Family

The Pastor of My Family

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I love my kids.  I have four 100% huggable and lovable kids.  And whenever ministry gets tough, or I get distracted, or I just am in the dumps over my own apathy and sin, I often find great comfort in and rejuvenation through my family. 

I remember times in 2004 when I was getting some heat from a few church members (who are now gone).  It was really hard on me, and I would come home at the end of the day and just hold my daughter for five minutes on the couch, or play a game with one of my boys, or chase the kids around with a Nerf gun shooting their eyes out.

These things could be seen nice ways to distract me from the stressful things of life and ministry, and they are helpful distractions.  But much more positively they are reminders.  Reminders of who I am more than a pastor, more than a preacher,  more than a sinner.  I'm the pastor of my family.

Two nights ago we had our five year old pray for our dinner.  He prayed and thanked God for the food to make us healthy and strong, and prayed for everyone in the world to become Christians, and prayed that when people become Christians they would become fishers of men.  When I heard that, it made all the frustrations of life shrink. 

I'm about ready to head home for the night.  Tonight, as we do each day, our family is going to read some Scripture to learn about God and talk about what He is calling us to do.  The kids will probably ask a half-dozen questions, and then we will hold hands in a circle and pray.  We will pray for God to help us live what we have learned and to provide for what we need.

May God raise up in my home fishers of men who will turn the world upside down, and may he use this weak vessel to train them.  I can think of nothing to do today that is more important for God's mission and my own heart.

World Religions

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We homeschool.  Friday my wife taught our children about worldreligions.  I came home after work, sat down for dinner and my 5 year old told me that he learned about Hinduism, Judaism, and Bootyism. 

Uh, I think he might need to relearn that last one.

Happy Birthday

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I turned 33 yesterday.  Happy birthday to me.  I didn't want to promote my own birthday, but I had to make public this birthday song offering from a couple of friends who live in Kentucky and emailed it to me.  It isn't "pretty," but, uh, I think it's heartfelt. lol

(p.s. - there's a hidden track)

Thoughts on a Fall Break

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Img_1740_cropWe made it back from our short fall break where we got away for a bit to have some fun as a family.  Here's a video of the trip if you are interested.  It's 5 minutes long and the ending is my favorite part, so don't give up in the middle.  Music by The Go! Team.

As usual, the Lord taught me many things while away.  He taught me how incredible my family is, and how much I don't deserve them.  He taught me to remember how strikingly beautiful and wise my wife is.  He reminded me again how much my family needs a strong, godly husband and father. 

It's so good of God to remind me in the busyness of ministry that the most important things in life aren't the sermons I preach to my congregation, but the sermons I live before my family.

Out of Pocket

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Dscf0012aOur family is going to take a mini-break this coming week and decompress.  As a pastor, husband of a homeschooling wife, and father of four, I find short breaks very refreshing and important for us as a family.  We have a place we regularly retreat to that is both fun and relaxing.

So if you don't see me around the blog after tonight, don't freak out.  I'll be back later next week.

Acts29 in Dallas

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The Acts29 Boot Camp in Dallas is this week, Tuesday through Thursday.  Molly and I will be going.  An Acts29 pastor who is also SBC tried to get me to the boot camp in St. Louis months ago, but I couldn't make it.  Strangely we are able to make the longer trip to Dallas, and the Lord has provided to get us there.

We are leaving tomorrow (Monday) for my parent's house to drop off the four kids.  Then very early on Tuesday we head to the Bloomington, IL airport to get on a plane for Chicago, short layover, then to Dallas by the afternoon.  We hope to meet up and hang out with old friends from our time in Colorado when we were first married.  Chad is a pastor near Dallas now.

We are excited about the trip and to dig in more concerning church planting and church replanting.

I hope to be online regularly, but not nearly as much as normal.  I'll try to update what we are doing and hearing.  Maybe a pic or two as well.

Chicago Trip: Sequel

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Img_1440_400We took the kids into Chicago one more time to go to the Museum of Science and Industry and return to Millennium Park where they have taken the tent off "The Bean." It really is a remarkable sight.  If you ever get to downtown Chicago, don't miss it

Watch the short video of our trip.

Deliberate Childlessness

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Al Mohler on willful childlessness.  He often causes a stir on this subject.  I'm more interested on the topic of when to have children, not whether.  But it's helpful, nonetheless.

The church must help this society regain itssanity on the gift of children. Willful barrenness and chosen childlessness must be named as moral rebellion. To demand that marriage means sex -- but not children -- is to defraud the creator of His joy and pleasure in seeing the saints raising His children. That is just the way it is. No kidding.