Follow Us On The Blog

I'll be a little irregular in posting here at Interactive Sermon while our GO Team is in Namibia. I will try to get a few posts up here, but I will be regularly checking in over on the Namibia 2006 Blog with journal entries, pictures and more. So please, come over to http://namibia2006.blogspot.com/ and join us on the journey. That blog is up and running so we'll see you there! Leave some comments as we will be sharing them with the team each evening.

I'll look forward to getting back on the regular track here on July 18th. So, what do you say we go to Africa?

Namibia 2006 Officially Underway

With Dave and Germaine's departure yesterday to finish the advance tasks for our team on the ground in Namibia, the trip is officially underway. G and Dave have made a couple blog postings, complete with an action photo of Dave. Catch the Namibia 2006 trip on a daily basis at the G.O. 2006 Blogsite at http://namibia2006.blogspot.com/ and while you're there, post a comment or two. The team will be getting to look at the comments you post while we're on the field and it is a huge encouragement to know people back here are thinking of and praying for us.

The trip is officially underway for the Shaw family too. Thanks to those of you praying with and for us about our family arrangements. The girls are settled in at my brother's home tonight and having a blast already with their cousins. News was also shared that Dave and Bonnie will be foster caring for a pair of newborn twins. This news made my girls even more excited - babies to care for! Now, Shari and I set our minds to packing. Please - more prayer!

I catch an early flight back home to NH tomorrow, hoping to make it in time for the pastor's prayer meeting mid-morning. Thanks again for your prayers!

Along The Way (26/June/2006)

Monday... Greetings from Petersburg, VA. I am on the way to Florida to deliver our girls to their Uncle Dave and Aunt Bonnie, where they will be spending a couple weeks with their cousins and visiting with old friends while we are in Namibia.

Speaking of Namibia, wasn't Sunday a marvelous time? The worship / commissioning service for our 2006 G.O. Team was fantastic. Thanks By Faith for leading us in worship music; Jackie, Michael and Nate for sharing parts of your stories with us; and thanks again to the 2002, 2004 and 2005 teams for giving us much to build on. Germaine and Dave left today to finish the advance work. The rest of the team prepares to leave CCA at 9AM Friday. Come see us off at the church if you've got a few moments to spare Friday.

Postings this week on the blog... I have high hopes. I really hope to get a few good things up that I've been playing with. Unfortunately today and tomorrow while I'm on the road it will be a little tough. By Wednesday I should be back in stride.

Pure & Theoretical To Applied & Practical

We considered missional living on Sunday morning as we 'commissioned' our 2006 Global Outreach Team headed to Namibia this week. The text we studied was Ephesians 1. You can read my notes here. The audio file will be posted in the right hand menu in a couple days (sorry for the delay). Give the text a look and drop in your thoughts. What do you think about this prayer for believers? Missional lifestyle versus a church sending out a missions team, etc?

For Our Saturday Night Readers

Great morning planned for tomorrow! We will be commissioning the team of 29 leaving this coming week for Namibia. If you haven't done so already, visit the team's blogsite http://namibia2006.blogspot.com/ and meet the team. Pictures and bios on all 29 participants are posted there.

As a part of tomorrow's service, three members of this summer's team will share briefly on how they came to be a part of this trip and a few of the things that they would like us to pray about with them.

By Faith - a group made up of members of the Christ's Church worship bands, will lead us in praise and worship music in the morning - their last 'tune up' before they pack up and tour the country of Namibia as a part of this team. Music tomorrow? A great arrangement of a favorite hymn, 'Fairest Lord Jesus'; a CCA standard, 'Make A Joyful Noise'; a couple of Chris Tomlin songs, and more.

As for our study of the word, give a look at Romans 12 and Luke 24:45-53.

I look forward to worshipping the Lord together with you at 10AM tomorrow!

Blog Goes The Small Group Part Deux!

Greetings Friends: I’m continuing the virtual application of our Tuesday evening small group. We read through John 13 this week. Give the text a read… see my comments in part one (posted a couple days ago) and comments people left. Take a look at my thoughts on this next section. Chime in. Join the conversation.

Here’s my take on the next section:
John 13:18-31
This whole dialogue intrigues me. The fact that Jesus identifies His betrayer seems lost on His disciples too. I can only imagine that they had no clue what kind of betrayal Jesus spoke of, perhaps thinking that Judas would fall short of Jesus expectations or something, but certainly not expecting him to betray Christ unto death. It’s obvious that the whole exchange was confusing to them (see verse 29 and John’s perception of what the others might have been thinking).

I’m also intrigued for Judas’ point of view. Talk about getting caught with your hands in the cookie jar! He is likely planning this betrayal, perhaps spent the money already, no matter his motives. And Jesus calls him out. Have you ever been listening to a preacher bring a sermon and felt all of a sudden as if he just hit you between the eyes? Like everyone in the whole place could see right through you? That, ‘He’s talking about me’ kind of sick feeling? When I was a child in school the Principal’s office would sometimes come over the intercom and say, “Please send Darin Shaw to the office”. (Okay, so it happened pretty often, but don’t miss my point.) That feeling of ‘busted!’ rolled through my body.

There’s also the whole matter of Satan (this is the only place Satan is named in John’s gospel by the way) entering Judas is very interesting. Certainly it is Judas who betrays Christ. What role does Satan play? Where does Judas’ responsibility begin and end, and etc?
Very interesting stuff to ponder together.

What are your thoughts on these verses? The rest of John 13? I’ll drop a few thoughts in on the remainder of the chapter as the week progresses, so check back often.

Apocalypse Now?

Just saw this article in the headlines on the return of Christ, end of the world as we know it, and all the theories on how it is at hand, how Christians can hasten the day, and on the signs of the times. Wow. I'm sure glad God has all these folks to help Him out with the details. I especially like the part about the guy breeding red heifers. Why didn't I think of that?

Hmmm... what does the Word say? "For as lightning flashes from the east to the west, so also will be the coming of the Lord. But of that day and hour, no one knows. Not even the angels in heaven, but my Father only. Watch therefore, because you do not know the hour your Lord is coming. But concerning times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But you, brothers, are not in the dark that this day should overtake you. You are sons of the light. Therefore, comfort one another with these truths!" (Matt. 24:27, 36, 42 & 1 Thes. 5:1-2, 4-5, 11)

So what do you think? Time to start breeding red heifers?

Blog Goes The Small Group!

Greetings Friends. My Tuesday evening small group is reading through the Gospel of John, one chapter per week, then gathering to talk about it. It’s been a lot of fun. Due to a number of schedule conflicts, we were not able to meet tonight. With more than half of the group traveling to Namibia in a week, the prospects of us being able to meet the next month looks pretty slim. So, I’ve decided to go cyber. I’m going to open up our discussion of John (this week we read thru chapter 13) here on the blog. I’m expecting some of our small group to chime in with comments, thoughts and questions, just like if we were sitting around the table and snacking on popcorn. I also welcome any of you reading the blog to chime in with comments and thoughts. Consider yourself part of a ‘virtual small group experiment’.

Here’s my take on the first section:
John 13:1-17
I’m touched by the words at the end of verse 1, ‘He now showed them the full extent of His love’ followed by the scene of Jesus humbly stooping to serve the disciples.
The word ‘so’ in verse 4 interests me. John records in verse 3 that Jesus understands all power to have been given Him, and that He has come from God and would soon return to be with God. It would seem to me that this knowledge would have led one to conclude they should be served, rather than serving others. Then that word ‘so’ puzzles me, as if John is saying, because of who He is, He chose to serve in menial tasks.
I was at a gathering once when someone stooped to wash others feet. I remember being very uncomfortable thinking, ‘I hope they don’t come do that to me!’ I completely sympathize with Peter’s unease. ‘My Lord? Stoop to wash my feet? What sense does that make?’
In verse 14 Jesus’ admonition that His disciples should serve in a similar manner has been misunderstood in a small number of churches to the degree that they view foot washing as a sacrament of the church (Primitive Baptist & some branches of Brethren churches among them).
The whole passage stirs me to consider the manner in which I love others and would serve others. That last verse in the section declares, ‘Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them’. That speaks a challenge to me.

What are your thoughts on these verses? The rest of John 13? I’ll drop a few thoughts in on the remainder of the chapter as the week progresses, so check back often.

Along The Way (20/June/2006)

Tuesday night… went to the bookstore today to grab some reading for the summer. I was after a book my brother Dave recommended to me called ‘The Pressure Is Off’ by Larry Crabb. Nobody in town has it. I’ll have to see if I can order one. He tells me this book will be a very thought provoking read – so you know I am after it! I managed to grab a couple of books that look like they’ll be thought provoking. One of them is the 2005 release by Gibbs and Bolger entitled ‘Emerging Churches – Creating Christian Community in Post-Modern Cultures’. I’ve heard enough about it (mostly respected names vilifying it), I figured I might give it a read. A preacher friend of mine has literally told me pastors in his denomination would lose their job if folks in authority found out they were reading this book. Give me a break! The other one I picked up is called ‘Provocative Faith – Walking Away From Ordinary’ by Matthew Paul Turner. He wrote a book called ‘Coffeehouse Gospel’ that I read last year and enjoyed, so I’ll give this one a shot.

Anybody reading anything good?

Sunday's Study

Well how about that text? Women must wear head coverings? Men with long hair are a disgrace? Angels are watching? That looks like the perfect text for a preacher to avoid! Trust me, I thought about it. But, what fun would that be? So, I dove into the first 16 verses of 1 Corinthians 11 this past Sunday. You can read my notes here, and listen to the audio file here, or find them both in the right hand menu. So, give it another look and then jump in here with some comments. What did you think of our study through the text? Were you disappointed that I couldn't clearly explain parts of the passage? Have you got those points figured out? Help me take monologue to dialogue. Chime in.

G.O. 2005: Namibia (pt. 16)

This is part 16 of my 2005 Namibia trip report. You can see previous installments by clicking 'The Namibia 2005 Story' in the right hand menu.

After The Rain
Are things ever the same after the rain?
During the last couple days of our trip, I noticed a wave of emotion roll through the Christ’s Church part of the team. I wasn’t able to put my finger on it immediately. After a day or so of confusion, it finally hit me: we had prepared our team emotionally for this trip like we had every other trip before it. But this trip was very different.

When you travel cross-culturally one of the amazing realities is how quickly you come to love and feel close to the people you meet. Something about the environment of a cross cultural trip binds hearts together. We’ve taught each of our teams that have made the journey to Namibia to expect this when they meet Dieter and Joan, Brenda and Sylvia and our other friends there. What I hadn’t considered was that I had set up the Christ’s Church side of the team for a double whammy – falling in love with our Namibian hosts AND falling in love with the dance side of our team. As the trip wound down, I was seeing the reality dawn on the CCA folks that in just a few days we’d return home; us to our world, and the dancers to theirs. The young married couple that had stayed up all night, several nights, talking with a couple of the girls; the musicians who had sat up long hours playing guitar with a couple of the girls around the campfire; the thirty-somethings that had worked shoulder to shoulder with the teenagers to make a difference; the young adults who had gathered a few of the teenagers to get up early and go see the African sunrise, or who had set out sleeping bags under the stars together; the preacher who had spent the better part of 18 hours a day, for two solid weeks, talking with these teenage girls – we were all about to head home, and these opportunities were to be no more.

Just about the time I thought I had figured that out, another realization hit me: it was more than just the dancers. It was their families back home. In the months leading up to the trip we had been in many of their homes - we’d shared meals together, sat around the pool having a beer, talking about life. In the two weeks that we’d been in Namibia, we had received daily correspondence from the dancer’s families in the States through our Namibia 2005 Blogsite. Many of the dance families back home had sent blog greetings to CCA members of the team. Those comments had really touched our hearts. The reality, however, was sinking in. Those relationships would most likely end with our return. As I discussed these things with a few of our Christ’s Church folks, their emotions were raw. One of my team members said, “I don’t want this to end.” Another of my team asked, “So, what do we do now?”

The last few nights of the trip were very hard emotionally.

The difference was that with every G.O. trip we make, the team comes home, and for the most part, continues to share life and friendship with one another. At the very least, the teams come home and see each other at church on Sundays. This team was headed home with a very different re-entry experience awaiting them.

You could sense that the re-entry process was dawning the last day or so of the trip. Team members that had been very open and communicative during the trip seemed now to be becoming more quiet and reserved. Team leaders seemed emotionally drained as they went through the motions of preparing to bring the team home. Our technical folks went about their blogging, photography and video chores with far less excitement than they had earlier.

The morning of our departure for home arrived. With everything loaded in the combees we lined up and pulled out of Mpampo. Everyone seemed to be dealing with leaving differently. The back of my combee was a veritable party - laughter, joking, and singing. I looked over to Stephanie beside me however, and saw a completely different reaction. Steph was crying. When she noticed that I had looked over at her, she turned sideways in the chair to look away. She sat silent for most of the two hour trip to the airport staring out the window, occasionally wiping away tears. At one point I asked her if she was okay. Then the tears really began to flow. She managed nothing more than “I’m okay”. I remember thinking, ‘I’m glad you’re okay. I’m not’.

At the airport in Windhoek, during our flights and stops, our team leaders were going through the motions of getting this team home safely. I remember watching at one point while we were in London thinking that they looked like they were on auto-pilot. Our whole team looked emotionally wiped out coming home. I joked with a couple G.O. team veterans as we traveled that this team looked worse coming home than any team we had ever led before. They agreed. This was going to be a hard re-entry. We could see it on one another’s faces.

For Our Saturday Night Readers

As you prepare your heart to worship the Lord together tomorrow morning, consider giving 1 Corinthians 11 a read. This is a very difficult chapter to understand, particularly the first half of it about propriety in worship. What is Paul saying about all this head covering and uncovering? The second part of the chapter speaks of the Lord’s Supper and its observance in Corinth.

Musically, Shari and the team have a great set of songs ready to usher us into the presence of the Lord, this week with a full band sound. We’ll sing that new arrangement of an 1873 hymn, originally called ‘I Am Not Skilled To Understand’, that we learned last weekend. Many folks came up to me after the service last week telling me they thought the song and its lyrics were a real blessing. I agree! We will also be singing a Chris Tomlin song, ‘How Great Is Our God’ with added choruses of ‘How Great Thou Art’. The chorus of that song invites, “Sing with me!” I hope that you’ll come prepared to do just that.

I look forward to worshipping with you in the morning.

Remember that we move to our summer schedule tomorrow – one Sunday morning worship service at 10AM. Also remember that there is a congregational meeting scheduled for immediately after the worship service. Whether you are a member of the church or not, you’re encouraged to sit in as the Elders discuss the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. I hope that you will plan on staying for the meeting.

1 Corinthians 10 (continued)

Picking up where we left off… here are a few notes on the remaining verses of chapter 10.

v. 24 On the heals of the great truths in verse 23 – that while all things are permissible, they are not necessarily all beneficial or constructive – Paul shares what should be guiding a believer’s heart in these decisions: what would be best for the sake of others?

v. 25-30 Paul returns again to the matters he discussed at length in chapter 8. By returning to this issue here, in the larger context of the historical lessons (at the beginning of chapter 10), he adds weight to the responsibility – our decisions could have direct bearing on another’s walk before the Lord. Yes we have liberties, but those liberties ought always be applied in and through love.

v. 31-32 In summary, Paul admonishes believers to consider everything they do, in their liberty, or in love surrendering liberties, as a means of bringing glory to the Lord, and building up the body of Christ.

Notes: As I revisit this passage, and really even the last couple of chapters (particularly chapters 8-11) I note how directly Paul calls upon believers to think of others over themselves. We spoke of the consumer mindset that often invades our thinking, leading us to believe ‘it’s all about me’, and how, consequently, the church tends to cater to those who believe ‘it’s all about me’ – “Have we got a program for you!” What would be a church after God’s heart? Not a congregation that has something to offer for every felt-need, but rather a congregation made up of folks who consistently put others ahead of themselves.

1 Corinthians 10

Picking up where the sermon notes left off (see the posting Sunday Study dated 6/12/06), let's consider the next section of verses.

v. 14 - Note the word 'therefore'. Paul is turning his historical lesson in the first section to application, saying 'in light of that lesson, this is how we ought to respond' in given situations. The mention of idolatry, again, seems rather foreign to us in our cultural setting. Very few people are bowing to carved images in our experience. But, as we discussed Sunday, there is no shortage of 'altars' out there claiming our attention and affection that is rightly due God.

v. 15 - Paul believes the Corinthians to be 'sensible people'. Thus, the rhetorical questions that follow should be stirring arguments.

v. 16-17 - The questions in these verses seem to naturally progress to making the point that our (the believers in Corinth in his letter, and ours) participation in the Lord's Supper expresses a unity among believers in Christ. Communion is one thing that unites us with believers around the world of different color, creed and etc. All of us, no matter our station in life or cultural advantages must come before God by means of Christ's atoning sacrifice. An aside: this is one of the reasons that I like to serve Communion by allowing people to partake of the bread in their own timing before the Lord (symbolic of their individual relationship with Christ) and then asking everyone to hold the cup until all have been served, that we can all partake together (symbolic of our unity as the body of Christ).

v. 18-22 - Paul returns briefly to matters he covered (and so did we) in chapter 8. The point of the matter here, differing slightly from chapter 8's point, is that God is not indifferent to our manner of living before Him. This awareness, the weight of the historical lesson that precedes these verses in chapter 10, ought to balance our view of our liberties, as discussed in chapters 8 and 9.

v. 23 - As I mentioned when we came across similar wording in 6:12, these are among my favorite verses in 1 Corinthians. It appears that Paul was quoting a well known phrase of the day as he commended 'Everything is permissible' to them. Then he added two big 'buts' in qualifying the application of this proverb - NOT everything is beneficial for a believer in Christ to engage in; NOT everything is constructive to a life lived by faith. I really believe these are truths to take to heart in the daily application of our faith. It is true that our liberties are great. Our behavior will not damn us to hell. Nothing can snatch us out of God's hand (see Romans 8:38-39), nothing can separate us from His love. However, we ought to be growing in wisdom to the degree that we recognize those things that are allowable (or at least not eternally damning) are not always what we ought to do.

What do you think of these verses? Chime in.

Along The Way (14/June/2006)

Wednesday... Time is running thin before the 2006 G.O. Team departs for Namibia. Has it really been almost a year since the '05 trip? Wow! I spent time tonight watching video footage of last year's trip. Lord, what are You going to do with all of this in the lives of last year's team?

Great event tonight in Nashua as a group of local youth pastors planned an end of the school year bash for the community. The weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm. The crowd looked pretty good. Congratulations to my daughter Katie for dunking Pastor Mike with a fastball at the dunk tank!

Planning for the annual budget meeting with the Congregation on Sunday after the worship service. I hope that you will plan to stay after church for a brief meeting for the Board of Elders to present the proposed budget. And, do remember that we switch to summer schedule this weekend - only one service at 10AM until the fall.

G.O. 2005: Namibia (pt. 15)

This is part 15 of my overall Namibia 2005 Trip Summary, part 3 of the section entitled No Place To Lay My Head. The preceding parts of this document can be found in the right hand menu under the name ‘The Namibia 2005 Story’. It is through my own tears that I’ve composed this section tonight. I hope you enjoy it.

No Place To Lay My Head (pt. 3)
On a journey that’s just as He planned…
“I know. All of our parents are here. Right?” This was one of the many guesses at what lay in store for the dancers as the ministry part of the trip drew to its close and a special ‘debrief’ was being planned specifically for them. All our team leaders would tell them is that they had one more performance to give, and that for many of them it could prove to be the biggest performance of their lives, and for all of them it would be the largest audience for whom they had ever performed. Their imaginations ran wild.

There were dozens of covert glances and assuring nods from Dieter and Richard as the evening approached. Preparations had been underway for hours.

We gathered the dancers and told them that this last performance had a few strange conditions. First of all, only dancers and dancer support folks (sound man Dave, Mike and I) would be making the trip. This didn’t sit well, as the dancers quickly recognized that the rest of the CCA team members were free that evening. Why couldn’t they come? We also broke the news that there would be no cameras or video cameras allowed at this venue. This too was disappointing for the girls who had photographed every step of the trip to this point. Not even the CCA team cameras, the ones that produced all the website photos and videos, would be along on this journey. There would literally be no documentation of this last performance except in the memories of the dancers.

The ride to the venue was adventurous. Nearly an hour was spent winding around dirt roads through the bush to get there, bumps, dips, downed trees and all. When we arrived at the clearing, we asked the girls to sit in the combees until we made sure everything was in place. Far enough out from civilization, no light existed other than the magnificent light provided by the stars and moon overhead. To a girl, the dancers were nervous in the vans. What was this all about? Who was this special audience?

Through more brush and at the far end of a clearing a few hundred yards away, Dieter and Richard had spread a huge tarp to serve as a stage, and anchored the corners with heavy stones. Dave set the sound system up, just as he had at each performance, this time with the speakers aimed back at the ‘stage’. The generator was set as far away as wiring would allow; a baffle in place to all but silence it. When everything was set, we returned to get the girls.

As we led them to the clearing by flash light, the girls were silent. When we arrived, Dieter explained that the three chairs set before their ‘stage’ were reserved for Father, Son and Holy Ghost. A quick glance to the heavens would assure them of the Almighty’s applause. And the performance tonight would include every number the girls had prepared, solos and small groups to the numbers that included the whole company of dancers. Themselves hiding behind a barrier, Sandi and Dave sat silently out of view to manage the playlist. Through tears, Dieter thanked God for the girls, and their gift of dance, and the blessing their visit to Namibia had been. Then Dieter, Richard, Mike and I turned and walked out of sight.

There were a few giggles at first. Were we serious? Is this for real?

What happened next, I will never forget. Having settled under a tree a hundred yards or so from the girls, I sat and prayed. I strained to see through the darkness. As my eyes adjusted, I watched as silhouettes danced. With each number, I could sense the rising tide of emotion. Several songs in, Steph came out to dance her solo, ‘After the Rain’. As she finished I could hear a few of the girls crying. Not long after that Bonnie, Steph, Michelle and Adria came out and danced a number that they had choreographed, ‘Honest Questions’. I watched through tears as the girls collapsed into each others arms at the end of the song. With each dance the emotions escalated. I couldn’t remain so far away. I needed to be closer. I snuck forward into the shadows just a few yards away. It was at that point that the three High School Graduates, Sam, Diandre and Rebecca came out to dance their trio. The reality set in, this was likely the last time they would dance together. Emotions spilled over. As the last song ended, Sandi joined her dancers. I watched as the girls cried and embraced one another, collapsing on the tarp. We all sat in the silence of that setting for a half hour or so before anyone dared to move. Just as we had hoped, the girls had one experience on this trip that will only live on in the memories of the 18 people who were there.

The performance concluded, in the distance Dieter lit a bonfire he had prepared. A quick cell phone call to Richard, and he pulled into view with the other combees in tow. The rest of the team made their way through the brush bringing blankets and sleeping bags, and we all collapsed under the stars around a fire.

The G.O. 29 of 2005 now lay side by side around the fire, sharing blankets to stay warm and sharing memories into the early morning hours. What had we all just experienced together? What would the sum of these past two weeks be? These last six months?

Sunday's Study

What were your thoughts on our study of 1 Corinthians 10 Sunday? I never did get to my favorite verses (23 & 24) in the chapter. Here are the notes I used preparing for Sunday morning. You can listen to the audio file of the message here, or find both the notes and the audio file in the right hand menu. I'd love to hear from you.

I'll offer two questions to stir the pot a bit. (1) What do you think Paul meant when he said "for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come" in verse 11? (2) What application would you draw from verses 12 & 13? Click comments and help me turn monologue into dialogue.

Ready For Prime Time

Somebody call the NFL Hall of FAME in Canton and tell them to start carving the bust; the Guru of the Gridiron may be going prime time in 2006!

I just got off the phone with the Tampa Bay Online folks, and things look like they might work out (these multi-million dollar contracts take a lot of lawyers to scratch out the details – the Guru’s people talking to the TBO people… you know how it is) to have my Tuesday Morning Quarterback and my Weekly NFL Prognostication jump to their stable, where they have like a billion readers.

You’ll be happy to know that through the whole negotiation process I was asking myself, ‘W.W.T.O.D.’ ‘What would T.O. do?’

Right there while I was on the phone with them I dropped and did some push-ups. Then I flipped over and did some sit-ups. They kept saying things like, ‘there’s no salary involved’. Just like T.O. I’d wax all emotional and reply, ‘yea, but, I got a family to feed’. Tense negotiations.

Still details to work out, like the delivery of the code to let me into the TBO system. I think that comes in a micro-chip embedded in a taco. Then I think they have to scan in my fingerprints, read my retina and take saliva samples. Then I go through top-secret security clearance, I’m pretty sure. I might get a red phone in a brief case, I don’t remember. If it all works out before NFL training camps begin, I’ll be blogging in Prime Time.

Lookout Blogosphere!

And seriously, thanks to my blog friends who helped me make my case to TBO. We're going to have some fun next season!

For Our Saturday Night Readers

Take a look through 1 Corinthians 10 this evening or tomorrow morning before we gather to worship. I'm really struck by verses 23-24, feeling as though they are verses we should take to heart as we endeavor to lead God honoring lives. This is the second time Paul has said something like this - you may recall that we saw similar verbiage in 6:12. I feel like there is a certain wisdom in the application of those thoughts. There is much in chapter 10 we can study together tomorrow, so give the chapter a read.

Shari is leading a music team tomorrow that looks a lot like the Two Poor Pastors Band. It's planned to be a gentle acoustic set including a couple of great old hymns, a brand new song from a worship pastor in Atlanta named Aaron Shust, a couple worship chorus favorites and even a song from the band Petra. The theme in all these songs seems to be our hearts - so plan on coming with yours prepared to be together in His presence!

I look forward to worshipping with you in the morning!

G.O. 2005: Namibia (pt. 14)

This is part 14 of an overall summary of last year's Namibia trip. It is part two of a subsection. The entire document (or as much of it as has been completed) is available in the right hand menu entitled 'The Namibia 2005 Story'. I hope you enjoy reading along.

No Place To Lay My Head (pt. 2)
On a journey that’s just as He planned…
It was in the days leading up to our Namibia 2005 departure that I was afforded a few opportunities to look in on Sandi and the dancers as they prepared for the trip. During these rehearsals, Sandi would carefully watch the girls’ every move, her eyes racing back and forth between the dancers themselves and their image in the studio’s mirrored wall. At times, she appeared to be marking the moves with her hands and upper body, with each of the girls’ leaps and turns. Occasionally she would burst into a count or a clap, or shout an instruction out over the music. Every now and then she would even step into the routine herself for a quick count of eight, as if to demonstrate, ‘do it just like this’.

I learned a lot about ministry watching the dance teacher.

On the field in Namibia, Sandi’s work with the girls continued, but now in a different manner. There were very few ‘rehearsal’ moments while we were in Namibia. Sandi’s work shifted. Instruction gave way to encouragement; correction gave way to applause; counting and clapping gave way to hugs and even prayers.

There was the moment when Steph’s music stopped as she danced before more than 1000 students. Over the crowd Sandi’s voice was heard, ‘Yeah Steph!’, cheering her on. There was the performance where Diandre’s neck stiffened just as she was preparing to dance. Sandi stood behind her massaging her neck, and speaking words of reassurance to her between numbers. There were times when she stepped up, even when she was called far beyond her comfort zone. But there were also times when she chose to hold back, to let other members of her team be stretched.

I learned a lot about ministry watching the dance teacher.

Then there was that moment, and the words I wish I could call back. Near the end of the trip I had a disagreement with Sandi, in a tone I deeply regret. That experience in itself isn’t really all that surprising. Tense moments and rash remarks are common in the pressure cooker of cross-cultural mission trips. What was surprising – refreshing is actually a better word – was that Sandi came to me soon after and told me that I had hurt her feelings. She allowed me to apologize to her, and she offered forgiveness. She moved on.

I learned a lot about ministry watching the dance teacher.

Along The Way (9/June/2006)

Thursday night... I really dislike going to the dentist. I had an appointment for a cleaning today. I had asked (as covertly as possible, so as not to upset anyone) for the 'gentle' hygenist. The next thing I know my head, my lips, my jaw and my heart all got a thorough work-out. If she was the gentle version, the Antichrist must have been practicing in the next chair. I went in pain free, and came out in pain. Go figure. And we pay for this? And while I'm ranting - have you ever stopped to think about the fact that they describe hell in the Bible in dentistry language? Gnashing of teeth??? I'll bet hades is full of guys in little white coats and those splash reflecting visors. She says, "Your gums are bleeding." Really? Maybe it's that steel hook you keep jabbing me with, eh?

I am not one to celebrate a violent death as I am sure that there are loved ones and others to consider, not to mention a human soul that is precious to God, but... I am really thankful today that the troops managed to take out al-Zarqawi in Iraq. Way to go troops - American, Allied Forces and Iraqi Army!

Namibia plans continue to move along, and now we're three weeks away from departure. Will you pray with us for this team, this trip and our hosts on the ground? You can read the team's blog through the CCA website by clicking the Namibia 2006 icon. Look for the postings there to pick up in these last days before departure. Help out also as you can with our collection for the children at Hope's Promise Orphan Ministries in Namibia. There is a list of specific clothing and medicine items we are collecting available through the church office.

Follow-Up on 6/6/2006

Well, Tuesday seemed to me like any other Tuesday.

I saw this article this morning about a NH man who turned 66 on 6/6/06... and he's 6'6" tall (insert creepy music). How was your Tuesday? Any demonic activity on the radar? We had an Elder's Meeting and talked about the budget (insert more creepy music). How easy it be to poke fun of having a church budget meeting on 6/6/06! Click comments and list those strange spiritual phenomena that accompanied the supposed 'day of the devil'. Then get back to work, because the whole thing was a big bag of wind. Wonder how the party went in Hell, Michigan?

Let's Converse

This week's study took us thru 1 Corinthians 9. You can see my message notes here, or find them in the right hand menu. An audio file of the message can be found here, or in the menu. So what are your thoughts on the text we covered Sunday (verses 15-23)? How about the chapter in general? Do you have any current examples of where we might be called to 'become all things to all people in order to win the more' that you can suggest? An example from your own walk that you can share? Click comments below and let's turn monologue into dialogue.

Hell Is Heating Up!

Literally.

Hell, Michigan, that is. In preparing to greet tomorrow, dated 6/6/06, residents in Hell Michigan are planning a celebration. Check the article here. I cannot decide if I find this slightly amusing or very disturbing. I'm leaning towards disturbing.

And while I'm at it, who would want to live in a town called Hell? Can you imagine? Hey, where you going? I'm going to Hell. Want to come? Yeesh! This is unsettling to me.

So what are your thoughts on this strange calendar date of 6/6/06?

For Our Saturday Night Readers

In 1 Corinthians 11:28 Paul admonishes us to ‘consider our hearts’ as we come to ‘eat the bread and drink the cup’. We will worship the Lord tomorrow, gathering at His table.

For our study in the Scriptures, take a look at 1 Corinthians 9. The whole chapter is worth a preview reading, although we will concentrate together mostly on verses 15-23. I’d give a quick look at Romans 1:16 too – that’s a verse worth memorizing and it will be a part of our consideration.

Kathy has a great music team assembled to lead us into the Lord’s presence in the morning. I noted some great songs on the list – a tremendous body of lyrics: ‘How deep the Father’s love for us’; ‘You are the One we are waiting for’; ‘Your love, giving me the courage and the strength to follow You’, to share a few gems.

Not enough? How about this chorus: ‘You are Emmanuel, You are the Great I Am, You are the Prince of Peace, Who is the Lamb, You are the Living God, You are my Saving Grace, You will reign forever, You are the Ancient of Days, You are Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End, You are Savior, Messiah, Redeemer and Friend – You are my Prince of Peace and I will love my life for You.’

I look forward to worshipping our God together in the morning.

A Night of Celebration

Last night we gathered with several of our graduating eighth graders and our graduating high school seniors to recognize their accomplishments and honor them.

A number of our seniors shared wisdom with the eighth graders on how to make the most of the high school experience. Shannon, Becca, Andrew, Rebekah, Karen and Caleb all shared from their hearts. Rebekah (pictured) shared Proverbs 3:5 as she encouraged our younger students to trust in the Lord. Thanks to you seniors for your willingness to share.

Special thanks to Charlie, Erica, Sharon, Mike, Germaine, Kristen, Pauline, Peter and Jesse for prep work, cooking and serving. It was an awesome night!

Congratulations Graduates! We're proud of you!

Along The Way (1/June/2006) ~ Bucs Blogger?

Thursday... can you imagine that it is already June? Wow.

The news on my hard drive is that she's terminal. The forensics folks have determined that there are "so many damaged sectors" that no information can be recovered. I'm not really sure what that means, but I'm pretty sure I heard Scotty say that to Captain Kirk once, and it wasn't good. The next thing you saw was Captain Kirk being tossed back and forth in his chair, people bouncing all around the bridge and that big 'red alert' light and horn going off. Not long after, the dude with the long face with the huge cranium was on the screen ordering them to surrender. Scary stuff!

But, there is some good news. Germaine found a disc that was labeled 'Darin's back-up May 2004'. What really hurt was having lost a lot of what was generated between May of 2004 and today. But, it was a start. Then the really good news... Germaine labeled it wrong. It was a back-up made in May of 2005, and therefore I have recovered some pretty meaningful files and templates. With this I am very happy. I hear Scotty yelling, "I'm giving you all she's got Captain!" Take that, you long faced, swollen cranial maniac!

And what about the Bucs? No, I still have not received TBO's offer to become the official blogger of the Bucs. I figure they're still weeding thru the mountain of applications. Honestly, not choosing me would be a huge oversight... sort of like in 1990 when the team passed over certain Hall of Famers Junior Seau and Emmitt Smith to select Keith McCants in the draft; or maybe like before the 1995 season when the Bucs 'landed' Alvin Harper for a boat load of money... he stunk so bad one of the trainers decided to cut off his finger-tip. (It didn't work, Alvin was just as lousy with nine tips as he was with ten.) But I trust that TBO will recognize Buccaneer genius when they see it and make the right decision. I am the obvious choice.

Reading some good stuff these days from Brian McLaren. 'The Secret Message of Jesus'... sort of like the Da Vinci Code, but with some real history at the foundation. Causes you to go, 'hmmmm'.

Did you pick up the Chicago album yet?

Jethro & Ulee Ledbetter

Thank you volunteers!

Tonight we gathered many of our children's and student ministry volunteers and thanked them for another wonderful year of service.

This year's Hillbilly Theme included 'Possum and Rattlesnake Stews, Granny's ferns, beans, corn bread and snot. There was some moonshine fresh from the Ledbetter plot and some water mellon we picked out of the neighbors yard.

Our special guests, cousins Jethro and Ulee shared some family pictures and a few of their inventions, certain to make them a thousand dollars. Pictured here, with the family John Deere, the cousins demonstrate their latest creation, tractor mounted air conditioning.

Willing to make fools of ourselves to let you know how much we love and appreciate you volunteers... THANK YOU!