Advice for the Lonely March 31, 2008
This evening I am enjoying reading a book Charlotte Mason would have called a living book. It is D. A. Carson’s telling of the story of his father, an ordinary pastor. I mined out a little jewel of advice for you. After you make your way through Carson’s first Pauline-length sentence you will reach his mother’s pithy advice for those inevitable times when you feel unloved
When I was in my mid-teens and going through a phase when I wanted to pull away from meetings both local and regional because (I pouted) those who attended didn’t have my interests, and they all care about themselves, and much more of the same, my mother, sitting quietly at her treadle sewing machine (for years she made most of our clothes), quietly quoted two or three proverbs, and then added, “He who would have friends must show himself friendly. At the next meeting, before you go into a sulk, look around for the loneliest person in the room, and go and find out everything you can about that person. Then find the next loneliest person, and do it again.” Inevitably I resented the advice, but I took her up on it and to my amazement was soon regarded as one of the region’s youth leaders.
-D. A. Carson, from Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor
C. J. Mahaney has some good things to say about the book, too.
Audio
Spit Wads, False Gods, and Other Messages from the Evangel Pulpit
I would love for you to give me feed-back on my messages and, if you find them helpful, send them to friends. Follow this link and let me know what you think. If you have critical comments, write them on a twenty-dollar bill and mail them to me.
Your Coat Too March 30, 2008
Do you take the Bible literally? A young man in New York did. You have to read this story. This is a story from NPR. You can listen read it or listen to it. I would listen.
Stop and Think March 29, 2008
Francis Chan and his people have put together a great video you might want to use to nudge people Godward. Check it out.
Be An Inviter March 28, 2008
Years ago I pastored small church in the countryside. Even though the church was small there were more pews then there were people. It didn’t seem right to have so many nice places to sit go to waste every Sunday, especially since I work so hard on my sermons. So I came up with a plan. We would have a Friend Day I would encourage everyone to invite one friend. If everyone brought one friend there would be no empty pews.
(more…)
Ray Pritchard March 27, 2008
Are the absent safe around you? God held Israel responsible for their public rebellion and the murmuring they did in their tents. My aquaintance Ray Pritchard cranks out books like I can put away pizza. He has an insightful blog. Monday he told an interesting story. In the article he has a good, practical suggestion about how to keep others from talking about those who are not present to participate in the discussion. Amy Carmichael’s rule in the Donavour Fellowship in Inda was “Never about. Always too.” In other words, she did not allow people to talk about each other when they should talk to each other.
Another Scandal March 26, 2008
What a scandal! Parents who have the audacity to expect to be their children’s “friends” on Facebook. Read all the lurid details here.
Appalachian Trial March 25, 2008
We need to look on big things frequently. It’s good for our souls. Here is a blog entry that captures the idea. Take a look at the pictures.
My Dad is a Story Teller, Too
The night I was installed as Senior Pastor at Evangel Baptist, my Dad shared some thoughts from a family perspective. You will see that I am not the only story teller in my family. Dad had some meaningful and funny things to say that night.
Alma Johnson March 24, 2008
Alma Johnson was highly respected at First Baptist Church in Fremont, Michigan. She was a the Sunday School teacher of almost every little girl in the church at one time or another. She was on the missionary committee. She was a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, and an adopted grandmother to many.
(more…)
Ken's new book - Sunset On Summer, now available for order, $13.95 each.