In 1986, Dan Harrison (pictured above) was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from NorthwesternUniversity .  On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air.  The elephant seemed distressed, so Dan approached it very carefully.  He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant’s foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it.  As carefully and as gently as he could, Dan worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.  The elephant turned to face him, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments.  Dan stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled.  Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and slowly walked away.  Dan never forgot that elephant, or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Dan was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenage son, Dan Jr.  As they stopped at the elephant enclosure, one of the large bull elephants walked over to the fence near where they were standing.  The elephant stared at Dan, lifted its front foot off the ground…. then put it down.  The elephant did that several times, then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at Dan.  Remembering the encounter in 1986, Dan couldn’t help wondering if this was the same elephant.  Dan summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure.  He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.  The large bull elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Dan’s legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn’t the same elephant.

Sometimes you run across something and it makes you smile.  This is what happened when I ran into this video.  It took me back to one of my favorite Friends episode when Ross finally got Emma to smile by rapping “Baby got Back”  Enjoy the video.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=86f148c29736a1041478&page=1&viewtype=&category=mr

I have been thinking a long time about how to be more strategic in missions.  This is not just personal missions, but missions for the church as a whole.  I think that it is amazing that there are 113 unreached people groups within the North American Continent.  Right now we are the most progressive and strategic minded continent as far as church and missions go.  Still, we have 113 unreached people groups.  Have we forgotten about our “Judea and Samaria.”

I think that there is a way for us to continue to reach all the people of the world and also reach the unreached people groups on our own continent.  Like international mission, it is important to send missionaries to the people who have not heard the gospel here.  They could spend time with the people, learn the culture, and share Christ with them. 

This is idea is probably nothing new under the sun.  I am sure the NAMB (North American Mission Board) has this all under control.  I fear that the American Church has lost its way.  We should not have an unreached people group here.

More thoughts coming soon….

I find it extremely funny that in Louisville people freak out about the weather all the time.  For all who do not live here I will explain.  When they think that the weather is going to bad the city gets scared and then shuts down, completely.  The funny thing is that the weather is never as bad as they think it will be on the days they think it is going to be bad.  Other days when they say it is not going to be bad it is really bad.  Just another reason why this city is so screwed up. 

Note the amazing theology of this church signs….. 

 

This is a reason why I am not a fan of these.

And another one…

 

As a Proud Texas Aggie, I have felt a little ashamed of my football team.  Really not the football team but our Coach Dennis Franchione.  Coach Fran has been a fraud and has damaged the great reputation of our school.  This is sad because we pride ourselves on the Aggie Spirit.  Anyway, this video sums up my feelings (except for possible the end). 

 

As a seminary student I constantly feel the pressure to stay in the books.  Grades are extremely important especially if I want to pursue a doctorate.  When I put my face in the books, I often loose sight of what my role in life is… to preach the Word to a lost and dying world. 

 I will go out on a limb here and say that I am not the only seminary student that struggles with this problem.  Just think if all the men and women who attend Southern Seminary would reach out to the community around.  The community would look much different then it does today. 

 Here is a fun video…

I have been listening to Shane and Shane since before they were Shane and Shane.  These guys are amazing.  This is off their new CD Pages.  The song is called Embracing Accusation.

This last week I had the privilege to help my twin sister find a church. The church she and her husband were/are looking at is considered to be a good church by many. It was planted in a strategic location in Grapevine, Texas and has absolutely exploded in growth since its birth. Does this make it a good church?

As I reviewed the rather generic statements of beliefs, and looked at the staff I began to feel uncomfortable with my sister going there. It may actually be a great church, but what is a church in the end.

Today, the church has become a group of programs in which people attend or use. Community has been lost for entertainment and babysitting. The growth of the believers does not matter as much as how you feel about yourself. This church appears to be charismatic. This does not mean it is not a good church, but these churches tend to rely on emotions rather then the proper teaching of the Bible. We are to gather under the teaching of the word of God. This is the very word of God!!! My feelings are not good enough to understand what God said to the author. My desire is for all pastors to know the biblical languages inside and out, so that they do not rely on emotions for their interpretation of the scriptures.

I hope my sister and brother-in-law find a great church in which the pastor knows the word of God and can communicate its intent effectively.