One part of being a pastor is visiting the sick. The other day I went to see someone in the CCU (Critical Care Unit), and as many times as I do it, I still feel nervous entering that particular wing of the hospital. A profound sense of gravity marks the CCU. People are often fighting for life down that hallway. They are banged up. They are speechless. Tubes and monitors and various contraptions surround them. Doctors and nurses speak in whispers. Time seems to somehow simultaneously slow down … [Read more...] about Better to Enter the CCU
Archives for February 2012
Sweet Gospel Summary
John Stott (2006) so beautifully and so simply summarizes the message the apostles proclaimed: "Jesus was a man who was accredited by God through miracles and anointed by the Spirit to do good and to heal. Despite this, he was crucified through the agency of wicked men, though also by God's purpose according to the Scriptures that the Messiah must suffer. Then God reversed the human verdict on Jesus by raising him from the dead, also according to the Scriptures, and as attested by the … [Read more...] about Sweet Gospel Summary
Going Backwards
I learned an important life lesson playing soccer: Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forward. I could hardly grasp the concept when my coach first stated it. He said we didn't have to force the ball down the field, always headed straight for the goal. In fact, that was often the most unproductive tact. Instead, passing the ball backwards, starting the attack over, and working the ball around to the other side of the field was frequently the better strategy. This revelation surprised … [Read more...] about Going Backwards
Five Paradoxes of Preaching
John Stott (2011) lists five paradoxes of preaching. Good preaching is… Both biblical and contemporary (relating the ancient text to the modern context)Both authoritative and tentative (distinguishing between the infallible Word and its fallible interpreters)Both prophetic and pastoral(combining faithfulness with gentleness)Both gifted and studied(necessitating a divine gift and human self-discipline)Both thoughtful and passionate(letting the heart burn as Christ opens to us the … [Read more...] about Five Paradoxes of Preaching
The Right Age for Working in Student Ministry
As a long-time student ministry guy myself and as someone whose cool-card is currently being traded in for a daddy-card, I really appreciated these thoughts from Doug Fields. Fields, who has now served in student ministry for over two decades, concludes that despite his older age he's more ready than ever for youth ministry because, in his words... I’ve never felt more effective in youth ministry than I do now.I don’t believe teenagers care about relevance… they care about … [Read more...] about The Right Age for Working in Student Ministry
Love Your Near
In Matthew 22:39, Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." The Greek reads: "ἀγαπήσεις τoν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν." What's interesting here is the word for neighbor, πλησίον. It literally means "near." With an article it can be used as a noun, becoming "neighbor," or more literally "the one who is near (you)." I think this nuance of meaning is helpful. We tend to think of one's neighbor status as a matter of street address, but really it's anyone near you. A neighbor is anyone … [Read more...] about Love Your Near