Listen to This

I have listened to this song http://vimeo.com/6741547 several times tonight. Hope it encourages you as you remember the great trip we took together and recount the love of Christ.

Be Killing Sin!

Brothers, I commend to you today's chapel message by Jim Hamilton. He warns us from David's experience with Bathsheeba.

Quote of the Day

Greg Wills just commented in Church History class that he recently listened to a sermon titled, "Why I'm Not a Southern Baptist." In his words, "It did not disappoint."

Random Memory

I thought it would be fun to remind you of a few memories from the internship. Please contribute to this. I would love to be reminded of stuff that would make me laugh hard.

1. Do you all remember this day? One of the best memories from the internship.

2. Remember the van ride to Southeastern when Merker went through every United States capitol.

3. Remember when we were treated like pledges.

4. Remember the weekender when were scolded like schoolboys.

5. Remember when Nik Lingle hung out in the intern room (wait, that never happened.).

6. Remember when I tripped on that rope at the end of the first weekender, and you all thought something had fallen from the wall and broken.

7. Remember, "No, Timmy No!"

8. Remember when I puked during landing.

PLEASE POST MEMORIES.

Manley on the Blog!

Great to be back on the blog. Matt, Ferguson's book is excellent! I highly recommend it and am thrilled to hear you are doing that with your friend. It covers everything and will allow you to think through issues and enable him to ask questions. I want to catch up soon, Merker. I assume you and Erica are doing well. I would love to hear.

Ryan, I have not forgotten about your sermon(s). I have been swamped. I intend to listen to it and give you feedback soon. Bishop, just a note also to encourage you that you have encouraged me in your faithfulness in preaching. Men, Bishop has a full plate, and he is charging ahead with ministry, and I am encouraged by that.

Stam, great to hear you preached recently. Please send the link! I would love to hear it.

Garrett, call me back when you are able. I would love to hear about your recent preaching ventures.

The Manley's are doing well. We are having a girl which completely shocked me. I am fully immersed with school (taking 12 hours, one of which is Hebrew with a man who is really intense about Hebrew named Fuller.) I really enjoyed seeing Mark last week here on campus. He is such an encouragement. And, Steve Wellum mentioned the 9 Marks ejournal on Multisites in our Systematic Class this A.M. Hopefully, that will get some good play!

I hope you all are doing well. Call me when you are able.

Discipleship Books

Brothers, I would appreciate your advice regarding a book selection for discipling a guy I met through the Intern Bible Study at CHBC. Since we're studying Ephesians in the group, I figured that when I meet with him we can discuss more personal application from Ephesians, but I think it would be helpful to go through another book together -- something theologically thoughtful, yet straightforward enough to challenge a recent college grad who hasn't read much theology.

I'm considering "The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction" by Sinclair Ferguson. I know Manley has used it in discipleship before and I would love to hear his thoughts, as well as comments from anyone else who has read the book and/or has other ideas for me.

Thanks for your help!

Another Preacher

And pray for me, too, brothers, as I preach this weekend at Chesterbrook Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Falls Church. I'm preaching from John 4:43-54 about one of Jesus' healings. Jennifer won't need to translate for me like she has before because I'm just preaching to the English-speaking congregation that they have.

-Mark

Jonah

Oh, how I wish I were in DC right now! I'm jealous of you brothers who are. I'd love details of the night!

The flu--even the swine sort--has overtaken our congregation. Jim Hamilton, our pastor, has it too. So I found out tonight that I'm preaching Sunday. Friday and Saturday I have to put together a sermon. Please pray for my prep! I need the Lord's help especially now.

Also, don't forget to pray for Garrett as he preaches Psalm 126 this Sunday in Florida.

Conclusion - Mike Gilbart-smith

Taken from the 9Marks blog.

"Mark Dever often talks about the conclusion as being the point where the weight of the whole sermon falls down upon the congregation as it is pressed home in summary.
I think that's right. However, I find it incredibly hard to do. In a way it's a test of how coherent a message the sermon has been. If you are unable to summarise the significance of a particular sermon, then you will be unable to press it all home at once.

John Stott comes up with 5 different ways this can be done:
"The conclusion should not merely recapitulate your sermon—it should apply it. Obviously, you should be applying all along, but you should keep something for the end which will prevail upon your people to take action. “No summons, no sermon.” Preach through the head to the heart (i.e. the will). The goal of the sermon should be to “storm the citadel of the will and capture it for Jesus Christ. What do you want them to do?

Employ a variety of methods to do this:
Argument—anticipate objections and refute them.
Admonition— warn of the consequences of disobedience.
Indirect Conviction—arouse moral indignation and then turn it on them (Nathan with David).
Pleading—apply the gentle pressure of God’s love, concern for their well-being, and the needs of others.
Vision—paint a picture of what is possible through obedience to God in this area." (HT: Adrian Warnock) Of the five, I have a massive preference for the fifth where possible (so long as we stretch "obedience to God" to include, "faith in God").

One useful way to do that is through a positive biography.
Find someone who has lived out the main point of the sermon well. So, for example, if the sermon had been on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

You reach the conclusion that it is all about living today in the light of the future. A brief survey of the fruitfulness of the life of Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury and ask what made him so fruitful. Then quote from him,
"I do not think in the last forty years I have lived one conscious hour that was not influenced by the thought of our Lord’s return." "

Wedding Photos

Hello brothers,

Per Garrett's request, here is a slide show of some favorite photos from our wedding. Enjoy!!!

http://getstak.com/slideshows/erica_matt/

MM

God Exposed: Awkward Preaching In A Comfortable Age

We loaded up the church van and headed down to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary to go to the God Exposed Conf. (Southeastern and 9Marks are collaborating to do one mark of the nine each year for nine years.)

Here we are in the van with our fearless leader.

Gus and I were pretty much beside ourselves.

It was so nice to see one of my favorite places again.

Looking for a great seminary?

Mark spoke at NC State Univ on "Is becoming a Christian committing intellectual suicide?"

We handed out 9Marks materials to the college students.


I saw some old buddies (left to right- Pri, Ben, Me, Tyler, and Mark).
Mark addressing nearly 1500 students

Matt Schmucker (executive director for 9marks)

Back at the God exposed conf. at Southeastern- CJ preaching

Enjoying some grub

In between sessions the boys played.

Baptist21 panel-(Dever, Greer, Anyabwille, Leidebach, and Akin)

Breakfast at the hotel

We're still so excited

Thabiti!

Tim and I's old pad

Panel

CJ asked us to critique his talk. (seriously) Bookstore with uncle Mark means... free books!!
I love this guy.

Games in the van all the way back to D.C.

We had a great time. Thank you CHBC and 9Marks.