Closing Time...

We have graduated to our new spot on the web:

www.practicalreformation.com

Here you will find a Message Board to carry on all discussions, a place to read the commentary on the latest events happening in the Baptist/Evangelical community, book reviews, Links to great websites.

This is going to be a growing work in progress, so please feel free to add all comments and suggestions. Also, please tell everyone in our group about the new site...we are hoping to generate a good deal of discussion and interaction on the Message Boards.

So Check us out often, and I hope we can continue our conversations over at PR.com!

Thoughts and Discussion Needed

Sorry I have not posted much at all. I promise I am going to do a better job of posting and responding to posts now that summer is here.

Two things.

First, just to catch you guys up to what is up with Kristin and I...Kristin is now 5 months pregnant. We are having twins...a boy and a girl. We are open to people purchasing the naming rights to each of the children, within certain boundaries. Just submit a proposal, along with dollar amount and we will get back to you.

Second, and this is the purpose for the title "Thoughts and Discussion Needed", I am giving you a link to a sermon to which you MUST listen. This is one of the most critical issues facing the church, yet we are turning a deaf ear to it.
Voddie Baucham has hit the nail on the head (as usual) and delivers and great message on a subject we must all admit we handle very poorly in our churches.

Please listen and we can discuss it together.

Link:
Click on "listen" on the sermon: "The Centrality of the Home"

I look forward to the discussion we'll have. I'll wait a day or two before posting some questions about the sermon and how we can make some changes in our churches.

-JGray

Husbandry

Big Henk,
I think you are probably not alone in your struggles. I struggle often (sometimes it seems like continuously) with being the head of household. Probably the only ones of us who don't struggle are the professionals like drock, jason, and eric. ha ;)

I find that i am never patient enough, loving enough, or godly enough of a husband. But last time i checked, that is why Christ chose us isn't it. He has chosen the dispicable so that he might be glorified when he accomplishes his work.

Sorry, I gotta go to church. there will definitely be more this afternoon....

Christian Financial Planner?

I recently had a discussion with another Christian Financial Planner about joining the Christian Financial Planners Association (CFPA), and I am not sure how I feel about these Christian professional associations and designations. Here are some questions for everyone to respond to:

Is there a difference in a Christian Financial Planner and a Financial Planner who is a Christian? Does my membership in associations like the CFPA matter to potential Christian clients? What about in your profession (minus D-rock and E-rock)-- is there a sub-culture of Christian practitioners? Do they market themselves to other Christians, and if they do, does it sound like they can help them better than a non-Christian planner?

Questions? Comments? Cheap-shots?

Got Baptists?

To pick up the gauntlet thrown down by JP, I will ask an open-ended question that has an obvious agenda: MUST Baptistic beliefs be sacrificed on the altar of the Doctrines of Grace, or can the two co-exist?
I hope the appropriate people will respond, for I have been curious about the answer for some time now. Not knowing all of the details, this has seemed to be the case lately. And of course, I ask the question with all sincerity of love and not as "the first to caste a stone" (though of course the best textual evidence indicates that this passage is not part of the inspired Word of God :)).

What is up fellas?

Hey there guys. Been awhile, and it appears that only J.P., Mike, and occasionally myself are the only ones using this blop space. What is up? I know we are all busy, but lets make some chatter.

I applaud the Catholic Church. Why you ask? I applaud them much in the same way that Mikey gave some Kudos to Rick Warren. The Catholic Church made a bold statement the other day, and it made its way into the news. The said that they will never condone homosexuality (or admit gay priests into thier churches) and that they oppose women ministers and abortion on all levels. This astounds me that in the wake of so much controversy surrounding the Catholic Church (i.e. molesting priests) that they continue to focus on their long standing positions of scripturally sound doctrine (in those areas that I have just listed). Now I am not saying "All hail Catholics" or anything like that. What I am saying is here is a church the in spite of all that is going against it, it still holds to their convictions. It doesnt let the outside world dictitate to it what is considered "acceptable and right". Even though the Catholics miss the boat on a lot of doctrine, you have to commend them for thier perserverance and not doing the popular thing. Too many times I read in the paper about another Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Assembly of God, Presbyterina, Lutheran, etc church that has allowed another womer pastor into its flock, or married another gay couple, or profess to be gay and everybody is OK with it. When are we going to start taking stands on these issues? It will be a sad day when the protestant faiths all but falter to the ways of man just for the sake of what society tells it what to believe. Any thoughts or comments are welcome on this topic.

And for the record, I am not praising the Catholic Church in any way regarding thier faith, doctrince, or gospel of salvation. They truly are at odds with what scripture says on those issues. I.E. as Mikey said, "The purpose driven life is still a crap book" LOL.

Leaving for the Holy Land

Today is going to be a beautiful day.

Not only is the strain of Tax Season over with, today Raquel and I leave for a trip to the Holy Land led by our pastor. This is a trip we have wanted to take since we got married, and I cannot wait to report back to you guys the things we will see and experience.

The things I am looking forward to...
1. To see where Jesus was--where he lived and died.
2. To see Jesus' words come alive in the Gospels
3. To see the Word of God proved true again and again historically.

I hope to have Internet access at some of the hotels we are staying at, and I will post when I can. Grace to you all,
JP

Kudos to Rick Warren!

Yes, you read that right. I, the seeker sensitive basher that I am, have found something good to say about Rick Warren.

In the most recent edition of Newsweek Rick Warren and Sam Harris (an athiest) sat down for a little debate. For those that don't know, Sam Harris is a well known athiest that has recently written a book, A Letter to a Christian Nation. JP you have probably heard him mentioned on the Al Mohler radio show.

Sam Harris acknowledges the importance of spirituality. He places way too much of emphasis on rationality, but nonetheless he acknowledges that we are and can be spiritual and that a person may gain something from being "spiritual".

While Warren says some things that are suspect and he doesn't go as far as I might go in some of his reponses to Harris's comments, he really hammers Harris towards the end. Warren actually did not come across as the completely "seeker sensitive" pastor that he has made himself out to be. Here is why. At the end of the article he exposed Harris for who he really was. He proved that Sam Harris is evidence of the truth of Romans 1. Warren said, "You're more spiritual than you think. You just don't want a boss. You don't want a God that tells you what to do."

This is really what most athiest are about. At least most intelligent ones. They come so close. They just don't want to be told how to live. I thought Warren did an excellent job at honing in on Harris and uncovering the real issue.

So, I think kudos are in order for Rick Warren. And, if you can, get a hold of that issuse of Newsweek and read the article.

P.S. --No, I won't be going out a buying a copy of The Purpose Driven Life. That book is still a piece of crap.

Clash of the Titans...

Common thought today is that there is no connection between biology and homosexuality. Most people including theologians and biologists don't believe that homosexuality is something that people are born with. The evolutionist doesn't believe it because it would completely blow up his theory of the evolution of mankind. Why would we evolve into a practice that actually will kill us and not advance us as a species? From a scientific stand point this is what homosexualtiy does. The theologian doesn't like it because he wants everyone to take responsibility for their actions and not take the cop out of "I was born this way".

I too like any good reformed believer have held this view. In fact recently, I was asked by my wife if I believed animals could be gay (don't ask why she asked me this. I assure you there was a completely logical and contextual basis for her question, i just don' thave time to go there right now.). My answer was predicated on the belief of mine that since homosexuality was a sin and not a biological condition and since animals don't sin, then homosexuality is limited to the human race. Any "homosexual" behavior we may witness in animals is just their instinctual behavior being exercised. It is also a testament to the lack of intelligence of all animals. They sometimes can't tell the difference between a female dog and a male dog or a pillow for that matter. In fact I once witnessed Tobi trying to procreate with an eight year old girl. Was this a display of some sort of reverse beastiality? I think not. My dog is just stupid. He was just doing what instinct tells him: "When something bends over, hump it!!!"

So, to answer my wife's question, i said, "no, animals can't be gay."

Well, it appears i might be wrong, at least according to a study recently cited by Al Mohler on his radio show. This study was done on sheep. Apparently there were some sheep farmers having problems getting their sheep to mate. So, to make a long story short, they found a biological link and developed a drug to "cure" homosexuality in sheep. Guess what!
It worked . They speculate now that they might be able to find a similar biological link to homosexuality in humans and of course, develope a drug to "fix" it.

Now this has huge ramifications in all corners. It has ramifications for biologists, theologians and homosexuals. I however I am intersted it what difficulties it will cause us christians.

Does a biological link remove a person's responsibility to flee from sin. If it were proven that a person was born gay would that mean that homosexuality was not a sin? Would it vindicate all homosexuals who for years have been saying that they "can't help it"? How will christians respond?

Al Mohler did a marvelous job explaining the difficulties presented by this study and giving a reformed christian response and defense of our beliefs.

First, a biological link in no way removes our responsibility to flee homosexuality in the same way that a person who is predisposed to overeating still has a responsibility to flee gluttony. Although, I, like every male struggle with sexual sin, there are those who have been given much stronger desires and temptations toward sexual deviancy. We all still have the responsibility to flee sinful desires.

Secondly, this just proves that all of creation has fallen. Even the basic structure of our DNA and hormones feel the effects of sin.

Thirdly, and most importantly, nothing can change the inerrant, infallible, and unchangeable will of God. God has declared homosexuality a sin and it will always be a sin.

This study of course opens up a can of worms. If they do find a "cure" for homosexuality, should christian parents use it on there children? What about the liberals who think there is nothing wrong with homosexuality? They will now have to answer scientists who would have developed a "cure" for the disease of homosexuality. Another question, why would we see homosexuality as something that needs to me "cured" in sheep, but needs to left alone and allowed to continue in humans?

Fame-Obsessed Americans

I was listening to the Albert Mohler Program on my commute home, and the topic was how American parents and kids are becoming more and more obsessed with being famous. The cited the rising popularity of "American Idol" and its spin-off programs dedicated to 'discovering talent' and how parents are taking it upon themselves to do whatever it takes for their child to be 'discovered' next. They cited surveys of children who desired to be famous over intelligence, strength, health, etc; children who would rather be famous than any other worthy profession.

The interesting thing to me, is to not point at the world's problem with fame-seeking (that's nothing new) but to point the spot-light on churches and pastors. The mega-church, tele-evangelism, radio programs, podcasting, and even blogs all give pastors and church leaders a "voice to be heard"; a new forum to hear the praises of people--to seek out the attention of man.

Do you guys think this obsession is something new; getting worse? How do church leaders fight to ascribe all praise to God amidst a culture bent on being "THAT" pastor of "that" church?

As a side note, Mohler made the comment that it really is up to Christian parents to operate in a counter-culture manner to combat the American avalanche of being famous. What does that mean to you? How do you do this, or see yourself doing this?

It's that time.....

...time for the annual bracket challenge.

But this year I think it's time for a move.....a move away from Yahoo and over to CBSSportsline.

You'll have to create a CBS profile, but after that it's a much better system than Yahoo. We can decide the scoring system we want to use, and we can use as many brackets as we desire.

http://reformedgators.mayhem.sportsline.com/e

Password is "billyball"

If you join soon you can have input into the scoring and system we will use.

JG

It's that time.....

...time for the annual bracket challenge.

But this year I think it's time for a move.....a move away from Yahoo and over to CBSSportsline.

You'll have to create a CBS profile, but after that it's a much better system than Yahoo. We can decide the scoring system we want to use, and we can use as many brackets as we desire.

http://reformedgators.mayhem.sportsline.com/e

Password is "billyball"

If you join soon you can have input into the scoring and system we will use.

JG

The Finger God

This Thursday the people of Enterprise witnessed probably the most powerful display of destruction that they will ever see. I have certainly never seen anything like it and don't want to see anything like it again. I got a long distance view of the tornado as it moved through town and had no idea the damage it was doing. this town will be recovering for several years. It will take most people in the path of the tornado weeks to clean up. Most of the houses will have to be demolished before any reconstruction can be done.

It was also one of the greatest displays of God's mercy I have ever seen. It is unexplainable how one house can be completly destroyed and a house not 20 feet away has barely a scratch. It is a miracle that so few people were killed. If you go too www.wsfa.com you can see some pictures of the high school. When you see them you will see what I am talking about. The fact that only 8 students were killed blows my mind. there should have been many more.

oh yeah, all of my family and I are ok. My parents house received minor damage to their roof (just a few shingles missing). I had some friends that weren't quite as fortunate, but i would still consider theirs minor damage. Their house will not have to be demolished, just a little minor remodel.

Many church's began to help people this morning. Men from first presbyterian went into the surrounding neighborhood and helped people, first baptist has a kitchen set up to cook, and the Assembly of God has also brought in many supplies.

It is also a miracle more schools weren't hit. There is an elemetary school on the same block as the High school. it is actually about a 100 feet away. Also, had the storm taken a slightly different angle through town it could have hit a total of four schools. with the path it took it narrowly missed the school my wife taught at and another school that my mother taught at and a third school that my sister-in-law taught at. God truly spared hundreds of peoply thursday.

We worship a mighty God. I think we might have gotten a glimpse of what the Israelites saw on that mountain in the desert. I am thankful that He is also a merciful, gracious, and loving God.

oh, yeah my family and i are ok and all of our houses are fine.

Tragedy in Enterprise, AL

Hey Mike T.,
I just wanted to make sure that you and your wife are ok after the tornados that went through Enterprise. Any updates that the media is not reporting on? Any positive reports on how local Christians are helping after the tragedy at the school? Just thought that we would all like to know how things are going down there.

I love you guys

Thanks for all the insight fellas. I feel like the next time my pastor and I sit down to talk about this subject, I will be armed with more arseonal to discuss it. The cool thing about my pastor is I think he is totally open to hearing me out, which I know most pastors wouldn't do that. They would usually take the "It's my way or the highway " approach to thier theology and interpretation of scripture (see Eddie Gilly for an example of that). All right, back to administering FCAT to my students.

More on Mode...

I concur with drock on most of what he said regarding the definition of "baptism". I have read similar things about how that word got left in the King James. It is often funny to me how "sprinklers" will try to get around the fact that the greek word means to immerse and at the very least it can mean "to put into or cover", but this to would imply a complete covering or soaking with water. The presbyterian form is hardly that. In fact, you really can't tell that any water has been put on the person.

They will point to a few verses in the new testament that refer to "baptism" in a figurative sense in the Old Testament such as "the israelites were baptized in the Red Sea"( 1 cor 10:2) or "Noah was baptized in the flood"( 1 pet 3:20-21). They would say that the israelites and Noah in these verses weren't immersed, it in fact was the pagans (the egyptians and other inhabitants of earth) that were covered in water. From this they deduce that immersion in scripture was actually a symbol of judgement.

Besides this being exegetical hogwash it is also clear from didactic passages in scripture and from historical evidence alone that baptism was always by immersion. Jews were used to being baptized themselves. In fact most jews had baptismal pools in their houses. They used these to wash themselves ceremonially. If you will read Exodus 40 you will see that the priests were required to take baths before they could enter the tabernacle to make sacrifices. Also in John 2:24-27 the pharisees ask John why he was baptizing since he was neither Christ nor a prophet. This question alone reveals that the jews understood the symbolism of baptism and that is represented a cleansing and washing away of sins.

Finally, the most practical argument for immersion or complete covering would be that if you asked any sensible human being to was the dishes, they wouldn't just sprinkle them, they would soak them in water and possibly, oh my gosh, no they wouldn't..., yes, they would immerse them in a sink full of water. I don't want to eat off of dishes that have been baptized by a presbyterian!

Oh yeah, i might take one exception to what drock said. Although he might have been using a little sarcasm. I do think baptism is slightly more than a mere suggestion. It is an act of obedience. I am sure you would agree drock. No, it is definitely not required (e.g. thief on the cross) for salvation. But, when the jews asked Peter what they were to do in response to his first sermon in acts, he told them to Repemt and be Baptized (acts 2). Baptism is also the first thing Paul did once ananias healed him. So, baptism like good works is extremely important and obedience to any of God's commands certainly pleases our father and as we do them we store up treasures in Heaven.

Eric's Retreat

Hey Everyone,
I was just wondering if anyone else was planning on going to Eric's retreat in G'ville. Lindsay and I were planning on going. The topic is "Heaven". It ought to be fun and a good time to catch up with everybody.

Hope to see everybody there!

Michael


P.S. Nate- I have some more comments on mode. Look for them in the next couple of days.

Thanks J.Gray and Mikey T.

Both of you have offered great insight into this raging debate. I have always been against pedobaptism because scripture does not sufficiently back it up (IMO). I know presbyterians, and other denominations use a verse or 2 in scrpture to offer thier case for pedobaptism. I have talked to other members of our congregation about the issue, and some don't have a problem with it, while others do have a problem with it........but think sprinkling is OK, or immersion. They see baptism being for the believer, but that the way it is administered (immersion or sprinkling) makes no difference. They started making some pretty strong arguments for both, and I think the main reason is what if someone is on thier deathbed, who becomes a believer, and wishes for baptism. Obviously they can't be immersed. They gave other situations like that, and I tend to see their point. Melissa and I have elected to have our children, when they become believers, be immersed, but the pastor said it can't be a churchwide baptism since they don't want to confuse thier other congreagational members. I told him I understand, and we both respect each other's opinions in the matter. He said that he would, as long as his presbytery continues to allow it, baptize both ways (both immersion and sprinkling). He did inform me, however, that if I was ever to be nominated as an elder, I would be unable to be one if I didn't hold to pedobaptism. I told him that was fine, lol. More thoughts on the issue if you guys so choose to offer them up. I am definitley looking into both books that J.Gray and Mikey T. reccommended, and of course studying the scriptures in these matters. I am not sold on pedobaptism, but I am not sure yet about administering baptism. Does it really make a difference if we sprinkle the believer or dunk them under water? Isn't it all about the act of obedience and the circumcision of the heart, as Mikey T. so eloquently said in a comment? You guys are all awesome and encouraging, and I am glad I have this outlet to discussw the "deeper things of Christ" with you fine gentleman. Oh year Mikey, I am just now studying up on the Federal Vision thing. I will get back to you on that.

Hey Fellas

I finally figured out why I couldn't post onthe blogger. My computer is dumb. So, Anyway, I have been keeping up with Posts, and lots of interesting topics have been discussed. Unfortunately, I haven't been keeping up with current reformed issues, althouh I did take a look at the site J.P. put up in his recent post. That kids is a loser, and I tend to agree with J.P., he really isn't worth my time. Anyway, I will try and be a more productive participant in this blogspot. Oh, Mikey T., got a question for you. What is your stance on pedobaptism? Melissa and I are joining a PCA church this Sunday, and we have had at length discussions with the pastor about it. Just curious if you had similiar talks with your pastor, his stance on it, your stance on it, anybody else's stance on it and the like. Also, is there a diffence whether you are sprinkled or emersed (i think that is the correct spelling) under water for baptism? Be interesting to hear everyone's thoughts on either topic.

Calvinist-haters in the SBC

We all know that there the SBC is not the friendliest place for Calvinists. Let's be honest, you can't go to a Pastor's Conference or Convention without Calvinists getting bashed in some way, shape, or form.

But there is one guy on the net that takes it to another level......ludicrous level!

He goes by the name "Charles", but he is just another coward hiding behind a screenname.

Here is his site. Caution: You may want to remove any object that you don't want to break in a fit of rage.

BTW, here's a preview of some subjects you will find at this idiot's blog:
Al Mohler the cause for decline in baptisms in he SBC.
Referring to Calvinism as the "born again before faith heresy".
Trashing of anything Southern Seminary...including Mohler, the profs, the students, the recent alumni, etc.
Denying Spurgeon was a Calvinist.

Enjoy! :)

Rantings and Ravings

I think we should change the name to "Mike and JP's Blog". Come on guys what happen to the days when we would all just sit around and chat? Usually the conversation revolved around God or Benny Hinn. I prefer God, but would settle for Benny at this point.

So far Jp and I have been the only ones posting anything along the lines of theology. What's wrong with you all. I mean I enjoy "finding out what is going on in everybodies life" but we have done that already. we are men we get that kind of stuff over with quick and get to the good stuff as fast as possible.

Oh yeah, i forgot we're all grown up now, we can't do that kind of stuff anymore (we've been neutered by our wives). Jp and eric, i guess we can't stand in our doors until three in the morning anymore because that is not what big boys do.

Ok, enough of the cynicism. to be serious...

I posted something about Federal Vision a few weeks ago and no one except jp has responded. For those of you who don't know about this topic it is HUGE in the pca and other major reformed circles. These people, including Doug Wilson and some of his friends (which I am sure you are familiar with) are trying to redefine many central doctrines of Christianity including Justification, Covenant, and Ecclesiology.
i realize all of you may not know anything about this topic but i thought that at least somebody else might be curious and do a little research to find out something about it.

Why did we start this blog?

Ok, sorry for the gentle nut kicking. I just really enjoyed many of those long and short discussions with every one of you back in college and i thought we might be able to continue that with JP's brilliant idea.
I love each of you guys. The greatest growth in my Christian life occured in the four years spent at UF and God used each of you in that time period, mostly through the discussions and bible study we all had. I know ya'll are busy, so are JP and I. We aren't asking for miny dissertations like this one. Just enough to give us something to chew on.

Ok, Austin- JP will be back in a few days to console everyone after I unloaded on ya'll.

New Baptist Trend = COMMUNITY

I have now heard this word more times in the past 48 hours than I ever thought I would. If you are still associated with a SBC church, you might have heard the following phrases:
"doing life together"
"small group"
"authentic community"
Well, I am fed up with this garbage. It seems pastors have figured out something about the Mega-Church model--it is failing. 15,000+ people, and NO DIFFERENCE in any of their lives. So how do you fix this? Not by repenting and returning to teaching the Word; not by honoring the whole counsel of God and worshiping all His attributes. No, you fix this by coming up with a new way for people to interact--you come up with this concept of COMMUNITY.

You talk about the NT Church, you talk about how 'real' they were in the book of Acts, and you determine the only difference between us and them is COMMUNITY. They 'were doing life together' is the catch-phrase.

What do you think? Why this angle? What will this accomplish?
Questions? Comments? Cheap shots?

It's a.....

Well you'll have to go to our website to find out. Lindsay and I found out on Tuesday what we are having. I made a little video and put it on the web. Go to www.homepage.mac.com/m.townsend to watch it. You will need quicktime to watch it (which you can download for free).

Y'all just don't know......

How encouraging it has been to my spirit to hear how God is working in your lives. I pray this becomes something that all of us can draw strength from each and every day. May God make it so.

It does me so much good to hear how all of you are doing. Eric, love you, miss you and glad to hear you are alive. :) Mikey T, we live so close and yet so far....we need to get together over a weekend sometime soon. Glad to hear that God is adding an arrow to your quiver (that goes for Eric and DRock as well). DRock, you are just the man. I pray God blesses your hard work at your new church. Jason, JP, Nate....nothing but love for you. ALL of you have affected my life in more ways than you will ever know and I pray God blesses each of you and your families richly for that.

To give y'all a quick update on Ashley and me: We both decided to switch careers in the middle of 2005. This entailed both of us going back to school. Ashley will be graduating from nursing school with her RN in May and will finish with her BSN in May of '08. I am currently in the process of taking prereqs for medical school (yes, I did say medical school....that's right, the Big Henk is going to be an MD) to become an Ophthalmologist. I should be applying and beginning in either fall of '08 or fall of '09 (hopefully '08 though). It has been very freeing and awesome finally getting a since of vocational calling and God blessing it and opening doors. Ashley and I hope to serve in some capacity with medical missions through our church (wherever we end up) . No kids on the way now or in the near future, but maybe within the next couple of years.

We both reside in Niceville at my parent's plantation (it's actually just a huge house and I feel like the Monopoly guy living in a hotel). It's not the most glamorous thing, but it has been a miracle in terms of finances and being able to get by during this transition. Any time any of you are coming over this way to the Destin/Niceville/Fort Walton Beach/etc. area, please come by and see us. Believe me, my parent's home has plenty of room and y'all could most definitely stay with us (and save on outrageous hotel costs).

We attend a reformed, elder-led SBC in Niceville and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know people our own age. There are 2 particular couples Ashley and I hang out with and us fellas get together every Thursday night for accountability/share time to spur each other on in the faith. It has been a blessing.

Please pray for us in our individual walks with Christ, our walk with Christ as a married couple, and our marriage in general. It is sometimes very hard trying to balance all of our commitments with school, studying, working and seeing each other. There are times when I feel like we just sleep in the same bed together (I'm sure you guys can relate on some level with this). God is good and life is good because He orchestrates it.

I love y'all and miss y'all. Grace and peace.

Talk about Transition...

Well fellas, it's been a crazy 4 years: A new car, a new town, a new church, a new ministry, a new wife, a national championship, a new house (Nate, we love it too!), another new car, another national championship, a new baby on the way, and a soon to be seminary graduate...it's been a wild ride. I'm still in Louisville, married to my very pregnant wife Kristin, who is due with lil' Mary Grace by January 24th (just around the corner). I'm serving as the associate minister of music at Highview Baptist Church (been with this family for three years). Coming to the end of my seminary education (grad-ee-ay-tin' in May), i only realize how much i still know that i don't know. How thankful i am that God chooses us because of His merit and not our own!
i want to apologize for being such a terrible friend all these years. You've all been in my thoughts and prayer and i've wondered how God is teaching and leading you. i'm glad for the new start here. i wish i could celebrate the Nat'l Championship with all of you...glad to see Florida again getting the respect we deserve! Grace and peace...

National Championship Celebration

Saturday, January 13th...Noon in The Swamp.

The Univeristy of Florida will celebrate it's 2nd National Championship that day.

Are you guys going to be there? If so, let's all get together. We can have that dinner we were all supposed to have the weekend of the LSU game.

Update for drock

I guess it HAS been along time since I have talked to most of you. A lot of things are different for me and my family, so let me update you. Our first child, Walker, was born on August 16, 2006, so he is now about 5 months old. He is healthy and happy, so we are truly blessed. We also have moved to Mount Vernon, Indiana, which is just west of Evansville, IN. I am pastoring a small church in a small town. Of course, this is a new experience for me; especially since I am the only staff. The church is a typical situation: an older church that needs to grow or it will die. So I am preaching, praying, and trying to make contacts with people in the community. Mount Vernon has a local newspaper that is published once a week, and I have written a couple of short articles that have been published. One on the biblical picture of angels (to go along with the Christmas season) and one on recognizing God's sovereignty over our schedules (James 4). The paper is pretty open to receiving submissions from local pastors, so I am trying to take advantage of it. I have also had lunch with the BCM director for the schools in Evansville. One of the universities, University of Southern Indiana, is on our side of Evansville, so I hope to make contact with some students there.
All in all, we are still getting adjusted. We moved here at the end of November. It is hard for us to make contact with young couples, to make friends, but we continue to strive. Pray for us as we minister here in Mount Vernon, as the only Southern Baptist church in town. May God build a strong church that honors His Son, Jesus Christ.
Mike T.--Congratulations on your marriage. I hope you are blessed.
The rest, let me know what has been happening over the past several months.
By the way, I turn 30 on January 15. I am getting old.
Also, I think I saw Craig Naylor on TV at the Championship game. Any confirmation of that?
God bless,
Derrick

The Reality of it all....

Being an educator, I have found that God's patience for me is limitless when it comes to putting young people first. At times, I find myself getting bogged down with endless grading, prepartation, studying, and managment of multiple endeavors. As I read this speech from Bill Gates, I felt validated in what I truly think about about life in general, and becuase of it, I feel I have even more patience and mercy with those young minds that I shape. Enjoy!

Bill Gates on life...

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! To anyone with kids of any age, here's some advice. Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and>listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one

So, in essence, I tend to feel the way Gates spoke to his kids, but sometimes I tend to question if it is right. I guess Gates knows what he is talking about though, he is a billionaire 50 times over...

Theology-Federal Vision

Leave it up to me to start the first theological discussion. I will give you guys some homework.
I was wondering if any of you have heard of the Federal Vision controversy or of the New Perspective on Paul. I imagine that you seminary guys have heard of them. Any way it is something being debated right now in the PCA church. They are closely related to each other but there are some distinct differences. I just wnated to get some of your thoughts on it.
A good website is federal-vision.com and thepaulpage.com. I want bore you about now, but just read about and let me know what you think.

nice title

hey by the way nice title jp. I like it.

I'm a virgin too!!!

well, ya'll finally found something that i might actually take part in. That fantasy football didn't exactly tickle my pickle, but i think i might be able to handle this. It will be good to hear from some of you (eh,eh drock). hey, has anybody found the hole that he crawled into yet? Let me know when you do and I will bring the shovel.

It's Truly Great To Be A FLORIDA GATOR!!!!

Words cannot even begin to express the thrashing Florida put on OSU (I have to use just their initials b/c calling them by name would be giving them too much respect and they lost ALL of it last night). Several Observations:

1. Look out, 2006-2007 is the year of the GATOR. We are the FIRST and ONLY team to win National Championships in the same year in both Football and Basketball. Could we go for a hat trick?

2. Florida held OSU to, count 'em, 82 TOTAL yards of offense. This is the fewest in ANY BCS game in history. The domination we put on them last night was worse than what our basketball team did to them on December 23rd, and that in and of itself is impressive.

3. Troy Smith looked great in a Florida Jersey last night. He had one drapped all over him for the entire game thanks to the likes of Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey. Also, that was the best Heisman performance ever: 4/14 for 35 yds and an INT. I will relent, however, b/c he is a classy guy and the things he had to say after the game were admirable. Troy, if you ever read this, just know this isn't an attack on you, it's just venting frustration at the media who trashed us, bad mouthed us and said we didn't belong all year.

4. OSU never even knew what him them. Sure they sucker punched us with that opening kickoff (which there was a blatant hold on Reggie Nelson that should have called that back), but after we torched 'em with 21 unanswered points, they had the quintessential look of "Wha' ha happin" on their face the rest of the night. Even Jim Tressel did. Hilarious. OSU had absolutely NO answer for the Gator Offense, Defense and even Special Teams (Chris Hetland, you are so money).

5. Last, and most important: Bravo to our senior class. They never quit, they never gave up and they never said "die." Even with the Ron Zook "purging" (that was a JP quote), they hung in there and bought into the Meyer system. They took care of business even when everyone was saying they didn't even deserve a chance this year (to be in the conversation of the BCS title game) and won not only the SEC (they head and shoulders above the rest best conference in the country), but strong-armed OSU for the national championship. I loved to see Chris Leak, Dallas Baker, Jemalle Cornelius and others go out the way they did. What a great ending to great careers for those guys.

I could go on, and on, but the bottom line is this: IT'S GREAT TO BE A FLORIDA GATOR!

How's this for "style": THE University of Florida 41, OSU 14

Go easy on me, it's my first time....

Fellas,

Glad to be a part of this. I'm not really sure what to talk about....So I'll start with a shout out to all of you. Also, this being the national championship and the opportunity to be "The Year of the Gator," GO GATORS!!!!