Where Have I Been All Week?

Find out HERE!


GB

My Top Reads Of 2011

I am doing most of my blogging over at the Metro East Blog. Click over to view my top reads of 2011, be sure to subscribe while you are there.


GB

Joy Unspeakable

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in his controversial book Joy Unspeakable illustrates what he means by baptism in the Holy Spirit with this story:

A man and his little child are walking down the road and they are walking hand in hand, and the child knows that he is the child of his father, and he knows that his father loves him, and he rejoices in that, and he is happy in it. There is no uncertainty about it all, but suddenly the father, moved by some impulse, takes hold of the child and picks him up, fondles him in his arms, kisses him, embraces him, showers his love upon him, and then he puts him down again and they go on walking together. That is it! The child knew before that his father loved him, and he knew that he was his child. But oh! the loving embrace, this extra outpouring of love, this unusual manifestation of it—that is the kind of thing. The Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. This is the outstanding characteristic of being baptized in the Spirit. (Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable, 95-96)

Wether you agree theologically with this definition or not, you have to admit that as a Christian, you long for this to be true in your life. 


GB

New Metro East Site Now Live!

The new site for Metro East is now live! We are still adding and updating content so be sure to add it to your bookmarks!


HERE IT IS


GB

Eat This Book In 2012

Its that time again! 2011 is almost over and the time to pick a new Bible reading plan is now. Justin Taylor has all the plans you need over at his blog. 


Check them out HERE.


I am seriously considering this ONE! Call me crazy.

Your words were found, and I ate them,

and your words became to me a joy

and the delight of my heart,

for I am called by your name,

O LORD, God of hosts.

(Jeremiah 15:16 ESV)

Top YouTube Vids of 2011

Denny Burk has a great list HERE.


HT: Z

Don't Waste Your Christmas Part 7: Dads Don't Waste It

This post is mainly for all the fathers who read this blog. If you are a mom, I recommend that you simply pray about each of the applicable challenges below rather than print them out and leave them on his nightstand! With that said here are some challenges for dad this Christmas from Mark Driscoll. I found them quite convicting and helpful.

16 Daddy Christmas Tips

’Tis the season for Dad to drop the holiday ball, stress out as the money is being spent for presents, and miss yet another providential opportunity to lovingly lead his family. 

So, this post is intended to help dads not fall into the same old rut of holiday humdrum, sitting on the couch watching football and eating carbs, but rather intentionally plan out Christmas. 

Our children grow quickly and if we miss the sacred moments God opens up for us to connect with and bless our families, everyone suffers and we set in motion generations of missed opportunity.

Dad needs...

1. a plan for the holidays to ensure his family is loved and memories are made. Dad, what’s your plan?

2. to check the local guides for what’s going on to make fun holiday plans for the family. In Seattle it’s here.

3. to carve out time for sacred events and experiences to build family traditions that are fun and point to Jesus. Dad, is your calendar ready?

4. to not let the stress of the holidays, including money, cause him to be grumpy with Mom or the kids. Dad, how’s your joy?

5. to give experiences and not just gifts. Dad, what special memories can you make this Christmas?

6. to manage the extended family and friends during the holidays. Dad, who or what do you need to say “no” to?

7. to ensure his family is giving generously during the holidays. Dad, who in need is your family going to adopt and bless? One great way to do this is to serve and love a hungry family through Food for the Hungry.

8. to schedule a big Christmas daddy date with his daughter. Dad, what’s your big plan for the fancy daddy date?

9. to schedule guy time with his son. Dad, what are you and your son going to do that is active, outdoors, and fun?

10. to help Mom get the house decorated. Dad, are you really a big help to Mom with getting things ready?

11. to ensure some holiday smells and sounds. Dad, is Christmas music on the iPod, is the tree up, and can you smell cookies and cider in your house?

12. to snuggle up and watch some fun shows with the kids, especially the little ones. Dad, is the DVR set?

13. to take the family on a drive to see Christmas lights while listening to music and sipping cider. Dad, is it mapped out?

14. to help Mom get the kids’ rooms decorated. Dad, do the little kids get lights or a small tree in their room?

15. to read about Jesus and pray over his kids. Dad, how’s your pastoral work going with each of your kids?

16. to repent of being lazy, selfish, grumpy, or just dumping the holidays on Mom. Dad, are you a servant like Jesus to your family?

 GB

MEBC News!

*If you attend Metro East this post is for YOU!!*

I want to strongly urge all members and regular attendees of Metro East to be present this Sunday. I had originally planned on preaching my 2012 Vision Sermon on January 1, but given the unique holiday schedule this year, I thought it best to preach it this Sunday. This will be an important Sunday for us as a church. I will be reflecting on some of the things that have happened this year, but more importantly, I will be sharing some of the big picture announcements and plans for 2012. So I ask you to make a point to attend this weekend and if you happen to be out of town or unable to make it, the podcast will be up on Monday. I hope to see you there!


Christmas Eve/Child Care
As you know we are holding two Christmas Eve Services this year and one shortened Christmas Day Service. We want to be able to offer childcare in both services on Christmas Eve. These services will be the same length as a normal Sunday morning service, not shortened as they've been in the past. As of now, we have the 5PM service staffed with childcare, which we think is when most young families will attend. We do however want to still be able to offer childcare at the 7PM service. If you are able volunteer for 7PM childcare, please contact Jayme Davis immediately. 


End of Year Giving
Giving this year at Metro East has been very consistent for the most part. We still are somewhat behind our 2011 budget goals. We know December can be an expensive time with travel, gifts, parties, etc. We do however want to have a strong start to 2012 and while money isn't everything, it will help us to continue with our vision and ministries as we launch into a new year. I want to challenge all of us, starting with myself, to contribute generously to our operating budget and our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering as we close out this year. 


I am eager to be with you this Sunday and celebrate what God has done among us in 2011, as well as look forward to what we hope He will do in 2012!


GB


PS: If you're reading this via YEARN, I have no idea why NEWS is rotating!

Dont' Waste Your Christmas Part 6: Be With Sinners

Make no mistake about it, Christmas is for sinners! Surrounding the Christmas story is the constant reminder that this Child's Birth was good news for sinful people like you and me. Here are a few examples:


The Genealogy of Jesus
Matthew begins his Gospel with a long genealogy of the line of David (Matthew 1:1-17). The reasons for this are many, but one thing you cannot overlook is how scandalous are the stories that surround some of the names. He mentions Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and the wife or Uriah (Bathsheba), not to mention the kings who did "evil in sight of the Lord" in their lifetime. These are the kinds of people the Messiah includes in His family; the same kind of people He came to save! Then we see the first people to visit the newborn King are none other than wise men from the east. These men are pagan Gentiles, and yet even they feel compelled to worship this Jewish Baby.


The Mission Statements of Jesus
"For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:13)


"For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)


For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10)


The Actions of Jesus
Aside from teaching, praying, and healing the thing Jesus did more than anything was eat with sinners.


A few examples:

• In Luke 5 Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners at the home of Levi.
• In Luke 7 Jesus is anointed at the home of Simon the Pharisee during a meal.
• In Luke 9 Jesus feeds the five thousand.
• In Luke 14 Jesus is at a meal when he urges people to invite to poor to their meals rather than their friends.
• In Luke 19 Jesus invites himself to dinner with Zacchaeus.

The reason Jesus came was to welcome sinners to His table. Christmas is about sinful people receiving the good news that God has called them to feast with Him.


My Challenge
So my challenge this Christmas season is for you to find a way to be with sinners. Many Christians rarely make plans to be around non-believers. But if there is anytime to do that, its during the Holidays. So here are a few ideas:

• Invite your neighbors over for dinner.
• While waiting in line, offer to pay for someone's lunch or coffee, see what happens.
• Think of some creative ways your family can bless your neighbors.
• Invite someone to a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service.
• Pray for some of your neighbors specifically, write cards to let them know.
• Purchase a good book for a friend who is wrestling with faith.

I am sure there are other ideas you have, feel free to put them in the comments below.


GB

Don't Waste Your Christmas Part 5: Solve The Santa Issue

What hath the North Pole to do with Bethlehem? How do you make much of Jesus during the Christmas season while Santa seems to be everywhere? This is always a fun discussion, but I'd encourage all you parents to figure out how you are going to deal with this issue with your children. Here are some links that might be helpful. 


Mark Driscoll: What we tell our kids about Santa


Noel Piper: Thinking About Santa


A Post I Did: Jesus and Santa 


Michael Patton: Should Christians Play Santa?


GB

Don't Waste Your Christmas Part 4: Forget The New Year!

Okay, I don't mean that you should not think about 2012 and all the things you'd like to do next year. What I mean is that too often we let our life slip into auto-pilot during the month of December, while constantly making New Year's resolutions in our head. We plan to pray more, give more, exercise more, share the Gospel with our neighbors more, read the Bible more, eat better, etc. We think January will be a magical new start to our lives but often, it prevents us from living now. I don't want to sound morbid (it is Christmas after all!), but you might not be here in January. Why waste December planning for January?


Why not live now? Why not give now? Why not take some risks to share the Gospel with your neighbors now? Why not start eating better now (while enjoying the extra sugar and fat that comes with Christmas no doubt)? See, there is living, and there is waiting to live. Too often, we are just waiting to live, we are waiting for the right timing, the right situation, the right circumstances. But Christmas is about life now. Our Savior King came to give us life. The Gospel is about the present, not just the future. So live now!


GB

Don't Waste Your Christmas Part 3: Have Some Fun

To continue this series on some ways to not waste your Christmas, I'd like to lighten the mood a little bit and strongly encourage you to have some fun this season. This video is at least one example. While I cannot in good conscience suggest that you do this, please let me know if you do!




GB


HT: The Blazing Center 

Happy Birthday Clive Staples Lewis

Today marks the 113th year since Clive Staples Lewis was born. I am so grateful, as are millions, for this man's life and writings. I thought I would share a few of my favorite quotes from his writings as well as a biographical sermon that John Piper preached on Lewis. 


FAVORITE QUOTES


Mere Christianity
The Christian Way—The Christian says, ‘Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists.  A baby feels hunger; well, there is such a thing as food.  A duckling wants to swim; well, there is such a thing as water.  Men feel sexual desire; well, there is such a thing as sex.  If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.


The Christian way is different: harder, and easier.  Christ says ‘Give me All.  I don’t want so much or your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it.  No half-measures are any good.  I don’t want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down.  I don’t want to drill the tooth, or crown it, or stop it, but to have it cut out.  Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked—the whole outfit.  I will give you a new self instead.  In fact, I will give you Myself; my own will shall become yours.


All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals.  And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.
What we have been told is how we men can be drawn into Christ—can become part of that wonderful present which the young Prince of the universe wants to offer to His Father—that present which is Himself and therefore us in Him.  It is the only thing we were made for.  And there are strange, exciting hints in the Bible that when we are drawn in, a great many other things in Nature will begin to come right.  The bad dream will be over: it will be morning.


Give up yourself, and you will find your real self.  Lose your life and you will save it.  Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favourite wishes everyday and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fiber in your being and you will have eternal life.  Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours.  Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead.  Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay.  But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with him everything else thrown in.


Chronicles of Narnia


Prince Caspian 
“You are too old, children,” said Aslan, “and you must begin to come close to your own world now.”
                “It isn’t Narnia, you know,” sobbed Lucy.  “It’s you.  We shan’t meet you there.  And how can we leave, never meeting you?”
                “But you shall meet me, dear one,” said Aslan.
                “Are—are you there too, Sir?” said Edmond.
                “I am,” said Aslan.  “But there I have another name.  You must learn to know me by that name.  This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
“They say that Aslan is on the move—perhaps has already landed.”
And now a very curious thing happened.  None of the children knew who Aslan was anymore than you do.  But the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different.  Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something that you don’t understand but in the dream it feels as if it has some enormous meaning—either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all of your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again.  It was like that now.  At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside.  Edmond felt a sensation of mysterious horror.  Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous.  Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her.  And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.  

“You’ll understand when you see him.”
“But shall we see him?” asked Susan.
“Why, daughter of Eve, that’s what I brought you here for.  I’m glad to lead you where you shall meet him,” said Mr. Beaver.
“Is—is he a man?” asked Lucy.
“Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly.  “Certainly not.  I tell you he is the King of the wood and son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-sea.  Don’t you know who is the King of the beasts?  Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion.”
“Ooh!” said Susan.  “I’d thought he was a man.  Is he—quite safe?  I shall feel rather silly about meeting a lion.”
“That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” sand Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you?  Who said anything about safe?  ‘Course he isn’t safe.  But he’s good.  He’s the King, I tell you.”


The Silver Chair
The birds had ceased singing and there was perfect silence except for one small, persistent sound, which seemed to come from a good distance away. She listened carefully, and felt almost sure it was the sound of running water.



Jill got up and looked round her very carefully. There was no sign of the lion; but there were so many trees about that it might easily be quite close without her seeing it. . . . But her thirst was very bad now, and she plucked up her courage to go and look for that running water. . . .


The wood was so still that it was not difficult to decide where the sound was coming from. It grew clearer every moment and, sooner than she expected, she came to an open glade and saw the stream, bright as glass, running across the turf a stone's throw away from her. But although the sight of water made her feel ten times thirstier than before, she didn't rush forward to drink. She stood as still as if she had been turned to stone, with her mouth wide open. And she had a very good reason: Just on this side of the stream lay the Lion. . . 


How long this lasted, she could not be sure; it seemed like hours. And the thirst became so bad that she almost felt she would not mind being eaten by the lion if only she could be sure of getting a mouthful of water first.


"If you're thirsty, you may drink." . . .


For a second she stared here and there, wondering who had spoken. Then the voice said again,


"If you are thirsty, come and drink." . . .


It was deeper, wilder, and stronger; a sort of heavy, golden voice. . . .


"Are you thirsty?" said the Lion.


"I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.


"Then drink," said the Lion.


"May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.


The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. . . . The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic. . . .


"Do you eat girls?" she asked fearfully.


"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.


"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.


"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.


"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."


"There is no other stream," said the Lion.



The Weight of Glory

I read in a periodical the other day that the fundamental thing is how we think of God.  By God Himself, it is not!  How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important.

We do not merely want to see beauty, though, God knows, even that is bounty enough.  We want something else which can hardly be put into words—to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it. 

The Screwtape letters

When he talks of their losing their selves, He only means abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever.  


Surely you know that if a man can’t be cured of churchgoing, the next-best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that ‘suits’ him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.

Reflections on the Psalms

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.

In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.

Lessons From An Inconsolable Soul by John Piper

GB

Don't Waste Your Christmas Part 2: Be Careful With The Story

What was the first Christmas really like? Many of us have been told something like this:


Since Mary was set to give birth any moment, her and Joseph had to travel quickly to Bethlehem. The only accommodations they could find was a inn. However, the inn was booked and the innkeeper would not make provisions for the lonely couple. Fortunately they were able to find a stable behind the inn where the animals were kept where Mary gave birth to Jesus, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger. 


The picture above illustrates this nicely. Lots of animals in a stable with Mary, Joseph and Jesus (who is glowing!). 


But is this all true? Yes...sorta. 


Here is what Paul Copan says:



Over the centuries, the Christmas story has been re-cast and romanticized into a kind of Christian “mythology.” But what do the Scriptures really tell us about Jesus’ birth?


1. There would have been no inns in a backwater town like Bethlehem. They would be found along main roads or in cities.


2. The word for inn (katalyma) is the same one as the “guest room (of a private home)” mentioned in Mk. 14:14 and Lk. 22:11—the room where the last supper was eaten.


Mark 14:13-15: “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My *guest room* [katalyma] in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.”


Also, this word in Lk. 2:7 (“guest room”) is different from Lk. 10:34 (pandocheion = inn), where the beaten man was taken by the compassionate Samaritan. This inn had an innkeeper (pandocheus), and such inns would unquestionably located on a main thoroughfare between Jerusalem and Jericho. One commentary puts it this way, “The traditional picture of a surly innkeeper refusing admission to the needy couple is somewhat dubious.” (I. Howard Marshall, “Luke,” in *The New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition*, eds. R.T. France, D.A. Carson, et al. [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994], 984).


3. Joseph, no doubt being a considerate husband (cp. Mt. 1:19), would have taken ample time to find Mary a place to give birth, which is what Luke 2:6 indicates: While they were there [in Bethlehem], the days were completed for her to give birth. Mary gave birth after she had “fulfilled her days”—a duration of time. Although people seem to miss this, the passage clearly indicates ample passage of time in Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus.


4. In a culture that so valued hospitality, Joseph would have insulted his relatives by going to an inn. Rather, he would stay with his relations, who would readily have made room for his expectant wife—even if the guest room was crowded and the birth had to take place in the main living area. It would seem ludicrous, given the importance of hospitality in the Middle East, that Joseph would have no place to stay among his relatives—especially if he was “of the house and line of David” and if his wife was expecting. And if Joseph could not find a place for Mary after a few weeks or so, they could have gone back to Mary’s relative Elizabeth, who lived in the same region.


5. In Jesus’ day, animal sheds were typically attached to houses. In Palestine a manger was not normally found in a separate stable; rather, it was “in the main living room of a peasant house, where animals are brought in at night” (R.T. France, *The Evidence for Jesus* [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1986], 159). New Testament scholar Kenneth Bailey (from whom I borrow heavily in this blog) notes that the manger Christ was laid in was “built into the floor of the raised terrace of the peasant home” (Kenneth Bailey, “The Manger and the Inn: The Cultural Background of Luke 2:7,” *Evangelical Review of Theology* 4 [1980]: 201-17). This stall-next-to-the-house arrangement is what Luke 13:15 presupposes: “. . . does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him?”


6. When the wise men show up in Bethlehem, they come to a house. Matthew 2:11 states: “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Paul Copan, The First Christmas: Myths and Realities)


Conclusion
So were Mary and Joseph in a hurry to get to Bethlehem? No (see Luke 2:6). Did they go to an inn? No, they went to a house which is where the Magi visited Jesus (Matthew 2:11). Was there an inn keeper present? No. Neither Luke nor Matthew mention one. So where was Jesus born? In Bethlehem, to be sure. In a house, but not in the main living quarters because they were full, but on the floor below or adjacent to the main living area where the animals were kept, hence the manger. Were animals present? The text never says, and they certainly would not have to be since they were often brought in at night. 


Hopefully this helps clarify some things. Given the amount of songs and stories and traditions revolving around Christmas, it can often be difficult to keep the biblical facts in order. This Christmas, let's steep ourselves in the biblical text and see the real story of our King's birth! 


GB

Don't Waste Your Christmas Part 1: Advent

I will be doing a series of blog posts about how we can make the most of this Christmas season. I want to start by strongly encouraging you to download a new resource The Village Church just released. It is one of the most concise resources I've seen on Advent. You can download it for free 

HERE.

Get it! Read it! Treasure Christ with it!

GB

How I Get Ready For Sunday Morning

I've said many times that I am not a morning person. I do not mean that I do not like to wake up early in the mornings, I love the mornings. What I mean is that I tend to be a bit selfish in the morning. I want to be alone with my Bible and a cup of coffee. I have a hard time getting going in the mornings, and I need time and space to get my day started.


One of the biggest challenges I've faced at Metro East is not only preaching two sermons, but preaching the first sermon at 8AM. I have been stretched and challenged in ways that no one really knows through this. So I thought I'd share with you how I prepare myself both physically and spiritually to preach each week.


Thursday
Hopefully the sermon is prepared by Thursday. I try each week to be 98% done with my notes, preparation, and prayer for Sunday morning. Though the sermon is never really complete until I walk up to the steps before preaching, this is my goal.


Friday
Off. No sermon prep. No thoughts about the sermon. Just time with family.


Saturday
I try and wake up pretty early on Saturday mornings. I want to get going and burn some energy so I can get in bed at a decent hour. Saturdays are pretty flexible for us. We may do something as a family, or I may play golf, or Heather may have plans with some of her friends. The day is usually laid back and relaxed. We try and not schedule anything for the evening and if we do, its early. We realized about eight years ago that ministry would basically kill our Saturday nights for the rest of our lives!


Around 7PM I do some last minute sermon preparation which usually includes going over the sermon several times, praying through parts where I will need to really concentrate during the delivery, and any changes that need to be made. I lay out my clothes for the next morning, do any necessary ironing, set the coffee pot, and then it's off to bed for the whole family...usually. I try and read the sermon one last time before I go to sleep so that hopefully, it sinks in during the night.


Sunday Morning
Alarm goes off at 5AM. I typically hit the snooze button at least two times, so around 5:20 I am finally out of bed and on my feet. Now comes the hard part, getting up to preach in approximately three hours. I would love to say that I spend the first half hour praying and worshipping God, but honestly, I shower, get dressed, and head to the coffee pot as quickly as I can. Then I spend about twenty minutes searching the Scriptures slowly, looking for a passage that will give me courage and help as I prepare to preach. Most of the time, this is the passage I read during the pastoral prayer in the service. Then its time for more coffee, prayer for my own soul, my family, the sermon, the church, the service, and anything else I need to lay before God.


Then its more coffee, and a cup of oatmeal. By now it is somewhere around 6:30. I read over the sermon one last time, make any adjustments I need, hit one last cup of coffee (I know!), turn the heater on for Heather for when she wakes up, and the I'm out the door by 7:10 with my Bible, sermon notes, an apple, and a protein shake.


Arrive At Church
Once I arrive at church I usually go to my office and put my things down, drink a bottle of water, and get quiet for just a few minutes, then I head into the main building. Once there I mingle around with those who are beginning to trickle in, get my microphone set, coordinate with our worship leaders, do a sound check, make sure the sermon slides are the same as my notes, and get seated at my spot on the front row.


Worship
One of the difficult things I faced when I first began preaching weekly was actually worshipping during the service. I usually had the sermon on my mind and found it difficult to immerse myself in God. Over the last several years I've been able to put my sermon thoughts aside and really engage in worship before I preach. I've found that it greatly helps my preaching, and prepares my soul.


Just Before The Sermon
Words cannot fully express what goes on inside my mind and heart just before I get up to preach. I don't fully know why, but those 30-40 seconds before I walk up the steps are some of the most intimate moments I have with the Lord. There are times when you pursue God and there are times when God pursues you. This is the time when God pursues me and reminds me that no matter what happens, His Son has made me worthy in His sight. I would not trade these moments for anything in the world!


After 8AM Sermon
Once we are finished with the 8AM service, I mingle for a while, then head back to the office for a protein shake and an apple. This hour or so looks a bit different each week, but around 10:30 I grab my notes and look over them briefly, make a few adjustments, spend some time in prayer and head back for round two.


Martyn-Lloyd Jones, one of the greatest preachers in history, said he would not cross the road to hear himself preach. Every preacher I've talked to can relate to this. Preaching is one of the most gloriously painful things we preachers do. But I can't imagine what my life would look like if I subtracted eleven years worth of preaching from it. Thankfully, I don't have to. 


Who is sufficient for these things? (2 Corinthians 2:16)


GB

500th Post: An Open Letter To Metro East

This is my 500th post on YEARN, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate it than with an open letter to Metro East Baptist Church. 



Dear MEBC,


As many of you know, November 6th marked one year since we officially pulled into Wichita. Saying the time has flown by would be an understatement! It has been an amazing year. I am still thrilled to be your pastor. I still feel as fresh, if not more so, as I did when I began my first day in the office. God has done some incredible things over the past twelve months. We are by no means a perfect church, but there is something about Metro East that makes me grateful to be here, and eager to go into work everyday. There is no other church I would rather be leading than this one. 


Below are a few thoughts about the last year at Metro East.


Preaching
I love preaching here. I have never been so excited to step into a pulpit. There is a love for the Word here and an enthusiasm about preaching that I’ve not experienced anywhere else. I have preached somewhere around a hundred times this year (if you count two morning services each Sunday, and special events) and I can honestly say, I feel like I am just getting started. Thanks for being a church that loves the Word and even gets excited about Ecclesiastes!


People
One of the things visitors always comment on is how loving and genuine our church is. There is a warmth here that is evident in all that we do. I want to see more of this. Nothing can replace this among a church body. Heather and I are so thankful for the welcome we’ve received over the past year. It helped calm much of the stress and anxiety that comes with an 800 mile transition. You are a wonderful group of people, and I love the love that is here. 


Staff
I love our staff. I am thrilled to come to work and be among them. I feel we are as much on the same page as we’ve been since I first arrived. They are committed to the Gospel and to this church in a way that would make any pastor proud. I wish all of you could see what goes on during the week and how hard your staff works for you. It is a joy to be on this team. I can honestly say that if I don’t show up, things go pretty smoothly. If they didn’t show up, it would be a disaster! 


What’s Happening
A lot is happening at Metro East. This time of year is one of the busiest for churches. But I do not feel that we are being busy just to be busy. I think we are intentionally doing what we think God wants us to do this time of year. I love the things we have in store for the next two months, I love the ministries that are in the process of launching, the new people who will be in leadership, our worship and ABF attendance, the new people who are coming to our church, and the stories of how the Gospel is moving among us. In addition there are countless things happening behind the scenes, in subtle ways, that I could spend several hours sharing with you. Suffice to say, great things are happening here. 


The Future
I cannot wait to see what God does here. He has blessed us in so many ways, but I want to see more. I want to see a deeper love and understanding of the Gospel. I want to see more non-believers come to faith in Christ. I want to see more leaders raised up, trained, and sent out. I want to see more people in our services. I want to see more people treasure and value Jesus above all else. I know you want this as well. So let us pray to that end, that God would bring renewal among us, and stir us to worship Him and make much of His great Name. Let us join with the psalmist who said:

What shall I render to the LORD

   for all his benefits to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the LORD,

I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people.

      (Psalm 116:12-14 ESV)

Thank you for hiring me thirteen months ago. Thank you for encouraging and supporting me and my family. Thank you for being a great church! 


I love you more than you know,
Pastor Greg

Spiritual Application Here Somewhere

Ending Your Day

Skye Jethani, in his book With, gives some advice on how to end a day. He uses the language of Ignatius of Loyola who referred to consolations and desolations. Consolations are times in the day when you feel near to God, and desolations are times in the day when you feel distant from God. 


Desolations—the sense of God's absence 

• When, today, did I sense being drawn away from God?
• When did I feel most dissatisfied and restricted today?
• Was there any time today when I felt discouraged?
• What was the most draining part of my day?
• Was there a time today when I felt guilty, ashamed, or lonely?

Consolation—the sense of God's presence

• When, today, did I feel most touched by the presence of God?
• What events, relationships, or thoughts of the day drew me closer to God?
• When did I feel most free today?
• What was the most life-giving part of my day?
• What was most joyful about my day?

Great questions! Maybe a missing piece in these questions is in reference to the Gospel. As soon as I forget the Gospel and its implications in my life, I slip into performance Christianity, legalism, and fear. My greatest desolations come when I am not fully trusting and believing the Gospel—that in Christ, all the joy and hope and value I can imagine are found. My greatest consolations come when I remind myself that if Christ died for me, He is not going to leave me, He will walk with me and be for me. Martin Luther said, "To progress is always to begin again." By going back to the Gospel again and again, I make the most progress in my life. May we end our days by bathing both our consolations and desolations in the Gospel of grace.


GB

Surf Worthy Links

Here are a few links that might be of interest to you:

Should The SBC Change Its Name?

Should Christians Do Yoga?

Does Joel Osteen Worship The Same God As We Do?

20 Of The Most Unhealthy Cereals

Enjoy...

GB