From One Degree to Another

Well, we have arrived safely at Student Life Missions Camp in Shawnee. God was gracious to us in travel as we had no incidents. We got in around 10:45 and took some time to stretch our legs and grab some lunch at the mall. After checking in, we joined the rest of the camp population for Orientation. Looks like it is going to be a great week. Some things have changed if you are used to SL camps. Recreation is offered as tracks that one chooses (we don’t choose a track because we are missions). Also, late night has been moved to after church group time. So these changes look like they will assist camp well. We are looking forward to worship this evening. It is warm here (just like back home) in the 100’s. Pray that tonight would be a refreshing time of meeting with God. We are off and rolling.

Respect is such a concept that is lacking in most of our marriages and since we hit on this Sunday Morning, I thought it would serve us well if, for our marriage Monday column, we sought to apply the concept of respect to our spouses.

I defined respect as really an expression of kindness: “Being respectful is a disposition and attitude of treating others with kindness, recognizing their value.” Many times we fail to respect our spouses as we ought, because there is some selfish thing clouding our vision. We have lost sight of the value they are to 1) God and 2) Us. You may think that you would be better off without your spouse at times, but that is nothing more than blasphemy. God has brought you together and man is not to separate you (even a thought of you being independent of your spouse). Therefore, we will respect our spouse to the degree that we value them.

How can we value and respect our spouses? Continue to look for evidences of grace (as C.J. Mahaney would say) in your relationship. There are positives you can find if you get your eyes off the weaknesses. Look at those positives and be an object of encouragement. This will hae an effect on your respecting them.

We want to glorify God in our marriages. Let’s do this by respecting one another.

You can be a part of camp and listen in live to worship services. Here’s the page telling you how.

Yes, I am heading out with students and adults from our church this week to attend Student Life Missions Camp at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK. The camp lasts until Friday, the 25th.

To keep in touch with camp happenings, click here.

I think I have wireless access while I’m there so I may post an occasional update or two. Above all, though, pray for us, that we would be effective demonstrations of God’s kindness to others.

My great friend, Freddy T, read this letter on Wednesday night. What this letter gets at is the call of God upon both he and Susan’s (his wife) life for the city of New York. Here’s what he says:

When Susan and I got married in September of 2004, I joined her right outside of NYC to work with a church plant that she had been helping to start. As we learned about NYC, we were gripped with the strategic nature of engaging NYC for God’s global purposes. There are over 20 million people in the NY Metro Area, 8.5 million people in New York City, 66,000 people every square mile in Manhattan, and over 170 languages spoken in NYC. This influential city is a web connected to the whole world. For the ratio of churches per person in the NY Metro area to mirror that of a typical southern state, we need 20,000 churches in the metro area! Though the stats are staggering, Susan and I had the privilege of living among these millions that God loves. During that time, something was birthed in our hearts that God has now grown into our life calling. We believe God will use us to plant 100 churches all throughout New York City as we serve as the teaching and discipleship Pastor of the Gallery Church of Manhattan (an SBC- Cooperative Program mission).

Isn’t this an incredible calling? I want to encourage all of my readers to:

1) Pray for the Wyatt’s. They are expecting twins in December. They already have a young son. I don’t say this to garner sympathy for them but as praise to God. In a day when we are looking for the least committed denominator to follow Christ, here is a couple giving all that they are for the lost in NY. Therefore, let’s pray for them. Pray that God would sustain them in these days. Praise that God would enlarge the vision of Himself in them. Pray that their needs would be met in Christ Jesus. Pray that God would continue His work in and through them. And pray that God would glorify Himself through their words, attitudes and actions as they leave one ministry and embark on another.

2) Consider supporting their ministry. Living expenses in New York are a little different than other places in the country. Stepping out in faith like this is done with faith in God. Might God use you to help meet this need, then? If you need more info, you could contact the Wyatt’s through their blog or email Freddy directly.

May God inspire you to His global purposes.

Have you ever wished that you could be back in Bible times and see what actually happened? I have. But this post by Tyler Kennedy at the DG Blog explains why the Bible is better than being there.

Over at Covenant Life, they are going to be exploring the theme Don’t Waste Your Life. In this free audio, Josh Harris gives the opening sermon for the series. The sermon is entitled “Don’t Waste Your Life.” Members of Cov Life are also producing art for each week. Here is the one for Josh’s sermon:

This sermon was especially challenging and moving. We often lose scope of our actiona and their weight for eternity. Listen and be encouraged.

Last night, our church enjoyed great fellowship as we gathered in small groups. Meg and I were privileged to get to be a part of a time with another couple in our church. I was so thankful for the give and take transperancy with which we could operate and it reminded me of how helpful the eyes of others are in my life. Not only do I need a wife who will encouragement my pursuit of sanctification, but the helpful, encouraging eyes of another godly couple can be invaluable as we seek to honor God in our relationship. Small groups were a blessing to us because they helped facilitate this. We need others–even as couples. Avail yourself to grace found in the penetrating gaze of others.

Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA, preached through Ruth in early 2007. Here are the sermons, many of which have been very edifying and helpful to me in preparing my own series.

Week One: God’s Hand in Our Suffering (Ruth 1)
Preached 1.07.07 by Pastor Mark Driscoll
Pastor Mark Driscoll introduces us to the main characters in the story of Ruth, as well as gives insight into how each of their true beliefs about God are revealed when suffering comes upon their family.

Week Two: God’s Hand in Our Luck (Ruth 2:1-13)
Preached 1.14.07 by Pastor Mark Driscoll
Pastor Mark introduces us to Boaz, the hero of the story of Ruth. It is in Boaz’s masculine strength that he seeks to protect and provide for Ruth from their very first providential meeting.

Week Three: God’s Hand in Our Blessing (Ruth 2:13-24)
Preached 1.21.07 by Pastor Mark Driscoll
Pastor Mark describes Boaz’s generous and kind response to Ruth and Naomi in their time of great need.

Week Four: God’s Hand in Our Risks (Ruth 3:1-18)
Preached 1.28.07 by Pastor Mark Driscoll
Ruth takes a risk and makes her interest in Boaz known in this fourth sermon in the Redeeming Ruth series. Pastor Mark explains Boaz’s humble and loving response and how it reflects the character of our gracious God.

Week Five: God’s Hand in Our Shrewdness (Ruth 4:1-12)
Preached 2.04.07 by Pastor Mark DriscollPastor Mark encourages men to follow the example of Boaz, whose wise and prudent negotiation proves successful in becoming Ruth and Naomi’s kinsman-redeemer.

Week Six: God’s Hand in Our Redemption (Ruth 4:13-22)
Preached 2.11.07 by Pastor Mark Driscoll
Boaz takes Ruth as his wife and their first child, Obed, is born. Pastor Mark illuminates our understanding of this great love story by bringing it back to Jesus, our great Redeemer, who is eventually born through the line of this godly couple.

I really like Abraham Piper’s blog, 22 Words. Recently he gave this challenge:

1. Write a Jesus-centered sermon.

2. List 10 words pivotal to that sermon’s content.

3. Rewrite the sermon, making the same point without those words.

A good exercise for all of us, in keeping with Abraham’s idea, would be to write out a presentation of the Gospel. Then list 10 words pivotal to that content. Then rewrite that content without using those words. Why would this be a good exercise?

1) It would foster good, Gospel meditation.
2) It would keep us from using the same language (Christianese) that many of us use to describe these realities.
3) It would, therefore, help us not only embrace the truth of the Gospel with our own lives but to make that content readily available for each and every lost person we encounter.