BJ Not BK

Ok,

so my original intention was to blog each day and provide you with updates but time just didn't allow.  The conferrence started each day at 9:00 and didn't end until well past 9:00 at night which left little time to blog, read, or see any of the sights.  Instead of continuing to blog day by day highlights I thought I would do a quick recap here and then do a follow up post with links to the audio portions of each session as well as to any notes or useful links.

 What were my favorite sessions?

1.  I would have to say I enjoyed Driscoll's session on the qualifications of being a church planter and a pastor.  Mark hit on several key pieces in this sermon but mainly he pointed out the importance of family in the ministry and that the first priority is to be pastor dad over family before being pastor church.

2.  Economist James Gilmore talked to us about the shift in the economy from goods based to services based to experience based to what appears to be transformation based models.  It looks something like this.

Coffee - one cup of green, unroasted, coffee beans costs about .04 - this is a resources
now, take those same beans and buy them at the grocery store (good) this is about .15 for the same cup
now let someone else brew the cup of coffee for you (service) say, your local gas station what is the price of the coffee now?  $1.00
Intro Starbucks- not only do they provide the coffee, brew the coffee, and serve it to you they also provide an environment for you to enjoy the coffee in - the "experience" portion.  How much would you expect to pay for that same cup of coffee?  You got it....$4.00 bucks.

The point of the session was to highlight that most Americans aren't just purchasing goods and services anymore but are now looking for meaning, apart from Jesus, in lasting memorable experiences such as Starbucks and that we are willing to shell out big bucks for it.  Mr. Gilmore also pointed out that this is a growing trend and it will infiltrate all aspects of culture as secularism rises and that we will begin to see this in our churches and our congregations. 

3.  I enjoyed the session of Piper, all 32 points, on how his pastoral ministry shapes his pulpit ministry.

4. The bookstore - As with most conferences there was a bookstore and I was able to pick up some great books at some great prices.  Joe, Wesley, I have a gift for you both.

5.  The people.  Before the trip I prayed several times that God would give me brothers to hang out with and He did!  During the conference three different churches adopted me.  One church in particular, Redeeming Grace from San Francisco took me out each night, bought my supper and insisted that me and the family come out and stay with them.  Thank you brothers for your love.

6.  The Focus - no matter what the topic was, church planting, health, economics everything was always pointed to exalting our risen savior Jesus Christ and the importance of reaching those around us and preaching Him.   

I thought I had Monday all planned out.  The conference wasn't scheduled to start until 9:00 and I was tired from traveling the day before.  I went to bed Sunday night and set my alarm for 8:30, "this should give me plenty of rest" I thought.  I am not sure if I was still on eastern time or on my 8 month's schedule but sure as clockwork I woke up at 5:30.  I tried to go back to sleep but to no avail.

The morning session began with a great seminar on Biblical stress management by Dr. Stephen Crane.

Dr. Crane broke the session down into the following parts:

1. How Stress Develops - this is the chemistry and the physiology of stress, how it develops and what it does to our bodies

Dr. Crane also went into some of the technical terms of stress, such as distress - bad stress, eustress - good stress, and stressors, these are the events that happen to us everyday and are neutral until we process them as either distress or eustress.  Examples include traffic, bills, your boss etc. 

The stages look like this - 1.  you encounter a stressor, let's say traffic, 2. you give it a cognitive appraisal by categorizing, interpreting, and labeling the stressor.  It could be distress, "man this stinks!  I am going to be late for my meeting!" or is could be good stress or eustress, "man this is awesome!  I am going to be late and won't be able to make my meeting!"  3.Alarm stage -this stage prepares the body to take action against the stressor, commonly reffered to our flight or fight response.  Dr. Crane walked through over 100 actions our bodies take when dealing with a stressor including: increase in blood pressure, relaxation of the bladder, release of chemicals and so on and so forth.  4. The resistance stage - this stage is where the body tries to regulate itself, to relax and to rid itself of the effects of the alarm stage.

The problem with stress is that it is not in the mind but is in the body.  As we are continually hit with stressors that are processed as distress our bodies are in a continued state of alarm and if there is no outlet to detox the body from the chemicals and effects of the alarm stage then exhaustion and disease begin to set in. 

2.  The second part of the seminar was - How does a Biblical viewpoint make a difference?

Dr. Crane went into some of the research science has done of the effect of prayer and belief as it relates to the health of Christians.  He discussed how we are commanded through scipture to look at things different and how all things, good and bad, are used to shape those in Christ to be more like Him.

3.  Dr. Crane followed up with a short bit on practical ways we can manage stress, exercise, nutrition, Bible study, and prayer.

Part II 

The second session before lunch was given by Mark Driscoll where he went into detail the threats within the church by those who would seek to redefine the church.  I won't go into great detail on this session but will give you a link to the audio as I surely won't do it justice.  The point of the session was to point out how many are forsaking authority, preaching, and even teaching of the Bible in "church" in an effort to be hip, cool, and emergent.  I am sure that this is not a fad but a continued effort by Satan to attack the church, split the body, and render us an ineffective as possible.

Today was day one of the Text and Context conference hosted by Mars Hill Church, Seattle, Washington.

The purpose?  To bring pastors and teachers together to train and equip in keeping with the integrity of the text of the Bible while being able to contextualize it in relevant terms, media, methods, etc.

Today's session was part of the pre-conference program which included check-in to the conference, an hour long session with the small group/community group and counseling pastors, and worship in the 4:30 service (Mars Hills has three evening services 4:30, 6:30, and 8:30). 

The session with the small group/community group pastors was insightful.  The staff pointed out that their main purpose in community groups was to have the body live out their faith on a daily, weekly basis inside of community and that community groups enable the church to minster to the body on a large scale while growing community and holding one another accountable.  The pastors left plenty of time for q & a and I took some great notes but am currently too tired to share right now.

Tomorrow is another full day as the conference begins at 9:00 A.M. and ends at 9:00 P.M.  Some of the topics include:

Biblical Stress Management

Humble Incarnational Ministry

Text and Context - Pastoral Character and Loving People

Why I trust the scriptures - Dr. John Piper 

NOTE:  I received 2 books in my conference goody bag today, 1. Vintage Jesus and 2. The Future of Justification, John Piper

I thought it perfect timing to receive the second item in light of all the discussion going on here at Steeple regarding Paul and the gospel. 

 Another week gone, and another series of posts handed over in triplicate to the folks at iron mountain to be hauled via armored car to the hillside bunker for safe keeping.  This week the flags are at half staff in honor of Dad and the motorcade to the bunker is being escorted by Texas Rangers on horseback...my Dad loved westerns.

1.  Friday is for photos:  S. is growing like a weed.

So much so that we can barely keep him fed with our current combination of nursing and baby food.  Our solution?  Baby Giraffe hoofs.

2.  Chicago is my favorite city of all time period.  M and I had the incredible opportunity of staying right in downtown at a friend's 3 story home.  The house had a rooftop garden with a grill, furniture, and an incredible view.  On several nights we grilled out and sat for hours looking at the city and talking.

This was taken from the John Hancock building.  If you look closely you can see the red circle, this is where the house is.

3.  If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [link] and Joe Thorn's here [link].

Want to see your photo published here?  Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration.  Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission.

4.  The last two weeks have been tough, sad, and wonderful.  I miss my Dad but have been so encouraged by the support of family, friends, church, co-workers, and my Steeple family.  Thank you.

5.  What are you reading?  I just read through Acts, Chapter 14 this morning, the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas and I am convinced that when the gospel is preached several things happen:

1.  People are drawn to Jesus and are saved.
2.  People are divided, those who believe and those who do not.
3.  Lives are changed. 

I am still making my way through John Newton and have also picked up the following:

6.  What are you listening to?  I just picked up some new tunes in Itunes.  Jack Johnson's new record, John Legend, REM's new record, and a song by Alicia Keys.

Here is one of the songs off the new album...enjoy!

7.  Weekend plans anyone?  I have been given the privledge of attending the 

National Resurgence Conference:
Text & Context [Link]

Here is the schedule for Monday to give you a sample of the conference.

I plan on taking lots of pictures, taking lots of notes, and will give you daily updates as time permits or at worst case give you an overview when I get back.  Please pray for my safety in travel and please pray for my wife and children while I am away.

8.   Thanks everyone for reading bjnotbk this week.  My prayer is that you will be entertained and encouraged or challenged each time you stop by.  I am also praying for you, my readers, that is, so be encouraged in knowing that no matter what someone, somewhere is praying for you.  Now go read your Bible, love your family, lover your neighbor, get outside, and love Jesus! 

(This speech was part of the funeral service on 02-13-08) 

My dad was a great guy, honest, trustworthy, dependable and kind.  Dad had a great sense of humor.  He loved to joke and he loved to play practical jokes and if you are sitting here tonight chances are you know exactly what I mean.  Dad laughed and he laughed a lot.

It was rare that dad met a person he didn't like and even rarer to find someone who didn't like him.  It always amazed me that no matter where you went with dad, no matter what time of the day, evening, night, or early morning it was....he always ran into someone he knew.

Dad was the hardest working man I have ever known.  He would work days, nights, and weekends to provide for his family and he taught me through his actions what it means to be a hard working man, how to be responsible, and how to pay my own way.

Dad wasn't perfect and he would have been the first to tell you so but he always did the best he could with what he had.

Dad wasn't arrogant or filled with pride but he was proud, proud not of himself but of his family, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and he spent the last years of his life pouring himself into his family helping out in many ways.

No matter what you called him, Ken, Kenneth, Uncle Buddy, Brother, Papaw, Papaw Coke Man, Father, Dad, Daddy, Buddy, or just plain Bud you could always call him and you could always count on him.

Ephesians 1:3-7

" 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace"

The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and Romans 6:23 says:

"23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

John 3:16 says:

" 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

The letter to the Ephesians says that God loves us, that if we believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and accept Him as savior we have forgiveness of our sins and that God adopts us into his family as His sons and daughters making us brothers and sisters in Jesus.  This passage speaks so clearly to me because dad adopted me at an early age.  He took me in long before I loved him, before I knew him.  Dad loved me, gave me a home, provided for me, gave me a name, and loved me as his own.

While my dad was alive I spoke to him on many occasions about dying and death, as he was in and out of the hospital on several occasions over the years.  I asked him once, "Dad, if you were to die today and stand before God and God asked you..."Why should I let you into heaven?"  What would you say?"

My dad looked at me and clearly stated "Because Jesus is my savior, He died on the cross in my place, for my sins....that is the only reason."

Dad knew that he could never be good enough to get into heaven or that being a member of a church was not enough.  No, he knew that the only way to have his sins forgiven and to have an eternal home in heaven was through Jesus Christ. 

I am very sad at dad's passing and I will miss him dearly but I thank God for placing him in my life.  I thank God for having known Dad when so many children grow up not knowing their dad or not liking their dad and I praise God that dad knew Jesus as his Savior and Lord and that today he is in heaven.

Just wanted to send out a thank you to my Steeple family for all of your prayers this week.  My dad was a great guy and he will be missed.

Thanks again, see you soon....bjnotbk 

Another week gone, and another series of posts handed over in triplicate to the folks at iron mountain to be hauled via armored car to the hillside bunker for safe keeping.  No apologies for the lack of posts....just not enough time lately as this year has been busier than most.

1.  Friday is for photos:  This series comes to you courtesy of a previous Napalm/bjnotbk camping trip.  

This is perhaps the most manly fire I have ever seen in my entire life.  The picture does not do it justice. 

The reason we choose this trail was the huge waterfall at the end of the hike, over 50 feet high and very wide.  We were lucked out because there had been quite a bit of rain before our trip which made the falls spectacular.

It wasn't all fun and games though as we paused for a moment of silence to honor the unknown hiker.

If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [link] and Joe Thorn's here [link].

Want to see your photo published here?  Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration.  Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission.  Fluffy, Heather of the Hills, I received your photos so be watchful as they should appear next week.

2.  The weather has been insane here this week.  Early on we were in the 70's then we dropped down into the low 30's.  One day we had torrential rain and tornadoes.  What next?

3.  What are you reading?  Napalm loaned me a book on John Newton, the man who wrote Amazing Grace, and it is a fantastic read. 

 4.  What are you listening to?  I have been listening to the Jars of Clay redemption songs album and would encourage each of you to give it a spin if you haven't heard it.  This is my favorite song from the Album as it sums up the good news of Jesus.

5.  Weekend plans anyone?  We are celebrating L's 3 year birthday this Saturday at the Zoo.  I love the Zoo and think I am as excited about it as she is.  Mom is incredible as she has been planning this for some time.  Hopefully the weather will be nice?

6.  Thanks everyone for reading bjnotbk this week.  My prayer is that you will be entertained and encouraged or challenged each time you stop by.  I am also praying for you, my readers, that is, so be encouraged in knowing that no matter what someone, somewhere is praying for you.  Now go read your Bible, love your family, lover your neighbor, get outside, and love Jesus! 

I am stressed out, and who isn't these days right?  My problem is poor stress management right?  Maybe I need to do yoga, aromatherapy, acupuncture, exercise more, drink less caffeine, see a therapist, arrange my sofa so that my feung shui is at peace with my dogma.  Nothing would stress me out more than trying to put my leg behind my ear, trying to sniff a lemon, while being poke with a needle.

Maybe stress is a sin to be repented of and not managed?

Philippians 4:6 (New International Version)

"6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Maybe instead of dieting, exercising more, seeing a finacial planner, putting together a budget, taking out a loan, bill consolidation, time management, stress management, weight management, life coaching what we need is repentance of sin.

Could it be that stress, finances, time management, weight issues, are partially sin related?

What would happen if we truly saw these issues as sin to be repented of, turned from, instead of separate issues to individually manage? 

 Are you ready for a challenge?  Ready to push yourself to intellectual and creative limits you never knew you had?  Well, this contest may not be that one but it should be fun.

Contest Details:

This is your chance to win a $15.00 Starbuck's card.  The contest is simple.  1. Spell out www.bjnotbk.com anywhere you live, at Walmart, on your fridge, in your yard, on the side of a barn, on a chalkboard in a restaurant or at a Starbucks displayed in a creative, cool, fun way.  2. Email me a high quality picture of your creation (bjnotbk@gmail.com) during the month of February to enter.  All submissions must be received before March 1st.  Winners announced the week of March 1st.

Limit of two entries per email address.  Points will be awarded based on style, creativity, size, location of the advertisement, and degree of difficulty.  Additional points will be awarded to anyone posting their pictures on their own websites.

Please no damage to public or private property. 

We must have a minimum of 10 entries in order to award the prize. 

 Email me with additional questions or rule clarifications.

Good luck! 

 Another week gone, and another series of posts handed over in triplicate to the folks at iron mountain to be hauled via armored car to the hillside bunker for safe keeping.  This week I am happy to announce that I have reduced my carbon footprint as most of the meat I am consuming is all natural made of 100% pure beef and I am happy to announce that no carbon was harmed in the making of this post.

1.  Friday is for photos:  This first picture is of our old house.  M and I loved living here.  The house was built in the early 20's and had all the character and charm you could ever want, hardwood floors, high ceilings, arched doorways, notice the intricate brickwork above the windows.  Also, the gargoyle above the door was there when we purchased the house.  We lived on a boulevard and took frequent walks in the evenings.

2.  This pic was taken when we went on vacation to D.C. as M stood by one of her favorite paintings.

3.  And this pic was submitted by Fluffy...not sure what it is or means but here you go.

If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [link] and Joe Thorn's here [link].

Want to see your photo published here?  Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration.  Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission.  Fluffy, Heather of the Hills, I received your photos so be watchful as they should appear next week.

4.  Anyone here a leap year baby?

5. This week was insanely busy.  I am not sure if I did anything but I know for certain that I am tired.

6. What are you reading?  I am looking for something interesting to sink my teeth into...any suggestions?  

7.  What are you listening to?  This morning I turned the radio way up and jammed all the way to work.  I won't tell you who I was listening to less you think I be too secular for your tastes.

8.  Thanks everyone for reading bjnotbk this week.  My prayer is that you will be entertained and encouraged or challenged each time you stop by.  I am also praying for you, my readers, that is, so be encouraged in knowing that no matter what someone, somewhere is praying for you.  Now go read your Bible, love your family, lover your neighbor, get outside, and love Jesus!