Holly and Dad working together at the Young Ladies’ Winter Gathering.
Kyle and Elizabeth at Barakel
This in my first born boldly leading his lovely wife in the exploration of God’s creation at Camp Barakel on snowshoes. This picture was taken last winter when they were courting. They now live in a quaint home I like to call “The Little Cottage in the Dunes” which technically isn’t in the dunes, but I have the heart of a poet, so you have to grant me some literary license.
I “borrowed” this photo from the Barakel site. My guess is that is was taken by Steve McCormick pictured below:
An Answer to Prayer
Yesterday morning my heart was burdened to give my younger boys some undivided attention. I couldn’t think of anything good to do. I was stumped and my creativity battery was dead. I often take them with me on errands, or ministry trips but it is easy to be distracted during those times. Most days I have them read in the next room while I work but even then they do not have my full attention. If I go to too many bookstores they groan, even if I offer to buy them over-priced, syrupy, fat-laden coffee drinks with foreign-sounding names.
Stumped I mentioned it to my Heavenly Father; “Lord, show me something to do with the boys today that would help them know I love them.”
My prayer was answered within an hour of the time I asked it. Danny came into my office and said; “Dad, Chuk said he isn’t going, is it OK if I go to with Mr. Schrader to the Ping Pong Club tonight? Wes was right behind him, eyes wide, on his tip toes waiting for an answer. I said, “Why don’t you let me take you, that way I can watch you play?”
Immediately I shot to hero status for the day. I took them and I didn’t take any other project to work on or books to read. (O.K. I did have a book to read but I left it in the car and didn’t read a word until all the boys games were over). They did a good job and win or lose they were polite and respectful. Watching them I realized that even though we still have a long way to go to manhood and the character of Christ, they are good boys and I am well-pleased with them.
They thanked me over and over for taking them and I thanked my Father for the idea. If you want to be a good Father, your Heavenly Father, who designed the whole fatherhood idea will always help you if you ask him.
Ken Pierpont
Riverfront Character Inn
Flint, Michigan
January 25, 2006
The Best Place to Do Theology
Last night I checked the mail and it is official. All my requirements for my Master’s Degree from Moody Graduate School are now complete. I started six years ago almost to the day.
Thanks to the good people of First Baptist Church in Fremont, Michigan and the support of my family and others, I have been able to accomplish and life-long goal. In May I will get to do what I set out to do in August of 1977 when I was only eighteen years old. I will graduate from Moody Bible Institute, the Graduate School. I have met with God there at Moody many times. The place is sacred ground to thousands and I am among them. It has always been a very good place to learn, for me.
Have you ever considered, though, that formal theological institutions like Moody are not the primary place God intends for people to learn? There is no institution on earth that is better equipped as a place of learning than the simplest Christian home. There are no professional teachers or professors who can have the impact that a father or a mother can have on a child in the home.
The idea that the primary place to learn theology is in high-arched halls of academia did not come from the Bible. Oh, anyplace is a good place to learn theology, including theological institutions, but the primary place God intends for us to learn theology is at our father’s side, at our mother’s feet, and in our Grandpa’s lap.
Maybe the best context for learning God’s truth is beside a generous piece of our Grandmother’s apple pie, hot from the oven, cooled by homemade vanilla ice cream, and drizzled with caramel. According to Psalm 78 and Deuteronomy 6 home is the best place to learn theology. Home is where theology really sticks to your ribs. That is why we are commanded to do theology at home.
Fri-day
Last Thursday night we were lying in bed. Our six-year-old, Hope joined us for a few minutes. Suddenly she popped up and said, “Hey, Dad, you know what I’m going to eat tomorrow?”
“No, sweetie. What are you going to eat?”
“Fries,” she said. “You wanna’ know why?”
“Why are you going to eat fries tomorrow?” I asked.
Then she flashed a smile, showing two missing teeth and said with perfect timing and specific emphasis, “Because tomorrow is FRI-day.”
She’s learning lessons in humor and she hasn’t ever been to a school.
The Master-Teacher
The greatest Teacher who ever graced the earth changed the world by training a dozen men as they walked the lakeshore, camped out in the mountains, went fishing, and jostled through the city rubbing shoulders with raw humanity. That’s the way it is at home. Learning just slips up on you when you aren’t paying attention and before you know it you have a lesson in your heart you will never forget. There are so many good things about home. One of them is that it is a great place to teach and learn the most important lessons in life. I am devoted to learning and teaching in my home every day.
Ken Pierpont
Riverfront Character Inn
Flint, Michigan
January 9, 2006
Note from June 2020: This month the country has exploded into demonstrations and racial tension. While reflecing on this it occurred to me that home is where you learn racial prejudice or other ungodly attitudes when they are expressed in the powerful context of conversations with the people who influence us the most.
My Bank
I used to own a bank, but I lost it. Actually, it was taken away from me. My Dad took it. My aunt gave it to me. It was a Christmas present. She made it herself. It was a green Cocker Spaniel bank. It was sort of a kosher-version of the classical piggy-bank. It was ceramic. It sat right on my dresser and I kept my allowance in it. Every week I put a couple nickels in it. I made a dime shoveling the drive. I got a little allowance almost every week. It had a hole in the bottom and my dad covered it with cardboard so the money wouldn’t fall out. Eventually it started getting heavy. I imagined all the things that I could do with all that money.
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My Little Brother
I stumbled across this little piece on my hard-drive today looking for something else. It interested me. Maybe it will interest you, too. About a year ago I preached in the church where my little brother is the pastor. Here is how I introduced the message:
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