I don't have any new photos, but that's ok. I really didn't want to get more SNOW photos anyway. Sick of it. But the forecast is calling for much warmer temps up here, meaning upper 40's to upper 50's over the next 5-6 days at least. So now I have Spring fever. Here's a photo from last Spring.
I listened to the new 9 Marks interview last night: Particular Redemption, The New Perspective, and More with John Piper (and Bruce Ware!). This is a wonderful, encouraging, challenging discussion.
It starts with Piper and Ware discussing differences in their soteriology. It's basically Piper challenging Ware's soteriology. Then you get a lot of Piper (with a little Dever seasoning) discussing all sorts of things: what he's writing and has written, what's wrong with missional, contextualization, ecclesiology, and much more. Don't miss the place where Piper challenges Dever's resistance to multiple services. Piper = "in yo face, speaking the truth in love, hard to argue with the Christ-like, erudite pastor" fun.
As usual I don't agree with everything or everyone in the audio. But overhearing this conversation was very enjoyable for me and shows why I love John Piper so much. Listening to him makes me want to be a more devoted and passionate disciple, husband and pastor.
I also want to reiterate how much I like the 9 Marks website. Lots of articles, reviews, and a great list of other free audio interviews. Again, I don't agree with everything at 9 Marks, but I consider Dever a mentor on several levels and I like much of what they have to say to churches and pastors.
I'm starting a new occasional post called "Reasons Why I Hate Us." These posts will be about why I'm frustrated with the SBC and are geared to get us to think about what needs to change. This is not about complaining but looking toward a better future. And yes, "hate" is a strong word, but since I'm talking about "us" and not "them" I feel I can use a bit of harshness fairly.
As a first installment I offer an email from someone I've gotten to know over the last year. I often get emails from people who read my blog and want to discuss some aspect of the SBC with me. Too often they are frustrated with being in the SBC or trying to get in the SBC. Here's an example of a guy who looked at the SBC as a place where he might be able to serve and was frustrated with how he was treated. Yes, I know that our churches are autonomous and people can merely have bad experiences with some churches. But I think this is a pretty common experience with the SBC and have gotten several emails like this.
The following has been edited by me with permission of the emailer.
_____
Hey Steve,
I've read that you're at a Southern Baptist Identity conference. The last couple weeks have been interesting to me, and I thought I'd share my experience with you to: 1. get your thoughts, and 2. maybe add some perspective of the Southern Baptist identity from someone who is not one.
I've been looking for pastoral ministry positions over the last couple weeks. My family is heading back to the Northwest soon and we are thinking seriously about planting a church or replanting in the _____ area. As you may remember, I spent time as an associate pastor of a fairly large church in ______ before deciding I wanted to be a lead pastor so we moved to another state to finish my MA and now we're heading back. I have some leads already, and I was actually offered a job at a big church as an associate, but because I wanted to either plant or replant a church, I thought about looking into the Southern Baptist movement (esp. since I was impressed with Ed Stetzer when I was at The Resurgence and the NAMB's focus on missional church planting). To make a long story short, I've sent resumes to a couple different SBC churches and one church that was looking for a church planter for the ______ area (either of which I was really interested in). However, these churches responded to me and said the same thing, "You're not a Southern Baptist, so we don't really think you'd be a good fit." I have to admit, I was floored. Since I have never been affiliated with any denomination maybe this isn't news to you to hear this, but I was actually expressing interest in being involved in the SBC, I'm from the NW and I understand its ethos and people, I have years of experience as a pastor in ______ and therefore I am really well connected to other churches in the ______ area and with many other pastors who are friends, and I'm well educated (Bible college, seminary and graduate school!). This is basically the formula for a successful missional church plant. I have to be fair, though. The church plant that said we don't want you is actually sending my resume onto the NW SBC headquarters because they do think I "might make a good fit somewhere." So they are not necessarily done talking to me, but I kind of feel like a wheel in the cog.
So, what is the reason I'm telling you this? I'm definitely not looking for sympathy or for you to help me find a job because I wouldn't have made anything of it if these churches had said to me, "We don't want you because we want a guy with more experience" or something. Besides, I'm certain I'll find a church. But, I'm writing because I've been turned away because I'm not "one of you;" and you're one of the only Southern Baptists I know. You wrote on your blog, "The only thing missing, in my opinion, were thoughts on networking beyond the denomination. I think post-denominational networks are crucial, not just for the sake of the mission, but also for the sake of the denomination. We will be healthier, stronger, more missional when we stop thinking we are the self-sustained force of the Great Commission." I have personally experienced what you wrote, and honestly I find it really sad.
I asked to hang out with you and Joe once because I wanted to ask you questions about the denomination. We didn't spend a whole lot of time talking about it, but I think I walked away with more confusion about what the SBC is about than ever. Between the alcohol prohibitions (even though I don't even drink) and now this focus on "inbreeding" (!), I have to admit that it SEEMS like the SBC is more concerned with the denomination than with Jesus and reaching the world. Obviously, I know this is not true, but I feel like I'm a Gentile and we play for the same team. It's got to look worse from those who are not church-goers.
Seriously, do you really have to go to a SB Seminary to be a SB pastor? I appreciate you and I know you love the SBC and I'm certain there are great things to love about it. But I'm wondering if the denomination has gone on an adventure in missing the point? Where is the focus on finding gifted and qualified people who LOVE an area and commissioning them to minister there instead of finding someone who doesn't know the area, but is SB, and transplanting them there? I know I'm not the only one who has experienced this, as I have a friend who has recently felt the same walls (and he's trying to be a youth pastor).
I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts. I did not write my comment on your blog because again, I do not want to be decisive. But I have to admit, my latest experiences have really turned me away from wanting to be involved in the SBC. Can/Should this be the reality?
_____
No, this should not be the reality. But we are too often about the SBC brand than anything else.
There are many in the SBC working in another direction that includes a love for the best of the SBC and a humble understanding of our common mission with other Christians and churches. Ed Stetzer is a great example. He is a key leader at NAMB yet he works with the Acts 29 Network. I know a number of other SBC'rs who are involved with other networks, and I think they are the best example of how our churches should think.
I pray that the SBC would embrace a vision of the future that would be less about SBC pedigree and more about the mission.
A few new CD recommendations for you...
Corinne Bailey Rae: Corinne Bailey Rae
I've heard CBR songs around, but I really didn't listen until I saw her play live at the Grammys. It was beautiful. I've jumped on the bandwagon and I'm really enjoying her neo-soul music. Even when the music is upbeat it's still mellow. Check out some of her music videos at YouTube: Like a Star, Put Your Records On.
Explosions in the Sky: All of the Sudden I Miss Everyone
This is one of the only times I've ever put a CD release date in my calendar. Let me say it was a great idea. This CD is strongest when first drawing us toward silence and then dragging us into the sound, only to do it all over again. It's restraint, then power, and then restraint again. Drowned in Sound gets it right: "Most of the songs start with a flutter, work themselves into a resplendent flourish, ease back into a gentle, laying-down-in-a-field-of-warm-poppies trench, then repeat the process."
It's all music folks, no words. And it's a beautiful soundtrack for any number of things you experience. If you have gone Explosions yet, you should. Click on the albums here for a few free downloads.
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter: Like, Love, Lust & The Open Halls of the Soul
Sykes seems like an import from a few decades back, and well worth importing. From the website: "We were trying to capture some pretty ephemeral stuff on this album -- love and fragile human emotion, the 21st century's strange combination of swagger and vulnerability." Mission accomplished. This album gets beyond the music and to the heart.
From Paste Magazine: "The songs are simultaneously catchier and darker than on her earlier records, the incessant repetition on "Air is Thin" and "How Will We Know?" evoking a world of anxiety and compulsion. This album is made for cold, rainy evenings."
The Mountain Goats: Get Lonely
Ugh, this is a great CD. Like many CD's that I consider favorites, this is a fantastic, mellow-ish acoustic and emotional trip. Pitchfork: " There's nothing inspirational about Get Lonely, and there's no story-arc or clear villain-- even though every song is about one particular feeling. That feeling is a sort of existential dread, the thing that happens when the most important person in your life walks out. It's a complicated emotion; you can blame yourself or the other person but you still won't come any closer to feeling better. So Darnielle doesn't sing about anger; he sings about loss."
Watch their video on YouTube: Woke Up New.
New on the radar...
Through the Paste Magazine Culture Club podcast I found Brett Dennen. I thought he was like 14 from his photos, but heard he is through college, so, I'm really not sure how old he is. But his sound and songwriting are strangely mature. Just great acoustic, folksy sounds. Listen to him at MySpace (especially "Ain't No Reason").
The alcohol issue in the Southern Baptist Convention (and Missouri Baptist Convention, think "Beer and the Bible" issue) is
sucking even harder than some of us realized, and I realized a lot.
I've heard through the grapevine that some church plants in the Missouri Baptist Convention are getting de-funded because of the alcohol issue. This issue is NOT, as I understand it, only about the consumption of alcohol. I know that some churches/pastors who don't consume alcohol are getting their church plants de-funded merely for not saying consumption is wrong.
If you are a Missouri Baptist and are dealing with these issues in some form, I would really appreciate an email with some basic info on your situation. I will not make anything public unless you request/allow it since I know that your info and name on my blog puts you at risk. But I would love to at least be able to keep up with the issue privately.
By the way and in case you didn't know, the aggressive search for SBC pastors, planters, and churches who are not in line with the alcohol policies of our entities has moved beyond Missouri. It's in Illinois as well, and surely coming to a neighborhood near you.
Ed Stetzer interviews Mark Driscoll for the Exponential Conference (National New Church Conference) podcast. Want to know more about "the cussing pastor?" Want to know more about Driscoll's church, prayer life, struggles with sin, history with Emergent guys, or preaching? This is a great way to find out from the horse's mouth instead of the latest blog gossip. Great info. Very encouraging.
Grab it at the Exponential site, or on iTunes. The whole series of podcasts has been helpful.
I just finished John Piper's new book, When the Darkness Will Not Lift (audiobook). It's about 70 pages long, helpfully short for someone who is weighed down with darkness. You can pick it up for $8, or find it online for free thanks to Desiring God.
This is a very encouraging little book. Piper deals with the issues of melancholy, assurance/doubts, unconfessed sins, Satan, self-absorption, remedies, and dealing with other people who are in darkness (among other things). Oh, and Piper all talks a little about joy. :)
This book helped me realize where I'm struggling through a bit of darkness right now It's remedies are not simplistic and trite but rather practical and Gospel-centered. I will try to keep a few copies of this around to give away, and I think it will become one of the most recommended books for those I pastor. I highly recommend it whether you love Piper's writing (like me) or not.
A few encouraging quotes...
Despair of finding any answer in yourself. I pray that you will cease from all efforts to look inside yourself for the rescue you need. I pray that you will do what only desperate people can do, namely, cast yourself on Christ. (p 21)
If we pour ourselves out for others, God promises to make us like "a watered garden"--that is, we will receive the water we need for refreshment and joy. But even more, we will thus be "a spring of water" that does not fail--for others, for the demanding, exhausting draining ministry of urban self-giving. (p 63)
It's snow, snow and more snow lately in Chicagoland. I went out late one night when the wind stopped and the temps weren't so unbearable and walked around my neighborhood for these. Getting a few more inches of snow today with a lot of wind and drifting snow on the roads. Ugh.
I dunno, I thought it would be fun to put up 13 things worth looking into on this cold and rainy Thursday in Chicagoland. This is going to be pretty random, but I expect most of you will find a gem in there somewhere. In no particular order but numbered for your counting pleasure...
1. Dwight Schrute Video (via Marko): "selling paper, fighting evil." A hilarious, Schrutastic 2 minutes of pure Office-alicious enjoyment. Please use this opportunity to stay in touch with your inner Schrute, who "has the strength of a grown man AND a little baby."
2. Tim Keller Quotes: thanks to Charlie. Here's one...
If you speak and discourse as if your whole neighborhood is present eventually more and more of your neighborhood will find their way in or be invited. Why? Most Christians, even when they are very edified in church, know intuitively that their non-Christian friends would not appreciate the service. What you want is for a Christian to come to your church and say, "Oh! I wish my non-Christian friend could see (or hear) this!" If this is forgotten, soon even a growing church will be filled with Christians who commute in from various towns and communities far and wide rather than filling up with Christians and seekers from your church's immediate neighborhood.
3. Gary Rohrmayer says to look for a "Man of Peace."
Here are a few things to look for: 1) They are not just open to the gospel but they receive the gospel freely. 2) They are in a position of great influence over their family, friends and within the community. 3) They have the ability to introduce church planters into their sphere of influence effectively. 4) They are also great "bringers and includers" of others into the life of the church.
4. Dictionary Tooltip for Firefox. Love this extension.
5. Joe Thorn shamed me to switch my feed reading to Google Reader. Great recommendation. I've added a daily updated list on my left sidebar that shows what I liked from my feeds.
6. Convert your docs to PDF documents. "Very nice! How much?" Free.
7. After hearing Shane Claiborne on the Catalyst podcast, I was intrigued. Get it. Check out The Simple Way.
8. Ed Stetzer has some stats on the survivability of church plants.
9. Check out John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life video podcast. (via KC)
10. Have you seen the new Challies-ified Monergism site? Looks great, and of course it contains great content.
11. You may want to check out the Internet Monk's conversations with another blogger about Southern Baptist identity (you will need to scroll to find all of them). Some helpful stuff by iMonk. The other guy? Not so much.
12. We are just starting to use Fighter Verses for family Scripture memorization. You can subscribe to the podcast which also contains audio of the verses.
13. Saving the best for last, this is without question the greatest photo in Joe Thorn's portfolio...
Read Joe Thorn's great, practical series on The Quiet Time (links to the whole series at the top of his post).
Rodney Olsen, an Australian radio show host and blogger, let me know of an interview he did with Alan Hirsch on his book The Forgotten Ways. A very worthwhile interview.
I'm currently reading Hirsch's book slowly (I'm not doing enough reading lately) and expect to have a handful of posts up on the book in the weeks ahead.
I've been listening to a lot of great new music lately. You can see some of those CD's on my left sidebar and I will probably blog on a few of those soon. But I thought it might be fun this Music Monday to list a few "guilty pleasures" on my iPod/iTunes.
This sounded like a cool idea to me since a few of my friends think I like weird indie music. I figured those who like the weird indie music should be equally offended. Trust me, this isn't easy for me. But I hope to set the music-humility bar high. :)
So, here are a few CD's you may not expect me to own and like. I'll also add a nice list of singles you may not believe I purposefully downloaded and still like.
CD's...
> Garth Brooks (his first five CD's)
At 18 years old I left home and went to Southern IL University, which I believe was the #4 party school in the nation my freshman year according to Playboy. At SIU I learned to tolerate and even like things I never thought I could like. One of those things was country music.
It really started by foolishly (for many reasons) attending keggers with my golf team teammates and enduring Garth's "I've God Friends in Low Places" over and over and over again. I still can't hear that song without smelling a mixture of spilled Coors Light (ick) and, well, stuff spilled Coors Light soaks into when not sopped.
My next real connection to Garth was dancing with Molly to "Shameless" at Fred's Dance Barn (which I just learned is now closed). Yep, put me with the Queen of Hotness and a sappy country remake and I'm hooked. I really AM shameless! Go Garth!
MP3's: "The Dance," "Rodeo," "Victim of the Game," "Unanswered Prayers," "Cold Shoulder,"
> Kelly Clarkson: Breakaway
It's not much of a secret to say I have watched and still watch some American Idol. My wife and kids love it. But once someone "wins" it's hard for me to keep liking them. It's very hard for them to break out of the AI stigma, at least for me.
But Clarkson did with Breakaway. This album is really well done. It's my wife's soundtrack while working out, and therefore my soundtrack for watching my wife workout.
MP3's: "Walk Away," "Behind These Hazel Eyes"
> James Blunt: Back to Bedlam
This dude has a weird voice, but fantastic pop melodies. This is the second most played CD in our house. I don't know what else to say. I like it!
MP3's: "So Long Jimmy," "High," "No Bravery"
> Gavin Degraw: Chariot
A certain best friend of mine introduced me to Gavin's music and I thought it was great. It's the most played CD in my house by a mile. This upbeat pop-rock album by a young NYC artist is really, really good and hasn't grown old on me after a couple of years.
MP3's: "Follow Through," "Belief," "I Don't Want To Be"
Singles...
"What's Left of Me" by Nick Lachey
Man, I'm sorry. But it's better to admit my problem than get caught in the act of listening! On top of that, it's redemptive-ish.
"Pieces of Me" By Ashley Simpson
I dunno, it's just catchy. Sue me.
"Seasons of Love" from the movie Rent
C'mon, sing along with us! The movie sucked cheese, but me likey the song.
"Cowboy Take Me Away" by The Dixie Chicks
I wanna touch the earth/I wanna break it in my hands/I wanna grow something wild and unruly/I wanna sleep on the hard ground/in the comfort of your arms/on a pillow of bluebonnets/in a blanket made of stars/oh it sounds good to me
Yeah, it sounds good to me too. *single tear*
"Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield
Ugh, I'm cheesy. Yeah, just another stupid yet catchy song. I keep listening, though.
Ok, I'm sick of being humble. Back to real music next week.
After spending time out of town trying to figure out what my identity is as a Baptist, I spent the next day with my awesome kids. We dug a tunnel through snow piles near our church parking lot. This is Elijah in the middle. The second photo is the Arch in St. Louis captured on the way home.
A couple of important things in my life at the moment...
- My 8 year old, Jack, had surgery today. He had tubes put in his ears and his adenoids removed. It has been a long day for us and longer for my son. He's resting now, my wife is off helping our local school find a new principal, and I'm preparing for a funeral tomorrow morning.
- Ed Stetzer, Darrin Patrick, and (by default) many younger leaders in the SBC are under attack from a Missouri guy named Roger Moran. Marty Duren has the details and Joe Thorn adds some helpful thoughts. Joe writes...
This appears to be a case of guilt by association. The gist of this man’s argument is that when we work with other evangelical bodies outside of the SBC we are endorsing everything anyone does or thinks who is also a part of that organization. Were this true it would create serious problems for many of our best leaders and professors who work with other groups who differ from the SBC but remain evangelical. The whole thing would be funny if this guy wasn’t serious, and wasting everyone else’s time.
Geez it's easy to hate us. Stetzer just nailed it at the Baptist Identity Conference and then we have to get this kind of crap. No wonder I get emails weekly from disgrunted young guys who either want to leave the convention because of stupid stuff like this or who thought about joining up with the SBC but have decided they aren't wanted for various silly reasons. I will post an email soon from one of those guys.
By the way, Union U has modeled something that much of the rest of the SBC doesn't get. Instead of screaming at and snubbing bloggers they embraced us, gave opportunities for their students to meet us, and made us feel welcome and appreciated. Maybe Union should secede from the Convention? ;)
- I just received three different packages in the mail today. One dude bought me a book from Amazon, Crossway sent me a book to review, and a well-known emerging church guy just sent me a pile of books (from commentaries to the very practical). I got 14 books in all today, all for free from generous friends. Thanks much guys!
The temps are finally headed above freezing here in Northern IL. And since the kids had a day off of school we thought we could go play on the big pile of snow that was plowed off our church parking lot. Here's a video I took of a fun family day.
I made it home safely. One quick word to end the evening (as I get ready for tomorrow). All of the audio for the Baptist Identity Conference is up, including Ed Stetzer's talk which is probably the most important thing a Baptist has said about the Convention in some time. If you listen to one thing, listen to Ed. If you listen to a handful, please hear Mike Day, Greg Thornbury, and David Dockery. I haven't heard Timothy George since we had to leave early in order to get home in time to be ready for tomorrow.
Geez, Ed Stetzer delivered a powerful, biblical, and thoughtful paper this morning. Joe Thorn and I are getting ready to leave town and I don't have time to comment much, but this was fantastic. Honestly, there is probably no way to do this justice in a post. Maybe his paper will be made public at some point? Dunno. Grab the audio when it comes out at least. Man, this was great.
Dang, I'm tired. A long but good day.
Breakfast with Van Sanders (IHOP baby) and Joe this morning. Good to think about mission work in the U.S. before the day really begins.
The first speaker was Paige Patterson. Paige was glued to the page, reading a paper on what Baptists can learn from the Anabaptists. There were plenty of interesting points along the way, but nothing mind-blowing.
The second speaker was Russ Moore, who was speaking at Union's chapel service. He spoke on T.T. Eaton, an important figure in the history of Union University. Russ tipped his hat to country music and slapped the bloggers, as expected. As a whole it was a pretty insightful talk and some interesting history. Russ didn't hold back on Eaton's problems either.
The third speaker was David Dockery, the President of Union. Dockery offered up a helpful summary of of Baptist history emphasizing recent history (since 1979, the conservative resurgence). Really good stuff. He offered some great insights on what our current problems are and why different types of Baptists that were necessary for the resurgence don't fit well into our controversy-less era. He didn't offer much of a path foward, but I greatly appreciated Dockery's perspective and insights otherwise.
The fourth speaker was Greg Thornbury. This was a great talk on the "angry young men" of the SBC, namely the bloggers. He was rightly generous and understood the situation of blogs and Baptist life very well. It was obvious he did his research and didn't just paint with a broad brush. Greg explained the difference between anger and frustration among the bloggers and pointed out why focusing on Baptist Basics (instead of programs or battles) was the key to the future.
Greg gave a quote from UU prof Hal Poe that I felt was worth repeating. He said, "Every culture has a question that only the Gospel can answer. Listen for the question."
Greg is a friend (we met in seminary) and I'm glad he is in the SBC. If it weren't for guys like him, bloggers like me would be much more frustrated. I hope his voice grows and his wisdom is heard for the sake of our mission.
Joe and I skipped the last session today by Jim Shaddix on the future of the traditional church. We both needed some time to finish our sermon work for Sunday and we really weren't interested in the topic.
We then grabbed some hot wings with Timmy Brister and Mark and Jacob (Union students). Great conversation on seminary, church planting, and culture.
Now, me needy some sleepy. Gnite. Oh, and here are a few fun pictures I stole and added rainbows to. Why? I dunno. It just seemed funny to add rainbows to people. That's Frank Page, our buddies Mark and Jacob, Tom Ascol, and Thom Rainer. Geez I'm random. Enjoy!
My face sepia-fied in Joe Thorn's passenger side mirror on the way to Tennessee. Man, I'm looking forward to getting home. Great trip, but I miss my family.
This is Joe Thorn's photo of Mark, Greg Thornbury, and Jacob. That rainbow is my creation.
Only the man with amazing magical powers to spread cheer rather than anger and judgment can be accepting to bloggers and bushy haired students alike. Bravo Greg, bravo.
