First Class

If you are looking for this week's Ten Things I Think I Think, it's two posts down.... I'm writing at a prolific pace this week.

Just received the first syllabus from my first Doctoral class, DM818 - The Spirituality of Leading, with Dr. Steve Martyn. The reading list includes....

• The Arbinger Institute, Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting: Out of the Box. San Francisco, BK Publishers, 2002. (180 pages)
• Buckingham, Marcus and Donald Clifton, Now, Discover Your Strengths. New York, The Free Press, 2001. (260 pages)
• Cassian, John. The Institutes. (Ancient Christian Writers series #58) New York: The Newman Press, 2000. (287 pages) Please note: Read pages 113-274. [As in most ancient texts there are time bound cultural accretions that should be ignored.]
• Dunnam, Maxie & Kimberly Dunnam Reisman, The Workbook on the 7 Deadly Sins. Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1997. (185 pages)
• Harnish, James A, You Only Have To Die: Leading Your Congregation to New Life. Nashville, Abingdon Press: 2004. (193 pages)
• Kouzes, James and Barry Posner, The Leadership Challenge: How to Keep Getting Extraordinary Things Done in Organizations. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1995. (405
  pages)
• MacDonald, Gordon, Rebuilding Your Broken World (Expanded Edition With Study Guide). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. (235 pages)
• Muto, Susan & Adrian van Kaam, Growing through the Stress of Ministry. Totowa, New Jersey: Resurrection Press, 2005. (92 pages)
• Stott, John, Basic Christian Leadership: Biblical Models of Church, Gospel and Ministry. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002. (127 pages)

That's 1964 pages of required reading, for all you keeping score. Now, here's the secondary reading:

• Clinton, Robert J. The Making of a Leader: Recognizing the Lessons and Stages Of Leadership Development. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1988.
• Herrington, Jim, Mike Bonem, James H. Furr. Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for The Transformational Journey. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2000.
• Egan, Gerard. Working the Shadow Side: A Guide to Positive Behind-the-Scenes Management. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1994.
• McNeal, Reggie. The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003.
• St. Gregory the Great, Pastoral Care (Ancient Christian Writers No. 11). New York: Newman Press, 1950.
• Thrall, Bill, Bruce McNicol, Ken McElrath. The Ascent of a Leader: How Ordinary
  Relationships Develop Extraordinary Character and Influence. San Francisco:
  Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1999.
• Van Kaam, Adrian, and Susan Muto. Foundations of Christian Formation: Formation Theology Volume One. Pittsburgh: Epiphany Association, 2004.
• Van Kaam, Adrian, and Susan Muto. Christian Articulation of the Mystery: Formation Theology Volume Two. Pittsburgh: Epiphany Association, 2005
• Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1998.

Now, to be perfectly honest, I've never been much of a student. I remember, for example, that Dr. Robert Tannahill gave me a "C----------------------------------------.... you passed (barely)" grade on the final exam of my intro Bible class at Methesco (quite possibly the most sarcastic grade given in the history of that institution). Of course, that class, which taught us how to diagram biblical scripture from a literary critical point of view, turned out to have, um (how should I say this), a limited application once I actually got into the pastor business. But, there's no describing my past academic performance any other way than "you passed (barely)".

Of course, passing (barely) this coming year isn't an option. This might be, quite possibly, the first time a student's grades will be passed on to a Staff-Parish Relations Committee, a Senior Pastor, a District Superintendent, and a Bishop. And to think there was a time when only my mother had to sign off on my report card.

So, if you wondered what I'll be doing the next 12 months, the answer is reading, outlining my reading, and writing papers about the reading that I outlined. If I come across any particularly invigorating books or articles in the process, I'll pass it on. And we'll see if an old dog can do the sufficient studying to learn new tricks.

The Existential Meaning of My Fortune Cookie

For those looking for this week's "Ten Things I Think I Think", it's the next post.

I like food, and contrary to the popular wisdom in this burg, we actually have a good variety of places where you can get a good meal. I don't think you can complain about not having enough good places to eat in a town with a La Charreada (Mexican), Burgundys (Italian, Steaks), The Bistro, Casa Lu Au, The Old Barn Out Back, Mark Pi's, and a host of places that serve pretty doggone good food.

Well, my favorite of the lot is the Hunan Gardens, a great little Chinese place on Lima's east side. There, for awhile, I was eating there so much that the waitresses wouldn't even bother bringing a menu.... they'd just grab a bowl of Hot and Sour Soup, and an order of Kung Pao Chicken.

Well, due to the fact that I've been gaining so much weight that I'm in danger of developing my own gravitational pull, I kinda backed off the Hunan Gardens. However, since I was out that way to do my hospital visitations, I stopped by today to sample the fare (which was wonderful, as usual).

Anyhow, at the end, they bring you the check and a fortune cookie, which I took out of the plastic wrapper, broke open for my desert, and, lo and behold, was missing a fortune. Which leads me to this question....

What does it mean, existentially, if you get a fortune cookie without a fortune? Does it mean your future is so bright, words can't describe it, or so bad that you don't want to know? Does it mean you (gulp) have no future or that nothing good or bad is going to happen to you in the near future (just a future of days exactly like the last one)?

Or does it just mean that the quality control at Fortune Cookie Inc. is slipping?

I'm not sure, but it freaked me out enough that I made this mid-week post. Just an un-fortune-ate experience.

Ten Things I Think I Think

1) The battle against the location of a tribal casino here in Lima rages on. If you haven't done so already, follow this like to www.NoLimaCasino.org and voice your concern. And if you aren't convinced that a casino in the community would be detrimental to our economy, peruse the "facts" and "links" page to find out more about the true economic and human cost of legalized casino gambling.

This blogger too challenges the Eastern Shawnee Tribe and Mayor David Berger's office to offer evidence of the promises that they are making regarding jobs and economic development in this community. Evidence that can be confirmed by an impartial third party. When terms like "a couple thousand new jobs" and "upscale shopping plaza" are bandied about, it gets the rank and file's knickers up in a wad. While the Tribe, the Mayor, and certain proponents of this plan have called opponents of the plan "unreasonable" and "misinformed", the failure of those who are supposed to protect the good of the public to move beyond wild, unsubstantiated statements of economic plenty should take a good look in the mirror. Otherwise, the impression is that the only concern is to get this plan passed, and construction underway, while nagging details regarding concrete figures are left for later negotiation (and, I'd assume, litigation).

Let's quit putting the cart before the horse, and really investigate whether or not this would be good for our community. I am convinced, not just for moral, but economic reasons, that the numbers would not come out in the favor of Allen County's citizens.

2) On a lighter note, a big "thank you" to Stan Weller, a member of the church who took the Bucher boys (minus Eli... more on that later) fishing today. Now, as a fisherman, I'm pretty inept, but the weather (just a beautiful day in Northwest Ohio!), the boys' enthusiasm (in only a short time, Max picked up the art of casting), and the good company (Stan is hoot) even got me in the mood to throw a line into the water for a catfish or a bass. Just a great way to spend one of Max's days off from school (it's Spring Break).

3) The day got even better when, after a trip to the cardiologist, we discovered that a heart murmur discovered by our family doc (the incomparable Eric Stallkamp) is not life-threatening for our little Elijah. Needless to say, Mom and Dad have been on pins and needles since this small hole was discovered ten days ago. Fortunately, yours truly suffered from the same malady as a child, and grew out of if by the time he was 16, so we knew that genetically, this was a possibility for all the boys. Tonight, in light of the doctor telling us that we don't need to bring Elijah back, we feel very blessed.

4) Itching to rent a movie that's a little off of the beaten path? Then next time you are at the local video store, pick up a copy of "Enron: The Smartest Guys In Room". This documentary (don't let your eyes glaze over just yet..... it's a documentary, but it moves at a swift pace) details the rise and fall of Enron, a small natural gas company from Texas that grew into the biggest, and most colossal ponzi scheme in the history of the Western world. Investors and rank-and-file employees lost $60 BILLION when Enron collapsed, and if you believe the filmmakers, plenty of blame for this can be spread around.

The most fascinating part of the movie, though, is the long look taken at the moral fabric and underpinning of Enron.... even in the early days. It's clear, in retrospect, that the environment that executives like Ken Lay, Jeffrey Skilling, and Andrew Fastow nurtured was more akin to that of a pirate ship than a legit business. And given the money involved, banks, attorneys, accountants, and politicians (yep..... a couple of Bushes are mentioned in this investigation) were more than willing to look the other way....

until the company bankrupted the State of California and the stock price went through the floor.

"Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room". It's definitely worth your time.

5) A letter from Joseph Bishman to our congregation was sent today, informing everyone that in the coming year I'll be working on a doctorate in a program so intensive that it normally requires the candidate to move on-campus with his or her family. While the letter was a good one (you can email shawneemethodist@woh.rr.com if you'd like a copy), there are a couple of things I'd like to add.

First, I want to make it clear that the idea of this doctorate was not mine. In fact, it was suggested by the Bishop and a District superintendent, in conversation with our Staff-Parish Committee and Senior Pastor, that I pursue this as a means of self-improvement (particularly as a pastoral leader) and as a way to help the conference (which is experimenting with me right now.... more on that in a later post). While I am more than agreeable to enter an elite program on the Beeson Institute's dime, this was not done at my request. I just consider it an act, and blessing of God.

Second, the people who will pay the biggest price in this coming year (as alluded to in Joseph's letter), is our family.... particularly Aimee and the boys. There will be stretches of multiple weeks where I will not be able to come home, and while I do work a rather large number of hours now, that's nothing compared to not being around at all. With three boys (the youngest being the aforementioned Elijah at 9 months), I know that Aimee will be facing many long nights with sick children on her own. And given the fact that my own father lived apart from my mother and I for an extended period of time (due to a job change) when I was not much older than Max, I understand the toll this will take on my children. It's them, quite frankly, who will need prayer and support.

6) Well, my Fantasy NBA Team fell apart down the stretch, and I ended up getting knocked out of the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row. You can't lose two of your marquis players (Chris Bosh and Tracy McGrady) in the last month of the season and expect to compete. I wouldn't be so bitter, but my brother, a pipsqueak 12-years younger than I whose diapers I used to change, is poised to win it all. While I'm glad the championship didn't end up with one of his bonehead fraternity buddies (they keep me around for entertainment value.... let's just say I make the trash talking more colorful), I still don't like getting bested by someone who once begged me, nightly, to read him "The Pokey Little Puppy".

Next year sir..... just wait 'til next year!

7) Who'd have thunk that in the aftermath of our local sheriff's targeting Hispanic illegal aliens that people would take to the streets and the issue would become frontpage news? Just eerie timing. As Congress seeks to decide whether or not to alienate Hispanic voters (by declaring all illegal aliens felons) or middle class voters (by offering a form of amnesty to those hear illegally) fearful of losing their jobs, I can't tell one way or the other how this thing is going to turn out.

I will say this, though, if the law isn't really being enforced right now, barring the allocation of millions of dollars for additional Immigration Agents, what good will declaring 11 million people who aren't going to be sent home anyway, felons? The ICE agent who came to Lima to speak at a forum hosted by Mayor Berger basically said that given all the things his organization (which is responsible not only for border security, but internal security against terrorism) must do, that they weren't going to bother with people working illegally as gardeners or plant laborers or waitresses. That's a telling statement given all the hoopla around this issue. What's the point of putting another law on the books that won't be enforced?

And I'd assume the crush of people wanting to become a citizen would overwhelm the Bureau of Naturalization also. I guess we'll wait, and see what happens.

8) Sunday, I told the story (in my sermon) of the furor I caused as a pastor at Goshen First UMC the year that there were no palms for Palm Sunday. The mess was exacerbated by my sermon, which strayed from the more traditional Palm Sunday message that Jesus was being recognized as the King that he was, which, really, couldn't be further from the truth. Jesus, on Palm Sunday, was greeted like a revolutionary leader, bent on starting a war, which wasn't further from the truth. That's why as he descends into Jerusalem, he stops to weep over the city that has failed to choose the way of peace.

Kind of downer message on a Sunday, where, traditionally, the sermon is pretty upbeat.

Well, the sermon would have gone over OK if the kids of the church had waved palm branches in a processional that morning, which was actually scheduled to happen. But another staff person, who had the job of ordering the palms for distribution, discovered that very morning that the palms (because they were wet, I assume) were molding and falling apart. So, no palms for the kids on a Sunday where the young whippersnapper associate pastor decided to identify the palm branch as a symbol of war and rebellion, as opposed to peace, in Jesus' time.

It was "Ugly" with a capital U. Thankfully, all (or at least, most) was forgiven, but it's an experience that, while I count it as important to have lived through, one I hope that's never repeated.

9) I miss a lot of things about Goshen, but one of the things I miss most is it's selection of coffee houses and purveyors. How is it that a town of 35,000 can possess three or four first-rate coffee establishments (not to mention the wonderful job that Julie Weddle and her volunteers did at "Sacred Grounds", First UMC's very own coffee bar located at the West Campus..... her's, bar none, was the best coffee in town!), while Lima (who's metro area is three times bigger) only rates one (two, if you count the "Big Apple Bagel" place at one of our grocery stores)?

And the one we have, while nice, is more well known for its fu-fu coffees than dark blends that will wake you up, and get you on your way.

"Barnes and Noble", where are you!?!

10) And finally, I have been taking a fair number of questions about the Coptic scrolls discovered in Egypt that assert that Judas was ordered by Jesus to betray him. Is this, people ask, more evidence of a massive cover-up by the Roman Catholic church (as detailed in Dan Browns work of fiction "The DaVinci Code"?

Well, let's get a couple of things straight. The coptic scrolls that were discovered were written, to the best of our knowledge, about 200 years after Christ died, by a group of people who believed that he had never been human. This denial of Jesus' humanity was a very disruptive, and difficult issue for the early church to deal with. These believers, called Gnostics, believed that Jesus was entirely divine, to the point that he was not present on the cross for the crucifixion. The belief, it is believed, grew out of the influence that other cultic gods and practices in Egypt had on Christians who were struggling to explain how death on a cross was actually a victory. Unable to reconcile this, the cult of Gnosticism was born, and flourished.

The problem was that it was so far off of the course of what the Apostles had taught people, that ultimately church leaders had to call large meetings of leaders leading the faithful (called "councils") to determine how this belief started, and whether or not it could be substantiated from the time of Christ.

The ultimate decision was "no", but because the manuscripts still exist, many people, like Dan Brown, have exploited them to create doubt about whether or not the church has covered up various aspects of Jesus' life (in particular, did he marry, have kids, roam the earth after the resurrection in places not accounted for in the Gospels... just to name a few) to prop up some of its own core beliefs.

Archeological study and further scholarship points toward Jesus, and his followers, understanding his person and mission in an orthodox form (a point that is hammered home by N.T. Wright, one of the most influential scholars of the day, and called into question by other scholars like John Dominic Crossan and the late Robert Funk... feel free to read them all, and listen to their arguments for what "orthodox" Christianity truly is). But the coptic writings are important in that they help give insight into a little-known culture struggling to understand the meaning of Jesus in the world. Their existence is a boon for scholarship.... it's just too bad that opportunists will use them as a way to get rich (and that about sums up my thoughts on Dan Brown.... you dig?)

If you've more questions in light of this simplistic argument, feel free to email me at revbdb@woh.rr.com . Don't worry, I've been grilled so many times my backside looks like a Whopper. Bring it on!

Eleven Things I Think I Think

If you haven't done so yet, visit www.NoLimaCasino.org , send Aimee your email, and add your name to the list of people who aren't ready to say "yes" to a casino in the Lima area. Also, if you are from the area, take some time to utilize the links on that webpage to contact our local political leaders, and let them know that insufficient and/or unconvincing data on this project has been presented, and that you'd rather use county-owned land geared toward commercial development for a purpose other than legalized gambling.

1) As a means of self-preservation, I edit what I say in this blog. Often, I have something I really want to write about, but for a variety of reasons, it's just not prudent to do so. As a rule, it generally takes me a couple of hours to pound this thing out each week, and it takes this long because I am constantly checking, and re-checking what I'm writing to make sure it's interesting, but not going to cause any unnecessary headaches. Just one of the realities of the biz I'm in, but suffice to say, if I could write whatever I wanted this blog would have a totally different feel.

I mention all of this because somebody said something yesterday that really got under my skin. You see, there was a time in my life, not too long ago, when I pretty much said just about everything that came into my head. I'm not saying that this "Bryan" was a better "Bryan" per se. The Book of James has a lot to say about how destructive the tongue can be, and I've learned that lesson first hand, multiple times. But, anyhow, yesterday a very well-intentioned person, while congratulating me on starting a doctorate, made the statement that years ago I was the "Clueless Bryan", and then I went to Goshen and became "Radical Bryan", and now, here I am, years later, and I've become "Corporate Bryan".

In other words, I'm the man I used to stick it too. Maybe this is the price you pay as you get older, or maybe I really am just getting smarter..... I don't know. All I know is that never, in my life, would I ever have thought I could be described as "corporate", and never would I have imagined that most of the time spent writing this thing was carefully deciding what I don't want you to hear me say.

2) Which leads me, I suppose, to this place I've arrived right now where I've become one of the local mouthpieces against a proposed casino to be run by the Eastern Shawnee Tribe here in Lima. I've been told that I really ought to keep my mouth shut, and let this battle be fought by other people because of what it could cost me, long term, in terms of my cred with the local business community. Well, I've basically chosen to speak my mind for a few reasons:

• I don't want my family living in a small, somewhat economically depressed, town with a casino. I just don't think it will improve our quality of life.
• Most of the local clergy speaking out on this issue are choosing to use language and terms that aren't endearing the church to the part of the community that is unchurched. I think there is a real economic argument one can make against this thing that will turn more heads than disparaging remarks about Indians, gamblers, and the people who wish to embrace them.
• I'm afraid of truly becoming "Corporate Bryan", for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and in the process lose his soul (I heard that from somewhere)?

So, here is a link to the copy of my letter to the editor of the Lima news. It will not be last word I have on the subject: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=24187

3) Great game tonight! Not especially close, but the effort each team gave was terrific. I reminded me of one of those great heavyweight fights you can only see now on ESPN Classic where two guys just keep beating on one another, long after they reached the point of fatigue. That was tonight's game, which was played baseline to baseline with unbelievable speed and energy. Just a great effort on the part of both teams.

4) I took Max to his awards ceremony for Upwards Basketball up at The Naz (the Lima Community Church of the Nazarene, for those not familiar with the lingo of the locals), and it was, well interesting. The featured speaker was a middle aged lady that did lots of dribbling tricks (which would have probably been more impressive had she not been dribbling on a carpeted floor), some juggling, a little speaking, and a little singing for closers. It could best be described as a surreal experience, although the woman really did go all out and had a good message for the kids (Be an A.C.E. - have a good Aattitude, be Comitted, and show great Eenthusiasm). Then we sat through 40 minutes of handing out door prizes.

Here's a piece of advice for the Upward's people at The Naz - next year, if you have to have door prizes again, just put all the winning ticket numbers on the screen, and tell people to stop at a prize table out in the entry area on their way home. That'll beat watching the league director reading off winning ticket numbers, and peering into a crowd to find the winner. Remember, you don't need to give us a bunch of free crap to make sure we come to the ceremony.... we'll come to support our kids.

5) Well, the first week, and all the receptions, for the Living Sacrifice Capital Campaign, are over. Now, all we can do is wait to see how the congregation responds. I'm not particularly fond of asking for money (a subject I've covered before), but every dollar we can use for mission and ministry, as opposed to paying off a mortgage, is a dollar better spent. I hope the congregation feels the same way.

6) Grandma and I enjoyed back to back episodes of The West Wing last night. I say "back-to-back" because last week the local NBC affiliate, WLIO, decided to conduct a telethon for the United Way during The West Wing, with no plans to re-air the episode later. Grandma and I thought about calling to complain last Sunday, but Jiminy Crickets, how can you be against the United Way? We might have as well called to express our displeasure with the existence of babies or the coming of Spring. So, we just seethed at the telethon (which, remarkably, featured a local guy cooking what looked to be an oversized Ho-Ho for the majority of the evening) and resolved to send donations to the Salvation Army.

Well, believe it or not, the next day when my Grandmother called the station to find out if re-airing what was essentially one of the last nine episodes of a great show was a possibility, she was surprised to have a flustered receptionist fall all over herself, apologizing for the pre-emption, and promising that the station would look into the matter. Apparently, the complaints were more than a few. I guess other people don't care whether or not their complaining made them look shallow and self-serving (God Bless 'em)

Anyhow, thanks to them, the episode aired at 7pm on Saturday. So Grandma, who is the only person in our entire family that actually knows how to operate a VCR (no joke!), taped "the lost episode" and the new one from last night. Couple that with some great conversation and a big bowl of ice cream, and you've got the makings of a great evening!

7) While I worked out this morning at the Y, I found myself watching "Live With Regis and Whatever The Lady's Name Is" (can't say I'm a huge fan). Now, if you want, you can turn on your FM radio and listen to the audio of the show, but, since I'm a child of the seventies who was too young too realize that Disco wasn't cool, I was listening to Jamaraqui and didn't want to turn him off, so I just read the captioning. The subject of the conversation between Regis and the other lady consisted mostly of her talking about how her child got the chicken pox while they were on vacation in some exotic locale. I'm sure it was interesting to somebody, somewhere, but I'll bet you they wouldn't have been half as absorbed into the subject matter if they had read the dialogue. Nobody is winning a Pulitzer on that show anytime soon.

8) Since I was at Mom and Dad's tonight watching the NCAA Tourney, we watched this show on NBC (before the game), called "Deal or No Deal". The premise of the show is that you can win a lot of money, and not be particularly smart or talented at anything. You just need to pick the right briefcase held by the right scantily clad female, and be willing to help wratchet up the suspense factor as much as you can in the process. The best part, as far as I'm concerned, was watching Howie Mandel, a comic from the eighties who used to pull a rubber glove over his head and blow it up with his nose, host. Watching how transform from a manic/crazy lunatic, to game show host is, for me, just about the best entertainment I can think of. I just keep waiting for him to come back from a commercial break in (what was) his trademark doctor's smock blathering incoherently about chickens or buses or calendars like he did in the old days. And how much more suspense is there if you're wondering whether or not the host, at any moment, could whip out a rubber glove, pull it over his head, and blow it up with his nose? See if you can watch that show the same way, now!

9) We're getting ready for Holy Week around here, and at Shawnee, doing so is kind of a rough experience. You see, Joseph (our Senior Pastor), is a big believer that since so many people skip "Good Friday" services, they miss the experience of thinking about Jesus being dead, in the tomb, so, our Palm Sunday service is really just a Good Friday service, five days early. So, if you work at Shawnee, Jesus is in the tomb the entire week, which is not a pleasant thing to think about. And, I guess that's the point really.... thinking about the horrible thing that was done to your best friend and mentor. Since Joseph always likes to make it a point to make sure you know too, that's it's his, yours, and my sin that put Jesus in this predicament, the sense of guilt and responsibility weighs heavy.

But, this year, I'm preaching on Palm Sunday, and I'm just not sure that I'm ready, really, to jump all the way to Good Friday, as Palm Sunday itself holds enough misery in itself. For it is on this day that as he is lauded by many waving palm branches as being the Messiah of Israel, that as he makes his way down the Mount of Olives, through the crowd and into Jerusalem, he weeps over the city. He weeps because he knows that those praising his name see him not as a spiritual deliverer, but as a military figure who is supposed to overthrow the Romans and free Israel. In great detail, in the Book of Luke, Jesus predicts what will happen to Jerusalem because some believed that war with Rome would set the people free. It's a very gruesome, realistic picture that depicts the actual fall of Jerusalem about 30 years later, to the tee.

Of course, most scholars believe that it was Luke that wrote this dialogue, after Jerusalem fell, and that Jesus had nothing to do with the actual text. But, for whatever reason, I think Jesus really did foretell Jerusalem's fall, because he was a keen observer and expert of human nature. He knew what the Jewish freedom fighters were capable of, and more importantly, he had a good understanding of how Rome would respond, in kind. Just a tragic, terrible story.... and not one I want to skip this year. Stay tuned.

10) And finally, if you remember, last week I exchanged emails with one of our local newspaper editors on the subject of faith and government. Well, Sunday, he managed to quote "A Methodist Minister" who had objected to the idea that expressing one views inspired by religious belief in a political forum within a free society was a faithless act. The editor maintains that beliefs expressed in this way amount to nothing more than legislating moral behavior, which is faithless because it looks to government to maintain conduct that ought to come naturally out of one's own religious conviction. You can read his entire op-ed piece here: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=24167

Well, as I said last week, I just don't understand why one should keep quiet on issues, even if their opinion is spiritually-motivated in a free society. If we are to "give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's", it seems, at least from a Christian perspective, that we are obligated, on some level to act in the public forum. Besides, every person's sense of wrong or right, his or her convictions, were not formed in a vacuum. That these morals and virtues were formed under the influence of religious instruction or inspiration shouldn't render them "second class" next to someone who developed their own sense of wrong and right in a classroom or at the library. That's intellectual bigotry, and since godless culture (think of millions killed by Josef Stalin in Communist Russia as one example) and thought has visited upon us comparable misery as a culture shaped by a religious ideal has (we've got to own up to our own sins), I just don't think you can elevate, in a democratic society, one expression over the other. In light of the many people who fought and died so that this wouldn't be the case, to do so seems short-sighted and insulting.

So, Ron Lederman Jr. we'll just need to agree to disagree, because what you call legislating morality, I call being a good citizen true to his/her own conscience.... and if Jesus sits in the middle that conscience, well, then so be it.

11) And finally, there is a small, but growing rumor that the Bucher clan is moving away from Lima, and hence, Shawnee UMC this summer. I want to categorically deny this, and let everyone know that while my doctoral work over the course of the next year will result my being gone a lot (and in my family moving with me to Asbury Theological Seminary during the month of July), that I will still be on the staff at Shawnee, albeit part-time. Long-term, I'm not going anywhere. Soon, we'll let you all know definitively what the church and Bishop's long-term plans are for me here at Shawnee UMC. Just be patient, and be assured that we are here to stay.

Until next time....

Seven Things I Think I Think

1) I'm going to get a little bit waylaid today, and I may not get to a full ten things that I think. That's because I've got a few major things I'm thinking about: capital campaigns, renovation projects, the Hispanic community in Lima, a proposed casino for our community...... let's get started.

2) First and foremost, Xavier's birthday was Saturday. My wife created an "Astronaut Training Center" in our living room with about 10 rolls of aluminum foil and some mattresses on the floor. A good time was had by all. Hard to believe Xavie is four already.... I wish they didn't grow up so fast (99% of the time).

3) We're in the throws here at the church of a proposed three-year Capital Campaign geared to paying off our current mortgage (a little over $500,000). I don't have any ambivalence about this campaign. I think it makes good fiscal sense to pay off the mortgage early. And, for that matter, I've never regretted any financial campaign I've run for a church because I believed, and believe in its mission and ministry. But, I have to admit, I fear becoming recognized as one of those pastors who "care only about money". I just always try to remember that the moment that someone decides to support a ministry, and makes a contribution, is sacred, because money is the thing you got in trade for a moment of your life and service. It is this, the image of hardworking people making a sacrifice on behalf of Jesus' kingdom, that gives meaning and weight for me, a pastor who had better utilize those resources to their fullest potential. Doing so, helps me sleep well at night.

4) Speaking of money, did you read Ronald Lederman Jr's article in The Lima News on Sunday? Lederman has come out in support of bringing a casino to Lima, which is his right, but check out this comment from column this Sunday (read the whole column here at http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=23962 ):

"Perhaps we can understand local religious leaders who oppose gambling. If your churchÂ’s stance is that gambling is a sin, it makes sense that youÂ’d oppose a casino. ItÂ’s still a shame some pastors have lost faith in their own messages, instead opting for the muscle of government to save us all."

Well, here's my reply to Mr. Lederman:


Mr. Lederman

As a local pastor, I'd like to respond to your column in the Sunday Edition of The Lima News. Your assertion that a member of the clergy who voices their opposition to this project is somehow acting in faithlessness, is absurd. Those in Christian ministry must adhere the message from the Epistle of James, which states that faith, without action, is useless. Since we live in a free society, where we encourage people to participate in the political process, not acting, it would seem, would truly be the faithless act. To insinuate otherwise is to have little sense of what a working faith actually is in the life of a believer.

How else can you explain why a good Libertarian, like yourself, is advocating the use of government land and resources to prop up a private business? It seems to me that if you had any faith in your own message, you'd tell the Eastern Shawnee Tribe to go to court, find their own land, and fight their own battle on this issue. Faithwise, for a Libertarian, wouldn't that make more sense?

I would hope, also, that as a member of the press, you would do a little more research on this issue beyond a couple of trips to a casino in Northern Michigan and your own simple deduction. If you had, you'd realize, for example, that the Chamber of Commerce of Grand Rapids, Michigan established, after commissioning a study by the Anderson Economic Group, that the economic promises made by a tribe like the Eastern Shawnee, are often largely unfounded. http://www.andersoneconomicgroup.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=display_aeg&doc_ID=665.
I invite you, Mr. Lederman, to take some time and look at this, and other studies regarding the effects of casino gambling on local communities at www.NoLimaCasino.org. There, you will find that those with and without religious convictions actually believe that casinos can be detrimental to the economy of a local community.

And finally, like you, I too have visited a casino. It was on a riverboat in Shreveport, Louisiana. While casually taking in the scene, I ended up standing next to a young woman who was popping dollar coins into a slot machine. As she did this, I overheard her on a cell phone asking her mother to please watch her children just a "couple more hours". And then, in mid-conversation, the machine paid out, and she exclaimed, "I got my rent money back!". Then, she hung up the phone, and started putting more coins into the slot.

Thus, in closing, I will advise that all those opposed to this casino for religious, or non-religious reasons, to write, email, or phone Mayor Berger, the Allen County Commissioners, the Shawnee Township Trustees, and the Perry Township Trustees to let them know how they feel on the subject of casino gambling in this community. And they can write to this paper, show up at political meetings dedicated to this subject, and not worry one whit about the validity of their faith. For, as Abraham Lincoln said, "To sin by silence makes cowards of men", and, in faith, I think I ought to heed his words, as opposed to your own.

Sincerely,
Rev. Bryan Bucher
www.NoLimaCasino.org

5) I also had the pleasure, last week, of attending a forum hosted by the Mayor on the subject of the influx Hispanicsics into the Lima community. Passions on the issue were running high on both sides, but the information presented to us by the various law enforcement officials from the local and federal officials, as well as the experience of various public officials from the town of Goshen, Indiana, was first rate.

You might remember that we moved here from Goshen two years ago, and you might now be asking, what, if any, connection I might have had in Mayor Kauffman, Superintendent Staley, and the others who came with them coming to Lima to speak on the subject.

Well, to be honest, while he gave me credit in the presentation itself, my connection to this event couldn't have been more flimsy. Dave Harris, pastor at Trinity UMC and the force behind this forum, and I had a conversation one day about tHispanicnic issue, and I let it slip that Goshen had already been through the transition a community goes through when thousands of non-English speaking people start calling your town home. After telling him a little of Goshen's story, I just suggested that he ought to go to Goshen and buy Mayor Kauffman a cup of coffee to talk over the subject. Two months later, Allen is in front of over 200 community leaders fielding questions about law enforcement, Mexican ID cards, and temporary drivers permits for illegal aliens.

The lesson in all this: That Dave Harris is one go-getter. Maybe next time I should suggest that he talk to the President of Barnes & Noble about building a store in Lima. Which takes me to this...

6) I would have never believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, but the owners of the American Mall are currently discussing dismantling that facility, and constructing a new shopping plaza in its place. And wouldn't you know it, they mention bringing, by name, a Barnes & Noble to this community. Now, I've been emailing these people for the last nineteen months, so to even have just the smallest bone thrown at this hungry, old dog has re-energized me. Let's hope we get a decent bookstore that serves legal stimulants before we get a place to chuck dice on the 87% certainty that the "house" will win.

7) And finally (because time is short), the new Solid Rock Cafe, a meeting place here at Shawnee UMC, opened this Sunday to much fanfare. The decorators on this project, Kelly Balyeat and Vickie House, did a fine, fine job, accomplishing the "impossible": Creating a space that is appreciated and admired by people of all ages. Just a great experience watching the surprise in people's eyes as they layed them on the Cafe for the first time. First rate and kudos to all involved.

Ten Things I Think I Think

1) Made a great four-day pilgrimage to Indianapolis to watch the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament. While the "fairy tale ending" would have been the Buckeyes winning the whole shebang, they fell apart down the stretch, and were outplayed by Iowa who deservedly took home the trophy. However, when you're traveling with Eric Stalkamp, Tim Yunker, and Dad, you can't go wrong. A big "thanks" to Horizons of Faith UMC, who offered their retreat center, "Horizon House" to us (it was a good experience - if you'd like a weekend of renewal I'd encourage you to check out http://www.hof-umc.org/horizonshouse.htm ). Just a great weekend all-around.

2) My take on the State of Basketball in the Big Ten right now is that you won't have to worry about any Men's team from the conference making a run at the NCAA Tourney. Every team either lacks the necessary height (OSU, Indiana), ability to score (Michigan State), consistency (Iowa, Illinois), or talent (everyone else) to win the "big one" this year. The good news for Bucks fans, however, is the ongoing development and maturation of Jamar Butler. While I never had the chance to watch him while he attended Shawnee High School (we moved here the summer he graduated), the improvement in his game over the course of this season has been tremendous. Now, as their point guard, he has become the glue that is holding this team together, which is exciting when you think about next year's incoming recruiting class. He'll be the perfect leader for these young guys.

And, you never know when a team could get hot from the field, and make a serious run.... let's just hope the conference (and particularly Ohio State) makes a good showing in the tournament.

3) Not to bore you with all the details of the weekend, but I'll let you in on one more. On Sunday afternoon, we're walking down the street, looking for a place to get lunch, when out of nowhere woman hits me in the chest and screams, "Bucher!". I look around, and standing in front of me is Noelle Bollinger (well, the last name isn't Bollinger, it's Szydlyk, but I can barely spell that name, let alone say it). Noelle is the Event Coordinator for the Indiana Sports Corporation, which is a non-profit entity that organizes sporting events (for more info on ISC, go here: http://www.indianasportscorp.com/ISC2/index.php ) . Apparently, the ISC is organizing the Men's Tourney, and Noelle is in charge of the event. In my chance meeting with her, I learned two things...

First, Noelle always wanted to go into some form of management for a group or organization that's does sports. When she was a teenager in the youth group I pastored here at Shawnee before the dawn of fire, that was really her only professional goal. Now, years later, after earning a couple of degrees, working in a variety of jobs that paid her very little but provided much experience, now she's living her dream. Just a neat thing to witness over the course of these past 15 years.

And second, she could, and would have, procured me with better seats. Not that our seats were bad (although we could see the dust on top of the scoreboard hanging over center court). Kinda of lousy thing to learn after an event is over, but will be one of those pieces of information I'll tuck away for later!

Remember kids, it's not what you know..... it's who you know!

4) We kicked off a Capital Campaign this Sunday geared to paying down, or off, our current mortgage ($534,000) over the course of the next three years. To be honest, as a pastor I've always been uncomfortable asking for money. Mine is the generation who witnessed the irresponsible behavior of numerous TV preachers (think of Oral Roberts asking for millions or God would "take him home") and I don't want to be associated with that kind of behavior. But, the bottom line, is the bottom line. Without cash, this institution wouldn't last long, and since I believe that this church truly makes a difference in the world, I have no problem asking people to support its mission. This campaign is designed to help pay our current mortgage down, or off, over the course of the next three years. The result will be freeing up more money for ministry and mission..... in other words, to invest in people. Please keep it in your prayers.

5) Interesting story today out of Hollywood, where Isaac Hayes, the voice of the character named "Chef" on the show "South Park", announced today that he is quitting the show over it's intolerance of religious beliefs. Apparently, Hayes, who is a devout Scientologist, is upset over an episode from last season entitled "Trapped In The Closet" that took direct aim at Scientology, and couple of its biggest proponent, Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

Hayes, in a statement said he's leaving the show because "There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. "Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored," he continued. "As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

The creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone were quick to respond, and what they had to say was interesting. Matt Stone said, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology... He has no problem, and he's cashed plenty of checks, with our show making fun of Christians." Trey Parker added that he, "never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin."

Considering that the show has mocked, among other things, Mel Gibson and his motives for making the "Passion of the Christ", (in a scathing episode) the Church of Latter Day Saints, Jesus in a multitude of situations (including winning a rigged boxing match against Satan), and also in the last season, Mary the mother of Jesus on an episode so offensive that the President of Viacom (who is a Catholic) has promised that his network, Comedy Central, will never show the episode again. The show is notorious for playing off of stereotypes. They even shot one episode where one of the show's main characters undergoes plastic surgery to become a tall, black man so that he can make a local basketball team and added a semi-permanent character named "Token Black".

So, why now, is Isaac Hayes so offended? Has he been watching the show? It was built on being offensive and vulgar. Just seems like strange timing to me, and makes me question just how secure the leadership of Scientology is about its image. Heaven knows that Christianity can take a beating on a number of fronts (and another one is about to hit with the release of "The DaVinci Code" movie), and somehow we're still standing. Can Scientology survive the same kind of scrutiny? My guess is that they don't want to know the answer to that question, and hence, now South Park no longer has its Chef. Just a strange turn of events....

6) It seems that the situation in the Darfur region of the Sudan is growing increasingly desperate. Now, the government of neighboring country, Chad, is asking the UN to intervene militarily, even as it has, over the years, been accused of supporting the murderous Islamic militias that have been slaughtering Sudanese Christians.

Which takes me back to an early post, where I wondered out loud, how in the world Islamic extremists can believe this can kind of behavior will do anything but turn the world against Islam. With actions like this, and now terrorist activity in Iraq designed to promote a Civil War between Sunni and Shiite Muslimsms who have lived together for hundreds of years largely in peace, I don't know how you promote anything other than fear and loathing among those living outside of your circle. This message must be getting across because imams all over the world are calling for an end to this kind of violent behavior. While the US can't ignore the plight of so many Muslims living in poverty in this world, at some point, a two-sided dialogue needs to takes place so that we can work toward solving, instead of creating new, problems.

7) Can the weather this winter get any weirder? The worst hurricane season on record, followed by an absurdly mild winter, and now tornados in Illinois in the month of March. If you've never lived in Illinois, then you don't know how strange this is, so just take my word for it. Now NASA is saying that the polar ice caps are getting thinner, which is an indicator that the world is getting warmer (read here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11745704/ ). This article also states that in the past, that scientific research like this would have been edited or not approved for release, which is somewhat unsettling given the fact that nobody in Ohio really wants to own ocean-front property here anytime soon. Don't want to be a "Chicken Little" but something strange does seem to be afoot in the world climate.

8) I stated earlier that this past weekend we stayed at a retreat center owned by Horizon of Faith UMC in Indianapolis. Now the quality of most of these kinds of places usually rivals the living conditions of your typical cottage at a small lake, and since this house had no TV, I wondered aloud last week if two of my traveling companion, Eric Stalkamp and Tim Yunker, would be too "fu fu" to survive such living conditions. I had no worry about Dad, who has slept on many a floor on many a mission trip with numerous loud, obnoxious teenagers.

Well, I'm pleased to announce that both Eric and Tim can travel cheap with the best of them. Tim provided our breakfast for the weekend (PopTarts) and Eric brought the cards and peanuts so we could pass the night away with a little Euchre. No whining about a lack of TV. No complaining about the simplicity of our surroundings..... just real men enjoying a weekend of male bonding around basketball.

Although the weekend was not without its "fu fu" moments. In the interest of time, I'll only list two...

We noticed that during a time out at Conseco, that Tim stuck around for the duration of the Time Out to watch the "Kiss Cam" on the main scoreboard. The "Kiss Cam" basically is a way of getting couples to kiss, on camera, as it's being broadcast live in the arena on the big screen, and all the little screens out in the concourse. Tim waited until the "Kiss Cam" was done, and the Time Out over, to head out to the restroom after the game had resumed! To miss part of a game to watch the "Kiss Cam" is definitely a "fu fu" moment.

And, the other "fu fu" moment of the weekend occurred when Eric insisted we needed to return to the Godiva Chocolate store so that he could pick up a sugarless chocolate bar before we headed back to the arena. Now that he bought a sugarless chocolate bar is more than forgivable, as he needs to do this for medical reasons, but anytime a man insists that he has to buy Godiva Chocolate, and its not for the purpose of pacifying or bribing his wife, that, my friend, is "fu fu". A real man would have rather eaten bark.

9) Watched the finale of "The Flavor of Love" on VH1 last night. (NOTE TO MY GRANDMOTHER: "The Flavor of Love" is set up kind of like "The Bachelor" in that twenty young women were vying for the affections of one single male, but it's different in that the male is "Flavor Flav", member of the "Public Enemy" rap group, and pretty much one of the weirdest people on the planet. For more info Grandmother, go here to www.vh1.com and click on "The Flavor of Love".) Watching twenty women throw themselves at Flav is kind of a surreal experience, but to watch two of them rip one another apart to "win" being with Flav (in what I'm supposing will be another reality series called, "Rollin' With the Flav") was just bizarre. Truly one of the lowest moments in reality TV history, and yet wildly entertaining to this humble preacher. I don't know what this says about the culture, or me. Come to think of it, staying up until 11pm to see who won Flav might have been the most "fu fu" moment of the entire weekend. I am not a man.

10) And finally, it's late, and I need to go home. Hope you had a great weekend, and I'll see you next week!

Ten Things I Think I Think

1) An amazing coincidence of events occurred this weekend here at Shawnee UMC. First and foremost, we confirmed 19 teenagers as members of the church. Now, for those who don't know what "confirmation" is, for churches who baptize infants (like ours), we do the baptism with the caveat that at some point, the child will need to make the decision on their own to accept the responsibility for the baptism. In other words, it's like when your parents took out loans so that you could go to college with the understanding that when you graduate, the responsibility for those loans would be yours. Since God has no grandkids (the subject of a future blog, as I am intrigued with the notion raised in Donald Miller's new book that everyone wants God to be their Grandfather, and not their Father), at some point kids who are dragged to church every Sunday need to make the decision for themselves that being a Christian, and a church-goer (which are linked.... another subject for another time) is something they want to do for themselves.

The process for confirmation put together here at Shawnee this year was very well-organized, and obviously very meaningful to the confirmands. In listening to them speak about their experience, they obviously had given much thought to their experience, and decision as to whether or not make the "confirmation". I'm sure the affair was a positive one, and will stick with these kids for many, many years. Kudos to Marty Hutchison for all the work she put into the experience (I hope her young proteges, Brent and Andrea, recognize the planning, execution, and organization that went into making this a success), all the mentors from the congregation, and the parents. I trust that results of this year's group will have longer lasting effects, in a positive sense, than most other confirmation experiences. I have great confidence that it will.

2) Thing number 2 that happened occurred either late at night, or early in the morning before our services. Somebody, or some group of people, decided to "tag" our church with some offensive graffiti. You can imagine our dismay, as a church, when we drove up for worship to be greeted with multiple symbols for the occult and an "anarchy" symbol. Throw in the expense and time it will take to remove these crudely spray-painted objects, and you've got the makings for one unpleasant set of circumstances.

I put these two events together because I'm relatively sure that a mature adult didn't tag our building. Someone in their teens, or a period of extended adolescence, decided it would be a good idea to risk possible jail time, a fine, and the costs of clean-up, to anonymously let the public know that they disagree with our faith-choice, and that a system without governance is better than the system we have now.

In short, this person is young, confused, and disturbed.

Which brings me to this conclusion: There is no other time of life (with the possible exception of a midlife crisis) where you are more susceptible to making a stupid decision that will destroy your life than between the years of 13 and 23. I say "23", because after having worked with a number of young adults, I have recognized, as have a number of sociologists, that in an affluent culture like ours, that really has no "rite of passage" where young people can be recognized as adults (getting a driver's license, signing up for the draft, and being able to buy alcohol legally really don't fit that bill) we are now experiencing the extension of adolescent behavior in years that would traditionally be considered "adulthood".

If the church could give society any gift, the greatest it could bestow would be figuring out how to partner with parents to help young people navigate these difficult years. It ought to be one of our hallmarks.... one of our great success stories. We ought to be "the place" people come to help youngsters figure out who they are, and where they are going. While it takes money to do this, the greater expense is time.... time on the part of those not paid to be with kids (think about it.... besides parents or family members, what other adults spend time with teens without being paid to do so?). Christian adults who seek to be in good relationships (with good boundaries) in the context of a controlled, safe environment.

When a church puts this together, it becomes a dynamic place where kids who tag churches are sought out, welcomed and embraced. Where decisions to live lives of self-sacrifice, mercy, grace, and love are made by teens who are, and aren't dragged by their parents to worship on Sunday morning. Where confusion can be talked out with people who have lived enough life that they care little or nothing for what popular culture says is cool, or defining.

We lived that dream for two months during this confirmation experience. I hope we're wise enough to figure out ways for it to continue.

3) Watched the Oscars last night with my grandmother. Here my thoughts in no particular order...

• Jon Stewart did a credible job as host, but he didn't make anyone forget Billy Crystal.
• I'm sick of Brokeback Mountain, and I haven't even seen the movie.
• One of the actresses (I can't remember which one) who was up for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" wore a dress with a pillow on the shoulder. My grandmother described it as "a terrible mistake".
• Best line of the night: "For those out there keeping score, that's Martin Scorsese with zero Oscars, and the 3-6 Mafia with one."
• If you just showed the categories people cared about (Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting Actor Actress, and Best Picture), the whole deal could be over in 30 minutes.
• I'm sure if Jack Nickelson E-bay'd a chance for a guy and three of his buddies to hang out with him in Vegas for a weekend, that he'd raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity. The guy is walking party.
• Philip Seymour Hoffman is a brilliant actor. Have liked him in everything I've seen him in, but I thought he took it to another level four years ago in in the movie "Love Liza", which is described by IMBd as "a searing look at grief". Anyone that can pull off a movie about a guy who starts huffing gasoline after the unexplained suicide of his wife is pretty brilliant (and, that being said, this is not necessarily a recommendation that you rent this movie. You've got to like independent film, and be willing to be depressed for a number of days to watch this puppy).
• I never thought the word "pimp" would ever be used at the Academy Awards.

4) Went to the "Vision Life" retreat hosted by Bishop Ough on Saturday, and while I won't say much about it, I will say this: If someone from the Conference Office had showed me a way to re-organize itself into a ministry that was "distinctive and additive" to what is supposed to be done at the District level, all in the name of developing/planting local church, and CUT the budget by $200k (as opposed to raise it the same amount), all in attendance would have been intrigued and impressed. That truly, would have been thinking outside of the box.

5) And another thing about the Vision Life retreat...

The featured guest speaker for the day was Bishop Huie, the bishop of the Texas Annual Conference (one of six Annual Conferences in that state). One of her greatest concerns (echoed later by our own Bishop) was the declining percentage of clergy in the UMC that are under the age of 35. The number, which nationally has declined from 15% in 1985, to about 5% in 2005, reflects the decrease in the number of people (like myself) who went to seminary straight from college. Largely, our ranks have been filled with "second career" folks, which isn't necessarily bad, but since national studies show that churches tend to bring in people who are, on average, about seven years older or younger than the Senior Pastor, many are afraid that this trend will exacerbate an all-ready rapidly aging denomination. Thus, conferences like Texas are going to concentrate efforts to try and turn this around largely by trying to offer appointments that pay better in more "happening" communities.

I'll make an observation here: Right now, if you were young and had great potential, you could go to a number of denominations that would give you money to start a new church. While starting a new church is a challenge, trying to fit in one that's already established (and may have developed some bad habits) can be ten times harder. What's more, you don't necessarily need a seminary education (and the massive loans people take out to get one) to plant these churches, as these denominations are finding new ways to train and apprentice young pastors that can successfully lead a congregation. I mean, we have two UM-seminaries in the West Ohio Conference, and somehow that kind of proximity to training and education hasn't produced the results desired by those in charge, so I have to wonder...

• In an effort to recruit new pastors, will we alter our expectations regarding education and experience when it comes to credentialing?
• Will we make available appointments in new church, or multi-site settings that have the kind of potential for growth that will excite young, entrepreneurial pastors?

6) Am making the long trek to Wilmore, Kentucky tomorrow to try and hammer out some sort of schedule and plan regarding my doctoral work that will be acceptable to this church, the conference, the Beeson Institute, and Asbury Theological Seminary. If we can reach some sort of agreement, this will force us all to commit to a fixed schedule in the coming year. Pray for us all as we seek a compromise that will bring glory and honor to the Kingdom of Heaven.

7) Met with Robin Andes this morning to get a handle on what I should be doing during my daily workout. If you want any idea of how it went, I found today that I warm up and stretch incorrectly. Talk about having a lot to learn. I'm looking forward to the pain.

8) This Thursday, yours truly is heading off to Indy to see the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament. Accompanied by Eric Stalkamp and Tim Yunker (my dad will make the trek on Friday, and my old friend Steve Clouse, a Goshen compadre, will sit-in on Thursday), we will venture forth into the great abyss that is 10 games in four days, and a number one seed for OSU. Because I am cheap, we are staying at Horizon House, a home owned by Horizon of Hope UMC in Indy for the express purpose of providing pastors and church people a cheap place to stay and re-charge. Which bring me to this thing I think:

There are two kinds of travelers: The kind that need to stay close to the arena where they drink "double chocolate creame" coffee in a hotel room complete with a king-sized bed and 42" plasma screen TV, and the kind that are thankful when they don't have to sleep on a floor, but will, if necessary in a place where you boil your own water for instant coffee. You obviously know what kind of traveler I am.... we'll see how "foo foo" or how tough my traveling buddies are this weekend. There should be a good time had by all.

9) Elijah started crawling this weekend, so we're getting ready for another mobile child. Now that they outnumber us, we'll need to outsmart them. Here's hoping that we can.

10) And finally, spent some time at the rear of our sanctuary observing 30 young people from our church worshipping in faint candlelight, and was personally, very moved. I remember many such evenings as a student, and leader, myself, in many different places in the world, where it was obvious God was present, and active. In the faint chance any of those kids are reading this now, store up the experience, and count it as a treasure. The memory of the experience, and the people you experienced it with, will someday warm your soul. Thanks for the gift, kids.