Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Some Family Pics

I thought I should put up some shots of the fam.

The boys are a delight everyday and Lara is doing so well since we moved into our house.

We had moved six times in five years; obviously it is a good idea to allow your wife an opportunity to put down roots.



Tyler and Mom




Jackson and Tyler in their "boat".


Me and the boys on Valentines Day

Lingles are Rockin It

Hey Guys,

Thanks to Garrett for pointing our hearts back to the blog. I write this note like a straying sheep now brought back to the fold.

Matt, happy engage-a-versary. You might remember that I ended up getting engaged about a week after you. So Feb 27 Stacy and I celebrated ours.

Stacy and I visited a pumpkin patch in October (that's why we have pumpkin stickers on our shirts in the picture). If you don't have five or six kids, you actually kind of stick out like a sore thumb at a pumpkin patch.

This semester has been a busy one for us. I am taking a couple classes at SEBTS and Stacy continues to do a lot of work around the church in addition to her role as a medical assistant. She will also begin classes at SEBTS this summer, working towards an M.A. in counseling.

Ministry has been going well...loving our staff and the people in our body. Highlights include teaching Wed nights guys Bible study, a series through 1 John in Sunday school, a couple of preaching opportunities and two trips to Haiti. I have enjoyed the personal relationships and discipleship as well.

God has dropped a pretty cool relationship in our laps. About three months ago, Stacy started carpooling with a non-Christian neighbor. One day the girl got in the car and asked "So why did Jesus have to come to earth to die?" Crazy how God orchestrates this stuff. That girl and her boyfriend have become Christians in the past couple months and Stacy and I meet with them each week for discipleship. Very cool to watch how God has unfolded that whole process.

I miss you guys. Regret that I won't be able to make it for T4G, but hope you love it. Merker, very cool to hear about the adoption. Can't wait to see a picture on this blog of you with your child....I know it may be a while, but looking forward to that still.

Sounds like everybody's family is growing except mine and Stacy's. So lets just acknowledge that elephant in the room. It's going to happen soon Lord willing...but no news at this point.

Hope you're all well.

Nik

Friday, February 24, 2012

3 years later

Garrett,

Thanks for the reminder to keep posting!

Crazy to think our internship was 3 years ago. Erica and I just celebrated our 3-year "engage-a-versary" -- because we got engaged during the internship! (Thanks again, Nik, for helping me scope out a sweet engagement spot -- Great Falls!)

Erica and I are LOVING living in DC and ministering at CHBC. So much, that actually we are extending our stay. This summer, I am going to switch to working 3 days a week as a PA instead of 5, and I'll be spending the other days working on the M. Div thru Southern, extension and online. We'll try to tackle the degree from here, but I will have to visit Louisville a bunch to get my on-campus hours. Needless to say, we're very grateful for the opportunity to stay around in DC.

Ministry has been good, challenging and rewarding. I continue to teach the New Testament Core Seminar, which has grown my love for the Word and hopefully helped my interpretation/application muscles at the "book-by-book" level. I get the opportunity to disciple and meet with various folks, and have recently been trying to encourage a variety of men going through challenging struggles. So that's been good and hard pastoral experience.

Erica and I are hoping to adopt a child internationally soon, and are trying to decide on an agency currently. Most likely, we'll be adopting from Ethiopia! VERY psyched about this and also overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork.

Garrett, you asked about books -- for Church History 2 I recently read Ronald Bainton's bio of Luther, "Here I Stand," which is excellent. Tomorrow for the same class I'll be reading "Christianity and Liberalism" by Machen, which I'm looking forward to. Mark got me his "favorite history book" recently, which is "April 1865" by Jay Winik -- if you're looking for an amazingly-written history, PICK IT UP. I knew little about the civil war, and this book focuses on the month when the war ended and Lincoln got assassinated.

I'm looking forward to T4G and hoping to connect with some of you there!!
MM

Ahh... it was only 3 years ago



Gents, it seems it was just yesterday we were all walking this block.

One of us still does everyday. A lot has changed for Lara and I since we came to Southern Maryland. The church is a joy to pastor and God's Word is an endless treasure trove to mine. I really do have the greatest job in the world. Preaching and discipling and caring for God's people is a delight.

The tough part of the work is when I have to call people to repentance about things they are not eager to forsake. I found in my area a tremendous amount of spiritual malnourishment. Years of no discipleship and poor exposition have made this area very weak.

Just in the small church I pastor, I've encountered so much family breakdown, essentially coming to a break down of the Imago Dei for these people. There is an outbreak of men who impregnate women and yet they are boys who don't won't to work or take responsibility.

I've seen the single women in our area fall head over heels for these types of guys. The culture has strong influence where we are and of course, as you can suspect... they think I'm the strange conservative pastor because I call them to live out the confession of their faith.

I look forward to the day I have elders who can help shepherd the load.

Spiritually myself, I have found highs and lows. The fight to kill sin wages everyday. I will say that Paul Tripp's book Instruments in the Redeemers Hands, has been a great encouragement.

If you haven't read that... do so immediately.

Over the course of the year, that book and books by Tim Keller have been incredible for helping me when I feel very alone and defeated.

Love you all,

Garrett


Thursday, January 12, 2012

Congrats to Manley Family: Baby Girl

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Josh Manley <joshuamanley@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Subject: Baby Girl
To: Josh Manley <joshuamanley@yahoo.com>


Friends,

We are grateful to God that Jenny gave birth to our daughter this
morning.  Both Jenny and the little girl are doing well.  While we
don't have a name yet, she weighs in at 7 lbs. 14 oz. and is  19.5
inches long.  I hope this finds you all doing well!

Josh


--
Garrett Conner

Thursday, March 10, 2011

A Vision for Tough and Tender Pastors in Controversy

John Piper:

It seems to me that we are always falling off the horse on one side or the other in this matter of being tough and tender—wimping out on truth when we ought to be lion-hearted, or wrangling with anger when we ought to be weeping. . . .

Oh how rare are the pastors who speak with a tender heart and have a theological backbone of steel.

I dream of such pastors. I would like to be one someday.

A pastor whose might in the truth is matched by his meekness.

Whose theological acumen is matched by his manifest contrition.

Whose heights of intellect are matched by his depths of humility.

Yes, and the other way around!

A pastor whose relational warmth is matched by his rigor of study, whose bent toward mercy is matched by the vigilance of his biblical discernment, and whose sense of humor is exceeded by the seriousness of his calling.

I dream of great defenders of true doctrine who are mainly known for the delight they have in God and the joy in God that they bring to the people of God—who enter controversy, when necessary, not because they love ideas and arguments, but because they love Christ and the church. . . .

[Acts 15:1-3] is my vision: The great debaters on their way to a life-and-death show down of doctrinal controversy, so thrilled by the mercy and power of God in the gospel, that they are spreading joy everywhere they go.

Oh how many there are today who tell us that controversy only kills joy and ruins the church; and oh how many others there are who, on their way to the controversy, feel no joy and spread no joy in the preciousness of Christ and his salvation.

-
Garrett Conner
 

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Dever's great example to our culture

Yin-Yang Contextualization

Ed, I've been meaning to say a few things on contextualization for a couple of weeks. You're helpful post Contexualization and Consistency provides me with the opportunity. One question from your remarks: in your second to last paragraph, you pit "fitting in like an insider" against "making hard choices." Can you give some concrete examples from Paul's life of what you mean by the latter category that does not also fall into the former?

What occurs to me about contextualization is that people often think of it in terms, as you suggest, of making ourselves like the culture we're trying to reach. It attempts to build a bridge on the power of similitude.  

But watching Mark Dever for years now has taught me about a different kind of contextualization. He has a good eye for locating the particular weakness of a culture and then adopting practices that directly run against those weakness. For instance,

  • We live in an entertainment-driven culture, and so he works hard to make sure our corporate gatherings don't cater to that desire among Christians and non-Christians.
  • We live in a highly emotivisitc culture, and so he's careful not to use overly dramatic sermon illustrations that play to that desire for an emotional rush.
  • We live in a style-conscious and celebrity-driven culture, and so he dresses plainly/unremarkably, puts someone else in the pulpit around 35% of the year, and generally promoted the leadership of others.

I could keep going with the examples, but you catch my drift. He's a contextualizing "yin" to the typical contextualizing "yang." 

Now that doesn't mean he doesn't do the "yang." Clearly there's a time to build on similitude. His sermon introductions are all about meeting people "where they are at." But what I've learned watching him is that a pastor should also have a willingness to build on points of dissimilitude.

This takes humility and trust in God because building through similitude will almost always build the numbers more quickly. Building on points of dissimilitude may hurt the numbers in the short run. But you do it because it builds a firmer foundation for the long haul. You do it when you see that certain cultural preferences are in fact borderline idolatrous (e.g. entertainment, emotivism), and not finally usable for building healthy Christians and churches.

I haven't read much contextualizing literature, and perhaps the literature says all of this already. But the bottom line: my hunch is that we need a larger vision of contextualization. One needs discernment for knowing when to build with the YIN and when to build with the YANG.

 
--
Garrett Conner
 

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Husbands: Headship Means Taking the Lead in Reconciliation

Husbands: Headship Means Taking the Lead in Reconciliation

via Justin Taylor by Justin Taylor on 2/17/11

John Piper:

Leadership means we must take the lead in reconciliation.

I don't mean that wives should never say they are sorry.

But in the relation between Christ and his church, who took the initiative to make all things new?

Who left the comfort and security of his throne of justice to put mercy to work at Calvary?

Who came back to Peter first after three denials?

Who has returned to you again and again forgiving you and offering his fellowship afresh?

So husbands, your headship means: Go ahead. Take the lead. It does not matter if it is her fault. That didn't stop Christ.

Who will break the icy silence first?

Who will choke out the words, "I'm sorry, I want it to be better"?

Or: "Can we talk? I'd like things to be better."

She might beat you to it. That's okay. But woe to you if you think that, since it's her fault, she's obliged to say the first reconciling word.

Headship is not easy. It is the hardest, most humbling work in the world.

Protect your family. Strive, as much as it lies within you, to make peace before the sun goes down.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

David Wells described me. Ouch!

For you seminary students-

When I was a seminary student I struggled immensely. I did not have the back ground at all to support me academically or intellectually. By God's grace and many tears the Lord got me through and even with success. What a blessing some of you have going to seminary post CHBC!

In speaking of the typical college experience and what kind of students he encountered at the seminary as a professor, Wells described my background specifically.

" Some how they manage to graduate students who have no mental connections with the past, little knowledge of its literature, less of its great thinkers, scant ability to think for themselves, and for whom the prospect of writing a research paper is a matter for great consternation. I looked out on that class, I guessed that at least some of theses victims of the educational system were present. Yet here they were, gamely exposing themselves to what must have seemed to them like grave peril. Their desire to be in seminary was a powerful compensation for - indeed, a counter force to - the habits and disposition they brought with them."[1]

I'm thankful for good profs who step up and help!



[1] David Wells, No Place For Truth, or, What Ever Happened to Evangelical Theology?, Eerdmands Publishing Co., 3.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

A bit of M.L.J. wisdom

Brothers,

I'm reading through Murray's volume 1 biography of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, 'The First Forty Years' - a few pages each morning. It's been instructive and enjoyable for me and always has some food for thought. Here's an excerpt about his preaching, being a new pastor with no theological training:

One thing that was clearly recognizable about this preaching was that it was based upon no contemporary models. Most of the preaching which Dr Lloyd-Jones had heard throughout his life had only convinced him what he must not do. He did not stand in the traditional Welsh succession which for some years had confused emotionalism and sentiment with the genuinely prophetic...In contrast to this, his sermons were closely reasoned, with the main theme carefully analysed. He was certain that true preaching makes its impact, in the first instance, upon the mind...Perhaps the most unusual feature about the form of his sermons was the importance which he gave to the introductions. He once observed:
'I am not and have never been a typical Welsh preacher. I felt that in preaching the first thing that you had to do was to demonstrate to the people that what you were going to do was very relevant and urgently important. The Welsh style of preaching started with a verse and the preacher then told you the connection and analysed the words, but the man of the world did not know what he was talking about and was not interested. I started with the man whom I wanted to listen, the patient. It was a medical approach, really - here is a patient, a person in trouble, an ignorant man who has been to the quacks, and so I deal with all that in the introduction. I wanted to get the listener and then come to my exposition. They started with their exposition and ended with a bit of application.'

Friday, February 4, 2011

Feeling Obligated

Wow! It was great to see your names pop up in my inbox yesterday! I just wish I could have been with one of you to really enjoy the moment that I saw Manley's feeble attempt to dupe us with Ricky boy. As for a little update from our corner of the world:
  • We're loving Christ Covenant Church in Raleigh right now. I'm doing a pastoral internship there...a bit different than CHBC. Teaching the men's Bible study and building some great relationships
  • Stacy continue to work at the Dr's office as a medical assistant (like a wannabe nurse). She does stuff that creeps me out, like removing stitches and taking urine samples and other things I don't feel comfortable mentioning. But she's a really nice person...and I love her.
  • I am working at Voss Lighting...customer service stuff. We sell Philips lighting products to office management companies. It's a job that gives me lots of free time in the office for reading and teaching prep. It's a "Christian company" so they're all about employing guys who want to be in ministry. And the company motto..."We sell....to tell" (to tell the good news that is)
  • I'm not in seminary right now. Our church is in the process of joining the SBC, but it might be another month or two, before the congregation finally settles the decision. I'm waiting for that to happen before beginning at the glorious SEBTS.
  • We have not gestational news to report, but we would love to join the parent club in the not to distant future. All in God's good time
  • Currently in the midst of training for a marathon...almost half-way there. Memorizing Philippians (per Justin Taylor's blog)...any of you doing this as well?
  • Also, Ben Wright just informed me about a position I could apply for as a pastoral assistant. However, it is a fundamentalist church. which I thought would amuse you all. And it's in Lancaster PA, which is colder than NC. So God clearly is not leading us in that direction.
Miss you all but remember you with joy every time I think of you.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Feeling Rebuked

Bishop! I received your e-mail and am feeling heartily admonished. Thank you for caring for my soul in this way. Please do not shut down this blog. Long Live Dever's Mighty Men!!

Updates from the Merkers:
  • Erica finished grad school and is working as a speech therapist in a 3-4 yr old classroom at the River School in Georgetown -- enjoying it, but long hours and long commute.
  • I'm working on staff at the church and am having a BLAST! College ministry, music/bulletins, elders' meetings/members' meetings, and caring for members who have left the church (typically by trying to secure resignation letters from them). I'll be on staff till summer 2012. Then hopefully seminary.
  • Speaking of seminary, I'll be taking 60 students and adults from CHBC to Lou-uh-vulle next weekend and we'll probably toilet paper the Manleys' lawn during our break from the conference.
  • Enjoying having another class of interns here, including Bishop's fine predecessor at Graham, Garrett Kell. That makes this new intern class almost as "Texas" as ours was.
That's all for now -- miss you all!
MM

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Friday, October 22, 2010

Our little Caleb is officially a cowboy...



Please pray for us. We're about 5 weeks. Pray for baby's safety, nourishment, and strength. Pray for our trust in the Lord with this little one.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Meet Tyler

Our sweet little guy arrived a little after 6PM on Tuesday evening June 8.

What a blessing he has been and we can't but love this little face.

Tyler has been a sweet and quiet little fellow sleeping, eating, napping and of course giving us many diapers.

So far he is a good baby who keeps a good schedule.

I snapped these shots before we left the hospital.



Monday, June 14, 2010

Look out Graham TX

The fellow behind me is heading to be a senior pastor!

Hey Oh!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Labor!

Let's pray for the Conners as Laura is now in labor. Also pray for Susan Burk, the wife of one of the pastors at Kenwood; she too is in labor.

May the Lord establish praise on the lips of these babies!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

conner's fourth

Let's praise the Lord and congratulate the Connery's today for their fourth anniversary! Comment with the best marriage advice they've given or you've gleaned from their marriage. Love you, guys.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Pray for Geoff and Hinson

Brothers, let's pray for Geoff Chang this week as he and TML travel to Portland. Geoff will be meeting with the church, teaching Sunday school, and interviewing with the congregation in hopes of being called as associate pastor. See the schedule here.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Notes from -Intern Discussion today

-Caring for the poor

· Popularity in our community is a poor guidepost to how we are doing as a church. It has an over/heightened sensitivity to what the world thinks about it.

· There are substantial truths that speak to the issue of caring for the poor; however, it is not the church’s main mission to care for the poor.

· Jer. 29 is a first of a unique moment in redemptive history (i.e.- God’s kind word of revelation for how to live as a dispersed people in particular time); however it presents a particular principle of seeking the welfare of those around you by praying for and petitioning on behalf of those in that city.

· We should understand the rebuke of other nations as a rebuke of the treatment of those (humans) created in the image of God.

· We can all agree that God’s rebuke of the OT nations for what they did that was evil, still stands today.

· The careful distinction we must build in is that we cannot build our church identity on a specific target group like the poor.

· We must make clear what makes a “true” church; then, we must discern the opportunities the Lord has laid before us.

· Practically we can speak to this in our sermons as we apply this in the “public” category of the application grid.

· Those who do not see the same discontinuity we see- are not (in many ways) carrying out the fundamentals/consistency of their “Theonomist” perspectives consistently.

· Going to work as economist, or teacher, or a banker are all good things to do and should not be held in lower light than other works like “World Vision” or other relief organizations.

· We should be moved by the spiritual state of either the poor or the rich.

· Jesus context was to the poor who were considered to be forsaken by God.

· Biblical Theology is key to understanding on how these text fit into redemptive history.

· There is an over thought and emphasis on certain principles that treated as overreaction –“if you don’t treat the care of the poor with highest importance then you must not care.”

· Being grounded in your nuance of theology, will help wade the waters of rhetoric- Mark Dever

Monday, April 26, 2010

The Sweetest Addresses?

Can you think of anything better than these?

1. Than God calling you "son"
2. Than a woman calling you "husband"
3. Than a child calling you "father"
4. Than a church calling you "pastor"

Praise the Lord, Garrett, for making you shepherd of his people! Lord, work for the beauty of your bride at La Plata!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

2T4G?s


1. Which talk are you most looking forward to?
2. What will be the first phrase Kauflin spontaneously squeels?

Monday, March 29, 2010

That's My King!

What's most astonishing about this is its overwhelming truth. But what is also surprising (and instructive) is that Josh kept this from us. Hear a portion of a sermon Josh preached during his Mississippi ministry days.

Friday, March 26, 2010

SEBTS, Lingle, Dever and Akin

Mark Dever - For Children Only - Mark 10:13-16 from Southeastern Seminary on Vimeo.

It was great seeing Mark preach at SEBTS.

One of the reasons it is great to go on these trips is because (you can tell by our expression) is that he buys us all any book we want. What a guy?

Me and Mr. Carrington celebrate our new books!

Top- Interns plus some of the staff out in front of Stealy Hall

Bottom- Danny Akin and Mark Dever discuss the 9Marks at SEBTS relationship

Look who I ran into. Mr. Handsome- Nik Lingle.

Miss this guy and I'm thankful for his friendship.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Encouraging Quote


Hi all,

I'm thankful that toward the end of our internship, Stam persuaded Mark to buy us each the Iain Murray book of our choice -- after all, what a shame it would have been to have Chinese food with Iain Murray but not receive one of his books!

Anyway, I requested A Scottish Christian Heritage, which I've lately been reading before bed. It has not disappointed.

Given Garrett's request for more posts, I thought I would encourage you all with a couple of quotes from Robert Moffat from Murray's book. Moffat was a Scottish missionary to South Africa in the 19th century, and David Livingstone's father-in-law. He labored for 7 years before seeing his first convert in 1826. Yet just a few years after that, in 1829, Moffat and his small team "were favoured with the manifest outpouring of the Spirit from on high" -- they baptized 6 more who gave "very satisfactory proofs of a change of heart," and the number at their church grew to twelve.

As the community of believers in Kuruman subsequently grew exponentially, Moffat still had this to say:

"We want in zeal. The work of conversion, or endeavors to convert sinners, is not so much the primary object of our souls as it ought to be. If I speak for myself I must say that I do not feel that sympathy for the awful condition of my fellow-men which their state ought to excite in every Christian bosom. When I look at the Man of Sorrows, His toilsome days and midnight prayers, and the burning zeal of the first ministers of the gospel, I feel as if I had not the same mind or spirit."

Moffat labored to translate the Bible into the Sechuana language, and finished his first edition in 1853. He was not satisfied with it, though, and continually labored to improve it. He completed a second version in 1857. He wrote this to his wife concerning God's Word:

"It was only yesterday, after laying down the Bible, that I wondered what kind of mind I would have had if I had not the Book of God, the Book containing the astounding idea of 'from everlasting to everlasting,' the development of all that is worth knowing... One would think, that as I have critically, and, I think, devoutly read and examined every verse, every word in the Bible, some a score of times over, I should not require to open the pages of that unspeakable blessed Book. Alas, for the human memory! I read the Bible today with the same feeling I ever did, like the hungry when seeking food, the thirsty when seeking drink, the bewildered when seeking counsel and the mourner when seeking comfort. Don't you believe all this? For alas, I read it sometimes as a formal thing, though my heart condemns me afterwards... I am yet astonished at my own ignorance of the Bible!"

And that from a man that had TRANSLATED the whole thing. May God grant us the same attitude!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Hebrews

Hey Brothers,

Perhaps you have heard of Ryan Ferguson. He quotes Hebrews and various other passages of Scripture...usually for large audiences. And he sweats a lot...at first I wondered if it was a trendy design on his shirt and then I realized it was just massive pit stains.

Anyways, his example has inspired me to memorize the book of Hebrews and my I'm past the half-way mark on that goal. Just finished chapters 1-7 and chapter 11. So just a 8-10 and 12-13 left to complete.

The meditations that this discipline has produced have deepened my affection for Christ, our elder brother who has suffered just as we have in order to bring us to God. He is our forerunner, having marked out the path that we must complete. He suffered, endured temptation, and experienced weakness. Yet he remained holy, innocent, unstained and separated from sinners.

Because he has paved the way through suffering into the presence of God, we have a clear path on which to strive until we finally enter that eternal rest. Hope these thoughts encourage you today.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Leeman and his new book

Front of Capitol

The Hill looks like it needs some help.

Supreme Court

National Mall

Library of Congress


Reports are now saying we can expect another 12 to 20 inches.
You got to be kidding me?

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Do you miss the Hill?

DC is looking (maybe) at its worst snow and blizzard in over 100 years.

We are inside and praying we do not lose power.

Anyone still want to come up for a visit?

Friday, February 5, 2010

Bruce Waltke -on the Psalms

Loved the donkey joke at the beginning!

Higher Education

Hallo Fellas,

This "update" sees me writing to you all in the midst of the second sizable "snowpocalypse" or "snowmaggedon" of DC's winter. The result of all of this snowschatalogy is a day off from work for me, which means listening to choral music in preparation for Good Friday, drinking too much coffee, catching up on blog reading, eating my wife's delicious cooking, and applying for seminary.

Yes, I said applying for seminary, and yes, Ryan, you win. I'm applying to that "grand beacon" of light and truth, "The" Southern Baptist Theological Seminary of ol' Kentuck. My tongue's not in my cheek - I really do think that SBTS will be a good choice, not only theologically, but also logistically/financially for us. I'm really just hoping to get started with some extension center and possibly online classes, but the Lord may have us in Louisville in a couple of years for full time study -- we'll see!

So, my question for those "in the know:" Which M. Div. concentration do you recommend? I'm sticking with the School of Theology, and looking mostly at the Biblical/Theological Studies and the Worldview/Apologetics concentrations. Any help you can provide??

While we're at it, I also wanted to inform you guys that I will be coming on staff at CHBC this summer as a Pastoral Assistant! I'm extremely excited (and humbled - yes, sincerely humbled, not just saying that as a token nod to our buddy C.J.) for the opportunity and would covet your prayers for my faithfulness, helpfulness, and servant-mindedness during my time on staff. They're not exactly sure whose position I'll be filling, because some of the responsibilities might get shuffled around a bit - but it looks like I will have some combination of Gustav's and Geoff's duties.

That's all for now -- I'll leave you with a couple of wedding pictures since Garrett requested them so long ago!






Yep, Ryan, that's a highway-side beach on the southern coast of Maui, along the "other" road to Hana... great times!

Dear Mr. Manley

Dear Josh,

May we have some updates; perhaps on how Jenny and Reeves are doing? (pics included)

Monday, January 25, 2010

A year ago...

--We were writing papers on the first portion ofPolity and The Bruised Reed.
--We were having our third Intern Discussion--surely all still humbled by Merker's affection and perplexed by Lingle's opposition to Bridges.
--We were leaving for the Desiring God Pastor's Conference--which would be a turning point for all of us in our perception of Manley.
--I think Garrett and Stam got closer on the plane ride with talks of life in marriage.

Grateful to God for bringing you into my life a year ago!

S-L-E-D: A Response to Pro-Choice Thinking

Yesterday, Denny Burk preached from Proverbs 24.10-12 on abortion. He gave us a useful mnemonic device to respond to people who make arguments to deny the humanity of babies in the womb: SLED.

Size: Is Klon Kitchen more human just because he's bigger than Michael Jr.?
Level of Development: Is Garrett more human because he's more developed mentally, physically, emotionally than Jackson? (This assumes Jackson isn't yet doing his own searches for '80s classics on YouTube.)
Environment: Is Merker more human just because he dwells in the capital of the free world, whereas Lingle resides in Hicksville, Carolina? (Likewise, the womb doesn't preclude humanity.)
Degree of Dependency: Were the four more human than the paralytic they lowered to be near Jesus? After all, the paralytic's image-bearing accountability was affirmed when Jesus forgave his sins and healed him.

Anyway, I thought this was a worthy tool to memorize. Hope you're well, brothers!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Haiti Canceled

Hey brothers,

Our trip to Haiti has been canceled due to the earthquake. Please pray for missionaries and members of our church who were in Port-au-Prince awaiting our arrival when the earthquake hit. All landlines and mobile communications have been knocked out so we have not heard from them yet, but we anxiously wait for word of their safety.

Praise God for his control over all of creation. And praise him that even as he shakes this world now, there will be a greater shaking to come. But we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Heb 12:28-29).

More about Haiti

Nik,
We'll be praying for you as you're there. Most of all for the people of Haiti after this tragic earthquake today. I'm not sure what it will look like when you get down there, but of course your trip may be different than you expect. Hope God will use you to help in ways that you weren't planning.

-Mark

Haiti


I'll be traveling to Haiti tomorrow morning (Wed, Jan 13) and will be there for 6 days. My pastor and a few others will be going down to teach. I'll be teaching the teen sessions from Psalm 19 and our pastor will lead a weekend pastor's conference on the nature of Biblical worship. There will also be a ladies conference and a vacation Bible school. Please pray that all these ministries would build up the local bodies in Haiti. Our goal is to strengthen the churches there with the faithful teaching of the Word.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

I'll be sure to update the blog with pictures and reflections when I return next week.