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Camp, Day 2

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We had another great day at camp today.

Our morning began with Celebration. Neil opened up God’s Word to Nehemiah 8:1-11 and urged us to greatly rejoice in God’s Word. He spoke of how Christianity is not a feeling we strive to maintain, but a reality we were created to enjoy. Then he gave this simple outline: 1) most of the difficult things in life require more joy than discipline and 2) the Bible has more confidence in joy than you do. He ended by directing us to Hebrews 12:1-2 and how Jesus lived out of joy.

Our afternoon service project was a good success. We got 3 rooms completed and 2 more to finish tomorrow. We also moved some things for the organization we get to serve.

Tonight, worship helped with theme of the day — enter. Neil’s message was on the Fruit of Conversion from Acts 16:16-34. There were 4 points:
1) Consistency
2) Endurance
3) Worship
4) Conversion

Was a great day and we anticipate more from the Lord tomorrow.

Camp – Day 1

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Well, we arrived safely around Noon. We grabbed some lunch and got registered, then, after orientation, got ready for the evening.

Evening worship included Billy and Cindy Foote leading music from their latest EP Wonder Working One (where you can read my review under customer reviews). Their exact set began with Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Sing to the King, Knees Are Bowing, Set Free, You Are My King, Nothing But the Blood, All Praise To God, and How Great Is Our God.

Neil McClendon came and preached on “The Patient God That Crushes People” from Luke 20:9-18. His outline revealed 4 things out of the text about God…
1) God is Patient
2) God Speaks
3) God is Just
4) God is Direct
I was struck by application to use this week to listen to all that God has ordained to show me. He is patiently calling me to Himself. I need to avail myself to this grace.

We finished the day with church group time. We had a great day. Everyone’s doing well and we look forward to a busy day tomorrow, serving so that God is glorified.

Camp Is Near!

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Tomorrow, Monday, July 20, we leave for Student Life Missions Camp.

Our Camp Pastor is Neil McClendon.
Music will be led by Billy & Cindy Foote.

You can visit the Student Life website, to listen into worship services, check up on camp happenings, email members of our group and countless other activities. (If you go to check us out, we are at a Missions Camp, July 20-24, 2009 at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK.)

Or use this direct link.

Gospel-Centered Life

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Over on Timmy Brister’s blog, he linked to the latest Small Group resource from World Harvest Mission entitled The Gospel Centered Life by Bob Thune and Will Walker. Through July 31, 2009, they are sending out a free preview copy of this curriculum for those who sign up for their newsletter. It would be well worth you time to check it out.

Here’s a summary of the contents:

The Gospel-Centered Life is a nine lesson small group study intended to help participants understand how the gospel shapes every aspect of life. Each lesson is self-contained, featuring clear teaching from scripture, and requires no extra work outside of the group setting.

Designed for:

* Pastors and leaders who want to spur Gospel renewal in their churches and ministries.
* Church-planters who want to form Gospel DNA in the churches they start.
* Students and campus ministers who are looking to live out the Gospel on campus.
* Christians who want to be more deeply formed around the Gospel.
* Small group leaders who are looking for content that “works” with diverse groups of people.
* Missionaries who are looking for simple material to disciple new Christians.

Update On Reading…

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While I’m busy this week prepping for the weekend and getting ready for camp (next week) I thought I’d post on what I’ve been reading…

I’m doing lots of background work on Luke and specifically Luke 15 for sermon prep. Particularly helpful have been a couple of books by Kenneth Bailey: The Cross and the Prodigal and Poet & Peasant.

I just finished volume 2 (of 4) in Spurgeon’s Autobiography.

Along with the Elders, I have really been helped by Elyse Fitzpatrick & Dennis Johnson’s recent book entitled Counsel from the Cross, which gives us more practical ways to employ the Gospel in our interactions with others.

I’m almost done with Voddie Baucham’s What He Must Be, which has been helpful in reminding me of my role and my responsibilities as a father.

Mark Driscoll’s latest, Religion Saves, was quickly worked through. Lots of helpful things in here from birth control to worship to law & grace.

Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck’s recent Why We Love The Church has been thoroughly enjoyable. I’m still rather early in it, but the introductions alone drop a grenade of sorts on our preconceived ideas about the church and the casual relationship so many of us have with her.

I know that I struggle consistently with fear of man related tendencies, so I picked up Pleasing People by Lou Priolo to give me some godly counsel.

I think I was tipped off at Piper’s Pastor’s Conference to the book The Mission of God by Christopher Wright and it was a good tip off. It demonstrates how God has always been on mission and how we can know His heart for missions by looking at His Word. I chop away at this book to the tune of a chapter a week or so.

Also on the list to read soon are:
Manly Dominion by Mark Chanski (another book related to my role in marriage)
Get Outta My Face! by Rick Horne (book on parenting teenagers)

Also, I nearly forgot Broken Down House by Paul David Tripp, an excellent book on issues related to sanctification and living in a way the redeems what sin has destroyed.

That’s been all lately. I have some other books that I’ve finished and would highly recommend, but I’ll save those for another post.

Go!

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I thought we had a great Lord’s Day today. I finished up Mark 16:19-20 on Christ and His Followers. I was struck by a few things…

1) I am not the evangelist I should be.
2) The Gospel sets me free from disobedience to freely sharing the good news.
3) Much strategy can (and should) be employed in this terrifying campaign of advancing the Gospel.

What things stuck out to you?