May 22 2012
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blogging

Summer Reading List

Every summer I set out with the goal to read a handful of books.  Being a seminary student the majority of my reading during the year is dictated by the syllabi handed down by my professors.  Summer is a nice respite and an opportunity to knock out some of the books that have been on my ever-growing “to read” list.

I set a couple of rules for myself to make the experience productive, enjoyable, and manageable.

1) Don’t overestimate your free time/reading pace/desire.

2) Read at least one book that is entirely for pleasure.

3) Carve out specific time in the schedule in which to read

Here is the list I came up with for this summer:

the Ignatian Workout: Daily Spiritual Exercises for a Healthy Faith - Tim Muldoon

    I took a class this past spring entitled Spiritual Life and Leadership.  This was definitely one of my favorite classes I’ve taken thus far in seminary. It opened my up more to spiritual practices and a life formed by spirituality.  We discussed many different spiritual leaders past and present, one being Ignatius.  The book approaches spiritual disciplines from an athlete’s perspective and relates the practices to athletic training.  This appeals to the mediocre athlete in me.  I’m starting with this book because it lays out spiritual practices and has a step by step guide for them. My hope is to begin the summer with them and have the time to explore while classes are out.

Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today – N.T. Wright

     I really like N.T. Wright.  When this book came across my desk a couple of months ago I immediately put it in my summer stack.

The Slow Fade - Reggie Joiner, Chuck Bomar, and Abbie Smith

    I work with college students as well as junior high and high school students.  It is a constant goal of our ministry to develop students with an active faith.  In some cases with college students there isn’t a foundation from the start.  I’m hoping this book will set out to challenge how I approach ministry as well as provide a bit of encouragement.

Life Together – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

   I’m a big Bonhoeffer fan.  I chose this one because it is one of his smaller works.  I will have to set aside an entire summer at some point for The Cost of Disicpleship.

The Ice Man: Confession of a Mafia Contract Killer – Phillip Carlo

    This is obviously the pleasure read.  I’ve always been intrigued with the world of organized crime. I took an elective in my undergrad on the subject and found it absolutely fascinating.    My wife thinks I’m weird because I will watch hours upon hours of Gangland.  Maybe if I’m reading about it instead of watching it on tv it will be more acceptable.

 

What books are you reading?  What should I start putting on my list for next summer?

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Apr 23 2012
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Spirituality

Inspired Life

The proper tools in the hands of an inspired person can yield magnificent results.

If you give me a bicycle the odds of my doing a backflip off of a large tree are slim to none.  Most likely I will ride and wobble around in an attempt to not fall on my face.  In my younger years I was fairly skilled at out-running neighborhood dogs on a bike, but I never had the courage or inspiration to jump off an awning on a bike.  The proper tools in the hands of an inspired person can yield magnificent results.

What tools have you been given?  What is your inspiration?

Life is the most important tool you have been blessed with.  What inspires your life?  Are you simply riding through life avoiding failure and folly or are you taking your life and pushing the limits of what it means to truly live?

The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. [Jesus] came so that they could have life–indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. – John 10:10

The proper tools in the hands of an inspired person can yield magnificent results.

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Apr 14 2012
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blogging

A Challenge Ahead

I’m starting a Sunday School series with the Juniors and Seniors at Arborlawn that looks at the book of Revelation.  I feel like this is a topic that many people tend to avoid because we’re not sure what angle to take.  I’m in that camp.  I have found a great book that makes the book a lot more approachable (it also happens to be written by one of my seminary professors) and that I will be using to frame the lessons.  I know the study will be tricky, but I also know that it will be worth it to have the students thinking about what we typically hear something is “about” and being able to shed conventional thinking and open their minds to something different.

 

Are there topics that you generally avoid teaching?  What are they?  What’s holding you back?

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Apr 10 2012
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blogging

Distractions

…some are better than others. Some are more important than what you “should” be doing.

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Mar 22 2012
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Ministry

I Want to Fail

 

I want to fail.

Not a very common phrase, especially in our culture.  We thrive on and worship success.  In doing so we often ignore one of the best avenues to attain success–failure.

Now, when I say, “I want to fail,” I am not talking about colossal fails  (i.e. life or death, marriage ending, childhood ruining), but minor to moderate failures.

Willingness to fail means that we are willing to risk and chance.  It also shows an awareness that our worth and value is not based on our accomplishments or prior successes.  I have played it safe most of my life.  I applied to one college out of high school (and got in) mainly because they sent me a special application that was as much of a guarantee that you could get.  I didn’t expend much energy pushing myself beyond what was certain or comfortable.  This approach worked for a while, but I have come to the realization that this approach doesn’t move you forward very far.  It relies on baby steps and certainty (the later of which is somewhat laughable).

Stepping out in faith (trusting in things unseen) requires us to be open to the possibility of failure.  Learning to discern God’s voice takes practice and failure is a vital part of practice and learning.  In life, in love, in ministry we are called to step beyond what we know and enter into a world that is better.  In finding our way into this world we will take wrong steps, but the beauty is that we aren’t defined by our wrong steps, but rather our failures provide a springboard for a greater success.

So, may you fail and fail forward.  Be willing to step out in faith and realize that God is calling you to bigger, greater, and more.

Where is your fear of failure holding you back from the potential God has blessed you with?

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Mar 21 2012
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blogging

Worth the Wait

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So Abraham obtained the promise by showing patience. (Hebrews 6:15 CEB)

Mar 20 2012
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food

Late Night Pleasure

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One of my favorite hobbies would definitely be cooking. I love the process and preparation required to put a meal together than balances flavors and textures. I can be somewhat of a food snob (as my wife likes to point out), but I can’t really help it. Once I was bitten by the epicurean bug there was no turning back.

Tonight I’m partaking in one of my favorite cooking methods-smoking. I’ve fired up the smoker and put 30lbs of beef on it to feed a group of 120 people tomorrow. There’s something about the long process of this preparation that speaks deeply to me. Tending the fire. Anticipating the outcome. The smoke covered clothes. Waiting anxiously for the tough cut of meat to yield to the heat and become tender. I love it. Every second.

Arborlawn UMC, where I serve, holds a series of Lenten concerts and lunches leading up to Easter. They feature various musicians and music types that highlight the preparation of Lent that looks toward Easter. What better reason to fire up the smoker?!? (really any reason is a good reason…I’m not picky).

So, I will dutifully tend the flame and guard the meat through the night to feed the hungry masses tomorrow. It’s a labor of love. And I love every bit.

So, if you are in or around Fort Worth tomorrow I encourage you to come by at 11:00 am for some music and grub. Take it as a mid-week pause and breath (and bite).

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Mar 12 2012
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blogging

Spring Breakin’

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Spending a couple days in the mountain skiing w/ students. I’m realizing very quickly that the age divide is growing and my ability to keep up is suffering. Fun times either way!

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Mar 06 2012
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blogging, Ministry

Back on the wagon

December 8th, 2008.  That’s when I fell off the wagon apparently.  That’s when I stopped blogging.  I had nothing to say.  I didn’t want to commit the time necessary to produce anything worth anybody’s time (if it wasn’t worth my time why would it be worth yours?).

March 5th, 2012. I’m back on the wagon. It took me a while to find a purpose to blog.  It may be a selfish reason, but I need it to be in the public domain for a certain level of accountability.  Being a seminary student and currently studying Methodist History and Doctrine one of the things I found most intriguing about the character of John Wesley was his strict devotion to journaling.  He kept constant record of, not only his daily activities, but also of his theological positions by constantly writing about them.

One of the most intriguing is Wesley’s distinction of the marks of a true Christian.  At one point in his life this requires concrete assurance even in the face of certain death that one is loved by Christ and saved from wrath.  After a startling experience aboard a ship that nearly capsizes Wesley does not see it fit to call himself a Christian.  What is even more interesting is to read his own commentary of his journals from the years.

1740: I who went to America to convert others, was never myself converted to God” (1775–”I am not sure of this”); “[I lack] faith in Christ” (1775–”I had even then the faith of a servant, though not that of a son”); “I am ‘a child of wrath.’” (1775–”I believe not”); “I was persuaded that…I was even then [1728-29] in a state of salvation” (1775–”And I believe I was”); “I had been all this time building on the sand” (1775–”Not so: I was right, as far as I went”).

                                           – Heitzenrater Wesley and the People Called Methodists, p.261-2

Immediate reflection yields one conclusion, but looking back over his life’s journey with the wisdom experience brings he is able to see where he was being led in his theology.

As an aspiring pastor.father.husband I need something where I can reflect on thoughts and experiences over the days.weeks.years.  This is my spiritual discipline (well…one of them).  It’s a commitment that requires temporal budgeting as well as serious thought and attentiveness to my life.  I will say things that are wrong. I will say things that I will look back on and shake my head.  But most importantly I will be honest to myself about what I say.

Do you track your beliefs/experiences over the years? How do you track your thoughts/beliefs over time?  Do you have a way of keeping yourself disciplined to this?

This is me restarting this journey.

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Dec 08 2008
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blogging

Check it.

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