Reporting on Mountain

Today and tomorrow are the days when everyone in the class reports on the site visits, courtesy of the Beeson program. We were all glad to see Jack Connell again.I was up first. I'll share with you a snippet of my report. The sound isn't good, but if you listen closely you'll be fine.



I'll also share my final presentation slide with you. This little digital is entitled "One Final Word." If you don't have time to watch it through to the end then I don't recommend you watch it (it's 47 seconds long).



I ended my report with that clip. After I was finished Jim Martin reported on Mosaic (it's in southern California); Jason McIntosh reported on the Brooklyn Tabernacle, Matt Scholl reported on Skyline Church (it's in San Diego), Kent Reynolds reported on Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale, and Travis Muse reported on Joy Community Church and the Christ's Church of the Resurrection in the Phoenix area.

Korea Bound

I'm hoping to have time for one more post this evening, but just in case I don't, I thought I'd update the blog. We leave for Seoul, Korea bright and early on Wednesday morning. I was hoping to see Dirk DiSantis in Korea, but I talked to him yesterday and he's home (actually, we already knew we would just miss each other).I'm particularly looking forward to "Prayer Mountain." This is a retreat center where past classes have been given the opportunity to spend the night in prayer. I've tried to listen closely when previous Beeson students have talked to us and one thing I've picked up is that Prayer Mountain winds up being an important night. The Korean Church is well known for their emphasis on prayer--they have prayer services every morning at 5am.

I got to know one of the Korean students who attended Emmanuel. He told me that you can't be a pastor in Korea if you can't get up at 4:30am. I asked him what time he goes to bed. He said midnight. Amazing. Don't look for me to be interviewing for any positions while I'm over there.
I've never traveled to this area of the world, so I'm anxious to experience it. If you think of it, pray for our time there. This trip represents, in many ways, the end of the Beeson experience. Classmates will begin scattering to Houston, Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Lexington pretty soon after we return.
Don't expect any posts over the coming week. We don't have internet access where we're staying. I will try to get to a computer at some point (need to find out how the Gators do!), but I'll try to take enough pictures to bore you out of your skulls.

Besides Seoul, we'll be going to the DMZ where we will get to experience the physical expression of the North-South tensions in Korea.

After we return to Kentucky Scott and I will travel to East Tennessee together to meet up with our families. I get to be at Grandview on Easter morning!

Have a great week.

Another Day of Preaching

Today it was my turn to preach again. Prayer was my topic. Things went fine.While I was preaching Matt was on deck. Matt's big news, by the way, is that he's been assigned to the West Ohio Conference of the UMC and will be leading a church in the Dayton area.
His sermon opened with an excellent illustration about growing up in Indianapolis between a Boy Scout Camp and Fort Benjamin.

Scott, who is officially heading to Morristown, Tennessee when we leave Wilmore, preached on the need to live simply, to avoid being drawn into a life of Affluenza (the title of a book/documentary on living simply). He had good illustrations and, as you can see, he offered us living water.The sermons were good today, but we can all tell that our time here is growing short. The energy in the room was way down. Some of Beeson friends are out of town and the rest of us are just hammering away, hoping to get yet another assignment finished.

Stuff I Wasn't At

You were probably wondering when you would get another picture of Pierson. Well, today is the day! The Beeson women put together a blanket making party in honor of next year's Beeson students and their families. Ginny and Claire sewing away.

Alicia, Pierson, and Ian make a good team.

Kate was there.

Earlier this week Cindy took the girls to Disney on Ice.

Rupp Arena never looked so good.

I think Meghan and Anna enjoyed themselves.I'm pretty sure Cora enjoyed herself.Nothing like a crown and a bag of popcorn to cheer a girl up.

Nothing like spending an evening with your daughters to cheer a girl up.

The "Good" Beeson Students

Here's a report from the front line Beeson students who went to Montgomery, Alabama this week: link.

Thanks, Scott, for keeping us posted.

When No One's Around

Dean Jesson did us a massive favor this week. He made the trip to Montgomery optional. I opted to stay in Wilmore to work on my dissertation. With everybody gone (I still have Nolan, Alicia, and Bryan to keep me company) there won't be much to blog this week. I'll just be in my carrel typing and reading away.

I thought I should let you see how the carrel is looking these days.
Nothing too exciting. There is a little more Gator memorabilia than when I first set up house.

And a lot more books.

After my Beeson training video some of you were a little concerned that I had too much time on my hands. Which got me to wondering . . . were you hoping to come to the blog and see something like this? (trust me, you don't want to watch this video)




I warned you.

A Tribute to Jack

Yesterday was a good day. Cantalamessa did not disappoint. Hopefully I will be able to give you a glimpse into his time on campus, but I'm putting that off until later today. For now I just want to give a blog (goodbye) wave to Jack Connell who will be returning to New York tomorrow.

We're all sorry to see him go, but we're glad we got to know him. May God bless you in your next ministry.

Here is your parting gift:



We'll see you in April.

Snow Day!

Hooray! The Colts just won the Super Bowl! I'll blog on that later. For now I'll just post this video I made while watching the Super Bowl with Bryan Bucher.

Here's a hint of what it's like at the Beeson townhouses when a snow day hits Wilmore. I hope you like it!

Sliding Home

We took a study break and decided to make a video. Hope you enjoy it on this "snow day" here in Kentucky. School is OUT.



In the "better late than never" category, I have to report that a bunch of went to the Scholl house on Wednesday night to celebrate Alaina's 2nd birthday. In the below picture she is thrilled that every body is clapping for her after blowing out the candle. Joy. Just pure joy.
Later today we will be leaving for Johnson City. Howard's funeral is at 3pm on Saturday. The snow is looking like it could be a problem from here in Kentucky. Hopefully it will stop by noon, the crews can clear the roads, and we can make a break for Tennessee. Keep us, and the Shaffer family, in your prayers please.

Fostering Spirituality

Bryan and Trav were jazzed to be in attendance today for the lecture by Richard Foster. I have to admit that I was excited too. Foster's classic, Celebration of Discipline, has meant a lot to me over the years. Even Jason and Jack were ready to settle down for a good lecture.

The main part of Foster's message consisted of his "10 Counsels in Spiritual Formation." They were as follows:

1. Do not define spiritual formation in terms of various practices. This one was my favorite, it's too easy to decide that what connects with me spiritually will work for others. That's not the case. It's okay if some "spiritual" practices just don't work for you or for me. The practice of the discipline isn't the point, "the practices are the way to get you into life."
2. Do not focus on curriculum based solutions. "The evangelical church is in love with curriculum."
3. Do not aim at outward action. Under this heading Foster simply called upon the church to balance the "six streams" of the church: contemplation, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and sacramental.
   
4. Do base spiritual formation in the Great Commission. The Great Commission includes life in the kingdom of God and is available now. "Life" in the kingdom of God is unpacked in the Sermon on the Mount.
5. Do think internationally.
6. Do think in terms of the church universal.
7. Do give sustained attention to a balanced vision of the Christian life.
8. Do draw from the great tradition of the church.
   
9. Do take a long view of discipleship and maturation.
10. Do develop the highest possible Christology.
    

You might notice that Foster has a pony tail these days. He said it is to honor his Native American heritage.

McKenna Chapel was pretty full for this session. It was nice to get the chance to hear Foster speak, another perk that comes along with being here this year. The day ended on a bittersweet note. When I got home there was a message on my phone from Buddy Swain letting me know that Howard from Grandview died today. I will blog about him tomorrow. We will miss Howard very much, but he wanted to go. God Bless Howard!

Going Back to Houston

We Beesonites are leaving for Houston on Thursday. Here's a peak at our agenda. If you're not familiar with every name and place then you and I are in the same boat:

Thursday:

• 12:45pm: Harbor House Church (and founder of Mission Houston)
  
• 2:30 Meet with Executive Pastor of Chapelwood United Methodist Church
• 5:00-8:30: Supper with various staff from Faithbride UMC, Grace Fellowship UMC, Parkway UMC, Summerwood UMC, Living Water UMC

Friday:

• 8:30am: Memorial Drive Presbyterian (Dave Peterson)
• 11 am: Second Baptist Church (Ed Young)
• 1:30 pm: Windsor Village UMC, (Kirbyjon Caldwell)
• 4:30-7:30: Supper with Randy and Susan Hageman, Windsor Village UMC

Saturday:

• 10 am: Meet with Chris and Marsha Voltz, First UMC Freeport
• 12:15: Lunch with Rick Bradshaw, Union Baptist Association
• 3:30: Meet with staff of Chapelwood UMC
• 5:30: Supper with "Mercy Street at Chapelwood" staff.

Sunday:

• 8:30 am: Worship with Smilin' Joel O'Steen's congregation
• 12 am: Worship at St. John's UMC
• 3:30pm: Debriefing with Jim Jackson (minister at Chapelwood UMC and Beeson board member).
  
• 5:30 worship with Eclessia Christian Community