September 27

Today is the third anniversary of Emily's death. We are still so thankful to God for His grace to us in many, many ways. We miss Emily, but we know that we will see her again.

I never cease to be amazed at the people who tell us that they've been praying for us and have been thinking about Emily. As I've said many times, all of this is humbling.

So, dear readers, thank you for your prayers. We are doing well, by God's grace. We will keep on talking about Emily's legacy in our lives until we do see her again.

Rejoicing in God's Provision

This was a productive Friday. The house is officially sold and I signed a job offer. We have found a house we really like in Calgary, and a couple others that we could be happy with, so we are very thankful.

I won't say more about the job just yet (unless you ask me in person) because I do still have to do a medical exam before it is official. It looks very good, though.

In this relatively short time, I have had a taste of what being unemployed feels like. There are many people that have been looking and waiting for a decent job for a very long time. Economic conditions are quite good in this part of the world, but in many other places there are high unemployment rates and the "working poor" not quite making things work on too little income.

We do feel humbled and very blessed at God's good provision.

Mostly...

I've been waiting to post the big news about our house and the new job, but all I can say is that the house is mostly sold and I mostly have a great job in Calgary (Airdrie, to be specific).

More details very soon, I hope. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for our transition.

Last Day

Today is my last day as pastor of Edson Baptist Church. Tomorrow will mark 14 years. I started on September 1, 1997. Josh was 5 and Emily was 3. There has been a lot of water under the bridge here in Edson.

The church had a farewell for us on the 21st and my last Sunday was the 28th. Finishing up here feels strange, but God is good and we're looking forward to making the transition to Calgary.

I am still looking for work and we haven't sold the house. We're trusting that these things will happen in God's good time. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions regarding work contacts in Calgary, I'd be happy to accept any advice!

Quick Update

No buyer for our house, no job yet. We're trusting God and waiting on His timing.

In Search Of...

Lots of things, actually: A buyer for our house, a new house in Calgary, a job in Calgary and a new pastor for Edson Baptist church.

Any suggestions regarding potential pastoral candidates may be sent through the email at the church website. A search committee is being assembled and they will put together a profile regarding the Town of Edson and Edson Baptist. The website provides a simple introduction, though.

I don't know exactly what I'm looking for in a job in Calgary, but I'm really looking forward to finding a "regular" job after all these years. I'm open to suggestions. I have a resume ready to go (once I receive permission to use a couple of references).

These are interesting days and a good season to learn greater dependence upon God. I'd appreciate any advice or tips you, my faithful readers, may have. We certainly covet your prayers in this transition time.

More Calgary Details

Our house is listed (though there are still a few little fix-up things to do) and we are getting more used to the idea of moving to Calgary in about six weeks. It is much easier to talk face-to-face with people about the nature of our new ministry as there are still lots of unknowns and possibilities that will unfold after we begin. I don't want to go into much detail on the blog, but I do want to fill my few readers in on the basics.

The plan is that I will join the elder team at Calvary Grace Church of Calgary. The other elders (currently four, though one is relocating with his family for further education) have a diverse mix of employment besides their elder responsibilities and I will be looking for work as well. It will be a different model, but we like what we see very much and trust that God will use us for His glory in this new situation. Check out the church's website for more details.

We are praying for a suitable job for me and wisdom regarding where to buy a house in Calgary. We're trusting that God will provide a buyer for the house here and all that we need for next steps. We are also trusting that God will soon bring the right next pastor for Edson Baptist.

Changes

Just before pronouncing the benediction at church today, I asked the people to stay for a brief meeting. Most people stayed and I announced that we are moving to Calgary in September. Fourteen years in Edson will be coming to an end in two months.

This was a very hard announcement to make. We are excited about the move, but we are also sad about leaving a great church and many friends. People have been very supportive. This is a positive time at the church. I would not want to leave when people were anxious for me to leave, but it is also hard to leave when they want me to stay.

I'll provide more details about what's next in future posts, but for now, we are going to be in transition. We'll get the house ready for the market and I'll start scouting for work in Calgary. We've already done a bunch of de-cluttering and fixing up around the house. We've been calling it spring cleaning, but now that our secret is out, we can finish up and get the house listed.

If you have any leads on work in the Calgary area, I'm all ears.

I will still plan to be in ministry, but it will look quite different. We're trusting God with the details, but we're convinced that this is His leading for this season in life.

Update that App?

One of the joys of having an iPhone is the app update game. The other day, I received notification that my Olive Tree ESV Bible Reader app wanted an update. I noticed in the description that there were are lot of changes, so, instead of just installing it, I read the list of updates. One line caught my attention:

"Made a change that should not affect anything, but could cause a whole slew of new issues."

What's that supposed to mean? I haven't run this update, but I have been pondering that curious offer to give my software "a whole slew of new issues."

- Could it be that the software folks are tired of writing update lists that no one ever reads (is anyone paying attention out there?)?

- Is an ex-Microsoft programmer on the loose at Olive Tree?

- Is this such an extensive update that the company doesn't know what will happen when it is sent out into the wild?

I have been waiting for an update to this update before I update (if you followed that).

Life is weird in the digital age.

Mom's Birthday

My Mom would have been 87 today. However, as of May 19, 2010, she is ageless. I miss Mom; death is still a terrible enemy. I am thankful that she is not suffering the pain of her cancer any more. During her last couple of days, she said, "I want to see Jesus" several times. She is now experiencing her greatest wish!

Regarding my health, I'm getting a little stronger each day. I am going to attempt preaching tomorrow for the first time since May 15. We have a busy day scheduled, so we'll see how it goes.

Recovery Update

This heart inflammation is a strange thing. I don't really feel sick -- thanks to my pills -- so I have a hard time not feeling guilty for doing so little. I've been feeling a little better every day, except for today. Yesterday, I thought, "Silly Dr. Two weeks recovery? No way!" I overdid it a little, so today I'm thinking, "That Dr. knew what he was talking about." I'm okay, just really tired and weak.

I wish I could say that I've been catching up on my reading and other profound things, but that's not the case. I have been reading, but not nearly as much as I'd hoped. This is a humbling experience, but I am very thankful for a good prognosis. I hope this will give me more empathy with people that have chronic and / or serious illnesses.

I don't usually do such self-centered posts, but I thought there might be a few people out there who'd appreciate an update.

Sunday at Home

It is strange to be at home today while my family is at church. I’m not feeling very sick, but I am tired and weak enough to know that it would be overwhelming to go to service. So, here I sit.

It is a humbling experience to be sick – it’s hard on my pride. As I was reading and praying this morning, I thought that in the Big Picture, me at my best and me at my weakest is not really much different. In fact, the strongest, most powerful man in the world is only a hairbreadth away from the weakest child on the streets of Calcutta. We human beings are weak – morning mists, the flower of grass.

I’m reading through the Servant Songs in Isaiah. Some verses from today’s reading stood out and led to this blog post:

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another – Isaiah 48:10-11

We are glory hogs – I am a glory hog. That profanes God’s name, even if we are “doing good” and externally worshipping God. Adversities of various kinds are God’s merciful tools to bring His people perspective. The Refiner’s fire not only serves to purge out impurities in relation to morality, but imbalances in perspective. God is God and I am not. God is indispensable, I am not. God has a sovereign plan for His universe. I don’t own a universe, and my plans don’t always go my way.

God is much bigger than I think. The reason I called God’s refining fire merciful is that God gets bigger in my understanding with each setback, loss or failure. This leads to greater contentment and joy. Why? Because I know that God loves me. How do I know that? Because God Himself stepped down from inapproachable light and took on weak human flesh in order to live for me, die for me and rise from the dead to defeat sin and death for me. To what end? That I might glorify Him and enjoy Him forever!

Without the Gospel – particularly the cross – there is no way that I could have any comfort in reflecting upon God’s vastness and greatness. It is only as God Himself steps down and comes to me in human flesh that the great chasm between us is bridged.

This is the unique message of Christianity. In the Christian story, God’s greatness is fully expressed in its incomprehensible weight of glory. On the other hand, man’s weakness and corruption is expressed with bitter honesty as we confess our hopeless condition. The Good News is that Jesus Christ steps in as the Mediator – fully God and fully man – to reconcile the world to God.

I can be content staying home from church today. God is looking after things just fine without me.

500 Posts

I just noticed that my last post was post # 500. Not exactly Challies, but not bad!

Heartsick

Well, that was quite the adventure.

In the middle of the night on Sunday night - the wee hours of Monday morning - Juanita took me into the hospital in Edson with heart attack symptoms. By noon on Monday, I was in cardiac care unit in Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital. Until Monday night, they were treating me for a mild heart attack, though my pain was getting worse on Monday afternoon and evening.

After an angiogram on Monday night, I received the good news that there was no blockage and no damage to my heart. I'm very glad they rushed that test! I have a virus in my pericardium and the inflammation caused the symptoms. They put me on good ol' ibuprofen and I feel much better. I have to wait for the virus to run its course, but I can anticipate a full recovery. I'm quite tired and a little sore still, but very thankful.

We have been reminded once again of God's goodness, particularly expressed in the kindness of His people. We are humbled by the expressions of concern, the visits and the practical help. If you were a part of that praying, caring, helping crew, thank you!

I was very impressed with the quick and excellent medical care I received. There are legitimate stories out there of problems with our system, but my experience couldn't have been better.

So, I'm home again as of about 25 minutes ago. It was wonderful to tuck the girls in (and say "hello" to Josh) and it is great to be home again.

The Dr. was quite adamant that I take it really easy for a while, so I should stop writing and go to bed.

Book Recommendations

I have read a few books recently that are particularly useful. My sphere of reference for doing these recommendations is our church book table. These three titles are excellent books for the average Christian reader - particularly ones that don't read many books. I read lots of books that I wouldn't bother to put out for our church family to buy (by suggested donation), but I would love to see these three that I'm highlighting go out the door in quantity. They are readable, reliable and cover very practical and often overlooked subjects. I'll leave it to others to do reviews, but I will make some brief comments with these recommendations.

Don't Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day, Edited by Kevin DeYoung (Crossway, 2011)

Let me get my prime reservation regarding this book out of the way right off the top: What's up with the title? Beyond that, this is a very helpful book. Eighteen authors have contributed chapters on what to believe and how to live in light of the Gospel. The applied theology in this book is such a important resource for the "Young, Restless and Reformed" movement. It is all too easy to grasp onto "cool theology" and then live like the world. If you follow the link above, you can see inside the book and read the table of contents. This is a remarkably comprehensive book given its moderate length. The chapters are very well written and profound in content. I hope they sell millions of these books, in spite of the odd title.

The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion, Tim Challies (Zondervan, 2011)

When I was in seminary about 15 years ago, my history professor made me read The Technological Society by Jacques Ellul. Maybe I was overwhelmed with my studies, maybe something was lost in the translation, but I found reading that book a nasty chore. Since that time, however, I have reflected on Ellul's arguments and observations many times to my profit. My history professor was right; this is a significant book. By all means read Ellul's book, if you have the stamina, but a better idea for most people would be to read Tim Challies' new book.

This is a book about the digital revolution and how it is changing our lives, even if we are not conscious of it happening (as most of us are not). It is as if the author lifts us up above our immersion in all this technology and lets us look at it from a high place - seeing the forest instead of all the pretty, shiny trees, so to speak. This perspective is given to the reader in terms of historical development, theology and the very personal effects brought about by the digital revolution. Challies' goal is to help the reader objectively analyse what is going on in their own lives with theological discernment. The Next Story will give you tools to develop wisdom in our times and help you to honestly assess your digital consumption.

As an added bonus, for the month of May you can download an audio book copy of The Next Story for free at christianaudio.com If you do read or listen to the book, it may seem ironic to you this book is even available in an audio format. But I can't talk - I read it on a Kindle.

These Last Days: A Christian View of History, Edited by Richard D. Phillips and Gabriel N. E. Fluhrer (P&R Publishing, 2011).

I have never read such a satisfying book on eschatology. This is a collection of transcribed messages from the 2010 Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology. Contributors include Sinclair Ferguson, D.A. Carson, Alistair Begg, Michael Horton and six others (click through to the Amazon page to see the full list of contributors and more book details).

If you have been frustrated with end times teaching because it is so complicated and speculative, you will find this book a breath of fresh air. It is simple, direct, biblical and worship inspiring. Because the chapters were messages, the book flows well and is an easy read. It would make an excellent introduction to eschatology from a biblical theology perspective - that is, seeing the Bible as a continuous story - The Story - from Genesis to Revelation with Christ at the center of it all.

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So, there we have three books for "the regular Christian" (if there is such a category of people). All three are profound, practical and rooted in solid theology. I believe I will be recommending them for years to come, even though they were all published in 2011.

EBC Website Working!

After a couple months of problems, our website for Edson Baptist Church appears to be working properly again. I just uploaded three sermons - that was the last bit to get figured out.

Many thanks to the great company in Toronto that fixed things up for us!

If anyone has been waiting for sermons, they are now ready for streaming or downloading.

Thank you for your patience!

Dr. Beale Busted Again

In a recent post, I observed that a message by C.H. Spurgeon had some striking similarities to a course on NT theology that I am working through with a few men in our church. Tuesday morning, while preparing for my Sunday sermon, I came across another parallel, this time in good old Matthew Henry.

One of Dr. Beale's specialties is the subject of idolatry among the people of God. A few weeks ago, Dr. Beale made the charge that the Jewish leaders of Jesus' day had made an idol of their commitment to the traditions of their heritage. They were proud of the fact that they did not profane themselves with the idols of their fathers, but they fell into a new idolatry nonetheless. This connection made sense and it left an impression.

In his commentary on Zechariah 13:2, particularly the phrase "...I will cut off the names of the idols from the land," Matthew Henry writes:

This was fulfilled in the rooted aversion which the Jews had, after the captivity, to idols and idolatry, and still retain to this day; it was fulfilled also in the ready conversion of many to the faith of Christ, by which they were taken off from making an idol of the ceremonial law, as the unbelieving Jews did; and it is still in the fulfilling when souls are brought off from the world and the flesh, those two great idols, that they may cleave to God only.

Dr. Beale has no reason to feel "busted," of course, but it is neat to see themes emerge across the centuries. Evangelical Biblical Theology has been around for a very long time, no matter what names it has worn. The first to make these connections were the writers of Scripture themselves, as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Contentment Messages

Juanita had the opportunity to speak at a ladies rally at Elk Point Baptist Church on Saturday. Her messages on contentment are online at the church website (April 9, 2011).

I haven't listened to the messages yet, but I did get to read the manuscripts ahead of time and I can say that they are excellent.

Better yet, Juanita practices what she preaches. I am so thankful that she is my wife!

New Creation in Spurgeon

A few of us in the church are working through a course by Dr. Greg Beale on NT Theology. It has been very profitable. Dr. Beale's "Big Idea" for understanding the Bible is "New Creation" (see Dr. Beale's "Bible in a sentence" summary here).

I just discovered a Spurgeon sermon from about six months before he died. If he hadn't died in 1892, I would have thought that he had been reading Dr. Beale's notes. I love the way he applies New Creation themes for both now and for the future Consummation.

The older I get the more I appreciate the great older teachers like Spurgeon, Matthew Henry and many others. They really make my heart sing.

Habakkuk

I presented an overview of the book of Habakkuk the other day. I have been amazed at that little book for years, but one thing particularly struck me as I prepared for this class. After complaining to God and receiving a very difficult answer, the prophet yielded himself to God and he sang.

Chapter 3 - the final chapter - is in the form of a song. It is a song of worship and remembrance on the eve of national destruction. Habakkuk experienced the revelation of God and it changed everything for him. He still could not have rejoiced in his circumstances - present or future - but he chose to rejoice in the God of his salvation.

I would encourage you to work through this little book. It is a smaller version of some of the larger prophecies and it comes to some of the same conclusions as books such as Isaiah and Jeremiah. God is sovereign. God is working out the best for His people. Our response must be humble confidence in God's promises and quiet submission to His purposes.

But we get to sing!