The Interview
My friend Kendra has this idea to interview people on HER blog and they respond on THEIR blog. Here's her questions and my responses:
1. What's one theological topic that you get fired up about? (talking, reading, arguing...)
Funny, but as I've aged, there are very few theological topics that I get fired up about any more. I guess I've learned that most of those discussions aren't really discussions but more of a "position presentation" so we can effectively pigeonhole each other. Frankly, I don't enjoy theological discussions anymore and I rarely, if ever, argue theology anymore.
Now the area that I enjoy reading about is eschatology...the study of the end times. I'm fascinated by Daniel 9 and the past response to prophecy as well as the future Kingdom ramifications and the manner in which all of Scripture weaves it's way into Christ's return. It gets my pre-millinnial, pre-trib (there's my pigeonhole) rapture heart racing! It should get all of our hearts racing, that Christ is really the "once and future King." I'm still floored by that.
Running a distant second: Anthropology. For some reason I'm fascinated by the depravity of man.
2. What is something you have lost recently?
I'm pretty orderly so I don't lose much material stuff (although my daughters have been raiding my CD collection with some regularity). Even in an existential sense, I'm still pretty optomistic and hopeful about even the goofiest and stupid-headed students, and excited about the direction of the church I serve (even if the process is slower than I'd like. I really can't think of anything I've lost lately except my "Wayne's World" DVD. I can't find it anywhere.
3. When you give sermons, rare occasion, what is your routine for preparation?
It usually begins with a lot of excuse-making to my senior pastor about precisely why I can't do a sermon on that particular Sunday. After a very detailed list, he responds with something like, "Everything you are saying is totally irrelevant to me."
I worry about it on my day off on Monday and various ideas spin around in my head. Tuesday I pick out and study the particular passage of Scripture that I'll be using, while avoiding phone calls and other office work. Wednesday I usually spend griping about everything else I have to do and how it's unfair that I have to continue the work of my area of ministry while having this burden added to it...and then I have to teach my Bible study on something else that night. Thursday is usually when I write the sermon itself and think it through and really wrestle with it. That's usually when it goes from some Jeremiah-like diatribe to a more loving presentation. Friday is when I just decide that whatever I have at that point is just what is going to be said and I'm tired of thinking about it and I don't even care anymore so I'll just go with it. Saturday is when the Holy Spirit reminds me that it really isn't my burden, that all I have to do is be faithful and present the Word, and allow the God-breathed Word of God change hearts and minds through His leading. Sunday I preach it four times and the next Monday I sleep for 12 hours.
Really, the process involves focusing on me and my insecurities for five days and then turning it over to God at the 11th hour.
4. What attributes of yourself and your wife do you see in your daughters?
In many ways, my daughters are carbon copies of each one of us. I mean, Kelsey is like me and Shelby is like Tracy. Kelsey is more into sports and enjoys people and school. You can tell more of what mood Kelsey is in by observation of her, and she likes her music hard an loud. Kelsey likes rows and lines and lots of black & white. Shelby is more of an introvert who uses dance to express herself (Tracy uses photography)...and she likes her music classical and loud. Shelby is very amoeba-like and free-spirited, much more mosaic. That's really the essence of it.
5. What is one thing that amazes you about the world we live in?
Well, what amazes me about the world I live in is how plastic and temporary everything is and how seriously suburbanites take that plastic and temporary stuff. It only highlights my belief that the price you pay for your comfort is a collapsed view of God. The bottom line is I can't get over how much we, as a species, trifle with the God of the universe.
Anybody want me to interview them?
My friend Kendra has this idea to interview people on HER blog and they respond on THEIR blog. Here's her questions and my responses:
1. What's one theological topic that you get fired up about? (talking, reading, arguing...)
Funny, but as I've aged, there are very few theological topics that I get fired up about any more. I guess I've learned that most of those discussions aren't really discussions but more of a "position presentation" so we can effectively pigeonhole each other. Frankly, I don't enjoy theological discussions anymore and I rarely, if ever, argue theology anymore.
Now the area that I enjoy reading about is eschatology...the study of the end times. I'm fascinated by Daniel 9 and the past response to prophecy as well as the future Kingdom ramifications and the manner in which all of Scripture weaves it's way into Christ's return. It gets my pre-millinnial, pre-trib (there's my pigeonhole) rapture heart racing! It should get all of our hearts racing, that Christ is really the "once and future King." I'm still floored by that.
Running a distant second: Anthropology. For some reason I'm fascinated by the depravity of man.
2. What is something you have lost recently?
I'm pretty orderly so I don't lose much material stuff (although my daughters have been raiding my CD collection with some regularity). Even in an existential sense, I'm still pretty optomistic and hopeful about even the goofiest and stupid-headed students, and excited about the direction of the church I serve (even if the process is slower than I'd like. I really can't think of anything I've lost lately except my "Wayne's World" DVD. I can't find it anywhere.
3. When you give sermons, rare occasion, what is your routine for preparation?
It usually begins with a lot of excuse-making to my senior pastor about precisely why I can't do a sermon on that particular Sunday. After a very detailed list, he responds with something like, "Everything you are saying is totally irrelevant to me."
I worry about it on my day off on Monday and various ideas spin around in my head. Tuesday I pick out and study the particular passage of Scripture that I'll be using, while avoiding phone calls and other office work. Wednesday I usually spend griping about everything else I have to do and how it's unfair that I have to continue the work of my area of ministry while having this burden added to it...and then I have to teach my Bible study on something else that night. Thursday is usually when I write the sermon itself and think it through and really wrestle with it. That's usually when it goes from some Jeremiah-like diatribe to a more loving presentation. Friday is when I just decide that whatever I have at that point is just what is going to be said and I'm tired of thinking about it and I don't even care anymore so I'll just go with it. Saturday is when the Holy Spirit reminds me that it really isn't my burden, that all I have to do is be faithful and present the Word, and allow the God-breathed Word of God change hearts and minds through His leading. Sunday I preach it four times and the next Monday I sleep for 12 hours.
Really, the process involves focusing on me and my insecurities for five days and then turning it over to God at the 11th hour.
4. What attributes of yourself and your wife do you see in your daughters?
In many ways, my daughters are carbon copies of each one of us. I mean, Kelsey is like me and Shelby is like Tracy. Kelsey is more into sports and enjoys people and school. You can tell more of what mood Kelsey is in by observation of her, and she likes her music hard an loud. Kelsey likes rows and lines and lots of black & white. Shelby is more of an introvert who uses dance to express herself (Tracy uses photography)...and she likes her music classical and loud. Shelby is very amoeba-like and free-spirited, much more mosaic. That's really the essence of it.
5. What is one thing that amazes you about the world we live in?
Well, what amazes me about the world I live in is how plastic and temporary everything is and how seriously suburbanites take that plastic and temporary stuff. It only highlights my belief that the price you pay for your comfort is a collapsed view of God. The bottom line is I can't get over how much we, as a species, trifle with the God of the universe.
Anybody want me to interview them?
.jpg){kind=avatar}
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home