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Jesus yes, church no

My favorite day of the week is Sunday. I love being with my current congregation here at Mt. Dora. In fact I have enjoyed each congregation I've worked with - Lompoc, CA; Randolph, NJ; Tabernacle, NJ. I enjoy the fellowship, the classes, preaching, and saying hi to everyone. Yes there are piddling things that annoy me but overall I wouldn't change a thing. I enjoy the diversity of thinking and the interchange that takes place. I'm sure that if I tried to change the things that annoy me I would mess up the whole church.

Apparently not everyone is happy about "their church." There is a new book out called They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from emerging generations by Dan Kimball. The title really tells it all. The church in general is not well liked these days. Over at Out of Ur (a blog at ChristianityToday.com by Leadership Journal), Skye Jethani discusses "They love the church but not the institution" which you can read here for part one and here for part two. He tries to divide the church as community from the church as organization. It's a similar discussion I've heard as to the difference between manager and leader. The manager is concerned about finances, projects, and deadlines. The leader is concerned about people and their direction. I think Jethani and Kimball are saying something similar about the church. The hierarchy is concerned about programs, finances, attendance, and the building. But the church should be about the people serving God. I can understand why some are unhappy with what they see but I can also see why some are not unhappy.

There is no doubt that the people who lead the church today (our fellowship and the denominational world) have a different mind set than say 50 years ago. We have been infected by the business and consumer model mind set. Which has it's good and bad points. Some churches are way to business-oriented. But some churches aren't business-oriented enough. When some look at the church in general they see unfeeling, uncaring people only concerned about numbers and not the community environment of the first century. Plus the media is constantly watching for the next scandal. And scandals will come. But that is the point, the church is inhabited by imperfect people who still sin and who don't always choose the best ways to lead a local church.

Bonhoeffer surprised me in his book, Life Together, about Christian community because he basically says that we have no right to impose our own view of the church on each other. He says, "That dismisses once and for all every clamorous desire for something more (p.26)." We instead ought to be grateful that we have fellowship with each other.

Just at this point Christian brotherhood is threatened more often at the very start by the greatest danger of all, the danger of being poisoned at its root, the danger of confusing Christian brotherhood with some wishful idea of religious fellowship, of confounding the natural desire of the devout heart for community with the spiritual reality of Chrisitian brotherhood. (p.26)

Bonhoeffer seems to be saying that way to often we have our own idea of how the church should work and we spend too much time trying to mold the church into our image. Here's why Bonhoeffer says what he says.

Not what a man is in himself as a Christian, his spirituality and piety, constitutes the basis of our community. What determines our brotherhood is what that man is by reason of Christ. Our community with one another consists solely in what Christ has done to both of us. (p.25)

The foundation of our life together should be grounded in Jesus and his finished work for us. We should then recognize that our unity constitutes a witness to the world (John 17:20-21). When we are one the world recognizes that God has indeed acted in the world. The church should also recognize that when we act improperly the world criticizes God because of our behavior (Romans 2:22-24). We should also realize that even when arguments cause us to separate God can still use us for His purposes and glory (Acts 15:36-40). We have too many who are unhappy about the way things are and try to change them. We have too many who want to keep things the way they are. Let the church be the same and let the church change. Maybe my tolerance level is too high but Jesus is still head of the church and Bob is still just a part.

Redeeming Movies

Christianity Today Online has a list of 2007's 10 most redeeming movies. It is located here. We haven't seen many movies this past year. In fact we did not see any of these 10 movies. The list included honorable mention movies and we had only seen 1 - Spider Man 3. So what movies did you see this past year you thought others who are Christians might want to see?

Global Warming?

I thought that no matter what your view on global warming (or climate change) you might enjoy this video. Don't take things too seriously when you watch this.

The Things We Do For Show

Tom, my friend and brother in Christ in South Jersey, had some fun with the photo I posted below. You see Tom was jealous. I live in paradise and he lives in snow, cold, and miserable weather. Seriously, Tom is pretty creative so he altered my photo. He couldn't leave well enough alone, he had to "show" off. :-) Thanks Tom, I miss you.

Bob the Builder

It was Bob The Builder Day at the Harden Early Children Center here at Mt. Dora Bible School. As you can see I fit right in with 4 and 5 year olds. The kids know me as "Mr. Bob" so it wasn't much of a stretch for me to play the part of Bob The Builder at their Bob The Builder Day. One of the parents runs a rental center and he brought a couple of machines (a skip loader and a roller) for the kids to climb on during the day. I really enjoy spending time with the kids at chapel and other special events. I also get to meet parents at special events as well. I'm hoping my time with them will one day open opportunities with their families for sharing the gospel. Until then, I'm having fun!

The Things We Do For Love

Pat has a special love for Christmas time. Even though I'm not necessarily as enthusiastic about all the holiday trimmings I try to make sure that I do what I can to make her pleased. One of the trimmings she really loves is icicle lights around the house. I'm not fond of heights. Being up on a roof makes me nervous. In South Jersey our roof wasn't very steep so I got used to it. Our roof here in Florida is rather steep and I'm nervous just being on it. But add in putting up lights and I'm even more so. Fortunately only a short portion of the roof requires that I actually get on the roof to hang lights. I'm sure over time I will get used to this roof. But for now I do it for love. I want my DW to have a good time each year during the holidays. So I've re-titled the song "The Things I Do For Pat."

Tin Man

Did anyone see the SciFi Channel's miniseries, Tin Man? I didn't get a chance to watch it when it first debuted but I did record and we just finished watching it. The series gets a BIG thumps up from me. If you haven't seen it and like fantasy and science fiction, you'll like this movie, miniseries.

You can read more about it at SciFi.com. The movie is a modern day retelling of The Wizard of Oz. I didn't really like The Wizard of Oz but I definitely liked Tin Man. The writers, producers, and director have creatively used the images and symbols from the past movie to make this one. You will find the names of cities, people, and objects in the new but sometimes used in a slightly different way. This movie is longer and probably more intricate. I thought is was superbly done, well acted, and had terrific action and drama. The twist is in Dorothy's identity. It is worth your time (6 hours unless you have a commercial skip button). If you saw it let me know what you thought of it.

Blondes and Images

A new study (which you can read about here) shows that it is not blondes who are actually dumb but people who look at blondes or pictures of blondes. In the study men were shown pictures of blondes and then given a general-knowledge test. They scored below par on the test. The article doesn't describe what "below par" means but I guess we are supposed to intuitively get the meaning. I've noticed in the past that men tend to act "stupider" in the presence of a blonde (usually trying to impress her) but had never expected that we men would also be affected by a mere picture. Women also scored lower on the test when shown the same pictures. The purpose of the study was to show how we react to stereotypes and cultural beliefs. To some degree the study suggests we become what we believe about what we are viewing. You need to read that sentence carefully.

I wonder if this is part of the reason why God prohibited images being made of Him? If we tend to act according to our beliefs when viewing pictures of blondes, then viewing an image of a god should also affect us as well. Although this study is probably not considered all that scientific by some in the know, I wonder if there isn't at least some truth to the conclusions drawn by the researchers.

If we do not use images of God then He remains invisible, mysterious, powerful, spiritual, transcendent, and sovereign. With an image He becomes manageable. Interesting how a study about how people view blondes can make you think about our relationship to God.

Bob's Reading Level

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So what does this mean? I guess it means I'm smarter than a fifth grader.

Jesus' Mighty Men

I was writing an article for the bulletin on Veteran's Day. I used 2Samuel 23:8-38 for honoring our military. I don't know whether or not it's an exact parallel but I thought it close enough. As I was writing the article and reading the text, it struck me that the text mentions two groups of David's men, the thirty and the Three. Several men have a name almost of the Three but they are not of the Three. This got me to thinking about Jesus' three - Peter, James, and John. I wonder if the Gospels are hinting that Jesus has his three just as David did? I don't think I've ever read anything that draws a parallel between David and Jesus in this regard. Has anyone ever read anything that suggests this? Has anyone ever thought of this parallel?

These three get more mention in the Gospels than any of the other apostles. They also are the one's that Jesus generally takes with him on special occasions (like the Transfiguration). Peter gets to preach the first gospel proclamation. James is the first to die in persecution. John gets to hang around and probably is the last to die. They do seem to occupy a special place in the body of Christ. So are they Jesus' Three?

Meet the Beatles

Last Saturday Pat, Loni, and I got to see the Beatles in concert. Not really, it was a tribute band called Revolution. You can read about their story here. The concert was sponsored by the Mount Dora Music Festival. You can read about the festival here. Mount Dora is renovating an old theater into a "concert boutique." They hope to extend the theater's seating and turn it into a really nice place for concerts.

This concert was unique in that probably 85% of the people were over 50. There were a few young adults and even some teens but mostly baby boomers trying to remember the glory years of the 60s. The band really did a good job of playing the Beatles' songs just the way the Beatles did. The first half of the concert was the early Beatles. Then they came out dressed in Sgt. Pepper outfits and did later stuff by the Beatles. What a great time we had listening to the Beatles.

Book Review - Biblical Preaching

With my last post I mentioned that I was planning on reading Robinson's book and trying to follow his methodology. My purpose was to regain some discipline in my preparation. I've read numerous books on homiletics over the years and think that I've tried to allow all of them to influence me so that I might find my own voice (style). I think in some ways that I've reached that goal but I don't think that I've figured out how to speak to my audience in my voice (style). So I'm going to follow Robinson's methodology and see what happens. Robinson has influenced quite a few people in the field of homiletics. I'm talking not only students and preachers but writers of homiletics as well. I will probably be reviewing some of those books in the future as well.

I read Robinson's first edition sometime back in the late 80s. I didn't really absorb the book and its details immediately. Things sometimes have to simmer on my back burner before I really understand how to use them. I think Robinson and other homileticians have simmered long enough. I picked up Robinson's book at a local Bible bookstore outlet center for about half price. There are 10 chapters in the book, as well as an appendix with a sample sermon. The chapters take the reader from text selection to finished product in 10 stages. The stages do not correspond to the chapters. Robinson opens with two chapters on an explanation about expository preaching and "the big idea." Robinson is saying that most preaching should be based on a coherent passage and a single idea. This single idea (a.ka. the big idea) is the heart of his methodology. Once he establishes these two points the book then explains how to reach the finished sermon.

There are several strengths to Robinson's book. One is that it provides a disciplined approach to sermon preparation. I believe that if one follows this approach, the finished sermon will be of good quality. Another strength is the "big idea" that has become Robinson's trademark. The "big idea" approach gives the sermon a focus and keeps the preacher from wandering and the congregation from wondering what in the world he is talking about.

The book also has its weaknesses. One is that his stage on studying the passage is not very clear. Tom Long (The Witness of Preaching) and Fred Craddock (Preaching) both have excellent sections on the study process. Robinson should have incorporated a better section on studying the passage with this second edition. Another weakness is application. Even though I believe that I do a fairly good job of trying to address how to apply my sermons, I still feel the need to find something that will help me make sure that I'm providing good application suggestions. Robinson talks about application but like most books on preaching really ends up short. There is a chapter in The Big Idea of Biblical Preaching that will help.

Robinson's book has echoes of Charles Koller (How to Preach without Notes), Lloyd Perry (Biblical Preaching for Today's World), and a host of others. His methodology has some similarities to Tom Long's. It is well worth your time as a preacher to invest in the book and to follow his methodology if only to see how it fits into your already established sermon preparation.
I'm trying to incorporate some of Long's and Craddock's study procedures into Robinson's overall approach. Maybe some day down the road I'll let you know how I've benefited from this approach.

Book Review - The Big Idea of Biblical Preaching

Several authors have collaborated to write a book that tries to further the idea that Haddon Robinson put in his classic homiletic text - Biblical Preaching. The contributors are trying to demonstrate that Robinson's style of preparing expository sermons is still relevant to our diverse culture.

The book is divided into three parts. Part One has two chapters and is geared toward showing why "the big idea" of the text and sermon packs a good homiletical punch. Part Two, with five chapters, focuses on the biblical and theological power of "the big idea." This section takes us through literary types and culture types. Part Three has four chapters and is dedicated to getting "the big idea" across in our sermons.

The weakest chapter was Chapter 6 (The Big Idea and Biblical Theology's Grand Theme) by Bruce L. Shelley. The chapter was weak because "the big idea" of the chapter wasn't really about biblical theology and the grand theme of the Bible. It was more about getting across the emotion (I would have preferred "mood") of the text. I agree with what the author said in his chapter, so it wasn't weak in the sense that what he said didn't relate to the theme of the book. It was weak because his chapter content and chapter title didn't match up. The chapter should have been called "The Big Idea and the Mood of the Text." Then another chapter should have focused on Biblical Theology and the Grand Theme of the Bible.

The highlight of the book was two chapters. Donald Sunukjian (doesn't anyone know how to pronounce his name?) in chapter 8 wrote about allowing the flow of the text to influence the flow of your sermon. It was such an excellent chapter that I have his book at the top of my "books to buy NOW" list.

The other great chapter was by Joseph Stowell III on "Preaching for a Change" (chapter 9). He made some excellent suggestions on how to build application into your lessons. I think trying to have effective applications in my lessons is my weakest part. Stowell's were the best I've read.

This is a highly recommend book for preachers. Your style will be enhanced by reading and incorporating the suggestions found here. I would also recommend that you find the books of the contributors and read them as well. I have several of their books on my list. I liked this book so much that I've decided to reread Robinson's book and try to follow his methodology for a while. I have read so many books on homiletics (and tried to incorporate way too many ideas) that I have felt I don't really have a style of my own. Or maybe it's just that I feel I lack good discipline. I like what I've read about Robinson's method so I'm going to try it for a while and see what happens.

I Vant Yur Blood!

You Could Be a Vampire... If You Had To

Like most people, the thought of being a vampire has crossed your mind. But you're not sure if you'd do it, even if you could. Living forever doesn't sound half bad, if you could live forever with the people you love the most. But do vampires even love? And would the vampire version of you even be you? It's all too much to contemplate. Luckily, the chances of you ever becoming a vampire are astronomically low. What you would like best about being a vampire: Living forever What you would like least about being a vampire: Blood stained teeth

Could You Be a Vampire?

More Revelations about Bob!

You Are Changing Leaves

Pretty, but soon dead.

What Part of Fall Are You?

I got an A!

You Scored an A

You got 10/10 questions correct. It's pretty obvious that you don't make basic grammatical errors. If anything, you're annoyed when people make simple mistakes on their blogs. As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they're only human. And it's humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes.

The It's Its There Their They're Quiz

My Mother and Wife should be very proud of me.

You are what you eat!

What Your Pizza Reveals

Your appetite is pretty average. You don't go overboard - but you don't deprive yourself either. You consider pizza to be bread... very good bread. You fit in best in the Midwest part of the US. You like food that's traditional and well crafted. You aren't impressed with "gourmet" foods. You are generous, outgoing, and considerate with your choices. You are cultured and intellectual. You should consider traveling to Vienna. The stereotype that best fits you is emo. You think you're special... and you kind of are.

What Does Your Pizza Say About You?

So here is what my pizza-eating habits say about me. I wonder what other foods reveal our personalities? So have you taken the test?

Book Review - Preaching that Speaks to Women

Preaching that Speaks to Women was written by Alice P. Mathews. The book got my attention because the introduction is written by Haddon Robinson. The book is not about women's role in the church. It is a rather good attempt to help preachers understand a group that represents more than half of any congregation.

Ms. Mathews first chapter deals with the myths of the differences between men and women. She acknowledges that there are biological differences and discusses how she sees our culture mitigating those differences in women. She ends up somewhere in the middle of the discussion of "nature vs. nurture." She tries quite hard to end up in the discussion where she admits the differences but doesn't want anyone to think she believes in a stereo-typical male or female mindset. I think that some other authors will do a better job of showing the biological differences between the two genders but Ms. Mathews does a good job of showing that the differences exist and how those differences need to be considered by the preacher.

She organizes her book around the biblical statement that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Each of the statements refer to areas of importance to women.

chp.2 - love with our hearts: deals with ethical decisions.
chp.3 - love with our souls: deals with the psychology of women
chp.4-6 - love with our minds: deals with epistemology (I thought this was the best of the book. Her discussion on postmodernism is quite good. this is also the hardest section of the book because of the deep subject matter)
chp.7-8 - love with our strength: deals with women's abilities and gifts
chp.9 - how women feel marginalized
chp.10 - practical advice

Each chapter is organized by the following pattern:
1. Discusses the topic
2. How this topic applies to preaching
3. Summing up the chapter
4. Questions to Ponder

I really liked this book and heartedly recommend it to every preacher. The author did not have a theological agenda about male/female roles in the church. I think that any preacher from conservative to liberal will find a lot to chew on and digest. One thing to note, this is not an easy read. She doesn't use big words but she delves into concepts (postmodernism, epistemology, etc.) that require a good deal of thinking. Some may see her practical suggestions in chapter 10 as concession to feminism but I think if we dig a little deeper we will see that we speak to a different breed of people today and we need to alter our terminology without altering our doctrine. I think her suggestions will play well in any congregation.

One goal that I've made concerning my sermons is paying closer attention to my illustrations. In one of her chapters she recounts a speaking engagement where she opened using an illustration concerning her sewing machine. She jokingly said at the end that this illustration was payback for all the football illustrations used by male preachers. She got quite a laugh and response to that joke. I got the point real quick. I'm trying to limit but not avoid stories or jokes from the male realm of things. I hope that this focus will engage the ladies in my congregation more.

Strange Funeral

Since Trey told Lisa that he's done funerals for just about every kind of pet I thought maybe he could appreciate this story. Pat received it from a kindergarten teacher we know back in New Jersey.

As a young minister, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a
grave-side service for a homeless man, with no family or friends.
The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country,
and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost; and
being a typical man did not
stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the
backhoe and the crew, who was eating lunch, but the hearse was
nowhere in sight. I apologized to the workers for my
tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw
the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not
hold them up for long, but this was t he proper thing to
do. The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. I poured

out my heart and soul. As I preached the workers began to say
"Amen," "Praise the Lord," and "Glory"! I preached,
and I preached, like I'd never preached before: from Genesis all
the way to Revelations. I closed the lengthy service with a prayer
and walked to my car. As I was opening the door
and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to
another, "I ain't never seen anything like that before and I've
been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

I thought this story was hilarious. I've got a couple of stories like this only not involving a funeral. Perhaps I'll share one of those soon. Enjoy.