Over the years, I have put my pastoral sails to the prevailing winds. First, I set out to be a good pastor. Then it was a good preacher I wished to be. As the winds shifted, I got caught up in LEADERSHIP. It was all about being a good leader. In other words, it was senior pastor, CEO. After that wind died down, I looked to the horizon for the new wind that would blow.

It came.

Expository preaching.

The "movers and shakers-" the ones quoted by the "cool" preachers today are saying that "Expository preaching is thing you ought to do." So I loaded up the truck, and...well never mind.

Somewhere along the way I heard about a book by John Piper with the intriguing title, "Brothers, We Are Not Professionals." He was arguing for the model role of a pastor as a shepherd, not a CEO.

Pretty radical. Also very biblical.

Recently, one of the "cool" preachers, Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City wrote on his blog:

I pastor a church with a large staff and so I give 15+ hours a week to preparing the sermon. I would not advise younger ministers to spend so much time, however. When I was a pastor without a staff I put in 6-8 hours on a sermon. If you put in too much time in your study on your sermon you put in too little time being out with people as a shepherd and a leader. Ironically, this will make you a poorer preacher. It is only through doing people-work that you become the preacher you need to be--someone who knows sin, how the heart works, what people's struggles are, and so on. Pastoral care and leadership (along with private prayer) are to a great degree sermon preparation. More accurately, it is preparing the preacher, not just the sermon. Through pastoral care and leadership you grow from being a Bible commentator into a flesh and blood preacher

How about that? Pastoral care as sermon preparation- the pastor IS a shepherd, not the head of Church, Inc. In fact, the last time I checked there was and has been only one head of the church and He is not me.

A new wind is blowing.

Hoist the sails!

Power In The Pulpit?

Honestly, sometimes I just don't get it....

Home Again, Home Again

I've taken an extended period of time off from blogging lately.

There are two reasons. First, I went with a mission team from our church to participate in a simultaneous revival effort with churches in the Navajo Nations. For our church, this was the first trip of what will likely be many more. Our goals were simple:

1. Share the love of Jesus Christ.
2. Connect with the people there.
3. Find ways to serve them.
4. Scout out future projects.

In all four areas, we connected. In fact, my morning message today focused on winning "Strategic Spiritual Victories," of which this trip was one. You can listen to it here.

I'll be posting some reflections from our trip in future blogposts.

The second reason for my absence from blogging is my desire to catch up on my reading. Currently, I have three shelves of books waiting to be read. A few days before we left for our mission trip, I received my copy of Keith Durso's new biography of Dr. George W. Truett. He says, as I have insisted, that a new biography needed to be written. I have wanted to write one for over 20 years. Keith beat me to it. Thus, I am turing my sights elsewhere, for I do not believe I have anything to add to his extensive scholarly work. I finished the book on the trip. I plan to post a review of it soon.

Long story short, I'm back.

With more to come.

Stay tuned.

Dr. Truett And Louisiana College

I had been working on a new biography of Dr. George W. Truett. However, I recently discovered that a new one had been written and was just released, entitled "Thy Will Be Done," by Keith Durso.

I don't know that I won't sometime in the future write about some aspect of his ministry, but I think I will this book suffice for now. (I am awaiting shipment as I received notice today that it was on its way.)

Along the way in my research, I was given a pamphlet containing a speech about Louisiana College delivered in the 1930's. In honor of Dr. Truett and Louisiana College, I reproduce a part that I find particularly inspiring:

What of the future of Louisiana Baptist College? I am happy to believe that gathered here today are men and women of one heart, one purpose, who are highly resolved by God's grace to make this College what it ought to be. I cannot believe the Baptists of Louisiana will fail to strengthen this college and make its future more secure in the weeks and months and years just ahead. I cannot believe the sons of the fathers who laid so well the foundation of Christian education in Louisiana will be untrue to their great heritage.

Men will come forward with their money for buildings for this beautiful place and with an endowment that will with­stand the perils that come with long years. I am happy to believe that here before me now are enough men and women to undergird the certain future of this college from this day forward, and the $100,000.00 which you so badly need, and a building to accommodate the growing clientel coming to this college, can come from this number.

We are of one mind that we are coming to the most chal­lenging days of civilization. We seem to be at the water­shed of all history. It is a crime for a man to be a little man anytime. It would seem tenfold a crime to be a little man in a great hour like this to which we are come. Call to mind the ancient proverb, Woe to thee 0 Land when thy king is a child. Woe unto any court when a little man is in the court house. Woe unto any church when a little man is in the pulpit. Woe when a little man is anywhere in places of responsibility!

Are we understanding this hour to which Louisiana Col­lege has come? Are we of one mind and heart that we) will not be found lagging? But will we keep step with the most alert thought and effort to put this plan through?

Well said, Dr. Truett!

A New Sermon Series

Some time ago, I acquired the book, "The Man of Sin," by Dr. Kim Riddlebarger. Like so many of my newer books, it has languished on my shelf. It has an intriguing title and subject.

As a student in college, I and my wife made friends with two other couples. One had gone to college to study music. He later quit to take a full time job. The other man had begun college to study for ministry. I alone was the struggling college student.

We had a common calling.

We also had a common interest.

Eschatology.

Eschatology is the study of last things. It is concerned with end times, the return of Christ, and things like Final Destiny. (That sounds so terminal.)

We would get together on Saturday evenings to eat a meal together and to fellowship. While our wives contented themselves with conversational topics of whatever women like to discuss, we men talked eschatology.

We debated.

We argued.

We agreed.

We speculated.

We were stimulated.

I learned more though those discussions about eschatology than any formal study I've done of the topic. I had to read and study just to keep up with these guys.

I find that people have a great interest in end time issues. Church members want to hear the latest as well. From time to time, I've tackled these topics from a preaching and teaching standpoint. My standard approach has been to address topics relating to eschatology or to preach through books like 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Pretty general.

Until now.

I've heard plenty in my time about just WHO antichrist (The Man Of Sin) is. Incidentally, he's been just about every American President of the past, including the current one who occupies the White House.

Given my "education," from my friends, subsequent study, a personal interest, my aquisition of this book, and now renewed speculation about who this Man is, I've recently felt I needed to address a specific eschatological topic.

The Man Of Sin.

I have been to man out a new sermon series I call, "The Spoiler." This is who this Man is called in Isaiah 33:1. Thus, this Fall, Lord willing, I will be delivering a series of messages on this one topic. As of tonight, I put my volunteer researcher on the topic. It was like throwing fresh meat to a hungry lion.

I can hardly wait to see what I will say.

Stay tuned.

E4 Conference

I just arrived home from the first ever E4 preaching conference sponsored by the Louisiana Baptist Convention, Louisiana College, and New Orleans and Southwestern Seminaries at First Baptist, Pineville, LA.

It was refreshing and challenging. I walked away with a new list of preaching ideas, and a few reminders of the art. It was good also to network with great Christian leaders who taught and participated.

In particular, I was struck with the ability and passion of two professors of religion from Louisiana College, Dr. Chuck Quarles and Dr. Jason Meyer.

Their presentations were passionate, scholarly, and challenging. It is wonderful to think that these men are teaching our students at the college. I pray that the students will catch some of their "scholarship on fire." We desperately need it.

To be back on the Louisiana College campus, however briefly, brought back a flood of memories from my own college experience.

Bright young students.

Red brick buildings.

Tall pine trees.

And chapel.

Yes, chapel. The chapel service was worshipful and refreshing. The college chorale sang wonderfully. The preacher spoke passionately. The students listened intently. (I noticed. I was watching.)

I was able to catch up with one student from our church. He told me of the record enrollment this semester. He had to stay in a hotel for a couple of weeks. Here is what happens when a Christian college takes its Christian moorings seriously.

Because my own Alma Mater once strongly conservative now seems less so, I happily embrace LC as my own.

Congratulations, President Aguillard, faculty, and staff for a job well done.

And just beginning.

I am proud to be a Louisiana Baptist and proud to send students from our church to that institution knowing that their Christian faith will not be called into question, but strengthened.

We need more colleges like Louisiana College.

An Act Of God?

Again, I share a picture and comment from my friend, Dr. Rick Hyde. We might consider him a "guest blogger" on this site. He knows of my love for signs and the sometimes unintentional messages they bring.

Let him speak to this one:
It's not a church sign ... but it's interesting.

I went to the Lifeway Christian Store in Little Rock and took this picture with my phone camera.

I was unhappy when the SBC voted to change the name from Baptist Book Store to Lifeway Christian Store a few years ago. (I was there .. I voted against the change.)

Well ... God himself ordered this latest modification of the name ... strong winds brought the "Christian" part of the sign crashing down recently. Luckily (no, make that blessedly) it was in the middle of the night and no one was injured.

This might be a good time to go back to calling it the "Baptist Book Store."

What do you think, readers?