Spurgeon sale just weird

Charles H. Spurgeon, arguably the most influential preacher between Paul and Billy Graham, is a hero to many in the Calvinist tradition and particularly the Baptist movement. Despite disagreeing with Spurgeon on many points of doctrine, his skill at building a sermon and developing a illustration is something that one cannot help but be impressed with. I was appalled when I learned that his papers (sermon dialogues, notes, and personal letters) are being sold online. Granted a person who buys this type of item will likely treasure it, but shouldn't the "Prince of Preachers" have a large enough following within the Baptist community that his papers could be purchased and placed in a public viewing area/museum. I just find the whole idea of selling these pieces of larger Christian history a bit like grave robbing.

Weird.

“There is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for.” -Paulo Coelho

"It is perilously easy to have amazing sympathy with God's truth and remain in sin." -Oswald Chambers

A new kind of teaching

For the past few years, I have been teaching 3-4 Bible lessons per week within the confines of churches. I have also spoke at many events about the issues of those facing mental health challenges. Yesterday, however, I went back to basics. As a new volunteer at RIFA (www.rifarifa.org) I am teaching adult basic education classes. My students are adults who did not finish high school or are transitioning from drugs and alcohol hopefully back into the work force. Yesterday, I taught adjectives and adverbs to a willing student. She was polite, enthusiastic, and we shared laughs as she learned about her own language. This is teaching at its best: willing students, no pay or profit and the reward of transferring knowledge. Maybe that $80,000 English degree is coming in handy after all...;)

peace and love,
-Will

Alamo to Oman

I recently added a feature to my blog to allow me to see where the majority of my readers are concentrated. In a way, this was purely out of curiosity and in another I wanted to be able to post messages relevant to my small audience of readers. I was expecting hits from the USA, Canada and maybe Great Britain, but was surprised to see hits from Sweden, Belgium, and strangest of all, Oman. We never know how far our sphere of influence will reach. Use what influence you possess (conversation, writing, blogging, teaching, etc.) to touch the lives of people; some of which you may never meet.

God bless,
-Will

"The temptation of the age is to look good without being good." —Brennan Manning

Big dreams see big results...Go FHU!

"Nothing hath separated us from God but our own will, or rather our own will is our separation from God." -William Law

"The beginning of atonement is the sense of its necessity." -Lord Byron

New friends and old ones

I have been looking for ways to expand my circle of friends and to renew old relationships. The last few days have been productive in this area. Blessed is the person who has many friends and I hope I can be a blessing to everyone I meet.

-Will

More snow...

It continues to snow outside and the cold has a tendency to dampen the spirit and drive us all indoors.

Last evening at Lebanon, we talked about the importance of mission work and about how God has always been a missionary God. Sadly, many times, it seems as if many congregations have lost their missions focus. Blessed with prosperity, we have become content to build bigger buildings, have active youth groups and social activities and forget that the mission of the church is not not entertaining or social, but rather to fulfill the Great Commission.

We either go, send, or we disobey. Simple as that.

"Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart." -Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision

over 100 posts later...

This is the 101st post to appear on this blog. I am excited that people are reading the information posted here: not because I think I have much that is valid to say, but I do think I am facilitating in delivering information that is valuable.

I am about to attend a retreat of quarter-aged guys who are going to know doubt discuss a lot of things about church, God, worship and life. I am looking froward to this opportunity immensely. I hope to share some our thoughts with you in the days ahead.

God be praised,
-Will

If you say go...

"In the vast plain to the north I have sometimes seen,
in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been."

-Robert Moffat, the father of Protestant missions in
Africa

Unity

Today, both in Sunday school time and in the worship, we at Lebanon discussed unity. The entire sermon came from John 17 and the three prayers of Jesus addressing His unity with the Father, His unity with His current disciples and then finally His unity with all who believe on the words His disciples would teach. I said today that there are things I would not sacrifice for unity (deity of Christ, believer's baptism, etc.), but I find my list grows shorter the older I get. Love and the words of Jesus should bind us to far more than a set of doctrines: they should bind us to each other.

peace,
-Will

Resolutions...5 weeks late

1. Lose 40 pounds this year.
2. Visit New York City in the spring time.
3. Volunteer more time to help the less fortunate.
4. See at least two concerts of bands I wouldn't normally listen to.
5. Re-read parts of the Bible just to learn something; not just to prepare sermons.
6. Try to learn to like kids more.
7. Do my dance workout (in private) several times a week.
8. Keep in touch with old, almost-forgotten friends.
9. Drink more water.
10. Enjoy this time of my life.