It’s going to be a boy!

My wife is pregnant again, and has been for about four months now. Just recently, we found out that the little peanut is a boy, which is very exciting. A boy means that our firstborn will have a younger brother to punch and wrestle with and that the two of them will be able to get into tussles together. Very exciting stuff.

Because I love lists, here’s a list of some of the things I’m looking forward to with this new little one.

  • Swaddling. When our first boy was born, I was the master of the swaddler. I know that there are people of differing opinion as to whether or not to swaddle, and that is fine. My first was swaddled like a Russian stacking doll, and he liked it. I look forward to holding my little football-shaped baby.
  • Burping. Gross I know, but there’s something special about holding a tiny little person on your knee and patting his back while he gently burps up the “extra.”
  • Sleeping. Here I’m not really referring to my own sleeping, as much as the newborn sleeping in my lap or on my chest. Rarely does one feel more useful than when he cradles a sleeping newborn.

I’m excited for the little guy’s arrival. Bring on the burp cloths!

Three Thoughts from a Rookie Youth Pastor

In no particular order, here are three thoughts about weakness and general incompetence from a rookie youth pastor.

  1. It’s good to know your weaknesses. As much as I hate being informed about what I’m not good at, it’s a really good thing to know my weaknesses. For example, it’s important that I know that I’m not gifted with administration. This really ties in with the second point that…
  2. It’s good to be surrounded with people who are better than you. Considering my abilities, this is not a hard thing to accomplish. But after identifying (or having someone else identify) my weaknesses in ministry, it’s important to find and partner with people who thrive and are strong in those areas in which I am deficient.
  3. It’s good to be willing to learn from others. I am so thankful for the multitude of people who are (1) better than me and (2) willing to show me how to be better. Youth pastors with years of experience. Business workers with organizational skills. Ministers with a real heart to disciple and encourage. I’m blessed to be around so many people from whom I can learn and grow.

Gospel Coach

Recently, I finished the book, Gospel Coach by Scott Thomas. Unfortunately, it was only after I had finished reading it that I found out that the copy I had was some sort of draft version in book form. I would have been less confused by the book’s lack of polish had I known.

In any case, it was a worthwhile read. Ignoring the occasional awkward wording or typo, I found that the book provided a helpful framework for one-on-one discipleship with the gospel as the central focus. What is most encouraging about Thomas’s system of mentoring is that the mentor is always bringing the believer back to the gospel and its implications for life. Rather than leave sin-issues at surface, Thomas encourages mentors to work to help the believer find out what part of the gospel he or is she is failing to believe. For example, a person who struggles with the sin of anger might need to deal with issues of insecurity that stem from a lack of trust in Christ. In identifying that the person needs to trust Christ more deeply rather than just “not get mad,” the coach helps to get at the root idol, rather than just surface sins.

Overall, Gospel Coach is a helpful book that provides a systematic way to coach a believer to believe and grow in the gospel.

Personal Productivity in the New Year

In the past, the topic of personal productivity has certainly been an interest of mine. I like to play with tools like Omnifocus or Things, or read about the GTD methodology. However, it seems that just because one enjoys learning about productivity does not mean that he or she is actually productive.

This new year, my hope is to be diligent, faithful, and fruitful, rather than just gauging my success by the amount of busyness I experience on a daily basis. One of the most helpful things I’ve read is a document at C.J. Mahaney’s blog (irony alert: sharing productivity tips after denouncing them). It is an aggregation of several blog posts he wrote on biblical productivity and brings light to some of the underlying problems that can prevent us from real diligence, faithfulness, and fruitfulness. It’s worth the time it takes to read it.

C.J. Mahaney’s Biblical Priorities for Personal Productivity

Three Takeaways from Studying Greek

Over this fall semester, I’ve been taking part in a Greek Reading Class, offered by Reformed Theological Seminary. We’ve been outlining, translating, and discussing Romans 1-7. It is by for one of the most challenging classes I have ever taken, and at the same time, one of the most rewarding. Here are the big things I’m learning.

  • Learn to be hermeneutically self-aware. As I understand it, this means that I should pay attention to the assumptions that I bring to the table when I read the Bible. Before this class, I had not considered the number of assumptions or interpretations with which I come to the Bible. You hear a sermon on a passage, and that becomes the way you read that passage. So it’s important to be aware of the assumptions you’re making.
  • Slow down. Another thing I heard in class was the saying that the benefit of learning to read the Bible in Greek is that it makes you slow down. And while it certainly shouldn’t be the only benefit that you should derive from studying Greek or Hebrew, it is valid. The process of reading and analyzing the Greek often forces you to think more deeply about a word or a clause or passage.
  • Outlines are indispensable. The professor has mentioned on more than one occasion that the way you outline a passage reveals your understanding of that passage. Outlining each chapter of Romans has forced me to ask, “what is the main argument Paul is making?” and “how do these things relate?” as well as many others. And I’m sure this is a skill that most students, ministers, and pastors have developed, but is new to me. And it has been extremely helpful.

These are not the only things I’ve learned in seminary, but they are some of the most valuable.