes:

Would you like to be involved? Discuss it with your family and then contact us at dblack@sebts.edu. Tell us a little about your family….where you live, number of kids, type of work, special things. It would be wonderful for you to attach a picture of your family as well. We will match you with an evangelist as the Lord leads us, and send you pictures and bio of him. We’ll “introduce” you via email, and then we’ll let you know what’s happening with your evangelist periodically via email updates.

Hoping to hear from you soon!

9:11 AM The T & T Clark blog is highlighting Michael Allen’s new book,Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics: An Introduction and Reader. Readers in the U.S. can purchase a copy in May 2012.

It is definitely on my wish list. Barth was a giant in the history of theology. I admire him most for his writing of the Barmen Declaration, which rejected the Nazi Party and its Führer. Barth, a leader in the Confessing Church in Germany, was dismissed from his professorship at the University of Bonn for refusing to swear an oath to Hitler. Incidentally, you might not know that he was also a huge American Civil War buff and could not wait to visit Gettysburg when he lectured in the U.S. in 1962.

Barth was already deceased by the time I matriculated at Basel, but I did have the opportunity to study under his son Markus, whose 2-volume commentary on Ephesians remains unexcelled.

7:54 AM “We make our plans, but God has the last word” (Prov. 16:1). Good reminder with orientation coming up tomorrow.

7:50 AM Good posthere about the style of Mark’s Gospel. It’s a topic I often discuss in my classes. As you ponder that question, ask yourself whether the answer might be found in the Papias-citation of EH 3.39. Papias’ testimony reveals that the “Elder” (John) was emphatic that Mark’s record of Peter’s memories was accurate but not “in order” (taxei), nor was it a literary composition (syntaxis). Instead, it was a collection of short stories and personal reminiscences (chreiai) about the Lord. Amazing explanation, isn’t it? Against this backdrop, the peculiar diction of Mark finds a ready explanation. It is the contrast between a colloquial record of Peter’s discourses on the one hand and the standard literary style of both Matthew and Luke on the other. In other words, Mark is simply a verbatim transcript of Peter’s speeches. Once again, the patristic evidence can be of great value in helping us to understand the circumstances surrounding the composition of Mark. We neglect it to our own disadvantage.

The fathers were unanimous that our earliest Gospel was Matthew’s. Markan priority and the statements of the church fathers are incompatible. You must choose one or the other. Tertium non datur.

7:40 AM Jesus was politically non-aligned. Perhaps He is an example for us today?

7:33 AM If you’re traveling to the SBL Southeast meeting in Atlanta this weekend be sure to stop by the Energion Publications booth and check out their latest books, including Robert Cornwall’sFaith in the Public Square.

Thursday, March 1

9:04 PM I’m about half way through my bookThe Great Escape by Paul Brickhill. Seems I’m not the only history fan who loves escape stories from Germany. The Telegraph once published a story about several historians who’ve built a model of “Harry,” the tunnel used by Roger Bushell and his airmen colleagues in March of 1944. Check it outhere. The photos are phenomenal. What resourcefulness! What inspiration!

8:53 PM Becky Lynn and I just enjoyed another thrilling episode of Hawaii 5-0, filmed (in this case) on the Windward side of Oahu at a beach calked Lanikai. Oh, the fashions! And then there’s the scenery. One could see the Mokulua Islands and Mount Olomana in the background, along with Rabbit Island and the Mokapuu peninsula. To tell the truth, I could scarcely follow the plot line because my mind was focused on the huge waves breaking on the reef.

The reef at Kailua/Lanikai did not break very often, but when it did we couldn’t wait to paddle out and grab some good rides. The paddle was about a mile but worth the effort. Even if you’ve never touched a surfboard you can appreciate the wonder of the sport. Surfing is in my blood. Always will be. Even though the only surfing I do today is on my sofa.

6:51 PM Nobody drifts into the kingdom. You have to ask, seek, and knock before you can enter.

2:55 PM Jonathan Robie asks the question of the ages:Why not start with modern Greek when we teach Koine Greek? Indeed, why not? I’ll even up the ante. Why not have Greeks teach Greek? I wouldn’t learn German from a non-native speaker. Why should anyone want to take Greek from me?

So, from now on: Only Greeks teaching Koine Greek!

2:39 PM Don’t take yourself too seriously. Nobody else does.

1:58 PM Here’s a shout out and a huge “thank you” to my two assistants at the seminary, both bloggers of course (seeAlien in This Land and Jesus + Nothing = Everything). I’ve been working them pretty hard this semester, and I do want them to know that their labor is greatly appreciated.

1:47 PM It is only March 1 and the high today will be 80 degrees. Which means it’s time for yard work and prepping the garden. I simply can’t believe I will have to mow this weekend. And take a look at B’s garden.

Pretty unsightly, don’t you think? I plan to get started on clearing out one of these beds for Becky today. Got to take advantage of this gorgeous weather.

So, how’syour garden doing?

12:16 PM Becky has been as busy as a bee getting us ready for our first Ethiopia team orientation this Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00. There are many particular matters that need to be thoroughly understood before anyone can go to Ethiopia with us. We are not trying to do our own thing. We are not trying to implement “our strategy.” We are trying to do Jesus’ thing, and do it together. That’s why orientation is so important. If you avoid fellowship in the Word and in prayer, you will soon lose your direction and your joy. We are to yield all of our plans to Him. We are called to serve Jesus, but the shape of our service will be varied. We are not drones in a beehive but worker bees. We can work for Jesus in so many different ways. There is plenty of work to be done, but it cannot be done without prayerful and careful preparation. Jesus asks us to please Him. He requires us to do missions His way. How can we know His way without spending time in the Scriptures?

Our orientations are required, not optional. It is through these gatherings that the Spirit guides us, teaches us, encourages us, and strengthens us. And it is to be emphasized: We do not work as mavericks. Our work is done side by side with the Ethiopian church. Unlike so many missionary organizations, our goal is to follow the pattern of the book of Acts by working church to church (e.g., the churches in Macedonia helped the churches in Judea). That is a thumbnail sketch of what kingdom living is all about. The Body of Christ must support each other. I cannot go to Ethiopia and make believe that a church doesn’t already exist there. I am utterly opposed to any method of church planting and evangelism that refuses to cooperate with existing like-minded churches in other nations. You cannot sit on the fence regarding this matter. You have to decide. Relentlessly yet lovingly, the Scriptures call us back to the book of Acts as the model of churches willingly cooperating with each other. That is what Jesus set us to do. May He continually challenge His Body not only to do missions but to do missions His way.  

11:12 AM Just posted: My Academic Journey: Confessions of a Limping Greek Teacher.

8:26 AM Odds and ends …

1) The Church Relevance website has listed2012’s Top Churches to Watch in America. The whole article is worth pondering. I suppose if you enjoy reading about the techniques behind the “successes” of other churches, lists such as this one can be useful.

2) Goodadvice about writing from Alvin Reid:

Want to write? Start writing. No one has to read it. Well, maybe a friend who can critique it to make you better. And by no means does anyone have to pay you for it. The pay comes in the satisfaction that you are giving due diligence to fulfill your calling.

Another great essay from Alvin’s website.

3) William Jessup University announces an opening inOld Testament.

8:16 AM Michael Bird reports on his progress while writing a new book on the origins of the Gospels. Read Jesus, Eyewitnesses, and Memory. At this point it is difficult to know whether he will be dealing with the writings of the church fathers, but there is nothing is his brief post to suggest that he will. I do hope he does. Meanwhile, there are plenty of reasons why the fathers’ writings should not be overlooked. If you would like to get up to speed on their contribution to the question, I have published a short volume that retranslates their most important quotes about the Gospels from the original Greek and Latin (see myWhy Four Gospels?). With regard to the matter of eyewitness primitivity and memory, I have argued frequently here that Matthew’s Gospel as well as John’s are eyewitness products, and that Luke and Mark were commissioned by apostles (Paul and Peter respectively) to produce their versions of the life of Christ. A helpful summary may be found in my essay “The Historical Origins of the Gospels” (Faith & Mission 18 [2000] 21-47). The basic thesis of all of my work in the Gospels is that the internal evidence alone is not adequate to explain their origins, and that the rejection of the fathers’ statements has led to confusion in New Testament scholarship – a view not dissimilar to that held by William Farmer, formerly of Southern Methodist University. At any rate, Mike Bird is an excellent scholar and writer. I look forward to reading his work on the Gospels with eager anticipation.

8:02 AM Heartiest congratulations to Dom Henry Wansbrough. The former Chairman of the Oxford University Theology Faculty has been appointed to the Alexander Jones Professor of Biblical Studies chair at Liverpool Hope University.

He deserves that honor for many reasons, but I remember him mostly for his convening the Second Ampleforth Conference on the Gospels in April, 1983. It was in this major conference that G. D. Kilpatrick observed that modern textual criticism of the Gospels relied almost exclusively on the Two-Document Hypothesis. Once again we see clearly the interplay between textual criticism and source criticism. I sometimes tell my students that should the Two-Document Hypothesis ever be falsified, it would necessitate the rewriting a good number of commentaries on the Gospels, as most of them presuppose the priority of the Gospel of Mark. I would argue that Kilpatrick was absolutely correct in his observation, but the reality is that all of us must proceed on the basis of some sort of source theory whenever we practice textual criticism. Unfortunately, many young scholars are taught to practice Gospel criticism in a sort of circular fashion: they are required to use a critical text of the Gospels that presupposes the priority of the composition of Mark, and then they are asked to form their own impressions of the history of the text, which by now has all the marks of harmonization. Now, I am not against our students using the critical text. It is just that we must be careful to remind them no text of the Gospels is an unbiased text for the simple reason that no modern scholar can remain “neutral” with regard to the synoptic problem.

In any case, mega kudos to professor Wansbrough, whose inaugural lecture “Was Jesus a Pharisee?” sounds very interesting indeed.

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Thursday, March 31

9:18 PM Look who’s having a littlefun with Latin.

9:08 PM Katy Brown’s essayIs He Enough? is a reminder that mission work is far from glamorous. Sometimes it’s just plain dangerous for your health. She and her dad know. Read her testimony about the faithfulness of God and be blessed.

8:55 PM If you live in Dallas, you will want to try the Ghion Restaurant on Skillman Street. Never has Ethiopian food tasted better, especially the “tibs.” Tell them I said so.

6:33 PM Odds and ends …

1) Fresno Pacific University announces openings inPastoral Ministries, Intercultural Studies, andBiblical and Religious Studies.

2) Medea Benjamin and Charles Davis show us that, when it comes to war making,U.S. presidents don’t differ too much.

3) Steve Bedard links to some excellent works byStanley Porter.

4) Aussie John asks (and answers) the question:What is church?

5) Jody Neufeld’s latest devotional is awesome.  ReadLion Up!

6)Is Translation Possible?

7) Quote of the day (Graham Michael:

How we live out our finite, weak, and sinful understanding of greatness reveals that we don’t really believe Jesus’ understanding of greatness. In the Kingdom if we want to move upward we must in reality move downward to wash the feet of others. Christ modeled true greatness for us. We just must believe in Him and follow.

(Note: I’m partial to the author; he’s in my Mark class.)

4:45 PM If you are a Civil War buff (as I am you) have probably seen the movieGettysburg starring Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee and Jeff Daniels as Joshua Chamberlain. There’s an unforgettable scene that takes place on the first day of battle. Union cavalry General John Reynolds is in the copula of the Lutheran Theological Seminary when General John Reynolds of the Union I Corps rides up. “Thank God,” says a tearful Buford. “What goes, John?” asks Reynolds. “There’s a devil to pay,” replies Buford. “Can you hold?” inquires Reynolds. “I reckon I can,” says Buford. At this point, Buford descends from the copula and the two generals ride off toward the sound of battle on McPherson’s Ridge.

Actually, nothing like this ever happened. As General Reynolds, at the head of the Union I Corps, rode into Gettysburg that morning along the Emmitsburg Road, he passed through the town and then hurried on to the Chambersburg Pike in search of Buford. He found him on McPherson’s Ridge with his men, attempting to keep the enemy in check for as long as possible. The dramatized account of Reynolds and Buford meeting at the Lutheran Seminary and their verbal exchange is based on a completely discounted account filled with after-the-fact embellishments.

Perhaps there’s an application here to today’s study of the Gospels. Many New Testament scholars question the historical reliability of the four Gospel accounts of the life of Christ. They insist that the records are filled with after-the-fact embellishments — a fact that requires scholars to search for the “historical Jesus” beneath the accretions of tradition, much like peeking an opinion to its core.

For example, on one of the most important points of the Jesus story — the resurrection and the empty tomb — all the Gospels agree. Yet even when confronted with this evidence many people do not find the truth of the resurrection easy to accept. Nevertheless, belief in the resurrection of Christ is essential to our faith. Apostolic preaching confirmed it and even made it a condition of salvation: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). 

I wrote my bookWhy Four Gospels? not so much to argue for Matthean priority as to affirm the complete historicity and apostolicity of the Gospels. Early in my Christian experience I discovered that the Gospels were — and needed to be — central in my understanding not only of the Good News about Jesus Christ but of life itself. Only the cross of Jesus can supply meaning to life, and that is because the cross and the resurrection are an interwoven reality. Of one thing I am quite certain: Christianity is a historical faith. It is rooted and grounded in historical fact. No “leap of faith” is required to believe in Jesus. As I once heard Francis Schaeffer put it in Switzerland, you don’t have to put your brain in park or neutral to become a Christian. His cross is the center of all history. It is the crossroads of the universe. No one can avoid confrontation with it.

It is my prayer that skeptics may come to the Gospels with an open mind and heart, for there the living Christ is ready to meet Doubting Thomases in their pessimism and the travelers to Emmaus in their intellectualism.

4:22 PM The donkeys we were interested in have already been sold. Speaks well for Craig’s List!

11:05 AM Odds and ends …

1) One of our SEBTS students has just been accepted into the Th.M. program at nearby Duke. Congratulations Jody!

2) My friend Jon Glass sent along a link to this excellent piece calledLetter from a Minister about Patriotism in Worship. The next step, I suppose, would be to remove the American flag from our sanctuaries permanently. What a message that would send.

3) Speaking of misplaced patriotism, Allan Bevere writes thatWe Must Reject Christendom. Brother Allan is beginning to sound more and more like an Anabaptist!

4) “It was instructive to see that in 2009, based on survey results, the total value of congregational property in Southern Baptist Churches was….

$40,774,576,730.

Thus begins this amazing piece by Arthur Sido. If you are a Southern Baptist and are at all concerned about the extravagance and waste in our churches, you must read it — then act in such a way as to bring some common sense back into the way our churches spend the Lord’s money.

5) Becky and I are off donkey shopping today. She’s wanted one for years. Yes, of course, it will be an African donkey 🙂

10:47 AM This year marks the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. If you only visit one site this year, it must be Gettysburg. Perhaps no piece of ground in America is more revered. Because of a program promoted by park superintendent John Latschar, the park has largely been restored to its original 1863 appearance (if a piece of ground was bare then, it is bare now). If you do visit Gettysburg I strongly urge you to take an hour or so and follow the steps of the Confederate troops across the mile of open fields that separated the Union and Confederate lines at Gettysburg on the third day of battle.

As you finally step over the low stone wall that marked the Federal front line, think of the troops of both sides that met there, men who determined the fate of the war, men fighting for something they believed in. I will not debate here the appropriateness or advisability of “Pickett’s Charge,” but as you stand on the ground where Confederate General Lewis Armistead was mortally wounded and where Union General Winfield Scott Hancock was shot down, I can guarantee you will sense something of the bravery of the men of both sides. Be sure to walk to the Bryan House, where you will see the newest monument on the battlefield, which marks the “high water mark of the Confederacy” — the spot where the battle flag of the 11th Mississippi was found as it lay across the stone wall.

It is an irony in a war filled with ironies that this farm was the property of a freedman, Mr. Abraham Bryan, and thus the Confederate assault ended on the property of a freed slave.

There are many other points of interest at Gettysburg, of course, but few can equal the spot where the dreams of the South faded away.

Below: Reunion at Gettysburg in 1938.

Wednesday, March 30

7:58 PM More odds and ends …

1) We had another superb faculty meeting today. I am blessed to a part of such a wonderful seminary community. Lord, help me never to take it for granted.

2) Over at the Bethel Hill Baptist Church website, Becky has written an outstanding essay calledPersecution on the Hill. It is a must read (and I am totally unbiased).

3) Students: Don’t forget that Student Day is this Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00, with lunch at 11:30. The weather will be perfect.

4) ReadGod has given us the spirit of love! Craig is absolutely correct when he says that love and fear cannot reside in the same heart.

5) Looks like Matthew McDill, a former doctoral student of mine, is becoming quite the agrarian. His post onraising chickens reminds me of that famous line from the movie The Great Escape: “Zer vil be no escapink fwom zis camp!” 

6:57 PM This morning somebody emailed me a couple of questions about my bookWhy Four Gospels. Here are his questions, along with my answers.

Question:

I did have a couple of questions on your book, if you would be so kind. In naming your/Dr. Orchard’s hypothesis the “Fourfold-Gospel Hypothesis,” you compare it back to the “Two Gospel Hypothesis” advocated by Dr. Farmer, et al., which I take is similar to the original Griesbach. Would you say that review and analysis of the Patristic and historical data is the main differentiation between the two?

Answer:

Yes. The Farmer group appears to have given the external evidence a back seat. Some of them even date the Gospels much later than I would. Then again, the term “Fourfold-Gospel Hypothesis” reflects our desire to show that in the earliest church there was only ONE Gospel that was passed on in four different versions. Why there are 4 (and only 4) such accounts is a major question we sought to answer.

Question:

On page 22 you identify the 3 evaluation arguments as: i) the external evidence in the light of modern research; ii) the internal comparison of the gospel texts to discover their sources and their interconnections; and iii) show that no emergent hypothesis is credible unless it is viable in light of the know history of the church and the Roman Empire at the time. The first and third sound similar? The second sounds pretty much like the standard textual critical approach?

Answer:

Indeed we feel that the internal evidence is important, but only to corroborate what has already been established on the basis of the external evidence, which (as you can see) overwhelmingly supports the priority of Matthew’s Gospel. For example, we believe that the zigzagging effect is compatible with our theory – though it doesn’t prove it.

Let the discussion continue!

6:42 PM As you know, my exegesis of Mark class is student-led. Here’s an email from the student who conducted the class while I was in Texas.

Brother Dave,

Class was very enjoyable today, with a lot of lively discussion. We missed your presence, but I think all of us were also encouraged by how much you trust the word of God to speak for itself and for the Holy Spirit to teach us about Jesus. I was also encouraged by everyone’s equal participation…. 

Thank you, again, for modeling for us a reliance upon the word of God and for sending us out (in a sense) to do what you have been training us to do. Today was a good lesson in discipleship, though without any threat of persecution.

What a delightful email. Sheer empiricism teaches us that all learning is self-learning, and that the more we teach, the more we learn.

6:34 PM Odds and ends …

1) The Ninth Annual International Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism will take place August 7-12 in Hoddesdon, UK. For information, gohere. My thanks to Jim Sibley of the Criswell College for the tip.

2) Greek students! Check out some fabulous Greek vocabulary flash cardshere. They are based on our beginning grammar.

3) James White writes:A Little Greek Is a Dangerous Thing. I concur.

6:29 PM The United Methodist Bible teacher and Scripture lover Henry Neufeld has published a book about Calvinism. He tells us whyhere. Henry’s essay is a fine read. Case in point:

The Calvinists in my head aren’t necessarily the same as the Calvinists in the real world. One finds Calvinists involved in missions every bit as much as (and possibly more than) their Arminian brethren. I recall hearing John Blanchard, a Presbyterian evangelist, speak at a conference here in Pensacola. One of the questions he was asked was: “If you believe in predestination why would you be an evangelist? How can you accept both?”

His answer?

“Predestination is a doctrine, and I believe it. Evangelism is a command, and I obey it.”

I appreciate that simple and straightforward reply. Once again, common sense wins out in the great debate over divine sovereignty versus human responsibility.

6:21 PM Andy Bowden, who is my right hand man here at the seminary and a superbblogger, is on his way to Germany this weekend to meet with potential doctoral advisors. His visit reminds me of my first meeting in Basel with Bo Reicke in the university library.

The prodigal son couldn’t have had a warmer welcome. I can still remember how he shook my hand and said how glad he was that I had come to Basel. I knew immediately that I was glad too. If you think about it, pray for Andy as he travels to Germany. He will be in Munich, Bonn, and Göttingen. Ph.D. studies can be quite an experience. That experience can be bad or good – or even great. Mine certainly was the latter. Of course, that was all the Lord’s doing. He knew I would benefit from studying under Bo Reicke. A kinder man never graced any university campus. No one could know the man without having his or her life touched permanently. I will be forever grateful to God for that wonderful experience.

Below: Becky and me about the time of our Basel days. 

6:12 PM Greetings, bloggers and bloggerettes! We had a good trip to Dallas but are glad to be home. I had lots of good conversations with my father-in-law who spent 10 years of his life as a missionary to Ethiopia. Today he continues his work for the Ethiopian people by publishing his website,Good Amharic Books. This is a remarkable site. It offers, for free, hundreds of Bible study books in the Amharic language.

As a Bible translator, I was delighted when Mr. Lapsley told me the following story. It seems that just after World War II the famous American preacher Donald Grey Barnhouse made a visit to Ethiopia and met with His Excellency, Haile Selassie. He asked the emperor what he could do for Ethiopia. The emperor said, “Send us Bibles.” Then he handed Barnhouse a copy of the Scriptures in Amharic and gave him permission to have it printed in the United States. Eventually several shipments of Bibles were made to Ethiopia, and the copies were quickly distributed and widely used.

Until….

It seems that the version of the Amharic Bible they had printed contained a major typo. In Revelation 22:9, instead of the angel saying to John “Do not [worship me]” the text says “Do [worship me].” Upon discovering this mistake the Bibles were taken out of commission. Here’s the notorious page:

By the way, the difference between the correct rendering and the incorrect one is infinitesimal: Indatasagadin versus Inditasagadin – a difference of only one letter and an easy enough error to make, though some have opined that it was an intentional error made in order to support the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s doctrine of the worship of angels.

Bible translation is truly an amazingly difficulty work!

Saturday, March 19

9:40 AM Bid D, here we come. If you want to meet up, email me atdblack@sebts.edu. We’ll be in Dallas until Monday, March 28.

8:46 AM ReadHow to Care for and Pray for Japan.

8:40 AM Was the apostle Paul a missionary or a theologian? Great mindswant to know. More than anything, I think Paul was a missions mobilizer. God can use anyone who loves Jesus in the great task of missions. Paul’s life is a tremendous example of that. I urge you to follow his example. See an open door for the Gospel? Respond. Use whatever tools you have to get the message out. We need to learn how to get on with the basic living out of the Christian life, mobilizing people for missions and presenting the Gospel to the whole world. Do all you can to bring your local church into the missions vision. You don’t have to have a special calling to be a missionary. The Holy Spirit will enable every obedient follower of Jesus to obey His commission to take the Good News to others.

8:22 AM How important is it for us to welcome each other in the Body of Christ? Robert Jewett says extremely important. Read about his lecture on Romans 14-15here.

Unconditional acceptance does not mean that one is allowed to stay in the same place, but that one is accepted where they are at and throughout the journey of being conformed into the image of the Son.

I devote a chapter to this topic in my forthcoming Paul, Apostle of Weakness. If you sign on for the long haul as a Christian, you’re going to have to develop the capacity to draw near to others. “Where do I begin?” In the household of God, of course. This involves:

• developing a loving, serving heart

• being authentic and genuine with others

• risking rejection and misunderstanding by your family, friends, and church mates

• being an open, accepting person

• being other-centered

• refusing to be overly-critical or judgmental

You are committing yourself to “stick with the troops” in your battalion, sharing the risks and rewards of serving Christ. When you “mix it up” with others, expect to be misunderstood. Resist the urge to put everyone in a box — yours. Acknowledge diversity of opinion within the Body. Get rid of your non-redemptive and distorted perception of the way others are to think and act.

Paul is clear in Romans 14-15 that there will always be lesser and greater amounts of freedom in the church, depending on the issues involved. Give grace, and don’t allow your differences to paralyze your evangelistic efforts. On the other hand, don’t give in to “professional” weaker brothers and sisters. The fact is, you will never be able to conform to their petty legalisms. Remember, the world is not black and white. Surrender your narrow, self-imposed list of dos and don’ts, and then get on with the huge task of living relentlessly and relationally for the Gospel.

Friday, March 18

6:30 PM Why are we so easily deceived into thinking that bigger is better? We take pride in the enormity of our church buildings, the number of people we have in our congregations, and the size of our budgets. Isn’t this just selfish ambition? I propose to handle this issue in Godworld: Enter at Your Own Risk, my book on kingdom living. It is a deep and difficult subject. But it is worthy of reflection and must be tackled. Lord willing, I hope to get much of this writing done while we are in Dallas.

The tragic truth is that the American church is very unlike Jesus. 

2:15 PM Odds and ends …

1) Here’s thelatest update from Ethiopia. Many of you have been praying for the church there in recent weeks. Please don’t stop now.

2) Guess what we did today? Finished our 2010 Federal tax returns. Glad to have that done and over with.

3) A year ago I was preaching in Ethiopia with my translator Nigusse. An ideal translator is so much in sync with you that he even mimics your movements and gestures. If I get excited, he gets excited too. Truly, translators are the unsung heroes of mission work.

4) The Internet offers a vast array of websites for those wanting to get to know their Bibles better. Here’s a website I use all the time and highly recommend: The Bible Gateway. Virtually every translation is found here (and not only in English), for free. You probably won’t check all of them out, but they will definitely help you in your Bible study. It is an amazing resource.

5) Speaking of Bible study, check out the blog called Jon’s Journey. It’s all good, but I’ve linked to the section aboutNeeding Hell.

6) Thomas Hudgins’post from El Salvador is a reminder that suffering and danger are the lot of the Messiah’s followers. Inevitably we will share in His pain. The ancients had a saying: Per ardua ad astra, “through trials to triumph.” We are called, not to hide from danger, but to publicly confess who Jesus is and what He has done for us. This may mean suffering. It will mean taking up your cross and dying to yourself. For those of you who are serving Christ in the hard places of the world, I say: Thank you for the reminder of what it costs to follow Jesus.

7) A book on the Lord’s Supper that I co-edited is featuredhere.

8) Tomorrow Becky and I are on the road again, this time to Dallas to enjoy the hospitality of her mom and dad and get some R & R. I hope you’ll be praying for us.

Wednesday, March 16

7:12 PM Myinterview with Andy Cheung has just been posted.

6:30 PM Lloyd Ogilvie, former pastor of Hollywood Presbyterian Church and a popular speaker and writer, once spoke at a large convention. The woman who introduced him began with the words,

We have a very unusual privilege tonight. In our midst is without a doubt the world’s finest communicator. He is extremely sensitive, alert, compassionate, and wise. He can sense a person’s true needs immediately and speak just the right word to heal a hurt.

Dr. Ogilvie would later confessed that he felt both flattered and frightened at that point in the introduction. How could he live up to all that?

He didn’t have to.

As the woman came to the end of her introductory remarks, she said,

We are in for a tremendous experience tonight because this supreme lover of people is in our midst. Who is He? He is Jesus Christ. And now here is a man named Lloyd Ogilvie who will tell us about Him.

What a superb introduction!

6:21 PM Andy Bowden is on a writing spree. His latest essay isPreparing for studies abroad. It’s a great start if you’re thinking about studying overseas, as Andy is. You may find what he says about tuition in Germany a bit surprising.

6:13 PM Last night I checked out from the seminary library and read a wonderful biography of Mary Lee called Mrs. Robert E. Lee: The Lady of Arlington. Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee was aremarkable woman. A published author, she read Greek and Latin fluently. When she ordered a copy of Les Miserables she told the bookstore owner to send her a copy in either English or French, whichever was more readably available to him. But I was especially impressed with her deep relationship with the Lord Jesus as witnessed in her daily diary. Here’s but one of several unforgettable quotes I found:

“Lord, let me suffer any thing rather than have my heart turned away from Thee.” Mary Custis Lee, Prayer Journal, February 29, 1832.

It was her faith in Christ that sustained her through years of separation from her husband and the deaths of two of her children, not to mention the heartbreaking transformation of her estate into a military cemetery.

The book is available through Amazonhere. I highly recommend it to all Civil War buffs. I will be ordering a copy for Becky.

6:05 PM Oklahoma Baptist University announces an opening inReligion.

Monday, March 14

5:30 PM Great news from Ethiopia: Just got word that the team designated to repair our water system at the Galana clinic is traveling to Burji this week. Clean water is a must in any health clinic but especially one in southern Ethiopia.

5:23 PM Just had a hot date with Becky. We walked to the mailbox and back.

5:10 PM A reader sent along these comments:

I liked your post about the church having a healthy post natal environment and think that it’s important for our churches to have the Ananias and  Barnabas ministries. Its been my observation that people need encouraging…and I’m yet to meet someone who doesn’t need it.

How very true.

9:59 AM Monday Morning Miscellany …

1) Take theblogoholic test!

2) I thought I would work on the final French drain today but my back thinks this is a very bad idea and my back won the argument.

3) Alan Knox explains whychildren should be part of the church gathering.

4) Over at the Bethel Hill website, Becky has published two essays in recent days, one on theLord’s Supper and one onBeing China in the Lord’s Service.

5) Finally, pix of the cutest grandson you’ve ever seen:

9:43 AM Tomorrow our Greek class picks up in Mark 7, which contains three pericopes:

1) Jesus Upsets the Traditions of the Elders (7:1-23)

2) Jesus Commends the Faith of a Syro-Phonecian Woman (7:24-30)

3) Jesus Heals a Deaf-Mute (7:31-37)

The first point is significant: God’s Word always takes precedence over human tradition. Always. We need this reminder today, not least in our Baptist churches in which we passionately defend our traditions.

The second pericope is brilliant. It reveals the greatness of Jesus. Let others argue about washing hands. People matter more! Don’t you just love the wit and humor of this little cameo?

The third story is peculiar to Mark’s Gospel. But the miracle is nothing unusual for Jesus. It is wonderful that Jesus truly cares about the sick and suffering.

I am eager to see what the class does with the word pugme in verse 3. What in the world does it mean to wash one’s hands “with a fist”?

I’m also curious to see what the class says about the variant readings in verse 4, where our beloved Aleph and B are clearly wrong, not once but twice!

9:32 AM Does your church have a healthy post-natal environment? In a healthy church you’ll find both an Ananias to help you get started out as a new believer and a Barnabas to come alongside you and keep you encouraged and growing.

In Hawaii I suppose my Ananias was Rudy Ulrich. He was a mainland haole who had come to Kailua to lead people to Christ. He also pastored the First Baptist Church Windward. I shall never cease to be grateful for the help he gave others. I saw his concern for his converts over and over again — even for an 8-year old boy named Dave.

Later on, during my teen years, the Barnabas who took me under his care was Pastor Jim Cook of the International Baptist Church of Honolulu. He and his father had started a little Bible school in their church, and I and several other 16-year olds looked to them to help us grow roots of our own. Jesus lived the life of a servant, and so did Pastor Jim. It is an astonishing thing that he made such an effort to be a Barnabas to young men like me. Both Pastor Rudy and Pastor Jim were men who really cared and took trouble over people. I needed the strength, the encouragement, and the intellectual stimulation their lives offered.

Today it could equally be said that my church family at Bethel Hill displays that same kind of  love and affection for me and Becky. It’s very much the kingdom on display. Sunday School classes always start out with the Body sharing with fellow Christians some of the burdens in their hearts or the answers to prayer they are experiencing. And so the fellowship continues to grown, both spiritually and numerically.

Is personal caring important to you? It was to the earliest followers of Jesus. Have you been the recipient of such care? Then become its dispenser.

Sunday, March 13

5:58 PM Odds and ends …

1) Shout out to our dear friend Mrs. Montague of Bethel Hill. This precious sister in Christ turned a young 92 today. Happy Birthday to you!

2) Becky accompanied her mom this morning at church. Mrs. Lapsley played both the prelude and the offertory. I snapped this pic while they were practicing before the service. Mom played “Fairest Lord Jesus” and “Beautiful Savior.” Great blessing.

3) Rain is on its way tomorrow. No, I didn’t get this information from a meteorologist. My head’s telling me loud and clear. Thank the Lord for Maxalt.

4) Glad to see that Thomas and Lesly areback in El Salvador. 

5) One of my Greek students reflects on Mark 7 andThe Traditions of Men.

Saturday, March 12

6:12 PM One of my doctoral students, Paul Himes, knows some very special people who live in Japan — his parents. That will make you sit up and listen to him when he bares his soul about that great nation. ReadPrayer and Compassion for Japan. 

5:57 PM New essay on our home page:Why We Should Study the Gospels.

12:30 PM What are Baptists in the U.S. doing about the disaster in Japan? Gohere to find out.

11:11 AM Alan Bandy’s essayImitating Paul the Missionary is well worth your time. With impeccable and engaging prose, Alan writes:

I guess that I had unwittingly imprisoned Paul in the dusty office of a professor where he spent his days pouring over ancient texts and scholarly tomes. Professor Paul would eloquently expound on the finer points of theology and praxis as he writes to distant congregations. Missionary Paul, however, studies while traveling or during his visits to various cities. (perhaps he would frequent the library in Ephesus). Missionary Paul does theology in the context of communities of diverse ethnicity and background.  Missionary Paul seeks to stay connected to congregations of believers with a fierce devotion and parental concern. The letters of Missionary Paul, then, reveal numerous insights into the Gospel that he preached, his concern to demonstrate the inclusion of the Gentiles into the people of God, the challenges he faced from opposing teachers, and various issues affecting congregations.

Just think: The great apostle Paul was a missionary first and foremost. Before he was a theologian. Or perhaps, because he was such a great theologian.

I want to be like Paul, don’t you? 

9:06 AM Don’t forget: Tonight’s the night.

9:01 AM Quote of the day:

But there is to come a sight more grand, more terrific, more sublime, and more disastrous than anything earth has yet witnessed; there is to come a fire before which Sodom’s fire will pale to nothingness; and the inferno of continents will sink into less than nothing and vanity. In a few more years, my friends, Scripture assures us, this earth and all that is in it, is to be burned up. That deep molten mass which now lies in the bosom of our mother earth is to burst up—the solid matter is be melted down into one vast globe of fire; the wicked—shrieking, wailing, and cursing, will become a prey to these flames that will blaze upward from the breast of earth; comets will shoot their fires from heaven; all the lightnings will launch their bolts upon this poor earth, and it will become a mass of fire. But does the Christian fear it? No. Scripture tell us we will be caught up together with the Lord in the air, and will be forever with the Lord.

Read Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s Do Not Fear Disasters.

8:48 AM Yet more fallout from the devastating earthquake in Japan: The governor of Hawaii has declared astate of disaster in the islands. Below: a house floating in Kealakekua Bay.

In the meantime, the spiritual needs of the Japanese continue unabated. For a prayer profile, readThe Japanese of Japan.

7:53 AM Odds and ends …

1) Jay Voorhees has a big problem as a pastor: he’s also aweb designer.

2) My trip to the Wheaton Theology Conference will allow me to hearthese speakers.

3) In his latest book, Pope Benedict calls violence in the name of God aninstrument of the Antichrist.

4) Check out the website for the Voice of the Martyrs. Among other things, we discovered that VOM has speakers who are glad to come and talk in your church about persecution worldwide.

5) Speaking of persecution, Said Musa has been released from prison in Afghanistan and has left the country, according tothis report. This is a huge answer to prayer. In prison Musa wrote,”I can’t deny my Savior’s name. Because my life is just service to Jesus Christ and my death is going to heaven [where] Jesus Christ is. I am a hundred percent ready to die.”

6) Thomas Jefferson’s scrapbook Bible issent to the conservation lab.

7) Virginia Union University announces an opening in Christian Education.

Friday, March 11

8:31 PM Allan Bevere is certainly no flibbertigibbet. Once again he produces a rock solid essay, this time onforgiveness. The money quote:

We sure want to receive forgiveness when we know we need it, but to forgive those who ask us… that can be asking too much depending upon how greatly we believe we have been wronged. Perhaps our difficulty in forgiving is found in the unspoken assumption that the sins of others are more grievous than our own. Perhaps in a culture where it has become commonplace to demonize those who believe differently than we do, whose politics is other than our own, whose selfish motivations are labeled as nefarious whereas ours are simply mistaken… in that kind of culture it can be so very hard to forgive.

6:48 PM NPR just reported that many Japanese in Tokyo have taken refuge in Buddhist temples which have been opened as emergency shelters for the general public. I think it could be said that our churches in America have switched into a shelter/survival mode. We are running into temporary survival shelters called Christian concerts and Christian workshops and Christian Praisercise and Christian radio stations. This massive retreat from our post-Christian, secularized culture is due to a basic misunderstanding about the Gospel. The only kind of churches we want are the pragmatic kinds that show us how to be successful and how to have a perfect Christian family. Let’s face it. Why do we insist on planting yet another church in Raleigh when there are hundreds of churches there already? What motivates us to construct our extravagant and inefficient buildings at all? For many of us, Churchianity is as addictive as drugs or alcohol. Tonight this meeting, tomorrow that seminar. Where is the fruit that would authenticate our profession? But the good news is that we don’t have to remain in this retreat mode. There is a way out of the mess we have created for ourselves. We can get serious about Christ’s command to take His Gospel to the ends of the earth. What a great God we serve! We are attached to the Head so that we can be His Body in the world!

6:27 PM Just bathed the dogs. I don’t know who got wetter, them or me.

6:02 PM P. T. O’Brien’s 2010 commentary on Hebrews is reviewedhere. This made me smile:

On authorship, of course, the jury is still out, perhaps forever. Clearly it was not Paul (Heb 2:3).

5:36 PM There’s much truth here:

Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.

So said Goethe, and so say I.

4:58 PM Jeremy Zach identifies 11 Ridiculous Things That Keep Youth Groups From Growing. I’m no expert on the subject, but I do have a question for youth pastors and other youth leaders: Why are we entertaining our youth just at the moment in life when they most need to see biblical reality?

What would happen if we threw out all of our gimmicks for growth and instead treated our youth with all seriousness, exposing them to real-world mission field experiences? How about serving on the front lines of the Gospel? How about loving and sacrificing for others? The haunting question that must be asked about today’s youth ministries is this: “Isn’t it time to get out of the rut of self-development and raise the bar so that every young person who knows Christ is asked to go all out sharing Jesus with the publicans and sinners of our day?”

4:42 PM If you’re at all interested in Greek discourse analysis, take a look atthis interview with Will Varner of the Masters Seminary about his new commentary on James. In a nutshell…

My discourse analysis shows that James had a consistently applied idea of the Jewish “two ways” schema that is portrayed in what I call his  “peak” paragraph: James 3:13-18. There James portrays a bi-polar contrast between wisdom from above and anti-wisdom (wisdom from below). I believe that such a schema is stamped then on every other paragraph of the book. The readers, addressed as “brothers,” must choose to follow the Divine way or the human way. Each paragraph is opened by “brothers” plus an imperative command or a rhetorical question that provides the topic which is then applied within the paragraph.

1:02 PM Miscellany …

1) In case you didn’t know, we have a section on our website devoted entirely to the work of the Lord in Ethiopia. We tell it like it is — the good, and the not so good. It’s calledEthiopia Files.

2) Not sure that it matters very much, but the recent tsunami in Japan brought back plenty of memories of growing up in Hawaii and hearing the tidal wave sirens blaring at all times of day or night. We took those warnings very seriously in those days and left for high ground just as thousands did yesterday in Waikiki.

3) I haven’t forgotten about one of my doctoral students who is interviewing next week for a fabulous teaching position in another state. I couldn’t be happier and will be praying constantly for him.

4) I spent several hours yesterday going through my ms. one last time and still found mistakes. Nothing odd about that, by any means, but it’s still a little unsettling.

5) I’m taking the plunge and (Lord willing) will be traveling to Wheaton for this year’stheology conference. If you’re a blogger and/or prospective SEBTS student and would like to meet up, just let me know: dblack@sebts.edu.

Thursday, March 10

8:06 PM Odds and ends …

1) Took Becky out for Chinese buffet tonight. Lots of shrimp on the menu. I like shrimp. Shrimp will be in heaven. Guaranteed.

2) Praying about attending the ETS Southeast Regional Meeting March 25-26. Also about attending the Wheaton Theology Conference April 7-9. The latter’s theme intrigues me: “Global Theology in Evangelical Perspective.”

3) Becky’s mom arrives tomorrow for a week-long visit. You know what that means. Ethiopian food. 

4) Enjoyed a visit today from Jon and Matthea Glass (erstwhile missionaries to Burji). They came to pick up some beef. Took a long walk with them on the farm.

Note: As you can see, B’s hair is growing back nicely. In fact, she now has more hair on her head than I have on mine and I am seriously jealous.

9:10 AM Today God is calling every Christian to bondservant service to the world, even among our enemies. Please, please stop denouncing Islam. God is not interested in your demagoguery. He is looking for a lifetime of humble, behind-the-scenes service to the persecuted church —  and to its persecutors. Denounce Islam all you want, but that won’t make a whit of difference unless you are willing to put your own life on the line. Today God is calling out an army of radicals who will feel His heartbeat and accept His call to live a life of Christian servanthood.

8:53 AM Persecution quote of the day:

We often think of persecution and martyrdom as something that happens to Christians in pagan lands at the hands of Muslims or some tribal people or Communist governments. It is vitally important to remember that for much of Christian history, most Christians were put to death by other people who claimed to be Christians.

ReadThe Death of Balthazar Hubmaier.

8:34 AM Hard for me to believe that it was exactly a year ago during my spring break that Becky and I spent two weeks in Ethiopia. Unlike our trip last summer, when we took 21 others with us, this time it was just Bec and me, and our purpose was singular: to get reconnected to the people. Seems a huge waste to take so many photos and not share some of them with you, so here goes.

First off, here’s Becky Lynn being greeted in a village in faraway Burji. Young and old alike turned out in swarms to welcome “Mama Becky” back home.

I do not recall just who this woman was, but when she saw me she made a beeline for me and hugged and hugged on me.

I may never see this precious saint this side of heaven again, but God knows exactly who she is. He knows her entire past history — her sorrows, her burdens, her griefs, her joys. He understands her. He loves her. The poor women of Ethiopia: they are often treated like scullery maids. How precious they are to Becky and me.

I’ll never forget this reunion in Burji:

Because of timely medical intervention, Becky was able to provide emergency care for this precious wife and mother. She lost her baby but she herself survived. Here she is overwhelmed by joy to see Becky again. Note, too, the older women waiting in the wings to hug on their daughter. This is how it is everywhere we go in Ethiopia. Becky is truly an Ethiopian, though this fact is somewhat obscured by her white complexion.

In Burji we went to the clinic to pray over a young lady named Ake who had been shot by the Gujis while out in the fields.

When Becky examined her I could tell the case was desperate: sepsis had infiltrated her entire body. The next day our sister departed to be with the Lord. While in the clinic we noticed this patient holding her infant.

Turns out the lady was Bogalech, a leader among the women of the Burji church. Her child had stopped growing and refused to put on any weight. The Lord allowed us to bring bring Bogalech and Tiblett to Addis. I am glad to report that today Tiblett is doing well though her development will never be “normal.” Have you ever seen a sweeter baby?

B and I had plenty of opportunities to address the flock everywhere we went. Here Becky speaks to a group of believers in Alaba, where (as you know) the persecution has been severe of late.

Here I am sharing the Good News to a group of villagers in Burji. My teaching in group settings is very simple — usually a Scripture and a parable/story.

Of course, everywhere we went Becky’s wig was a huge hit with the ladies.

I wish I could tell you how precious and dear these three men are to us. Time would fail me.

Here they are picking up the Sabers and loud speakers for our churches in Burji. (For a report, gohere.) On other trips we’ve picked up Amharic Bibles in Addis for distribution down south. Our Bible Memory Program is rigorous (you must memorize and recite perfectly 9 passages of Scripture), but that has not stopped thousands of Ethiopians from completing it, many of them children.

Speaking of children, it is a fact that over half of Ethiopia’s population is under 17 years of age. Children are ubiquitous. And they are always eager to practice their English. Let’s see, what to teach them….?

Well, I hope you enjoyed your visit to Ethiopia. We need to be praying for the church there as it faces opposition from the enemies of the cross. We also need to be praying for God’s guidance as to how we should use our vacations and holidays. Can this time be used for kingdom work instead of being used selfishly? Satan has a thousand little traps to keep us from being about the Father’s business. We need to compare our lifestyles continually against that of the Scriptures. Remember: Only those soldiers that go to the battlefield get shot at and wounded. If we were submitting our time to the Lord of the harvest, how would our lives be different? 

Wednesday, March 9

5:35 PM Since I first published Paul, Apostle of Weakness way back in 1984, the church has seen many changes. Many of these involve technology. My dissertation was typed on a machine called a typewriter. Today the typewriter is a museum piece. Today we enjoy so many advantages I lacked when I was a student: the internet, Twitter, Face Book, blogging. These changes have all been for the good, and I embrace them.

Still, some things never change. Here are a few of them:

• Christian education is still likeness education. We become like those with whom we study. So let us choose wisely.

• Power to love the lost is still a supernatural thing. Only the Spirit can impart such love. He alone stirs us out of our apathy and into service.

• Persecution is still a mark of the normal Christian life. No true follower of Jesus can die and rise with the Master and still live peaceably with this world.

• Barriers still exist. The educated versus the uneducated, the haves versus the have-nots, Republicans versus Democrats. Christians truly comprise a third race — and we should live that way by rising above these barriers.

• Education still opens doors. If you’re well-educated, use your degrees for the Lord. My Basel doctorate has opened some unbelievably wide evangelistic doors for me. Of course, in the Body of Christ, degrees mean nothing. The kingdom is flat.

• We still need to share our faith with the lost. Relationally and relentlessly. The Christians who brought the Gospel to Antioch (Acts 11) were impelled by one thing: their concern for others.

• The ministry of the Word is still necessary. And not just by “preachers.” I mean individual Christians wrestling with what they read in their Bibles. I mean small groups giving priority to Bible study. I mean using the Scriptures both as a guide for daily living and an instrument which which to share Christ with others.

• We still need to care for new believers. The goal is not decisions but disciples. We Baptists should be ashamed of our inflated membership statistics. New converts must get settled in the basics of the Christian life.

• The church must still care for the hungry and needy. My preaching among the fierce Guji tribe of Ethiopia did not take place in a vacuum. Seeds were distributed to the villagers, and our acceptance was at least partly due to the loving practical assistance that was offered in the name of the Savior.

• Shared leadership remains a priority. It can make a huge difference in our churches not least by preserving us from the idiosyncrasies of one person.

In a word, the times may have changed, as well as the means by which we communicate with each other, but there are certain aspects of basic Christianity that will never be passé.  

5:03 PM Bradley McLean of Knox College announces that hisnew Greek grammar will appear this year. I wish it well!

2:10 PM It seems beyond question that the evangelical church in America is divided beyond repair. (This is not the case in many other countries in the world, including Ethiopia, where evangelicals work side by side and hand in hand for the Gospel.) I think we can agree that the topic is an important one. Perhaps I’m being unduly optimistic, but I think Arthur Sido points us to the correct answers in his latest blog post calledHow to change a culture of accepted disunity.

12:33 PM Right now I am paying our household bills. Luke 14:30 reads, “This person began to build but couldn’t finish.” I assume the person ran out of money and couldn’t pay the bills as they came due. Beginning Greek students, may I apply this to our class? It is not enough to start. Yes, I realize it’s costing you more than you had anticipated. The first flush of the new venture has long since worn off and Greek class is now simply putting one foot in front of the other. Perhaps the cost is more than you thought. But I beg you to believe me — the rewards are worth the investment. And if I can help you in any way please let me know. I am here to serve you. Even during my week off.

12:14 PM Tim Challies’review of Love Wins by Rob Bell is a reminder that exegesis matters. Greek matters. The seeds of this debate may well have been planted in a faulty understanding of language and linguistics.

12:03 PM Pat Buchanan wants to know where we get the moral or legal right toattack Libya. In my opinion, it is impossible to know whether violence will be effective toward the ends that are posited. This is self-evident when we look at Iraq, where the government in recent days has been clamping down (with the use of force) on innocent protestors. We ask, “We spent our blood and fortune for this?” Buchanan is correct: a no-fly zone over Libya will require us to attack a sovereign nation that has never attacked us. At the very least this would require a congressional declaration of war. As for us Christians, I see in Libya a reminder of two things:

1) The power of weakness. There is a strength involved when the weak and oppressed masses begin to protest.

2) The weakness of power. Power corrupts, and governments that wield it unjustly will one day have to answer to the people.

What might a Christian response look like in Libya? Based on my reading of the Gospels, Christians are under no obligation to enforce what governments sanction through violence. We do not ask, “How can we defeat the pro-government forces?” Nor do we ask, “How can we support militarily the anti-government forces?” Instead, Christian doctors might volunteer their medical services to treat the wounded (of both sides) in the name of the Prince of Peace. They would show a watching world that Jesus’ kingdom transcends political boundaries. Indeed, Jesus renounced the justified insurrection of the Zealots of His day. In my view, this is not the time in human history to give up on the claims of the Jesus of the Gospels that Christian ethics must be transmuted in apolitical forms.

11:26 AM During the American Civil War the cavalry tactics of George Armstrong Custer became the stuff of legend. Of the Union’s Generals, only Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan were held in higher regard by the public. The Boy General had found his calling, and he was very good at it. Why am I mentioning this? Because Custer graduated at the very bottom of his class at West Point. And he earned his worst grades in — want to guess? — cavalry tactics! By all accounts, Custer hated book learning. On the job training suited him much better.

Although I am a classroom teacher by profession and have been at it for some 34 years, I assure you, everything of significance you will ever learn you will learn from experience, not in a classroom. The crucible of life is realistic, nontechnical (usually), and free from perfectionistic demands. Essentially, Christianity is a Way of life. Biblical principleswork. If they didn’t, I would never waste your time or mine by writing this blog. Life is a place for biblical truth to be fleshed out, regardless of our educational status or attainments. It’s lengthy, costly, messy — and just plain hard work. But when you consider the alternative, it’s well worth the effort. 

11:12 AM I began my revision of Paul, Apostle of Weakness well over a year ago. It’s one thing to say, “I’m going to republish my dissertation.” It’s another thing entirely to get the thing finished. One famous author put it this way:

Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him about to the public.

Winston Churchill’s comments on book writing are certainly fitting. Now it’s on to other writing projects!

Tuesday, March 8

7:57 PM More on thechurch burnings in Jimma, Ethiopia.

5:58 PM Odds and ends …

• The Germans have a saying: Aller Anfang ist schwer (“Every beginning is difficult.”) That includes getting started in blogging. Here’sproof.

• Justin Stratis, a Ph.D. student under John Webster at the University of Aberdeen, responds to the Rob Bell controversy withIf There Is a Hell.

• How does your seminary shake out? Find outhere.

• Matt Capps has published hisintroductory sermon to Philippians. Well done, Matt!

• MoreResources for Greek students.

• Arthur Sido reviewsMere Churchianity (“This is a book for those who see more to the church than pulpits, pews and handshakes in the foyer”).

5:42 PM Today I finished, by the grace of God, my revision of Paul, Apostle of Weakness. I had lots of barriers that had kept me from this task, mostly specious ones, i.e., lame duck excuses. I have found that growing older has its challenges that are impossible to escape. Strange things occur. What once was easy becomes a bit more complicated. Writing requires more mental energy than it did when I was a freshly-minted D.Theol. Age breeds tendencies that must be brought under control. Procrastination is one of them. So is the tendency to kick up one’s heels and say, “I’ve paid my dues.” One thing is for sure: I’m a lot more weather-beaten now than I was when the first edition of the book came out. Still, I have an enormous desire to write books that God has placed within me. Writing is a lot like physical exercise. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Yesterday I set a “workout” goal, and today I’m done. I hope to have the book off to the publisher by the end of the month. I’ve updated both the bibliography and each chapter. I’ve also used inclusive language throughout and have transliterated all Greek and Hebrew words. It’s been a fun, painful, frustrating, and extremely rewarding process, all at the same time. I still can’t believe that this was my very first published book, and that it is to have a “phoenix” moment. I’m warning you, though: Studying about God’s strength-in-weakness goal for Christians can be dangerous. I am not a new Christian. I have been walking with the Lord Jesus for 51 years. Yet there is no single area of my Christian life that does not need significant improvement. If the result of this book is to drive us all to our knees and to a reexamination of our weaknesses in the light of the Scriptures, then I will be well satisfied.

Below: The old (left) and the new (still in manuscript form):

Monday, March 7

8:23 AM Wow, if this isn’t true!

Is there a ministry in your church or something at your office that you just do to be doing, yet it is bearing no fruit? Why do you keep doing it? Habit? Security? Fear of change? If it isn’t bearing any fruit, then you and I are wasting time aren’t we? I no longer fear pruning. Sometimes it just has to be done.

ReadPruning.

8:12 AM Still more on theclashes in Jimma. The report concludes:

Jimma and its vicinities are not new for such religious conflicts. Hundreds were killed after clashes between Muslims and orthodox Christians six years ago. Currently a number of Protestants are fleeing the conflict areas and sheltered in the compound of the office of Union of Evangelical Churches Ministry in Jimma. Kale Hiwot church is hosting another 27 families who fled from the violence. Some people are also sheltering in Mekane Yesus church.

Note: “Kale Hiwot” is the largest Protestant denomination in Ethiopia and is baptistic in its structure and polity. “Mekane Yesus” refers to the Lutheran church in Ethiopia. 

7:58 AM Odds and ends …

1) “Tomorrow morning I begin my new job with JCB.” Thus beginsthis powerful blog post by Eric Carpenter. We wish you well, Eric, as you begin your new job today!

2) My colleague Bruce Ashford asks,Missions and Seminary Education: A Match Made in Heaven or Hell?

3) Time to get the lawn mower out again. Green is back!

4) Before I forget, here’s Bloomberg’s take on thepersecution in Ethiopia.

5) Graham Michael mounts an assault on “Celebrity Christianity” in his excellent essayLabels and Division.

6) My goal this week (it is spring break) is to finish my revision of Paul, Apostle of Weakness. This has been a wonderful project for me in every way, but I just can’t seem to wrap it up!

7:35 AM Quote of the day (Dietrich Bonhoeffer):

The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential.

Sunday, March 6

7:12 PM This email prayer came today:

Brother Dave. I praise the Lord for you and sister Becky’s continued love for all the saints. I praise him for your continued remembrance of his body which is persecuted and your stepping out to support them. I praise our Lord for your continued hospitality for those who are in need and the ministry of encouragement that you both have. I pray that the Lord will quicken his hand of healing over your lives; that he will continue to cause you to be fruitful and effective in love; through your combined ministry of impacting and imparting wisdom and grace to those you teach and serve in the many ways you do. 

I continue to pray that the Lord will cover you with a blanket of peace; which will allow your minds and bodies to rest. May our Lord give you the ability to truly be able to give Him all your anxious thoughts; tell him about your fears and doubts in any area that troubles you and that only the peace he can give will cover, fill and flow through you both and not only you; but your family. Today I also join in and say Amen with your prayers for any family and friends whom have not yet come to know the grace of our Lord. 

Nice little serendipity. I print it here with permission of the author. To him and to all who pray for us regularly: thank you very much for your love for us. We feel we do not deserve your love. But we accept it with gratitude.

6:48 PM Persecution alert: Just received an email from friends in Ethiopia that Muslim extremists have attacked and burned down 40 church buildings and a Bible school in and around the city of Jimma. Two people are known to have lost their lives in the rampage. I’ll have more news when I receive it. Pass the word and pray. 

6:36 PM End of a very busy day. This afternoon was spent in major moving operations here at Bradford Hall. I just calculated that we completed 17 tasks today. These included moving one buffet cabinet, one shrank (i.e., standup closet; these first two items we brought back with us from Basel in 1983), one clavinova, two bookshelves, two file cabinets, two dressers, two bunk beds, one desk, and –outside — we loaded two huge trailers with lumber. Five families from Bethel Hill joined us in the work. A huge Rosewood Farm THANK YOU to Leigh, Marshall, and Thomas Humphries (along with their friend Carson); Woody and Lendon Jacobs; Chris Jacobs; Marshall and Sandy Clayton; and Jason, Stacie, and Garrison Hatley. Becky and I want you to know: You are family. Feel free to drop by anytime, not only on “work days.”

We all got quite a workout today. We’ll feel it tomorrow I’m sure. Our goal in rearranging the furniture? We wanted to make it easier for when B’s mom and dad come to visit us. Now their sleeping quarters will be downstairs. Also, this fall we plan on providing free room and board for two seminarians. They will be international students, each from a different nation. Becky and I have a special place in our hearts for foreign students since we ourselves were international students at one time.

Pix (of course):

7:44 AM I am very excited for my friends Alvin Reid and Matt Capps, both of whom are beginning a series on the book of Philippians today. It is amazing to me how an understanding of the entire structure of the book helps to clarify and disambiguate lower level constructions such as phrases and clauses. Here are but three examples:

1) In 2:12, Paul says “work out your own salvation.” Dos this refer to one’s individual spiritual salvation or to something bigger and broader? Well, remember that this letter is addressed to the church as a whole, and that Paul has just warned the believers in Philippi to do nothing from selfishness. Instead, they are to regard others as more important than themselves and look out for the interests of others (2:1-4). Hence “salvation” here seems to be a reference to the health and corporate well-being of the church, which has been under duress because of various factions in its midst. (Note 2:14: “Do all things without grumbling and complaining” is but a very practical example of the outworking of their corporate wholeness.)

2) In 2:16, are we to render the Greek “holding forth the Word of life” or “holding fast to the Word of life”? The Greek permits either rendering. The participle epechontes may mean “hold on to” something, but the emphasis of the entire book is on living for the sake of the Gospel, putting the Good News first in our lives (1:27). This we do by “holding forth” the life-giving Word. In Homer the term is used for holding a cup to a thirsty person’s lips or the offering of a breast to a baby. Clearly, then, the reference here is to missionary activity in spreading the Gospel.

3) In 4:5 we read: “Let your gentleness be known to all people. The Lord is near.” The Greek term epieikes, translated here “gentleness,” means (according to BDAG) “not insisting upon every right or letter of the law or custom; yielding; humble, kind; courteous; tolerant.” The NEB renders the term “magnanimity” while Hendricksen prefers “big-heartedness.” Paul is saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Be willing to meet others half way. Stop insisting on having everything your way.” After all, the Lord is near; He is coming soon to right all wrongs. The Philippian church, divided by backbiting that had left deep teeth marks, surely needed this word of exhortation.

Alvin and Matt, I’ll be praying for as you exposit this wonderful epistle. Please keep us updated on your Twitter accounts as to how things are going.

7:15 AM An Open Letter to my Exegesis of Mark class:

Dear Students,

I hope you’re enjoying as much as I am our study of the Gospel of Mark and its bold look at what it means to follow Jesus. My own study of the sixteenth century Anabaptists forever changed the way I looked at Christian discipleship. As John Howard Yoder was fond of saying, the Anabaptists did not reinvent Christianity; they simply rediscovered its radical character. For example, they were content to call each other “brother and sister” because Jesus had made it clear that honorific titles had no place in His kingdom. They refused to slavishly follow church traditions. In Zürich, the Anabaptist movement began with the expectation that the Zwinglian movement might indeed “go all the way” with reformation. For them, the New Testament provided no warrant for infant baptism or for the union of church and state. They “saw things differently” you might say — and that is precisely my goal for you, my Greek students.

My prayer is that this course might be a training ground for cultivating an ability to see things differently and, thus, to see things truly. We can no longer aim to live “the good Christian life” as advertised in Christian magazines. I’m convinced that, if we would adopt a truly Christian lifestyle, we would turn our world upside down for Christ. Jesus’ disciples knew this. They lived a lifestyle that matched their responsibility to a lost world. It showed as they went forth, two by two, to preach and heal. It showed by their detachment from the worship of earthy things. It showed.

Jesus made no apology for demanding our ultimate allegiance. If we’re not putting His kingdom first, then why in the world are we studying the Gospels?

Yours in the Lamb,

Dave Black

Saturday, March 5

6:14 PM To our good friend Aussie John and his dear wife Valerie:

Happy Wedding Anniversary!

6:04 PM Mark Stevens hasrediscovered the value of the NRSV. Mark, inScribes and Scripture: New Testament Essays in Honor of J. Harold Greenlee (which I was privileged to present to Harold at the annual SBL meeting in 1992), Bruce Metzger contributed an excellent essay on translational issues in the NRSV New Testament (he served as General Editor). If your theological library has a copy of this book, I think you’d enjoy reading Metzger’s essay. Among other hot button issues he discusses is the use of inclusive language.

3:30 PM More odds and ends …

1) Alan Knox thinks the head of the church should be paid more than others. I’m not making that up.He really does.

2) One of my favorite writers on the relationship of church and state answers the question:How should Christians view the political process? 

3) Kevin Baker provokes thinking in hisWhy I like FB (but am still giving it up for Lent).

4) Craig Bennett comes up with themillion dollar quote of the day.

5) I’m pleasantly surprised to see this essay over at Cryptotheology:Reading Greek without translating in your head.

6) It’s been a while since I linked to anything by Greg Boyd, but his latest essay provides some valuable insights intoRob Bell’s latest book (which Greg has actually read).

7) David Ker wants some help in interpreting acouple of passages in Philippians. (A peripheral comment if I may: Wouldn’t a perusal of the major Greek exegetical commentaries on the book be a good place to start?) 

2:16 PM I wrote the following report after attending the 2010 SBC Convention in Orlando. I believe what I wrote then is still relevant today. 

The Future of Southern Baptist Missions

This summer I attended the SBC convention in Orlando. How was it? Expensive. The seminary very graciously put me up in the Hilton. Not cheap. However, I noticed a nearby Days Inn whose rooms went for half the price. That’s where I spent my second night. Felt good to be able to save the school some money. Besides, little David had something Goliath lacked: An internet terminal in the lobby where guests could check their email. Gotta have that! I met lots of people, both colleagues and students (former and prospective). Jason Hall did an absolutely phenomenal job of setting up and managing the SEBTS booth. David Allen sauntered by one day, as did many other good friends.

Multiply these encounters a hundredfold and you’ll understand why these conferences are so much fun. I don’t know how many messengers attended this year’s meeting but the place was packed solid. The SEBTS luncheon on Wednesday, at which both Danny Akin and Johnny Hunt spoke, was fantastic. I came away from the convention with a new realization that a Great Commission resurgence will not begin at the denominational level. It will end there. A Great Commission commitment must begin in our homes and marriages, and then in our local churches, each one of them. This is clearly the pattern of the book of Acts. The church at Antioch, the world’s first missional church, is proof of that. As I came to this realization, I was filled with excitement. Clearly missions is now possible on a scale as never before. I’m not talking about professional missionaries only. The work of the Great Commission will certainly include them. But the work is much broader than that. The playing field has been leveled as never before. It is level in the sense that everyone can now be a player, and in venues once thought impossible. Just do a Google. I did so the other day and found an interesting site, in Iraq of all places. A new American University has just opened there and is willing to pay you to be a fulltime missionary to Iraq — as long as you are willing to teach business or English. Here education, as it so often has done in the past, is leading the way in breaking down walls and knitting the world together. The dynamic behind this globalization in education is practically begging us North Americans to capitalize on it. (I am tempted to grab a quick degree in ESL and apply for the job myself.)

Let’s say you want to do missionary work in China. Did you know that secular Chinese universities are hiring Americans to teach courses in biblical studies? A couple of years ago I got an email from an American scholar who was taking a sabbatical in China and teaching at Shanghai University. He wrote to tell me he was using my beginning Greek grammar in one of his courses. I was flabbergasted. Here was an American evangelical teaching both Greek and New Testament Introduction in a Chinese university, at the expense of the Chinese. In Dalian — China’s silicon valley — there are 22 universities and colleges with over 200,000 students. Most of these ambitious young people are eager to study English. The era of top-down missions — where all missionaries are professionally trained — is rapidly vanishing. Something infinitely more satisfying is arising alongside the traditional model. The faster the transition, the greater the potential for involving larger and larger numbers of “laypeople” (you and me) in the cause of the Great Commission. This flattening of world missions has the potential to unlock pent-up energies for hundreds of thousands of North Americans, Southern Baptists included.

It is impossible to exaggerate how important this development is. Couple this with developments in communications and transportation and the world has become not only flatter but a lot smaller. Becky’s missionary parents traveled to Ethiopia for the first time in 1954. Their trip by freighter took 6 weeks. Today we can fly from Washington DC to Addis Ababa in a mere 19 hours. Moreover, wherever you’re going, there’s probably a job skill God can use. Working in a secular job while actually being a fulltime missionary may sound rather routine and dull. But these jobs often pay well, and you have a natural venue for establishing relationships with a view toward sharing the Good News. In addition, biblical education is possible as never before. It’s is no longer campus-centered, and you can easily educate yourself — even in Greek and Hebrew — online. When Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft, his goal was to provide every individual “IAYF” — information at your fingertips. His success is obvious.

The global information revolution has impacted missions. The world is now connected, and it seems that nothing will stop the digital representation of practically everything. Back when my in-laws were working in Ethiopia, this infrastructure was missing. Now everyone is online — writing, blogging, tweeting. (Personally, I believe HTML is the greatest invention of the twentieth century, since it has allowed average people like me to author web pages with ease.) We have reached a point in missions that almost any of us can become personally involved, whether it’s by going or informing or teaching via one’s website. The great thing about modern missions, as I heard over and over again at the convention, is that anyone and everyone can be involved. Indeed, everyone ought to be involved. Even a Facebook page or a Twitter account can become a powerful evangelistic tool in this day of social networking. In other words, once the idea that every Christian is a fulltime missionary is accepted, the work of missions will advance with much less hierarchy — and much less wasted money. In time, I think we will see a new equilibrium emerge in which professionally-trained missionaries will work side-by-side with an army of volunteers in a low-friction environment that enhances cooperation.

For me, working in Ethiopia is a dream come true. When Becky and I went to Ethiopia in 2004 our sole purpose was to see the places in her childhood that shaped her. Today we make two trips a year. There are many professional missionaries working in Ethiopia, but Becky and I have still found plenty of room to maneuver in places where most foreign missionaries would never think of going. As with blogging, where an army of citizen journalists has matched the official media outlets in the information gathering and disseminating routine, today there is an army of citizen missionaries harnessing the power of the Spirit and channeling it into significant ministries. And as never before, these ministries can stay connected. It is impossible to gauge the impact of the internet on the SBC, but when you hear Johnny Hunt say that he read hundreds of tweets during the Orlando convention it is clear that the social media are successfully monitoring the news. My generation had to adapt to the internet, but the current generation is growing up online. (I once read that one third of grade school students have their own email addresses.) The bottom line of what I am saying: It’s time for us to wake up to the fact that there is a fundamental shift talking place in the way many of our churches are thinking about missions. We face the potential of tapping into the energy and abilities of five times as many people as before. As missions becomes flattened, local churches will realize they can plant other churches or send out missionaries themselves. The missions “connection” will move from vicarious support of foreign missionaries via missions giving to raising up local personnel and sending them forth. “Let’s get the job done!” is a rallying cry I’m hearing from more and more Southern Baptists. And the students I’m seeing these days in seminary are like Swiss Army Knives — sharp and adaptable. This is what happens when the missionary enterprise is no longer outsourced. Collaborative innovation flourishes — and the result is expanded involvement on all levels in the Great Commission.

The point I took away from Orlando was a simple reminder: We are all fellow missionaries. The Body of Christ is moving into a world where less and less of the work of global evangelization is being outsourced. When we develop a missional mindset, we get rid of the notion that missions is only for others. We are moving into a world where more and more of us will do the work of an evangelist. In the meantime, missionary communications are being revolutionized. During the Orlando convention I kept up with a friend’s mission trip to Greece via his tweets and twitpics. (I imagine he was keeping up with the convention as well.) In short, my two days in Orlando showed me that there is potential for our priorities to get completely reshuffled — with an accompanying awareness that missions is ultimately the responsibility of local churches — yours and mine. As I said earlier, a Great Commission resurgence will not not happen in the convention without it happening in my own life. Let’s face it: We can say we are “Great Commission Christians” until we are blue in the face. Meanwhile, the world is going to hell. Recently the BP chairman apologized for the oil spill and added: “We made it clear to the president that words are not enough. We should be judged by our actions.” Southern Baptists need to hear that loud and clear. More and more of us are asking which of our values are worth preserving and which should disappear. I hope that all of this gets sorted out at the denomination level (and I predict that it will). But even if it doesn’t, there is nothing to keep me and my local church from doing all we can to help advance God’s kingdom on earth, both through our support of the CP and through our personal involvement.

1:24 PM The news you’ve all been waiting for:

SUCCESS!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. After a trip to Ace, I laid out all my tools like a good surgeon.

Then I fitted together the new pipe and coupling to the old copper tube and threaded it through the holes into the crawl space.

Working mostly by feel, I then glued together the two pieces of PVC.

After a few minutes to let everything dry came the moment of truth. I turned the water back on and everything worked. And it wasn’t that hard either — no harm, no foul, no blood, no ambulance (as Chick Hearn used to say during the Lakers games in Los Angeles).

Thanks to everyone who wrote in to sympathize with my plight. One of you asked:

Brother Dave, how is your son and daughter-law and Nolan? You don’t speak much of them any more is Nathan not around to help you with the pipe?

To which I replied:

Extremely busy. Saw Nolan and Jessie yesterday. Both looked great. Nolan is beginning to talk. Nate is gone almost every day from dawn to dusk on construction projects (his building skills are in great demand). So I’m giving them lots of space and privacy to establish their own business, family style, boundaries, identity, etc., as every new family deserves.

We’ve divided operations: Nate, Jess, and Co. will do the farming, and I will simplify (in my “old age”) and stick to Bradford Hall repairs — since I’m so good at them. Right now I’m watching Nate on the tractor spreading fertilizer in the fields getting ready for haying. Beautiful.

As you can see, I’m trying to step up to the plate when it comes to home repairs and such, which I should have done years ago. It was always so much easier to lean on my capable son. But those days are gone forever — and for the better!

P.S. No, I didn’t forget to water Becky’s flowers.

9:54 AM Odds and ends …

1) Becky’s attending a women’s conference in Roxboro all day today. Praying it is edifying for everyone in attendance.

2) Just received an email from a missionary in Asia who has been using ourGreek DVD set. He writes: “The DVDs, yes I received them in mid-January I believe and have been thoroughly blessed by them! Reading the chapter once, watching the DVD lecture, and reading again has been very fruitful. ” What a blessing!

3) Here’s the latest on thebrouhaha over Rob Bell’s new book. The author raises some good questions: “Is the blogosphere the new council?  Where is the authority?  What are the boundaries as to how the discussion should proceed?  Should we be airing our issues for all the world to see in such a public format?”

4) I ran into Lloyd Williamson at Ace Hardware yesterday. Lloyd went with us to Alaba back in June of 2007. I’ll never forget the first time an Ethiopian held his hand while walking. The Ethiopian in question was a man, not a woman. There was brother Lloyd, outdoorsman, hunter, farmer — the ultimate Alpha Mensch — walking hand in hand with another male. He took a big swallow and then carried on as if nothing unusual had happened. The things you have to do to be a good missionary!

5) Our library at SEBTS is a wonderful repository of books, and I have profited from its proximity to my office on campus. In case you’re interested, I checked these books out on Tuesday afternoon. They were all read by Wednesday morning.

• The Evangelicals: What They Believe, Where They Are, and Their Politics, by Christopher Catherwood.

• Doing Ministry in the Igbo Context: Towards an Emerging Model for the Church in Africa, by Cajetan Ebuziem.

• Falun Gong and the Future of China, by David Ownby.

• L’ identité de l’ Eglise dans les Actes des apôtres, by Simon Butticaz.

• Philippians and Philemon, by Charles Cousar.

Note: I am gravely suspicious of any book that claims to speak for “Africa,” which, after all, is comprised of some 54 different nations and untold numbers of separate ethnic groups.

6) How’s your home repair project going, Dave? you ask. I need to get back to the local hardware store and purchase a couple of wrenches, then I should be good to go. And just in the nick of time, too. Becky asked me to water her freshly planted flowers in the front garden beds, and it might help if I had the spigots working.

7) You have to feel sorry for Andrew Rozalowsky, a student at McMaster Divinity School. He wasted good study time by reviewing a book on the Gospels that is nothing but a “fanciful historical account.” Or is it? Read his review and find out.

Friday, March 4

6:05 PM Walking down to the mailbox has its advantages when you can encounter views like these. 

5:54 PM Got the parts but now lack the proper wrenches. Can’t do the work without the right tools. It’s like trying to interpret a Greek letter without knowing anything about discourse analysis.

1:55 PM I went to turn on the water to the outside spigots today and lo and behold one of them had a tremendous leak.

Did I call a plumber? Are you kidding? I may not be the brightest light in the candelabra, but I am bound and determined to do minor house repairs by myself!

The first step was to determine the exact source of the leak. So into the crawl space I slithered, as nimbly as any snake you’ve ever seen. And sure enough, Watson, the leak was coming from the inside and not the outside!

Self, what to do next? I inquired. Aha! I’ll grab my handy hacksaw and cut the PVC pipe close to the leak but also in a place where I can work on the project easily. Eh voila — the pipe came out easily!

Now the next step is going to be a little tricky but at least I’ll have the advice of the experts at Home Depot. I predict I’ll need two items: (1) A new section of pipe, and (2) a connector of some sort to hold the pieces of pipe together. I believe they make couplets that are somehow glued onto the PVC. Am I right? We’re about to find out.

Stay tuned for Part Two!

9:28 AM Speaking of Greek, the registrar has set the dates for my summer schoolGreek Syntax and Exegesis class. We’ll meet from July 5-22 for three weeks, 9:00 to noon daily. Textbooks includeIt’s Still Greek to Me,Using New Testament Greek in Ministry,Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek,New Testament Textual Criticism, Metzger’sLexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek, and Jerry Sumney’sPhilippians: A Greek Student’s Intermediate Reader.

We’ll be translating the entire book of Philippians plus improving our syntax plus learning how to do exegesis plus studying linguistics plus increasing our word power. Small wonder students call this course “Greek on Steroids.” 

P.S. If you can’t make this session, I’ll also be teaching a section of the course during the fall semester.

9:12 AM After Wednesday’s Greek class a student came up to me and said, “Greek is awesome. It’s so exciting to be reading the text in the original language.” Enthusiasm was splashed all over her face. And the thing is: Greek is not required for her degree program. She’s taking it as an elective. May her tribe increase!

9:08 AM Found these thoughts over at Jody Neufeld’s blog: 

Take a moment right now and remember your mistakes from yesterday. Maybe you didn’t speak to your spouse with kindness but with sharpness. Maybe you didn’t call your friend because you just didn’t feel like hearing her/his problems. Maybe you griped about having to work on a past holiday and didn’t get any extra pay. God forgives you. Yes, He does. Just ask Him. He does. Every time – because of Jesus. Now – let it go – and let’s learn from our mistakes and move on and not repeat that one! God is faithful.

ReadLooking to God.

8:42 AM How did the great C. S. Lewis learn Greek? Theanswer might surprise you. It did me!

Thursday, March 3

5:40 PM Once again it’s my privilege to call your attention to the work of the Lord in Ethiopia. What an opportunity the believers in Zobechame have to influence their Muslim neighbors for Christ! Yes, being a Christian in Alaba is dangerous, risky, and often unpleasant. But servanthood in the name of Jesus is the normal Christian life. Bond-slavery, like marriage, implies total allegiance!

So please readUrgent Need for the Lord’s Church in Zobechame, Ethiopia and then ask the Lord Jesus how you can help!

5:25 PM Speaking of Andy Bowden, he’s just expanded his list of German-speaking universities offering the Ph.D. in New Testament. Check it out below or at hiswebsite. Let’s all wish Andy well as he flies to Germany next month to interview at several different schools.

Berlin (Humboldt)
Cilliers Breytenbach
Publications
Focus: Literatur, Religions, und Zeitgeschichte des Urchristentums

Jens Schröter
Publications
Focus: Exegesis and Interpretation

Bonn:
Günter Röhser
Publications
Focus: Gospels, Paul, New Testament Ethics

Erlangen
Lukas Bormann
Publications
Focus: Luke, Paul,

Peter Pilhofer
Publications
Focus: Philippi, Acts, archeology

Frankfurt
Stefan Alkier
Publications
Focus: Hermeneutik und Theologie des Neuen Testaments, Paulus und Synoptiker, Wunder und Auferstehung, Religions- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte Palästinas, Biblische Intertextualität / Intertextualität jüdischer und frühchristlicher Schriften, Bibel in der Gegenwartskultur, Semiotik und Methodologie, Forschungsgeschichte

Michael Schneider
Publications (see above)
Focus: Paulinische Theologie, Neutestamentliche Hermeneutik und Methodologie(n), Biblische Intertextualität, Bibeldidaktik, Bibel in der Gegenwartskultur, Bibel in Liturgie, Predigt und Kirchenmusik

Werner Kahl
Publications: (see above)
Focus: Intertextuality between OT and NT, Missions, Miracles, Charasmatics

Werner Zager
Publications
Focus: Apokalyptik, Mark-Q, Albert Schweizer, sermon on the mt.

Göttingen
Reinhard Feldmeier
Publications
Focus: Religionsgeschichte der hellenistischen Welt, Synoptische Evangelien, Katholische Briefe und Aposteltraditionen, Biblische Gotteslehre

Greifswald
Christfried Böttrich (This website has all the information you need, including a biography, publications, et.)

Hamburg
Christine Gerber
Publications
Focus: Paulus, Paulusschule, hellenistisches Judentum (Flavius Josephus), Exegese unter dem Gender-Aspekt und feministische Theologien, Methodenfragen.

Martina Böhm
Publications
Focus: Lukas; Matthäus; Samaritaner; Philo von Alexandrien; Schriftrezeption; Hermeneutik und Exegese im frühen Judentum

Heidelberg
Peter Lampe
Publications (see above)
Focus: Christian origins, hermenuetics, Romans, Philippians

Matthias Konradt
Publications (see above)
Focus: the Epistle of James; Paul; the Gospel of Matthew

Leipzig:
Jens Herzer
Publications (see above)
Focus: Romans, Catholic Epistles, Theology and Exegesis

Mainz
Friedrich Wilhelm Horn Publications (See above)
Focus: 1 Peter, Romans,

Ruben Zimmermann
Publications (See above)
Focus: Synoptic Problem, Gospel of John, Ethics

Marburg
Friedrich Avemarie
Publications
Focus: Übersetzung des Talmud Yerushalmi, Martyrdom in Ancient Judaism, der Geschichte des Antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums

Angela Standhartinger
Publications

Munich:
David du Toit
Publications
Focus: 1. Research into early Christianity in the conditions of Graeco-Roman culture (particular emphasis on the construction of the cultural encyclopedia presumed in early Christian texts); 2. Semantics and lexicography of early Christian Greek; 3. The historical construction of specific sub-aspects of the history of theology in early Christianity (esp. Jesus research, the development of Christology, theologies of the synoptists); 4. Application of findings and methods drawn from linguistics, literary analysis and semiotics to the interpretation of early Christian texts.

Münster

Klaus Wachtel
Publications
Focus: Geschichte des Byzantinischen Textes des Neuen Testaments

Christina Hoegen-Rohls
Publications
Focus: John, Paul

Hermut Löhr
Publications (see above)
Focus: Hebräerbrief , Clemens Romanus und Apostolische Väter, Frühchristlicher Gottesdienst, Neutestamentliche Ethik, Agrapha, NT und antike Philosophie

Holger Strutwolf
Publications (see above)
Focus: Patristik und neutestamentliche Textforschung

Tübingen
Hans Joachim Eckstein
Publications
focus: Paul, resurrection

Christof Landmesser
Publications
focus: Paulusforschung, Hermeneutik und Theologie des Neuen Testaments im interdisziplinären Dialog, Synoptikerforschung, Ethik und Soziologie des Neuen Testaments, Kommentar der Thessalonicherbriefe für den Theologischen Handkommentar zum Neuen Testament (ThHK), Edition des wissenschaftlichen Briefwechsels von Rudolf Bultmann

Hermann Lichtenberger
Publications
Focus: Qumran, Ancient Judaism and Hellenistic Religions

Anna Maria Schwemer
Publications
Focus: Geschichte des frühen Christentums, Paul, Synoptics

Basel (Switzerland)
Ekkehard W. Stegemann
Publications
Focus: Paulusforschung, insbesondere Römerbrief, Sozialgeschichte des Urchristentums, Entstehung des Christentums im Rahmen antiker Kulturen, Antisemitismusforschung

Lucern (Switzerland)
Walter Kirchschläger
Publications

Freiburg (Switzerland)
Luc Devillers
Publications (see above)
Focus: Gospel of John

Max Küchler
Publications (see above)
Focus: archeology, Judaism, Synoptic Gospels

Zürich (Switzerland)
Samuel Vollenweider
Publications
Focus: Paul, Phil 2:5-11, Interreligiöser Dialog

5:19 PM Yet another “Student I Supervise”:

Mr Andrew Bowden, BA (Toccoa Falls College), MDiv (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary)

ThM student under Dr. David Black

Biography:

I am a ThM student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Before beginning my current degree, which involves a thesis relating to discourse analysis and the Epistle of James, I completed a BA at Toccoa Falls College, Georgia (2006), and an MDiv at Southeastern (2010). Upon completion of my current degree, I hope to pursue doctoral studies in the field of New Testament.

Research Interests:

·        The Epistle of James

·        Linguistics and New Testament Interpretation

·        New Testament Greek

·        New Testament Exegesis

10:32 AM Slept 13 hours last night. I think I’m fighting a head cold or something. Time for Vit C.

9:25 AM Robert McQuilkin, president of Columbia International University, resigned from his post in 1990 to care for his wife who had been battling Alzheimer’s disease. Someone “just happened” to record a portion of his resignation speech. Here is that recording of Robertson sharing about why he resigned.

It is reminder to me that love is always a choice. I can choose to care about my relationships. The choice to do so often leads to great pain but also to great rewards. Robert McQuilkin knew that demonstrating a selfless love for others is the strongest base for building lasting relationships. He recognized his wife’s need for companionship and for a feeling of togetherness and harmony. What a man values he takes good care of. Christ put it this way: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Watch the video and be blessed — and challenged.

9:18 AM The blogosphere is abuzz with posts about the value of New Testament Greek in ministry:

• Thomas Hudgins writesA. T. Robertson on the Tools.

• Rod Decker asksThe biblical languages: Who said it?

You’ll enjoy both essays and especially the comments at Rod’s site (Carl Conrad jumps into the discussion). It’s funny, really, how we Greek students can get carried away sometimes. We make such a big deal about this word or that tense and get all worked up over it, when we are possibly just over-exegeting the text. Recently I’ve been studying the New Testament passages dealing with reconciliation, peace, harmonious relationships, etc. Many of these texts come from the hand of Paul:

• Rom. 12:18: “If at all possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.”

• 1 Thess. 5:13: “Be at peace among yourselves.”

• Rom. 14:19: “So then let us pursue the things that make for peace and mutual edification.”

• And the clincher (2 Cor. 13:11): “Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with each other, and be at peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

You might get the idea that Paul pursued peace at any price. But that’s clearly not the case. Acts 15:39 refers to a disagreement he had with Barnabas. The disagreement was so sharp that they parted ways. I was reading one commentator who emphasized the Greek word translated “sharp disagreement.” He likened it to volcanic eruption. Paul and Barnabas, he insisted, had had a violent disagreement.

That’s a little strong, I think. The same Greek word is used in Heb. 10:24 where it is rendered “provoke” or “stir up.” Nothing violent or angry there! Don’t get me wrong. Paul and Barnabas may have had a violent disagreement. They may have even yelled at each other. But there is nothing in the text that would demand this interpretation. Nor does the Greek word require it.

For whatever reasons (and they were probably theological in nature), Paul decided that he could not agree with Barnabas about Mark. Either side could have compromised. Paul could have taken Mark along on probation. Barnabas could have given in to Paul, just this once, and gone without his cousin. The fact is, Paul and Barnabas had a legitimate difference of opinion, and neither was willing to yield. A rift was unavoidable, yet God used it to send forth two missionary teams instead of one; and, of course, Paul and Mark were later reconciled.

Carl Conrad is absolutely correct when he wrote, in the comment thread to Rod’s post:

There is just so much more involved in understanding a text than being able to read the text in its original language. I’m glad to be able to read the GNT, but I think it would be presumptuous to think that for that reason alone I have greater insight into what the original writer intended.

In my study of the New Testament concept of peace and reconciliation, I intend to make full use of my Greek New Testament – but not, I hope, to the exclusion of some old-fashioned common sense.

9:07 AM Baby Nathan is three years old!

If you’re wondering who Nathan is, Becky has written about him in her essayPutting Sacrifice into Perspective.

8:58 AM A colleague of mine is beginning a series on Philippians in his local church. He asked me, “If you were to say in a paragraph or less what we must take from this precious letter what would it be?”

What a great question!

I wrote back:

The only thing that matters in life is to live as good citizens of heaven in a way that is required by the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1:27). Life boils down to one purpose: To live for Christ. To know Him, and to make Him known. I must put the Gospel first in my life, which means that I must act like Jesus, who deliberately put himself in the humblest human condition because he loved others more than he loved himself. By losing my life I will find it! Dying, I live! I have the privilege of not only believing in him but of suffering for him! As David Brainerd (died at age 36) put it, “I wanted to wear myself out in service for his glory. I cared not how or where I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could but gain souls for Christ.” I want to live that way. I want to be an Epaphroditus who gambles his life away in the cause of the Good News.

I’ve asked Miss Phyllis to send you a .pdf of my study of the discourse structure of Philippians. It’s all about the progress of the Gospel (and not joy, which at best is a by-product of living for Jesus!).

I’ll be praying for my friend’s series on Philippians. I plan to do one myself at Bethel Hill this summer. One last thought on Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25-30). The text says he gambled his life away, “daringly exposing himself to danger” (Hawthorne). Are you willing to take enormous risks for the sake of the Gospel? To aid a friend in need?

8:47 AM Enter your typical Baptist church and you are likely find a fulltime pastor with an assistant or two. In a New Testament church you would find nothing of the sort. The earliest Christians practiced team leadership. The responsibilities were shared, and the benefits must have been enormous. At my home church our pastor is going on sabbatical – which is the perfect opportunity for our deacons to step up to the plate (as they are eager to do). It is the perfect time to transition to elders (as we are in the process of doing, under the direction of our pastors and deacons). It will cost a lot, of course – caring for the Body is time-consuming. But at least the burden will be shared. How wise the early Christians were! How much we have to learn from them!

8:40 AM I get impatient with myself when I read excellent blog posts like the one by David Williams on theuse of ekballo in the New Testament. Well done indeed!

8:32 AM In Mark class we discussed ever so briefly the way the apostles went out 2 by 2 and how they were instructed not to take anything for the journey except what was absolutely essential. We compared what the Didache has to say about traveling prophets who were in it for the money. Here’s a summary:

• If a visiting teacher remains somewhere for three days, he’s a false prophet (11:5).

• If he takes anything from God’s people except for a loaf of bread, he’s a false prophet (11:6).

• If he asks for money, he’s a false prophet (11:6).

• If someone says in the Spirit, “give me money,” do not listen to him (11:12).

• Christian workers should work for their own bread (12:3).

• “In no way should anyone live among you unemployed as a Christian” (12:4).

I have never stated this before on this website but I mentioned it in class yesterday so I’ll mention it here. Becky and I have never charged a set fee for speaking. Never have, never will. If we do receive an honorarium we put it right back into the Ethiopia work.

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March 2011 Blog Archives

Thursday, March 31

9:18 PM Look who’s having a littlefun with Latin.

9:08 PM Katy Brown’s essayIs He Enough? is a reminder that mission work is far from glamorous. Sometimes it’s just plain dangerous for your health. She and her dad know. Read her testimony about the faithfulness of God and be blessed.

8:55 PM If you live in Dallas, you will want to try the Ghion Restaurant on Skillman Street. Never has Ethiopian food tasted better, especially the “tibs.” Tell them I said so.

6:33 PM Odds and ends …

1) Fresno Pacific University announces openings inPastoral Ministries, Intercultural Studies, andBiblical and Religious Studies.

2) Medea Benjamin and Charles Davis show us that, when it comes to war making,U.S. presidents don’t differ too much.

3) Steve Bedard links to some excellent works byStanley Porter.

4) Aussie John asks (and answers) the question:What is church?

5) Jody Neufeld’s latest devotional is awesome.  ReadLion Up!

6)Is Translation Possible?

7) Quote of the day (Graham Michael:

How we live out our finite, weak, and sinful understanding of greatness reveals that we don’t really believe Jesus’ understanding of greatness. In the Kingdom if we want to move upward we must in reality move downward to wash the feet of others. Christ modeled true greatness for us. We just must believe in Him and follow.

(Note: I’m partial to the author; he’s in my Mark class.)

4:45 PM If you are a Civil War buff (as I am you) have probably seen the movieGettysburg starring Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee and Jeff Daniels as Joshua Chamberlain. There’s an unforgettable scene that takes place on the first day of battle. Union cavalry General John Reynolds is in the copula of the Lutheran Theological Seminary when General John Reynolds of the Union I Corps rides up. “Thank God,” says a tearful Buford. “What goes, John?” asks Reynolds. “There’s a devil to pay,” replies Buford. “Can you hold?” inquires Reynolds. “I reckon I can,” says Buford. At this point, Buford descends from the copula and the two generals ride off toward the sound of battle on McPherson’s Ridge.

Actually, nothing like this ever happened. As General Reynolds, at the head of the Union I Corps, rode into Gettysburg that morning along the Emmitsburg Road, he passed through the town and then hurried on to the Chambersburg Pike in search of Buford. He found him on McPherson’s Ridge with his men, attempting to keep the enemy in check for as long as possible. The dramatized account of Reynolds and Buford meeting at the Lutheran Seminary and their verbal exchange is based on a completely discounted account filled with after-the-fact embellishments.

Perhaps there’s an application here to today’s study of the Gospels. Many New Testament scholars question the historical reliability of the four Gospel accounts of the life of Christ. They insist that the records are filled with after-the-fact embellishments — a fact that requires scholars to search for the “historical Jesus” beneath the accretions of tradition, much like peeking an opinion to its core.

For example, on one of the most important points of the Jesus story — the resurrection and the empty tomb — all the Gospels agree. Yet even when confronted with this evidence many people do not find the truth of the resurrection easy to accept. Nevertheless, belief in the resurrection of Christ is essential to our faith. Apostolic preaching confirmed it and even made it a condition of salvation: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). 

I wrote my bookWhy Four Gospels? not so much to argue for Matthean priority as to affirm the complete historicity and apostolicity of the Gospels. Early in my Christian experience I discovered that the Gospels were — and needed to be — central in my understanding not only of the Good News about Jesus Christ but of life itself. Only the cross of Jesus can supply meaning to life, and that is because the cross and the resurrection are an interwoven reality. Of one thing I am quite certain: Christianity is a historical faith. It is rooted and grounded in historical fact. No “leap of faith” is required to believe in Jesus. As I once heard Francis Schaeffer put it in Switzerland, you don’t have to put your brain in park or neutral to become a Christian. His cross is the center of all history. It is the crossroads of the universe. No one can avoid confrontation with it.

It is my prayer that skeptics may come to the Gospels with an open mind and heart, for there the living Christ is ready to meet Doubting Thomases in their pessimism and the travelers to Emmaus in their intellectualism.

4:22 PM The donkeys we were interested in have already been sold. Speaks well for Craig’s List!

11:05 AM Odds and ends …

1) One of our SEBTS students has just been accepted into the Th.M. program at nearby Duke. Congratulations Jody!

2) My friend Jon Glass sent along a link to this excellent piece calledLetter from a Minister about Patriotism in Worship. The next step, I suppose, would be to remove the American flag from our sanctuaries permanently. What a message that would send.

3) Speaking of misplaced patriotism, Allan Bevere writes thatWe Must Reject Christendom. Brother Allan is beginning to sound more and more like an Anabaptist!

4) “It was instructive to see that in 2009, based on survey results, the total value of congregational property in Southern Baptist Churches was….

$40,774,576,730.

Thus begins this amazing piece by Arthur Sido. If you are a Southern Baptist and are at all concerned about the extravagance and waste in our churches, you must read it — then act in such a way as to bring some common sense back into the way our churches spend the Lord’s money.

5) Becky and I are off donkey shopping today. She’s wanted one for years. Yes, of course, it will be an African donkey 🙂

10:47 AM This year marks the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. If you only visit one site this year, it must be Gettysburg. Perhaps no piece of ground in America is more revered. Because of a program promoted by park superintendent John Latschar, the park has largely been restored to its original 1863 appearance (if a piece of ground was bare then, it is bare now). If you do visit Gettysburg I strongly urge you to take an hour or so and follow the steps of the Confederate troops across the mile of open fields that separated the Union and Confederate lines at Gettysburg on the third day of battle.

As you finally step over the low stone wall that marked the Federal front line, think of the troops of both sides that met there, men who determined the fate of the war, men fighting for something they believed in. I will not debate here the appropriateness or advisability of “Pickett’s Charge,” but as you stand on the ground where Confederate General Lewis Armistead was mortally wounded and where Union General Winfield Scott Hancock was shot down, I can guarantee you will sense something of the bravery of the men of both sides. Be sure to walk to the Bryan House, where you will see the newest monument on the battlefield, which marks the “high water mark of the Confederacy” — the spot where the battle flag of the 11th Mississippi was found as it lay across the stone wall.

It is an irony in a war filled with ironies that this farm was the property of a freedman, Mr. Abraham Bryan, and thus the Confederate assault ended on the property of a freed slave.

There are many other points of interest at Gettysburg, of course, but few can equal the spot where the dreams of the South faded away.

Below: Reunion at Gettysburg in 1938.

Wednesday, March 30

7:58 PM More odds and ends …

1) We had another superb faculty meeting today. I am blessed to a part of such a wonderful seminary community. Lord, help me never to take it for granted.

2) Over at the Bethel Hill Baptist Church website, Becky has written an outstanding essay calledPersecution on the Hill. It is a must read (and I am totally unbiased).

3) Students: Don’t forget that Student Day is this Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00, with lunch at 11:30. The weather will be perfect.

4) ReadGod has given us the spirit of love! Craig is absolutely correct when he says that love and fear cannot reside in the same heart.

5) Looks like Matthew McDill, a former doctoral student of mine, is becoming quite the agrarian. His post onraising chickens reminds me of that famous line from the movie The Great Escape: “Zer vil be no escapink fwom zis camp!” 

6:57 PM This morning somebody emailed me a couple of questions about my bookWhy Four Gospels. Here are his questions, along with my answers.

Question:

I did have a couple of questions on your book, if you would be so kind. In naming your/Dr. Orchard’s hypothesis the “Fourfold-Gospel Hypothesis,” you compare it back to the “Two Gospel Hypothesis” advocated by Dr. Farmer, et al., which I take is similar to the original Griesbach. Would you say that review and analysis of the Patristic and historical data is the main differentiation between the two?

Answer:

Yes. The Farmer group appears to have given the external evidence a back seat. Some of them even date the Gospels much later than I would. Then again, the term “Fourfold-Gospel Hypothesis” reflects our desire to show that in the earliest church there was only ONE Gospel that was passed on in four different versions. Why there are 4 (and only 4) such accounts is a major question we sought to answer.

Question:

On page 22 you identify the 3 evaluation arguments as: i) the external evidence in the light of modern research; ii) the internal comparison of the gospel texts to discover their sources and their interconnections; and iii) show that no emergent hypothesis is credible unless it is viable in light of the know history of the church and the Roman Empire at the time. The first and third sound similar? The second sounds pretty much like the standard textual critical approach?

Answer:

Indeed we feel that the internal evidence is important, but only to corroborate what has already been established on the basis of the external evidence, which (as you can see) overwhelmingly supports the priority of Matthew’s Gospel. For example, we believe that the zigzagging effect is compatible with our theory – though it doesn’t prove it.

Let the discussion continue!

6:42 PM As you know, my exegesis of Mark class is student-led. Here’s an email from the student who conducted the class while I was in Texas.

Brother Dave,

Class was very enjoyable today, with a lot of lively discussion. We missed your presence, but I think all of us were also encouraged by how much you trust the word of God to speak for itself and for the Holy Spirit to teach us about Jesus. I was also encouraged by everyone’s equal participation…. 

Thank you, again, for modeling for us a reliance upon the word of God and for sending us out (in a sense) to do what you have been training us to do. Today was a good lesson in discipleship, though without any threat of persecution.

What a delightful email. Sheer empiricism teaches us that all learning is self-learning, and that the more we teach, the more we learn.

6:34 PM Odds and ends …

1) The Ninth Annual International Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism will take place August 7-12 in Hoddesdon, UK. For information, gohere. My thanks to Jim Sibley of the Criswell College for the tip.

2) Greek students! Check out some fabulous Greek vocabulary flash cardshere. They are based on our beginning grammar.

3) James White writes:A Little Greek Is a Dangerous Thing. I concur.

6:29 PM The United Methodist Bible teacher and Scripture lover Henry Neufeld has published a book about Calvinism. He tells us whyhere. Henry’s essay is a fine read. Case in point:

The Calvinists in my head aren’t necessarily the same as the Calvinists in the real world. One finds Calvinists involved in missions every bit as much as (and possibly more than) their Arminian brethren. I recall hearing John Blanchard, a Presbyterian evangelist, speak at a conference here in Pensacola. One of the questions he was asked was: “If you believe in predestination why would you be an evangelist? How can you accept both?”

His answer?

“Predestination is a doctrine, and I believe it. Evangelism is a command, and I obey it.”

I appreciate that simple and straightforward reply. Once again, common sense wins out in the great debate over divine sovereignty versus human responsibility.

6:21 PM Andy Bowden, who is my right hand man here at the seminary and a superbblogger, is on his way to Germany this weekend to meet with potential doctoral advisors. His visit reminds me of my first meeting in Basel with Bo Reicke in the university library.

The prodigal son couldn’t have had a warmer welcome. I can still remember how he shook my hand and said how glad he was that I had come to Basel. I knew immediately that I was glad too. If you think about it, pray for Andy as he travels to Germany. He will be in Munich, Bonn, and Göttingen. Ph.D. studies can be quite an experience. That experience can be bad or good – or even great. Mine certainly was the latter. Of course, that was all the Lord’s doing. He knew I would benefit from studying under Bo Reicke. A kinder man never graced any university campus. No one could know the man without having his or her life touched permanently. I will be forever grateful to God for that wonderful experience.

Below: Becky and me about the time of our Basel days. 

6:12 PM Greetings, bloggers and bloggerettes! We had a good trip to Dallas but are glad to be home. I had lots of good conversations with my father-in-law who spent 10 years of his life as a missionary to Ethiopia. Today he continues his work for the Ethiopian people by publishing his website,Good Amharic Books. This is a remarkable site. It offers, for free, hundreds of Bible study books in the Amharic language.

As a Bible translator, I was delighted when Mr. Lapsley told me the following story. It seems that just after World War II the famous American preacher Donald Grey Barnhouse made a visit to Ethiopia and met with His Excellency, Haile Selassie. He asked the emperor what he could do for Ethiopia. The emperor said, “Send us Bibles.” Then he handed Barnhouse a copy of the Scriptures in Amharic and gave him permission to have it printed in the United States. Eventually several shipments of Bibles were made to Ethiopia, and the copies were quickly distributed and widely used.

Until….

It seems that the version of the Amharic Bible they had printed contained a major typo. In Revelation 22:9, instead of the angel saying to John “Do not [worship me]” the text says “Do [worship me].” Upon discovering this mistake the Bibles were taken out of commission. Here’s the notorious page:

By the way, the difference between the correct rendering and the incorrect one is infinitesimal: Indatasagadin versus Inditasagadin – a difference of only one letter and an easy enough error to make, though some have opined that it was an intentional error made in order to support the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s doctrine of the worship of angels.

Bible translation is truly an amazingly difficulty work!

Saturday, March 19

9:40 AM Bid D, here we come. If you want to meet up, email me atdblack@sebts.edu. We’ll be in Dallas until Monday, March 28.

8:46 AM ReadHow to Care for and Pray for Japan.

8:40 AM Was the apostle Paul a missionary or a theologian? Great mindswant to know. More than anything, I think Paul was a missions mobilizer. God can use anyone who loves Jesus in the great task of missions. Paul’s life is a tremendous example of that. I urge you to follow his example. See an open door for the Gospel? Respond. Use whatever tools you have to get the message out. We need to learn how to get on with the basic living out of the Christian life, mobilizing people for missions and presenting the Gospel to the whole world. Do all you can to bring your local church into the missions vision. You don’t have to have a special calling to be a missionary. The Holy Spirit will enable every obedient follower of Jesus to obey His commission to take the Good News to others.

8:22 AM How important is it for us to welcome each other in the Body of Christ? Robert Jewett says extremely important. Read about his lecture on Romans 14-15here.

Unconditional acceptance does not mean that one is allowed to stay in the same place, but that one is accepted where they are at and throughout the journey of being conformed into the image of the Son.

I devote a chapter to this topic in my forthcoming Paul, Apostle of Weakness. If you sign on for the long haul as a Christian, you’re going to have to develop the capacity to draw near to others. “Where do I begin?” In the household of God, of course. This involves:

• developing a loving, serving heart

• being authentic and genuine with others

• risking rejection and misunderstanding by your family, friends, and church mates

• being an open, accepting person

• being other-centered

• refusing to be overly-critical or judgmental

You are committing yourself to “stick with the troops” in your battalion, sharing the risks and rewards of serving Christ. When you “mix it up” with others, expect to be misunderstood. Resist the urge to put everyone in a box — yours. Acknowledge diversity of opinion within the Body. Get rid of your non-redemptive and distorted perception of the way others are to think and act.

Paul is clear in Romans 14-15 that there will always be lesser and greater amounts of freedom in the church, depending on the issues involved. Give grace, and don’t allow your differences to paralyze your evangelistic efforts. On the other hand, don’t give in to “professional” weaker brothers and sisters. The fact is, you will never be able to conform to their petty legalisms. Remember, the world is not black and white. Surrender your narrow, self-imposed list of dos and don’ts, and then get on with the huge task of living relentlessly and relationally for the Gospel.

Friday, March 18

6:30 PM Why are we so easily deceived into thinking that bigger is better? We take pride in the enormity of our church buildings, the number of people we have in our congregations, and the size of our budgets. Isn’t this just selfish ambition? I propose to handle this issue in Godworld: Enter at Your Own Risk, my book on kingdom living. It is a deep and difficult subject. But it is worthy of reflection and must be tackled. Lord willing, I hope to get much of this writing done while we are in Dallas.

The tragic truth is that the American church is very unlike Jesus. 

2:15 PM Odds and ends …

1) Here’s thelatest update from Ethiopia. Many of you have been praying for the church there in recent weeks. Please don’t stop now.

2) Guess what we did today? Finished our 2010 Federal tax returns. Glad to have that done and over with.

3) A year ago I was preaching in Ethiopia with my translator Nigusse. An ideal translator is so much in sync with you that he even mimics your movements and gestures. If I get excited, he gets excited too. Truly, translators are the unsung heroes of mission work.

4) The Internet offers a vast array of websites for those wanting to get to know their Bibles better. Here’s a website I use all the time and highly recommend: The Bible Gateway. Virtually every translation is found here (and not only in English), for free. You probably won’t check all of them out, but they will definitely help you in your Bible study. It is an amazing resource.

5) Speaking of Bible study, check out the blog called Jon’s Journey. It’s all good, but I’ve linked to the section aboutNeeding Hell.

6) Thomas Hudgins’post from El Salvador is a reminder that suffering and danger are the lot of the Messiah’s followers. Inevitably we will share in His pain. The ancients had a saying: Per ardua ad astra, “through trials to triumph.” We are called, not to hide from danger, but to publicly confess who Jesus is and what He has done for us. This may mean suffering. It will mean taking up your cross and dying to yourself. For those of you who are serving Christ in the hard places of the world, I say: Thank you for the reminder of what it costs to follow Jesus.

7) A book on the Lord’s Supper that I co-edited is featuredhere.

8) Tomorrow Becky and I are on the road again, this time to Dallas to enjoy the hospitality of her mom and dad and get some R & R. I hope you’ll be praying for us.

Wednesday, March 16

7:12 PM Myinterview with Andy Cheung has just been posted.

6:30 PM Lloyd Ogilvie, former pastor of Hollywood Presbyterian Church and a popular speaker and writer, once spoke at a large convention. The woman who introduced him began with the words,

We have a very unusual privilege tonight. In our midst is without a doubt the world’s finest communicator. He is extremely sensitive, alert, compassionate, and wise. He can sense a person’s true needs immediately and speak just the right word to heal a hurt.

Dr. Ogilvie would later confessed that he felt both flattered and frightened at that point in the introduction. How could he live up to all that?

He didn’t have to.

As the woman came to the end of her introductory remarks, she said,

We are in for a tremendous experience tonight because this supreme lover of people is in our midst. Who is He? He is Jesus Christ. And now here is a man named Lloyd Ogilvie who will tell us about Him.

What a superb introduction!

6:21 PM Andy Bowden is on a writing spree. His latest essay isPreparing for studies abroad. It’s a great start if you’re thinking about studying overseas, as Andy is. You may find what he says about tuition in Germany a bit surprising.

6:13 PM Last night I checked out from the seminary library and read a wonderful biography of Mary Lee called Mrs. Robert E. Lee: The Lady of Arlington. Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee was aremarkable woman. A published author, she read Greek and Latin fluently. When she ordered a copy of Les Miserables she told the bookstore owner to send her a copy in either English or French, whichever was more readably available to him. But I was especially impressed with her deep relationship with the Lord Jesus as witnessed in her daily diary. Here’s but one of several unforgettable quotes I found:

“Lord, let me suffer any thing rather than have my heart turned away from Thee.” Mary Custis Lee, Prayer Journal, February 29, 1832.

It was her faith in Christ that sustained her through years of separation from her husband and the deaths of two of her children, not to mention the heartbreaking transformation of her estate into a military cemetery.

The book is available through Amazonhere. I highly recommend it to all Civil War buffs. I will be ordering a copy for Becky.

6:05 PM Oklahoma Baptist University announces an opening inReligion.

Monday, March 14

5:30 PM Great news from Ethiopia: Just got word that the team designated to repair our water system at the Galana clinic is traveling to Burji this week. Clean water is a must in any health clinic but especially one in southern Ethiopia.

5:23 PM Just had a hot date with Becky. We walked to the mailbox and back.

5:10 PM A reader sent along these comments:

I liked your post about the church having a healthy post natal environment and think that it’s important for our churches to have the Ananias and  Barnabas ministries. Its been my observation that people need encouraging…and I’m yet to meet someone who doesn’t need it.

How very true.

9:59 AM Monday Morning Miscellany …

1) Take theblogoholic test!

2) I thought I would work on the final French drain today but my back thinks this is a very bad idea and my back won the argument.

3) Alan Knox explains whychildren should be part of the church gathering.

4) Over at the Bethel Hill website, Becky has published two essays in recent days, one on theLord’s Supper and one onBeing China in the Lord’s Service.

5) Finally, pix of the cutest grandson you’ve ever seen:

9:43 AM Tomorrow our Greek class picks up in Mark 7, which contains three pericopes:

1) Jesus Upsets the Traditions of the Elders (7:1-23)

2) Jesus Commends the Faith of a Syro-Phonecian Woman (7:24-30)

3) Jesus Heals a Deaf-Mute (7:31-37)

The first point is significant: God’s Word always takes precedence over human tradition. Always. We need this reminder today, not least in our Baptist churches in which we passionately defend our traditions.

The second pericope is brilliant. It reveals the greatness of Jesus. Let others argue about washing hands. People matter more! Don’t you just love the wit and humor of this little cameo?

The third story is peculiar to Mark’s Gospel. But the miracle is nothing unusual for Jesus. It is wonderful that Jesus truly cares about the sick and suffering.

I am eager to see what the class does with the word pugme in verse 3. What in the world does it mean to wash one’s hands “with a fist”?

I’m also curious to see what the class says about the variant readings in verse 4, where our beloved Aleph and B are clearly wrong, not once but twice!

9:32 AM Does your church have a healthy post-natal environment? In a healthy church you’ll find both an Ananias to help you get started out as a new believer and a Barnabas to come alongside you and keep you encouraged and growing.

In Hawaii I suppose my Ananias was Rudy Ulrich. He was a mainland haole who had come to Kailua to lead people to Christ. He also pastored the First Baptist Church Windward. I shall never cease to be grateful for the help he gave others. I saw his concern for his converts over and over again — even for an 8-year old boy named Dave.

Later on, during my teen years, the Barnabas who took me under his care was Pastor Jim Cook of the International Baptist Church of Honolulu. He and his father had started a little Bible school in their church, and I and several other 16-year olds looked to them to help us grow roots of our own. Jesus lived the life of a servant, and so did Pastor Jim. It is an astonishing thing that he made such an effort to be a Barnabas to young men like me. Both Pastor Rudy and Pastor Jim were men who really cared and took trouble over people. I needed the strength, the encouragement, and the intellectual stimulation their lives offered.

Today it could equally be said that my church family at Bethel Hill displays that same kind of  love and affection for me and Becky. It’s very much the kingdom on display. Sunday School classes always start out with the Body sharing with fellow Christians some of the burdens in their hearts or the answers to prayer they are experiencing. And so the fellowship continues to grown, both spiritually and numerically.

Is personal caring important to you? It was to the earliest followers of Jesus. Have you been the recipient of such care? Then become its dispenser.

Sunday, March 13

5:58 PM Odds and ends …

1) Shout out to our dear friend Mrs. Montague of Bethel Hill. This precious sister in Christ turned a young 92 today. Happy Birthday to you!

2) Becky accompanied her mom this morning at church. Mrs. Lapsley played both the prelude and the offertory. I snapped this pic while they were practicing before the service. Mom played “Fairest Lord Jesus” and “Beautiful Savior.” Great blessing.

3) Rain is on its way tomorrow. No, I didn’t get this information from a meteorologist. My head’s telling me loud and clear. Thank the Lord for Maxalt.

4) Glad to see that Thomas and Lesly areback in El Salvador. 

5) One of my Greek students reflects on Mark 7 andThe Traditions of Men.

Saturday, March 12

6:12 PM One of my doctoral students, Paul Himes, knows some very special people who live in Japan — his parents. That will make you sit up and listen to him when he bares his soul about that great nation. ReadPrayer and Compassion for Japan. 

5:57 PM New essay on our home page:Why We Should Study the Gospels.

12:30 PM What are Baptists in the U.S. doing about the disaster in Japan? Gohere to find out.

11:11 AM Alan Bandy’s essayImitating Paul the Missionary is well worth your time. With impeccable and engaging prose, Alan writes:

I guess that I had unwittingly imprisoned Paul in the dusty office of a professor where he spent his days pouring over ancient texts and scholarly tomes. Professor Paul would eloquently expound on the finer points of theology and praxis as he writes to distant congregations. Missionary Paul, however, studies while traveling or during his visits to various cities. (perhaps he would frequent the library in Ephesus). Missionary Paul does theology in the context of communities of diverse ethnicity and background.  Missionary Paul seeks to stay connected to congregations of believers with a fierce devotion and parental concern. The letters of Missionary Paul, then, reveal numerous insights into the Gospel that he preached, his concern to demonstrate the inclusion of the Gentiles into the people of God, the challenges he faced from opposing teachers, and various issues affecting congregations.

Just think: The great apostle Paul was a missionary first and foremost. Before he was a theologian. Or perhaps, because he was such a great theologian.

I want to be like Paul, don’t you? 

9:06 AM Don’t forget: Tonight’s the night.

9:01 AM Quote of the day:

But there is to come a sight more grand, more terrific, more sublime, and more disastrous than anything earth has yet witnessed; there is to come a fire before which Sodom’s fire will pale to nothingness; and the inferno of continents will sink into less than nothing and vanity. In a few more years, my friends, Scripture assures us, this earth and all that is in it, is to be burned up. That deep molten mass which now lies in the bosom of our mother earth is to burst up—the solid matter is be melted down into one vast globe of fire; the wicked—shrieking, wailing, and cursing, will become a prey to these flames that will blaze upward from the breast of earth; comets will shoot their fires from heaven; all the lightnings will launch their bolts upon this poor earth, and it will become a mass of fire. But does the Christian fear it? No. Scripture tell us we will be caught up together with the Lord in the air, and will be forever with the Lord.

Read Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s Do Not Fear Disasters.

8:48 AM Yet more fallout from the devastating earthquake in Japan: The governor of Hawaii has declared astate of disaster in the islands. Below: a house floating in Kealakekua Bay.

In the meantime, the spiritual needs of the Japanese continue unabated. For a prayer profile, readThe Japanese of Japan.

7:53 AM Odds and ends …

1) Jay Voorhees has a big problem as a pastor: he’s also aweb designer.

2) My trip to the Wheaton Theology Conference will allow me to hearthese speakers.

3) In his latest book, Pope Benedict calls violence in the name of God aninstrument of the Antichrist.

4) Check out the website for the Voice of the Martyrs. Among other things, we discovered that VOM has speakers who are glad to come and talk in your church about persecution worldwide.

5) Speaking of persecution, Said Musa has been released from prison in Afghanistan and has left the country, according tothis report. This is a huge answer to prayer. In prison Musa wrote,”I can’t deny my Savior’s name. Because my life is just service to Jesus Christ and my death is going to heaven [where] Jesus Christ is. I am a hundred percent ready to die.”

6) Thomas Jefferson’s scrapbook Bible issent to the conservation lab.

7) Virginia Union University announces an opening in Christian Education.

Friday, March 11

8:31 PM Allan Bevere is certainly no flibbertigibbet. Once again he produces a rock solid essay, this time onforgiveness. The money quote:

We sure want to receive forgiveness when we know we need it, but to forgive those who ask us… that can be asking too much depending upon how greatly we believe we have been wronged. Perhaps our difficulty in forgiving is found in the unspoken assumption that the sins of others are more grievous than our own. Perhaps in a culture where it has become commonplace to demonize those who believe differently than we do, whose politics is other than our own, whose selfish motivations are labeled as nefarious whereas ours are simply mistaken… in that kind of culture it can be so very hard to forgive.

6:48 PM NPR just reported that many Japanese in Tokyo have taken refuge in Buddhist temples which have been opened as emergency shelters for the general public. I think it could be said that our churches in America have switched into a shelter/survival mode. We are running into temporary survival shelters called Christian concerts and Christian workshops and Christian Praisercise and Christian radio stations. This massive retreat from our post-Christian, secularized culture is due to a basic misunderstanding about the Gospel. The only kind of churches we want are the pragmatic kinds that show us how to be successful and how to have a perfect Christian family. Let’s face it. Why do we insist on planting yet another church in Raleigh when there are hundreds of churches there already? What motivates us to construct our extravagant and inefficient buildings at all? For many of us, Churchianity is as addictive as drugs or alcohol. Tonight this meeting, tomorrow that seminar. Where is the fruit that would authenticate our profession? But the good news is that we don’t have to remain in this retreat mode. There is a way out of the mess we have created for ourselves. We can get serious about Christ’s command to take His Gospel to the ends of the earth. What a great God we serve! We are attached to the Head so that we can be His Body in the world!

6:27 PM Just bathed the dogs. I don’t know who got wetter, them or me.

6:02 PM P. T. O’Brien’s 2010 commentary on Hebrews is reviewedhere. This made me smile:

On authorship, of course, the jury is still out, perhaps forever. Clearly it was not Paul (Heb 2:3).

5:36 PM There’s much truth here:

Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.

So said Goethe, and so say I.

4:58 PM Jeremy Zach identifies 11 Ridiculous Things That Keep Youth Groups From Growing. I’m no expert on the subject, but I do have a question for youth pastors and other youth leaders: Why are we entertaining our youth just at the moment in life when they most need to see biblical reality?

What would happen if we threw out all of our gimmicks for growth and instead treated our youth with all seriousness, exposing them to real-world mission field experiences? How about serving on the front lines of the Gospel? How about loving and sacrificing for others? The haunting question that must be asked about today’s youth ministries is this: “Isn’t it time to get out of the rut of self-development and raise the bar so that every young person who knows Christ is asked to go all out sharing Jesus with the publicans and sinners of our day?”

4:42 PM If you’re at all interested in Greek discourse analysis, take a look atthis interview with Will Varner of the Masters Seminary about his new commentary on James. In a nutshell…

My discourse analysis shows that James had a consistently applied idea of the Jewish “two ways” schema that is portrayed in what I call his  “peak” paragraph: James 3:13-18. There James portrays a bi-polar contrast between wisdom from above and anti-wisdom (wisdom from below). I believe that such a schema is stamped then on every other paragraph of the book. The readers, addressed as “brothers,” must choose to follow the Divine way or the human way. Each paragraph is opened by “brothers” plus an imperative command or a rhetorical question that provides the topic which is then applied within the paragraph.

1:02 PM Miscellany …

1) In case you didn’t know, we have a section on our website devoted entirely to the work of the Lord in Ethiopia. We tell it like it is — the good, and the not so good. It’s calledEthiopia Files.

2) Not sure that it matters very much, but the recent tsunami in Japan brought back plenty of memories of growing up in Hawaii and hearing the tidal wave sirens blaring at all times of day or night. We took those warnings very seriously in those days and left for high ground just as thousands did yesterday in Waikiki.

3) I haven’t forgotten about one of my doctoral students who is interviewing next week for a fabulous teaching position in another state. I couldn’t be happier and will be praying constantly for him.

4) I spent several hours yesterday going through my ms. one last time and still found mistakes. Nothing odd about that, by any means, but it’s still a little unsettling.

5) I’m taking the plunge and (Lord willing) will be traveling to Wheaton for this year’stheology conference. If you’re a blogger and/or prospective SEBTS student and would like to meet up, just let me know: dblack@sebts.edu.

Thursday, March 10

8:06 PM Odds and ends …

1) Took Becky out for Chinese buffet tonight. Lots of shrimp on the menu. I like shrimp. Shrimp will be in heaven. Guaranteed.

2) Praying about attending the ETS Southeast Regional Meeting March 25-26. Also about attending the Wheaton Theology Conference April 7-9. The latter’s theme intrigues me: “Global Theology in Evangelical Perspective.”

3) Becky’s mom arrives tomorrow for a week-long visit. You know what that means. Ethiopian food. 

4) Enjoyed a visit today from Jon and Matthea Glass (erstwhile missionaries to Burji). They came to pick up some beef. Took a long walk with them on the farm.

Note: As you can see, B’s hair is growing back nicely. In fact, she now has more hair on her head than I have on mine and I am seriously jealous.

9:10 AM Today God is calling every Christian to bondservant service to the world, even among our enemies. Please, please stop denouncing Islam. God is not interested in your demagoguery. He is looking for a lifetime of humble, behind-the-scenes service to the persecuted church —  and to its persecutors. Denounce Islam all you want, but that won’t make a whit of difference unless you are willing to put your own life on the line. Today God is calling out an army of radicals who will feel His heartbeat and accept His call to live a life of Christian servanthood.

8:53 AM Persecution quote of the day:

We often think of persecution and martyrdom as something that happens to Christians in pagan lands at the hands of Muslims or some tribal people or Communist governments. It is vitally important to remember that for much of Christian history, most Christians were put to death by other people who claimed to be Christians.

ReadThe Death of Balthazar Hubmaier.

8:34 AM Hard for me to believe that it was exactly a year ago during my spring break that Becky and I spent two weeks in Ethiopia. Unlike our trip last summer, when we took 21 others with us, this time it was just Bec and me, and our purpose was singular: to get reconnected to the people. Seems a huge waste to take so many photos and not share some of them with you, so here goes.

First off, here’s Becky Lynn being greeted in a village in faraway Burji. Young and old alike turned out in swarms to welcome “Mama Becky” back home.

I do not recall just who this woman was, but when she saw me she made a beeline for me and hugged and hugged on me.

I may never see this precious saint this side of heaven again, but God knows exactly who she is. He knows her entire past history — her sorrows, her burdens, her griefs, her joys. He understands her. He loves her. The poor women of Ethiopia: they are often treated like scullery maids. How precious they are to Becky and me.

I’ll never forget this reunion in Burji:

Because of timely medical intervention, Becky was able to provide emergency care for this precious wife and mother. She lost her baby but she herself survived. Here she is overwhelmed by joy to see Becky again. Note, too, the older women waiting in the wings to hug on their daughter. This is how it is everywhere we go in Ethiopia. Becky is truly an Ethiopian, though this fact is somewhat obscured by her white complexion.

In Burji we went to the clinic to pray over a young lady named Ake who had been shot by the Gujis while out in the fields.

When Becky examined her I could tell the case was desperate: sepsis had infiltrated her entire body. The next day our sister departed to be with the Lord. While in the clinic we noticed this patient holding her infant.

Turns out the lady was Bogalech, a leader among the women of the Burji church. Her child had stopped growing and refused to put on any weight. The Lord allowed us to bring bring Bogalech and Tiblett to Addis. I am glad to report that today Tiblett is doing well though her development will never be “normal.” Have you ever seen a sweeter baby?

B and I had plenty of opportunities to address the flock everywhere we went. Here Becky speaks to a group of believers in Alaba, where (as you know) the persecution has been severe of late.

Here I am sharing the Good News to a group of villagers in Burji. My teaching in group settings is very simple — usually a Scripture and a parable/story.

Of course, everywhere we went Becky’s wig was a huge hit with the ladies.

I wish I could tell you how precious and dear these three men are to us. Time would fail me.

Here they are picking up the Sabers and loud speakers for our churches in Burji. (For a report, gohere.) On other trips we’ve picked up Amharic Bibles in Addis for distribution down south. Our Bible Memory Program is rigorous (you must memorize and recite perfectly 9 passages of Scripture), but that has not stopped thousands of Ethiopians from completing it, many of them children.

Speaking of children, it is a fact that over half of Ethiopia’s population is under 17 years of age. Children are ubiquitous. And they are always eager to practice their English. Let’s see, what to teach them….?

Well, I hope you enjoyed your visit to Ethiopia. We need to be praying for the church there as it faces opposition from the enemies of the cross. We also need to be praying for God’s guidance as to how we should use our vacations and holidays. Can this time be used for kingdom work instead of being used selfishly? Satan has a thousand little traps to keep us from being about the Father’s business. We need to compare our lifestyles continually against that of the Scriptures. Remember: Only those soldiers that go to the battlefield get shot at and wounded. If we were submitting our time to the Lord of the harvest, how would our lives be different? 

Wednesday, March 9

5:35 PM Since I first published Paul, Apostle of Weakness way back in 1984, the church has seen many changes. Many of these involve technology. My dissertation was typed on a machine called a typewriter. Today the typewriter is a museum piece. Today we enjoy so many advantages I lacked when I was a student: the internet, Twitter, Face Book, blogging. These changes have all been for the good, and I embrace them.

Still, some things never change. Here are a few of them:

• Christian education is still likeness education. We become like those with whom we study. So let us choose wisely.

• Power to love the lost is still a supernatural thing. Only the Spirit can impart such love. He alone stirs us out of our apathy and into service.

• Persecution is still a mark of the normal Christian life. No true follower of Jesus can die and rise with the Master and still live peaceably with this world.

• Barriers still exist. The educated versus the uneducated, the haves versus the have-nots, Republicans versus Democrats. Christians truly comprise a third race — and we should live that way by rising above these barriers.

• Education still opens doors. If you’re well-educated, use your degrees for the Lord. My Basel doctorate has opened some unbelievably wide evangelistic doors for me. Of course, in the Body of Christ, degrees mean nothing. The kingdom is flat.

• We still need to share our faith with the lost. Relationally and relentlessly. The Christians who brought the Gospel to Antioch (Acts 11) were impelled by one thing: their concern for others.

• The ministry of the Word is still necessary. And not just by “preachers.” I mean individual Christians wrestling with what they read in their Bibles. I mean small groups giving priority to Bible study. I mean using the Scriptures both as a guide for daily living and an instrument which which to share Christ with others.

• We still need to care for new believers. The goal is not decisions but disciples. We Baptists should be ashamed of our inflated membership statistics. New converts must get settled in the basics of the Christian life.

• The church must still care for the hungry and needy. My preaching among the fierce Guji tribe of Ethiopia did not take place in a vacuum. Seeds were distributed to the villagers, and our acceptance was at least partly due to the loving practical assistance that was offered in the name of the Savior.

• Shared leadership remains a priority. It can make a huge difference in our churches not least by preserving us from the idiosyncrasies of one person.

In a word, the times may have changed, as well as the means by which we communicate with each other, but there are certain aspects of basic Christianity that will never be passé.  

5:03 PM Bradley McLean of Knox College announces that hisnew Greek grammar will appear this year. I wish it well!

2:10 PM It seems beyond question that the evangelical church in America is divided beyond repair. (This is not the case in many other countries in the world, including Ethiopia, where evangelicals work side by side and hand in hand for the Gospel.) I think we can agree that the topic is an important one. Perhaps I’m being unduly optimistic, but I think Arthur Sido points us to the correct answers in his latest blog post calledHow to change a culture of accepted disunity.

12:33 PM Right now I am paying our household bills. Luke 14:30 reads, “This person began to build but couldn’t finish.” I assume the person ran out of money and couldn’t pay the bills as they came due. Beginning Greek students, may I apply this to our class? It is not enough to start. Yes, I realize it’s costing you more than you had anticipated. The first flush of the new venture has long since worn off and Greek class is now simply putting one foot in front of the other. Perhaps the cost is more than you thought. But I beg you to believe me — the rewards are worth the investment. And if I can help you in any way please let me know. I am here to serve you. Even during my week off.

12:14 PM Tim Challies’review of Love Wins by Rob Bell is a reminder that exegesis matters. Greek matters. The seeds of this debate may well have been planted in a faulty understanding of language and linguistics.

12:03 PM Pat Buchanan wants to know where we get the moral or legal right toattack Libya. In my opinion, it is impossible to know whether violence will be effective toward the ends that are posited. This is self-evident when we look at Iraq, where the government in recent days has been clamping down (with the use of force) on innocent protestors. We ask, “We spent our blood and fortune for this?” Buchanan is correct: a no-fly zone over Libya will require us to attack a sovereign nation that has never attacked us. At the very least this would require a congressional declaration of war. As for us Christians, I see in Libya a reminder of two things:

1) The power of weakness. There is a strength involved when the weak and oppressed masses begin to protest.

2) The weakness of power. Power corrupts, and governments that wield it unjustly will one day have to answer to the people.

What might a Christian response look like in Libya? Based on my reading of the Gospels, Christians are under no obligation to enforce what governments sanction through violence. We do not ask, “How can we defeat the pro-government forces?” Nor do we ask, “How can we support militarily the anti-government forces?” Instead, Christian doctors might volunteer their medical services to treat the wounded (of both sides) in the name of the Prince of Peace. They would show a watching world that Jesus’ kingdom transcends political boundaries. Indeed, Jesus renounced the justified insurrection of the Zealots of His day. In my view, this is not the time in human history to give up on the claims of the Jesus of the Gospels that Christian ethics must be transmuted in apolitical forms.

11:26 AM During the American Civil War the cavalry tactics of George Armstrong Custer became the stuff of legend. Of the Union’s Generals, only Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan were held in higher regard by the public. The Boy General had found his calling, and he was very good at it. Why am I mentioning this? Because Custer graduated at the very bottom of his class at West Point. And he earned his worst grades in — want to guess? — cavalry tactics! By all accounts, Custer hated book learning. On the job training suited him much better.

Although I am a classroom teacher by profession and have been at it for some 34 years, I assure you, everything of significance you will ever learn you will learn from experience, not in a classroom. The crucible of life is realistic, nontechnical (usually), and free from perfectionistic demands. Essentially, Christianity is a Way of life. Biblical principleswork. If they didn’t, I would never waste your time or mine by writing this blog. Life is a place for biblical truth to be fleshed out, regardless of our educational status or attainments. It’s lengthy, costly, messy — and just plain hard work. But when you consider the alternative, it’s well worth the effort. 

11:12 AM I began my revision of Paul, Apostle of Weakness well over a year ago. It’s one thing to say, “I’m going to republish my dissertation.” It’s another thing entirely to get the thing finished. One famous author put it this way:

Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him about to the public.

Winston Churchill’s comments on book writing are certainly fitting. Now it’s on to other writing projects!

Tuesday, March 8

7:57 PM More on thechurch burnings in Jimma, Ethiopia.

5:58 PM Odds and ends …

• The Germans have a saying: Aller Anfang ist schwer (“Every beginning is difficult.”) That includes getting started in blogging. Here’sproof.

• Justin Stratis, a Ph.D. student under John Webster at the University of Aberdeen, responds to the Rob Bell controversy withIf There Is a Hell.

• How does your seminary shake out? Find outhere.

• Matt Capps has published hisintroductory sermon to Philippians. Well done, Matt!

• MoreResources for Greek students.

• Arthur Sido reviewsMere Churchianity (“This is a book for those who see more to the church than pulpits, pews and handshakes in the foyer”).

5:42 PM Today I finished, by the grace of God, my revision of Paul, Apostle of Weakness. I had lots of barriers that had kept me from this task, mostly specious ones, i.e., lame duck excuses. I have found that growing older has its challenges that are impossible to escape. Strange things occur. What once was easy becomes a bit more complicated. Writing requires more mental energy than it did when I was a freshly-minted D.Theol. Age breeds tendencies that must be brought under control. Procrastination is one of them. So is the tendency to kick up one’s heels and say, “I’ve paid my dues.” One thing is for sure: I’m a lot more weather-beaten now than I was when the first edition of the book came out. Still, I have an enormous desire to write books that God has placed within me. Writing is a lot like physical exercise. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Yesterday I set a “workout” goal, and today I’m done. I hope to have the book off to the publisher by the end of the month. I’ve updated both the bibliography and each chapter. I’ve also used inclusive language throughout and have transliterated all Greek and Hebrew words. It’s been a fun, painful, frustrating, and extremely rewarding process, all at the same time. I still can’t believe that this was my very first published book, and that it is to have a “phoenix” moment. I’m warning you, though: Studying about God’s strength-in-weakness goal for Christians can be dangerous. I am not a new Christian. I have been walking with the Lord Jesus for 51 years. Yet there is no single area of my Christian life that does not need significant improvement. If the result of this book is to drive us all to our knees and to a reexamination of our weaknesses in the light of the Scriptures, then I will be well satisfied.

Below: The old (left) and the new (still in manuscript form):

Monday, March 7

8:23 AM Wow, if this isn’t true!

Is there a ministry in your church or something at your office that you just do to be doing, yet it is bearing no fruit? Why do you keep doing it? Habit? Security? Fear of change? If it isn’t bearing any fruit, then you and I are wasting time aren’t we? I no longer fear pruning. Sometimes it just has to be done.

ReadPruning.

8:12 AM Still more on theclashes in Jimma. The report concludes:

Jimma and its vicinities are not new for such religious conflicts. Hundreds were killed after clashes between Muslims and orthodox Christians six years ago. Currently a number of Protestants are fleeing the conflict areas and sheltered in the compound of the office of Union of Evangelical Churches Ministry in Jimma. Kale Hiwot church is hosting another 27 families who fled from the violence. Some people are also sheltering in Mekane Yesus church.

Note: “Kale Hiwot” is the largest Protestant denomination in Ethiopia and is baptistic in its structure and polity. “Mekane Yesus” refers to the Lutheran church in Ethiopia. 

7:58 AM Odds and ends …

1) “Tomorrow morning I begin my new job with JCB.” Thus beginsthis powerful blog post by Eric Carpenter. We wish you well, Eric, as you begin your new job today!

2) My colleague Bruce Ashford asks,Missions and Seminary Education: A Match Made in Heaven or Hell?

3) Time to get the lawn mower out again. Green is back!

4) Before I forget, here’s Bloomberg’s take on thepersecution in Ethiopia.

5) Graham Michael mounts an assault on “Celebrity Christianity” in his excellent essayLabels and Division.

6) My goal this week (it is spring break) is to finish my revision of Paul, Apostle of Weakness. This has been a wonderful project for me in every way, but I just can’t seem to wrap it up!

7:35 AM Quote of the day (Dietrich Bonhoeffer):

The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential.

Sunday, March 6

7:12 PM This email prayer came today:

Brother Dave. I praise the Lord for you and sister Becky’s continued love for all the saints. I praise him for your continued remembrance of his body which is persecuted and your stepping out to support them. I praise our Lord for your continued hospitality for those who are in need and the ministry of encouragement that you both have. I pray that the Lord will quicken his hand of healing over your lives; that he will continue to cause you to be fruitful and effective in love; through your combined ministry of impacting and imparting wisdom and grace to those you teach and serve in the many ways you do. 

I continue to pray that the Lord will cover you with a blanket of peace; which will allow your minds and bodies to rest. May our Lord give you the ability to truly be able to give Him all your anxious thoughts; tell him about your fears and doubts in any area that troubles you and that only the peace he can give will cover, fill and flow through you both and not only you; but your family. Today I also join in and say Amen with your prayers for any family and friends whom have not yet come to know the grace of our Lord. 

Nice little serendipity. I print it here with permission of the author. To him and to all who pray for us regularly: thank you very much for your love for us. We feel we do not deserve your love. But we accept it with gratitude.

6:48 PM Persecution alert: Just received an email from friends in Ethiopia that Muslim extremists have attacked and burned down 40 church buildings and a Bible school in and around the city of Jimma. Two people are known to have lost their lives in the rampage. I’ll have more news when I receive it. Pass the word and pray. 

6:36 PM End of a very busy day. This afternoon was spent in major moving operations here at Bradford Hall. I just calculated that we completed 17 tasks today. These included moving one buffet cabinet, one shrank (i.e., standup closet; these first two items we brought back with us from Basel in 1983), one clavinova, two bookshelves, two file cabinets, two dressers, two bunk beds, one desk, and –outside — we loaded two huge trailers with lumber. Five families from Bethel Hill joined us in the work. A huge Rosewood Farm THANK YOU to Leigh, Marshall, and Thomas Humphries (along with their friend Carson); Woody and Lendon Jacobs; Chris Jacobs; Marshall and Sandy Clayton; and Jason, Stacie, and Garrison Hatley. Becky and I want you to know: You are family. Feel free to drop by anytime, not only on “work days.”

We all got quite a workout today. We’ll feel it tomorrow I’m sure. Our goal in rearranging the furniture? We wanted to make it easier for when B’s mom and dad come to visit us. Now their sleeping quarters will be downstairs. Also, this fall we plan on providing free room and board for two seminarians. They will be international students, each from a different nation. Becky and I have a special place in our hearts for foreign students since we ourselves were international students at one time.

Pix (of course):

7:44 AM I am very excited for my friends Alvin Reid and Matt Capps, both of whom are beginning a series on the book of Philippians today. It is amazing to me how an understanding of the entire structure of the book helps to clarify and disambiguate lower level constructions such as phrases and clauses. Here are but three examples:

1) In 2:12, Paul says “work out your own salvation.” Dos this refer to one’s individual spiritual salvation or to something bigger and broader? Well, remember that this letter is addressed to the church as a whole, and that Paul has just warned the believers in Philippi to do nothing from selfishness. Instead, they are to regard others as more important than themselves and look out for the interests of others (2:1-4). Hence “salvation” here seems to be a reference to the health and corporate well-being of the church, which has been under duress because of various factions in its midst. (Note 2:14: “Do all things without grumbling and complaining” is but a very practical example of the outworking of their corporate wholeness.)

2) In 2:16, are we to render the Greek “holding forth the Word of life” or “holding fast to the Word of life”? The Greek permits either rendering. The participle epechontes may mean “hold on to” something, but the emphasis of the entire book is on living for the sake of the Gospel, putting the Good News first in our lives (1:27). This we do by “holding forth” the life-giving Word. In Homer the term is used for holding a cup to a thirsty person’s lips or the offering of a breast to a baby. Clearly, then, the reference here is to missionary activity in spreading the Gospel.

3) In 4:5 we read: “Let your gentleness be known to all people. The Lord is near.” The Greek term epieikes, translated here “gentleness,” means (according to BDAG) “not insisting upon every right or letter of the law or custom; yielding; humble, kind; courteous; tolerant.” The NEB renders the term “magnanimity” while Hendricksen prefers “big-heartedness.” Paul is saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Be willing to meet others half way. Stop insisting on having everything your way.” After all, the Lord is near; He is coming soon to right all wrongs. The Philippian church, divided by backbiting that had left deep teeth marks, surely needed this word of exhortation.

Alvin and Matt, I’ll be praying for as you exposit this wonderful epistle. Please keep us updated on your Twitter accounts as to how things are going.

7:15 AM An Open Letter to my Exegesis of Mark class:

Dear Students,

I hope you’re enjoying as much as I am our study of the Gospel of Mark and its bold look at what it means to follow Jesus. My own study of the sixteenth century Anabaptists forever changed the way I looked at Christian discipleship. As John Howard Yoder was fond of saying, the Anabaptists did not reinvent Christianity; they simply rediscovered its radical character. For example, they were content to call each other “brother and sister” because Jesus had made it clear that honorific titles had no place in His kingdom. They refused to slavishly follow church traditions. In Zürich, the Anabaptist movement began with the expectation that the Zwinglian movement might indeed “go all the way” with reformation. For them, the New Testament provided no warrant for infant baptism or for the union of church and state. They “saw things differently” you might say — and that is precisely my goal for you, my Greek students.

My prayer is that this course might be a training ground for cultivating an ability to see things differently and, thus, to see things truly. We can no longer aim to live “the good Christian life” as advertised in Christian magazines. I’m convinced that, if we would adopt a truly Christian lifestyle, we would turn our world upside down for Christ. Jesus’ disciples knew this. They lived a lifestyle that matched their responsibility to a lost world. It showed as they went forth, two by two, to preach and heal. It showed by their detachment from the worship of earthy things. It showed.

Jesus made no apology for demanding our ultimate allegiance. If we’re not putting His kingdom first, then why in the world are we studying the Gospels?

Yours in the Lamb,

Dave Black

Saturday, March 5

6:14 PM To our good friend Aussie John and his dear wife Valerie:

Happy Wedding Anniversary!

6:04 PM Mark Stevens hasrediscovered the value of the NRSV. Mark, inScribes and Scripture: New Testament Essays in Honor of J. Harold Greenlee (which I was privileged to present to Harold at the annual SBL meeting in 1992), Bruce Metzger contributed an excellent essay on translational issues in the NRSV New Testament (he served as General Editor). If your theological library has a copy of this book, I think you’d enjoy reading Metzger’s essay. Among other hot button issues he discusses is the use of inclusive language.

3:30 PM More odds and ends …

1) Alan Knox thinks the head of the church should be paid more than others. I’m not making that up.He really does.

2) One of my favorite writers on the relationship of church and state answers the question:How should Christians view the political process? 

3) Kevin Baker provokes thinking in hisWhy I like FB (but am still giving it up for Lent).

4) Craig Bennett comes up with themillion dollar quote of the day.

5) I’m pleasantly surprised to see this essay over at Cryptotheology:Reading Greek without translating in your head.

6) It’s been a while since I linked to anything by Greg Boyd, but his latest essay provides some valuable insights intoRob Bell’s latest book (which Greg has actually read).

7) David Ker wants some help in interpreting acouple of passages in Philippians. (A peripheral comment if I may: Wouldn’t a perusal of the major Greek exegetical commentaries on the book be a good place to start?) 

2:16 PM I wrote the following report after attending the 2010 SBC Convention in Orlando. I believe what I wrote then is still relevant today. 

The Future of Southern Baptist Missions

This summer I attended the SBC convention in Orlando. How was it? Expensive. The seminary very graciously put me up in the Hilton. Not cheap. However, I noticed a nearby Days Inn whose rooms went for half the price. That’s where I spent my second night. Felt good to be able to save the school some money. Besides, little David had something Goliath lacked: An internet terminal in the lobby where guests could check their email. Gotta have that! I met lots of people, both colleagues and students (former and prospective). Jason Hall did an absolutely phenomenal job of setting up and managing the SEBTS booth. David Allen sauntered by one day, as did many other good friends.

Multiply these encounters a hundredfold and you’ll understand why these conferences are so much fun. I don’t know how many messengers attended this year’s meeting but the place was packed solid. The SEBTS luncheon on Wednesday, at which both Danny Akin and Johnny Hunt spoke, was fantastic. I came away from the convention with a new realization that a Great Commission resurgence will not begin at the denominational level. It will end there. A Great Commission commitment must begin in our homes and marriages, and then in our local churches, each one of them. This is clearly the pattern of the book of Acts. The church at Antioch, the world’s first missional church, is proof of that. As I came to this realization, I was filled with excitement. Clearly missions is now possible on a scale as never before. I’m not talking about professional missionaries only. The work of the Great Commission will certainly include them. But the work is much broader than that. The playing field has been leveled as never before. It is level in the sense that everyone can now be a player, and in venues once thought impossible. Just do a Google. I did so the other day and found an interesting site, in Iraq of all places. A new American University has just opened there and is willing to pay you to be a fulltime missionary to Iraq — as long as you are willing to teach business or English. Here education, as it so often has done in the past, is leading the way in breaking down walls and knitting the world together. The dynamic behind this globalization in education is practically begging us North Americans to capitalize on it. (I am tempted to grab a quick degree in ESL and apply for the job myself.)

Let’s say you want to do missionary work in China. Did you know that secular Chinese universities are hiring Americans to teach courses in biblical studies? A couple of years ago I got an email from an American scholar who was taking a sabbatical in China and teaching at Shanghai University. He wrote to tell me he was using my beginning Greek grammar in one of his courses. I was flabbergasted. Here was an American evangelical teaching both Greek and New Testament Introduction in a Chinese university, at the expense of the Chinese. In Dalian — China’s silicon valley — there are 22 universities and colleges with over 200,000 students. Most of these ambitious young people are eager to study English. The era of top-down missions — where all missionaries are professionally trained — is rapidly vanishing. Something infinitely more satisfying is arising alongside the traditional model. The faster the transition, the greater the potential for involving larger and larger numbers of “laypeople” (you and me) in the cause of the Great Commission. This flattening of world missions has the potential to unlock pent-up energies for hundreds of thousands of North Americans, Southern Baptists included.

It is impossible to exaggerate how important this development is. Couple this with developments in communications and transportation and the world has become not only flatter but a lot smaller. Becky’s missionary parents traveled to Ethiopia for the first time in 1954. Their trip by freighter took 6 weeks. Today we can fly from Washington DC to Addis Ababa in a mere 19 hours. Moreover, wherever you’re going, there’s probably a job skill God can use. Working in a secular job while actually being a fulltime missionary may sound rather routine and dull. But these jobs often pay well, and you have a natural venue for establishing relationships with a view toward sharing the Good News. In addition, biblical education is possible as never before. It’s is no longer campus-centered, and you can easily educate yourself — even in Greek and Hebrew — online. When Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft, his goal was to provide every individual “IAYF” — information at your fingertips. His success is obvious.

The global information revolution has impacted missions. The world is now connected, and it seems that nothing will stop the digital representation of practically everything. Back when my in-laws were working in Ethiopia, this infrastructure was missing. Now everyone is online — writing, blogging, tweeting. (Personally, I believe HTML is the greatest invention of the twentieth century, since it has allowed average people like me to author web pages with ease.) We have reached a point in missions that almost any of us can become personally involved, whether it’s by going or informing or teaching via one’s website. The great thing about modern missions, as I heard over and over again at the convention, is that anyone and everyone can be involved. Indeed, everyone ought to be involved. Even a Facebook page or a Twitter account can become a powerful evangelistic tool in this day of social networking. In other words, once the idea that every Christian is a fulltime missionary is accepted, the work of missions will advance with much less hierarchy — and much less wasted money. In time, I think we will see a new equilibrium emerge in which professionally-trained missionaries will work side-by-side with an army of volunteers in a low-friction environment that enhances cooperation.

For me, working in Ethiopia is a dream come true. When Becky and I went to Ethiopia in 2004 our sole purpose was to see the places in her childhood that shaped her. Today we make two trips a year. There are many professional missionaries working in Ethiopia, but Becky and I have still found plenty of room to maneuver in places where most foreign missionaries would never think of going. As with blogging, where an army of citizen journalists has matched the official media outlets in the information gathering and disseminating routine, today there is an army of citizen missionaries harnessing the power of the Spirit and channeling it into significant ministries. And as never before, these ministries can stay connected. It is impossible to gauge the impact of the internet on the SBC, but when you hear Johnny Hunt say that he read hundreds of tweets during the Orlando convention it is clear that the social media are successfully monitoring the news. My generation had to adapt to the internet, but the current generation is growing up online. (I once read that one third of grade school students have their own email addresses.) The bottom line of what I am saying: It’s time for us to wake up to the fact that there is a fundamental shift talking place in the way many of our churches are thinking about missions. We face the potential of tapping into the energy and abilities of five times as many people as before. As missions becomes flattened, local churches will realize they can plant other churches or send out missionaries themselves. The missions “connection” will move from vicarious support of foreign missionaries via missions giving to raising up local personnel and sending them forth. “Let’s get the job done!” is a rallying cry I’m hearing from more and more Southern Baptists. And the students I’m seeing these days in seminary are like Swiss Army Knives — sharp and adaptable. This is what happens when the missionary enterprise is no longer outsourced. Collaborative innovation flourishes — and the result is expanded involvement on all levels in the Great Commission.

The point I took away from Orlando was a simple reminder: We are all fellow missionaries. The Body of Christ is moving into a world where less and less of the work of global evangelization is being outsourced. When we develop a missional mindset, we get rid of the notion that missions is only for others. We are moving into a world where more and more of us will do the work of an evangelist. In the meantime, missionary communications are being revolutionized. During the Orlando convention I kept up with a friend’s mission trip to Greece via his tweets and twitpics. (I imagine he was keeping up with the convention as well.) In short, my two days in Orlando showed me that there is potential for our priorities to get completely reshuffled — with an accompanying awareness that missions is ultimately the responsibility of local churches — yours and mine. As I said earlier, a Great Commission resurgence will not not happen in the convention without it happening in my own life. Let’s face it: We can say we are “Great Commission Christians” until we are blue in the face. Meanwhile, the world is going to hell. Recently the BP chairman apologized for the oil spill and added: “We made it clear to the president that words are not enough. We should be judged by our actions.” Southern Baptists need to hear that loud and clear. More and more of us are asking which of our values are worth preserving and which should disappear. I hope that all of this gets sorted out at the denomination level (and I predict that it will). But even if it doesn’t, there is nothing to keep me and my local church from doing all we can to help advance God’s kingdom on earth, both through our support of the CP and through our personal involvement.

1:24 PM The news you’ve all been waiting for:

SUCCESS!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. After a trip to Ace, I laid out all my tools like a good surgeon.

Then I fitted together the new pipe and coupling to the old copper tube and threaded it through the holes into the crawl space.

Working mostly by feel, I then glued together the two pieces of PVC.

After a few minutes to let everything dry came the moment of truth. I turned the water back on and everything worked. And it wasn’t that hard either — no harm, no foul, no blood, no ambulance (as Chick Hearn used to say during the Lakers games in Los Angeles).

Thanks to everyone who wrote in to sympathize with my plight. One of you asked:

Brother Dave, how is your son and daughter-law and Nolan? You don’t speak much of them any more is Nathan not around to help you with the pipe?

To which I replied:

Extremely busy. Saw Nolan and Jessie yesterday. Both looked great. Nolan is beginning to talk. Nate is gone almost every day from dawn to dusk on construction projects (his building skills are in great demand). So I’m giving them lots of space and privacy to establish their own business, family style, boundaries, identity, etc., as every new family deserves.

We’ve divided operations: Nate, Jess, and Co. will do the farming, and I will simplify (in my “old age”) and stick to Bradford Hall repairs — since I’m so good at them. Right now I’m watching Nate on the tractor spreading fertilizer in the fields getting ready for haying. Beautiful.

As you can see, I’m trying to step up to the plate when it comes to home repairs and such, which I should have done years ago. It was always so much easier to lean on my capable son. But those days are gone forever — and for the better!

P.S. No, I didn’t forget to water Becky’s flowers.

9:54 AM Odds and ends …

1) Becky’s attending a women’s conference in Roxboro all day today. Praying it is edifying for everyone in attendance.

2) Just received an email from a missionary in Asia who has been using ourGreek DVD set. He writes: “The DVDs, yes I received them in mid-January I believe and have been thoroughly blessed by them! Reading the chapter once, watching the DVD lecture, and reading again has been very fruitful. ” What a blessing!

3) Here’s the latest on thebrouhaha over Rob Bell’s new book. The author raises some good questions: “Is the blogosphere the new council?  Where is the authority?  What are the boundaries as to how the discussion should proceed?  Should we be airing our issues for all the world to see in such a public format?”

4) I ran into Lloyd Williamson at Ace Hardware yesterday. Lloyd went with us to Alaba back in June of 2007. I’ll never forget the first time an Ethiopian held his hand while walking. The Ethiopian in question was a man, not a woman. There was brother Lloyd, outdoorsman, hunter, farmer — the ultimate Alpha Mensch — walking hand in hand with another male. He took a big swallow and then carried on as if nothing unusual had happened. The things you have to do to be a good missionary!

5) Our library at SEBTS is a wonderful repository of books, and I have profited from its proximity to my office on campus. In case you’re interested, I checked these books out on Tuesday afternoon. They were all read by Wednesday morning.

• The Evangelicals: What They Believe, Where They Are, and Their Politics, by Christopher Catherwood.

• Doing Ministry in the Igbo Context: Towards an Emerging Model for the Church in Africa, by Cajetan Ebuziem.

• Falun Gong and the Future of China, by David Ownby.

• L’ identité de l’ Eglise dans les Actes des apôtres, by Simon Butticaz.

• Philippians and Philemon, by Charles Cousar.

Note: I am gravely suspicious of any book that claims to speak for “Africa,” which, after all, is comprised of some 54 different nations and untold numbers of separate ethnic groups.

6) How’s your home repair project going, Dave? you ask. I need to get back to the local hardware store and purchase a couple of wrenches, then I should be good to go. And just in the nick of time, too. Becky asked me to water her freshly planted flowers in the front garden beds, and it might help if I had the spigots working.

7) You have to feel sorry for Andrew Rozalowsky, a student at McMaster Divinity School. He wasted good study time by reviewing a book on the Gospels that is nothing but a “fanciful historical account.” Or is it? Read his review and find out.

Friday, March 4

6:05 PM Walking down to the mailbox has its advantages when you can encounter views like these. 

5:54 PM Got the parts but now lack the proper wrenches. Can’t do the work without the right tools. It’s like trying to interpret a Greek letter without knowing anything about discourse analysis.

1:55 PM I went to turn on the water to the outside spigots today and lo and behold one of them had a tremendous leak.

Did I call a plumber? Are you kidding? I may not be the brightest light in the candelabra, but I am bound and determined to do minor house repairs by myself!

The first step was to determine the exact source of the leak. So into the crawl space I slithered, as nimbly as any snake you’ve ever seen. And sure enough, Watson, the leak was coming from the inside and not the outside!

Self, what to do next? I inquired. Aha! I’ll grab my handy hacksaw and cut the PVC pipe close to the leak but also in a place where I can work on the project easily. Eh voila — the pipe came out easily!

Now the next step is going to be a little tricky but at least I’ll have the advice of the experts at Home Depot. I predict I’ll need two items: (1) A new section of pipe, and (2) a connector of some sort to hold the pieces of pipe together. I believe they make couplets that are somehow glued onto the PVC. Am I right? We’re about to find out.

Stay tuned for Part Two!

9:28 AM Speaking of Greek, the registrar has set the dates for my summer schoolGreek Syntax and Exegesis class. We’ll meet from July 5-22 for three weeks, 9:00 to noon daily. Textbooks includeIt’s Still Greek to Me,Using New Testament Greek in Ministry,Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek,New Testament Textual Criticism, Metzger’sLexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek, and Jerry Sumney’sPhilippians: A Greek Student’s Intermediate Reader.

We’ll be translating the entire book of Philippians plus improving our syntax plus learning how to do exegesis plus studying linguistics plus increasing our word power. Small wonder students call this course “Greek on Steroids.” 

P.S. If you can’t make this session, I’ll also be teaching a section of the course during the fall semester.

9:12 AM After Wednesday’s Greek class a student came up to me and said, “Greek is awesome. It’s so exciting to be reading the text in the original language.” Enthusiasm was splashed all over her face. And the thing is: Greek is not required for her degree program. She’s taking it as an elective. May her tribe increase!

9:08 AM Found these thoughts over at Jody Neufeld’s blog: 

Take a moment right now and remember your mistakes from yesterday. Maybe you didn’t speak to your spouse with kindness but with sharpness. Maybe you didn’t call your friend because you just didn’t feel like hearing her/his problems. Maybe you griped about having to work on a past holiday and didn’t get any extra pay. God forgives you. Yes, He does. Just ask Him. He does. Every time – because of Jesus. Now – let it go – and let’s learn from our mistakes and move on and not repeat that one! God is faithful.

ReadLooking to God.

8:42 AM How did the great C. S. Lewis learn Greek? Theanswer might surprise you. It did me!

Thursday, March 3

5:40 PM Once again it’s my privilege to call your attention to the work of the Lord in Ethiopia. What an opportunity the believers in Zobechame have to influence their Muslim neighbors for Christ! Yes, being a Christian in Alaba is dangerous, risky, and often unpleasant. But servanthood in the name of Jesus is the normal Christian life. Bond-slavery, like marriage, implies total allegiance!

So please readUrgent Need for the Lord’s Church in Zobechame, Ethiopia and then ask the Lord Jesus how you can help!

5:25 PM Speaking of Andy Bowden, he’s just expanded his list of German-speaking universities offering the Ph.D. in New Testament. Check it out below or at hiswebsite. Let’s all wish Andy well as he flies to Germany next month to interview at several different schools.

Berlin (Humboldt)
Cilliers Breytenbach
Publications
Focus: Literatur, Religions, und Zeitgeschichte des Urchristentums

Jens Schröter
Publications
Focus: Exegesis and Interpretation

Bonn:
Günter Röhser
Publications
Focus: Gospels, Paul, New Testament Ethics

Erlangen
Lukas Bormann
Publications
Focus: Luke, Paul,

Peter Pilhofer
Publications
Focus: Philippi, Acts, archeology

Frankfurt
Stefan Alkier
Publications
Focus: Hermeneutik und Theologie des Neuen Testaments, Paulus und Synoptiker, Wunder und Auferstehung, Religions- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte Palästinas, Biblische Intertextualität / Intertextualität jüdischer und frühchristlicher Schriften, Bibel in der Gegenwartskultur, Semiotik und Methodologie, Forschungsgeschichte

Michael Schneider
Publications (see above)
Focus: Paulinische Theologie, Neutestamentliche Hermeneutik und Methodologie(n), Biblische Intertextualität, Bibeldidaktik, Bibel in der Gegenwartskultur, Bibel in Liturgie, Predigt und Kirchenmusik

Werner Kahl
Publications: (see above)
Focus: Intertextuality between OT and NT, Missions, Miracles, Charasmatics

Werner Zager
Publications
Focus: Apokalyptik, Mark-Q, Albert Schweizer, sermon on the mt.

Göttingen
Reinhard Feldmeier
Publications
Focus: Religionsgeschichte der hellenistischen Welt, Synoptische Evangelien, Katholische Briefe und Aposteltraditionen, Biblische Gotteslehre

Greifswald
Christfried Böttrich (This website has all the information you need, including a biography, publications, et.)

Hamburg
Christine Gerber
Publications
Focus: Paulus, Paulusschule, hellenistisches Judentum (Flavius Josephus), Exegese unter dem Gender-Aspekt und feministische Theologien, Methodenfragen.

Martina Böhm
Publications
Focus: Lukas; Matthäus; Samaritaner; Philo von Alexandrien; Schriftrezeption; Hermeneutik und Exegese im frühen Judentum

Heidelberg
Peter Lampe
Publications (see above)
Focus: Christian origins, hermenuetics, Romans, Philippians

Matthias Konradt
Publications (see above)
Focus: the Epistle of James; Paul; the Gospel of Matthew

Leipzig:
Jens Herzer
Publications (see above)
Focus: Romans, Catholic Epistles, Theology and Exegesis

Mainz
Friedrich Wilhelm Horn Publications (See above)
Focus: 1 Peter, Romans,

Ruben Zimmermann
Publications (See above)
Focus: Synoptic Problem, Gospel of John, Ethics

Marburg
Friedrich Avemarie
Publications
Focus: Übersetzung des Talmud Yerushalmi, Martyrdom in Ancient Judaism, der Geschichte des Antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums

Angela Standhartinger
Publications

Munich:
David du Toit
Publications
Focus: 1. Research into early Christianity in the conditions of Graeco-Roman culture (particular emphasis on the construction of the cultural encyclopedia presumed in early Christian texts); 2. Semantics and lexicography of early Christian Greek; 3. The historical construction of specific sub-aspects of the history of theology in early Christianity (esp. Jesus research, the development of Christology, theologies of the synoptists); 4. Application of findings and methods drawn from linguistics, literary analysis and semiotics to the interpretation of early Christian texts.

Münster

Klaus Wachtel
Publications
Focus: Geschichte des Byzantinischen Textes des Neuen Testaments

Christina Hoegen-Rohls
Publications
Focus: John, Paul

Hermut Löhr
Publications (see above)
Focus: Hebräerbrief , Clemens Romanus und Apostolische Väter, Frühchristlicher Gottesdienst, Neutestamentliche Ethik, Agrapha, NT und antike Philosophie

Holger Strutwolf
Publications (see above)
Focus: Patristik und neutestamentliche Textforschung

Tübingen
Hans Joachim Eckstein
Publications
focus: Paul, resurrection

Christof Landmesser
Publications
focus: Paulusforschung, Hermeneutik und Theologie des Neuen Testaments im interdisziplinären Dialog, Synoptikerforschung, Ethik und Soziologie des Neuen Testaments, Kommentar der Thessalonicherbriefe für den Theologischen Handkommentar zum Neuen Testament (ThHK), Edition des wissenschaftlichen Briefwechsels von Rudolf Bultmann

Hermann Lichtenberger
Publications
Focus: Qumran, Ancient Judaism and Hellenistic Religions

Anna Maria Schwemer
Publications
Focus: Geschichte des frühen Christentums, Paul, Synoptics

Basel (Switzerland)
Ekkehard W. Stegemann
Publications
Focus: Paulusforschung, insbesondere Römerbrief, Sozialgeschichte des Urchristentums, Entstehung des Christentums im Rahmen antiker Kulturen, Antisemitismusforschung

Lucern (Switzerland)
Walter Kirchschläger
Publications

Freiburg (Switzerland)
Luc Devillers
Publications (see above)
Focus: Gospel of John

Max Küchler
Publications (see above)
Focus: archeology, Judaism, Synoptic Gospels

Zürich (Switzerland)
Samuel Vollenweider
Publications
Focus: Paul, Phil 2:5-11, Interreligiöser Dialog

5:19 PM Yet another “Student I Supervise”:

Mr Andrew Bowden, BA (Toccoa Falls College), MDiv (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary)

ThM student under Dr. David Black

Biography:

I am a ThM student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Before beginning my current degree, which involves a thesis relating to discourse analysis and the Epistle of James, I completed a BA at Toccoa Falls College, Georgia (2006), and an MDiv at Southeastern (2010). Upon completion of my current degree, I hope to pursue doctoral studies in the field of New Testament.

Research Interests:

·        The Epistle of James

·        Linguistics and New Testament Interpretation

·        New Testament Greek

·        New Testament Exegesis

10:32 AM Slept 13 hours last night. I think I’m fighting a head cold or something. Time for Vit C.

9:25 AM Robert McQuilkin, president of Columbia International University, resigned from his post in 1990 to care for his wife who had been battling Alzheimer’s disease. Someone “just happened” to record a portion of his resignation speech. Here is that recording of Robertson sharing about why he resigned.

It is reminder to me that love is always a choice. I can choose to care about my relationships. The choice to do so often leads to great pain but also to great rewards. Robert McQuilkin knew that demonstrating a selfless love for others is the strongest base for building lasting relationships. He recognized his wife’s need for companionship and for a feeling of togetherness and harmony. What a man values he takes good care of. Christ put it this way: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Watch the video and be blessed — and challenged.

9:18 AM The blogosphere is abuzz with posts about the value of New Testament Greek in ministry:

• Thomas Hudgins writesA. T. Robertson on the Tools.

• Rod Decker asksThe biblical languages: Who said it?

You’ll enjoy both essays and especially the comments at Rod’s site (Carl Conrad jumps into the discussion). It’s funny, really, how we Greek students can get carried away sometimes. We make such a big deal about this word or that tense and get all worked up over it, when we are possibly just over-exegeting the text. Recently I’ve been studying the New Testament passages dealing with reconciliation, peace, harmonious relationships, etc. Many of these texts come from the hand of Paul:

• Rom. 12:18: “If at all possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.”

• 1 Thess. 5:13: “Be at peace among yourselves.”

• Rom. 14:19: “So then let us pursue the things that make for peace and mutual edification.”

• And the clincher (2 Cor. 13:11): “Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with each other, and be at peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

You might get the idea that Paul pursued peace at any price. But that’s clearly not the case. Acts 15:39 refers to a disagreement he had with Barnabas. The disagreement was so sharp that they parted ways. I was reading one commentator who emphasized the Greek word translated “sharp disagreement.” He likened it to volcanic eruption. Paul and Barnabas, he insisted, had had a violent disagreement.

That’s a little strong, I think. The same Greek word is used in Heb. 10:24 where it is rendered “provoke” or “stir up.” Nothing violent or angry there! Don’t get me wrong. Paul and Barnabas may have had a violent disagreement. They may have even yelled at each other. But there is nothing in the text that would demand this interpretation. Nor does the Greek word require it.

For whatever reasons (and they were probably theological in nature), Paul decided that he could not agree with Barnabas about Mark. Either side could have compromised. Paul could have taken Mark along on probation. Barnabas could have given in to Paul, just this once, and gone without his cousin. The fact is, Paul and Barnabas had a legitimate difference of opinion, and neither was willing to yield. A rift was unavoidable, yet God used it to send forth two missionary teams instead of one; and, of course, Paul and Mark were later reconciled.

Carl Conrad is absolutely correct when he wrote, in the comment thread to Rod’s post:

There is just so much more involved in understanding a text than being able to read the text in its original language. I’m glad to be able to read the GNT, but I think it would be presumptuous to think that for that reason alone I have greater insight into what the original writer intended.

In my study of the New Testament concept of peace and reconciliation, I intend to make full use of my Greek New Testament – but not, I hope, to the exclusion of some old-fashioned common sense.

9:07 AM Baby Nathan is three years old!

If you’re wondering who Nathan is, Becky has written about him in her essayPutting Sacrifice into Perspective.

8:58 AM A colleague of mine is beginning a series on Philippians in his local church. He asked me, “If you were to say in a paragraph or less what we must take from this precious letter what would it be?”

What a great question!

I wrote back:

The only thing that matters in life is to live as good citizens of heaven in a way that is required by the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1:27). Life boils down to one purpose: To live for Christ. To know Him, and to make Him known. I must put the Gospel first in my life, which means that I must act like Jesus, who deliberately put himself in the humblest human condition because he loved others more than he loved himself. By losing my life I will find it! Dying, I live! I have the privilege of not only believing in him but of suffering for him! As David Brainerd (died at age 36) put it, “I wanted to wear myself out in service for his glory. I cared not how or where I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could but gain souls for Christ.” I want to live that way. I want to be an Epaphroditus who gambles his life away in the cause of the Good News.

I’ve asked Miss Phyllis to send you a .pdf of my study of the discourse structure of Philippians. It’s all about the progress of the Gospel (and not joy, which at best is a by-product of living for Jesus!).

I’ll be praying for my friend’s series on Philippians. I plan to do one myself at Bethel Hill this summer. One last thought on Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25-30). The text says he gambled his life away, “daringly exposing himself to danger” (Hawthorne). Are you willing to take enormous risks for the sake of the Gospel? To aid a friend in need?

8:47 AM Enter your typical Baptist church and you are likely find a fulltime pastor with an assistant or two. In a New Testament church you would find nothing of the sort. The earliest Christians practiced team leadership. The responsibilities were shared, and the benefits must have been enormous. At my home church our pastor is going on sabbatical – which is the perfect opportunity for our deacons to step up to the plate (as they are eager to do). It is the perfect time to transition to elders (as we are in the process of doing, under the direction of our pastors and deacons). It will cost a lot, of course – caring for the Body is time-consuming. But at least the burden will be shared. How wise the early Christians were! How much we have to learn from them!

8:40 AM I get impatient with myself when I read excellent blog posts like the one by David Williams on theuse of ekballo in the New Testament. Well done indeed!

8:32 AM In Mark class we discussed ever so briefly the way the apostles went out 2 by 2 and how they were instructed not to take anything for the journey except what was absolutely essential. We compared what the Didache has to say about traveling prophets who were in it for the money. Here’s a summary:

• If a visiting teacher remains somewhere for three days, he’s a false prophet (11:5).

• If he takes anything from God’s people except for a loaf of bread, he’s a false prophet (11:6).

• If he asks for money, he’s a false prophet (11:6).

• If someone says in the Spirit, “give me money,” do not listen to him (11:12).

• Christian workers should work for their own bread (12:3).

• “In no way should anyone live among you unemployed as a Christian” (12:4).

I have never stated this before on this website but I mentioned it in class yesterday so I’ll mention it here. Becky and I have never charged a set fee for speaking. Never have, never will. If we do receive an honorarium we put it right back into the Ethiopia work.

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Wednesday, March 31

8:18 PM

Greetings from Addis!  We arrived feeling drained, but are now somewhat revived after a hot shower & meal.  We came back a day early…with a little baby.  This child is named Tiblet.  She is the 8th child of one of the evangelists in Burji.  The baby is a year old, but is extremely underdeveloped.  We brought the baby (with her parents) to the big city of Awassa to meet with a pediatrician.  The diagnosis is Edwards Syndrome….it is similar to Down’s Syndrome, but with a different chromosome.  The main (only?) problem is a congenital heart defect.  A new cardiac care hospital has just opened in Addis, so tomorrow we are taking her for an echocardiogram.  After this test, we will know better if anything can be done.

So please pray for the Lord’s special grace to be upon us as we try to negotiate the medical care system here in Ethiopia.  I’m praying for His clear guidance as to what, if anything, can be done.  The parents are Wolde and Bogalech.  At first they were stunned with the news, but now they are at complete peace.

Also, we brought back an evangelist from Alaba who has been struggling with malaria, typhoid, typhus and stomach issues for about 6-7 months!  We hope to get him to a decent doctor here in Addis.

We left behind in Burji a young woman named Akee; she was attacked a year ago by the Gujis while bringing food to her father.  She was shot and then knived until they left her for dead.  She was treated at a regional hospital, but has continued to decline in health.  Now she is basically skin & bones, with huge decubitus ulcers on her hips.  In my opinion, she is beyond medical help.  We left some funds with her father, but it’s likely she will die in the next few weeks.  Please pray for her…she and her brother are the only Christians in the family.

On other news, Aberash & Baby Nathan (who is now 2 years old) are doing very well….he such a beautiful toddler!  We can’t wait to put some video & pictures on the web for everyone to see.

Our time in Burji & in Alaba was above & beyond our expectations.  The times with the people were SO warm & nurturing.  My diagnosis has hit them hard, but they are responding with faithful prayer.  One man walked 6 hours to see me; another waited 8 days to see me.  Lots of times of crying & singing, as testimonies of His faithfulness were shared.

We’ve also had some very good meetings with the church leaders, as we’ve reviewed the work in the past 5 years, and looked to the future.  The bond between us is absolutely amazing!  Truly we are greatly blessed!!!!

Both Dave & I are holding up well….though tired, with intermittent health issues…we are basically in good shape.  The church has been taking good care of us.  We’re eager to get home & give some full reports.

So, tomorrow (Thurs) will be getting Tiblet tested.  Friday & Saturday will be running more errands & meeting with folk.  Saturday, Dave boards Lufthansa & Sunday (Easter), I board Ethiopian Airlines.

We love you, and appreciate your prayers for us & the Lord’s work here in Ethiopia!

 BeckyLynn

 

Saturday, March 20

7:18 AM

Dear Praying Partners….greetings from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia! It is about 8pm Saturday night here. According to the prayer itinerary, we are supposed to be in Soyama now, but Lufthansa lost one of Dave’s bags…it was very important…so we have delayed going down to Burji. Dave & Oshe are (hopefully) collecting it now at the airport, and we will depart at 4am in the morning. The people are already gathered in Soyama to greet us; the one-day delay was very disappointing to them…although we got the word to most of them before they left their homes to meet us. Oshe has told us that even until this time, the people were doubting that we were coming…our trip is beyond their imagination! Yesterday & today, I have been going here & there in this city to find things that we need. God gave us 2 excellent helpers…Ephram & Nigussie…in addition to Oshe. The solar supplies, the water purifier tablets, the oxygen tank & control valves, the autoclave, the Bible teaching CDs & SD cards, etc.,etc.,etc. What a huge amount of non-efficient work….but God has helped us tremendously, seemingly miraculously…if I could tell you all the details of how things worked, you would be speechless with amazement. This is Africa; few things make sense & fewer things work as planned….except that the Lord intervenes! He is the Ruler & Sustainer in Africa as well as the developed work. In these past 2 days we have had wonderful discussions with Oshe…and what a blessing to be able to sit & discuss the work quietly & leisurely! Some things we understand better now. Some things are not such welcome news to us. Some things are wonderful stories of God’s grace & blessing. As with most other areas of Life, it is a mixture of “good/bad”, “blessing/trial”, “ease/difficulty”. The work needs your prayers! Please be in special prayer in the next 2 days for safe travel, for our backs (& toes 🙂 in the travel, for our reunion times, and especially for the BIG meeting we will have with all the District Leaders on Monday afternoon. Please pray for strength of mind, spirit & body…that we would be controlled by His Spirit in our thinking, speech & emotions…that we would do His work in His way. And that we would see all things with the view of His sovereignty, His love and His justice. Trusting His strength, BeckyLynn

 

Thursday, March 18

6:03 AM Time to leave for the airport. I can hardly believe it. I am SO excited.  Jessie and Nathan have agreed to post updates from us on this blog every couple of days, so be sure to check in occasionally. Of course, this depends on availability of electricity, internet service, etc. in Ethiopia, which is never predictable. But that’s our intention at least. As soon as they hear something from us they’ll post it here.

Love to all,

Dave

Wednesday, March 17

6:30 PM Just back from the airport and I am already missing Becky something terrible. I tell you, this house is just not a home without her. What to do until I leave for the airport tomorrow morning? How about just praising the Lord for His great goodness to me! How about focusing on the relationships He has given Becky and me in Ethiopia! Make no mistake about it, missions is not about programs or methods. It is about people, pure and simple. Here are some of the precious Ethiopians whose company we shall soon enjoy again. (This is a mere sampling.)

My Alaba buddies:

The brethren at Bedene:

Halango, Muslim leader of Deda village:

Hajji Mohammed and Fetiye, converts to the Way:

Oshe, our point man in Soyama:

Musicians Desalyn and Zenash:

The church elders in Burji:

Baby Nathan:

The school children of Alaba:

Our daughter Emebet:

The Gujis:

Sarah of Burji:

Our son Mohammed:

As Becky and I said our goodbyes at the airport, we looked at each other and said, “Don’t you sense that this is a critical moment in our Ethiopian work?” We feel like we are going into the very heart of the enemy’s territory and we do so without any brilliant ideas except to do the will of God. Remember, only soldiers who go to the battlefield are shot at. We are going into the enemy’s camp and we aren’t turning back.  How about you? Being Christ’s servant means going into the risky and unpleasant places of this world. It means leaving the comfortable little retreats we have built for ourselves to go into the mean streets of the inner cities. It means reaching out to our neighbors who are struggling. C. T. Studd once put it this way: “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue ship within a yard of hell.”

Through personal and corporate prayer, let’s join forces in the cosmic struggle to win others for Christ. Genuine prayer combines obedience, submission, worship, dependence, and humility. It waits on the Lord God to display His grace and mercy. It is on our knees that we make a deliberate calculation to accept sacrifice and suffering for the sake of following Christ. I urge you, if you haven’t done so already, to make a conscious decision today to become a servant rather than to be served. This is the message Becky and I will be spreading everywhere we go in Ethiopia. May all who hear it run to it and embrace it!

12:14 PM Here’s a shout out toHenry and Jody Neufeld. Thanks for your prayers!

11:50 AM Jon Glass is preaching through the entire Bible in 5 weeks. You heard me right. 5 weeks! You can listen to his first messagehere.

Quotable quote: “If you can believe Genesis 1:1, you can believe the rest.”

10:23 AM Top 10 Things I Love About Ethiopia:

10) The smell of open-air fires.

9) The near-perfect climate (“13 months of sunshine”)

8) The word “Ishee”

7) The amazing natural beauty

6) The fantastic food (especially doro wat)

5) The stares I get 🙂

4) The coffee drink called macchiato

3)  The steadfastness of the church under severe persecution

2) The many friends and family we have there

And the # 1 thing I love about Ethiopia:

1) The Ethiopian girl I married!

8:28 AM Good morning, bloggerites!

It’s up! Theprayer itinerary for our trip, that is. Makes me tired just reading it. It all starts with Becky’s flights today. I have never been more excited to go to Ethiopia than I am now (except, of course, for the last trip I made there, or the one before that, or the one before that one — LOL!). As you read it and pray for us, please remember that authentic Christianity is not only for foreign missionaries or something that happens only on faraway fields or in the pages of the Bible. It can blossom forth on the street where you live. It is for every believer, wherever we live and whatever we do for a living.

I sense that during this trip Becky and I will have to overcome many unseen spiritual forces. If our trip is not built on prayer, if we do not move out in complete reliance on the Lord, all will be in vain. THANK YOU for your faithful prayers on our behalf.

Off to do my farm chores.

Tuesday, March 16

9:42 PM Not much of interest here. Tomorrow we leave the farm at 12:45 pm to get Becky to RDU for her 5:15 UAL flight to Dulles and thence to Addis on EAL. She has us all packed and organized, though complete preparedness is always an illusion when traveling abroad. Time rushes past as if it were trying to win the Kentucky Derby, and it will be no time at all and we will be back home again after our Ethiopian adventure. This trip will be a whirlwind from Addis down to Burji then to Alaba then back to Addis. (We are very sorry to have to forego a visit to the churches in Gondar in the north.) I am leaving on Thursday in order to capitalize on some frequent flyer miles I’ve got with Lufthansa, and Bec and I will meet up in the capital. On Saturday we’ll scramble down to Burji and revisit the churches there, and then will do the same thing in Alaba. I’m taking with me on my flights a few chapters from my book on Paul, hoping to pare them down a bit. I find the desire for lucidity grows in me — not mere simplification, but clean dissection and clear exposition of as much of the complexity of things as I can dig into. Tomorrow I will post (Lord willing) a daily prayer itinerary in case you’d like to “go with us” to Ethiopia. I do hope you’ll come along. As I go my prayer is simply, “Lord, break my heart with the things that break your heart. Help me to see the world as you do and to live each day with eternity in view.”

Monday, March 15

7:55 PM Nick Norelli’s church has anew website. Congratulations, brother Nick! I really appreciated this statement:

We are not nationalists seeking to simply improve one nation but instead ambassadors of the King of Kings commissioned to proclaim and demonstrate the coming of His kingdom to all nations of the earth.

Superb!

6:40 PM In case you didn’t know where Utopia was located…

6:08 PM This photo shows a prayer meeting in Gondar, Ethiopia, in the Messerete Christos (Mennonite) church.

They had gathered to pray specifically for Becky. Is it because of their prayers that Becky is able to return to her home away from home this week? Or perhaps because of your prayers? I do know that many hundreds if not thousands of saints have been interceding on her behalf since she was diagnosed with cancer. Personally, I want to say a big “Thank You” to everyone who invested even a minute of their time praying for my precious wife. So far her white count has remained steady, so barring another broken toe (!) she will be boarding her flight for DC this Wednesday afternoon and arriving in Addis Thursday night. Lord willing, I’ll meet up with her a day later. A dream come true — and an answer to prayer. To God alone goes all the glory.

5:50 PM Update: Richard Sugg comes to the rescue and sends along a link to this NPR story:Former ‘No Child Left Behind’ Advocate Turns Critic. The author is Diane Ravitch, and her book isThe Death and Life of the Great American School System. Thanks, Richard! You’re a genius!

3:37 PM One of the tribes I hope against hope to be able to revisit either now or in July are the warlike Gujis who live next to the Burjis. Since my preaching tour in Gujiland a couple of years ago I’ve developed an even greater appreciation for Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and His teachings about peace-making, love of enemy, and kingdom ethics. I say this as one who formerly sympathized with the religious right and its false gospel of neoconservative ideology. (Phyllis Schafly once said, “The atomic bomb is a marvelous gift that was given to our country by God.” At one time I would have found nothing objectionable in her statement.) The Bible I read speaks of radical reconciliation. My evangelical theology assures me that no tribal conflict is beyond the reach of the redemption that is found in Christ Jesus. Please pray that I will be able to revisit this precious tribe whom God loves and for whom His Son died.

Below: Farmer to farmer, I present a bag of seeds to the mayor of a town in Gujiland. Later that day I preached unopposed in the village square, and then we showed the Jesus Film that night.

3:14 PM For the life of me I can’t remember the name of the author of a new book on public education who was being interviewed this week on NPR. Nor can I recall the title of her book. (Read: Senility.) In the interview she was complaining about Bush’s “No Child Left Behind Act.” (Yes, this is the same George W. Bush who once famously said, “Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?”) She thought that the act merely exacerbated the crisis in public education by compelling teachers to “teach to the test.” I had to smile when I heard that, since my Greek students know that I “teach to the test” and that if they are going to pass my class they had better “study to the test.” I’m not sure that “teaching to the test” is all that inimical to learning. Perhaps foreign language courses are an exception to the rule? In my New Testament introduction classes I long ago threw out exams (unless they were of an essay nature), and instead I tend to require assignments that involve research and writing.

What do you think? It is counterproductive to teach to the test?

3:10 PM How are your flowers doing? Ours have begun to shoot up in glorious defiance of winter. Beautiful!

1:11 PM Today I wrote that

… the corporate gathering of the church is not the fulfillment most churchgoers believe it to be. It is just the beginning. The gathering is merely the commissioning!

My essay is called Back to Ethiopia and I have just added it to our home page. You might take a moment to read the whole thing, especially if you’re suffering from a bad case of insomnia.

11:10 AM Can you believe it? Only 25 years ago today the first dotcom name was registered, according tothis BBC report, which notes:

An estimated 1.7 billion people – one quarter of the world’s population – now use the internet.

Who would have thunk it 25 years ago?

So what’s the payoff? How are you using the power of the internet for the kingdom?

10:28 AM What I have been up to today?

1) Reviewing my Latin grammar. Yep, I do this all the time. Use it or lose it.

2) Exegeting 1 Thess 2:13-16 for class tomorrow. This passage, by the way, is widely used to “prove” that Paul was an anti-Semite, if you can believe that. Here’s a very rough draft of my structural diagram of the passage.

3) Checking up on Chloe’s precious little puppies. Everyone seems healthy and happy. Don’t you love their coloring?

4) Walking the pastures. See how green the Lord has made them? In only 2 months we’ll be cutting over 50 acres of this luscious hay.

5) Feeding the cattle, including these Jersey bulls. The fellow you see in the foreground will end up in our freezer this fall.

I never tire of the variety of the work here on the farm and the balance it affords me between intellectual stimulation and just plain hard physical labor. I’ll miss it when I leave for Ethiopia!

10:12 AM A huge shout out and thank you to those who participated in our Ethiopia Celebration last night at Bethel Hill, including the Creekside Quartet, who volunteered their time and effort for the Cause of causes. Thank you, gentlemen. Loved your music!

I also want to thank the young men of the church (and their older advisors) for helping me put the grommets in an awning Becky and I are taking with us to Ethiopia this week. We’ll use it whenever we set up for outdoor teaching to provide some shade for our students (especially the elderly). I loved the eagerness with which the youth jumped on this project. Thank you brother Joel for “releasing” them to me on the spur of the moment. I couldn’t have done it without their help!

Singing last night was also our very own Bethel Hill Singers…

… as well as Jamie Huff from Bethany Baptist. Jamie, a pharmacist, is a veteran Ethiopia team member. He’ll be returning to Burji this summer. Glad you’re going back with us, brother Jamie!

I especially want to thank Miss Leigh for organizing last night’s celebration. It was truly a phenomenal time of praising the Lord of the Harvest!

8:56 AM Good Monday morning, blogging buds!

As some of you may know, I’m taking a little break from my Godworld project to work on a revision of my 1984 book Paul, Apostle of Weakness. (By the way, it’s getting less little by the day.) I’ve got only 2 chapters to go out of 6, and I’ve set a personal goal of having the book to the publisher by the end of summer. I believe that Paul discovered the quintessential expression of biblical discipleship — the cross. Every fiber in my being desires to have that same perspective on life. I’m coming to recognize the wisdom and beauty of the cross in God’s plan for my life and in the life of every believer. How we vote won’t change the world. How we “do” worship won’t either. Our educational attainments (and this includes Greek) are meaningless without the cross. The only thing that will change the world is how we live. Are we willing to bleed in order to manifest God’s love to others? That is the fundamental question I am raising in my book. If I’m correct, God delights in taking weak but yielded nothings and transforming them into powerful world-changing vehicles of His love. What a privilege! And what a responsibility!

The fact is that we’re not getting the job done. Not only this, but the massive irony is that at no other time in history has the church in North America been better situated to take the Gospel to every nation on earth. Yet we remain preoccupied with our own comfort and ease rather than with serving the world sacrificially. Studying Paul’s teaching on weakness has reminded me that Christians can place their trust in only one thing — the cross. Because of this, I find myself passionate in my opposition to the politicized Jesus of modern evangelicalism. (Have you noticed?)

I have about 90 students in my 3 classes this semester. My goal is to equip and energize them to evangelize and mobilize their world for Christ. I’m looking for revolutionaries who will commit themselves to praying for transformation and then involving themselves to go wide with the Gospel personally. I’m looking for Christian radicals who will filter every aspect of their lives through the Gospel and who will do a gut check to see if they are really willing to carry the cross. When you think about it, the Christian life is not complicated. You just live every day with the intentional goal to exponentially advance the kingdom of God. It’s the core purpose of this blog and of my life to successfully merge academics and missions. I am striving for a maximum kingdom impact in my own life and in the lives of my students. At the same time I want to be clear that I haven’t yet arrived. I still get caught up in distractions and forget what truly matters. But I am a big believer in the principle that if we take a few small steps in the right direction, God can build momentum into our lives.

Please pray for me. I want to learn how to wash other people’s feet and to preach the uncompromised truth of the Gospel with an attitude of undeniable love for others.

Thanks a bunch,

Brother Dave

Sunday, March 14

8:34 AM One of our Haven of Rest CDs had this old hymn on it. It blesses and challenges me every time I listen to it. Here are the words:

• “On the cross of Calvary, Bearing the shame and agony,
  Jesus paid sin’s penalty, That fallen man might be free.

  But death and hell could not hold Him prey; He rose triumphant — glorious day!
  Soon He’s coming back again In power and glory to reign.

  “From the cross of Calvary Shineth the Light of Life so free.
  Sinner, “Look and live,” saith He; Pardon is offered to thee.

  Why will you perish? He took your place — Cancelled the debt for Adam’s race.
  Mercy’s door is still ajar; Come to Him just as you are.”

  — David Livingstone Ives

Did you notice that oh-so-powerful line?

“Mercy’s door is still ajar.”

It’s still ajar, friends! It’s still ajar for the nations of the world. But one day it will CLOSE!

That line haunts me. And I doing everything I possibly can to see that the nations believe and obey?

“Mercy’s door is still ajar.”

8:18 AM In case you should have nothing better to do with your time, mosey on over to Lionel Woods’ site. There you’ll find a magnificently-written post about thebankruptcy of politics. The accounts I read of the recent debates over health care have a strange similarity to those Homer gives of Hades — a place of acute despair. It certainly looks as though an age of tyranny is before us, inasmuch as such large-scale social engineering must inevitably impose tyranny. It produces problems too complex to solve except by bureaucratic “planning,” which always leads to more planning, which always means more and more bureaucracy and tyranny. I see no hope in politics whatsoever. The notion that we can “fix” the world through political means is a lie that has fueled the worst kinds of demonic arrogance. Jesus’ way is different. It is the way of sacrificial love. And it is the only way.

7:57 AM As a late winter storm, majestic in its fury, passed over the farm, we gathered for supper last night at Bradford Hall.

The Blacks were here …

… as was Miss Rachael, a friend of ours from the seminary.

Nolan seems to be enjoying life in our kitchen.

And here he is eating. He has discovered that he can hold on to the spoon with his teeth.

And what a great evening!  

Saturday, March 13

5:16 PM We have a guest for supper tonight. She brought a delicious-looking chocolate cake too.

5:05 PM Team work. That’s what farming is all about. I’d hate to think of doing all the farm work by myself, or for Nate to do it all by himself either. For example, we have fenced and cross-fenced all 123 acres of our farm, together. It would have taken a lot longer if Nate had tried to do it by himself. In fact, I doubt that it could have been done by one person. Plus, working together is just plain fun. A good fun. A difficult fun. A fun-that-puts-you-to-bed-tired-but-happy kind of fun. I enjoy it immensely. Nate works me to death, but it keeps me in shape for all the walking we do in Ethiopia. I love it!

Below: I’m tossing hay bales to Nate who stacks them in the trailer.

We distribute them for our night feeding.

A few of the happy recipients of all of our team work.

So, let’s always remember the importance of team work on a farm. It works in the church too!

2:40 PM This message is for Caleb. Caleb, here’s a picture of a really pretty feather I found while Uncle Nathan and I were working down near the creek today.

I believe it once belonged to a turkey. I know you’re collecting feathers so I’ll save it for you. You can get it when you come to visit Mama B and me on Monday. I hope you like it. I love you bunches. Papa B

2:34 PM How are yall doing on this absolutely gorgeous Saturday afternoon? We’ve been as busy as beavers here on the farm. Today Nate and I completed a project that had been waiting in the wings for far too long. We took advantage of the break in the rain to finish cross-fencing a 40-acre section of the farm. Now we have two 20-acre sections! Here’s Nate building the gate between these sections.

My job as gofer, nail pounder, and, of course, photographer, was very taxing!

All that was left was for us to run one stand of barbed wire along the top of the woven wire fence, and —

— voilà! Have you ever seen a purdier fence in all youse life? As I type, Nate is moving the bulls into this pasture. No force or coaxing necessary. They just follow him (as in John 10) — usually!

Becky, meanwhile, has been getting us packed for our trip. Here are some stamps she designed and printed for the Galana clinic.

This is just one of several stamps that will make the operation of the clinic more organized. “BKHC” stands for “Burji Kale Heywot Church,” the association of local evangelical churches we work with in this part of Ethiopia.

These SD cards will carry the Bible teaching of J. Vernon McGee to the Burjis and the Gujis in both Amharic and Orominya.

So the good work goes on. How much fun!

8:28 AM In his essayConvoluted Priorities, Jerry Rankin shows that the battle for the Great Commission will be fought on the soil of each local church in the SBC. If the Great Commission does not pose a radical challenge to the status quo in our churches and in the way we are prioritizing our time, resources, and energies, it will be our own fault. I am sure that, while a retooling of our priorities calls for immense patience and love, it does not allow any slacking of effort or prayer. It is not yet clear to me how the renewed emphasis on global missions will be seen in the perspective of history. Yet in my mind, nothing can remove from the Gospel the absolute imperative of equality (2 Cor. 8:13). I am positive that, as long as I have breath in my body, I must continue to call the church in North America to repent of our waste and extravagance.

7:58 AM Today Robyn Blumner sounds the patriotism alarm in a fine essay calledReal Patriots Uphold Our Values and cites a delightful story from the American Revolution along the way. A sampler:

Lawyers who represent clients charged as our enemies contribute to making our legal system an honorable one. That, along with providing fair trials, not holding anyone indefinitely without charge, and treating prisoners in a way we would want Americans to be treated by a foreign power, makes up the ideals of our founders and nation.

My take?

• True patriotism is love of country, not love of government. Neo-patriotism is mindless worship of the state.

• True patriots refuse to honor government above God. Neo-patriots gladly deify government.

• True patriots understand loyalty as adherence to the ideals upon which the country was founded. Neo-patriots believe in blind submission to the bureaucrats currently running it.

• True patriots believe that eternal vigilance is necessary to keep politicians under check. Neo-patriots are willing to entrust their lives to politicians thinking this means loyalty to the ideals spelled out in the Constitution.

• Neo-patriots think that if you criticize U.S. foreign policy or the country’s obsession with security you are “unpatriotic.” True patriots believe that the exercise of critical judgment is absolutely necessary to any civilization that is to stand or forge ahead, and that it is both their right and duty to criticize their government.

In the final analysis, I concur with President Theodore Roosevelt who said, “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public official save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country.”

7:40 AM In my book Paul, Apostle of Weakness, I spend a good deal of time discussing Paul’s infamous and puzzling “thorn in the flesh.”

We don’t know what it was exactly. Some say it was epilepsy. Others believe it had something to do with his eyes. Still others think Paul was referring to his enemies. Perhaps the most widely offered suggestion in Christian history is that Paul suffered from chronic headaches. Today many scholars believe that these headaches were caused by a particularly violent type of malaria that was prevalent in Asia Minor. Sufferers described their headaches as stakes turning round and round in their heads. Thus it is quite possible that Paul’s “thorn” (= stake!) was malaria. He had, however, learned to accept it and to view it, not as a burden, but as something through which the grace of God came to him.

Yesterday I was asked if I am careful to take my anti-malaria medications when I travel to Ethiopia. The answer, of course, is a very definite YES. But the truth is that medicine is no absolute guarantee that one won’t come down with the disease. This will be my first trip back to Ethiopia since my hospitalization with malaria last summer. I am not anxious about it. If I should have a recurrence, so be it. It will be God’s will, though certainly not mine. This does not make me a hero. Christians in Ethiopia suffer far worse. Yet frankly I am glad that I am now better able to identify, as least partly, with the malaria sufferers I will encounter in Ethiopia, especially in Alaba where malaria in endemic. Believe me, their pain will not go unnoticed.

7:14 AM One of the books I read this week was a biography of William Barclay. Barclay believed that the Christian life has a three-tiered structure:

1) The Christian life is shaped and directed by the love of God.

2) The Christian life is a life of love.

3) The Christian life is a life of sacrifice.

From his study of the New Testament Barclay concluded that

The Christian was not only one who made a profession of faith in Christ; he was one who did things for Master…. Christ himself came not to be ministered unto but to minister; like Christ, the Christian was a servant seeking to minister to others in whatever way possible.

This is truly the crux of the Christian life. Doctrine must be experienced, and love must be at core of it all. We have been placed on this earth, not to get but to give. This too is my belief, and I hope to make it my way.

(Of course, theology is not to be minimized along the way, and I certainly don’t agree with many of Barclay’s positions. Some say he was a universalist — a view that I find abhorrent!)

Any good biographies you’ve read lately?

6:57 AM Over at the Poulos Blog, Alex reviewsInvitation to the Septuagint, one of the textbooks Bob Cole and I are requiring in our LXX class this fall. I heartily agree with his conclusion:

I don’t know of a better introductory book, and it’s a fantastic way to acquaint oneself with the amazing document that is the LXX.

Friday, March 12

9:22 PM Just read through Ruth in its entirety. What marvelous word plays the book contains. Bethlehem (Place of Food) experiences a famine! Mr. “No Name” shows up in 4:1! I go could on and on.

Above all, what a message the book contains: God loves the poor and needy. And He richly rewards people like Boaz who demonstrate steadfast love by helping them. To all those who this very day are sacrificially loving others in the name of Jesus — may He reward you bountifully for your love!

P.S. I love 3:11, where Boaz says to Ruth, “The whole town knows that you are a woman who has strength of character.”

Boaz was attracted to a strong woman, and some of us have the privilege of being married to one — strength of character, strength of conviction, strength of spirit and mind. Can there be a greater blessing?  

9:08 PM The Blacks visited us this evening. I’m amazed at how quickly Nolan is growing up. He’s now got 8 teeth and more on the way.

I look at his dad and I look at Nolan and I am reminded of that wonderful old saying, “The child is father to the man.” There’s Nathan, who I remember when he was Nolan’s age as if it were yesterday. And then there’s Nolan — at the very beginning of life, in full potential and not yet marred by the passage of time or the assaults of disease and age. What a blessing. What a blessing. 

4:28 PM Here’s a partial list of churches in Person County, NC (pop.38,000):

Allen ChapelPersonRoxboroAllensville United Methodist ChurchPersonRoxboroAntioch Baptist ChurchPersonTimberlakeBaileys Chapel Methodist ChurchPersonCluster SpringsBethany Baptist ChurchPersonMoriahBethel Hill Baptist ChurchPersonCluster SpringsBrookland United Methodist ChurchPersonTimberlakeCalvary Baptist ChurchPersonVirgilinaCa-Vel First Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroCedar Grove Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroChestnut Grove Baptist ChurchPersonAltonChub Lake ChurchPersonRoxboroCleggs Chapel Missionary Baptist ChurchPersonTimberlakeClement Missionary Baptist ChurchPersonHurdle MillsConcord United Methodist ChurchPersonOlive HillEbenezer Primitive Baptist ChurchPersonLeasburgElijah Grove ChurchPersonVirgilinaEphesus ChurchPersonAltonFaith ChurchPersonTimberlakeFirst Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroFlat River Primitive Baptist ChurchPersonTimberlakeFriendship ChurchPersonRoxboroFront Street ChurchPersonRoxboroGrace ChurchPersonRoxboroHelena Primitive Baptist ChurchPersonTimberlakeHelena United Methodist ChurchPersonTimberlakeHesters Grove ChurchPersonRidgevilleHigh View Baptist ChurchPersonVirgilinaHyco Zion Baptist ChurchPersonOlive HillJones Chapel Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroLamberth Memorial Baptist ChurchPersonOlive HillLawson Chapel Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroLeas Chapel United Methodist ChurchPersonOlive HillMebane Memorial Presbyterian ChurchPersonRoxboroMill Creek Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroMill Hill ChurchPersonOlive HillMontwood ChurchPersonRoxboroMount Gideon ChurchPersonTriple SpringsMount Harmony Baptist ChurchPersonMoriahMount Tirzah United Methodist ChurchPersonTimberlakeMount Zion ChurchPersonOlive HillMount Zion United Methodist ChurchPersonHurdle MillsMountain Road ChurchPersonRoxboroNew Ephesus ChurchPersonAltonNew Hope ChurchPersonTimberlakeNew Mount Zion Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroNew Saint James ChurchPersonMoriahOak Grove United Methodist ChurchPersonOlive HillObies ChapelPersonCaldwellOby ChurchPersonTimberlakeOlive Branch Baptist ChurchPersonTriple SpringsOlive Grove ChurchPersonLeasburgPaschall ChurchPersonHurdle MillsPine Hill ChurchPersonHurdle MillsProvidence Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroRock Grove Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroSaint Pauls ChurchPersonTriple SpringsSalem United Methodist ChurchPersonRidgevilleShady Hill Missionary Baptist ChurchPersonTimberlakeShiloh Primitive Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroSiloam ChurchPersonMoriahStorys Creek ChurchPersonOlive HillSurl Primitive Baptist ChurchPersonTimberlakeTheresa Baptist ChurchPersonRoxboroTrenton ChurchPersonMoriahTrinity ChurchPersonMoriahVernon Hill ChurchPersonTriple SpringsWebb ChurchPersonTriple SpringsWestwood Baptist ChurchPersonOlive HillWheelers ChurchPersonHurdle MillsWilderness ChurchPersonHurdle MillsYoungs ChapelPersonHurdle MillsZion Level Baptist ChurchPersonOlive Hill

And here’s a list of churches among the 611,000 people called theBishnoi of India:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ask you: Where is the greater need for our time, energy, and financial resources?

If we evangelicals are going to reach the unreached peoples of this world, things are going to have to change in our local churches. My advice? If God has indeed called us to take up His cause, we should partner together with whatever other like-minded churches there are in our area who are are willing to catch this vision, call on believers to make radical sacrifices for it to happen, and put together a huge volunteer force to get the job done.

Now the glory would go to God instead of our local church or denomination.

Now the scales would be balanced between the haves and the have-nots.

Now we could stop asking missionary agencies to do what we should be doing.

Now we would be supporting the work of the kingdom rather than spending most of our wealth on ourselves.

And now God’s transnational kingdom would advance.

Think about it.

And get busy being Great Commission churches.

3:35 PM I invite political activists and social reformers to contemplate the words of Allan Bevere in his latest post calledOn Why the Culture of Corruption in Washington Will Only Get Worse and then tell me with a straight face that politics has a chance of rescuing us by pursuing reform within the system. Allan writes:

With more power government acts more and more like an overbearing parent who treats the American people like children who do not know what’s good for them. How else can the current irrational push to pass a terrible health care reform bill in light of clear opposition from the American people be explained?

Ah yes, we shall all live happily ever after once we have socialized health care in the United States. Whadya say? We already do?!!??

3:25 PM Looks like the adoption process in Ethiopia has justgotten longer. 

3:13 PM Just back from the UNC Ambulatory Care Center in Chapel Hill. Guess who has a broken toe? Yep. Its her left pinky. The doc’s got her all fixed up, though, with a special shoe, just in time for all the trekking she’ll be doing in the mountains of Burji. Speaking of Utopia, after our doctor’s visit we lunched at the Queen of Sheba, where we became reacquainted with our old friend Friesh who used to operate the Blue Nile restaurant in Durham.

The food, the ambience, the music — all was wonderful, and we highly recommend you pay it a visit the next time you’re in Chapel Hill. For directions and a menu go here.

Thank you, Friesh, for a wonderful dining experience. We felt right “at home.”

8:24 AM We’ve just added another essay to ourSpanish files. It’s by Becky and is calledDios no me hizo para Sufrir (Parte II). Part 3 forthcoming.

7:38 AM Alan Knox has beenposting his thoughts about the church meeting, carefully examining the key texts from the book of Acts. And a fine series it is too. His descriptions are often glowing, as well they should be. Passages such as Acts 2:41-47 are not unrealistic ideals, lovely to contemplate but impossible to realize. They describe normal Body health. If our churches do not enjoy the same measure of health, the problem is not in the book of Acts. I have a sneaking suspicion that it will take a major crisis in America for the church to go from abnormal or subnormal to normal. “Nominal” Christianity is an abomination and the sooner we are rid of it the better. 

7:34 AM T. C. Robinsonwrites:

Something is terribly wrong when we invest in such things as Praise & Worship Seminars and Conferences and Workshops, and so forth.

Our fellowships don’t need professionals who’ve been to seminars and the like.  They just need to release their Spirit-anointing (Eph. 5:18-21).

I agree, mostly. I would prefer to begin the discussion in Eph. 5:15, where Paul describes the difference between wise and foolish living. It is the height of folly to think that worship is the purpose of the gathered church. It most certainly is not (see Rom. 12:1-2).

I’ve written more here: Enter to Serve, Depart to Worship.

7:12 AM Once Jesus was in a ship, but with Him were “other little ships” (Mark 4:36).

Today the main ship of the church is Lordship. Once we settle the issue of who’s the boss in our churches, all the other little ships will fall into palace — worship, fellowship, discipleship, and stewardship. But the bottom line is this: God’s work must be done in God’s way. We American Christians easily get the idea that churches are like civic clubs or community organizations. They are not! We often think that America is a Christian nation. It is not! (This is especially hard for us to get right. Just try removing the American flag from your church building and see what an uproar that would cause.) Christians are members of a holy nation ruled in love by the Lord of the universe. If we don’t get this matter of Lordship right, we will certainly fail the test of every other “ship” out there.

7:03 AM Good thoughts onheresy by Eric Carpenter. He writes:

When it comes to heresy, we Christians have a tendency to either use the “h-bomb” too carelessly or not at all. Despite what may be good intentions (or not), we on the one hand declare beliefs and practices to be heretical which are not, or on the other hand we shy away from calling anything heretical at all. Simply put, we either use the word too much or too little.

He is right. To be a Christian today we must have the heart of a child and the rind of a rhinoceros. The danger is that along with standing for the truth we will harden our hearts toward people. There are some teachings in the church today that are not to be accepted but rather challenged and (hopefully) corrected. In all of this, however, the serpent’s wisdom must be balanced by the innocent of the dove. God grant us balance.  

Thursday, March 11

8:59 PM Deo volente, in exactly one week Becky will be arriving at Bole Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!!! I am SO excited for her. (I will arrive a day later as this will save us some money.) You can take the little girl out of Ethiopia, but you can never take Ethiopia out of the little girl.

8:45 PM Becky’s watching on old Waltons episode tonight.

Me: “That’s what I’m becoming in our family — the old man.” (Referring to John Walton’s dad affectionately known as “Grandpa”).

Becky: “Yes, but you need the stomach to match.”

8:27 PM My assistant just pdf-ed me a copy of Jan Lambrecht’s article “Paulus vermag alles door de kracht van God; zwakheid en sterkte.” Lambrecht is one of my all-time favorite authors.

The article appeared in the Nederlands Theologisch Tijdschrift. Lambrecht summarizes Paul’s theology in the latter’s own words:

Als ik swak ben, dan ben ik sterk.

No truer words were ever spoken. God’s means of making us strong is by making us weaker and weaker until the divine power alone in seen in our lives.

Oh God, break me down until Thy power alone is seen in me!

7:55 PM My time on campus today was a blast. I trust the Holy Spirit was at work too. I had never been to the vet campus before so I helped myself to a little tour before my talk. I felt right at home — horse stables, chicken houses, hay barns, etc. It is a really huge campus and an expanding one too. I counted at least three new buildings going up on the south campus. At the same time, the student body is fairly small — only about 80 students in each class.

My lecture today was given in a theater style classroom that reminded me of the lecture halls in Basel. I’d say about 50-60 people were present, including a couple of faculty members. The biggest challenge for me was deciding on what to focus on. I chose to hone in on three areas:

1) Are there contradictions in the New Testament? (Apparently so, but each “contradiction” I believe has a plausible explanation that does not require us to surrender belief in the Bible’s inspiration. My example came from the temptation narratives in Matthew and Luke.)

2) Was the text of the New Testament corrupted in transmission? (Again, the answer is a qualified yes, but through the art and science of New Testament textual criticism we can reconstruct a text that approximates the original. Of course, I’m not always sure whether the correct reading is printed in the text of my Greek New Testament or in the apparatus, but it’s my humble opinion that we haven’t lost a single word of the New Testament despite the failures in its transmission. I used Matt. 5:22 as an example of this.)

3) Can we apply insights from secular science to the study of the New Testament documents? (Again, the answer is yes, and I tried to illustrate this by giving a few examples from linguistics and psychology.)

I also brought along some books and a couple of essays from my website that I thought vet students might be interested in. The most popular one by far was My Horses, My Teachers. My goal was to get behind the worldview wall that so many university students throw up. Only God knows if I was successful. I will gladly leave the results in His hands!

Thank you for your emails, for your prayers, and above all for your love for the lost. I can’t wait to do it again! 

7:32 PM Isn’t You Tube phenomenal? We’ve already had over 200 views of our Greek DVD clip, and just today we received two more orders, praise be to God!

Here’s another very brief clip I uploaded to You Tube this evening.

It shows a believer in Burji who has just been fitted for reading glasses. Just think — here’s someone who has not been able to read his Bible for years (and Amharic script is teeny tiny), but because of a gift from his brothers and sisters in America he can see the words again and they’re not just one big blur. We haven’t kept track of exactly how many reading glasses we’ve distributed in Ethiopia, but it numbers in the thousands. When I look at this clip I think: Who was that individual in America whom the Lord led to drive to Dollar Tree and spend time and effort and money to purchase this pair of non-prescription reading glasses and then send it on to us? We don’t know who that person was, but God does. May He bless him or her for it.

3:28 PM Texasrules!

3:20 PM Quick update:

1) Had agreat time at NC State! More later.

2) If God is appointing you to help with the rabies treatment, please make your checks payable to Bethel Hill Baptist Church, write “Operation Ethiopia, rabies” in the memo section, and send them to Becky Lynn Black, 2691 White House Rd., Nelson VA 24580. Thank you again!

8:15 AM Ever been bitten by a dog? I have. I was about 8, and the dog left deep teeth marks. Sure glad it wasn’t rabid. In Ethiopia, rabies is a huge problem. A rabid dog bite is fatal. Unless….

You can get the whole story in Becky’s latest essay posted on our home page. It’s called, simply, Rabies. Read it, then ask the Lord Jesus what you might do to help.

7:50 AM In Matt. 28:19-, Jesus tells us to go deep and wide. We go wide through evangelism and deep through discipleship/edification. Both are commanded, and both are necessary. Today, as you know, I’ll be speaking at North Carolina State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

I’ll be talking to a group of disciples who want their friends to become disciples who will make other disciples who in turn will make more — and the process goes on and on.

I am really excited to be among a group of university students again. I spent 9 years studying at Biola University (earning 2 degrees) and 3 years studying at the University of Basel. Before I left Hawaii for California in 1971, I had taken courses at the University of Hawaii. God loves university students! There are a smart bunch who demand significance in their lives. University students are uniquely poised to merge business and ministry for maximum kingdom impact. In Switzerland I once heard Francis Schaeffer say that when you become a Christian you don’t have to put your brain in park or neutral. Thinking people can be followers of Jesus!

For those of you who are reading this blog right now, thanks for joining me in my journey. I look forward to doing my best to represent the Lord of lords today at NC State but I need your prayers. If you don’t mind, send me an email and let me know you’re joining my “prayer team” today.

Thank you God for giving me a zeal for the Gospel of your Son Jesus Christ! Will you grant me your power and wisdom as I seek to make disciples for your honor today?

7:38 AM Quote of the day:

I would like to encourage you, whatever trials you might be going through, to accept the reality of their difficulty, and choose to praise God at the same time. No matter what you’re going through, there is no greater hope or joy I can offer you.

ReadJesus wept.

7:28 AM I’ve begun reading Henkel’s Kraft in Schwachheit and am loving it. After all, he mentions my Paul, Apostle of Weakness on the very first page! I had to smile, though, when he quotes me as saying (p. 141, n. 103) “the continuous aspect of weakness in Paul’s life ist [sic] emphasized.” Jawohl!

7:04 AM And the winner is Jason Kees, who correctly identified the book as Ruth. My thanks to all who played!

Last night I re-read all four chapters of this superbly-crafted little book in Greek. What wonderful lessons it contains — grammatically and spiritually! 

Wednesday, March 10

7:55 PM Quote of the day (Arthur Sido):

There is simply no way to know who a man really is based on listening to a couple of prepared sermons and going through a couple of interviews. That is why elders should be called from among the men of the church, not hired in from outside of the local body based on extra-Biblical qualifications.

7:39 PM It’s late and I’m tired but if I don’t post this now I might forget tomorrow. Here’s a picture of what my office desk looked like this afternoon.

I was sorting through all the books and articles related to weakness that I need to work through before I get down to writing the last chapter of my revised Paul, Apostle of Weakness. I actually counted them too. Thus far Andy Bowden has collected 18 books and 48 journal articles for me to read. Tomorrow evening I plan to go through two of them with a fine toothed comb: Die Starken und die Schwachen in Korinth und Rom by Volker Gäckle, and Kraft in Schwachheit by Ulrich Heckel. The first book has 636 pages, while the second has a mere 390. Excited to see what God is going to teach me through reading these works.

7:20 PM Man, I am so blessed to be able to teach the LXX course with brother Robert Cole this fall. We will be meeting on Wednesdays from 12:30 to 3:20. Hope to see many of you there. Today we decided on the book we will be exegeting in depth from both the Hebrew and Greek texts. It’s short, sweet, and one of the best examples of rhetorical artistry in the entire Hebrew Bible. What book am I talking about? Here’s a picture of the Greek text.

Care to guess? The first person to write me with the correct answer gets a free copy ofChristian Archy. (I love contests!)

Students have been asking for this course for a long time. God has truly blessed their prayers. Now my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will use it in all of our lives to make us better interpreters and doers of God’s Holy Word!

6:55 PM I got the most wonderful message on my office answering machine today while was I in class. Becky called to say that Chloe had just given birth to 5 puppies and that she (Becky) had been called in to “baby-sit” the pups while Nate and Jess ran a couple of errands. Which meant that I couldn’t wait to get home to snap a couple of pix for posterity. Here’s one of them for your evening entertainment. I don’t think I’ve ever seen sweeter puppies. Congratulations to the proud mama.

5:58 PM On this day in1528.

5:53 PM Fellow Greek students: Rod Decker calls our attention to adiscount on the Greek New Testament published by the United Bible Societies. Check it out before purchasing yours.

5:50 PM Lee University announces an opening inTheological Ethics.

5:45 PM To answerAndy’s question: The reason we don’t admit our sins and faults to one another is because a spirit of deep sleep has lulled us into the stupor of a fool’s paradise. We therefore treat symptoms rather than the disease. But to treat cancer with temporary palliatives without getting at the cancer is to endanger the victim still more.

And pastors? Pastors do not acknowledge their weaknesses and faults because they are afraid of losing either their status or their jobs.

The fact is, God uses broken things. He uses broken sod to produce grain, broken grain to produce bread, and broken bread to feed our bodies. King Saul in the Old Testament was never broken and he killed himself. Pharisee Saul in the New Testament was broken and became Paul.

5:40 PM Quote of the day:

Tent making is actually something that we see lots of in the New Testament. Disciples who were fishermen, tax collectors, tent makers, physicians, doing the work of the kingdom, out there preaching, teaching, caring for people. Pastors with skills that can be used in the so-called secular world. Yep that’s me.

ReadOn Working In 2 Tents.

5:34 PM I’ve been thinking…

The most dangerous tool in Satan’s arsenal is distraction. He loves to distract us with things that don’t matter. It won’t matter in the end of time whether or not we had fancy buildings in which to worship God. It won’t matter in the Day of Judgment whether we had impressive programs in our churches. It won’t matter one bit when Jesus returns whether or nor we voted for the “right” politicians. The only thing that matters is that we live as good citizens of heaven in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel. This is Paul’s word to us in Phil. 1:27. Listen friends, when Paul says “The only thing that matters” he means “The ONLY thing that matters.” We ought to ask God to test our hearts to see whether living radically for the Gospel is truly the only thing that matters to us. We need to be cultivating relationships with non-believers in our communities and around the world with a view to introducing them to the most radical, revolutionary Person the world has ever known. Paul perfectly illustrates the point: Here was a man who was totally consumed with the Gospel to the point of giving his life for it. Here was a man who sacrificed all the comforts of his good life in Tarsus to experience suffering because he loved other people more than he loved himself. Here is Paul in his own words:

Since you admire the egomaniacs of the pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at it. Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, the pure race of Abraham? I’m their match. Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one better. (I can’t believe I’m saying these things. It’s crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I’m going to finish.) I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door time after time. I’ve been flogged five times with the Jews’ thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I’ve been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I’ve had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I’ve been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I’ve known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather.

Wow! Anyone you know ever suffered like that for the Gospel? Listen friends, our world today has 6.4 billion individuals living in 234 geo-political nations with over 16,000 people groups. Of those people groups, more than 6,900 remain least-reached. This simply means they are a people group lacking an indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize their own people. This means that 1 in 4 people groups remain without access to the gospel. Here’s apartial listing of them.

Our Lord Jesus was careful time and again to stress the cost of all-out devotion to Him. Our church rolls are loaded with people who claim to be following Jesus but who have no idea of His priorities for the church. What many churches need is a big farewell party in which we tell this age goodbye. We sing “Content to let the world go by” while wearing ourselves out trying to keep up with it! Well, I have said my goodbye to cheap Christianity. I have said my goodbye to raising up vast edifices of wood, hay, and stubble. I have said my goodbye to a little religion. I have said goodbye to the cheap satisfactions of this world. I am fed up with the husks of swine. The water of Life, the meat of the Word, the manna of Heaven – there is a King’s table waiting for the believer, and the supply is inexhaustible. True missionary activity should be the outflow of who we are in Christ. It is one thing to pay God a tip on Sunday morning. It is another thing to submit to His plan and program in uncompromising, unquestioning obedience every day of our lives. John Piperputs it well:

We do not believe Jesus when he says there is more blessedness, more joy, more full and lasting pleasure in a life devoted to helping others than there is in a life devoted to our material comfort. And therefore the very longing for contentment which (according to Jesus) ought to drive us to simplicity of life and labors of love contents itself instead with the broken cisterns of American prosperity and comfort.

What a time for the church in North America to be drunk with her own amusements and comfort and success when she should be awake and alert to the Lord’s commission! His business is our business as Christians. We have no other. There is only one way to handle the problem scripturally and that is to surrender our unsurrendered selves, repent of our ingrownness and self-centeredness, and then get back to being about the Father’s business!

Students, I challenge you to love Jesus more than anything or anyone else. I challenge you to accomplish great things for the kingdom sacrificially. I challenge you to love the lost more than you love your comfort. There are a good many causes you can get caught up in, but there is only one cause that is worth living and dying for. Rather than blindly going along with the culture and even with the church subculture that is focused on itself, I challenge you to go wide with the Gospel among your friends and to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Let’s live for the Cause of all causes!

Tuesday, March 9

6:24 AM Are you ready for the answers to yesterday’s contest questions? Here they are:

1) Diamond Head

2) Arizona Memorial

3) Royal Hawaiian Hotel

4) Pali Lookout

5) Aloha Tower

6) Kailua (home sweet home)

And…

The first blogger to get all 6 answers correct is none other than:

Thomas Roten

Thomas, along with wife Kaitlin, blog here. Thomas just happens to be a SEBTS student (whom I’ve never met) who lived in Kailua for a time. Congratulations Thomas. Please send me an email today with your choice of book. And thanks to all who played along!

Monday, March 8

6:31 PM Spread manure again, showered (third one today), cooked supper (Chinese, with my secret ingredient of course), and am now prepping for tomorrow. Today I wore shorts and a t-shirt for the first time in 5 months.

4:22 PM Today Becky’s chariot got a hand wash. Looks brand spanking new, don’t it? And ya gotta love that license plate. By the grace of God, we can truly say, “It is well.”

4:15 PM Spring!

3:27 PM Yesterday my Sunday School teacher asked me how to pronounce “Ephrathah.” I told him I had no idea. The Semitic word is pronounced one way, its Greek equivalent another way, and the English (I suppose) still another. I have found such place names especially challenging when traveling to Europe. In Italy, Florence is Firenzo, Naples is Napoli, Padua is Padova, Venice is Venezia, and Milan is Milano. To the Danes Copenhagen is pronounced something like “koopen-howen,” and in Switzerland the name of my doctoral city is spelled four different ways (Basle, Basel, Basileia, Bâl). And have you noticed that in Germany the city of Cologne is really Köln and Munich is München? Names = headaches! In a few days I’ll be flying United Airlines to Frankfurt (or is it Frankfort?), but did you know that in 1987 the name of the company was changed to “Allegis” by the company’s CEO Richard Ferris? Donald Trump said the name sounded like a disease, and upon Ferris’s ouster his successor changed the company name back to United.

I didn’t go into all of this when my teacher asked me that question. But I thought about it.

3:13 PM The churches in the past have left the impression that the Lord Jesus entrusted His ministry to certain ordained clergy. Even in New Testament days converts from Judaism had a difficult time understanding the transition to the New Covenant, as both the book of Acts and the epistle to the Hebrews indicate. These converts could hardly imagine a church with no fixed forms, organizational structures, or definite ranking of fulltime servants. They needed to learn that the ministry of the New Covenant is a priesthood of all believers.

Those of us who are studying 1 Thessalonians in Greek class this week must come to grips with this fact. The ministry of evangelism that Paul describes in chapters 1-2 is the ministry of all believers. What is more significant is that the church leaders who are mentioned briefly and in passing in 5:12-13 are not described as office-holders but simply as people who perform certain functions in the church. But the basic nurture of the church must be carried out by all (see 5:14). In his essayWhere are the Equippers? Jack Watkins comes to the same conclusion, namely, that the pyramid style of leadership so common today simply did not exist in the New Testament. Let me suggest you read the entire essay if you haven’t. Then reflect on Hebrews 8 and Jeremiah 31. Perhaps a deepened picture of the New Covenant will help you to join me hoping for a day when the church will be restored to its biblical pattern of every-member ministry.

10:01 AM Frank Emanuel has an excellent though brief (brevity is powerful!) post about the unhealthy expectations people often put on their pastors. It’s calledWhat is a pastor? Frank wishes he had the courage to stand up to abusive people. That may sound trite — but it is far from easy. Unless we are very careful, we can find ourselves doing the right things for the wrong motives (the acceptance of others, for example). That said, I have nothing but the greatest sympathy for pastors who feel dumped on by their congregations. 

Point in passing: Is being the pastor of your church causing you to become (unintentionally perhaps) the lightening rod for your congregation’s displeasure? Is there another way, a better way, a way to avoid being put on a pedestal?

9:13 AM Just back from spreading manure. It’s a perfect day for working outdoors. That includes writing!

8:18 AM If you’ve ever been to Ethiopia you’ll know exactly what this is. My mouth waters just looking at it. Forget Starbucks. The best machiattos in the world are to be found in Addis Ababa. And they’re cheap too: Only 2 birr (20 cents).

7:52 AM Quote of the day (Corrie ten Boom):

Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.

7:42 AM Watch the Internetspread around the world. Amazing! 

7:36 AM Ray McGovern pens yet another frisky and powerful piece calledMullen Wary of Israeli Attack on Iran. He opens with this humdinger of an intro:

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came home with sweaty palms from his mid-February visit to Israel. He has been worrying aloud that Israel will mousetrap the U.S. into war with Iran.

Read the entire essay if you want to know why Mullen is so worried.

7:24 AM The Genitive Debate continues with this piece over at the Better Bibles Blog:Genitives and the semantics of love and faith. This has to do with an age-old debate of which many of you will already have had a stomach full. The gravamen is contained in the peroration, which you won’t want to miss. The prose is somewhat dense, but this seems to be true of the more recent posts at BBB. I think we can all agree, though, that the debate is far from being over.

6:58 AM Hey there fellow bloggers! Once again, it’s …

CONTEST TIME!

How would you like to win one of the following books?

• It’s Still Greek to Me

• New Testament Textual Criticism

• Why Four Gospels?

• The Jesus Paradigm

• Christian Archy

• Rethinking the Synoptic Problem

Here’s how to play.

As everyone knows, I was born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. Below are 6 pictures of fairly well-known places on this island. Your job is to correctly name as many of them as you can. Send your answers to me by email. The deadline for contributions is 9:00 pm Eastern Time tonight. I will announce the winner first thing tomorrow morning. The person with the most correct answers wins. In case of a tie, the contestant with the earliest contribution will be named the winner.

Remember: This contest is for bloggers only. And there’s a small catch: If you win, you must agree to post a brief review of the book on your blog.

Sound like fun? Well then, have at it! Here are the pictures.

Bon chance!

Picture #1

Picture #2

Picture #3

Picture #4

Picture #5

Picture #6

6:43 AM Nijay Gupta offers a fine review of Magnus Zetterholm,Approaches to Paul: A Student’s Guide to Recent Scholarship (.pdf).

6:27 AM Not much news here. I plan to be very busy this week. My courses entail a lot of work in preparation, and I have a good deal of gibbering on the side with students, which I always enjoy. Meanwhile, I’m continuing my own private study of ecclesiology and missiology (Romans and 1 Corinthians especially). It has taken me the greater part of a lifetime to begin to discover the immemorially obvious and to try, at least, to flesh out the discovery in my own life. It has been an excruciatingly educational ordeal for me, and I often feel like a small child wading on the vast shore of a limitless ocean.

Still, I manage to get a good deal of writing done, along with a certain amount of reading. How wholeheartedly I agree with those philosophers who express contempt for authors who write more than they read. Of course, I don’t often have time to do both. I manage to read 15- books each week plus a handful of important journal articles, not to mention the more interesting blogs. I find that 2-3 hours of writing daily is my extreme limit. I have gotten several German books on weakness that I have not read yet but plan to do so this week. I sometimes feel guilty in reading books (with comprehension) so quickly. I can plough my way through them in a mere fraction of the time the authors must have spent in writing them. But then again I have an excessive affection for succinctness. The really prodigious authors make the time and have the capacity for working long and hard that I can only envy. I don’t agree, for example, with everything Tom Wright says, but I don’t think I’ve ever read things that made me so profoundly admire and respect the writer. Clearly a giant intellect is at work which plays justly over a wide range of ideas. You should read him if you haven’t already. He’s a great popularizer too, which is something I have tried to become in my most recent books.

But all that is for later. I have the sneaking suspicion that the farm manager will soon be along and make demands on my physical prowess, such as it is.

Sunday, March 7

4:56 PM Can you believe it? Only 10 days to go before we leave for Ethiopia, if the Lord is willing. This verse impresses me as I contemplate returning to Africa: “We, though many, are one body in Christ” (Rom. 12:5). What a wonderful privilege it is as Christians to share a relationship with every other Christian in the world, regardless of color, race, age, or denomination. Becky and I are bound to the church in Ethiopia in a fellowship that goes far beyond the mere sharing of a hobby or a political affiliation. The reality of our fellowship also places inescapable demands on us. We are the church together and therefore we must bear each other’s burdens in a sympathetic way. Funny, we’ve been going to Ethiopia for 7 years now and yet I am still as excited as if it were my very first trip. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for making us “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:9)!

4:12 PM Some powerful quotes from today’s message on Acts 8:1-8:

• God takes evil and turns it on its head.

• Persecution pushes people out of their comfort zone.

• Just because they were persecuted didn’t mean they stopped preaching the word.

• Persecution only furthered the kingdom work, it did not hinder it.

• These people lived lives that were centered in Christ. That’s what they were persecuted for.

• No persecution is ever great enough for you to turn away from the Gospel.

• As a church, the Great Commission should trump every decision we make.

Thank you, brother Joel, for the reminder that God often does His best work when the church is under pressure from its enemies.

By the way, I love your blog!

8:58 AM I am still collecting works for my chapter on weakness (using works published subsequent to 1984), which has involved a lot of work for my assistant, Mr.Andy Bowden. I am still a bit uncertain how the thing will turn out but will doubtless discover when I get down to the actual writing. I hope to have the complete manuscript by the end of summer. If, in the meantime, you know of anything on astheneia that I should see, I hope you will notify me of its whereabouts. I’d be happy to add it to my ever-growing stack of books and journal articles. Je réjouis de la pensée que vous deviendrez mon collaborateur.

7:32 AM So proud this morning of my doctoral students. They’ve read papers at this weekend’s SECOR conference and they are on the program at this month’s regional ETS meeting. It is very exciting to see them developing their nascent professorial skills this early on in their program. They have even begun publishing some of their seminar papers, which will also be used in their dissertations. I have no problem with this; in fact I encourage it. I had just arrived in Basel in 1980 as a fledging doctoral student when I received the page proofs of my first journal article. I can still feel the excitement today. One has to start somewhere, and I see absolutely no reason why the starting point should be post-Ph.D.

7:24 AM The other day I recommended Beasley-Murray’s Baptism in the New Testament to a fellow blogger, even though the book is sorely out of date. His is one of those vintages that improves with age. I could feel much more optimistic about the current generation of young New Testament scholars if they paid more attention to the great classics in the field. When you read Baptism in the New Testament you will be able to judge for yourself if you think it’s a good book and, if good, who should be reading it today.

7:18 AM I read this verse this morning:

By now you ought to be teachers, yet you still need someone to teach you again the elementary truths of God’s Word. You need milk, not meat (Heb. 5:12).

Talk about a case of arrested development. Just when you should have become teachers, you have to go back to the basics of the Gospel.

The blisters on my hands this morning are a painful reminder to me of this truth. By now you would think that I’d have thick callouses on my hands because of all the manure spreading I do here on the farm. But let Nathan go to Dallas for 10 days and my hands revert to their soft, city-slicker state. My blisters point to a great principle of life:

When you do nothing, something always happens.

Just don’t mow your yard. Just don’t put oil in your car. Just don’t review your Greek paradigms and principal parts. (You knew I had to get that last one in, didn’t you?)

What to do? Acknowledge your defeat, then get right back to throwing manure. Don’t wallow in self-pity. How many of us, instead of marching forward in our Christian walk, are merely marking time? How many of us will attend church this morning, not to give, not to serve, not to invest in others, but to sit, soak, and sour? We may have been Christians for years but we still can’t instruct another or point someone to Jesus. We can understand only the very basic doctrines. Because we are so immature, we succumb easily to theological fads that arise with alarming regularly.

The author of Hebrews is saying, Grow up. Get back on track. Put your knowledge to use in the kingdom. Don’t stay in an immature state.

Get back to tossing manure!

Saturday, March 6

7:25 PM Thanks to all who linked to my video clip from our Greek DVD series. Just want to clarify a couple of things:

1) We chose thePAL format because we produced the set primarily for schools in the Majority World, where PAL is the norm. What this means is that most of you who live in North America will not be able to view the DVDs on your TV. But everyone will be able to play them on their computer.

2) In keeping with our emphasis on training foreign nationals, we offer a 50 percent discount to educational institutions outside of North America. This means that one can purchase the entire 24-DVD set for only $100.00 USD. I’m so excited that we’ve already had several international schools order the series.

3) As you can see from the clip I posted, the approach I take to Greek grammar involves morphology, which in one sense makes the learning process a little bit more difficult at the beginning of your studies. It goes without saying that this is certainly not the only correct method of teaching Greek. In addition, not all linguists agree on how Greek morphology works, and other teachers might wish to explain the grammar using other terms. The bottom line is that there is no single “best” Greek grammar or “best” Greek teacher. All have their proper uses and, in fact, my prayer is that the Lord Jesus uses all of them to educate His church.

6:52 PM Just a line or two. I spent the evening mortifying the flesh sitting on my front yard bench watching the pond below me and a field of about 20 Angus in it, enjoying the deafening silence, and being astounded again by the breathtaking beauty of the farm and God’s magnificent creation.

The mama cows were busy licking off their calves, the bull was doing what bulls instinctively do, and the rest were lying around lazily chewing their cud. The day was remarkable for its wonderful colors and shadows everywhere.

Speaking of things creative, I have been listening to a CD of the really funereal piece by Marcel Dupré called Cortège et Litanie performed (of all things!) on the great organ of Houston’s Second Baptist Church. How good a composer he was yet how poorly is his masterpiece played, at least on You Tube. The best I could find was this one, though it sounds more martial than funereal.

 

I don’t suppose I will ever be able to hear the piece performed live and in person, as it must be extremely difficult to play.

Finally, it is melancholy work sloughing through this piece at Huff Post, but the author does have a point:Christians: No Fair Heeding Paul on Gays, But Not Jesus on Wealth. Of course, I am never guilty of platitudinizing of this sort!

4:59 PM OH NO! Look at what just mysteriously appeared in my driveway!

Nathan, you keep this up and you’ll end up with an old man who looks like this!

3:58 PM Our phone service is back.

3:22 PM Guess who’s about to have puppies? Our little Miss Chloe. She’s begun to waddle, and the fur on her underside had started to fall out. The proud daddy is none other than our own Mr. Sheppie. The pups will be beautiful, I’m sure.

3:15 PM Tommy Calnan is about to make his second escape. His first one took place from a train window as he was being transported across Germany. Now he is about to crawl through a filthy tunnel on his way to freedom from a POW camp deep inside the Third Reich.

Tommy’s first escape he made alone. Not so his second one. He writes (pp. 196-87 of Free As a Running Fox):

After my train jump on the journey from Spangenberg, I had reached an entirely final decision. Never again would I escape alone. The lonely human, I had found, cannot dominate his elemental fears. Although he can, consciously and with an effort of the will, control those fears, he cannot prevent the subconscious effect they have on his actions. During those cold days spent in ditches or thin woods, my morale had been so low as to be almost non-existent. I knew, with absolute certainty, that the comforting presence of one companion would have been the most effective antidote to this fear complex.

“The comforting presence of one companion.” How true. All of us were made for community and companionship. The Lord Jesus sent the 70 out two by two. He did not ask them to go it alone. Imagine the encouragement they could draw from each other along the way or when they met with resistance and opposition.

It is a wise thing to do the Lord’s work in the companionship of others. The great apostle Paul himself was not above working with others. His journeys were always team efforts. What makes us think we can do any less?

Below: The Lord Jesus still has His Peters, Jameses, and Pauls. I thank God for such gifted people and the impact on others He has allowed them to make. Here is our 2009 Alaba team, including (from the left) Kevin, his daughter Katy, and Dale.

It’s hard for me to imagine a more diverse team, yet God knitted us together and we worked together beautifully. This summer our Alaba team will be much smaller (only 2 others in addition to myself), each of us being merely a fellow foot soldier in the great work God has called us to do — together. What joy!

11:50 AM Just had a delightful brunch with the Blacks. Becky cooked up a delicious omelet that was filled with little surprises, including avocados. Two quick notes before Nate and I get to work:

1) Our local telephone service is on the fritz. We are told it won’t be repaired until next Wednesday. So if you need to contact us please do so via email (which we access through our satellite provider).

2) On my home page I’ve just published my latest essay. It’s calledThe Supreme Importance of the Great Commission. I’m not sure Satan will like it very much. He’ll patronize us into complacency by suggesting all kinds of excuses why we shouldn’t make world evangelization our top priority. With our loins girded with truth (sorry for the archaic biblicism, but I love that expression!) we must stand and fight by taking the truth of God’s Word and His scandalous love and hurling them back at the Tempter. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that I am living for the Gospel as I ought to. I am as convicted by this essay as I anticipate anyone else will be. But I will tell you this: As tough as evangelism is, it’s worth it all when you see someone fall in love with Jesus! God’s message is to flesh out the Good News. May our churches be radically committed to doing that in the days and years ahead until the Lord returns.

Friday, March 5

9:32 PM Look at what Becky baked for me tonight. It was a surprise. My favorite too — Poppy Seed Cake.

We each enjoyed a piece while watching the Waltons. Not a bad way to top off a great day, eh?

8:07 PM Here’s 2 more pix of the sweetest and neatest and bestest and most beauteous little 9 month old in the whole wide world:

On a side note, in the truck today Nate played for me a CD Nolan listens to. It has songs in three languages: English, French, and Spanish. That rascal. Nolan already knows more languages than his mommy and daddy!

5:19 PM If TV can have re-runs, so can we! Yesterday I posted a couple of You Tube videos taken during out trips to Ethiopia. Each has an interesting story behind it, which we couldn’t tell you about last night because we were too busy. I asked Becky if she would be willing to describe these clips for you today, and she graciously agreed. So here’s Becky:

Clip #1: Solomon praying. 

This scene took place in November, 2008. I was at the back of the clinic, heard the praying, and snuck in the back door to video tape the session of praying. Pleading over a young woman of about 20 years of age was Chaplain Solomon. One hand was raised to the Throne of Heaven, and one hand lay upon the unconscious woman. On the floor, bowed over with heads touching the concrete, were the father and mother of the woman. I knew her story. The day before this praying session she had been brought to the clinic. Her fever was through the roof, her oxygenation was only 67 percent, and she was in constant seizure. Her parents told us what had happened. This woman and her parents had professed allegiance to Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The woman’s brother, however, did not. A village witchdoctor had cast a spell upon the brother, stating, “You will die if your sister does not leave Jesus.” The brother plead with his sister; he was very frightened of death. She renounced Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the World. Immediately, she herself was at the edge of death, stricken with this illness.  In the clinic, our nurses started an IV, gave fluids, gave antibiotics, gave anti-seizure medicines, gave fever medicine….but the real thing needed was a return to Jesus. Only He could heal her. And this could happen only through prayer. Almost around the clock the nurses, the chaplain, the church elders, and our team members prayed. On the 2nd day, she came to her senses and returned to Jesus. On the 3rd day, she was discharged from the clinic. On the 4th day, the nurses and Chaplain Solomon visited her in her home….she was busy waiting on them, preparing coffee and kolo. 

Such is a day in the life of a rural clinic in southern Ethiopia.

Clip #2: Burji Mountains.

This scene is from our trip in June, 2007. Dave and I were taking our first group to Ethiopia; it consisted of 9 people from Bethel Hill Baptist Church near Roxboro, NC. Our team was divided into two parts: the Soyama Town part and the Village Team part. I was with the Village Team. We traveled from village to village, spending 2-3 days in each village, sleeping on the floor of the churches, eating food prepared by the church women, and doing various ministry sessions on the church compound. One of us taught the Bible to women, one taught men, a couple worked with the children; we distributed reading glasses and held informal medical clinics. We listened to Bible recitations and distributed Bibles. In every village we visited, the people would walk out to meet us. They greeted us with singing, waving branches, and flowers; everyone was dressed in their colorful Sunday best. Our truck would carry us as far as it could go, then we got out and walked. The Ethiopians eagerly carried our luggage, water bottles, and blankets. And so we began the long walk into their village, singing along with them, rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord that He had brought us together! 

In this video clip, we are hiking to the village of Shargo. It is the last village of the trip. We were tired as we hiked along the ridge of mountains, jumping streams of water, trying not to walk too fast so that we wouldn’t get winded in the high altitude. The church is situated on a little peninsular jutting out of the mountain; the drop-off is steep. A very thin trail can be seen going down the mountain, and the Ethiopians told me that many times people and animals fall to their deaths as they slip on the trail. Shortly after we arrived, it began to rain. For 15 hours it rained constantly. We had our meetings in the drizzle, under umbrellas. Then we began the slippery hike back to the truck. Two Ethiopia men walked beside each of us women to keep us upright. Returning, we didn’t have to worry about walking too fast! We looked like drowned rats by the time we made it to the vehicle. Then we began the long descendent, our 4WD vehicle slipping and sliding every which way, sometime going up so sharply we couldn’t see the top, sometimes having to stop and regroup before continuing on.  It was one of those times when I was keenly aware of the danger facing us, yet also keenly aware that people were praying at home. Many of us broke down crying upon our return, so great was the stress of the trip. The goodness of the Lord Jesus in keeping us was keenly felt by every person. Would I do it again? Absolutely!

Incidentally, when we returned to Virginia, I told my parents about this little trip, and my mother told me that when they were in Ethiopia, their Land Rover slid off the road in these same Burji Mountains, such that two of the 4 wheels were hanging in the air. My father told my mother to very slowly and carefully get out of the car; my mother was pregnant with her 6th child, my brother was about 18 months, and my sister was about 3 and a half years. My mother stood with her children on the road, knowing that at any second my father and the vehicle could go over the mountain’s edge. My sister asked her, “Mommy, what are we doing?” My mother replied, “We’re praying, honey. We’re praying.”

So when we post our prayer itinerary for our trips, we are saying to you: PRAY! We need your prayers…and you may never know the difference your particular, personal prayer made.

4:15 PM Did you hear us whooping and hollering as Nate and Jessie came up the driveway this morning? I just had to capture the moment on camera. See how totally pathetic I am! What a wonderful homecoming it was. Mama B and I couldn’t wait to wrap our arms around that little Nolan. (Course his mom and dad got a hug too.)

I tell you, that boy has grown a foot since we last saw him. And he scoots and boots like a snake-bitten Texan once you put him on the floor. More on Nolan later.

After breakfast Nate and I got down to work, beginning in Oxford where these trailers were patiently awaiting our arrival. You counted right — 4 of them!

Each is a very heavy load, but nothing to fear — not if you have your trusty air pump on hand.

Everywhere Nate goes in Oxford and its environs he is known (affectionately?) as Mr. Poop. To help the young ladies dump their manure into the trailers he built this little platform. It reads: “This step compliments of Mr. Poop, Mrs. Poop, and Little Pooper.” I guess this makes me Grandpa Poop?

Below: How true, how true!

Oh, I thought you’d like to see a pic of our newest bull calf, born three days ago. Cute, cute, cute!

Then it was time for us to spread the manure and feed all the cows.

Finally, I want to introduce you to 3 of our “teenage” cows, acting just like adolescents — aloof, cliquish, and uncommunicative. Guess they never readmy book!

Soweit die heutige Nachricht. Tonight I’m taking my bride out for Chinese dinner in Clarkesville — “our fair city.” Can’t wait!

8:02 AM Today Nate, Jess, and Nolie return from a trip to Dallas to visit with Mama B and Granddaddy. You know what that means, don’t you? Yep — we’ve fallen way behind in the skubalation department, and I won’t be surprised if Nate and I have to unload not one but two trailers of manure today. What fun!

By the way, the happy family has been sending us pix along the way. Here’s one I thought you’d enjoy:

7:57 AM The intro tothis post over at APB News reads:

Blogs are a growing but still relatively underutilized influence on today’s religious discourse, according to a study of the religious blogosphere by theSocial Science Research Council. 

But my favorite quote from this fine piece is:

Some, like religion reporters and academicians, were not originally interested in blogging but were forced to give in and eventually learned to enjoy it.

And all you yet-to-be bloggers said?

7:43 AM I usually don’t link to stories about Baylor University but I think it’s worth your time to note this one: Baylor alum to give school $200 million. The anonymous donor wants the money to be spent on the study of aging. All well and good, but there’s a catch: the money won’t become available until the donor’s death. No information on how old he or she is….

6:56 AM I loved Cathleen Shine’s New York Times piece I Was a Teenage Illiterate. She cites her “illiteracy epiphany,” which I suppose happened to me at about the same age. I was a terrible student in school and cared nothing for books and book-learning. At home I read a few Hardy Boys novels, but my love for history and theology would develop only much later. Sad to say, I feel I wasted many years as a teenage illiterate. But I think I’ve made up for it since then.

6:47 AM Hey bloggers and bloggerettes. The following is a 4-minute clip from our Greek DVD series, which is availablehere. If nothing else, it’ll give you a flavor of what to expect if you use the set. The series was taped while I was teaching beginning Greek at a college in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was fun teaching these Ethiopians the basics of the language and watching the light come on. Personally, I so enjoy discovering the beauty of languages, including Greek. I think you’ll pick that up when you watch the video.

 

Thursday, March 4

8:59 PM Well, Richard Sugg has done it again. Yes, this is the same Richard who installed our new home computer for us. It is also the same Richard Sugg who was inspired to produce the vocabulary cards for our beginning grammar (which are availablehere). Richard spent 4 hours with us this evening helping us learn how to maximize the use of our pooter (including how to post video clips). His God-given cybernetic abilities are simply amazing. Thank you, Richard, for putting them to work in service to our wonderful Savior. May He richly bless you for it. Now, I know many of you are thinking, “Oh no, now I have to put up with countless video clips in addition to all the photos Dave posts!” Not to be afraid, though. I promise not to post any more than 20 clips per day, not even of Mr. Nolan.

By the way, each of the clips posted below has a story behind it. More on that tomorrow. Right now my brain is totally frazzled.

8:23 PM Sample #2:

 

6:30 PM We’re working on the website tonight, trying to upload a You Tube. Here’s a sample. Hope it works.

 

2:55 PM Quote of the day (Michael Bird):

Ellis was a wonderful Baptist scholar of the NT and a committed churchman.

What a marvelous testimony! I did not know Earle Ellis personally but I wish I had.

2:46 PM Today Joel and I were discussing what makes for a good commentary. I mentioned to him that one of the main reasons I’m requiring my Greek students to purchase Gordon Fee’s commentary on 1-2 Thessalonians is that he makes it very clear in his preface that he wrote the initial draft of his commentary before consulting any other works. Hence the book is really a compendium of Fee’s own thinking, which to me is what a good commentary should be. This is one reason I was so glad to see Harold Hoehner’s Ephesians commentary published after so many years of labor he invested in that work. Harold had taught the book of Ephesians for who knows how many years — 30? His commentary reflects a depth that only a seasoned New Testament scholar possesses. So if you want to know what Harold believed and thought, it’s all there for you to see. I much prefer these types of commentaries to those that are simply pastiches of other people’s opinions.

Below: Becky snapped this picture of me and Harold Hoehner a couple of years ago at Grace Bible Church in Dallas. He was a dear friend of mine and a model for me in many ways. I still miss him (and that includes chatting with him in Swiss German).

2:20 PM Even though I’m deep in my study of 1 Thess. 2:1-12 for next week’s class, my mind keeps wandering disobediently back to 1:8, where we read, “For from you the word of the Lord has echoed forth … so that we don’t have to say anything.” I am greatly encouraged by this statement, and you should be too. This is the role of the so-called laity in down-to-earth terms. The laity (not the clergy) forms the spearhead of the church’s mission in the world. Because they are out in the work-a-day world, lay people are beachheads for the kingdom in business, education, government, and other professions, doing their jobs daily to the glory of God and as witnesses of His grace and love. This is why an adequate ministry can never depend on one pastor or even a corps of pastors. The whole church must be mobilized and trained for ministry and mission. Lay people, and only lay people, in their daily lives and occupations, encounter the society in which they live as a pattern of life.

What we need now are churches that show us how to flesh out this model of ministry. If you know of such a congregation, would you please consider writing me and letting me know? I’d like to feature that congregation on this blog. Thank you!

2:03 PM Well, Becky and I thoroughly enjoyed a visit from one of our pastors at Bethel Hill along with his dear wife and 2 precious children. Brother Joel needed to interview someone on the topic of suffering for one of his seminary classes, and he (wisely!) chose Becky Lynn for the interview.

I didn’t listen in on the interview but I bet it was awesome. Joel and Kimberly, know that we love you guys very much. We are very excited about what the Lord God is doing in your lives and what He will do in the days and years ahead. Continue to run in such a way as to win the prize. And Joel, thank you for constantly and consistently reminding the Body to think of ourselves as disciples, ever learning and growing and encouraging one another, and as disciplers, leading non-Christians into the fellowship of believers.

9:45 AM I just snapped this picture while going out to feed the cattle.

Beautiful, isn’t it? How do you like the avant-garde black frame I designed? Neat, huh?

Actually, my shutter failed to open all the way. I had no idea, of course, that this was happening while taking this picture. Which brings up a question: How much of what I am now doing for Christ will be gold, silver, and precious stones? And how much will be wood, hay, and stubble? I won’t know until the judgment seat of Christ, will I? Something I may think (and, indeed, may have been quite positive about) was of eternal value may in fact end up being completely burned up in that Day. And how about my motives? I may do what is right, what is required of me as a steward, but if I have done it with improper motives (we’ll talk a lot about this in our Greek class next week in our study of 1 Thessalonians), it too will go up in smoke.

Well, so much for my sermonette! I just want to add that I am grateful that spring is on its way. But I’m not one who has been pleading with Mother Earth for the return of warmer weather. I have no right to complain to the Creator about the weather. This winter has been cold, but we have kept warm; we’ve had plenty of snow, but no ice; and the Lord has “deep watered” our pastures in anticipation of a good hay crop (our largest source of income on the farm).

That said, I am not going to complain that the temps will be in the 60s this weekend!

8:32 AM Our July team is now set. Prior to our departure this summer Becky will publish a detailed prayer itinerary for you to follow. In the meantime we invite you to “join our team” with your prayers. Here’s a list of current needs that B has put together. Feel free to copy and distribute it as the Lord leads.

Together for the Gospel,

Dave

7:48 AM Newsweek reviews Mitt Romney’sNo Apology: The Case for American Greatness.

In Mr. Romney’s own words:

I’m one of those who believe America is destined to remain as it has been since the birth of the republic—the brightest hope in the world. And for that belief, I do not apologize.”

If we’re thinking biblically, how can we possibly say that the United States is “the brightest hope in the world”? I don’t mean to pick on Mitt Romney. Many American Christians have sadly allowed their patriotism to co-opt their faith. Many of us want a Jesus who will defend our country — the “city on a hill” — and hate our national enemies as much as we do. America has become a god and patriotism its goddess.

Jesus isn’t anything like this. Neither is His power. Knowing that all power had been given to Him, He tells His disciples that the way to vanquish their foes is by loving their enemies with cross-like love. In Christ my real citizenship is in heaven. I am nothing but a foreigner and an exile wherever I live. All earthly governments are “less than nothing” in God’s sight (see Isa. 40:15-17!). Moreover, the Bible is clear that all human governments are under “the deceiver of the nations” (Rev. 9:11; 20:3, 8).

Just to be clear, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t vote or that we shouldn’t support the political party/leader of our choice. I’m not saying that people who run for public office are evil.  Nor am I denying that there are leaders who are sincere in their desire to serve their country. (On the “sincerity scale,” I’m sure both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama think they are perfect 10s!) But given the clear witness of the New Testament, I have to question the confidence that is placed in human government when we should be preoccupied with investing our time and energy in living under and expanding the reign of God.

If it is counter-cultural to say “the brightest hope in the world” is Jesus Christ (and NOT Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, Ron Paul, the Democratic Party, etc.), then so be it!

7:02 AM McMaster Divinity College announces an opening inChristian Ministry.

Wednesday, March 3

7:55 PM D. B. Hamill’sJesus and me broke up really got me thinking. On the one hand, I’ve always been a Jesus freak of sorts. Started out that way in Hawaii and stayed that way all through my studies at Biola, Talbot, and even Basel. At one time I even wore mariachi sandals and had really long hair — just like Jesus of course (*sarcasm*). On the other hand, I have always had a feeling deep in my gut that there was something eccentric about the “Jesus Movement” of the 1960s and 70s. For a good many of us, Jesus wasn’t so much Lord and Master as a good buddy and pal. Also, our Christianity was very individualistic. “Me” and “I” were more often spoken than “we” and “us.” Finally, I think our version of faith was more needs-based than obedience-based, at least it was for me.

Today I am still in love with Jesus (in the good-old-fashioned Jesus freak sense), but working together for the Gospel requires more than a personal walk with Jesus. The older I’ve grown the clearer I’ve seen that the Christian life is to be lived in community so that we can keep each other accountable and spur each other on to love and good deeds. I think that’s one reason why Jesus sent out His workers 2 by 2. That’s why Becky and I do our work in Ethiopia as a team (usually of 2 but often, like thus summer, as a team of 25). To be honest, I have found more joy in serving Jesus together than I have in my solo acts.

I ask you to pray for me. Pray for me to yield to the Spirit in every area of my life. I want to be the foot-washer that Jesus wants me to be. I want to show my students what it means to love other people and how it looks to lead a Spirit-filled life. My quest is to do this not as a lone ranger but in association with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

How thankful I am that God can take even a crusty old Jesus freak and remake him into the image of Christ!

7:22 PM Captain Sullenberger is retiring, according tothis ABC report. And what will the hero of the Hudson do?

Sullenberger said he plans to spend more time with his family in retirement and will write another book. He will also continue to talk to lawmakers about raising minimum qualifications for pilots and work to lower the maximum number of hours pilots are able to work in a single day.

Worthy goals, all. Enjoy your new job, Captain! 

6:55 PM Thank God for aNew Testament scholar who reads the church fathers!

5:58 PM Coming to understand Jesus as fully God is a life-changing event for anyone. A new book claims to deliver practical, powerful theological content to that end. It is wonderfully titled Putting Jesus in His Place and is reviewed by Matt Evanshere. All Christians need to be armored up as we present the radical claims of Jesus Christ to our lost friends.

5:34 PM Here’s a big question I often wrestle with in teaching Greek: How much information do you give to beginning students of the language? Take the third declension. After considering different options I decided I’d give my students the basic case-number suffixes and just enough exposure to basic paradigms to enable them to recognize most third declension nouns when they read their Greek New Testaments. When you think about the third declension it’s really not all that difficult. What is absolutely necessary, however, is that students learn the genitive and the article of every third declension noun in their vocabulary or else they’ll be completely lost when they try to read Greek.

Does anyone else struggle with this? (Movie idea: Indiana Jones and the Search for the Perfect Greek Grammar.) I’m trying to get my rational head around this!

Anyways, I’m very excited that we’ve covered the good old third decision because now we get to move on to the mother of all Greek topics — those potent participles!

4:02 PM Quote of the day (Jared Bowie):

Jesus had a great, big convoy and he knew where He was leading it. He knew what not to stop for.

ReadJesus Didn’t Stop. I can’t help but be reminded of all the times I stopped when I knew I should have plowed ahead. I love you Jesus for loving me even when I’m wishy-washy!

3:46 PM 56 years ago a young married couple left Dallas, TX, with their blond-haired baby in tow. Their destination? The nation of Ethiopia. Man were they motivated! They learned to speak Amharic then went down country to establish some of the first schools in all of Southern Ethiopia. They had joined a great movement of post-WW II American revolutionaries who were radical about taking the Good News to the ends of the earth. I am so honored to know Brad and Betty Lapsley. After all, I married the daughter they took with them to Ethiopia!

I invite you to take a look at a wonderful interview that Mrs. Jody Neufeld recently had with that little girl (now grown). You’ll find it over atBible Study Paths. But be warned. Like every true revolution, the Jesus revolution comes with a price tag. It cost Becky’s mom her health (which is why the Lapsleys returned from the field in 1964). All I can say is praise the Lord for this family. They have made such a impact on my life that I feel every time I step on to Ethiopian soil. Along with many others, they taught me that there is nothing more important in this life than leading people to Jesus — nothing.

Enjoy the interview….

3:23 PM B and I just got back from running around town. Saw this church sign along the way:

Judge Not Less Ye Be Judged.

I am NOT kidding. And no, I am NOT judging!

6:33 AM Should pastors be paid salaries? What does the New Testament teach on the subject, including those controversial texts such as 1 Tim. 5:17? For Darryl Erkel’s opinion, gohere.

Tuesday, March 2

8:25 PM Man, I’d like to trythis some day.

7:58 PM If you’ve never seen the Basel Fasnacht live and in person, you’ve never lived. In case you are scratching your head — “Fasnacht did he say?” — here’s possiblythe finest report I’ve ever read about this annual event in the city of my doctorate. My favorite quote is one I think all of us writers (bloggers included) would do well to take to heart:

There is one golden rule: do not take yourself seriously.

Amen to that!

6:52 PM One of the joys of my work is to follow up by phone or email with prospective students. I’m often asked, “What is unique about Southeastern?” My answer is usually comprised of three words: “The Great Commission.” Often there’s a pause and then the person will say, “I thought you were a seminary and not a mission.” Well, we’re actually both. We’re a seminary on mission!

As a Greek prof I’m always reminding my students of this crucial fact. Ministry is where it’s at. Whatever we do in the classroom is mere preparation to help us calibrate our ministries according to biblical principles. If our Gospel centers on our studies rather than on Christ’s glorious act of self-sacrifice, it is no Gospel at all. And if the Gospel we present is not backed up by our own lives (sacrificial living, sacrificial giving) — in other words, if Eph. 2:8-9 is not backed up by Eph. 2:10 — then it is no Gospel at all. At the end of the day I don’t want students who excel in their studies but whose only focus is on academics. What I seek is a spiritual transformation that takes place when the Holy Spirit uses the truth of God’s Word to initiate a lifestyle of discipleship. I want to raise up an army of church leaders whose lives will rock their communities with the Good News and who will unleash the Body of Christ to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the tough places of the world.

I don’t know why I’m telling you this tonight except that I’m on semester break and am missing the classroom terribly. I want to be intentional in all that I do as a teacher. I want my students to be passionate about the Gospel. I want all of us to be willing to leave our comfort zones and go out to the dangerous places just because Jesus tells us to. Students, if we really want to see the world reached with the Gospel then we must believe the real, unadulterated Gospel and then we must live the real, unadulterated Christian life. Together we can do it.

Thank you Jesus!

6:41 PM Thanks to Matt and Liz, Becky and I enjoyed a delicious gumbo dish for supper.

Tasted every bit as good as anything we’ve ever eaten in Nawlins. We could hardly carry on a normal conversation at the table. We kept oohing and awing. Thank you guys for thinking of us!

3:50 PM Here’s something I’m praying about: doing chalk drawing evangelism during our July trip. I’ve never done this before but I think it would be well received. Usually I just do portrait drawing, which inevitably “draws” a crowd. I love drawing for Jesus! Shows you that God can use any ability we have if we make it available to Him. After all, He’s the one who gave it to us in the first place!

Isn’t Miheret sweeeeet?

3:40 PM Ethiopia team members: One word you’ll hear often in Ethiopia is “Ishee.” Of all the words a foreigner needs to learn how to use, this is possibly the most important one. It is the most grammatically versatile of all the Ethiopia expressions I know. It carries a shade of meaning very similar to our “Okay.” (“Shall we go?” “Ishee.”). There is hardly a conversation in which the word is not used. At its core is perhaps the idea of “going along to get along.” Remember, Ethiopian culture is very relationship oriented. A key characteristic is the willingness and desire to fit in, to cooperate for the greater good, to go along to get along. So, listen for “Ishee” and learn how to use it yourself. More at our next orientation. 

3:13 PM Two prayer requests:

1) First, please pray for Becky. She’s constantly on the phone or writing emails while organizing our trips to Ethiopia this month and in July. Pray for wisdom. The idea is not to micromanage the Lord’s work but to manage it effectively from 30,000 feet. What an awesome responsibility!

2) Secondly, I am excited to announce that next Thursday at 12:30 I’ll be speaking at North Carolina State University. My lecture is sponsored by the Christian students there who are waging war for the souls of their lost friends. I am working hard on a talk that hopefully will present the basic claims of Christianity in a clear and winsome way. Will you pray for me and invite others to do the same? Pray that God does a mighty work in the hearts of the students on this campus.

Oh yeah, I’ll be praying too.  

11:47 AM Quote of the day #2:

(It) was just the kind of thing that happens when you show up alone in a distant country without a plan.

Actor Andrew McCarthy, on being escorted out of a church in Ethiopia at gun point.

11:15 AM Here’s the passage we’re discussing in Greek 4 next week. I am currently memorizing it in Greek.

What a precious and convicting word (mostly convicting!). The text speaks to my laziness, my selfishness. The Bible says plainly, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Every gift I have is the result of God’s “varied grace” (1 Pet. 4:10). Therefore I am to give freely to others as an unmerited, unpaid-for favor. “What did you have that you did not receive without paying for it?” asks Paul in 1 Cor. 4:7. Does that say anything to you? Do you see the point of Paul’s exhortation here in 1 Thess. 2:9-12? Work is the irresistible responsibility of the Christian. We can’t shake it off. We can’t escape from our responsibility to give freely to others just as God has freely given to us all things. Paul is saying in essence, “Look at how we lived when we were with you. We dideverything for your sake. We were never a burden to you. We served you without pay of any kind.” Many of us fail to grasp the reality of this. When we go on a missions trip we automatically ask others to pay for our airfare and food. We never even stop to consider that perhaps by scrimping and going without that trip to Starbucks we could pay for most (or at least a good portion) of our travel and meal expenses ourselves. Paul received gifts from others only when he was financially unable to pay his own expenses (usually due to imprisonment). I’m not saying that fundraising is wrong. But fundraising serves us falsely when it leads us to shrink from our duty.

Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians are clear. Read them for yourself:

You know what you must do to imitate us. We lived a disciplined life among you. We didn’t eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, we worked hard and struggled night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you. It’s not as though we didn’t have the right to receive support. But we wanted to set an example for you to follow (2 Thess. 3:7-9).

Then he commanded the idlers, “We order and encourage such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to pay attention to their own work so that they can support themselves” (2 Thess. 3:12).

Some will say, “I could never support myself in ministry.” And for some that would be literally true. But I suspect that for many of us that would be paltry rhetoric! On the contrary, we have to firmly and rigorously assert that there is no escape from Paul’s injunction:

Don’t work, don’t eat!!

7:55 AM Quote of the day (Henry Neufeld):

Spending $20,000,000 on the denomination’s image doesn’t seem right to me.

ReadWhat Would a Successful UMC Look Like?

7:36 AM I’m currently readingThe Man Who Presumed, the biography of Henry Stanley, who uttered the famous words, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.”

On p. 63 we are given an insight into Stanley’s state of mind during his expedition:

My mission to find Livingstone was very simple, and was a clear and definite aim. All I had to do was to free my mind from all else, and relieve it of every earthly desire but the finding of the man whom I was sent to seek. To think of self, friends, banking-account, life-insurance, or any worldly interest but the one sole purpose of reaching the spot where Livingstone might happen to rest, could only weaken my resolution. Intense application to my task assisted me to forget all I had left behind, and all that might lie ahead in the future.

Kingdom-minded people will have exactly the same kind of single-eyed focus! Jesus gave us the same basic message that a New York newspaper gave Stanley: FIND THE LOST! Jesus will have no one among His followers who puts family ties, comfort, security, or possessions above His kingdom. He says to each one of us: “I’m offering you what I have — hardship, danger, hunger, sweat, blood, tears, and death. Give up everything to follow Me, or don’t come at all.”

Following Jesus doesn’t come cheap. The Bible requires us to voluntarily go out of the way to accept assignments that involve hardship and danger. Every Christian has something to do in this great task of world evangelization!

Monday, March 1

9:12 PM Today, while Becky, Matt, and Liz gallivanted in Chapel Hill, the boys and I had more fun than a sack of confused weasels. Here’s proof.

Micah loves our tractors:

Caleb gets hay for the cattle from the barn:

Isaac tosses hay with perfect form:

Micah gets into the act:

“Look, Papa B, a cow bone!”

Hay is for climbing:

“Hercules”:

Trailers are for jumping:

Lunchtime:

Isaac admires Nathan’s Cutty Sark model:

DQ!! This is the same Dairy Queen in Oxford where Keith Elliott and I once bought a postcard for his wife in Leeds that said, “Greetings from Oxford.”

Aaaah….

Yummy….

Nice mustache, Caleb:

Micah slides:

Caleb on bars:

Isaac’s turn:

Hi Papa B!

Wrapping baked potatoes for supper:

Time out for suckers:

Micah loving on Dayda:

Caleb and Sheba:

Playing in the backyard while supper cooks:

My salad helper:

The gallivanters returned just in time for a delicious supper:

My hardworking and loving boys, thank you for all of your help today. Papa B loves you and is very proud of you!!

5:16 PM Something has rubbed Arthur Sidothe wrong way, big time. What is it, and do you agree with his assessment? 

4:51 PM The boys and I just started cooking supper: barbecued chicken with baked potatoes and Caesar’s salad. Did I mention corn on the cob?

11:59 AM Guess who’s visitin’ me this fine March day? Yep, Caleb, Isaac, and Micah. We’ve already fed the cows, rode on the tractor and Hercules, and had Sloppy Joes for lunch, and now we’re fixin’ to go to Dairy Queen in Oxford then to the playground before returning to the farm for a nap. After naps we’ve got our afternoon chores then supper. We took a long walk and the boys found lots of souvenirs, including huge bones and beautiful bird feathers. Liz and Matt, your home will never be the same!

Oh, I’m takin’ lots of pix!

9:46 AM Neologism of the day: Feeology. (See the comment section inthis post.) You gotta love it! 

9:40 AM Bill Mounce made this statementtoday:

This is why all full expressions of the doctrine of inerrancy make allowance for grammatical “mistakes.”

What do you think? Are there grammatical mistakes in the Greek of the New Testament? You can bet we’ll be discussing this notion in Greek class next week.

9:30 AM Brother Jon Glass reports on his church’spartnership with Ethiopia. Jon and his wife Matthea will join us this summer as we return to Burji.

Below: Jon with James during our 2008 trip. James volunteered to translate for Jason and me as we trekked among the warring Gujis. James was murdered a few weeks after the team returned to the States.

9:02 AM If you are planting a church in North America, have you ever considered tentmaking rather than support? Here’s a well-written case for it (.pdf):Tentmaking and North American Church Planting. The author (who teaches missions at Southern Seminary) includes 5 interesting case studies for your consideration. Well worth your time.

P.S. We’ll be discussing this whole issue next week as we exegete 1 Thess. 2:9-12 in class.

8:46 AM A doctoral student at Dallas Seminaryspills the beans. (I’m with you, Jason, on the orange juice thing.)

8:42 AM Working on an essay entitled “The Supreme Importance of the Great Commission.”

8:40 AM This morning I was reading Raimondo’s latest (The Road to Dictatorship) and was reminded of Wordsworth’s line about France during the Revolution — “The land all swarmed with passion, like a plain/Devoured by locusts” — the awful sense of futility, and reason waiting to be devoured, not by locusts, but by otherwise intelligent people. Everywhere there seems to be a complete indifference to truth and the common decencies of civilized society. At any rate, you can read the essay for yourself and see whether or not you agree. I think it is a magnificent article.

8:37 AM This is late, but I just happened to run across thistribute to Donald Wiseman. His death marks the passing not only of a brilliant mind but also of an epoch of history and, one might almost say, a character of fiction.

7:18 AM Quote of the day:

It is shocking to note how few know the Bill of Rights.

Read:US rhetoric strays far from America’s founding values.

7:15 AM I am picturing a week of writing and reading, unless profligacy gets in the way. I was fairly proficient last Saturday but I am expecting some visitors to the farm today so will have to “flow” (as we say in Ethiopia).

7:08 AM Alan’s latestScripture … As We Live It is painfully true. Oh the coals of fire you pour upon my head! I am ashamed to say how well that describes me. Yes, I may think my gifts are horribly important, but have others nothing important to say?

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March 2009 Blog Archives

Tuesday, March 31

6:33 AM Goodbye, March. What a great month you were: Spring Break; Burji team orientation; speaking at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Amelia Baptist Church, Providence Baptist Church, North Roxboro Baptist Church, and the Beulah Baptist Association; Nate’s 26th birthday celebration; Alan Knox’s seminar; the Dead Sea Scrolls conference in Kansas City; Greek class at The Hill. I couldn’t manage such a complex and pressured schedule without planting my feet firmly in relationships. Christianity is inescapably relational. None of us understands fully our relationships. But I for one am grateful for each one that I enjoy, beginning with the relationship I have with my Priscilla (Becky). I know I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, with all this talk about the priority of deed over word, orthopraxy over orthodoxy. It reminds me of John Peer’s Law of Enough Already: “The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets.” But Jesus didn’t come just to save our souls. He came to give us a brand new way of living. We are immobilized, demeaned, and defeated whenever we think that Christianity is a dead religion of works. True Christianity is a cross-like lifestyle in the midst of all the gook, grit, and grind of life.

Wherever we go this day, may we live out what we believe in, keeping our eyes on Him.

Monday, March 30

10:04 PM Just back from Greek class. Fantastic. Although to be honest, I struggled to convey the concepts adequately. Oh well, the Lord is going to have to take up where I left off. He’s an expert at doing that. My hats off to all my students who have hung in there to this point. Believe me, it’s well worth it.

Tomorrow I return to my Wake Forest office. My schedule reads like a brain surgeon’s. That’s the way I like it: nice and busy. Thank the Lord, I’m up to par physically. I must finish two writing projects by Wednesday. Pray for me as I debate, ponder, and pray over my choice of words. I would freshly appreciate, I’m sure, the ongoing filling of the Spirit. I return to campus gripped with this statement from the Lausanne Covenant: “World evangelization requires the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.” I cannot get Acts 1:8 out of my mind and heart. I thank the Lord that He is such a good Nudger, prodding me from where I am to where I ought to be missionally. How much further I still have to go!

2:30 PM Right now I’m preparing a fresh translation of Phil. 3:1-11 for tomorrow’s Greek class. (Hey, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I do all of my students’ assignments as if I were a student with them. Come to think of it, I am.) The mark of a good Greek student, it seems to me, is that he or she is determined to understand what the text means and not merely produce a literal translation of the words used in the text. Today we are deluged with Bible translations that simply repeat what other versions have said without ever getting to the heart of the text. There is a difference between being able to express in English the various Greek words in a passage and knowing what God’s Word says.

For example, it’s almost impossible to grasp the brilliance of what Paul writes in verse 2, where he makes a complete mockery of his opponents’ lifestyle. The verse contains at least four extremely significant rhetorical devices that Paul uses to reinforce his meaning (asyndeton, alliteration, anaphora, paronomasia). Paul even dares to use highly offensive language to get his point across: “Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilation!”

Paul seems driven by an impulsion to warn his friends in Philippi to cling to a Gospel that is pure and unmixed from any human work or achievement. His language seems to be intended to insult as much as it is to inform, much like Limbaugh’s “Feminazis” or Luther’s “Your Hellishness” for “Your Holiness.” Human advantages are completely without value! They are worse than useless. They are the enemies of Christianity! Thus Paul stabs our ears again and again (paraphrased to bring out the meaning): “Beware of those who are preying on you! Beware of those who are practicing evil things! Beware of those who insist on circumcision! For we are already circumcised because we serve God by His Spirit and boast about what Christ Jesus is doing. In fact, we’ve never placed confidence in physical things!”

This is the picture of the Christian soldier, recognizing that there is no area of our lives safe from the enemy of legalism, no avenue of approach that the Evil One cannot take, no stratum of behavior where we are inaccessible to the temptations of the flesh. Every Christian is in a battle. No one can register as a conscientious objector in today’s warfare against our spiritual opponents. The Christian life is not about rules and regulations, quotas and ratios, methods and strategies. It is a living relationship with the Lord, of whom we can say with full confidence, “Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down our assailants!” (Ps. 44:5).

Praise the Lord!

9:27 AM Scot McKnight’s guest postHow do you introduce yourself? got me thinking. In fact, I talk a lot about this in my new book on discipleship. Why? Because Jesus talked about it (see esp. Matthew 23). This point is also made in several places by Donald Kraybill in his outstanding book The Upside-Down Kingdom (Scottsdale, PA: Herald, 2003):

• “Tagging each other with titles has no place in the upside-down kingdom where everyone stands on equal ground” (226).

• “Kingdom people will also strive to minimize hierarchy in social governance” (238).

• “Titles are foreign to the body of Christ. Terms like Doctor and Reverend perpetuate status differences unbefitting the spirit of Christ” (239).

• “We call each other by our first name, for we have one Master and one Lord, Jesus Christ” (256).

Think about it.

8:45 AM Brothers Jason and Joel (our elders at The Hill) have been taking us on a wonderful journey through the Bible. We’ve been studying the atonement and Christ’s sacrificial and substitutionary death on our behalf. To Jesus belongs the redemptive work of grace, not to us! His sacrifice (not ours) paid the price of sin! And by His continual presence He liberates from sin!

Yesterday these truths became crystal clear once again as we studied the opening of Galatians (Gal. 1:1-5). Jesus truly “paid it all,” not just 99.9 percent. I may have missed it, but I wonder if Jason or Joel will include the opening of Hebrews in their series (Heb. 1:1-4). Here Jesus is described as the one who made “purification” for the sins of men. The whole book of Hebrews is predicated upon an understanding of the Old Testament sacrificial system, in which animals were slaughtered and butchered. As you know, we process our own meat here on the farm. Animals “sacrifice” their lives, if you will, that we might have something to eat to sustain our lives. There are, however, at least three differences between the sacrifice of an animal and Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins as the Lamb of God.

1) Jesus’ sacrifice was voluntary. He chose to die. An animal does not “give his life”; it is taken from him.

2) Jesus’ sacrifice was rational. Our animals do not know what is happening to them. Jesus was not an ignorant victim. He died knowing exactly what He was dying for.

3) Jesus’ sacrifice was eternal. Animal sacrifice has only temporary benefits. But Jesus’ sacrifice opened the way to eternal life.

We often invite friends and guests to the farm to help us get up hay or build barns. Occasionally they also help us process beef. The experience is foreign to most of them, but it can be an object lesson that reminds us of the unique sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf.

The implications? A Christian is nothing other than someone who is called upon as a constant priority to reflect the love of God by sacrificing self for the blessing of others!

8:25 AM Newsflash!Latin to be banned in jolly olde England. Reminds me of the story they tell about President Andrew Jackson. He was receiving an honorary doctorate from Harvard when he noticed that the entire graduation ceremony was in Latin. So when he got up to give his speech he said, “Quid pro quo, E Pluribus Unum, et cetera!” and sat down.

If nothing else, you gotta appreciate his honesty.

7:55 AM Alan Knox is at it again. In his latest post (Speaking and Serving), he provokes us mightily by asking questions like “How do we serve God” and “Do I need to know my ‘gift’ to serve others?” The paradox, to me at least, is that those who speak well have no credibility (again, in my opinion) unless they are also serving well. Thus Paul came to the Thessalonians and preached to them the Word, but not only with words. He writes (1 Thess. 1:5), “When we brought the Good News to you, we did not do so with words only but also with power, the Holy Spirit, and complete certainty, just as you know what kind of people we were when we lived among you for your sakes.” Note three things:

1) The Thessalonians heard more than words. They saw a powerful life of sacrifice that backed up the words.

2) Paul “lived among them.” He did not pull up his theological dump truck, unload his message, and then pull a wheelie out of the parking lot screeching all the way. He lived the Gospel before their very eyes.

3) And just how did he “live the Gospel”? Paul doesn’t tell us explicitly. He just says that he and his fellow missionaries did everything “for your sakes.” We might paraphrase this, “you know the good things we did for you rather than advance our own comfort and lifestyle.”

Elsewhere we read (Heb. 13:7), “Remember your leaders who have spoken to you God’s Word.” (Here’s the speaking ministry.) “Think about how their lives turned out, and then imitate their faith.” (Here’s the serving ministry.) Of course, the greatest example of speaking AND serving is Jesus Himself. I am really impressed with the way He ate with people, healed them, and spoke to them the Word. And He tells us to do the very same thing (Luke 10:8).

It is said of the Lord Jesus that “He went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). Today, a “do-gooder” is someone who shuffles about helping lost dogs. But in the New Testament a “do-gooder” is invested with the dignity of Jesus. Paul is quite clear about this: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10).

So speaking gifts must be exercised in the context of genuine relationships if they are to be effective in the long run. They must also be exercised selflessly, seeking no good for the giver but only the good of the receiver. Speaking and serving are two sides of the same coin. And, if I may brag for a moment on one of my students, this is exactly what our speaker modeled for us last weekend when he volunteered his time and energy to serve us at Bethel Hill for absolutely no personal gain or remuneration.

Here endeth the exegetical lesson! — but it will be helpful as we begin to flesh out these ideas of speaking and serving.

7:43 AM I’ve started writing my next book. I’m thinking of calling it “Rantings of a Jesus-Loving Greek Prof.” No kidding. It’ll be about the way of Jesus and about taking seriously our relationship to the Gospel, the Body of Christ, and the kingdom of God. I agree with Kierkegaard that too much of the Christian life is mostly an exercise in “playing Christianity” (Attack upon Christendom, p. 121) and that God is calling His church to begin to wean itself from the cheapened variety of discipleship it practices.

I plan for it to be a nuts-and-bolts, down-to-earth kind of book characterized by everyday ordinariness. Here’s my thesis: Christianity is a genuinely radical faith, a revolutionary struggle against all other revolutionary struggles. If my thesis disappoints you, I have no choice but to risk it. I will argue that discipleship involves suffering. Pain-free discipleship does not exist. I’ll spend a lot of time, obviously, in the book of Philippians as well as in 1 Thessalonians. Like The Jesus Paradigm, it will take neither a liberal nor a conservative approach to Christian ethics, simply because I do not believe that Jesus can be claimed by either the Old Left or the New Right. This means that no one will like this book!

7:38 AM Love is not afour letter word.

7:32 AM If you’re interested in attending this weekend’s living history and reenactment at the Alamance Battleground,here’s a link that will give you the schedule and directions. I’ll be the speaker at the period church service on Sunday morning.

7:23 AM Students, mark your calendars now for our next Student Day at Rosewood Farm: Saturday, April 18, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. We’ll eat at 12:00 noon. Otherwise, we’ll just “hang out.” I’ll have a handout in class this week with directions and more details. Hope to see you and your family here.

Sunday, March 29

3:20 PM I just sat down at the computer after taking a nice long walk on the farm. It occurred to me that I was missing a mighty good opportunity to get outdoors while the getting was good. Slowly, very slowly, the grass is coming back nice and green, a foretaste of the toil that awaits us when haying season begins.

The dogs love the tall grass, but — alas — they also instinctively love to chase our poor Little Miss, whose 9 lives I’m sure are being sorely tested these days. Have you ever watched a cat climb up a tree in less than a second, and then watch her climb back down again when the coast is clear? That’s just exactly what Cat is able to do. I can’t tell you how that’s done, except the good Lord gave her the ability.

And then, there they were! The flowers I planted last fall. They are finally blooming, and how beautifully. I doubt if I’ll ever fail to be interested in plant growth. A seed, then — voila! — a farm flower. I had the crazy feeling when I took this photo a few minutes ago that I should preach a sermon from it, so I will. We read this morning in Galatians that we Christians will reap a harvest in due season — if we do not faint. I strongly suspect that a few of my Greek students could take heart from this word just now. I’m tackling one or two sowing opportunities of my own right now, so I’m not just preaching to others. So I’m thankful for these pretty little flowers. They give the world a mood of optimism, in a very pessimistic time. Reap. Sow. Faint not. God gives the increase.

Off to take a good old-fashioned Sunday nap.

2:15 PM It seems that we went through practically the entire book of Galatians this morning in the service. I was deeply impacted by the truth of the Gospel. We drilled deep into key passages to mine all the good teaching there. It is very legitimate to ask, “What is at the heart of the Gospel that requires that we keep it so pure?” To me 5:14 says it all: We are to serve (lit., enslave ourselves to) one another through love. Orthodoxy without orthopraxy is insidiously deadly. In particular, I resonate with Paul’s statement in Gal. 2:20 that I am crucified with Christ and live only as He lives through me, so that I might become His hands and feet in the world. There’s so much more I can say, but for the moment let me suggest that a church can espouse a pure Gospel and still not LIVE the Gospel. I for one am glad to belong to a church family that, by the great grace of God, is doing both.

I think Becky is going to be blogging about this more on the Bethel Hill website. I do know she’s got some nifty pictures of the children who participated in all the fun and games yesterday. Meanwhile I’m still processing all that the wonderful Gospel of Jesus means to me. It is a true treasure. May your life be filled with the Good News today!

8:38 AM The sun has decided to stage a reentry! It’s a glorious day, and I think I’m even well enough to attend the “Sunday meeting” (as brother Alan would call it). To be honest, I love my Sunday School class. Right now we’re in the book of Philemon. And guess what? Our text is the Bible! For the last several years I’ve been pushing the “get rid of your Sunday School quarterlies and just use the Bible” cause. I imagine that’s how Jesus would have taught. He’d unroll the scroll of, say, Isaiah, then comment on it. From there, of course, He would proceed to quote all the famous Rabbis of His day — Jona Piper, John Mac-Amos, Chuck Swin-Joel.Say what? That’s exactly what He wouldn’t do! I long to see a generation of Bible teachers who know the Scriptures so well that every class session is a clash session — a clash between the Bible and all of our manmade ideas about the Bible. Let’s stop the overdependence on our glossy publications and go on the offensive for Jesus. Let’s let all of our so-called experts take a seat when it comes to the Bible — a back seat. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying we shouldn’t use helps when preparing a lesson. But when it comes class time, I want to see the Bible in our hands, not a pile of newsprint. And (I add selfishly): think of all the money that could go to purchasing Bibles for Ethiopia instead of purchasing Bible-substitutes for lazy Americans!

Saturday, March 28

6:44 PM If you were at last Saturday’s seminar led by Alan Knox, you really need to check out Becky’s report. It’s over at the new Bethel Hillblog.

6:14 PM Today I “officially” signed my book contract with my new publisher. I’m very excited to be working with his company. As soon as he gets the book in his online catalog, I’ll link to it. Then you’ll know who he is! As you can probably figure out, the book was written in the context of a very busy professor’s life, not to mention the incessant farm work and missionary travel I do. So I’m relieved to get my part of the work out of the way. It’ll be neat to see people coming into contact with Jesus through reading and studying this book. If you’re a blogger and would like to review it, the publisher tells me he’ll make advanced review copies available for free this summer. By the way, we’ve decided to change the title of the book. It’s now called The Jesus Paradigm. I love that title. Short and sweet. We hope that it will also help market the book in secular bookstores.

Can you tell yet that my passion is to DO the Gospel? It looks like “theology for real life” is becoming my new motto! It definitely has been transformational in how I write. But nothing — and I mean nothing — can take the place of scandalous love and working to share the greatest message of love with others. Let’s be honest. The infighting going on right now in the Baptist blogosphere is just plain ridiculous. In our heart of hearts we must surely know it’s damaging Jesus’ reputation. None of us is big enough or “orthodox” enough to reach the nations by ourselves. Why I am saying all this? Two reasons. First of all, I want us to be OCD over reaching the lost. Let’s be characterized, not by fighting over tongues-speaking or Calvinism or Arminianism or worship styles, but by passionate proclamation of the Gospel! Secondly, if we are agreed on the major issues of God’s Word, we should be able to agree on what that Word tells us to do — go everywhere and preach the Gospel to everyone (Mark 16:15).

So if we are going to get distracted, friends, let’s get distracted by the crucified and resurrected Jesus!!!

6:02 PM The Maple Ridge part of Rosewood Farm is doing as well as can be expected. When I took the dogs for a walk I had a nice visit with Nate and Jess and found them working on Craig’s List. Nate is still selling some hay from last year, and the Internet is a great tool to help him get that job done. He seems to be doing a little better today physically but he’s still got a ways to go before he’s back to his normal self. I’m emotionally impacted by a story Nate and Jess told me. (Pardon me, but my “paternal” side is about to make another grand entrance.) It seems that they had a close call the other day when I was on campus. They were out fertilizing a neighbor’s field when three idiots (I use the term intentionally) on an adjacent property began firing their guns into the air for fun, apparently not realizing that what goes up must come down somewhere. (Go figure.) Well, the bullets began landing awfully close to Nate and Jess. They could hear the whizzz as they went past! Nate went over to talk to the men but they didn’t seem to be in a very receptive mood. So he had to call the Sheriff to go over and try to talk some sense into them. The Sheriff reported to Nathan afterwards that they seemed to realize the folly of their ways and were “repentant.” We’ll see. I have lived in rural America long enough to be skeptical about such shot gun conversions. But you can bet your bottom dollar that we’ll be much more cautious in the future whenever we go near that field.

To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t understand why God allows things like that to happen. It’s a reminder to me that I need to be in prayer constantly for my family. Living out in the country has its downsides as well as its blessings. The irresponsible use of firearms is a classic example of the former. Nathan and I are very well armed, but at least we’ve got enough common sense to know how to use our firearms responsibly. Still, I can’t allow myself to get angry. (That is, stay angry. I was fuming when I heard that story.) There are too many souls in our community to be reached for Jesus, too many people that are hurting (and therefore do stupid things that harm themselves and others), too many lost Baptists who think they’re going to heaven while going to hell, and too many opportunities to serve Jesus to waste my time in fruitless arguments with my neighbors. Still, it’s a bit of a shock to realize that you don’t have to go to Ethiopia or Iraq to put your life at risk.

Nathan will always be my little boy. But, more importantly, he’s God’s child. So I wait on the Lord, and pray a lot.

11:35 AM Got cabin fever. Off for a walk with the dogs. Who knows what we’ll find before the next big storm hits. 

10:18 AM In family news…

1) It’s the beginning of the end, I hope. I’ve started coughing up gooey junk. Gross.

2) A week from tomorrow is Nate and Jess’s one year anniversary. Hardly seems possible. Becky and I have celebrated 32 of these. That confirms my “geezer” status!

3) Becky has been sewing up a storm. A new reenacting gown and several jumpers. The other day Jessie commented on one of Becky’s dress fabrics: “I made a dress years ago with the exact same material!” Guess some things never change at Wal-Mart.

4) Looking ahead, I’ll be in my “missional” mode as we go on the road to nearby Person County in NC for a Bible conference. It will migrate from church to church, starting Sunday night at Bethany Baptist Church. The remainder of the schedule looks like this: Monday night at Antioch Baptist Church (youth night), Tuesday night at Red Mountain Baptist Church (evangelism night), and Wednesday night at Timberlake Baptist Church (missions night). Services begin at 7:00 pm. Dates are April 5-8.

5) God willing, we are still planning on attending next weekend’s reenactment at the Alamance Battleground just west of Durham, NC. Again, Nate has been asked to call the period ball on Saturday night, and I’m on the schedule to preach at the period church service on Sunday morning. More details as they become available. But if you’ve never been to a Civil War living history and live in the greater Raleigh-Durham area, this is a convenient event.

6) Lastly, Edelweiss (one of our goats) is due any day now. Then again, we’ve been saying that for weeks. I love baby goats. No sooner are they born than they’re jumping and leaping in praise to their Creator.

10:03 AM Bethel Hill Greek students, your vacation is almost over (I hate to remind you!). Keep your powder dry, because we’ll be in the thick of it on Monday night as we introduce chapter 7 on the imperfect and aorist active indicative (which you should read before coming to class). Yes, I know it will be a challenge, but remember that I am your God-appointed thorn in the flesh to keep you humble and (hopefully) growing in your faith. Our time together in class has been superb so far and I think can only get better.

But … it will take perseverance.

9:32 AM Doug French notes how we Americans have become incurably addicted to government in his essayThe Lies Are Sacred, Blessed by Government. I quite agree with his use of the term “sacred.” Government solutions to our problems have become sacrosanct, and it is almost blasphemous to question them.

I’ve always found it somewhat disconcerting that “sacred” and “scared” are spelled so closely in our language.

9:23 AM It’s much easier to start a war than finish it, as President Obama is discovering. Over at The Guardian,Simon Tisdall thinks the U.S. will only get deeper and deeper into the quagmire called Afghanistan unless we have a coherent exit strategy. Somehow it seems to me that we’re still groping in the darkness. God help the president and our policy makers. They’ve got my prayers.

8:42 AM I’ve been enjoying interacting withBrian Fulthorp about Rom. 12:16, one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture:

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.

More and more I’m beginning to realize that education and social status mean absolutely nothing to Jesus. I’m beginning to realize that in His kingdom there are no small people. I’m beginning to repent of my hankering after prestige and recognition. Service and sacrifice are gradually becoming more important to me than relevance. An overcommitment to the academy is gradually being replaced by a commitment to Christian community and discipleship. In our Philippians class we’ve seen how Jesus had status but refused to exploit it. He had power but used it to serve the needs of the outcast and the stigmatized. He was willing to serve others even at the risk of His own life. One of the main reasons I wrote my new book is to give a heart’s cry for a great awakening in the area of missions. So often we seem to be more concerned with minor, ephemeral matters than with the real basis of the Gospel. In our current techno-urban society there’s so much pressure to conform to churchianity. That’s one of the reasons I love working with Ethiopians. We work closely with local evangelical congregations in Ethiopia that have banded together for the sake of the Gospel. Token unity is not enough for them. Friends, I don’t have to see eye-to-eye with you to work hand-in-hand. We are all brothers in Christ, members of one spiritual family, parts of one spiritual Body. I know we can’t pretend to have unity where there is none. I’m well aware that doctrine is vitally important. My whole life has been dedicated to training people to think biblically and to engage in serious Bible study. But when we make secondary issues the main issue, we have set aside the vision we read about in Acts 1:8 and Matt. 28:19-. It’s time we did the Gospel — together.

In this day of financial uncertainty, let’s invest in the only stock market that can never crash and where our investments are always safe (Matt. 6:19-24)!

Friday, March 27

8:42 PM What in the world am I smiling about? Watching Cary Grant’sFather Goose with the family this evening. Jessie gave Nathan the DVD for his birthday. So Nate and I sat there nursing our colds and enjoying the goodness of the Lord, and the company of our wives.

My prayers are going up for Nathan to get well real soon.

6:38 PM So it seems we won’t be able to make it to the reenactment after all. Nate is just too sick. It’s a mixed blessing. He won’t get to call his dance, and I won’t get to preach. But the long drive, plus the wicked weather, would be too challenging physically for both of us. Nathan really wanted to go. He’d rather fulfill a commitment than be comfortable. Weird how he’s so much like me. It’s interesting to see how he tends toward tenderness in relationships rather than holy justice. Neat. The point is that I’m deeply impacted by his example. Lavish grace. Selfless giving. People before money. Family. Jesus. What a great son.

Tonight I cooked Chinese again for everybody. As always it contained my secret ingredient. It has medicinal value, of course 🙂 

9:11 AM What is the church? That’s the fundamental question Alan Knox raises at his website. I tell you, that question goes right to one’s convictional solar plexus. To be honest, it’s a lot easier to talk about the church than it is to actually be the church. We get distracted so easily from being the church to one another because we are chasing down something that is like a UFO. Please don’t get me wrong. The question is an important one. We must study the Scriptures so that we can effectively know how to make a difference in the world. We must discover what God is working in before we can work it out (Phil. 2:12-13).

I think we’d go a long way toward defining what the church is if each of our churches filled in the following blank: “Our church exists to ______.” I imagine there are as many answers to this question as there are churches:

“Our church exists to promote the doctrines of grace.”

“Our church exists to promote age-integration.”

“Our church exists to promote elder-led congregationalism.”

“Our church exists to promote the glory of God.”

“Our church exists to enjoy God.”

“Our church exists to fulfill the Great Commission.”

As for Bethel Hill Baptist Church, I might perhaps answer the question this way: “Our church exists to embody the crucified and resurrected Christ by ministering to the world in the power of the Spirit of God.” Sadly, for many of us, we have made following Jesus all about being a “good church member.” The church is drowning in the folly of worldly power, fortune, and success. The earliest followers of Jesus insisted that disciples prioritize God’s kingdom rather than worldly self-seeking, even if that meant their martyrdom. They taught that “Jesus is Lord,” far from being a meaningless catchphrase, is a radical claim. For them, Christianity was incompatible with allegiance to other authorities, be they political, cultural, ethnic, or even ecclesiastical. Christianity transcends all boundaries — cultural, racial, political, geographical, natural, even national. Radical disciples of Jesus embrace those on the other side of the dividing walls of hostility, including our “enemies.”

Sometimes I forget what an awesome privilege it is to be a part of the Body of Christ. Jesus is up to something so big, so powerful, so transformational in our churches today that it boggles the mind! Thanks to the great mercy of God and the marvel of Pentecost, the church can be transformed from the sad parody of Christianity it has become into the glorious Bride that God intends for it to be.

8:18 AM Over at To Be Like Him, Dave Wellman has been posting his thoughts about discipleship. He’s challenged me to think about what Jesus is doing in my own life to become a truer disciple. Right now Jesus seems to be peeling back the layers of my relationships and helping me work through the “clay pot + treasure” syndrome. As an earthen vessel, I am a relatively inexpensive and fragile container into which God has poured out the treasure of His Gospel. The problem is that I tend to focus on the clay and not enough on the treasure. To complicate matters, I’ve chosen a lifestyle that does not lend itself to easy balance. I’m constantly facing new and challenging situations, from farming to missionary work to writing books (and writing is hard work!). Oddly, the older I get, the more unpredictable life becomes. To top it off, I live in a fishbowl, as does everyone who has a high public profile.

Life for me is often like being inside a hurricane, surrounded by the same stresses all other people face but trying to operate within the eye, the place of peace and normalcy. I am not reluctant to say that, next to my relationship with Jesus, my relationship with Becky is the main cause of my growth as a disciple. She is such an important balancing agent for me. I watch with wonder the unwavering quality of her love for Christ, for me, and for others. Our life has become a mutually shared effort to please and serve God. She and I deliberately channel our energies into ministering together, and we are the spiritually healthier for it. Becky’s creative common sense and practical piety enable me to do what God has called me to do, and (hopefully) I serve her in much the same way. It’s a synergism that I can’t explain. I want people to say when they see Dave and Becky, “That’s a partnership.” The theme of serving Jesus together has become the overarching principle of our marriage. Becky and I are committed to doing everything we possibly can to wash the feet of others in Jesus’ name. We are discovering that Christian servanthood is unlike anything the world has to offer. It is a service that one voluntarily undertakes. Whenever you voluntarily lay aside your “rights,” God’s grace is at work. It does not come naturally. It is a gift of God’s love and, I believe, a gift that God wants to give every married couple. The result will be a relationship in which selfishness diminishes (it will never disappear altogether) and giving increases.

So I’m grateful this morning that Becky and I are co-plodders, learning the value of living in a world that is bigger than either of us, and increasingly becoming disinterested in our own security and comfort. We are determined to see the things in our lives as mere tools and nothing more. Things do not matter anymore. People do. For me at least, that’s what “discipleship” is coming to signify.

Below: Becky in prayer at Nate and Jessie’s wedding last April. Dich lieb’ ich sehr, mein Liebchen.

Thursday, March 26

1:53 PM Feeling pretty lousy right now. Off to bed. (How’s that for a “tweet”?)

1:30 PM Life never quite works out the way you plan. Nathan has come down with a bad cold. Last night he ran a fever of 101. Fortunately he’s got a great wife to help nurse him back to health. But right now he’s in no shape to call the dance on Saturday night. Of course, I’m not feeling the greatest either. We may have to cancel our trip to Latta after all. If we do, there’ll be disappointment, but also satisfaction knowing that God isn’t wringing His hands wondering what He’s doing.

On a personal note, my publisher and I have decided to do an audio version of my book. That’ll be a first for me. I’ll do the recording myself. That should be an interesting experience.

Oh yes, our Jessie continues to do well. She’s got about 11 weeks to go, and baby Black seems to be as active and normal as ever. They’ve begun talking about possible names, both male and female. Some pretty interesting ones have come up so far. Sorry, I can’t tell you which names they’re thinking about. If you want to know, you’ll have to ask them!

12:36 PM Alan Knox wants to keep usthinking about what the church is. Amen to that. I argue in The Downward Path of Jesus that New Testament ecclesiology is much more than “doing church right.” If we are to be true to the New Testament vision of the church as a family, then we must insist upon a more costly and participatory manifestation of the unity and diversity of Christ’s Body. The patterns that I read in the New Testament lead me to conclude that a successful church is much more than an organization with a hard-working paid staff, a large and expanding membership, a growing budget, and a multiplicity of programs. The church, to me, is simply a group of radical Jesus-followers ministering to each other sacrificially and reaching the community about them with the Gospel in word and deed. This kind of radical discipleship as taught by Jesus and modeled for us by the early church is, in my thinking, the great need of the hour. Being a citizen of Christ’s kingdom involves a commitment to a radical way of living that both rejects the corrosive influences of Christendom and embraces a citizenship status quite apart from political or official church structures in any given time or place. Christian discipleship means trading everything for the privilege of gathering voluntarily around the person and example of Christ and giving all for the cause of Christ’s mission in the world. That’s why I argue that restoration, not reformation, ought to be the goal of church renewal today. As I mentioned to my publisher yesterday, nobody will really be happy with my book. It will please neither traditionalists nor emergents, neither red Christians nor blue Christians, neither age-integrationists nor age-segregationists (or any other -ists), neither those on the left nor those on the right. I hope, however, that it will appeal to anyone who is prepared to pay any price necessary to develop churches dedicated exclusively to life and faith under Jesus’ authority. The Jesus way of life is a consistent lifestyle of sacrificial service rather than occasional acts of solidarity with people who cannot give us anything. We are called to be revolutionaries by acting (and not only thinking) like Jesus. Our only loyalty should be to Him and the Kingdom He is building. We cannot have two allegiances. We cannot serve two kingdoms. Let anyone who thinks that radical obedience is not needed in today’s world come with me to Armenia or India or Ukraine and see the poverty and smell the dung and hear the crying of the people. Let those who champion upward mobility rather than the way of suffering love spend one week with me among the Burjis or the Gujis or the Alabas or the Amharas of Ethiopia. No, the church of Jesus Christ is not the equivalent of the “good life” of Western culture. It’s the exact opposite, in fact, and it alone offers a real-world alternative to the grasping and getting of American society.

The root of the problem? We Americans know the price of everything and the value of nothing. In the end, though, only servanthood and love are forces strong enough to break the grip of human sin.

Amen?

10:47 AM I get a lot of encouraging emails about my beginning grammar but only rarely do I get phone calls. Well, I had one yesterday. It came from an optometrist in Oklahoma who’s been studying Greek and is, to put it mildly, jazzed. (If you’re reading this, Doc, God bless you!). My feelings aren’t public domain, but I’ll admit to being elated by and very grateful for his phone call. On another occasion I recall getting an email from China (of all places). It was from an American teaching at one of the state universities over there. He wanted me to know that they were using my grammar. How funny, that something I’ve written would be used as a textbook in a Chinese classroom. I thank God that my literary efforts, limited though they are, will register throughout time and eternity. I want to improve my craft and serve my Lord with excellence as He gives me the potential for excellence.

Thank you, Father, for interrupting me yesterday to say how much you love me. You used the words of a gracious man whom I will never meet this side of eternity. I praise you that he felt free to dispense kindness to me. Still, you alone wear the halo. I give you a kneeling ovation!

I pray this in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Wednesday, March 25

8:40 PM Hey, students, Brian Small provides a greatlist of online articles on Hebrews. Also, Jamie Wooten shares some superb comments with us aboutFacebook Fallacies. Finally, Manuel Rojas asks whetherPeter and John could read and write. His conclusion is worth quoting in full:

Al parecer, Pedro y Juan sabían leer y escribir, pero no habían sido educados en las escuelas rabínicas formalmente. La obra de Dios no se hace basados en la sabiduría humana, ni acumulando PhD de varios seminarios (lo cual no es malo). La obra de Dios, la proclamación del evangelio, se hace con el poder del Espíritu Santo (Hch. 1.8).

8:34 PM Friday through Sunday we’re planning on attending the Civil War living history at theLatta Plantation near Charlotte. NC. Will there be any energy left in my body? We’ll see. I do enjoy going to these events. There’s always lots of good interaction with the public, plus Nate is calling a period ball on Saturday night. The best part for me is the privilege of sharing the Word at the period church service on Sunday morning. As you probably know, there were many revivals during the war, especially among the Confederate rank and file.Christ in the Camp is a must read for anyone interested in the history of American revivalism. Today the need is just as great to reach this target group for Jesus. Reenactors are just like anyone else. Most have deep pockets of incurable pain (don’t you and I?) and are seeking an escape from the trials of life through entertainment, drugs, liquor, or even historical fantasy. They need Jesus, just like we do! And, in the words ofone of my students, “Any relationship-building act that has sharing the gospel as its intent is evangelism, no strings attached.”

Reenacting holds so many wonderful memories for our family. We’ve camped in the rain, marched in thunderstorms, and fought battles in 100 degree heat (with wool uniforms on). We’ve attended events with 50 reenactors and others with 25,000 reenactors. I think, though, my favorite part of these weekends is just hanging out with friends and fellow historians and then getting to share the love of Jesus with them in deed and word. Please pray for me as I proclaim the Good News on Sunday morning. People always expect their “preacher” at these events to be articulate, funny, and provocative. I’m not sure I can live up to those expectations (or even need to), but I do want to present the truth in a powerful and loving manner.

8:22 PM It’s official: The Obamas will plant a vegetable garden at the White House. Their goal is to set an example to the nation of the need to go green and to become more self-reliant for its food. You can read about ithere.

I think it’s a really smart idea. I might suggest they add a couple of fenced pastures for sheep and goats. After all, Woodrow Wilson let sheep graze on the White House lawn. It would save the country gobs of money on lawn care.

The next step would be to build a chicken coop. That’s how our family started out in California. Long before we had a dog we had a bevy of backyard Bantams. They took care of the bug population much more efficiently than insecticide. I’ve even got a few hens the Obamas can have for free (if they pay for the shipping). I’ll even throw in some warm compost and manure.

Then they should erect a backyard clothes line. Think of the energy savings! Not to mention the benefit to the girls. They’ll be so busy tending the garden or hanging blouses on the clothes line they’ll have no time to waste on TV or video games. 

Come on folks, let’s all get involved. Someone can donate the animals, others the cedar fence posts and woven wire, and still others the tin for the coop roof. It’s time we lived up to our (new and improved) national motto: E Pluribus Hortibus, Unum — Out of Many Gardens, One!

8:13 PM What is it with Twitter? I now see that one of our “Said at…” sites updates a certain blogger’s tweets. Are we that addicted to staying connected? Maybe obsessed is a better word. I don’t care if you just ordered a latte at Starbucks or what you think about your boss. Do what I do: save your inane little comments for your blog. (*Smile*)

8:04 PM We dialoged a lot about Epaphroditus in Greek class this week, as well we should have. Clearly, he was willing to risk his life for the kingdom, and almost died in service to Jesus. That’s why Paul calls him his “fellow soldier.” Wow! Epaphroditus not only shared the work, he shared the danger. When I surfed in Hawaii, I always looked forward to the winter surf on the North Shore. The thrill was partly in the ride, and partly in the risk. You knew that people died doing crazy things like that, that big wave riding was a dangerous sport, but you did it anyway. Jesus is like that. He calls us to put our personal safety aside to serve Him. After all, that’s what He did for us.

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lucy is going to meet Aslan (the Christ figure of the Chronicles) for the first time. She asks Beaver about Aslan: “Is he a man?” Beaver replies, “A man? He’s the king of the beasts. Aslan is a lion.” Lucy goes on, “Oh, a lion. I am nervous about meeting a lion. Is he safe?” Beaver replies, “Oh no … he’s not safe, but he is good.”

Jesus isn’t always safe, but He is good. Paul said that Epaphroditus risked his life for the sake of the Gospel. Maybe you’ve done the same thing, or are about to. This is not a super-human feat reserved for church elders or fulltime missionaries. Every Christian is called to follow Jesus in love and obedience, wherever He leads them, even if He leads them into dangerous situations. Of course, to do such a thing is foolishness to this age, but the cross is a scandal to the unregenerate man. A Gospel without risk is a Gospel without effect. There was nothing lovely about dying between two thieves, or a bruised and battered body stuck away in a borrowed tomb. But the salvation of the lost was worth it. It still is.

So, what are you willing to risk it all for?

As I see the great wave approaching, my heart is pumping with fear. I turn my board around. I can hear myself say, “No holding back, just do it!” The wall of wave now looks like a skyscraper as I begin to paddle down its face. Wind and spray blind me as I plummet to the bottom and make my turn. Suddenly I’m in the tube and being blown out by the backwash. I MADE IT! Then the wave collapses around me. I’m in a washing machine of white water, struggling for my life. Finally the wave releases me just in time to snatch a breath of air before being taken under again by the next wave in the set.

Friends, all I can say is this: The thrill of surfing can’t even begin to compare with the joy of sharing Jesus with others! Will you be a “fellow soldier” with Jesus? As our team returns to Ethiopia in May, we are placing no limits on what God can do, and we are prepared to receive from His hand whatever His good will entails. I ask you to pray for me. Pray for me to yield to the Spirit in every area of my life. I want to be the Jesus follower that God has called me to be. I want to know what it means to love others so much that I am willing to gamble away everything for them. I want to be an Epaphroditus.

Jesus, I love you!

Tuesday, March 24

5:06 AM I’m heading back to school. Pray for me that I would be effective in my teaching, that God would bless the socks off my students and their families (seminary can be a real struggle at times), and that together we’d enjoy the communion of the community. Pray for me and with me that I would have the physical stamina to get through these next few days. And remember: if I can pray for you, just shoot me a private email.

5:03 AM For those of you who have been interceding on behalf of the clinic well, here’s a snippet from an email Becky sent out yesterday:

Please continue praying for the well-diggers at the Galana Clinic in Burji, Ethiopia. They are now at about 150 feet depth. They have brought in a new team of diggers. Please pray for safety; the dangers are real & significant at that depth. Also pray for water. 

I can’t imagine what it’s like being 15 stories under ground in a narrow well shaft. But I CAN pray.

5:00 AM Greek DVD update: I know, I know, you’ve been waiting so patiently. We’ve had to make a few changes to the labels on a couple of the DVDs. As soon as these are fixed, then I think we’ll be ready to launch. If you could be patient for a little while longer….

Monday, March 23

4:58 PM Please pray for Becky tonight. She’s representing the Galana clinic at the Beulah Baptist Association meeting in Person County, NC. I truly believe that God is up to some big things in the association. I’d go myself but I’m under nurse’s orders to stay put and get well. (Yes, Becky is an RN.)

1:40 PM Just added to our family calendar: Nate and Jessie’s baby shower. Date: April 19. Time: 2:30-4:00. Place: Bethel Hill Baptist Church. I tell you, this is starting to get EXCITING.

1:29 PM Today I’m meditating on Phil. 2:19-30. More on that later. As I prepare to teach this passage tomorrow, I realized that I wanted to try and memorize it. It’s not easy to do, I found. I think my problem is that I’m trying too hard. I know many passages of Scripture by heart (even in Philippians) and can recite them verbatim, even though I’ve never tried to memorize them. Internalizing Scripture is one of those things really resonating in my soul. The things of Scripture are so deep that just reading over a passage superficially seems like a real disservice to its Author. I’m really thankful for the ability to read the text in the original. Weird that I find myself like a little child with a new toy every time I open my Greek New Testament.

Tomorrow in Greek class we’ll open to this text and talk about it, trying to hear all in His Word. I have no clue what the Holy Spirit will teach us, but it doesn’t take a scholar to see several obvious truths in this passage:

1) Teamwork is essential in mission work. Paul and Timothy labored together like a father and son team. I especially like this simile because of the way Nathan and I have worked side-by-side on so many farm projects.

Actually, Paul says that Timothy “slaved” with him, and man do I feel that way sometimes when I work for Massa Nate! Poor Nathan, of course, must work at a very severe disadvantage: he’s a got a total klutz for a father when it comes to manual labor. Still, I do think he’s got a dad who “takes a genuine interest” in what he’s doing. And that’s the key.

2) This teamwork has a very specific goal: to spread the Good News. Everything in this passage hinges on these words. We evangelicals cooperate in the Body of Christ not for unity’s sake. We work together because we believe that heaven and hell are real and that a crucified construction worker actually arose from a limestone outcrop. What a great purpose for living — knowing Him and making Him known!

3) The life of Epaphroditus (and his near-death experience) shows us that discipleship is always costly. Several years ago I set out to find Jesus, armed with a sophisticated religious education and a detailed itinerary. Little did I know when I began this spiritual journey that one day I’d be putting myself in jeopardy on behalf of those whom Jesus called “little ones.” What made the difference in my life? Why did I step out from behind my scholarly facade and adjust my preconceptions about the Christian life? The answer is that God, in His great love and grace, brought a severe mercy into my life filled with spiritual conundrums, and I went away limping. And I’ve been limping ever since. I often groan, “Is the end of my tether the only place I’m sure of finding Jesus?” What set Epaphroditus apart from those less committed Jesus followers was his sheer selflessness. He “gambled away his life,” Paul says. This, I suppose, is the Jesus I found in my searchings: One who sacrificed Himself for me.

I’ve concluded that this is a very dangerous passage to study. It’s chock full of Jesus.He may, in fact, one day turn to you and ask, “But you — who do you say I am?” Then you will either have to follow Him all the way in selfless service (and possible death) or else abandon His company altogether.

10:09 AM 80 percent of Americans don’t have passports. If you’re one of the 20 percent that does, take a look atthis interview with world traveler Rick Steves. Lots of insights here, and some controversy too (you’re mature enough to handle it — I hope!). His statement about squatting versus sitting is destined to become a classic!

Some personal thoughts:

1) Americans need to travel outside our own county if for no other reason than that it helps give us an objective perspective on America. It’s like learning English. You never really learn your own language unless you study a foreign language. Ditto your culture.

2) Americans have a much-deserved reputation for being self-centered twits. Our ways are always better than the “primitive” ways of others. Steve’s point that there’s a difference between being a traveler and a tourist is well taken. Go abroad as as traveler/learner and guess what — you’ll learn and grow as a human being. Go abroad as a trinket seeker, and all you’ll get are trinkets.

3) For me, the best reason to travel abroad is that it helps you to become a world Christian. Not a worldly Christian. But a Christian who realizes that God loves the entire globe and every tribe and nation in it. One day you’ll be sitting around the throne in heaven enjoying their company. I figure it might be nice to get to know some of them in the here and now.

Elsewhere I askedAre You a Missionary? Perhaps the question needs to be posed again.

9:50 AM This week I’m sending the manuscript of The Downward Path of Jesus: From Cultural Conformity to Radical Discipleship to my new publisher. I’m excited about this book. It’s been a long time gestating. I’m told that the book will be out sometime in July. Of this year. That would be a record for anything I’ve ever published. I’m eager to see what happens next. There are many excellent books on discipleship written from the viewpoint of a philosopher or skilled debater. This is not one of them. I don’t offer the thoughts of a scholar or theologian. This is a book written out of my own experiences. It is written for anyone who is dissatisfied with cultural Christianity and who longs for greater unity in the whole Body of Christ. Its plea is that we get serious about following Jesus. I draw great courage from the fact that a new generation of Christians is awakening to Jesus’ call to a sacrificial lifestyle. I see them everywhere I go. They are willing and eager to move from a “serve us” mentality to a “service” mentality. They are truly the great generation.

Look for the book sometime this summer. Hope you enjoy it!

9:42 AM Becky and I have been blown away by the opportunities we’ve found to serve the Lord and the Body at Bethel Hill. Hey, I get to teach Greek for Dummies without being heckled. Now ain’t that sweet! Becky has found an awesome opportunity as well. She’s the new webmaster and has revamped the church website. She is performing a much-needed service to the family, but I bet she’d say she’s the one being blessed to the hilt. Anyway, for updates on what’s happening on The Hill, check outBethel Hill Baptist Church when you can. It’s a great site. But don’t take my word for it.

9:34 AM Alan Knox has just posted audio of his weekend seminar. Gohere to access the files.

9:22 AM It’s a bummer being sidelined with illness. Truth be told, I hate being sick! The upside is that it gives you plenty of time to think. There are so many great points made by Alan Knox on Saturday that need fleshing out. I really like how he quoted Heb. 2 to show that Jesus is our brother. That is one phenomenal truth. Our Lord is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. Why, then, do we find it so difficult, so unnatural, to do so? How far have we departed from the simplicity that is in Christ. The whole traditional hierarchical view of leadership is a practice that is totally foreign to Scripture. Yet our excessive deference to titles and academic qualifications continues. I think it is very dangerous when we’d rather be known as “Senior Pastor” or “Professor of New Testament” than simply a member of the family. It’s proof we’ve been caught up in the whirlwind of professionalization that characterizes the modern success-driven church. Jesus tells us to foreswear the use of such titles not because they’re evil in and of themselves but because they maximize what should be minimized in the family of God, where each member has equal value and worth. Maybe the real problem is that we don’t really think of ourselves as a family.

Think about it.

Sunday, March 22

11:20 AM At this very moment Becky is speaking. I’m much in prayer. As everyone knows, we go to Ethiopia twice a year, and our next trip is only two months away. We’re also taking teams with us to Alaba and Burji. I’m really feeling the urgency of this trip. In both places the Dark One has been shooting his fiery darts big time. He is trying his best to distract and discourage the church there, with the ultimate goal of destroying it. But Jesus is on the attack against the forces of darkness. The gates of hell shall not prevail against His church. The one thing that will defeat the devil is when God’s people unite for the common cause of the Gospel. To be honest, I’m getting tired of the “me-first” approach many Christian denominations have in trying to evangelize the world. The Burji clinic needs a well. This is not a Baptist thing or a Methodist thing. Let’s get the job done, church! The clinic needs a vehicle. Desperately. Let’s unite our forces to buy one! The Burjis and Gujis need to stop their fighting and be reconciled through the blood of Christ. Let’s pray and pray and then pray some more until God sends a breakthrough! He has already done some pretty amazing things in Ethiopia through your prayers. With spring upon us it’s easy to get distracted with gardens and vacations and Easter eggs. My prayer is that God’s Spirit will move in the heart of the American church in such a way that the Great Commission becomes our number one priority regardless of the season of the year we’re in.

Meanwhile … I’m with you in spirit, honey.

10:58 AM The latest addition to our home page is calledBi-Polar Christians.

10:42 AM This morning Becky and I were scheduled to speak again at North Roxboro Baptist Church, where our good friend Ben Durand serves. I woke up with a head cold, but Becky will carry on bravely. She’ll be focusing on the Galana clinic with her slides. Please pray that God does a mighty work in the hearts of His people at this exciting church this morning.

Saturday, March 21

8:48 PM What a great conference! We had about 90 people present from all kinds of churches. Here’s a list (assuming I spelled the names correctly): High View Baptist Church, River of Life Church, Blanch Baptist Church, Messiah Baptist Church, Providence Baptist Church, BASICS Church, Five Forks Baptist Church, Wake Crossroads Baptist Church, The Summit Church, North Wake Baptist Church, Hempstead Bible Fellowship (in Texas!), First Baptist Church Durham, Southwest Christian Assembly, Cresset Baptist Church, Bethel Hill Baptist Church, and Olde Mount Vernon Baptist Church.

The seminar itself went fine. Alan spoke. A panel discussion followed. Here are some powerful quotes I heard during the meeting:

• “We should begin with the Bible as our foundation.”

• “The church is not just a people but a family.”

• “As people change, the church will change.”

• “God the Father gave Jesus sole authority over the family on earth.”

• “If we really believed that Jesus is with us, it would affect the way we treat each other as family.”

• “If there is life in the church meeting, it’s because there is life outside the church meeting.”

• “When we go to Scripture, we should expect to change.”

• “If we’re just using Scripture to justify our practices, we’re not using it correctly.”

• “Jesus turned leadership upside down.”

I want to thank brother Alan for sharing his heart with us. I also want to thank all my brothers and sister at Bethel Hill for volunteering their time and energy to make the conference a success. Not once did I hear — cha ching!

I agree with everything Alan said. I truly believe in my heart of hearts that God desires us to act and function as a family. Listen to the words of Paul to the Philippians: “I pray that your love for one another might abound yet more and more in knowledge and full discernment.” And again, “The only thing that matters is that you live together as good citizens of heaven in a manner worthy of the Gospel.” What a great reminder. That is my prayer for my church and for yours.

Thank you, Father, for making us one family. And thank you most of all for the ultimate gift of your Son!

These pix will give you a flavor of the fellowship we enjoyed as family this weekend. Enjoy.

Friday, March 20

4:42 PM Okay, so I’m not feeling the best. But the day was too beautiful to stay indoors, plus the doggies needed a walk, so off we went, camera in hand.

Here’s Nate’s latest toy: a new tractor. He says he can’t wait to paint the words “Rosewood Farm” on it. You can see evidence here of the repairs he’s had to make. He’s already replaced the wiring.

I also see that their pantry is coming along nicely. In fact, this paint was applied only a couple of days ago. Looks great, guys.

Finally, I see old Hercules has been up to no good again, clearing a place for yet another hay shed. Nate, I’m gonna go on strike one of these days if you keep on building them barns!

10:58 AM Tonight’s the big night. And tomorrow’s the big day. Pray for these events to be effective. Pray that God would move in our hearts in a powerful way. Pray for brother Alan as he shares. Pray for those who are seeking to implement biblical truth in the context of their own ministries. Man do I love the church. What I see is something beautiful. And man do I love the Word. How practical and life-changing it is. Pray with me that God does something incredible in all of our lives this weekend.

Thanks a bunch.

9:15 AM Family is a true gift from God. Because of His grace He grants deep and lasting relationships to us even when we are undeserving. I was telling Nathan the other day how much I enjoyed working with him on the farm. It’s one of my greatest joys in life. I’ve loved every minute watching the grace of God at work in his life through these past 26 years. What’s more, I am very excited to see how God is blessing him and Jessie as they establish their family on the Rosewood homestead. It’s been a neat ride and it’s only gonna get better. At any rate, we decided to have a small surprise dinner party for Nate yesterday, and here are a few pix you might enjoy.

After a scrumptious supper cooked by his mom (Nate’s favorite while he was growing up: fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green peas), we gave him our gifts. Each person read a portion of Scripture to him before he could open their gift. Becky read the Psalm she had chosen for him the day he was born. Now THAT was a special moment. 

Here’s what he got from his mom and dad. “Look, pa, a new twactoh!” Actually, Nate, it’s a bird house 🙂

Caleb reads a Psalm. Sweet.

Note the title of the Rondeau’s gift: “The Farmer Takes a Wife.” Perfect!

Then it was Jessie’s turn. Awesome.

She gave him a book that will help him with his Bible teaching.

Ed, Dolores, and Leanna Johnson gave him this hat —  er — shirt.

I figured none of this celebrating would have been possible without Becky, so she got a little present too: her first Greek New Testament.

The evening wrapped up with some out-of-this-world cheese cake from Jessie.

What Scripture did I read for Nate? Easy choice: 1 John 2:14 and 1 Tim. 4:12. I’m proud of you, son. Keep living the Life.

Thursday, March 19

11:55 AM Being Nathan’s birthday, I thought I’d post a couple of pictures. (Surprise, surprise.) He was born at exactly 8:52 am at La Mirada Community Hospital. I was present for the birth. Neither Becky nor I knew the sex of our baby until he was born. (Yes, there were sonograms at the time. That was our choice.) I think the first words out of my mouth were, “It’s a boy!” Well, here are the pix. This one was taken on his actual birthday. Sorry for the grainy photo, but we didn’t have digital cameras back in the Dark Ages.

Nathan weighed 4 pounds, nine ounces when we brought him home from the hospital. He made up for that quickly.

I could have posted more photos, but you get the idea: Nate was the sweetest little baby boy a new mom and dad could have asked for. For all you new parents out there, I have one word of wisdom: They’re young, and then they’re grown. Yes, it happens just that fast.

9:49 AM Man am I dragging today. Starting to fade fast. But not so fast that I can’t wish Nathan a Happy B-Day. He’s 26 today. I love you, son. Looking forward to dinner together this evening.

9:28 AM All of us are familiar with consumer Christianity. We discussed this problem in class this week.

I am convinced, for example, that the cult of the speaker has really gotten the church over a barrel. We are not being scriptural as churches because we are not thinking scripturally as individuals, and that despite all of our seminars and blog posts and self-help books and twitters. My blog is nothing but blah-blah chatter compared to the truth of Scripture. That’s true of every other blog out there too. Even a seminar like the one we’re hosting this Saturday can be a real cul-de-sac unless we internalize the Word of God along the way. The clearest and most helpful insights we can find about the church come from the New Testament itself, not from seminars about the church. At the very least let’s all be careful about being caught up with stupid “controversies and quarrels about words” that Paul condemns in 1 Tim. 6:3-5. Debates are fruitless. They are dead-end streets. They go absolutely nowhere. There’s too much kingdom work to do and too many people who need loving on to spend our time defending our own ecclesiology or bashing the ecclesiology of those with whom we might disagree. Please pray for me as I try to find a healthy balance between promoting what I consider to be a “biblical” church model and advancing the Gospel message. And pray for our seminar — especially for our speaker and for those in attendance, that we will refuse to waste our time (and God’s!) in fruitless debating.

8:12 AM A new book explores thepoetry of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It’s called Who Am I, a title based on what is perhaps Bonhoeffer’s most famous poem.

Wer bin ich? Sie sagen mir oft,
ich träte aus meiner Zelle
gelassen und heiter und fest
wie ein Gutsherr aus seinem Schloß

Wer bin ich? Sie sagen mir oft,
ich spräche mit meinen Bewachern
frei und freundlich und klar,
als hätte ich zu gebieten.

Wer bin ich? Sie sagen mir auch,
ich trüge die Tage des Unglücks
gleichmütig, lächelnd und stolz,
wie einer, der Siegen gewohnt ist.

The poem goes on to say, “Wer bin ich? Einsames Fragen treibt mit mir Spott.
Wer ich auch bin, Du kennst mich, Dein bin ich, o Gott!”

I want that to be said of you and me. We should be so full of the knowledge of Christ that it overflows from us. “Thine I am, O God!”

7:52 AM From LRC comes this piece: The ‘Emerging Church’: Christianity That the Beltway Crowd Can Love.

7:46 AM One of the reasons I really appreciate my home church is its spirit of volunteerism. Take this Friday and Saturday for example. On Friday night at 6:30 a family in our church is opening their lakefront home to Alan Knox and some of his friends from Messiah Baptist Church in Wake Forest. There will be a very informal discussion to which all are cordially invited to attend. (If you’d like to participate, simplyemail Jason Evans for directions.) We’re expecting maybe 40 people for this time of sharing. Church members (including Becky) are providing finger foods to munch on. Then Alan and his crew are being put up in members’ homes on Friday night rather than spending their money on a hotel. On Saturday morning, Bethel Hill is opening its facilities free of charge for the conference and is even providing a free breakfast. It’s taking care of all the logistics. People are simply volunteering their time and energy to help out, including our speaker, Alan. I love that!

The Hill is really committed to taking people wide out into the world through evangelism and deep into the Word through discipleship. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Giving our time and resources to God without expecting any payment in return is a phenomenal witness to a lost world and a powerful means of doing His work. I am energized by being around generous people. As James 1:17 reminds us, not only the gifts we give but even the desire to give those gifts comes from God Himself. Generosity, my friends, is like a bright sunbeam. Let it shine! Let it shine!

7:28 AM In Greek class yesterday we talked about the awesome power of God that energizes us for the works of service we are called and gifted to do (Phil. 2:12-13). We compared 3 phenomenal verses that succinctly summarize what ministry is all about: 1 Cor. 12:4-6. These verses have been very special to me ever since my pastor shared them with me during my college days in California. Lessons learned? 1) I don’t have to seek out or ask for any spiritual gift. The Holy Spirit sovereignly dispenses. 2) I also see something special in the fact that the Lord Jesus determines the place where I am to exercise my giftedness. Since my gift is teaching, I’ve always known I could trust Him to open (and close) doors of opportunity to use it. 3) Finally, God is the one who “works all things in all people.” To be honest, I’m relieved that I don’t have to compare the “results” (the Greek word is energemata) of my ministry with anyone else’s.

My goal is to be effective, not popular. I don’t need to have a best-selling book. I’m content to have written textbooks that apparently some people have found helpful. I’m also relieved because I feel confident that God’s not done energizing my gifts of teaching and writing. I think my students sometimes struggle with questions about their gifting, their place of ministry, and their effectiveness. The thing about 1 Cor. 12:4-6 that is so great is that it shows us how we can trust the Triune God with our entire life. If you’re struggling with these issues today, may I say to you: Be yourself. Embrace your Spirit-dispensed giftedness. Trust the Lord to guide you to the place of His appointment. And then watch God provide the results.

Wednesday, March 18

7:48 PM Reading At Dawn We Slept. Can’t put the book down. What an incredible story full of huge paradoxes.

7:15 PM A giant Wednesday shout out to all my brothers and sisters at Bethel Hill Baptist Church. Becky and I have been attending BHBC for several months now and this church rocks and is rocking the community with the Good News. The really, really, really sad part is that B. and I are off speaking in other churches on Sunday morning so often that we feel a bit disconnected from our church family. It’s crazy. So, just want you all to know that we love and miss you and are excited about the future. Let’s keep reaching out to our community relentlessly with the love of Jesus!

6:51 PM Several of my students have graciously agreed to read over an essay I’ve written for publication. It’s called “Exegesis and the Text Driven Sermon.” I’ve been receiving some very helpful criticisms. One student wrote:

The proper role of resources – you have helped me recognize the proper role of resources in exegesis and that we should not be dependent on the commentaries. I haven’t done away with buying commentaries, but am now more likely to buy those that are more technical that will help me interpret the text rather than interpret it and preach it for me. I am also more likely to use those commentaries as a resource to which I can compare my own ideas rather than use them as a crutch. I felt like this was the one area that wasn’t as explicit in your chapter, although you mentioned the importance of the preacher hearing before speaking (p. 1). I think the problem is that many preachers would completely agree with you, but in the back of their minds still think that reading MacArthur or Wiersbe is necessary if they’re going to hear from the text.

How true, and insightful. Back to the drawing board.

6:43 PM Check outDiapers!

6:12 PM Just got back home, unpacked, and showered. Becky is cooking up a storm (one of my faves – creamed tuna over rice.) Time to chill out and enjoy the family.

My days at the seminary were fantastic as usual. I had a nice visit after chapel yesterday from Jon Glass ofCresset Baptist Church in Durham. Jon and his wife Matthea are a neat couple. They have three children, as well as “Galana,” one of our Sheba’s offspring. It turns out that CBC will be hosting Becky and me on April 26 for an Ethiopia presentation. I know of few men who are more committed to missions and to Ethiopia than Jon, who was part of our Burji team last November.

I taught my usual classes, introducing the participle in Greek class and exegeting Phil. 2:12-18 in my other classes. There was keen interest as we explored the “outworking” of the “inworking” of God in our lives (Phil. 2:12-13). Attendance was down a bit as there seems to be illness going around campus. I myself have been struggling with a sore throat and general tiredness. Several students are facing various challenging situations – a wife undergoing surgery, a physical ailment, a couple expecting their first child any day now. So I prayed a lot.

I’ve been involved in some pretty heavy writing assignments this week. Fortunately my mind has been alert and active even though my body is running on fewer cylinders than normal. I am determined to clear the writing deck before summer arrives. Emphatically, I believe God still has a few more books for me to write before I finish my teaching career. There’s always a satisfaction to see how He can take an idea and flesh it out in black and white. Writing about what I’m personally going through and thinking about is actually enormously therapeutic. I was really touched bythis blog post over at Alan Knox’s website. From a Christian perspective, you never know what direction the wind of the Spirit will blow from next. Living in the kingdom is all about trust, relying on an invisible force to keep you going and moving along the right highway. Maybe it’s a dumb question to ask, but I sometimes wonder if we Christians are outsiders enough in society. It is so difficult for us to get beyond the concept of church as a Sunday activity when it is really a Spirit-empowered community fleshing out Jesus’ cross-love.

That’s why I’m really expectant about Saturday’sseminar on the church (.pdf). The students I talk to are, like the students of my generation, an inquisitive lot. The underground lake of curiosity is beginning to heat up, oozing like magma through the deep fissures of their personal dissatisfaction with the status quo. Those who attend the conference on Saturday will be challenged, I’m sure, in fresh ways. Not all will be equally satisfied. But one of the surest ways of testing one’s own beliefs is to measure them against the beliefs of other people. At the very least I hope the seminar does more than gratify our childish craving for diversion. Ecclesiology, the odd-man-out of the Protestant Reformation, will be the center of attention, as it should be in a day when emerging Christianity is making headlines all across America. Well, I certainly don’t want to romanticize the subject. The big question is: How should we treat Jesus’ Wife? That’s what we really want to know. The answer may depend on both our desire and our desperation.

Tuesday, March 17

6:34 AM Hey, pards. Just hitched up the wagon for a jaunt over to the Forest of Wake. Before leaving, though, I wanted to congratulate Miss Robin for receiving the 110 Award last night in Greek class. And here’s a shout out and huge “thank you” to the rest of the class for hanging in there and doing so well. Half of you got over 100 percent on the exam. Keep up the good work, and I’ll see you back in class in two weeks.

Monday, March 16

5:56 PM Exam time. Do well, boys and girls! 

5:51 PM I just got back from a visit to Nate and Jessie’s farmhouse. Nate had some heavy moving to do, and of course Lady Jessie is strictly forbidden to carry any heavy objects during her pregnancy. So what do you do when you need help? Call for granddaddy. (Yes, Becky and I will be known as grandmommy and granddaddy.) Anyways, after we finished Nate had me listen to a wonderful organ CD of Bach’s music. It was recorded in the famous Grossmünster of Zürich. I thought to myself, Where did Nathan get this great CD? Then I remembered that I had bought it for him a couple of years ago on a visit to Switzerland. As we sat there listening to Toccata and Fugue in C-Minor, I noticed the organist’s name: Rudolph Scheidigger. That name looks familiar, I mused. Then I read his bio. He was the church organist at St. Peter’s in Basel (photo) when Becky and I lived there in the 1980s.

It was he who organized free organ concerts in various Basel churches every Friday night, which Becky and I often attended. So it is very possible that I actually heard Prof. Scheidigger play the organ in person. Imagine: If he only knew that someone was listening to a recording of him playing Bach in an 1820s farmhouse in the middle of Podunk Virginia. He probably wouldn’t believe it.

10:58 AM Speaking of Greek, tonight’s the night: our first review exam at Bethel Hill. It will cover chapters 3-6 of our textbook. Remember that it includes an extra credit English to Greek sentence that will allow you to earn a total of 110 points on the exam. And, if you receive the 110 Award, you will be able to select one of the following books for free. Are you enticed yet?

10:38 AM I see thedebate over the use of Greek tools continues. I have no very strong opinion on the matter. It seems to me that Greek students can make up their own minds both about their goals in studying the language and what tools/ponies/helps they should purchase. I suppose the main question is how to best help students who are struggling to learn Greek. I can think of no better advice than that given by a pastor: Halitosis is better than no breath at all. As an incurable infracaninophile, I will never criticize a student for using the aids.  

9:58 AM Alan Knox’s latest post is a delightful read. It’s calledAn encouraging dialog between a Catholic and a Baptist. Why shouldn’t a Baptist and a Roman Catholic talk together about Scripture? Coincidentally, on my trip to Missouri I readJohn A. Broadus: A Living Legacy. Talk about one great book about one great Baptist. Here is a choice quote:

Broadus was a convinced Baptist and wrote prolifically on behalf of Baptist distinctions…. But he did so with a generous spirit and breadth of wisdom not often found in the denominational apologetics of the era.

The book notes that Broadus married the daughter of a Methodist minister, preached his first sermon in a Presbyterian church, and delivered the Lyman Beecher Lectures at Yale. No standoffish condescending Baptist Greek scholar he!

Jesus’ association with secular Jews earned Him the reputation for eating and drinking with sinners. But He had long since given up any pretense of following the “rules.” He even allowed women to travel with Him and to finance His preaching missions — something no other itinerant rabbi of that day is known to have countenanced.

I say, Good for you, Alan! May your tribe increase!

8:52 AM Fun link: Why Most Christian Music and Entertainment Stinks.

7:50 AM The doctrine of evil has been on my mind lately. I’m talking about the kind of evil that would lead a group of men to hunt down a man like a dog and take his life. Despite the fact that I have a doctorate in theology, I really don’t know much about the theology of sin. Nor am I alone, judging from the mess America is in. I am convinced that the only solution will come about when we Christians begin to live up to our ideals and begin to acknowledge our blind spots. We are to love peace and be peacemakers. Why, then, do we frown on peaceniks, denouncing them as un-American? It seems that few of my friends have any qualms about the rightness of our foreign policy in Iraq but are quick to decry the protestors at home who seek to disturb the false peace. All very interesting. I hurt inside for our self-righteous nation. I hurt when my friends so easily and so vocally condemn abortion and yet turn a blind eye to the thousands of innocence Iraqi civilians our arms have killed. Only the most scant and superficial references are made to it. I am weary of the kind of Christianity that condemns the evil of others while tolerating our own. The fact is, we are all members of the community of evil, not just those who kill people from another tribe. Below is a picture of James and me with a small group of Guji believers. (James has his arms around the small child.) Every time I think of James I remember that love is something you do rather than pious chatter. He’s a reminder to me that the only solution to evil is the Gospel. The cross showed us what evil can do. It also showed us what God can do.

Will the saga of the Gujis be one of the great conversion stories of modern times? I pray so. But it involves risk. The preaching of the Gospel must begin in a world where loss is possible.

Father, I would like to take a moment and thank you for loving the Gujis. I ask that you give me another chance to return to them. I desire to spend my nights on the king’s doorstep instead of in Bathsheba’s bed. I praise you for having given me the appetite to work among the Gujis. Now keep me faithful to that calling, whatever the cost. And Lord, please give me the words to keep my readers reading about Ethiopia without getting bored or becoming indifferent.

I pray this in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

7:34 AM Matt McDill reminds us of theBeauty of Humble Leadership. My Doktorvater in Basel was such a man. So knowledgeable, yet so approachable. Would it be improper for me to refer to him as “beautiful”? I think not. Thanks, Matt, for this reminder that love without truth is sloppy sentimentality, and truth without love is unmitigated ugliness. Which, by the way, is one reason I enjoythis website so much.

7:22 AM I confess that I am hopelessly nostalgic this morning. Especially when I have to say adios to an old automobile. Last week our 1993 Club Wagon kicked the bucket. We sold it on Craig’s List — sans working engine — for $250. We bought it new in California. Becky and I went to the Ford dealership in Whittier at the end of the year, when they were under pressure to reduce their inventory. We had prayed about the price beforehand and decided that the Lord didn’t want us to spend more than $19,000. The van listed for $29,000. After a test drive we sat down in the sale’s office. “The very best I can do for you is $24,500,” said the salesman. “Thanks,” I replied, “but I won’t go a penny higher than $19,000. If you change your mind, here’s my card.” As we stood up to leave, the salesman smiled, stuck out his hand, and said, “You win.”

We put 247,000 miles on that van. I sit here thinking about all the wonderful places it took us every summer, pulling our tent trailer. Or all the reenactments it allowed us to attend. And, of course, the dozens of manure runs it made down to Oxford and back. Whenever I’m transported to my celestial habitat, I’ll leave all my “things” behind. But in the meantime I can’t help but turn a wistful eye to the past and the vehicles God gave us that enabled us to build so many happy memories.

Sunday, March 15

7:25 PM The10 smartest dog breeds in the world.

7:15 PM Today Becky and I had the wonderful privilege of speaking at Providence Baptist Church in Caswell County, NC. A nice serendipity was that Nate and Jess could join us.

It’s always a joy to meet new congregations and tell them about the Lord’s work in Ethiopia. Sometimes a visit like this initiates a long-term relationship between that church and Ethiopia. I’m always reminded of the time when Becky and I decided to get involved ourselves. We had visited Ethiopia without anticipating we’d ever return. What happened next is similar to the story Jesus told about a situation between strangers. A priest and a Levite passed by an injured man, and a Samaritan “who had compassion” came along and chose to get involved in that man’s crisis. The fact that the first two men chose to pass by “on the other side of the road” suggests that they might have felt uncomfortable and possibly even afraid. Jesus was teaching an important lesson: loving our neighbors means choosing to intervene when people need help, even if that involves personal risk. Whether it is referred to as involvement or intervention, it is something the Body of Christ has been doing for a very long time. But the really amazing thing is that when we get involved in other people’s lives, we are helped by the very people we are helping. When Becky and I take other people with us to Ethiopia, they don’t put on a “role” of helper, sort of like Superman going into a phone booth to change into his “helper” uniform. They do not come across in a condescending manner. Helping others is like a swinging door. Helping works both ways. And I often think it is we who get the greater blessing. So it’s always neat to watch the Lord as He shows other congregations their need to reach out. Many are doing so already, perhaps not in Ethiopia but in other parts of the world. Others are just beginning to wrap their arms around the nations. But all of us must get involved. Earlier this week, on Monday to be exact, Becky and I did the same thing at Amelia Baptist Church.

Next Sunday the Gospel Train rolls into North Roxboro Baptist Church.

6:45 PM Good evening, blogging buddies! I had a great trip to KS. I went primarily because I’ve begun revising my little book on the Gospels and wanted to know if there was anything new in Dead Sea Scrolls studies that I should include. That I concluded with the answer “No” doesn’t mean that my trip was unprofitable.  

Conferences such as these are good. They can be helpful and intellectually stimulating. You’ve got to keep sharp about the latest trends in biblical studies. Here’s the sticky part: relevance. I find an increasing reluctance, even unwillingness, to “enjoy” myself in places where I know that scholarship is done for scholarship’s sake. This is even true among the evangelical conferences I attend. Frankly, I doubt if it’s possible for me to thrive on scholarship anymore. I always feel compelled to ask the “So what?” question. I keep wondering: How will this make me a more effective servant of Jesus? Or is this just another example of my profession walling itself in? In the years since I published my doctoral dissertation I’ve been putting into practice, little by little, the idea of “profitability for the kingdom.” I get the idea from 2 Tim. 3:16: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable….” I believe that effective ministry requires both cognitive information and practical application. Cognitively, Scripture teaches me what it means to be a follower of Jesus. But do I actually perform it? So I’ve attended a conference, and I’ve learned a little bit more about the Dead Sea Scrolls. But it only intensified the anxiety and agony of being an alien in one’s own guild. This attitude may well surprise some of you. But I’ve reached a turning point in my life. I know that I can no longer be a standard evangelical Christian, content with a standard evangelical Gospel. The time has come for me to evaluateeverything in terms of it application to the Great Commission.

Four highlights of the trip:

1) Yakking with the many Ethiopians who work at RDU.

2) Meeting for breakfast with three of the elders ofChrist Fellowship of Kansas City. What a great bunch of kingdom-focused guys.

3) Meeting for lunch with Tyris Horton, who blogshere. Tyris, thanks for the wonderful fellowship! 

4) Visiting the Spurgeon Library on the MBTS campus. This is the famous preacher’s desk. Do I look like John Calvin or what?

Thursday, March 12

4:30 AM I’ll be at the Dead Sea Scrolls conference in Kansas City, MO today through Saturday. Here’s the schedule:

Thursday, March 12, 2009

7:00 to 9:00 PM

“A Dialogue on the Gospel of Thomas”

Craig A. Evans, Acadia Divinity College

Stephen J. Patterson, Eden Theological Seminary

Friday, March 13, 2009

8:00 to 9:00 AM

“The Scrolls and the Hebrew Bible”

Peter W. Flint, Trinity Western University

9:15 to 10:15 AM

“The Scrolls and the New Testament”

Craig A. Evans, Acadia Divinity College

10:30 to 11:30 AM

“The Scrolls and the Dead Sea Community”

John J. Collins, Yale University

11:30 AM to 1:00 PM

Lunch Break

1:00 to 2:00 PM

“The Scrolls and Interpretation of Scripture”

George J. Brooke, University of Manchester

2:15 to 3:15 PM

“The Scrolls and the Scribes”

Terry L. Wilder, B&H Academic Publishers

Saturday, March 14, 2009

9:00 to 10:00 AM

“The Scrolls and the Messiah”

William M. Schniedewind, University of California, Los Angeles

10:15 to 11:15 AM

“‘Dark Secrets’ of the DSS?”

R. Philip Roberts, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

4:23 AM In Heb. 13:17 the verb peitho is a bit controversial. Does it mean “persuade” or “obey”?  The word is discussedhere andhere. Interestingly, the term is also found in James 3:3, where it is traditionally rendered “obey,” as in the ESV: “If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.” But in what sense do horses “obey”? As an avid equestrian, I’ve given this some thought.

Riding is a unique sport in that it teaches you the ability to understand what goes on in the mind of another creature. Ultimately only kindness and mutual understanding can bring about the achievement of perfection. Xenophon, writing in 400 B.C., said, “Young horses should be trained in such a way that they not only love their riders but look forward to the time they are with them.” For some inexperienced horsemen, the aim of their training is the subjugation of their horse. They think that punishment is the best means of education. In my dressage lessons in California I learned that a good rider will never try to obtain by force what he or she can obtain by the correct use of the aids (including the bit). No punishment is better than a punishment that is administered unjustly or that is not understood by the horse. I only had to punish my Thoroughbred once, and that was when I first acquired him and he was accustomed to nipping at his rider while being saddled. He immediately stopped the practice. My goal in riding was to give my horses confidence in order to make them a pleasure to work with. And what a friend my horses were to me! The key was that I treated, handled, and respected them like friends. Horses have no treachery. They are hard-wired to return love with love. If they trust their rider, if they have faith in him or her, they will always do their best. I rode and enjoyed my Arabian Cody for 12 wonderful years. He was always an easy ride. Because I had gained his confidence and his willing cooperation, I got the full benefit out of his mental and physical state.

My relationship with my horses was always more than mere ownership. It required special insight into the nature of a horse – its grace and strength, its speed, its beauty, even its “personality” (and every horse has a distinct personality). I sacrificed a lot of comfort and time to train them, but it was worth it. Most importantly, I never blamed my horses for my riding misfortunes. If you don’t school a horse properly, you can’t expect a pleasant ride. The key is education. We must educate the horse and rider so that they both understand what is expected of them. I have always found that once a horse understands, he will do what he is asked (not forced) to do.

So, do horses “obey” their riders? Of course they do, and partly because of the bits in their mouths. But good riding, successful riding, is never achieved by bits and bridles. It always requires building mutual understanding and confidence. Ultimately, riding is not a dictatorship but a partnership.

Below: My Thoroughbred Traveler. Unlike my Arab Cody, who could do difficult dressage movements with ease, Trav had been on the race track in California and knew only one speed: all out, with the afterburners on. Each of my horses was different, and each deserved (and received) individualized attention. The harmony we achieved together is indescribable.

4:12 AM Encouraging reads:

• Gary Delaney onKingdom Living.

• Jeff McQ onThe Question of Leadership in the Church.

• Jon Glass onSad, Yet Rejoicing.

• Co-Heir onHalf Empty or Half Full?

• Dave Shumaker onA Fundamentalism Worth Saving.

• Jim Elliff onThe Value of Hanging Out.

4:03 AM We received baby pictures from Tilahun this week. Here’s one of them. Isn’t their little girl beautiful? No name yet. Tilahun writes from Gondar:

Please let all who were praying to my wife know that we are so much thankful to their prayers. Words cannot express how much we are happy and thank full to the Lord and you. Once again thank you so much and may God abundantly bless you!!!

Wednesday, March 11

9:14 PM What’s the deal with grief?

This week my translator James died. He was only 23. Last December a friend and I spent 5 days with him trekking among the warring Gujis in southern Ethiopia, eating, sleeping, traveling, and ministering together, day in and day out. He knew the risks, and faced them gladly.

His death has hit me hard. My emotional response has surprised me. I feel as wind-tossed as the disciples did in the boat on the Sea of Galilee. Lately I seem to have had my share of storms. I am being forced to confront my own weaknesses. I am pushed to acknowledge again and again that Christianity is not a Pollyanna religion that denies the existence of sin and evil and death. Trouble is a constant reality.

My heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. I have all kinds of questions. Did he face death alone? Was it painful? I want to have the all-knowing eyes that only God possesses. Jesus can give me strength to cope with this circumstance, but I need friends to help me walk through it. It’s hard to maintain hope when the Evil One keeps throwing up roadblocks of fear and intimidation. The drama of ethnic clashes in Ethiopia is gripping. You can read about ithere. To work in Ethiopia is to work with people whose lives have been impacted by raw evil. How they need the Gospel! Yet how can I bring others the water of life when my own soul is parched? Oh for a drop of water to cool my desiccated tongue! Jesus invites me come and drink. Only He can satisfy – He who cried out, “I thirst.” The last invitation in the Bible is, “Let the one who is thirsty come!” (Rev. 22:17). Why is it so hard for me to accept this gracious invitation? There are broken cisterns aplenty in Burji and Guji, conscious of their need. They must come to the Source and drink, they must receive by faith, and then they must believe that they have received (Mark 11:24). They must overflow to the glory of God and the blessing of others. But so must I.

Jesus is tapping deeply into my life right now. I’m having to grapple with the ugly, sordid, hideous problem of evil. The Gospel is a bloody, gory story. It is repulsive to the “refined” sense of a lost world. Nothing about the Gospel appeals to the natural man. James risked his life by volunteering to help us. Like the Christ he loved, he chose to be a humble cross-bearer. I saw nothing of selfish ambition in him. He never once boasted about himself. He was content, like the apostle Paul, to be “the very least of all the saints” (Eph. 3:8). Unlike Christ, he did not die vicariously. But like his Savior, he always considered others as better than himself.

“I am in the midst of you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). This is the verse I will always remember when I think of James. He has raised the bar for our Burji team. He has reminded us of the importance of numbering our days, so that we may apply our hearts to wisdom (Psalm 90:12). He is a reminder that every Christian is called to “fulltime Christian service.” Are we not to live for Him all the time? James harvested in the souls of men, and now he’s reaping the harvest. He made a total commitment of all he was and all he had and was looking unto Jesus for everything. Now he sees Him face to face.

One day each one of us will depart this life. It is the final dead-line. James’s came at the age of 23. Jim Elliott’s martyred body in the jungles of Ecuador was a mangled sight too but it was only his body. His soul had gone home through gates of splendor. He did not count his life as dear to himself (Acts 20:24). Of course, life is precious in God’s sight. It is one of His most valued gifts to us. But we are not to count our lives as dear to ourselves. One day we will give an account of the way we lived it. When we count it as His, “we lose what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose.”

The Lord has much to say to me through James’ life. I believe I can say with complete honesty that I am willing to live on the edge and to risk it all for Jesus. My life is not my own but His. I am but the steward of my days, and I had better number them that I may apply my heart to wisdom. All He asks is that I stay in the path of His will. This summer we will return to the conflict. I am more committed than ever to taking the Good News to the Gujis. Yes, the work is tough, very tough, and the setbacks hurt, deeply hurt. But good soldiers are developed in battle, not by marching in parades. Meanwhile the Grinder will continue to sharpen the axe.

Farewell, James. We loved thee well.

Sunday, March 8

8:45 PM We just received an email from Tilahun in Gondar. I laughed aloud for joy when I heard the news. Sinte has had her baby. And it’s a girl. Praise the Lord for His goodness. I’m certainly glad for it. I was a little nervous about it all, but God provided for a delivery without a C-section.

Meanwhile our visit to North Wilkesboro is history. We stayed overnight with the Ellers in their beautiful lakeside home. Such peace and quiet. The experience reminded me of Kailua Beach where I grew up. Otherwise Becky and I were in meetings yesterday and today. It’s really amazing to see the team that God has brought together for our Ethiopia work this May. Amber, Katy, Kevin, and Dale — we already feel bonded with them in the ministry.

But for me the highlight of the weekend was getting to meet Andrew, the Browns’ recently adopted 2-year old son from China. Small things are good. Especially when they are children. The Shriners Hospital in South Carolina did a fantastic job on Andrew’s clubbed feet, and he is proving he can run just as well as any other American toddler. This is a wonderful gift of grace and one for which I share the inexpressible joy of Kevin and Pam.

Tomorrow morning Becky and I travel to Amelia Court House in central Virginia to speak to a group of seasoned citizens. We’ll explore together the riches of God’s grace toward His followers in Burji, Alaba, and Gondar. We’ll show lots of pix and take our display table with us also. Afterwards I’m told there’s a covered dish lunch. I expect to eat some good southern friend chicken. After all, it’s a meeting of Baptists.

I’ll put a couple of photos of the weekend below, in case you’re interested.

Here’s Becky “taking attendance” at our team meeting. From left to right: Katy, Amber, Dale, and Kevin.

Dale recites his assigned memory verses from 2 Corinthians 5.

Kevin fills out his visa application for Ethiopia.

Katy sings a solo in the service on Sunday morning. Katy and Kevin will be the first father-daughter team we’ve taken with us to Africa. When a blessing to see Katy’s enthusiasm to serve the Lord. As I told the group yesterday, there’s no adult Holy Spirit and teenage Holy Spirit. There’s just the Holy Spirit. Katy, who will be 15 when she leaves for Ethiopia, is raising the bar big time for her generation.

My newest buddy: Andrew Brown. I praise God for you!

Saturday, March 7

6:15 AM This morning Becky and I head to North Wilkesboro in the western foothills of North Carolina. Mount Pleasant Baptist Church is a congregation we know fairly well, having visited it several times in the past. I did a Bible conference there a couple of years ago, and we’ve given Ethiopia updates there once or twice before. There’s a lot of really good God stuff going on at MPBC. It’ll be fun driving there with Becky. We’re “in class” all day long, then tonight Becky and I will spend the night with a former student of mine and his family. He works with Samaritan’s Purse in Boone, just over the rise. Can’t imagine what we’ll talk about 🙂 Tomorrow they’ve given us the morning service. Lord willing we’ll be home Sunday evening.

Friday, March 6

1:23 PM The delivery is now loaded. Off to a couple of hungry horses I hear. They will never eat better hay.

I was the thrower, Nate the throwee.

One more tidbit. Nate and Jess picked up a couple of roosters yesterday. They’ve already acclimated to their new surroundings. You can tell it’s that time of the year to start having chicks around again. Aren’t they colorful?

Off to enjoy a mater sandwich.

12:27 PM It’s a perfect day for farm work. The manure’s been spread. Hit’s purdy, too. Jessie of course drove the tractor. Sheppie and Missie loafed, as usual. Later we’ll deliver 50 bales of hay to Rougemont. I don’t spose there’s a better life on this here planet. For me it fulfills a longing to “go back,” wherever “back” is.

Sum pix fur y’all to enjoy.

10:47 AM Two very significant articles appeared today. Regardless of your politics (red or blue), I believe you need to read them. One is on Afghanistan and is calledObama’s War. The other is on Iran and is titled Iran in the Crosshairs. At least they’ll help you wrestle with deep things. The single most impacting thing in foreign missions today is, in my opinion, the myth of a redeemer nation. Some call it Pax Americana. The freedom that we Americans have to travel to many countries in the world, even countries that are closed to the Good News per se, is a precious gift from God and one we can never take lightly. It would be easy to think that our foreign policy hasn’t affected missions, but it has, and not positively in my view. It is an occasion to ask God for national guidance, that’s for sure.

8:06 AM Somewhere I read that Asbury Seminary has a Professor of Prayer and that students can even major in prayer. I think that Bethel Hill must have a few graduates of Asbury. We are a praying church if nothing else. I love this picture because it shows our church family wrestling in the trenches, praying over our Burji Team before sending them off last November. How does one do the work of God in Ethiopia? On one’s knees.

8:01 AM This week found Becky working very hard on my Greek DVD set. It’s based on the beginning Greek course I taught several years ago at the Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa. My wife gets the Patience of Job Award for endurance. It’s been a long process, from the videotaping in Addis, to the editing in Dallas, and finally to designing the jacket cover in New York. Now I’ll quickly admit that I had a blast teaching this class. Below are my students. Imagine trying to learn Greek in English when your first language is Amharic. The fellow in the left center holding a copy of my New Testament Textual Criticism consistently won the 110 Award. Amazing. How they lasted 6 weeks I’ll never know. To those who “endured to the end” I gave a free Greek New Testament. There’s much more I could say, but for the moment I just wanted to let you know that the DVDs are almost ready for release.

7:19 AM Greek students will find Theologica’sOriginal Languages Study Group a very helpful resource. There are as many ways of approaching the Greek language as there are Greek instructors, I suppose. That’s why this kind of discussion is healthy. As for my own introductory grammar (which is briefly discussed at the site), I would say that I am eager to get feedback from users. Please send me your honest criticisms about the third edition. I promise I will turn them to the improvement of the book if I possibly can. (I’m sure the authors of the workbook would say the same thing.) In fact, most of the changes in the new edition came in response to suggestions from users. The problem is that I’m too close to the book to see its weaknesses.

7:07 AM The seminar being led by Alan Knox will take place in two weeks from tomorrow (Saturday, March 21). You can RSVPhere. I thought you’d like to know that anyone attending the seminar is welcome to attend a get-together to be held two weeks from tonight (Friday, March 20). The venue will be the living room of a private home on the lake. Light refreshments will be served. Alan and some of his folk from Messiah Baptist Church will be there, and I know they are looking forward to the interaction. If you’d like to participate let Jason Evans know along with your RSVP for the seminar. Personally, I think the networking and relationship-building will be every bit as important as the actual conference, perhaps even more so. Remember: there is no charge for either the seminar or the pre-seminar meeting.

Thursday, March 5

6:32 PM Becky and I just enjoyed a wonderful supper of liver and onions. Right now I’m surfing the web and just read a wonderful essay by Owen Strachan called Skateboarding Class at High School, and Other Signs of the Demise of the West. He is absolutely right about the dumbing down of the American high school, of course. Still, I had to smile when I read his essay. At my high school in Hawaii — Kailua High, to be exact — we were never offered courses in skateboarding for the simple reason that all of us were expert sidewalk surfers already. We skated to school, and then we skated from class to class. We held semi-official races down the sloping sidewalks on campus. I built three of my own skateboards (I also built three surfboards, so that was nothing special). I guess I could have taught courses in skateboarding if anyone had been dumb enough to pay me for it.

Come to think it, might make a good sideline…

4:04 PM Guess what I’m doing right now? Enjoying a piece of freshly-baked bread. Potato bread to be exact. Becky’s back to baking these days. That’s so neat. When we lived in Basel she would bake all of our bread. It was delicious then, and it’s delicious now. Especially with homemade blueberry jam.

3:45 PM A funny thought just occurred to me. It was 30 years ago that Becky and I took our first mission trip together. Wow. Seems like yesterday. Actually, it was 31 years ago, the summer of 1978 to be exact. We went to a country that no longer exists (West Germany). We ministered in a Bible school that no longer exists (the Bibelschule Bergstrasse). We were there during a century that no longer exists (the twentieth). I even had gobs of hair at the time! Those were interesting days for us. I was still in the throes of wondering what God wanted to do with my life. Now I’m an old-timer in my profession. It was the first time I had been to Europe. Now Europe seems old hat. And who knows how many mission trips Becky and I have made together since then.

Many years ago another missionary named Samuel Zwemer penned these beautiful words:

The Alpine climber who is trying to reach a summit can “on the upward path” scarcely see his goal except at certain fortunate moments. What he does see is the stony path that must be trodden, the rocks and precipices to be avoided, the unending slope that gets ever steeper; he feels the growing weakness, the solitude and the burden; and yet the inspiration of the climber is the sight of the goal. Because all the hardships of the journey count for naught.

I can say in 33 years of wedded life that all the hardships have counted for naught. It’s still our joy to be able to serve Jesus together, and we never lose sight of the goal.

12:55 PM The latest addition to our home page is calledBeyond Religious Infighting.

12:41 PM Karl Barth is one of my favorite writers. The second edition of his Epistle to the Romans was translated by Edwyn Hoskins.

On p. 314 Barth writes:

If Christianity be not altogether thoroughgoing eschatological, there remains in it no relationship with Christ.

This is a far cry from Barth’s much terser German:

Christentum, das nicht ganz und gar und restlos Eschatologie ist, hat mit Christus ganz und gar und restlos nights zu tun.

I wonder, do we sometimes miss things when we read them in translation? What do you think?

9:31 AM Good news! We just received some phenomenal pictures of the Galana clinic in Burji. Can you image getting jpegs from a remote village in southern Ethiopia that had no electricity when we began working there 5 years ago? The sovereign, triune God must delight in performing such miracles. At any rate, here are the photos. I think they speak for themselves.

These pictures make me think of trust. God is perfectly trustworthy, but do I really trust Him? By now the well diggers have practically descended to the center of the planet. Can you imagine how dangerous it is for them to be more than 10 stories below the surface of the earth? And they are doing it all by hand (we tried a rig but it didn’t work). Then too, the clinic desperately needs a vehicle. That’s painfully obvious from the photos. To be honest with you, my faith gets pretty tired at times. Most difficult right now is worrying about the Burji-Guji fighting that is preventing sick Gujis from coming to the clinic. People are literally dying because they cannot receive medical care that is only a four-hour walk away. Again, a vehicle would solve that problem since we could take the health care out to the Guji villages.

Well, I’m determined to leave all these matters in God’s hands and to trust Him not only with the work in Galana but also with my fears, my hopes, and my fragile faith.

7:59 AM Looking ahead to the summer, I’ve decided to teach a Greek exegesis course at the seminary in late July/early August. I’ve chosen the book of Mark for our study because its Greek is relatively easy. I chose a Gospel (rather than, say, Romans or Ephesians) because Solus Christus is the turning point in New Testament theology. Frankly, I’ve been convicted that I haven’t taught the Gospels as often as I think I should have. But my interest in church renewal forces me back to the earthly life of Jesus, for the church is to be nothing other than a Christ-like community that reflects His life, His activity, and His priorities. More and more I want to model my ministry on the example of Jesus. I want to relearn His values, His love, even His “manners” as He dealt with people. God is doing a work in my heart to make me rethink my entire Christology. The other day I was thinking how wonderful it is to have not one but four accounts of the life of Christ. How rich and unending the study of His life is. Bottom line: to see Christ is to (hopefully) become more like Him. And becoming more like Jesus is something I desperately need in my life right now.

7:55 AM As you will see if you go to the Amazon site, my revised grammar that was due out on March 1 has still not been released. My publisher informs me that they’re behind schedule but that both the grammar and the workbook will be published no later than April 1. The workbook is, in fact, already printed.

7:18 AM I’m finally feeling rested up. Yesterday was a brutal day. I felt completely drained in body and mind when I returned home. At the same time, being on campus is an experience I love. For one thing, I have lots of good fellowship with my colleagues. I don’t expect to be able to spend a lot of time chewing the fat, but I love talking with godly men and women who are passionate about the Great Commission. One happy development was that I was able to finish my writing project that is due on April 1, which is a good thing as life will be very busy for me between now and then. This weekend Becky and I travel to North Wilkesboro, NC, to train our Alaba team that consists of 4 intrepid members of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. It’s such a wonderful joy and privilege to work with church folk who are up to the challenge of foreign travel. The more rigorous the better too. On Saturday we’ll spend the day going over Ethiopian culture, language, history, religion, etc. Then on Sunday we’ll share slides and video clips with the entire congregation in their morning service. That is, Becky will be showing the pictures. She’s so much better at communicating to others the details of our work than I am.

I’ve noticed something as we travel from church to church. It’s so easy for people to think they are unqualified for “missionary” work. “I could never go to Ethiopia!” My feeling is that if God can use lazy old me, He can use anybody who is willing to do the work. Living in the “How could God ever use little ol’ me?” frame of mind enslaves us. I used to think that way myself, especially in my early teens. Thank God He changed all that. And just think — now I get to spend my time with people who love Ethiopia nearly as much as I do. The kicker is that none of us is even remotely a trained professional. (God has a sense of humor.) We’re just trying to be good Jesus-followers. During my leisure time I’ve been re-reading At Dawn We Slept, which is a really amazing book, not so much because it recounts the attack on Pearl Harbor but because of its description of our unpreparedness on that fatal day to see what was coming. Unpreparedness is one of those things that’s hard to deal with. You think you know what’s going on in your life, you think you’re ready for anything, and then — kaplow! — your whole world blows up in your face. Sometimes I think to myself, “What slothful things am I doing right now in my life that are robbing me of my effectiveness to serve Jesus?” I am roiled to think of the situations sometimes I’ve allowed myself to get into because of myopia. The fact that our Pacific Fleet returned to harbor every weekend came as a shock to the Japanese. Yamamoto wondered in awe, “What Navy on the verge of war would maintain such a predictable schedule?” So when 350 Japanese airplanes arrived at Oahu on that quiet Sunday morning, they found the fleet right where it had always been on the weekends and in a perfect state of mind to be attacked: sound asleep.

History, I’m told, is the great ironist. And the culminating irony about history is that we learn so little from it. I’m convinced this has something to say to our generation that seems to be distracted by what Rick Hertzberg and others have called “Christianism” — a rigid and unthinking religion motivated more by the status quo than active faith. I read somewhere that half of Americans believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife and that the Bible says, “God helps those who help themselves.” All this in a supposedly Christian nation. We live in a society in which Christians can sign up for aerobics classes called “Firm Believers” or read Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now as if it were the Bible. I’m even worried about my Greek class. Even though I don’t promote the course as a “self-help” class, the focus is often still on “me” — learning Greek so that I can read my New Testament in the original language — when Jesus wants us to focus on others. I live and work in the so-called Bible Belt. We’re all good, church-going folk. But when it comes to the Bible, our knowledge quotient is abysmal, and our obedience quotient is even worse. You say, “Wait a minute. Abortion rates are lower in the Bible Belt than in the rest of the nation.” True. But divorce rates are 50 percent higher. (I intend no disparagement. The sin of divorce is no greater than any of our other sins in the Bible Belt.) The problem we face is the gap between knowledge and obedience. Admittedly, I enjoy teaching the Bible and Greek. But frankly I’m scared to death of the possible outcome. It’s spelled SELF. The only legitimate outcome in God’s eyes are great good deeds of love, deeds rooted in the plain teaching of the Scriptures. If Greek can help us to do this, Amen. But I’m still a worried man. Knowing Greek won’t necessarily help us to “Re-Jesus” the church, which is what we really need.

Wednesday, March 4

7:45 PM Over at Sundry Musings, Josh Gelatt asks whether pastors should useHebrew and Greek in the pulpit. My thinking is, “Of course they should.” At least they should have their Greek New Testament firmly in hand. I always teach directly from the Greek text. But I don’t think anybody knows it.

7:41 PM Greek students, check out thesevocabulary flash cards. A student in my Bethel Hill Greek class prepared them.

7:37 PM Multnomah University pays tribute toJoe Aldrich, who has passed away at the age of 68. Dr. Joe (as he preferred to be called) was my teacher when I attended Talbot back in the mid-1970s. I took him for every class he taught. I even drove down to Mariner’s Church a couple of times to hear him speak. He was the man who first taught me that Christian education is likeness education (Luke 6:40). Here I am faced with a rather strange thing. I am quite sure Joe himself would never have asked anyone to take him rather than his course. I think he would be very careful to point out that his place was subordinate to the place of Christ. Yet that very humility is what made Joe’s classes so attractive to me. Like John the Baptizer, Joe was not that light, but he was a powerful witness to that light. And in that sense, I suppose, he was destined for greatness. At any rate, Joe’s loss to the Body of Christ is real, but the end of the story is an unspeakable triumph.

7:30 PM Over at LRC, Michael Rozeff’s latest essayThey Done Us Wrong fairly drips with salutary sarcasm, as well it should:

Very few men on the street, including my doctor, understand that spending, whether private or government, does not get rid of economic depression; and the lack of spending does not cause it. They do not fathom that government spending, borrowing, and taxing will further gash the sinking economy below the water line and send it to its watery grave. They are more inclined to believe, along with prominent economists, that government spending should be increased by trillions more. There cannot be too much of a good thing.

In case you hadn’t noticed, liberty presumes an autonomy that includes freedom from government “solutions” to all our problems. In his dissent from all this nonsense, Mr. Rozeff scorns the financial bailout for what it is: a scandal. It’s impossible not to be a bit disgruntled at people who want to benefit from government at the expense of your grandkids. Talk aboutquid pro quack.

Incidentally, I don’t agree with everything published at LRC. Still, it’s an oasis of discontent in a complacent society that is brainwashed each day by CNN and Fox News.

7:23 PM Gene Healy brings home the bacon (and the entire butcher shop) in his latest essayConservatives need a humble foreign policy. Frankly, I don’t think most evangelical Christians have the courage to say “No” to empire.

7:16 PM Over at Salon, Glenn Greenwald has published his commentary on Bush’s lawless presidency, which as usual is well worth reading. It’s called The newly released secret laws of the Bush administration.

7:07 PM The Abominable No-Man does it again. Read Ron Paul’sIs Spending the Answer? Paul’s chicken analogy about government says it well:

But, like a chicken with its head cut off, no one knows which way it will run, just that it will flail about wildly until it collapses.

Tuesday, March 3

8:19 AM It’s a bright, sunshiny day. In a few minutes I’ll be leaving for campus to get some typing done. I am not a typist. It is a duty I must perform. Lord willing, I will finish my writing project before returning home. Students, remember that my office door is always open, even when I’m hunting and pecking.

Monday, March 2

1:45 PM The latest addition to our home page is called God’s Better Way.

12:41 PM I absolutely refuse to post any more perfunctory snow day pictures. Absolutely refuse.

(Well, maybe just one or two.)

8:36 AM  Here’s one of my favorite H. L. Mencken quotes:

I do not believe in democracy, but I am perfectly willing to admit that it provides the only really amusing form of government ever endured by mankind.

This, from anessay over at LRC on a new book about Mencken’s political philosophy. Looks like a good read.

7:38 AM  One of the greatest blessings of Lionel Woods’ website is the interview format he is developing. Today I finally got a cup of coffee and sat down to savor Lionel’sinterview with Alan Knox. For anyone seeking the heart of “the ministry,” this interview is a must read. At first reading it may seem to you very surprising that Alan’s perspective on pastoring is so radical, but then you begin to see that being radical is nothing more than returning to the roots of the matter, which Alan does beautifully. The following is one of the most important things Alan has to say in this revealing interview. I hope every pastor will read it and take it to heart.

I don’t lead programs. I don’t do administration. I don’t plan long sermon series. I don’t preach or teach every week. I don’t lead deacons meetings. I don’t try to recruit people to do things they don’t want to do. I don’t hire or fire – in fact, we don’t have any staff. I don’t maintain a building. I don’t deal with “personnel” or “employment” issues at all.

I just pastor – shepherd, care for people – in my daily walk. This happens when the church meets, but also when people come to our house, or we go to their house. It happens when I’m working or teaching. It happens when I’m talking to people on the phone or emailing people or talking with people on Facebook. My desire – wherever I am or whatever I’m doing – is to encourage people in their walk with God and to trust him in everything they do.

“I just pastor.” For Alan, pastor is more a verb than a noun, as it is in the New Testament. The essence of the matter, as I see it, is that Christian ministry takes its example, its inspiration, and its dynamic from Christ. I think perhaps that He, too, “just pastored.”

To me there is nothing more interesting than to see men and women of God grappling with the great issues of the day. In this interview we see one such man who, along with his wife, are committed to a biblical pattern of ministry. Agree or disagree, you will come away from reading it sensing a heart throbbing with love for others. May their tribe increase.

7:09 AM  These sights greeted me not ten minutes ago. Dayda is loving it. Here’s the view from our front porch.

And here, from left to right, is our garden shed, reenacting shed, and carriage house.

6:52 AM  Alan Knox continues his series on worshiphere. He writes:

How do we “worship” God? We worship God in the way that we serve, submit to, love, and accept one another. When do we worship? Well, we worship when we serve, submit to, love, and accept one another. What if we’re not doing these things? Then we’re not worshiping.

What if we’re singing and listening to preaching, but we not demonstrating love to those around us? Then we’re not worshiping. What if we’re demonstrating God’s love to those around us, but we’re not singing nor listening to preaching. Then, we’re worshiping.

Barclay, I think, would agree:

Real worship is not the offering to God of a liturgy, however noble, and a ritual, however magnificent. Real worship is the offering of everyday life to him, not something transacted in a church, but something which sees the whole world as the temple of the living God (Romans, p. 157).

Christianity is a religion of worship, but a worship that is never limited to four walls. Why, then, do we so often limit discussion of “worship” to music styles?

6:40 AM  Bethel Hill Greek students, please remember that there is no class tonight. Use this time to get caught up if you’re behind or to study for your quiz over adjectives next week. Next Monday, in addition to our quiz over chapter 6, I’ll be sending you home with your first review exam. It will cover chapters 3-6 and have three parts: translation, parsing, and a 10-point extra credit sentence (English to Greek). A sample sentence might be something along these lines: “The good apostles see the Lord in the wilderness.” If you receive a perfect 110 on the exam, you will receive the much-coveted

“110 Award”

— a free copy of one of my other books (you choose). I anticipate several of you leaving class with one of my Pulitzer Prize-losing tomes in your hands.

6:34 AM  Tom Engelhardt is one pundit who refuses to sing the customary hosannas over the nation’s imperial blindness. The following is classic Engelhardt: 

Think of the above as just a few prospective entries in The Dictionary of American Empire-Speak that will, of course, never be compiled. We’re so used to such language, so inured to it and to the thinking behind it, so used, in fact, to living on a one-way planet in which all roads lead to and from Washington, that it doesn’t seem like a language at all. It’s just part of the unexamined warp and woof of everyday life in a country that still believes it normal to garrison the planet, regularly fight wars halfway across the globe, find triumph or tragedy in the gain or loss of an air base in a country few Americans could locate on a map, and produce military manuals on counterinsurgency warfare the way a do-it-yourself furniture maker would produce instructions for constructing a cabinet from a kit.

In our day, profound changes are taking place in American society resulting from cultural, social, and economic revolution. What I find so disturbing is that the Body of Christ continues to fall short of its own finest confessions of allegiance to Christ when it comes to statism.

6:27 AM  Bill Bonner is obviously in an irascible mood. Today he pensFinancial Pigs at the Government’s Trough, in which he predicts another 50 percent drop in the DOW. Seems that our addiction to Uncle Sam’s largess is not going away any time soon.

Sunday, March 1

2:42 PM Becky and I now drive 30 minutes to our Sunday fellowship, and every second spent and every penny of gas is worth it. Our fellowship has the true marks of the church — love for Christ and love for others. However biblical a church may be, however orthodox its theology, however properly it may “observe the sacraments,” however accurately it may “preach the Word,” it is not a true church unless it is characterized by love and mutual edification. So let me thank the sister who reminded me this morning of the importance of forgiveness, the brother who reminded me that church is not a place but a people, the sister who reminded me that God is still in the miracle-working business, and the brother who reminded me that I am saved by grace alone. I have not earned it, nor could I earn it. But in the Gospel the lost relationship between man and God has been restored in Jesus Christ who has demolished the barrier between us that sin had erected. All this, and much more, I was reminded of by meeting with the Body. It is a very great privilege, really.

8:15 AM In just 3 months we’ll be back in Ethiopia, Lord willing. We’re taking two teams with us this time. One will go to Burji and the other to Alaba. As I think about the work in Africa, the word “saga” comes to mind. It is a long story with many twists and turns. One of the latest twists is the work we feel God is calling us to do among the Gujis (neighbors of the Burjis). In 1994 two Burji men named Guya and Guba were murdered by the Gujis as they were preaching the Gospel and planting the church among the Gujis. In 2009 we hope to bring believers from both tribes together for a “Unity Conference” in which they will “wash each other’s feet” and worship the Savior together. The Guji church, as Becky put it in a recent email, is “weak and stressed.” The believers have no Bibles, none at all. And because of the warfare they do not go to market in Soyama Town. They must subsist on parched corn and bread. Love will not speak of the situation without a broken heart. There is no cold, logical solution to the problem. The nearest way to the heart of the Guji is the way of God’s love. Flies come to honey, not to vinegar. I’ve been among the Gujis twice now. Both times they were very responsive and gracious. I tried to validate their culture by eating and drinking whatever I was offered. I tried to extend sympathy to their traditional society. I would like to say that I “loved” them, but the term love is used so often that it is stripped of any real meaning. I can say this: The evangelization of the Gujis is a task so great that it demands our utter surrender to the Lord Jesus. At times I do wonder about God’s timetable. Will He allow us to hold this conference in June? Will He provide us with the Bibles needed for the Guji people? I do not know the answers as I type these words this morning. Right now the only thing I can do is pray. Someone has said that prayer is the most talked about and least used resource in the Christian life. Undoubtedly, I believe there is more responsiveness among the Gujis now than there has ever been in the past. They are tired of the constant warring. The government has not solved the problem, nor can it. And so I am asking God to do what only He can do. Will you join me?

These pictures will perhaps give you a flavor of what it is like to be in Gujiland. Last June Jason Evans and I spent several days among the Gujis. Here we have stopped in a Guji town to show the Jesus Film in the village square. The faces of the people display a mixture of curiosity and surprise that white-faced foreigners would visit them. The only hostility we sensed was when we encountered armed Guji warriors along the roadway.

Here Jason presents a bag of seeds to a church elder on a Sunday morning. The Gujis are subsistence farmers and were very appreciative of this gift. The believers in this church are eager to earn Bibles through our Bible memory program. A Bible costs us only $5 dollars (the cost of a Happy Meal). I noticed that the elders themselves had no Bibles; they simply cannot afford one.

Wherever we stopped I brought out the drawing pad. There is no better way to attract a crowd of young people. “We’re showing a movie tonight in the town square. Be sure to come back!”

Jason spent time with the youth wherever we went, teaching them English and just basically “hanging” with them. They loved every minute of it. This June I will have to stay with the Alaba team, but Jason will be with the Burji team. I’m hoping and praying that the Unity Conference will take place as planned. If so, Jason will likely represent our team at the meeting. I can think of no better representative or of a man who loves the Gujis more than Jason.

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March 2008 Blog Archives

Monday, March 31

6:43 PM Forty years ago today, Lyndon Johnson announced that he wasn’t going to run again for president. I well remember that day. NPRreports this evening how that event spurred a peace movement. The quote from the one-and-only Eric Sevareid in this report says it all.

5:29 PM The rain is now coming down in bucket loads. I’m sitting here at my computer typing away. A special blessing just now was watching Duck and Mary land on our pond. Nice serendipity on a dismal day. Well, Nate just phoned. He needs some help moving furniture in his house to get his home ready for his bride. My mind goes to John 14:2 (“I go to prepare a place for you”). Nate’s already being a good husband. Off to Jessie’s house!

3:39 PM When you keep anxiously waiting to see what others are writing about you, when you have hidden desires to be some important person in the community, when you have fantasies about prominent people mentioning your name, when you keep hoping for more stimulating work, then you know that you haven’t even started to allow God into your heart. When nobody writes about you or hardly even thinks about you, when you become just another Christian “brother,” when you have been forgotten by people and feel estranged even from your own loved ones, maybe then your heart can become empty enough to give God a real chance to let His presence and love be known to you. Then the Lord will truly be at the center of all things.

3:29 PM A “retired” pastor in our area does a lot of pulpit supply, and I have grown to know and love him in the past 6 years since we moved into Bradford Hall. His name is, in fact, on my pastor prayer list. I saw him just last night at the singspiration. He recently told me how old he was. I couldn’t believe it. I had never realized he was that elderly. His great energy and zeal, his matchless speaking ability, his kind and gentle spirit fill me with a growing admiration for him. To be a “rolling stone” at his age is really quite an accomplishment. I hope that when I get to be his age I will have a mere fraction of the vibrancy that he has. Above all, I enjoy his constant smile and sense of humor. I think that only makes me like him all the more.

2:56 PM I have a very important anthropological announcement to make, to wit, the brick-ozoic age has now come to a glorious end. That’s right, we finished the chimney, from the ground floor all the way up through the attic. I think we’ll need to find some way to celebrate this auspicious event. Hey, how about a wedding on Saturday?

Meanwhile I am working feverishly preparing for my courses this week: a major review of the participle and infinitive in Greek, and the topic of church life in our New Testament class (this week we’re in 1 Timothy, whose theme is “that you may know how to conduct yourself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth,” 1 Tim. 3:15). As always I find myself having to make sweeping generalizations, whether I am talking about the Greek language or about the exegesis of specific texts bearing upon ecclesiology. I am not surprised that some should disagree with me about these generalizations; indeed, I disagree with most of them myself, but they must be made, even if they’re glaringly untrue (in one sense), because one has to simplify things in any beginning course. So far as all the more important and fundamental facets of Greek and theology are concerned, however, it’s impossible to explain anything to anybody really. One must simply learn things for oneself for any true and lasting learning to take place.

In this regard, I want to announce that in our New Testament class this Wednesday we will have a very special guest lecturer, Alan Knox, who will be sharing with the class his views on the church and especially how his thinking has changed and developed over the past few years. Alan is one of my Ph.D. students in New Testament here at SEBTS and is also the editor ofThe Assembling of the Church website over at blogspot. He will speak from 1:30 to 2:30 and then field questions from the audience. If you are not a student at the seminary but would like to hear what Alan has to say, I want to invite you to attend our session as my personal guest. Just send me an email and we’ll go from there. By the way, Alan is also an elder atMessiah Baptist Church, whose website is well worth perusing. I also had the delight of interviewing brother Alanhere.

It should be altogether a most interesting and stimulating class.

9:55 AM The latest addition to our home page is calledWhere Are the Peace-Makers?

9:46 AM Today we are living in a cloud. I piously hope it will be warm and sunny again soon. We are heading out shortly to finish the chimney, Lord willing, provided our legs hold out, especially Nathan’s knees (the poor man can’t even stand up straight in the attic to his own home). I will do my best to keep him well supplied with bricks and mortar. It is the mules who get things done in the world I suppose.

O, yesterday the bridal shower for Jessie was a smashing success I am told. Old Natie boy has found hisself a real winner, and that’s fur shure.

9:41 AM My word, but Chuck Baldwin is at his best inthis essay on the GOP. I am old-fashioned and only really at home with the most unmagical kind of direct discourse. I even enjoy Chuck’s brevity — “less is more” becoming less a rarified epithet and more of a reality in my own speaking and writing. Biblical, rock solid, and to the point — that’s Chuck Baldwin in a nutshell.

9:34 AM I have a huge problem, but it’s a good problem. My prayer list has gotten so long and unwieldy that I have gone to a new schedule. Beginning today I have a different prayer list for each day of the week: Monday for family members (local and extended), Tuesday for my seminary family (including my 160 or so students), Wednesday for pastors and other church workers, Thursday for missions (Ethiopia, etc.), Friday for my local church, community, and friends, and Saturday for the salvation of the lost (my “salvation prayer list”). Sundays is potpourri, you might say. I will, of course, pray for family matters and for those who need salvation every day, not only on Mondays and Saturdays. And each week the lists will get longer I’m sure. In the epilogue to the book A Thousand Shall Fall (see below), I learned that Franz Hasel died in Germany at the age of 92, having befriended many young people in his long teaching and preaching career. At his funeral, one of those students summarized the loss they felt by asking, “Who will pray for us now?” This gives me much encouragement to be constantly devoted to praying for others, my students especially. God may work quite unexpectedly as a result.

Sunday, March 30

9:19 PM Just back from our 4-church singspiration, the best one we’ve ever had — at least since the last time we got together. A cross between country gospel, blue grass, and hokey. I certainly don’t know nearly enough about music to be able to remark on the quality of our singing, but thanks to a judicious infusion of the Holy Spirit we truly had what is called a “sang” tonight. The service got over at 8:00, then the real singing began, with Nate and Patrick at the piano, or we simply jettisoned the accompaniment and sang Acapulco. I don’t see any particular reason not to report it like it is — a truly remarkable evening of music that leaves one breathless with thanks and praise to God. The perfect capstone to a wonderful day.

2:13 PM Speaking of Jonathan (“der Grosse”), he just sent us a photo of himself that can be put to very good use. Many have been asking us what the dress code for Saturday’s event is — formal, semi-formal, casual, nice-causal, Hawaiian, hill-billy, etc. Thankfully, Jonathan can say inone picture what a thousand words could never do.

9:08 AM Jessie’s brother Jonathan (“the magnificent”) loaned me his copy of A Thousand Shall Fall, the story of a 40 year-old German pacifist who was drafted and assigned to Pioneer Company 699, Hitler’s elite frontline unit. Having lived in Europe and been in several of the places named in the book, including Frankfurt am Main and Odessa, and having been interested myself in WW II history, I found this book magnificent and much more interesting than its title might indicate. If all Elizabethan tragedy is melodrama, then German non-fiction is sui generis. Franz Hasel refused to imbibe the pagan philosophies of his commanders and comrades-in-arms, and somehow survived to tell about it. Imagine — a Sabbath-keeping, pork-refusing, conscientious-objecting Christian serving as a cog in Hitler’s war machine as it crashed into Poland, Sedan, and Russia! The notion may be rather absurd, but the story is a good one and the ethics identical to Adventist theology — and this is not even to mention the quite incredible comic statements emanating from the Vaterland: “We are the super race. We are invincible. Victory Salvation!” This touches the sublime. The decadent and putrefying nations of England and France quake. This vulgar beastliness, alas, did not disappear in the twentieth century. All countries eventually get the disease of decadence, even though individuals in them may see the light of day. As Socrates would say, “O dog!” (ne ton kuna).

Note: One of Franz Hasel’s sons, Gerhard, eventually became an internationally-renowned Old Testament professor at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, IN. He published 14 books and hundreds of journal articles before being tragically killed in an automobile accident in 1994.

Saturday, March 29

6:36 PM A few days ago I worked in short sleeves. Today I wore a parka and a ski cap it was so cold. What a difference a week can make. “We’re in the attic now, we’re not behind the plow” — halfway to the roof in fact. It’s a good feeling. Nate and I had an extremely enjoyable time working together today, as we in fact always do. I’m not sure why that is. I think a big factor must be the indisputable fact that our personalities, temperaments, and styles are almost identical — even if our skills and aptitudes are not. We have thus worked side by side for 7 years here on the farm — two able, imaginative, energetic men with wide-angled intellectual lens capable of taking in the broad view of life. In this time we have never had a single disagreement, argument, or spat. We’ve prodded, backed off, nudged forward, given grace, aided and assisted each other as we tore down this, built up that, put up miles of fencing, baled hay, and mucked manure. Now the chimney goes forward quite nicely, and I am certain the final effect will be very pleasant, both from outside and in, once we punch through the roof. I was very glad I was able to work with Nathan on this project, as it represents a capstone of sorts to our life as a family. He will now have his own family, and a very capable, wise, and energetic wife to assist him with his doings and goings — though I have the impression that yours truly will still be called upon from time to time to offer his very considerable expertise when great projects are underway. One thing is sure: life on this farm will never be drab or boring.

O, the weather forecast is calling for a good bit of rain this week, extending possibly into the weekend. Quien sabe? If it rains on Saturday, it rains. I can hear Nathan saying now: “The Lord knew the hay fields needed it.” And he’d be right.

8:55 AM My mentor in college once told me, “Don’t be too critical of other people and love much” — and I have come to see more and more how wise that advice was. It was a warning against a rather conceited and selfish fault of my own. I think this is what Paul meant when he used that rarest of Greek words in Phil. 4:5 that means “big-heartedness,” “gentleness,” or “forbearing spirit.” I see this, I understand it — but when is God going to break through all my defenses so that I can see not just with my mind but with my heart as well? It was true for my college professor. May it be true for me today!

8:34 AM In one week the long looked-for and long prayer-for day will be upon us. We will open up our home to perhaps several hundreds of friends and family members whose purpose will be to joyfully celebrate the marriage of Nathan and Jessica, who have looked to the Lord God for aid and direction. Becky and I can only stand and gaze in amazement at the goodness of the Lord. At every step we have seen the Lord’s fatherly hand in this blessing. They are acting by the dictates of their conscience, and God is blessing them because of it. They believe that marriage is above all a spiritual covenant, and thus the three-hour dinner and celebration will focus upon the Lord God of Heaven from whom all blessings flow rather than upon the unworthy couple who wed that day. This is as Nate and Jessie desire it. They seek only that their wedding supper be proof of His faithful love. In this freedom I am able to say, “O Lord, bless the union of these Thy humble servants, whose one desire is to live wholly for Thee. Let Thy holy name be praised forever!”

Friday, March 28

6:10 PM Done! Well, almost. Weeding out the garden beds still awaits my labor, not to mention the great cover-up. My un-calloused hands are extremely averse to such work, hence the blisters that have now made their annual appearance after tilling.

6:03 PM Newsflash: China, which of course funds the U.S. debt, ismore capitalistic than America.

In China, they save and invest over 35 percent of their income. In America, we save and invest less than 2 percent of our income. When people come to work for you in China, they don’t ask, “How many days holiday do I get?” they say, “How many days can I come to work?” They want to live like we do, and they’re willing to work hard, invest, and do whatever they’ve got to do. The drive in China is the drive we in America had once.

12:44 PM Time seems to have been oiled this spring, like a thief, for the express purpose of slipping between our fingers. Only 8 days to go. Becky has gone a-shoppin’ with our daughter Liz, while Nathan is down in Carolina delivering this order of 50 bales of hay.

I have been cluttered up with garden work, hoeing and rotary-tilling our raised garden beds in preparation for our first planting of the year. Currently the landscape on the farm is classically lovely, with flowers blooming galore, including these local beauties abutting Bradford Hall:

 

 

The latter is of course my favorite; there is a reason, after all, why we named our farm Rosewood.

O, I want to say thank you to Lew Rockwell for linking today to our essay on “Bush’s War.” I do believe that shortly after 9/11 we had a golden opportunity to solve the problem of terrorism either through Machiavellian means or through cooperation and thus could have gotten rid of Bin Laden & Co. But instead we have devolved into the pitiful situation of the cancer patient who will die if left alone and will die if he undergoes the knife on the operating table. I see no reason to suppose that, when led into the temptations offered so invitingly by political power, any of the presidential candidates will not gleefully succumb to them, in precisely the same way that the current leadership in Washington is doing now. If one wants a demonstration of the basicmisère de l’homme, one could hardly choose better thanClinton, Obama, or McCain.

8:45 AM During my 3 years as a doctoral student at the University of Basel I found my Doktor Vater to be at once utterly brilliant, approachable, rigorous, and caring. In many ways I have sought to emulate him in my own teaching. Professor Reicke had a passion for hard work, detail, and precision. He had an impatience with mental laziness, so-called “relevance,” and bureaucratic ineptitude. Most impressive of all were his curiosity, simplicity, and personal piety. I offer these thoughts because I suppose it is only fair that my own doctoral students know what I expect of them. Doctoral work is the greatest academic challenge a student can face. It should also be the most joyful.

8:32 AM In about 9 weeks Becky and I will be returning to Ethiopia. It sounds like we lead a busy life, and we do, but I cannot imagine life in any other key. I do wonder sometimes whether America will be around when it’s time to return home after one of our trips. The country simply doesn’t understand that we are living beyond our income, and will have to pay for it sooner or later. I fear that the sun is setting in the West and that I must therefore try to be more of an asset than a liability to the kingdom in our remaining days. Please pray for us, more now than ever, as our travels will only get busier in the future and the responsibilities are truly great.

8:25 AM Progress report:

Attic, here we come!  

8:12 AM I just finished reading the entire book of 1 Timothy — a task I have implicitly assigned to my New Testament students for Wednesday next and which I myself must therefore fulfill. Once again, reading a book of the Bible straight through enables one to appreciate the strength and nobility of the language. Style is always something you want to look at in the sense that splendid writing can make seemingly inconsequential notions seem valuable and important. Paul’s first letter to Timothy is a very noble work; like Hebrews, it is a book that finds a form of expression that is esthetically comparable in quality to its subject matter. The odd thing is that every time I read the letter different topics jump out at me as salient. An example is Paul’s exhortation to the “rich” (which today would mean any American when compared to the citizens of almost any other nation) to “do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous, and to be sharers” (6:18). All this is to be done in view of “storing up a treasure … for the future” (6:19). The exhortation proceeds contrapuntally. The two themes run parallel, the after-death experience throwing light on what is going on now in the material world, the events of time taking on a new significance against the backdrop of eternity. This Weltanschauung — this way of looking at our possessions as things we do not possess at all but merely objects we are to “steward” — is a wonderful theme in Scripture and one to which I often return in thinking about the way I choose to invest my time, energy, resources, talents, even my vacations to expand the Gospel. There are, of course, similar utterances to be found among the sayings of our Lord, who made it clear that one cannot serve both God and Money. It is sad to reflect that many scholars think Paul incapable of writing such a letter as 1 Timothy, a conclusion based on a supposed incongruity between form and substance — dense and inspissated sentences replacing the broad generalizations and airy thoughts of the “authentic” Pauline epistles. Here the topic of pseudonymous authorship rears its ungainly head, which we must of course discuss in detail in class next week.

Thursday, March 27

11:30 AM I can remember only one semester since I was six years old when I was not in school as student or teacher. Even during my sabbaticals I am teaching in some foreign land. I must dispense many thousands of words on a weekly basis through public speaking or publishing. Still, I am realizing that the more I speak, the more I need to be silent if I am to remain true to what I say. “In much speaking thou shalt not avoid sin” (Prov. 10:19). I think we expect too much from speaking and too little from silence. Even the great orators of the past knew the value of the “pause for effect.” Without a continuing rhythm of prayer and solitude, public speaking would become just a series of useless utterances.

Then why do I fail to make prayer and silence a major part of my teaching? It seems crucial that I make a concerted effort to listen to God before I preach or teach or speak to others. I see the importance of a better integration between my devotional life and my work. But I have a problem actually doing it. I think the only solution is to set a prayer schedule and never depart from it without consulting the Lord. Make prayer the most important task of the day. Make prayer for my students as important as my lectures to them. All this seems very convincing to me, even obvious. The only task left is to do it.

11:21 AM I am taking the morning off from work, resting up from my head cold of the past two days. Nate’s got some help, though — two friends who volunteered to spend their time and energies doing the necessary grunt work that I normally do. Et moi — what to do other than write?

8:57 AM Unexciting news here. We go back to work on the chimney today, and then I must give a good deal of thought about the talk I am supposed to give in the course of the wedding supper a week from this Saturday. Nathan and Jessica’s relationship is so pure, so simple, so unadorned, so unencumbered by societal and ecclesiastical tradition — I think there is so much that is scriptural about all this, hence the question: which Scriptures do I use, and which do I leave out? I have asked the Lord Jesus about this but have not received any clear direction yet. All in good time.

Wednesday, March 26

6:23 PM The latest addition to our home page is called Bush’s War.

5:29 PM A big Wednesday shout out to the students from Union University in Jackson, TN, who visited our New Testament class today. Glad you could join us. And glad to hear your school is recovering from the tornado. I also want to thank those students who were kind enough to read aloud in class today from our essay on the discourse structure of Philippians. You did a magnificent job. What a load to carry! Above all, I thank God for the message of Philippians. Certainly all of us must have an interest in the spread of God’s Good news outside of our own circumscribed bailiwick. “Laymen” have their contribution to make if they are trained in righteousness and the Word of God and have a sense of mission. Oh the unity we have in Christ, if we would only unify around the Gospel! Next week we’ll discuss in detail the requirements for spiritual leadership in the church as we study the book of 1 Timothy. I have already decided to focus on the spiritual requirements, which we can often prattle away from memory but which too often flow from our mouths without much meaning. Following Christ was no complacent status quo then nor can we allow it to be so now. Of course, that was when being a follower of Christ was to risk your neck. But I think those days are not too far off for us today in America.

Meanwhile Becky and Nathan have gone off to visit Jessie’s family in Franklin. Becky will love their home and animals. Nate will be teaching from 1 Corinthians 8 tonight, but I will have to miss it because I am running on 4 (out of 8) cylinders and can’t stop sneezing. I am sad that I will have to forego his insights.

One more thought on today’s class. Despite the honest effort I make to be understood, I feel such inadequacy trying to communicate to my people a particle of what I have seen and felt, heard and pondered through my own study of Philippians. If I could expand these 3 hours into a 3 semester study we might do a bit better. Most of us have so little background in language or linguistics, so little knowledge of history, ancient or modern; our roots are so thin and brittle. I studied absolutely nothing about how language works when I was in college and seminary, and history was too narrowly ecclesiastical to be dignified as history at all. Very few relations were established between Christ’s Body the church and the body of society. It was as though the Divine Word had been incarnated in ectoplasm. The social scientists, as well as biblical linguists, have guided my continuing effort to understand the what and the how, the why and the when. But alas! There is still so much to know, so much of the text to read, so much of ancient history to study, so many tangled strands to plait into the tapestry that we call Scripture. Even when we apply ourselves we can know so little and only then at such a price of persistent toil. Still, I must hold up the Light. That’s all a teacher can do, really. But I do pity my poor students, who must feel like they are drinking from a fire hose.

Tuesday, March 25

4:58 AM O, what a writer is F. F. Bruce! He has a very clear, hard, and acute intelligence and very considerable knowledge, not merely of biblical subjects but of history and even literature. He is a stimulating companion. No wonder why so many Americans studied with him in Manchester.

On the farm front, we have begun to have some warmth, real warmth, but the spring season is by no means well established and the weather, instead of being set, is still variable. This past weekend saw perfect wedding weather (our celebration will be outdoors), and one can only hope for a repeat performance in less than two weeks. Rain or shine, however, we will still have daffodils, and the red buds will be in blossom. Nathan told me the other day that he had always wanted a spring wedding. Isn’t God good? 

Off to school.  

Monday, March 24

9:04 PM Our precious Shiloh passed away 10 minutes ago. He had been at death’s door for several days. He died quietly on the floor in our kitchen. He was a part of our life until the very end.

Francis of Assisi saw every creature as a messenger from God. The cricket, the donkey, each told him something about their common heavenly Father. They spoke of God’s love and power, His creativity and majesty and kindness. We are made for community, he said. We are interdependent. We must share ourselves with each other if we are to be truly human. I think this includes the animals around us. In this blog I tell about goodness and glory, but also about weakness and death, because I write about the human condition. The whole creation exists to worship God, and that includes a 55-year-old man who loves his animals deeply and grieves when they are gone. Shiloh was a gift of Creation, created by God for my enjoyment but not my control. He that giveth has taken away, and His name is blessed.

Shiloh was with us since he was a brand new puppy, a total of 12 wonderful years. He was the last of our animals that moved with us from California 10 years ago. He will be buried tomorrow in our farm cemetery. 

Goodbye, our precious puppy. We loved you. Thank you for loving us so well. We will miss you.

6:48 PM Nathan never did call. He couldn’t fix his well. Seems he needs a new water pump. So we took Jessie to unload a trailer full of manure. Here’s her very first fling. Nice form, eh?

Then she learned how to drive our “farm vehicle” — Nate’s Club Wagon. Go Jessie!

All in the life of a funny farm family.

2:37 PM Today Jessica and her mom and aunt came a-visitin’. It was Becky’s first time to meet our new daughter in person.

After Becky had served a delicious lunch of tacos and fajitas, it was time to open presents to Nathan and Jessica from their friends and loved ones in Ethiopia. Here Jessie models a traditional costume given to her by the church in Burji.

Right now everyone has gone off to Nathan and Jessie’s farm, where Nate is fixing his well pump. He tells me he might want to work on his chimney this afternoon, so I’m “on call.” The day started off cold and dreary, but the sun is now peeking through the clouds, and I wonder if the sheikh being with his sheikha had something to do with it.

9:54 AM Last Saturday we were visited by some JWs — four dear elderly African-American ladies, with whom I had a most delightful chat. I politely refused their tracts and tried to turn the conversation toward the Scriptures when out came a colorful pamphlet with an overview of their work in about 50 languages. When they heard that I was a Greek teacher, they excitedly turned to the page with Modern Greek, while I duly read aloud and translated — along with the German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and one or two others. I attempted — and succeeded, I believe — to be as pleasant as possible, even though our theologies scarcely matched. “Aren’t you glad we both believe in Jesus?” the eldest asked, speaking for the group. “Yes, indeed,” I replied, adding, “But who exactly is Jesus —  that is the question.” “But we are all children of God,” she insisted,” because we have all descended from Adam and Eve.” “It is true that we are all God’s creation,” was my reply. “But only those for whom the Christ of the Bible is Savior and Lord is God truly Father.” I had to excuse myself as I was in the middle of mixing mortar, but I said that if they should ever come back again, they would have to agree in all subsequent conversations to use only the Bible, “in the original languages,” I quipped, at which they broke out in laughter.

How can we stand by without compassion and love for such people? I cannot comprehend the fundamentalists who revile them, tear them down. Surely one can have compassion without being rude. It is supreme uncharity to treat them as witches, yet that is in fact what we do. It shows our fear of them. I am a fundamentalist when it comes to the fundamentals of the faith. Yet how odd that both sides, clashing with different theologies, so often conspire to destroy the true nature of God while attempting to substitute for it the madness of a particular brand of fervor.

As those dear ladies drove down our long gravel driveway, I prayed for them, that the One who has the power to open blind eyes to false teaching would do so — and in the same breath I asked myself, Where were the men?

Sunday, March 23

9:48 PM Tonight I am drawn to Hendricksen’s commentary on Philippians. He has put his considerable insight at the service of students — if they would listen. I like his application of the Greek text the best. Read him and see for yourself. All are welcome to share his clarify, his wisdom, his seasoned judgment. I like his depth too. Contact with such minds is a rare pleasure. Most of today’s commentaries pale in comparison (same old, same old…).

9:20 PM Our cantata music went quite well today, even though our choir director took ill and was absent. Of course, the Easter traditions I have long felt to be nothing but glitter. The obsession with institutionalism and ritualism is something the evangelical church has long possessed. Yet the Holy Spirit is still at work in our institutions and rituals. Love is more important than the external forms of “doing church,” and a small, apparently tradition-bound congregation held together by strong bonds of love may be of far greater significance than an apparently “New Testament” church that is in reality permeated with an over-emphasis upon the wineskins. The reality of genuine friendship, spontaneity, and spiritual liberty is of the greatest importance, and too much emphasis on the externals can be stupefying. For me, today’s glitter ceased to matter. It was, in one sense, even beautiful.

8:55 AM My brief message this morning was taken from John 21, where the risen Jesus feeds the disciples breakfast. Christ does not live in a sealed vacuum but has infleshed Himself in a world of 3-dimensional humans. He knows that our souls inform our bodies with 5 senses, and a stomach. In the simplest equation this means food — “Come and eat breakfast.” He knew they were tired and hungry. He, the Lord of glory, the risen, resurrected, ruling Savior, serves them a meal. The Lord’s Supper becomes the Lord’s Breakfast. If we are to follow in His footsteps, we must serve others like Him. This “mindset” (Phil. 2:5) is ours with Christ and in Him and through Him. But the privilege implies great responsibilities! Thus was my simple challenge from God’s Word to our community here in Southside Virginia —  neighbors, friends, farmers, and fellow pilgrims and strangers on earth.

Saturday, March 22

6:02 PM Just visited Nathan for a few minutes with the doggies. He was on the phone with his sweetie pie (hi Jessie!). This is how far we got today on the upstairs portion of the chimney:

And this is how things look from downstairs:

Nathan has already picked out the mantle from his storage barn: massive and hand-carved. His house is beginning to look more and more like the set to the movie Gone With the Wind. Just beautiful. It was warm today, a pleasant 70 degrees, and I’m growing accustomed to the spring-like weather. To Becky it feels cold (it was very hot in southern Ethiopia). Most exciting of all: Our cutting season will soon begin. But first things first: we’ve got to finish the chimney. The next step is to get the stone mantel upstairs and in place. I asked Nathan, How in the world are we going to do that? He replied, “With great difficulty.” A man of few words. But he’ll figure something out.

5:03 PM Today while working Nate asked me a question I had never been asked before: “What time did you get up in the morning when you lived in Hawaii?” We were discussing the fact that we’d have to arise early tomorrow for the sunrise service. I had to think before answering it. I told him that my daily schedule all centered on my surfing life. If it was a school day and I couldn’t surf until that afternoon, I got up just in time to get to class. If, on the other hand, it was during summer break or winter vacation, I was normally up and out of the house by 5:00 am. We always tried to get to the North Shore before sunrise to beat the crowds. I can still remember being able to hear those monster waves long before we could actually see them. We would surf until about noon then head back home and pig out at one of those plate lunch drive-ins. (Anyone who has lived in Hawaii knows exactly what I’m talking about.) Nate asked me if the waves were better in the morning or the afternoon. Interestingly, local weather conditions rarely affected surfing conditions in Hawaii, at least with big waves. These were generated by storms thousands of miles away in the Aleutian Islands. On the other hand, for smaller waves (Ala Moana, Waikiki), the waves tended to become windblown and choppy in the afternoon as the trade-winds picked up. Did I ever surf when there were NO waves? All the time. I surfed EVERY day, waves or no waves. Surfers are the world’s ultimate optimists, and we always “knew” that a big wave was just over the horizon!

Below: One of my favorite spots on the North Shore, the Banzai Pipeline on a small-sized day with perfect conditions. Takes your breath away, doesn’t it?

4:32 PM Because ofthis horse, my life was made more wonderful. I lost him to cancer exactly 3 years ago today. How often would I give my friend a whistle and he would come ambling over for a rub and some oats. Conquering that Everest called riding became a consuming passion for me. It seemed as impossible as leaping the Empire State Building. But Cody was a good teacher, and finally I learned how to walk, trot, canter, gallop, and RIDE. What memories! It was obvious why Cody and I were such good friends. He loved me, and I loved him. That love grew with every experience we shared. Today I daydreamed about riding Cody and the years of pleasure we shared together. Odd isn’t it — the pain of missing him is still present after all this time. Spose it always will.

8:21 AM I am still hoping we can hold a conference on patristic hermeneutics next year. Of course, I have a deep personal interest in the subject since chapter 2 of my book on the Gospels is nothing but a fresh translation and interpretation of the fathers. To put it plainly,Why Four Gospels? attempts to show how in actuality a Baptist living in the twenty-first century is able to read the early fathers and identify with them as much in the same way as he would read a modern author like Carl Henry or Donald Bloesch. This is not to say that I am in perfect agreement with everything in the fathers. In the first place, these writers are not always in agreement with each other, and all of them make statements that a Baptist would not readily accept as they stand. Nevertheless, these writings have proved relevant and stimulating to me in an evangelical context. One paper I listened to in Dallas pointed out that the fathers need to be exegeted in the light of the normal rules of interpretation. This is one of the things I have tried to do in the last few years of my own academic life (Origen being a case in point). Doubtless I myself have been guilty of misinterpretation, and I still feel somewhat of a “bystander” in that none of my degrees is in Dogmengeschichte. Should that preclude one from studying the fathers? I think not, and I am growing daily in my appreciation for their works.

7:59 AM Becky’s body clock is 8 hours ahead of mine, so she was up bright and early this morning. She’s got to reorient herself to farm life, then begin preparations for hosting several hundred people at the farm, plus all the normal chores that go with the house and homestead. She looks great (in fact, really great) and is successfully fighting her head cold. Nate just now walked up to our house and I can hear them yakking away in the kitchen. Such a lovely sound. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do, so it may be a while before Becky can publish a report of her trip, though when she does, be prepared to sit at your computer for a good while with a strong cup of coffee.

7:53 AM Two weeks.

Friday, March 21

7:02 PM God indeed hears our prayers. I just brought Becky home from the airport. This joyful experience has dominated the entire day. And do you know what she had a craving for? Mexican food. It is indeed a season of joy! There is no longer any doubt that her trip was perfectly timed. The last 2 and a half months have revealed to me how demanding — and delightful — the love of the Lord is. I can never be happy unless I am totally, unconditionally committed to Him. And what a joy to be “single-minded” with one’s spouse and to “will one thing.” By allowing the Lord Jesus to be the center of one’s marriage, life becomes so much simpler, more unified, more focused, doesn’t it? In every respect, then, a day of great rejoicing. His Light has shone in the darkness. In a million ways I feel indebted to you, dear reader, for the unbelievable beauty of your prayers. What else can I say but “Thank you!”

9:21 AM Just put another load of clothes in the washer in anticipation of the great home coming. How shall I describe this day? How shall I express the feelings and thoughts that come together in joyful celebration? Nathan is not the only man eager to welcome his bride home! I think that Christian marriage takes hold on us when each partner sees himself no longer in the perspective of individual fulfillment and satisfaction but in the light of the cross. A biblical marriage is a rejection of the false view of the complete autonomy of the individual, who is no longer responsible to anyone, who is free to do exactly what he pleases without rendering an account to anyone and without considering the consequences of his actions. Living under the marital cross means that Becky and I have but one goal: to hear the voice of God and to obey it, immediately and unconditionally. It seems to me that it is a characteristic of pseudo-Christianity that, while claiming to serve God, it merely becomes a social mechanism for self-indulgence. Thus gradually the determination to advance selfish causes becomes a function of the church — perhaps even its primary function. Let me remind you of Becky’sdefinition of the kingdom:

The Kingdom is composed of those people who are characterized by two things: First, they have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have embraced the salvation it offers. Second, they have been taught the teachings of Jesus as Lord and have a heart of willing obedience to those teachings (Matt. 28:19-).

This is precisely the attitude we have lost in the American church, because we have lost our fundamentally biblical view of Jesus. We are concerned with “success” rather than faithfulness — with “practicality” and “efficiency.” We thereby become the prisoners of self and lose all sense of values. Claiming to love God, we have in reality dispensed ourselves from all obligations to love anyone and are content to remain in our little circles and cliques.

O Father, let me today be free from false Christianity. Let me have a “willing heart of obedience” to follow and serve Thee whithersoever Thou leadest me. Forgive me for being content to remain in my clique. Let me hear Thy voice and obey it — immediately and without equivocation. 

8:49 AM In Dallas a relative asked me why I blogged. I told her that my blog is nothing more than a personal interpretation of my world. In elaborating such a version one inevitably tells something of oneself. But my blog is not meant to be a venture in self-revelation or self-discovery. Nor do I offer “answers” to life’s pressing problems. I do have answers, but I think I have more questions, and I question nothing so much as theviability of “expert” answers, including my own. Maybe the best way to characterize my blog is to say that it consists of a series of sketches and meditations, some literary, some poetic, others theological and even linguistic, fitted together spontaneously and in such a way that they react upon each other. I simply record ways in which I view the world, or a small part of it, without attempting to be formal or even organized. To put it plainly, I blog because I enjoy it, though I do not delude myself that I am saying anything of eternal value. I also feel a responsibility, in a sense, to enter the world of ideas by offering at least a few contemplative and introspective ideas of my own. That is one of the things this blog attempts to do. It gives a personal view of contemporary questions — with a touch of farm life thrown in for the reader’s amusement.

Of course, I did not say all of this when asked why I blog, but if I had had the time it is what I should likely have said.

7:46 AM The latest addition to our home page is calledBeyond Lone Ranger Christianity.

Thursday, March 20

7:11 PM Had a superb nap. My feeling of fatigue and lassitude is gone. Went back to work with Nathan some more. We’re now working from the second floor, Gott sei Dank.

The puppies were happy to see Nate, and I think the feeling was mutual. After all, this used to be Sheppie’s house too.

I’ve now come back to Bradford Hall to prepare supper. While walking with the dogs I thought to myself how enjoyable farming is: getting into great shape, learning some manual skills, knowing more about animals and trees, getting to do challenging projects. I snapped the photo below on the walk home. Nate and I are both huge chicken lovers. I’m not sure why. Yes, we enjoy their eggs, and their meat. I guess by watching them we also become aware of the simplicity of life as God intended it. I am overwhelmed by the realization that for most of my adult life I had no inkling of that.

Time to cook.

2:59 PM My word, but Lawrence Vance slices the cake withthis essay on perpetual war. What he says about our religion of nationalism is interesting (Roosevelt once referred to our “preparedness for ever” in order to crush evil in the rest of the world). It really makes one gasp. One wonders which is greatest, the inanity or hubris of our leaders. I think it is their hubris. The ideas that inspire them are fundamentally rooted in egoism, as in Machiavelli’s The Prince. Contrast that with one of Machiavelli’s contemporaries, Erasmus of Rotterdam and (if I may also remind everyone, if only because I used to live there) Basel. Erasmus’s Christian Prince is truly marvelous, the very opposite of Machiavelli. Both authors remind us that there is nothing new under the sun, that despotism always settles in the saddle when it is allowed to do so by the masses, and that men of genius are just as susceptible to revving up the God-machine as the rest of us are. A future of poverty, hunger, and dirt looms menacingly. But who in America really cares! This is indeed where the love of Jesus comes into play, or ought to. I never feel that I am performing a wholly worthwhile act except when I am serving others. Then and only then one is not wasting time.

2:38 PM Right now Becky has just checked her luggage at Bole Airport and has gotten her seat assignment for the leg to Amsterdam. Her flight leaves in just over an hour from Addis. Then it’s on to Detroit and thence to RDU, where she will be met by one happy feller. Meanwhile, Nate and I are preparing the farm for a very special occasion. Only 16 days to go, in fact. We just got back from unloading a trailer-full of scrap iron at the local dump. Got a whopping 60 bucks for it, too. It’s stuff that needed to go, as we always need more Lebensraum at the farm. Also picked up more sand and mortar in South Boston.

I am taking the rest of the day off, until I have to cook supper, that is. My left foot has proved very tiresome and it drains me of my energy. But the donkey work has got to be done, and in the nature of things I am the one upon whom this work normally devolves. Next week a DBO reader (whom I’ve never met) and his college-aged son are coming over to help us with farm work, and their work will be greatly appreciated by this father-son duo. Since my recent travels, my margin of reserve strength has somewhat diminished, but it’s nothing a good afternoon nap can’t take care of. On the whole, the work here is demanding but quite pleasant, though on occasion I am tempted to strike for higher wages. 

8:27 AM My week off from teaching draws to a close. Today it’s back to chimneying. Tomorrow we pick up Becky. Then it’s back to the classroom. I do miss my students: knowledgeable, talented, generous persons almost to a man, many of them husbands and wives who really want to put on Christ and make Him the center of their being and have Him grow inside of both of themselves, so that they may more truly be conjoined to Him. On Sunday I will speak about what Christ’s life is all about, both in 33 AD and in 2008 AD, and next year and next century. We have in our association of churches many elderly folk, and I do hope that the service will be moved indoors (a low of 34 is anticipated for Sunday morning). I certainly desire to avoid your stereotypical Easter sermon. Intriguing how words lose their power, how they just peter out! They grow old and tired and empty. Easter is an old worn-out word. To the mind’s eye it conjures up bunnies and hard-boiled eggs and church-wide breakfasts and cantatas. It is, of course, much more than that — as well as much less, forevery Sunday is resurrection Sunday. God help me to do more than preach a “good Easter sermon”!

8:15 AM A former student of mine emailed me this morning to ask: Did Jesus say to Mary, “Do not touch me” (NET Bible) or “Do not hold on to me” (God’s Word) in John 20:17? The latter is certainly in keeping with the Greek syntax here. Titian has a painting of Mary cringing in fear at the feet of Jesus, afraid even to touch Him.

It is more likely that Mary has already embraced the Lord. She wants to hold on to Him the way He used to be. But there are things the risen Jesus must do yet. If she doesn’t let Him go, she might miss out on these blessings. Instead, she must go and tell the Good News. “Tell them that God is doing something brand new, and you yourself have seen it!” Now and again we must withdraw from the pressing demands of business and home, forsake the relaxing small talk of the coffee table in order to penetrate more deeply into this commission that Christ died and rose again to give us. As Nathan taught us from 1 Corinthians 7 last evening, husband and wife find unity in seeking Christ together. Seated side by side they ponder the same Truth, thrill to the same Love, follow the same Way, move to the same Life — even if at times this calls for temporary separation. To be fused into one by the flame of God’s love — that’s the great uniqueness of a Christian marriage. Let us not cling to our spouses, as if marital happiness were the goal of life. Let us live for Someone bigger than us by telling others this great Good News.

Wednesday, March 19

2:34 PM Eric Carpenterdoesn’t celebrate Easter. Good for him. If I were a theologian, I might put it this way (pardon the analogy, but I’ve got marriage on my mind these days): To wed a pagan holiday with Christianity is not only a marriage beneath the church’s dignity, it is emotionally unsatisfying, logically repugnant, and ontologically impossible of consummation. Take that all you Easter-egg-hunters out there!

What, then, will I be doing this Sunday, you ask? Preaching at our regional Sunrise Service and then singing in our church’s Easter Cantata. “You hypocrite!” Okay, maybe. But I’m preaching because our pastor is recovering from an automobile accident and asked me to substitute for him, and I’m singing because our choir director desperately needs basses and “insisted” (in a very friendly way) that I help the choir since I wasn’t on the road this weekend as I usually am, etc., etc., etc. Folks, all I can say is that I will feel no closer to Jesus on this “Easter Sunday” than on any other day of the year. But I will feel close to my brothers and sisters because I love them just the way they are. If that doesn’t make any sense to you, join the club; I hardly know what to think of it myself. But how can I make progress in my community if I jettison my friends simply because we don’t agree on secondary matters? These are the same people who love me and Becky unconditionally and who pray constantly for us and our work. I once put it this way in class: “I do not know of any family that is not at least partially dysfunctional, and I do not know of any church that is not the same. Why should I exchange my dysfunctional church for your dysfunctional church?” As Bush senior would put it, “Nope. Ain’t gonna do it.”

1:55 PM We’ve heard from the world traveler! She’s back in Addis Ababa, putting the final touches on her busy 10 and a half week trip. After her meetings in Burji she met with the director of medical work in Awassa, then with some friends from Alaba (who actually drove to meet her in Shashamanee), and is now back in her “palace.” Believe me, I do not take this for granted. Nor would you, if you ever traveled on the infamous two-lane “Pan African” highway at supersonic speeds. Becky also said a brief goodbye to Aberesh, Tilahun, and Baby Nathan in Dila. I look forward to debriefing with her after she returns. There will be much to talk about, and many important decisions to make about our work in Ethiopia. Not to mention a wedding to prepare for. Please do not forget to pray for her. She said she thinks she might be coming down with a head cold.

The only news here is that we have taken a bit of a break from working on the chimney to play catch up on other projects today. In my case this means running errands and deep cleaning the house in view of the parousia (note the small “p”), while Nate is taking care of odds and ends over at his and Jessica’s farm. I did want Mama B to catch a glimpse of home life one last time before she jumps aboard her big jet liner tomorrow night. Here Liz and the boys help Nathan celebrate the big two five. Nathan is wearing an exotic wedding hat I bought for him in the Middle East. He balances it nicely on his head, don’t you think?

Here Mr. Micah prepares to entertain us with his rendition of Happy Birfday. At one point all three pairs of hands were doing arpeggios. Magnificent. 

Finally, I couldn’t resist posting this pic. Look at what I pulled out of our vacuum today. No wonder it was sputtering. Not to worry, though, honey. Yours truly has now vacuumed the entire house and even mopped all the floors (if you can believe that). Your house should be spotless (by male standards, of course) when you arrive home!

To end on a more serious note: Undoubtedly Becky will be exhausted when she gets back. She has given and given and it’s not over yet. This is her nature. There are many ways of saying, “I love you.” But I can’t think of a better way than simply helping out a brother (or a sister, as in this case), can you? The world’s in a mess. The world’s torn asunder by hate. Only love can cure this hate. Only Christ’s love. But love can be demanding, and so much more difficult that gallivanting around to gawk at the world’s marvels. Unless I am badly misjudging, my wife qualifies as a Proverbs 31 woman in every possible way. But it is Christ living in her. To take just one example: her occupying temporary quarters wherever she went. She never fretted about that. Her thinking was: “Well, has not Christ occupied temporary quarters before I ever did? Remember, there was only a barn on the night He first arrived.” Such love, Christ’s love, we have discovered, opens up great possibilities and responsibilities in Ethiopia. But it is all God’s work. Christ did not abrogate but rather confirmed by His own life the commandment “bear one another’s burdens” as well as “and thy neighbor as thyself.” May His great name be praised forever.

8:22 AM The latest addition to our home page is calledContemptus Mundi.

7:16 AM In the past few months I’ve had some very stimulating discussions with students who are interested in pursuing doctoral studies. I find these discussions immensely profitable. My constant plea is that we invigorate the academy not only from the topdownward but also from the bottom percolating upward. I feel I must do everything I can to encourage a grassroots ferment of intellectual life in the church. The best scholarship is a vineyard that not only grows into the airy reaches of the academy but that likewise sinks its roots into the earthy soil of the workaday world. As the apostle John might have put it, verbum incarnandum est. The scholar is to incarnate Christ, not only in the classroom but in his personal, professional, and political life. We must conceive of education as affecting all of life. I am thus very excited when I see thoughtful, mature, and dedicated students making pioneer forays into scholarship, and I find myself doing whatever I can to help them on their way. Such scholarship — the hard discipline of study, reason, and deliberation, all in the service of the church — is, I believe, most urgently needed today.

6:57 AM I am a Thomas. The name means “twin,” and the early fathers often commented that all of us are “two people,” a doubting one and a believing one. It is very important, I think, to be deeply aware of this.

6:45 AM After the live radio performance of Brahm’s Requiem on Monday night, the audience began applauding, and applauding, and applauding. No commentary from the radio announcer. Just unending clapping and cheering. So God has created us to be His audience. We exist to applaud Him, encore after encore. We who are the church are to live to the praise of His glory. Sometimes I think I have barely begun to perceive the breadth, depth, and dimension of this privilege. I pray that my students may see me loving God with more and more of my strength and loving my neighbor with a greater fraction of my own self love.

Tuesday, March 18

5:29 PM Brief farm update: This weekend Nathan was eager to try out Hercules. With his new track loader we can do in 5 minutes what would take us at least a week to do by hand. This is the “farm” way of doing things. Save on labor when you can, but do it the hard way if you must. Personally, I find much consolation in having Hercules around. No more back-breaking brush clearing. I can now wear myself out by hauling bricks and mortar. Sometimes I wonder: Am I growing old? To “grow old” is to live life less as an attempt to conquer new territories and more as a grateful response to the good gifts of God. There’s no doubt that I’m aging. Everyone does that. But I refuse to “grow old” yet!

At any rate, here are a few pix for your agrarian amusement, beginning with the “damage” old Herc did behind the new hay barn.

This morning Nate sold this flooring and make a purty good profit too. Craig’s List is really something.

The soon-to-be-wedded farm manager couldn’t wait to show me the new stone mantel he scavenged up from a neighboring farmer. It was too heavy for even two men to lift. Nate hauled it to the farm with his tractor, then rolled it to the base of the chimney using logs, then hoisted it up with his hydraulic lift. Nice job, don’t you think?

This is how far we got today. As the ancient Chinese proverb puts it, “A journey of a thousand miles is made one brick at a time” (or something like that). Onward and upward! 

The daffodils are everywhere on the farm. All because of the foresight of Nathan, who planted them years ago. They sure brighten up our life here. 

Tomorrow is the groom’s birthday. Guess who’s coming over to spend the day with us? Yep, the bride and her mama. Lots of decisions still to make about the renovation. Should be a great time. Meanwhile Liz and the boys are joining us for supper tonight for a “pre-celebration” dinner. Liz has cooked Nate’s favorite meal: fried chicken, smashed potatoes, and peas. Can’t wait….

9:58 AM Jessica tells “the story.” 

9:29 AM Becky will return home in exactly 4 days. “Absence makes the heart fonder,” it is said. Isn’t this true of all important relationships in life? I wonder if the first apostles felt the same thing when Jesus left them. When He was with them for three and a half years, they could never fully comprehend His presence. Only after He had ascended did they understand how close to Him they had really been. I have never “seen” Jesus. Yet I miss Him. “Although you have never seen Christ, you love Him” (1 Pet. 1:8). The only reason I am here on this earth — I mean, the only reason I should be here — is to love Him and serve Him until I see Him “face to face,” “as He is.” Meanwhile, all I am has become “waiting.” 

9:14 AM While visiting an Asian country recently I was ushered into a church sanctuary and shown its brand-new stained-glass windows from Germany.

It struck me that teaching is like that. My task is not to make beautiful windows but to help my students see them. Only by entering with me into the experience will any real learning take place. I often wonder, Do they see the same colors I see when the sunlight shines through the windows of my Greek New Testament? This is the side of teaching I tend to forget. I cannot “see” the stained glass for my students.

In the end, all learning is self-learning. 

8:40 AM Thoughts on the weekend and the SBL meeting:

1) Becky met with the civil authorities in Burji and then was asked by the church elders to meet with the government official who oversees all medical work in southern Ethiopia. I have not had a report of that meeting. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear.

2) I am attracted to joyful scholarship. Dale Allison’s plenary paper at the conference was exemplary in this regard. There was nothing of the “dolorism” one often finds in key-note speakers. Thank God!

3) I met many students at the meeting. Eager, bright-eyed, optimistically anticipating the future. I was able to share with them a few thoughts on education from my own academic pilgrimage. We had some very enjoyable conversations. Made me miss my own students. Every time I think about them I am reminded of the need to pray for them. Even small tasks such as memorizing Greek vocabulary can become an anxiety-provoking burden. I pray during certain hours but especially while walking to class. In prayer I have a chance to serve my students as much as during my lectures, perhaps even more so. There is always a great temptation to do our work in the flesh, whether as teacher or student. But for anything of eternal value to be accomplished the work must be spiritual from beginning to end. During the last few weeks I have begun to realize this more and more. In prayer we have a chance to open our hearts just a little to God and seek His promises to those who wait upon Him in faithfulness. Even when I feel a total failure after lecturing, as I often do, I know that my prayers for my students are not in vain.

4) The TV in my Dallas hotel room had a zillion channels and one of those giant analog screens. I did not watch it much, as there was little of viewable value. I thought of the irony: millions of dollars spent by producers and station owners to lure the viewer, who finds nothing worth viewing. C. K. Chesterton wrote in his book, St. Francis of Assisi, that Francis was the most joyful of saints though he was a severe ascetic. His joy about all that God created was born out of his realization of its dependence on God. TV is the nemesis to this, I think. “How interesting, how fascinating, how insightful” — I can say this of books but not of the one-eyed idol.

5) I spent Sunday evening and Monday morning with Becky’s mom and dad. I spoke on missions at First Baptist Church Murphy then we went out for Bar-B-Q, real Bar-B-Q. I ordered a full rack of baby back ribs. Yesterday we enjoyed Ethiopian food at the Lalibela restaurant in Dallas. Mom and dad will be arriving at the farm on the Wednesday before the wedding. They can’t wait to meet Lady Jessica. They are in for a real treat.

6) What perhaps struck me most in this conference was the idea that modern biblical scholarship seems committed to new approaches. I tend to agree with the principle but still feel uncomfortable by the consequences drawn from it. The radical and even reactionary ideas being promulgated concern me. Part of the problem, I’m sure, is terminological. (One paper referred to “Jewish Christians” such as Peter as “Judean Christ-followers.” Of course, Peter was a Galilean. Other terms being bandied about were “Second Isaiah,” “Implied Reader,” “Progymmasmata,” “Gendered Ritual Space,” and “Haggadic Concord.” Why should a doctor tell you your child is turning blue when he can say he’s “cyanotic”?!!!) On a deeper level I wonder how much of scholarly work has to do with ego inflation. Papers often reveal less about a particular topic and more about how the scholar thinks about himself and how important he has made his own ideas and insights. I could say more, but I’ll leave it at that.

All in all, a good conference and a great weekend. But I missed the farm and Nathan.

Monday, March 17

11:22 PM Back from Dallas. Just walked in the door. A marvelous trip. The best part? Driving home just now from the airport. The classical music station played Brahm’s Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem). O, what a Godsend! And how grateful I am that I know German!

Selig sind die Toten, die in dem Herrn sterben, von nun an. Ja der Geist spricht, daß sie ruhen von ihrer Arbeit; denn ihre Werke folgen ihnen nach.

(Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord, from henceforth. Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.)

I am so moved I can hardly write. Several years ago Becky and I sang this magnificent requiem with the Northeast Piedmont Chorale during our first year with the group. Is there a better place than heaven? The river of the water of life! The throne of God and of the Lamb! His servants shall worship Him! They shall see His face! Night shall be no more! For the Lord God will be their light!

Am I living in the fall or winter of my life? It matters not! “Death, thou shalt die” (John Donne). Lobe den Herrn!

Friday, March 14

7:37 AM In case you’re interested, here’s thewebsite for this weekend’s meeting. I look forward to attending the following sessions (among others): “The Emergent Church: Ideology or Utopia?,” “Topics of Encomion and Matthew: How Ancient Compositional Training Has Shaped the Structure and Content of the First Gospel,” “Arguments for Q Revisited,” “Breaking the Betrothal Bonds: Hospitality in John 4,” “John’s Gospel and the Imperial Cult,” “Gendered Ritual Space and Early Christian Women at Philippi,” “Democracy and Islam,” “A Pauline Reprise: Unpacking a Generation of Scholarship,” and, my favorite, “Complimentary Lunch.”

7:24 AM I’ve had the privilege of teaching 6 times in South Korea in various seminaries. My favorite food in the whole world is Korean. I even have a Korean name! So is it any wonder that I should add to my home pageessays in Korean? Special thanks to my assistant Dae Yoo (photo) for translating them for me. He’s currently working on several others. If you see anything that should be translated but isn’t, let us know.

 

4:52 AM Kevin O’Shaughnessy just posted a nifty photo and description of my alma mater in Switzerland. Check it out here.

4:49 AM It is early morning: beautiful, dark, very pleasant, a good day to soar at 30,000 feet. In a short time I shall look at the rising sun and feel that I see what my beloved witnessed 8 hours ago, the same sun and all ofcreation praising God for this day. I am looking forward to the ephemeral pleasure of academic meetings in Dallas, along with publishers conferences and, of course, some good Texas Bar-B-Q. “I am sure we honor God more,” wrote Bonhoeffer, “if we gratefully accept the life he gives us with all its blessings, loving it and drinking it to the full … than we do if we are insensitive toward life.” SBL meetings are enjoyable, if curious events. In many ways, biblical scholarship is bankrupt. After centuries of “observation” and “investigation” we have lost our way in a desert of uninterpretable facts or — to believe some of the world’s leading New Testament scholars — not facts at all but fictitious events, events that never happened, words that were never said but were put on the lips of the Jesus by His followers. Our doctoral dissertations only perpetuate the fraud. I will say it again (not that it really matters):arrogant scholarship is no scholarship at all. This has to be made clear to our students. Can’t we do something more than give them nonsense? I, too, must repent of this sin and come to a turning point: shall I continue to clothe the truth in a good coat of inanity? Shall I continue to preach open-mindedness yet be so dogmatic? Shall I insist on clarity from my students yet obfuscate myself? Someday I shall learn how to teach! And why should our students not be taught to question things rather than sit around with rubber stamps in their hands?

Such, then, are the rambling thoughts of a New Testament student and gladiator as he prepares to enter the arena of academic scholarship again. Should be fun.

Thursday, March 13

6:52 PM It was on my very first trip to Burji near Kenya that I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved those people, even though we were complete strangers, and that they were mine and I theirs, that we all belonged to God. The whole idea was preposterous. Who were these people? Why did I love them so? They were the members of a tribe among whom my in-laws had labored to build the first school, open the first clinic, and preach the Good News. I realized then and there that I had a responsibility for them as a result of the link between Becky’s family and mine. Through my wife — can’t you just see her as a 10-year-old playing with the children of Burji? — I am one with them. They are not “they” but us.

Becky and I joke every time we visit Burji that she will build a little hut in the highlands as her second home and that I will come and visit her whenever I’m not teaching. We feel open, free, relaxed among these saints who live at the end of the road, on the top of the world, in the depths of our heart. Here I sit in the comfort of Bradford Hall, deeply struck by these contrasting panoramas. How often have we walked together from village to village! When we are with them we feel our own strengths and weaknesses without any praise or criticism from them. When I am in Burji, at the top of the world, it seems that these are the most precious moments of life.

This weekend the little girl who grew up in Burji will not be anticipating being back home; she will actually be there — living a simple and sober life, not trying to be different from them in externals, working with them and expending her time and energy. My mind has a picture of people embracing each other with tears of joy! It is this understanding of love that I must slowly learn. My love too often proves to be tentative, a momentary attraction. Indeed, how divided my heart is! I want to serve God but also to be a “success” as a teacher and speaker. I want to follow Christ but also to be popular and liked by others. “One thing!” Paul said (Phil 1:27) — then why am I double-minded, double-hearted, doubly-devoted? Today Becky is proving that you cannot serve God and mammon, you cannot follow the Savior just a little bit. It’s all or nothing.

Dear Father, may Thy love fill not only the night with songs of peace but the wide ocean stretching between two continents. And may the one I love feel Thy embrace even as she embraces her past. I pray that the immense greatness of Thy love will shine into the darkness of Africa until all of our hearts and minds are directed toward Thee!

5:34 PM The Bible says, “With sweat on your brow shall you eat your bread” (Gen. 3:19). Bread and sweat have never been closer in my life than now. After 5 years of manual work, I am realizing how much I really do enjoy it. Nevertheless, it can be boring sometimes. When I write or lecture I can always make things interesting by manipulating them in certain ways. But in hauling cement or bricks, it is practically impossible to make things really interesting. It is a “job” to do. Mundane work like this contains a hidden blessing, however. It shows how dependent one is on interesting, exciting distractions to keep one’s mind busy and away from confronting one’s natural sloth. I do hope and pray I learn this lesson from boredom someday!

Speaking of work, we made excellent progress on Nathan’s chimney today. I post these pix especially for Miss Jessie. (This will be her living room.) Here’s the before picture:

And here’s the after: 

I did a pretty good job, don’t you think, Jessica? 

Of course, I did have a little help with the “unskilled” labor. 

What a blast!  

8:20 AM The genius of the Protestant Reformation lay in its struggle with the problem of justification in all its aspects. For the greatest question of life is the conversion of man and his reconciliation to God in Christ. But Protestantism, once it answered this question biblically, failed to press on to treat Christianity in its most radical form — the form presented in the New Testament. The Protestant teaching on justification, in emphasizing truth, sometimes leads to a neglect of the new life, life in the Spirit, life in Christ, life as Christ’s body. Koinonia takes on a superficial and rather suburban goodness — moral platitudes, covered dish fellowships, an occasional “mission trip” to the local nursing home or to a nearby state. The Christian life has become merely a fidelity to ethical prescriptions or participation in the multitudinous programs in our churches. There is little real sacrifice about it. Witnessing becomes a trite tract or a bumper sticker. Heb. 10:24 is cited to drive people back into church but not to encourage them to “provoke one another to love and good works.” Passive spectatorism becomes par for the course.

It is to the credit of the Jesus Movement of the 1960s (of which I was a part) and perhaps of the modern emerging church movement (of which I am not a part) that both sought to expose this hideous problem for all to see. There is a new generation and a new spirit at work today, and perhaps it will turn out to be the catalyst that will bring on our transformation from churchianity to a Christianity that is dedicated to the forceful living out of the life of Jesus in this world.

In this regard, I would ask that you remember my dear Becky Lynn in your prayers today as she takes Aberesh and Nathan home and then meets this weekend with the civil leaders in Burji. We are attempting to apply the yardstick of “Gospel” to all we are doing with the health clinic. She will be doing much talking. But there is also a time to listen, and the better part of action sometimes is waiting, not knowing what is next, not having the big answer. We are ready to reopen the clinic this fall, but is this God’s will? We must have unity all around for this to take place. However, we do not feel we can compromise on the spiritual aspect of the work to make this happen. Harmony is not bought with parsimony. To stop in the right way is to go on. To leave things alone at the right time — sometimes this is the “best” thing. How I wish I could be present during these meetings! Do pray that our Phoebe will not feel alone, that during these challenging days she will remember that Jesus is her Friend, and that His Spirit is always present. The important thing is simply turning to Him daily and often, preferring His will to everything that is tangibly “ours.”

Wednesday, March 12

8:33 PM Truth is the meat of life. And how good it tasted tonight at Bible study! Nathan taught from 1 Corinthians 7 on marriage and divorce. We discussed, too, what the Bible says about remarriage and polygamy. A really fine evening. Earlier, when I returned home from Wake Forest, I found it necessary to spend a few lonely moments on the front porch in quiet prayer. The old desert monastics knew what they were saying when they coined the expression “fuge, tace, et quiesce” — enjoy solitude, silence, and inner peace. God knows how fast the RPMs have been racing. I am beginning to discovery that it is exactly the lack of spiritual rest and refreshment that causes the heaviness in my heart. Solitude has great benefits. The challenge, I suppose, is to be solitary without becoming individualistic. Balance, balance, balance!

5:44 PM People are often surprised that I am not an ordained pastor. I have never sought ordination. God has not gifted me to be a shepherd-teacher (Eph. 4:11). Nor am I a deacon in my local church, since our deacons function as overseers and God has not given me the gift of oversight or leadership, nor have I ever aspired to leadership in the church (1 Tim. 3:1). What I write and teach is simply the experience and opinions of a working Christian, a man intensely convinced of the “layman’s” function in the local church. I have tried to demonstrate what the Scripture teaches about that function – about the “layman” in relation to the total mission of the church, and a very definite idea as to how every believer can find ways to fulfill that mission.

In recent days I have been relating the intimate story of a pastor’s wife in Ethiopia. The scene is Addis Ababa, but it could be any city in the world. It is a case where one believer saw a need and did what she could – as a “layperson” – to help. I am absolutely convinced that had not Becky been an aggressive medical advocate for sister Aberesh, baby Nathan would be no more. Why go to so much trouble? The answer is found, I think, in the little letter of Philemon, which we studied today in New Testament class. Here Paul does something very simple, so simple in fact that it is easy to miss. He calls upon Philemon to act as a Christian. When we were worth nothing, God gave us everything. This is how God acts toward us, and we in turn are called upon to take that same attitude and exhibit it toward all men, even our enemies. The mark of a true believer, writes Paul to Philemon, is that his actions toward his fellow men are governed by the love of God poured out into his heart by the Holy Spirit. God has given every believer a new nature, one characterized by giving rather than getting, by love rather than hate, by selflessness rather than selfishness, by forgiveness rather than bitterness. Since this is true of all believers everywhere, it should be natural and normal for us to want to help each other. The family of God to which we belong includes all Christians of all ages, all levels of intelligence, all levels of social strata, all nationalities. We are all “fellow citizens with the saints,” and therefore we are called upon to demonstrate the reality of our oneness in Christ in tangible ways. “Bear one another’s burdens,” says Paul. “Place your shoulder beneath the burdens under which a fellow believer is groaning, whatever those burdens may be!” The reality of our unity in Christ makes inevitable and inescapable demands on us regardless of race, color, age, denomination, nationality, or political affiliation. Yet individualism has shattered our churches and our communities. How can I give up my job, my health, my ease, my family for the sake of others? Our oneness is organizational, occasional, and spasmodic. If any unity appears it tends toward the back-slapping variety of the country club. Paul was eager to remind Philemon that the church is nothing less than a community of love: Christ-in-me loving Christ-in-you. And for this love to be real it must issue forth in forgiving one another’s sins, bearing one another’s burdens, washing our brother’s feet, caring for our neighbor’s children, helping in the tiny incidents of everyday and the great emergencies of life. A heavy responsibility, then, lies on our shoulders.

The church today must deliberately move toward this type of Christianity. But only Christ can produce it. The danger of dwelling too long on “our” service is that we soon begin to speak as if we had done it by ourselves. We can be sure that we contributed nothing in comparison to what Christ has done for us. It is His wonderful and mysterious love that is at work in and through us. How much reason, then, to pray that God will turn our hearts to Him and set us free by His love to serve others.

As the drought makes me wish for rain, the clouds for the sun, the storms for the gentle winds, so my heart yearns for Thee, my Lord and my God!

5:24 PM A student came up to me today simply to tell me how much he loves Greek. He wants to master it, to read his Bible in the original. I’ll take a dozen just like him. It was a delight to see such passion. Personally, I never tire of studying the New Testament in Greek. Such joy in reading it, and such agreement! I write this in my office at Bradford Hall, surrounded by books. But none is sweeter than my Greek New Testament.

5:10 PM Beautiful afternoon. Cool breezes. Blue skies. The young bulls lie under the trees. Flowers bend in the wind. A sweet spring day. I must enjoy it. This day will not come again.

Tuesday, March 11

7:37 AM Back to WF. Do I miss Rosewood when I’m gone? I need the farm as an Athenian needs Athens. I have developed a profound love of the countryside, but Wake Forest is the place where things happen and where I recharge my intellectual batteries. People drop in unexpectedly and are always welcome. I find there pleasant talk with people of all ages. I especially enjoy those who possess an inquisitiveness about things, a capacity for opposite points of view, and for relating facts to real life. The “ivory tower” has never held sway over me — though I have always appreciated academic excellence (especially in my students) and the rejection of the tawdry. I feel ill at ease in the company of people who do not possess these qualities to some degree. I feel uncomfortable around people who are snotty and aloof and who seem “superior” to others, for I think that Jesus was being quite serious when He uttered the words of Mark 10:43. I believe the great Christian masses in America are insensitive to the ponderous issues of the day, but I am quite willing to work with them — and with any genuine Christian in fact — in getting the Good News of God’s love out to the world. I remain an ecclesiastical optimist. I see the dawn of a new day for the church in which every Christian will at last become a minister of the Gospel and not just those who belong to the ordained “clergy.” I always return to the farm with a fid of manuscript written on campus, in addition to various ideas for website articles and blog posts. So there you have it: I thoroughly enjoy Wake Forest, but I do miss Rosewood when I’m gone.

Monday, March 10

6:31 PM Found ’em! Ain’t they sweet? Both of ’em males by the way.

Sadly, this is how far we got on the chimney today. Ran out of concrete. But it was a start.

All in all, a very good day. The sun shone brightly, you could almost hear the grass growing taller and taller, and seldom have I have gotten such good news in one fell swoop. Becky is happy and sounds so well and lovely. This great aching world seems so full of sorrow, but I know I should thank Heaven for all the blessings that have been showered upon me. I must now concentrate again on teaching and students: constant back-to-back meetings in between classes, plus chapel, plus emails, plus a trip to the bank in Wake Forest. What fun!   

12:30 PM I am suffering agonies at the moment over the absence of my precious wife. When you get to bedrock there is really no substitute for one’s spouse. (Yes, Nathan, I mean you.) I just called Becky and we had a perfect connection. The good news continues to pour in — plans are still ongoing to return Aberesh and Nathan to Dila as hoped for this Thursday and then to make the long trek to Burji in the high mountains of southern Ethiopia. After that, Becky will return to Addis and depart for home on the 20th instead of the 25th (she can’t wait any longer, and I can’t either). This will give her a grand total of 15 days to prepare for the event of the decade. We are already in the logistics mode — who is arriving when, who is sleeping in whose house, etc. Right now Nate has run back to his home to sell the flooring he took up, then he’s off to South Boston to get the fixins for the new chimney, whose foundation we hope to lay later today. Then it’s “up and up we go, where we stop nobody knows.” It seems almost a crime to alter or refurbish such a neat old farm house, but actually Nathan is restoring its old look in many ways and expanding it to meet the needs of a large family. Meanwhile I am being “domesticated” today — sweeping, dusting, mopping, washing clothes, and deep-cleaning Becky’s kitchen so that she won’t have to do an archaeological dig to find her pots and pans when she gets home.

Oh — I am doggedly determined to find them new baby goats and snap some pictures for Becky Lynn before I leave for seminary tomorrow!

5:32 AM More good news from Ethiopia. Becky, Aberesh, and the baby have returned to their rooms in Addis. Becky reports that Baby Nathan is doing wonderfully well. They are returning every day to the hospital for antibiotic shots. Becky hopes to be able to take Aberesh back to her home in Dila this Thursday. Then it’s on to Burji and meetings with the civil leaders about the health clinic. Another answer to prayer: We were finally able to find a vehicle for the church in Alaba. It is a 12-seater Land Cruiser with luggage rack, all “in excellent condition.” As we reportedhere, this vehicle will meet a tremendous need in Alaba. The country there is most astonishing and beautiful, but I’ve never been in any place, except parts of New Mexico, which gave such an impression of being hostile, even alien, to man. Humans crawl around in this empty vastness like irrelevant ticks, with dust spouts and temperatures of 100 degrees not uncommon. Now the church will be able to drive about it in a Land Cruiser — just a functional vehicle without air conditioning or any of the other modern comforts of life we are used to over here. If all goes well, and with proper maintenance, that vehicle should serve the Lord’s church in Alaba for many years to come.

And so the good work continues, all because of the love of the Lord Jesus for the entire world. His love “has been poured out in our hearts like a mighty waterfall,” the Bible says in Rom. 5:10 (the Greek verb is that wonderful term encheo). The deluge is so enormous that at times one is almost tempted to cry out, “Lord, I can’t take it any more!” I’ve been up since 3:30 this morning rejoicing and praying over what He has done in the past week. Whirlwinds of blessing blow across the spiritual landscape of our lives, each blessing totally undeserved, each calling for nothing but heartfelt praise. One never ceases to be amazed at His mercies.

5:22 AM Yesterday Nate checked up on the goats after we got home and reported that twins were born while we were gone. So off I went, camera in hand, to document the event. Well, I couldn’t find the newborns or their mama, but I finally located this cutie pie that was born about two weeks ago. He has the most unusual and interesting markings, don’t you think?

Sunday, March 9

8:15 PM Stop the presses! Just in from Ethiopia! Pictures of Aberesh and her baby! This one of Aberesh and Tilahun was taken the night before Baby Nathan was born.

And here he is!  

Mama B and her “other” Nathan!

Aberesh is the picture of maternal contentment!

Praise the Lord! Great things He hath done! To God be the glory!  

7:47 PM Well, we succeeded in driving 600 miles in 2 days and had a pleasant and safe journey, thanks be to the Lord. Our first stop was in Franklin to visit with the Terry family. Their home is beautiful. Its seclusion and quietness reminded me so much of Rosewood. We walked around the farm, saw the garden and the pasture, met the goats, had a fabulous meal, and enjoyed rich fellowship marveling at God’s gracious dealings in bringing their Jessica and our Nathan together. Of course, I say “their” and “our” but in fact Jessie and Nate have belonged to the Lord Jesus since the day were born and even before that. It was His purpose before the foundation of the world to unite them as husband and wife, and now in His providence and wisdom He is bringing that to fruition.

As the photo below shows, Bobby and Michelle have three children (and one dog). From left to right, pictured are Conan (dog), Justin, Michelle, Jessica, Nathan, Bobby, and Jonathan.

They live in a very rural setting in southeastern Virginia. (They are just within Nathan’s “two-hour rule.” If you want to know what that means, ask Nathan!) Their house was built in the late 1800s. It is surrounded by a big stand of pines and several large fields.  

Jessie and Michelle love to bake. Upon our arrival we were served freshly baked muffins and Hawaiian (!) coffee. Here they are preparing homemade pizza for lunch. Simply scrumptious.   

A tradition that both of our families have in common is our love of popcorn, though no one can make (or toss) it quite like Jonathan can. Jon’s form was just a little off this day, but Conan was right there to handle the “overflow.” 

Below, of course, is the reason for all the hullabaloo. I have already seen how Miss Jessie has brought out the man in Nathan — the complete man! The key is that he — and she — have given their lives totally to Jesus and are willing to follow Him in obedience, even radical obedience. Through the years Becky and I have watched in amazement as the Lord shaped Nathan into a man who uses all of his talents for the Lord — a man who possesses godly desires, godly goals, godly thoughts, godly aspirations, and, perhaps most important of all, a loving heart. He is being changed into the image of Christ, and the change is still going on, the only difference is that now he will share that process with the one he adores and who adores him. I simply bow my heart in humbleness and gratitude before the God of the universe!

On Saturday afternoon we left Franklin to drive to Fayetteville for a series of meetings at Trinity Baptist Church, where Josh Owen, a former student of mine, and his wife Renae have faithfully served the Lord for the past two years. Josh has a huge shepherd’s heart and tenderly loves his flock, a fact that was obvious to me after spending two days with him. A man tends to become what he reads, listens to, and dwells on. Josh has a scholar’s passion for Scripture. He is deeply rooted in it. He also asked me several challenging questions. As he put it, once my student, always my student. How very true! My weekend with brother Josh and the people at Trinity was marvelously memorable.

I gave a total of 3 messages, from Luke 2, Luke 3, and Matthew 1. Throughout my talks I heard the sweetest sound one can hear in a church — the rustling of Bible pages as people turned from Scripture to Scripture.

A nice serendipity was meeting up with an old friend from Winston-Salem, Edwin Sineath, who drove down for Saturday night’s session. Edwin and I usually see each other during my battle reenactments, when I am dressed in slightly different array. 

Honestly speaking, though, for me the highlight of our visit to Trinity was hearing Nathan play the church organ. Most people don’t know what a tremendously difficult instrument the organ is to play, and to play it as well as Nate does. As he chorded the great hymns of the faith during the prelude and postlude and as he accompanied the piano during the congregational singing, I heard nothing but whispers of delight from the congregation. It was truly a blessing for me as well. Thank you, Nate!

I’m glad Nathan decided to come with me on this trip to Fayetteville. As he put it to me when I invited him, “Sure, Dad. You know, there won’t be too many more times when we can do things like this together.” He’s right. Nate and I have had a wonderful life together. He has accepted my weaknesses, forgiven my faults, and acted on the promises of God in his own life with unfailing constancy. It is now a great joy for me to see Nathan give his loyalty to Miss Jessica, the lovely woman who I hope in years to come will be bestowed with so much honor from her husband and her children that it will cover her from head to toe.  

Saturday, March 8

5:48 AM Off to visit Jessica and family. Warning: I’m taking the camera!  

Friday, March 7

7:47 PM Nathan here. Can you guess what we’ve been doing lately? Dad took these pictures and asked me to tell you a little about them. The back part of my house was originally a large room, or “parlor,” and a “hall,” which contained the staircase. It was definitely built before 1830 because it was made using very large hand-hewn beams, and sawmills were set up in this area in 1830. It is probably older than that, but due to remodeling over the years there’s no original flooring, molding, doors, or siding by which to help date it, only the frame. We have dated several outbuildings to the 1780-1790s, so it’s possible the house is that old as well. Anyway, about 1850 they build the “front” part of the house, which is a typical antebellum two-story center-hall house. About 1900, judging by the narrow 3″ board walls and 3″ flooring, they took off the roof of the original back part, which had a “half story”  attic as a sleeping space, and created a full two stories, matching the 1850 front house. At that time they also removed the original stairs and interior finish of the old part and recovered the walls, ceiling, and floors with the 3″ boards which were in style at that time. Then when electricity was brought into this area in 1955, the previous owners put up a partition dividing the original large parlor into a kitchen and dining room, replacing the separate kitchen building that was standard on farms before electricity removed the fire danger from wood cooking. Finally, they covered all the 1900s board walls and ceiling with sheetrock. 

We are removing the 1955 partition to open up the original large room, which will become Jessica’s new large kitchen and will be about 15 feet by 24 feet. Today we stripped the sheetrock off of what is now the dining room. This picture shows the partition added in 1955 to make two rooms (dining and kitchen) out of one large room. The 2 studs at right are level, the original house walls have racked and are now about 4 inches out of level from top to bottom. You can see the 3″ boards that were put up about 1900 when they added the upstairs rooms. 

Here is the window looking out to the back porch which is now enclosed. There was a set of built-in cabinets on this wall. Behind this sheetrock was a little termite damage, which I expected in this spot due to how low it sits on the ground and the concrete porch which was added directly against the wood frame of the house in the 1950s. It was nowhere near as bad as I expected though.

Jessica and I have decided to remove the boards on the ceiling to show the old hewn beams, but leave the wall boards (yes, I know, the ceiling and walls are crooked, but in an old house what isn’t!). Can you believe someone would cover those beautiful boards with sheetrock?!

As they say, men never grow up, their toys just get bigger. A lot bigger! When I was little I loved to build ponds and hills in the sandbox out in our yard. Now I can do the same on a much larger scale! This track loader is a very valuable addition to our farm equipment, as I will use it to enlarge fields, dig stumps, build ponds and farm roads, and clear brushy areas for productive hay land. It is an “International 250” and was made in 1978. It weighs 53,000 lbs and has about 180 horsepower (compared to the average farm tractor of about 30-50 hp). Still runs good for its age, just needs new batteries! It has a few minor fluid leaks, but that’s typical for an old machine. Beavers, watch out–here I come!

5:46 PM It’s official: The pond is full again! This calls for a celebration. Let’s see, what shall we eat? Hmm, I think I’ll make —- Chinese food!

1:29 PM Just received an update from Traveler’s new owners. That really was nice of them to send it to me. I was happy to hear that he feels settled on his new farm. I’ve resigned myself rather heroically to the situation. I don’t know which I enjoyed more — riding big waves or riding fast horses. Where has the time gone? Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was driving to the North Shore or to Huntington Beach, or taking Cody and Traveler out for rides in the countryside? They were so funny. If I took one horse out I had to saddle up the other one as soon as I got back or he’d feel left out. Them horses sure brought me a lot of joy, and I still miss them terribly. Spose I always will.

12:16 PM The costs of war.

11:31 AM I fly economy on my trips abroad. You know, the sardine seats. 14 hour flights, too. And I’m 6′ 4″. Yet on both legs of my recent trip the Lord Jesus gave me the chief seats in the synagogue — so much leg room that I literally could not touch the seat in front of me and had to unbuckle my seat belt in order to reach the magazine pouch. Ain’t He somethin’?

Was it selfish of me to have prayed before my trip that He would provide those seats for me? What a serendipitous God we serve!  

10:44 AM I just spoke with the most überwonderfullest woman in the whole wide universe. She sounded great and rested. Baby Nathan is doing fantastic: eating every two hours, putting on weight. The stool sample checked out good, so there is a slight chance that Aberesh and Nathan will be released from the hospital tomorrow, with Becky continuing to monitor their condition. I also spoke with one of our sons, David (photo), who is visiting Mama B from Alaba.

I asked him how Becky’s Amharic is doing and he reported that she speaks it fluently. Becky disagreed, but I think she’s just being self-effacing. Want to hear something funny? Becky says that when she’s talking with Aberesh she catches herself speaking German instead of Amharic. I can identify! It’s hard to keep one’s languages from merging. I recall that many times in Switzerland Becky would think she was speaking German when she was really waxing elephant in Spanish! I would have to politely interrupt the conversation and whisper, “Liebchen, Deutsch bitte.”

I suppose this is as good a time as any to say a big THANK YOU to all of our extended Ethiopian family who have taken such good care of Mama B while she has been in Ethiopia: Bereket, Mengisteab, Nigussie, David, Mercy, Emebet, and Burje Guba. If I have failed to mention your name please forgive me. I deeply appreciate your watch-care over my beloved wife as you have helped and protected her in my absence. You will never know what that means to me.

Amasagenalo betam betam betam!!!!!!!!

9:54 AM The rain is falling, a nice slow drizzle. It will guarantee at least one good cutting come May. The Lord is so gracious to us. Right now Nate is pulling up the flooring in his kitchen. He’s sold it to a man in Raleigh who is remodeling his house and needed old 3-inch flooring. This is all part of the major job Nate is doing to redesign his kitchen and dining room. Jessica has already seen the house so it’s neat to watch Nathan thinking, “What would Jessica want here?” As replacement flooring he is using some lumber we salvaged from an old house. I can’t remember where we got it, but we have been storing it for a rainy day like today (and for when Nathan found him a wife). Later I’ll go to his house to help him remove bricks from the old chimney. My job is the “dump master.” Somebody’s gotta do the skilled labor!

With the rain and all, it’s somewhat of a dog day. I think the puppies have a sixth sense. They hover about me as if to try and assuage my loneliness for Becky. I just snapped this:

Precious, aren’t they? No better friends, that’s for sure. Except for one’s wife. I get to call Becky in a few minutes. Can’t wait!

8:04 AM I am working on a kind of position paper on missions now (“Missions and the Local Church: Refocusing Theological Education”) and hope, when that is done, to get down to an essay on the subject of dogmatic ecclesiology — at once theological and practical, speculative and devotional. Genuine Christianity as such will, I am quite sure, become a minority religion as we move toward a more technological and militaristically unified world. It has become associated, in the eyes of too many people, with the beastlinesses of our political and economic imperialism. Otherwise no news here. I think I nipped my head cold in the bud — for which I am very thankful to the Lord as tomorrow we are planning on driving over to Jessica’s farm and after that I must speak on Saturday night and Sunday morning in Fayetteville. Today the work will continue on Nathan’s chimney project. I have not yet heard from Becky today but pray that the news will be good when I do. Nate will soon be up here from his farm house for coffee.

7:50 AM Today I prayed this prayer for Becky, Jessica, and Nathan:

For this reason we have not stopped praying for you since the day we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through every kind of spiritual wisdom and insight. We ask this so that you will live the kind of lives that prove you belong to the Lord. Then you will want to please Him in every way as you grow in producing every kind of good work by this knowledge about God. We ask Him to strengthen you by His glorious might with all the power you need to patiently endure everything with joy. You will also thank the Father, who has made you able to share the light, which is what God’s people inherit (Col. 1:9-12).

7:15 AM Becky sent me this important Gondar update:

I talked recently with Tilahun in Gondar; he is the facilitator of our evangelists. 

D & E, because of severe persecution (imprisonment, stoning, eviction and inability to find merchants willing to sell them food) for the past 3 months, have taken a time of rest in Gondar, and are now repositioned in another village.  This new village is on the road toward Sudan.  Please pray for them to remain strong & willing to suffer for our Lord.  And pray for His grace and provision as they begin a new ministry in this new village.  They are planning to remain in this new village for a period of time, to allow the hostility in the previous village to die down; then they plan to return to the first village & continue the work.  Also pray for the new believers in the first village.  They need discipleship.  In the short time (about 3-4 months) that D&E were able to operate in the village, many came to Christ; even while they were imprisoned, they led 5 to the Savior!!  Of course, now these new believers are also facing persecution (shunning, beating, etc.) by the Orthodox.  As you pray for D&E, please also remember these new believers who are the spiritual children of D&E.

The other 4 evangelists remain in their villages, strong in their witness for the Saviour. In case you have forgotten, one of these evangelists became a “marked man” by all the Orthodox leaders, so we had to replace him with another evangelist; we did this for the sake of his life.  Please continue to be faithful in praying for these men.  In my opinion, I am not worthy to stand beside them, because they are suffering so much for our Lord while I have it so “easy”.  Let us be strong to do our part in the Kingdom!!

Those of you on our email listing received our urgent prayer request about the Orthodox burning the church on the road from Gondar to Eritrea.  The hatred of the evangelicals, inspired by fanatical Orthodox priests, led a mob to burn (with the use of gasoline) a small chapel; they also burned the home of an elder of the church, and they started to stone the Christians.  This congregation consists of about 20-30 believers; they were all gathered together.  When they realized that the burning was extending to their stoning, they ran to the police station and surrendered themselves to the government for protection.  They remained in prison for their protection until the furor subsided.  Currently these Christians are now out of prison, and the government has imprisoned the perpetrators of these crimes on charges of arson.  The congregation owns the land upon which the chapel stood.  We are hoping that the government will not only imprison those guilty, but will also require them to pay restitution so that the chapel can be rebuilt.  I told Tilahun that the new chapel must be made LARGER than the old one, and must be built of concrete walls & tin roof!   We have seen in many places in Ethiopia where Orthodox and Muslims have burned evangelical churches, but in the end our Lord’s church is made stronger and her light shone more brightly.  We are trusting Him to do likewise in this little congregation in Gondar….for His own glory!!

We want to remind everyone that we cannot post too many details on the website because of the delicate situations in which we are involved. If you would like to be on our email update list, please email us with your address.

Thursday, March 6

6:35 PM I think you’ll enjoy this essay aboutburnout among pastors. The whole question of the “pastorate” is rather troublesome. There is – apart from the sheer grief of overwork – an added pain in the cynicism of the situation. One ought to be grateful and thankful for all the years that pastors spend in church work, ministering alone at times. Solitary pastorates are perhaps the ne plus ultra of human wisdom. But God, I think, has a better plan. Such is the point ofAlan Knox’s recent blog entry. I can think of several pastors who could profit from reading it.

1:46 PM Here are some pix for Mama B to enjoy in “Ethiopa” (as Caleb calls it).

Nathan recently repainted all of the farm signs. In the background is his and Jessica’s farm house. Do you think he may have suspected that we would shortly be having hundreds of visitors? At any rate, it shore looks nice.

Ya better get off that pile before Master Nathan sees you, Miss Chicken. He don’t like no one messin’ with his m’nure.  

One more chimney needs to be rebuilt before Jessica moves into her new home. The work has just begun. We have exactly one month from today to complete it. What do you think: Can the bearded ones do it in time?

Everyone misses Mama B, even the animals. Just think, in a month there will be two ladies pampering these cutie pies.

Here’s Sheba enjoying a swim in the creek. Her husband Sheppie was too chicken to get in the water. Maybe he doesn’t know how to “dog paddle” (hehe)?  

The violent storm on Tuesday night not only filled the creek but took down this fencing. Nathan found the 16-foot iron gate, bent and tangled up, 200 yards downriver. Another thing to do before the big day.

Hope you enjoyed these reminders of home, honey. I love you!

10:52 AM The sun is shining violently today — indeed, winter is rapidly being chased away by springtime. Today I am resting, fighting the onset of a head cold, getting caught up on emails and finances, reading Colossians (eminently lucid!), grocery shopping, visiting the bank and pharmacy, and perusing the political blogs. Campaign 2008 is a sad, sad business. All of it at once lugubrious and farcical — prodigals turning up to be reconciled for the pottage of White House power — all very fantastic and everything happening to the strains of trumpet fanfares by the mainstream media. Voici le temps de le magie — for it is certainly a magical hour in American history. If only men were rational beings….

Will I get any writing done today? I already have, though it is only a dustcover blurb for Harold Greenlee’s revised The Text of the New Testament (Hendrickson):

In all of his writings, Harold Greenlee’s overriding concern is to show
that New Testament textual criticism, far from being secondary or
indifferent matter, is a matter of supreme importance. Once the student
has started reading Greenlee, he or she will find that this soft-spoken
man has relevance to one of the most crucial areas of biblical studies
today. Certainly this revision of Greenlee’s classic textbook will be a
welcome addition to any pastor or student’s library. I thank God that He
has given His church such a warm-hearted and capable scholar.

Meanwhile, my love to all who have written notes of encouragement to Becky Lynn, who on occasion is able to check our emails in Addis. I believe and rather hope that mother and baby will be back home in two weeks’ time, but it is all in God’s hands. If all goes well, I expect to see Becky again on the 26th, and until then I shall miss her constantly with the whole gamut of thoughts and feelings associated with it. I am very touched by the good work God is doing through her, but I must be careful to give credit where credit is due. I am asking the Lord to give me a humble attitude and never permit me to rob Him of the glory that is due to His name alone.

10:24 AM Forget thehats. I say grow a beard.

9:14 AM The exciting engagement of Nathan to Jessica has been much on my heart this week. Yes, it was sudden, but clearly of the Lord. Maybe one day Nathan will share the incredible details with you. I have talked at length with students who testify to the Lord’s mercy and grace in their own marriages – how they had stretched out their hands in prayer and saw God answer in miraculous ways. Nothing makes us more conscious of our natural inabilities as well as our utter unworthiness than the precious relationships God brings into our lives. Becky and I already love the Terry family – each and every one of them. And guess what? Two of them are bloggers! Jessica once posted the following thoughts on herwebsite:

Maiden in Waiting?
Written by: Jessica

Alas, up in a castle,
covered in ivy and moss so green.
Sat a maiden sighing,
her eyes forlorn with sad sheen.

She walked over to the window
And with heavy sigh did pray,
“Dear Lord, where is my knight?
Wilt thou not send him today?

I am so tired of waiting.
The misery just grows stronger.
This is above and beyond my strength.
I can wait no longer.”

With that she left the tower,
she left the village–and her native land,
She took an airplane to the Bahamas
In search of her man.

While she was away searching,
Arrived her knight with armor that shone.
He called her name…and waited…
Then called her on her cell phone.

Her celly rang and rang,
A full voicemail was all he got.
So away he rode…disappointed,
That his “maiden in waiting”—was not.

How often are you tempted to disregard what the LORD has done and is doing and WORRY about whether or not, when and where, how and why, who and what….about Mr. Knight N. Shining Armor?

If your truly a maiden in waiting that depends and trusts the Lord, then stop letting the devil take hold.

I speak from experience, dear sisters. Do you trust the Lord Jesus for your salvation? Your daily needs? Your next breath? Then why not in the area of marriage? IF He has a knight in shining armor for you, then don’t you think He will send Him when HE knows your ready (and your knight is too)? Maybe the Lord doesn’t even have a knight for you and I. That is a possibility too.

If we can’t be just content to trust and rest in Jesus, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords… what makes us think we will be content in a fleshly, mortal man?

Just some thoughts, dear single sisters, that I challenge myself with of late.

Note: The above poem makes me laugh. I think it’s the most funniest one I have wrote in a long time. I started out really serious, really thoughtful and with a good lesson and a good ol’ dose of cod liver oil…but I couldn’t resist to add in the funny things that came to mind.

If I could only draw the above like I see it in my mind!

How very sweet, and how very true. Waiting for the Lord to provide a spouse can be an exceedingly great trial of one’s faith and patience. But when He answers our prayers, and does so in ways that are beyond our human understanding, we can do nothing but fall on our knees and break forth in thankfulness to God. His faithfulness to us is everlasting. It is also a reminder that we are to use all we have and all we are unsparingly for Him – a thought nicely expressed in thisblog entry by Michelle, Jessica’s mother:

I LOVE the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart and soul! I have a heavy burden for others that do not know the Lord as I use to be one who knew Him not.

All I share on this blog is from experience in one way or another.

Ten years ago this spring (2008), I asked the Lord to reign in my life. Before that I was your typical christian. What is a typical christian? One who cares more for themselves then obeying God’s word. One who prays when its convienent, for example, when they want something. Sounds like a spoiled rotten brat doesn’t it? No repentance, just keep sinning over and over again, asking for forgiveness but not changing.

I am thankful that the Lord showed me, in my desperate search for homeschool studies, the true way to get to Him. (acknowledge your a sinner and that Christ died for you. Repent (turn away from your sins), and strive to get to know God by reading His word! and obeying Him)

I love the family that God has given me very much. I have 4 brothers and 5 sisters (in laws included), lots of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews!

My husband Bobby, is my best friend for nearly 25 years. Our daughter is my right hand girl. She is the kinda girl that I wish I would of had for a best friend in my younger days. I smile as I write that, as God knows what I need and knew that I would benefit from her more as my daughter 🙂

Our sons are like their daddy, witty, strong, good thinkers, and all around jokesters.

Just today as I was driving out the lane, Justin pops out of a bush, I hit the brakes to slow more and scream inside the truck! He laughs all the way to the porch! I laugh too, while going on down the drive. There is never a dull moment with my boys around!
 

I have made my family my career, there is no better career in all the world to be had!

Michelle is right: God is faithful to those who trust Him and (in the power of the Holy Spirit) obey Him. Becky and I have, I think, begun to taste the blessing of obedience in our own lives. And what blessed relationships He has granted us! Praise the Lord, He has truly been gracious to us in giving us not only Jessica but also her family.

7:52 AM Just in — the very latest from Becky in Addis:

In Ethiopia it is now Thursday morning, 11:30am.  First I want to say THANK YOU to everyone for praying for Baby Nathan, Aberesh & me!!!  Our Lord has been acting on our behalf in so many ways!  Like the water He brought forth from a rock for the Hebrew people as they journeyed thru the wilderness, so He has brought forth Vitamin K from a little pharmacy here in Addis.  We now have enough Vitamin K for Baby Nathan, and also for the whole hospital for a little while at least!!!  This little pharmacy has located 15 (FIFTEEN!!!) vials of this precious fluid!!  It truly is the Lord’s provision.  So Baby Nathan was able to get a therapeutic dose of the vitamin, and now all evidence of bleeding has stopped.  (The laboratory has botched 3 blood samples, so we have no authoritative documentation of normal coagulation, but since we now have beautiful clear urine, we are considering this problem as cured.)  Thank you for praying, and sending us advice.

The 2nd issue that has developed is possible meningitis.  Baby Nathan has developed some diarrhea.  Stool specimens are pending for culture, but medical textbooks say that in cases of newborn, meningitis is subclinical…this means that there are no visible symptoms (seizures, coma, stiff neck, etc.) that we usually see in adults.  Hence, many cases go undiagnosed until the child is either dead or left with severe brain damage.  The potential that Baby Nathan has an intestinal infection that has spread to the blood & hence to the brain is too great a risk; so upon admission he was placed on IV fluids and 2 strong antibiotics.  We have attempted a lumbar puncture 3 times, but have been unsuccessful in getting a sample of the spinal/brain fluid to confirm the presence of infection.  On the good side, his white cell count is normal & he has no fever.  He is nursing every 2 hours with a strong suck, and his eyes are bright.  I am scheduled to return to Virginia 2 weeks from today for my Nathan’s wedding to Miss Jessica.  I’m hoping that the stool culture will be negative for infection, and that we can take Baby Nathan home, assuming that the diarrhea resolves on its own.  (If you are wondering, yes…Aberesh named her baby after my Nathan…that’s another story for another time!)

This has been a wild ride!  Dealing with acute illness of a newborn, in a 3rd world hospital, with shortage of basic medicine and incompetent technicians…but our Lord has given us a good doctor & nurses, and He has provided for us in the midst of these challenges.  Both Aberesh & I are very tired; we are living at the hospital, sharing a bed in the Labor Ward, across the hall from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  Daily I walk to a restaurant to get food for us.  We shower every 3-4 days, using the Surgery Unit’s shower, and our own towel/soap.  We are thankful for this hospital and the Lord’s obvious blessings to us.  Please continue to pray for Baby Nathan, Aberesh & me, and for wisdom as we make decisions about continuing to treat a case of meningitis that we cannot prove.

Aberesh & her family are overwhelmed at the outpouring of love and prayer support from Christian brothers & sisters they have never met.  And it seems the whole of Ethiopia is noticing how the Body of Christ works, with its outpouring of love! Everywhere we turn, people comment on their amazement at what is happening.  May our Lord bless you abundantly for your care for these precious ones, and may His Name be lifted high as the Author of Love!!!

In America we praise rugged individualism and self-initiative. The fact is that most of us function more smoothly and effectively as part of a team rather than as individuals. This has certainly been the case with Aberesh and her baby. Everybody is getting into the act, everybody is being blessed, and the Lord Jesus is getting glory while His church is being edified. Lots of reasons to praise Him this fine morning!

Below: Building a book shelf for the Bible school in Burji, Ethiopia, June 2006. Teamwork in action.

7:20 AM The latest addition to our home page is calledAn American Theocracy?

Wednesday, March 5

8:30 PM Tonight Nathan taught us from 1 Corinthians 6 about responsible stewardship of our physical bodies. I confess that I love the way he teaches and the simple lessons he draws. I’ve been teaching teachers for 31 years but even I still pant with excitement when I see and hear sound biblical teaching on a deep yet practical level. Nathan’s probing questions (of the text and of us) help to crystallize the insights of the Bible. How can a man so young and so “unlearned” be such an effective communicator? Where does he get this facility for translating difficult texts into simple truths without being at all simplistic? He may have gotten his balding scalp from his dear old dad but not his pedagogical abilities. The key, I think, is that Nathan has been “under the Word,” as we used to say in Switzerland (unter dem Wort). Why travel a hundred miles to take a course when you can just walk across your living room, pick up your Bible, and get into it yourself? I think of the high priest’s dismissal of Peter and John with the scornful charge that they were “uneducated and ordinary men” (Acts 4:13). Actually, Peter and John did quite well as teachers, thank you very much, without the formal training thought so essential for an educator in that day. The difference with those two apostles was that “they had been with Jesus.” What about you? Me? Does our life tell others that we have been in the presence of the Master Teacher, that we walk with Him intimately? Frankly, I’ll take a self-taught, “uneducated and ordinary man” over an edu-macated fool any day.

6:23 PM My thanks toLiz for keeping everyone updated so well on Mama B’s doings in Africa while I was away.

I spoke with Becky again today. Here’s the latest on Baby Nathan, who is now in the neonatal intensive care unit in Addis. Two days ago he started to bleed, the cause of which was a vitamin K deficiency (which is normal with preemies). Nobody had any vitamin K anywhere, not even in the hospital, but one of our Ethiopian sons miraculously found some, and Nathan’s bleeding has stopped. Praise the Lord! However, the baby is now fighting an infection in his intestines. The danger is that the infection will spread to his brain. The doctors did two spinal punctures but the lab messed them up, so there were no results. Tonight they will try one more time. If the results are negative, the doctors will rule out meningitis and treat the baby for a simple infection. Aberesh and Becky can leave the hospital with Nathan, and in a week or so Becky can take them home to Dila while she presses on to Burji for her meetings. If the test is positive, or if the lab messes things up again, the doctors will keep Aberesh and the baby in the hospital for at least two more weeks, under the assumption that they are treating him for meningitis. Right now Becky and Aberesh are sharing a single bed in very cramped quarters in the hospital, and Aberesh is feeding the baby every two hours. 

Becky has two specific and urgent requests: (1) Pray that the spinal test is successful, and (2) pray that the result is negative. Our God is able! Becky is tired but coping. She has been in Ethiopia for over 8 weeks now. But she is prepared to stay with Aberesh and see that Nathan is treated aggressively. Becky has postponed her arrival back in the states until March 26. It is unlikely that she can postpone it again in view of the wedding preparations. Let us thank God for His provision of the vitamins. Let us trust Him that the test tonight will go well with the desired results. And let us be fervent in our intercession for our dear precious sister who is standing strong for Aberesh and her son (Gal. 6:2).

I thank God for every one of you. It is a privilege and blessing to know that you are standing with us.

Monday, March 3

3:33 PM Just returned from taking the dogs for a long walk on the farm. Actually, I took myself for a walk and the dogs were the excuse. I do love this place. I often think, What was it like for its residents when they sent their sons off to war in 1861 or during the Great Depression? I shall never know. I do know that the significance of the farm lies in the future and not in the past. Every fence post, every building we put up, is a reminder to me that this is God’s farm. Let Him, then, be pleased with it!

Please do keep Becky in your prayers. The baby is here, but Becky’s work has not ended. It is only being refocused. She is staying in the hospital with Aberesh under difficult living conditions (do not think of a Duke or a UNC). After that she must take Aberesh and baby Nathan back to their home in Dila, and then Becky must press on to Burji for important meetings about the health clinic we hope to reopen this fall. Being a faranji (foreigner) means people can be demanding on your time. Being Becky (gregarious and tender-hearted) means you delight in meeting others’ needs. The work can be exhausting. I tried to call Becky several times today but there was no answer on her mobile, which makes me think she is much occupied with the needs of others. So let’s continue to be Aaron and Hur on her right and left, shall we? I appreciate it so much!

I’m still answering emails. If you do not hear from me today you can plan on an email tomorrow.

10:53 AM I returned to Bradford Hall at 12:30 this morning. I have the most wonderful news, on two fronts. First, Aberesh has had her baby. On Wednesday her blood pressure went up to 170/110 so they decided to perform a C-section. The baby weighed 3 pounds, 14 ounces. Becky reports that he is healthy and nursing well, and that Aberesh is healing up fine. Both Aberesh and her husband Tilahun thank everyone for praying.

Secondly, for many years Becky and I have devoted ourselves to prayer that God would provide a wife for Nathan. Though we are very limited in our perspective, we have always felt we could draw on the inexhaustible treasures of God. And He has provided! Nathan greeted me last night with the wonderful news of his engagement to Miss Jessica Terry of Franklin, Virginia. Nathan and Jessica have decided on a simple wedding here at the farm in April. We’ll provide the details later, but Becky and I could not be more excited.

My teaching last week was abundantly blessed. I cannot tell you where I was but I can say that all I did was go through the book of Philippians verse by verse, in the Greek text, with 30 house church leaders who could read Greek but hardly a word of English. Their happiness was intense and their misery (yes, there were assignments) equally real. On the last day of class I told them to expect a special treat. I read out loud, from beginning to end, the entire book of Philippians in the Greek exactly as I imagine Epaphroditus would have done to the flock of believers that had gathered in Lydia’s home 2,000 years ago. (In my mind’s eye I could see Euodia sitting over here, Syntyche reclining over there, and Suzugos between them. The jailer and his family were present also — or so it seemed as I looked out at my students.) It was moving. This was the first time I’ve done this in 31 years of teaching. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before (somebody get out the stupid stick). As for the events of the world, I know nothing and am enjoying my ignorance tremendously. I am inundated with emails, which I hope to answer today. Tonight I am speaking at a missions conference in Youngsville, NC, then it’s back to school.

This has been a time of great blessing. Nathan has found His bride, the fruit of the prayers of 25 years. She is absolutely perfect for him. God has blessed Aberesh and her son beyond our expectations. My work abroad was deeply satisfying. By the grace of God we have the assurance that in all these things God is working for good and that He will continue to direct our paths. He has once again given us precious proof that He is delighted when we expect great things from Him. My joy in God cannot be described. God blesses His people not so that we may gratify ourselves but for the sake of using all that we have in His service and to His glory. We should serve cheerfully and not because it’s required. It has been a great blessing to me to watch Becky be a channel though whom God’s blessings flow. As she has cheerfully yielded herself to His purposes, the channel of blessing has become wider and deeper. I stand in awe before my Lord and Master at the river of His bounty. We have abundant reason to praise God for His goodness and to go forward in the strength of the Lord.

One last note. Many have been praying for a wife for Nathan, but no one more than Aberesh. She and her husband have decided to name their son “Nathan” in thankfulness to the Lord whom they serve.

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