Advent

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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    Though Santa showed up in big boxes shortly after the World Series, the, uh, official/liturgical start of Advent was last Sunday.

    Nobody asks anymore, but "Advent" comes from the Latin verb advenio ("to come") and refers to the coming of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

    It's Christendom's season of preparation; recalling John the Baptist's exhortation, "Prepare the way of the Lord!"

    Advent recalls the coming of God in Jesus as the Babe of Bethlehem, reminds us of God's continuing presence or coming into our lives as Holy Spirit, and looks forward to God's coming again in Jesus to usher in the eternal Kingdom.

    The season inspires self-examination and repentance; hence, the liturgical color is purple or violet which is associated with penitence as well as royalty for the coming of our King Jesus.

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    Isaiah: "The Lord Himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel."

    When the baby grew up, He disclosed, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!"

    Well, uh, yeah, that's, uh, true to us.

    God knows it/us; which is why He gave us the sign!

    It had to be something/Someone spectacular/supernatural.

    So, uh, yeah, He came in the first advent of Jesus as the Babe of Bethlehem.

    Isaiah: "He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

    Yeah, that's about right.

    Jesus had/has perfectly divine wisdom (Wonderful Counselor), wasn't like but is/remains God (Mighty God), has divine authority/ability to save here and now and hereafter (Everlasting Father), and is the way to "strong calm sanity" as well as existential (with people) and eternal (with God) reconciliation (Prince of Peace).

    Isaiah: "A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse...the wolf will live with the lamb...a little child will lead them."

    Jesus was/is the anointed/appointed One to enable peace among people who move toward each other through Him and guarantee life after life.

    Only God can do that!

    That's why we call Him Savior and Lord.

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    One of my favorite Advent traditions is the Advent wreath.

    It is round to symbolize God's eternity and often evergreen for His everlasting mercy.

    The candles represent Jesus as the Light of the world.

    Although practice varies, we normally use three purple candles (symbolizing penitence, royalty, shepherds, angels, and wise men), one rose candle (see Isaiah 35), and one large white candle to proclaim Jesus as the one and only Light of the world.

    Advent is all about preparing ourselves to receive Him as personal/corporate...God.

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Blessings and Love!

One Man's Ride to Real Faith...

It's raw, rough, real, and maybe even redemptive; and he could lose his day job for writing about it!  I Just Wanna Ride is an Ivy League pastor's search for authentic faith on a motorcycle after he couldn't find it after years in academics, pulpits, and pews.  From his immersion into biker culture since watching Easy Rider as a teen-ager, the author holds no punches in this provocative, edgy, and risky look at hogs and those who ride 'em as a metaphor and challenge to believers and bikers.  Too authentic for "church ladies" and too concerned about "faith" for secularists, this book demands reading by all of 'em if any of 'em care about Who and what matter most sooner or later and definitely in the end.

The official release date is January 1, 2012

The cheap electronic version is now available via www.amazon.com

Watch for the first book-signing at Woodstock Harley-Davidson soon!

(Woodstock, Illinois)

Advance book orders are now available by clicking on

orders@blackoakmedia.org

(Publisher's e-mail address)

Just Click it!

Then send an e-mail to the publisher; including

your name, preferred billing address, and

how many you want for your favorite (or not)

"church ladies" and bikers and...

(Price TBA but between $14-$20)

"I Just Wanna Ride"

hats are now

available!

Promote the book by buying some!

Black hats with red letters!

HQ!!!

$15 or 2 for $25 plus $5 shipping and handling

When ordering hats, hit "Reply" and

provide name, preferred billing

address, and how many...

Please forward this as appropriate, contact

your local bookstore to carry it, and, uh,

whatever you think will promote it!

Book-signings, interviews, and

related promos are being

scheduled right now!

If interested, contact

the publisher or...

I Just Wanna Ride Promo News!

One Man's Ride to Real Faith...

It's raw, rough, real, and maybe even redemptive; and he could lose his day job for writing about it!  I Just Wanna Ride is an Ivy League pastor's search for authentic faith on a motorcycle after he couldn't find it after years in academics, pulpits, and pews.  From his immersion into biker culture since watching Easy Rider as a teen-ager, the author holds no punches in this provocative, edgy, and risky look at hogs and those who ride 'em as a metaphor and challenge to believers and bikers.  Too authentic for "church ladies" and too concerned about "faith" for secularists, this book demands reading by all of 'em if any of 'em care about Who and what matter most sooner or later and definitely in the end.

The official release date is January 1, 2012

The cheap electronic version is now available via www.amazon.com

Watch for the first book-signing at Woodstock Harley-Davidson soon!

(Woodstock, Illinois)

Advance book orders are now available by clicking on

orders@blackoakmedia.org

(Publisher's e-mail address)

Just Click it!

Then send an e-mail to the publisher; including

your name, preferred billing address, and

how many you want for your favorite (or not)

"church ladies" and bikers and...

(Price TBA but between $14-$20)

"I Just Wanna Ride"

hats are now

available!

Promote the book by buying some!

Black hats with red letters!

HQ!!!

$15 or 2 for $25 plus $5 shipping and handling

When ordering hats, hit "Reply" and

provide name, preferred billing

address, and how many...

Please forward this as appropriate, contact

your local bookstore to carry it, and, uh,

whatever you think will promote it!

Book-signings, interviews, and

related promos are being

scheduled right now!

If interested, contact

the publisher or...

I Just Wanna Ride!

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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    A friend asked for some suggestions about leading a Sunday School class on prayer.

    My response: "The best book of prayers is Psalms.  The best book on the best book of prayers is Bonhoeffer's Psalms: The Prayerbook of the Bible.  The best book on the ease/authenticity of 'praying without ceasing' is Brother Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God.  The best book on why we need to pray is I Just Wanna Ride.  Uh, forget the previous sentence; but order lots of copies for the book-signing at your church."

    Sorry.

    Not.

    Though critics will certainly contend with my, uh, contention, I think I Just Wanna Ride raises serious questions about/for...

    Ah, read the blurbs plastered all over this site.

    Psst.

    Cheap electronic versions are now available via www.amazon.com and hard copies should be available for Christmas shoppers long before the official 1/1/12 publication date.

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    My mom is concerned about the "raw, rough, real, and maybe even redemptive" style.

    Specifically, she doesn't like the honest use of language in parts of it.

    Moms.

    She asked, "What will some people think?"

    My response: "The book is in the language of 'real' not posing pewsitters/pulpiteers.  It will offend some; but as Paul noted, we must learn the language of people to communicate.  I'm willing to take some personal risks to get people to discover the kinda faith that makes a difference 'cause the conventional kind ain't doin' much for many anymore."

    Of course, that's all I'm gonna say about the content for now; 'cause, geez, I want you to buy some and encourage others to the same.

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    My mom's question kinda bugged me for a while.

    It's a vocational hazard - the question not my mother.

    While our family of faith at First Presbyterian Church in Belvidere, Illinois has come a long way in realizing authentic faith is more about a relationship with Jesus than a posing religion polluted with cultural PCs, I know, well, uh, read the blurbs...

    Be that as it is, I read Peterson's translation/paraphrase of Matthew 15 and found some relief/confirmation as the official publication date approaches.

    The Message: "Pharisees and religion scholars came to Jesus...criticizing, 'Why do your disciples play fast and loose with the rules?'  But Jesus put it right back on them.  'Why do you use your rules to play fast and loose with God's commands?'"

    Hmm.

    Read that again and then read the last KD on baptism(s) again.

    The Message: "You cancel God's commands by your rules.  Frauds!  Isaiah's prophecy hit the bulls-eye: 'These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it.  They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it.  They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy.'"

    When we start confusing human traditions/inventions with God's revealed Word in Jesus and Holy Scripture, we re-write Genesis: "People created God in their own image.  In the image of people, people created God."

    Dogma is not divine unless it is clearly and conclusively confirmed by the person of Jesus and prescriptions of Holy Scripture.

    Anything other is a, uh, guess at best and navel-gazing idolatry at...

    Read the first few of the big ten.

    The Message: "Later his disciples came and told him, 'Did you know how upset the Pharisees were when they heard what you said?'  Jesus shrugged it off.  'Every tree that wasn't planted by my Father in heaven will be pulled up by its roots.  Forget them.  They are blind men leading blind men.  When a blind man leads a blind man, they both end up in the ditch.'"

    Absolutely.

    Of course, I Just Wanna Ride looks at biker culture as a metaphor and challenge to "church ladies" and, uh, so, uh, the "ditch' metaphor can be a tad too...

    The Message: "Peter said, 'I don't get it.  Put it in plain language.'  Jesus replied, 'Eating or not eating certain foods, washing or not washing your hands - that's neither here nor there.'"

    O.K., Jesus liked metaphors.

    Peter was thick.

    But history proves Peter got it/Him.

    There's a difference between authentic faith which is all about a relationship with Jesus as revealed in Holy Scripture and the posing frauds being promoted by too many pewsitters and pulpiteers whose religion is often only coincidental to...

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    So why did I write it?

    Readers will decide for themselves; but, yeah, I have...

    My concern is the message not mechanics (kinda like, uh, baptisms); and if the later offends, well, to quote that guy in Gone With the Wind, frankly, I don't...

    I want the publisher to make lots of $ for taking the risk to publish it.

    I want to make some $ to bless family, friends, and the increasing needs of people during these challenging times.

    Yeah, I have a selfish...

    Psst.

    The goal in writing, concomitant to my love for Jesus and biker culture, is to provoke church ladies, pewsitters, pulpiteers, and bikers to move from posing to...

    And, yeah, BTW, I was confronted with my own posings while writing it.

    I'm still a WIP.

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    When I told Rus about the music selections for my inevitable funeral, he said he'd honor most of 'em; reminding me that such services are not rock concerts.

    Fortunately, my sister and sons will make sure to include...

    But Rus is right about this.

    My favorite sacred song, reflecting my highest goal and greatest ambition and most fervent prayer, is...

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    That's why I wrote the book.

    That's why I continue as an undershepherd.

    That's why I'm increasingly fearless about John 3:19-21, John 17, and Ephesians 4.

    That's why my first personal prayer every day, after praise and thanks for His existential and eternal graces, is Psalm 51.

    That's why I just wanna ride.

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Blessings and Love!

For more information on how to pre-order "I Just Wanna Ride" 
please click the link at the top of the page.

Comment from KD

I've been asked about these lines in the first section of my last post (please read the whole section again before engaging this comment): "I'm not about to debate the distinctives or duplicities of such churches; and if you don't know why I'm not interested in the former because of the latter, I can't as well as won't even try to..."

Peterson's translation/paraphrase of Matthew 15 comes to mind as instructive: "Why do you use your rules to play fast and loose with God's commands?...You cancel God's command by your rules.  Frauds!  Isaiah's prophecy of you hit the bulls-eye: 'These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it.  They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it.  They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy.'"

Selah.

Baptized Twice!?!

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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    Many churches have laws against baptizing somebody who's been baptized as a baby.

    They don't believe in rebaptizing.

    For them, once is enough, uh, or should be enough, uh, or can be assumed to be enough, uh, or...

    They figure "baby" baptism is sufficient for anyone who's been, uh, baptized as a baby; and they've devised elaborate covenantal theologies to make themselves feel good about their, uh, restrictions.

    I'm not about to debate the distinctives or duplicities of such churches; and if you don't know why I'm not interested in the former because of the latter, I can't as well as won't even try to...

    Whether dipped, dripped, dabbed, or dunked, baptism, regardless of the age, is all about being "marked off" for God.

    Babies are "marked off" for God as parents and congregations promise to pray/try to provide an education, environment, and example of Christianity that will encourage "confirmation" of everything said in baptism about Jesus and Biblical faith when the baby grows up into a more discerning soul.

    Adults, whenever that happens, make a decision to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior and Biblical faith as true and then ask to be baptized or "marked off" for Him.

    But it gets a little dicey when somebody older than a baby shows up and asks after confessing, "I know I was baptized as a baby; but I never knew about it except for some certificate that I found among some old papers in a closet.  But now I really, really, really believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior; and I really, really, really want to be baptized because, well, I just want to be baptized because I love Him so much and want the whole world to know how much I love Him.  Will you baptize me?"

    Selah.

    Seriously.

    Selah.

    Before spitting out the typical denominational law about it like a mindless drone, ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?"

    I can't even reimagine Jesus saying, "Sorry, dude, you were baptized as a baby and that'll have to be enough for you."

    This sounds about right: "Sure, I love you so much and you loving me so much makes this a good day to baptize the relationship."

    Jesus always gave second chances; actually, second and third and fourth and...

    Really, and, again, I know this is tough for mindless drones who pay more attention to denominational laws than Biblical revelation and Spiritual enlightenment, what's sooooooo bad about doing it again?

    Geez.

    If we can renew marriage vows and auto licenses and magazine subscriptions...

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    Big Mac comes to mind.

    I'll never forget the corny joke that he'd repeat in every class that he taught in seminary.

    "A woman went to her pastor and asked if she could have her baby daughter done.  The pastor asked, 'Do you want her rare, medium, or well done?"

    Whoa.

    But whenever he'd repeat it, I'd think, "I wonder if I'm rare, medium, or well done for Jesus?"

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    Biblically, and the Biblically literate know this already and others will just have to catch up by reading the Bible a little bit more, there are two baptisms.

    Water baptism - being marked off for Him.

    Spirit baptism - being empowered by Him if the water baptism was more than a show of getting baby or adult, uh, done.

    John the, uh, Baptist: "I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"

    John marked off, like all undershepherds can do, for Him.

    Jesus: "John baptized with water; but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

    Jesus empowered as only He can do.

    Paul: "To each is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

    In other words, if a person is water baptized for real, then empowerment/abilities/charismata prove it.

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    There's a big lie that persists in many churches.

    I'm not sure how it got started; and rather than theorize about that, I'll just expose it.

    The lie is a person's faith cannot be measured/proven.

    Actually, I know where it began - in hell with the enemy.

    Luther: "Good works don't make a person good; but a good person does good works."

    Even Calvinists who are so much more predestinarian than Calvin himself - read his commentaries - know people who are related to God and saved for eternity show the signs of that eternal relationship.

    Dang, they got it from Paul and Jesus!

    Paul: "The fruit/proof/evidence of the Spirit in a person's life includes..."

    Jesus: "If you love Me, you will..."

    The lie is a person's faith cannot be measured/proven.

    The truth is a person's faith can be measured/proven.

    "Having believed," Paul wrote, "you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."

    Or as Francis de Sales observed: "Devout souls ascend to Him...Devotion is nothing else but that spiritual agility and vivacity by which charity works in us."

    Yeah, the timing/logistics can be hard to figure out; but the results are, uh, obvious.

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    Here's a quick list - indicative not exhaustive - of expressions/manifestations when Spirit baptism confirms water baptism:

    1. Hunger and thirst for worship.

    2. Hunger and thirst for Bible study.

    3. Hunger and thirst to obey Jesus.

    4. Hunger and thirst to love Jesus by loving like Jesus.

    5. Paul's lists in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Galatians 5:22-23, and Ephesians 4.

.

    More than less.

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    It's often said, "Blood is thicker than water."

    O.K., but, Biblically/spiritually, there's another way to look at that.

    Peterson paraphrase/translation of Jesus: "'Who do you think my mother and brothers are?'  He then stretched out His hand toward His disciples.  'Look closely.  These are my mother and brothers.  Obedience is thicker than blood.  The person who obeys my heavenly Father's will is my brother and sister and mother.'"

    Baptism(s) is/are a tad more complicated than denominational laws about it/them.

    Or as Tony said to a denominationalist who had a hard time giving up his franchise's constitution for Biblical revelation, "You do it your way; and I'll do it His way."

    I'm not saying it's always easy to figure that out; but I am saying I think we make it a lot more restrictive and confusing than He ever intended.

    I guess I'm with Dodd who was with Jesus and concluded it's better to err on the side of gospel than law.

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Blessings and Love!


"I Just Wanna Ride" Pre-pub Orders!!!

One man's ride to real faith...

It's raw, rough, real, and maybe even redemptive; and he could lose his day job for writing about it!  I Just Wanna Ride is an Ivy League pastor's search for authentic faith on a motorcycle after he couldn't find it after years in academics, pulpits, or pews.  From his immersion into biker culture since watching Easy Rider as a teen-ager, the author holds no punches in this provocative, edgy, and risky look at hogs and those who ride 'em as a metaphor and challenge to believers and bikers.  Too authentic for "church ladies" and too concerned about "faith" for secularists, this book demands reading by all of 'em if any of 'em still care about Who and what matter most sooner or later and definitely in the end.

The official release will be January 1, 2012!

Watch for the first book-signing at Woodstock Harley-Davidson before spring!

(Woodstock, Illinois)

Pre-pub orders are now available to RRK's

biker/church buddies

via

orders@blackoakmedia.org

(Just click it and order)

The cost will be somewhere between $14-20.

The publisher will let you know.

Hey, you may get 'em (order lots) before Christmas

for all of your favorite church ladies and bikers!

While the author advocates the content,

wait until you see the cover!

I Just Wanna Ride Pre-Pub Orders!

One man's ride to real faith...

It's raw, rough, real, and maybe even redemptive; and he could lose his day job for writing about it!  I Just Wanna Ride is an Ivy League pastor's search for authentic faith on a motorcycle after he couldn't find it after years in academics, pulpits, or pews.  From his immersion into biker culture since watching Easy Rider as a teen-ager, the author holds no punches in this provocative, edgy, and risky look at hogs and those who ride 'em as a metaphor and challenge to believers and bikers.  Too authentic for "church ladies" and too concerned about "faith" for secularists, this book demands reading by all of 'em if any of 'em still care about Who and what matter most sooner or later and definitely in the end.

The official release will be January 1, 2012!

Watch for the first book-signing at Woodstock Harley-Davidson before spring!

(Woodstock, Illinois)

Pre-pub orders are now available to RRK's

biker/church buddies

via

orders@blackoakmedia.org

(Just click it and order)

The cost will be somewhere between $14-20.

The publisher will let you know.

Hey, you may get 'em (order lots) before Christmas

for all of your favorite church ladies and bikers!

While the author advocates the content,

wait until you see the cover!

Before Tough Meetings

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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    Jerry counseled years ago, "When you don't know what to do, just do what the Bible tells you to do."

    That's why I've always preceded most church board meetings with worship and sacrament in the chapel.

    It's hard to hit and hate after you've been together at the table; focusing on Jesus and preparing to filter deliberations through Him.

 

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    Our family of faith at First Presbyterian Church in Belvidere, Illinois is in the midst of massive transition/transformation.

    Aside from a profound Spirit-led movement from posing religion to authentic faith, we're spending the money of dead people (endowment) to fix up the beacon for Him and safe haven for His.

    While we won't be in debt, our endowment will be mostly exhausted when it's all over.

    Hence, lots of hassles or, as I like to say, opportunities to model Someone better for outsiders as well as insiders who don't get it/Him.

    Keeping churches together through wineskin-stretching-behold-He-makes-all-things-new, uh, changes is tough; for lots of folks don't like to see anything happen for the first time or long for the way things never were or maybe were but are no more.

    Though I don't like anonymous notes 'cause they're kinda like emotional terrorists who don't have the guts/integrity to put their names to their acts and I find nothing in the Bible that justifies anonymity - again, read/digest John 3:19-21 - a few lines quoting somebody anonymously slipped under my study's door caught my attention: "Scripture is clear about the church's mission...sharing the gospel...caring...encouraging, and admonishing one another in God's truth.  None of these is fully possible if a church is divided...When differences are divisive, our mission becomes blurred and we are ineffective...Unity is crucial to achieving our purpose...Sacrificing our desires for the greater good of a unified church, we please God.  And obedience gives greater joy than getting our way."

    Not bad for an anonymous note.

    It really hit me 'cause I had read only hours before in my first morning Bible reading: "Jesus said, 'I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual...This is a war, and there is no neutral ground.  If you're not on My side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse...The fruit tells you about the tree...A good person produces good deeds...An evil person is a blight on the orchard...Words can be your salvation...Words can also be your damnation.'"

    Whoa.

    Again, Jan: "Some people are like farts in the elevator.  It just takes one.  Everyone suffers.  Nobody can escape."

    Fortunately, the good guys know God wins sooner or later, usually sooner than later, and definitely in the end.

    So the sheep (us) keep following the Good Shepherd (Jesus) to sanity, safety, and salvation.

    Knowing His ultimate victory buoys spirits when battles rage and seem...

    Go back to Jerry's counsel.

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    Before a recent board meeting, we went to the table and approached/heard the Word before some very tough deliberations.

    Here's a summary of selected texts with italicized expositions from Matthew 9:35-10:42.

    The Message: "Jesus made a circuit of all the towns...He taught...reported...healed...When He looked out over the crowds, His heart broke.  So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd...'What a huge harvest!...How few workers!...On your knees and pray for harvest hands!'"

    So many are dying without an invitation.  Souls are everlasting.  We have a role in their destinies.

    The Message: "The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered.  Jesus called twelve of His followers and sent them into the ripe fields."

    Jesus is counting on you/us!

    The Message: "Jesus sent His twelve harvest hands out with this charge: 'Don't begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers...Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood...Tell them the kingdom is here...Don't think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start.  You don't need a lot of equipment.  You are the equipment."

    Eugene said to us, "It's not what you are doing, but who you are in doing it!"

    The Message: "Stay alert.  This is hazardous work I'm assigning you.  You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack...Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove."

    Wolves are persecutors of believers.  They seek to destroy the church.  We must be tough-minded and tender-hearted when dealing with them.  King wrote, "Jesus recognized the need for blending opposites.  He knew His disciples would face a difficult and hostile world...He gave them a formula for action: 'Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.''"

    The Message: "Don't be naive.  Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation - just because you believe in Me."

    If everyone likes you, that includes the bad guys.  Get over it!  People who love Jesus and pray and try to love like Jesus will be hated for...Him.

    The Message: "When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family.  There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate!  But don't quit.  Don't cave in.  It is well worth it in the end."

    Remembering we're going to live a lot longer with Jesus than anybody else makes establishing life's priorities a no-brainer.

    The Message: "Don't be intimidated...Don't be bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies.  There's nothing they can do to your soul, your core being.  Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life - body and soul - in His hands."

    Again, remembering we're going to live a lot longer with Jesus than anybody else makes establishing life's priorities a no-brainer.

    The Message: "Stand up for Me against world opinion and I'll stand up for you before my Father in heaven.  If you turn tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you?  Don't think I've come to make life cozy...Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies.  If you prefer father or mother over Me, you don't deserve Me...If you don't go all the way with Me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve Me.  If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself.  But if you forget about yourself and look to Me, you'll find both yourself and Me."

    Again, remembering we're going to live a lot longer with Jesus than anybody else makes establishing life's priorities a no-brainer.

    The Message: "This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it."

    God is bigger than our biggest and baddest challenges.

    The meeting went well.

    They always do when focused on and filtered through Jesus.

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    I Just Wanna Ride is coming out soon - projected for a 1/1/12 release.

    You'll hear more about it.

    Anyway, the cover may feature a picture of me looking very Ivy Leagueish in front of some Greek books juxtaposed to, uh, a picture akin to the one on this site.

    When a young woman who knew me as a young girl saw this site's picture, she asked her daddy, "Did he go over the deep end or something?"

    My buddy's response, "No, he's always been over the deep end for Jesus which is why..."

    I hope so.

    Go back to Jerry's counsel.

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Blessings and Love!

I'm Resigning Today

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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    For the first time in a long time, I considered quitting.

    Resigning at the next board meeting.

    Running away.

    I got into this to point people to Jesus so they wouldn't have to worry about going to hell and enable 'em to stop bringing so much hell into the...

    I got into this, proverbially, "to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable" as personified in Jesus and prescribed in Holy Scripture.

    I did not get into this for...

    Well, you know what I mean; and if you don't, no amount of explaining will...

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    I like to arrive early for Matthew's basketball games.

    It's fun to watch warm-ups and try to figure out who should...

    An unsettling apocalyptic moment occurred just before a game last week.

    As I was about to scale the steps to my favorite spot at the top of the bleachers, one of my favorite 8th graders exploded, "Pastor Bob, I had a dream about you."

    "Really?" I asked.

    "Really," she said, "that you died."

    Beginning my ascent, I noted, "Yes, I will."

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    My wife thinks I have a death wish because I talk so much about death.

    People think I have a death wish because I don't wear a helmet while riding my mule.

    Geez.

    I talk about death so much because I do so many funerals and, ergo, thoughts of my own mortality to this life are impossible to escape.

    I don't wear a helmet because I'm rebellious by nature and Libertarian by politics; along with other reasons that you can read about when I Just Wanna Ride comes out.

    Truly, except for wanting a bestseller before I die and customizing Return 2 (in mind not barn) at Woodstock HD for a trip around the perimeter of the states to research "What It Means to be Faithful in a Country that Doesn't Give a Damn About God Anymore" and witnessing fulfilled dreams for my immediate family and family of faith at First Presbyterian Church, I'm very Pauline about death if you know what I mean.

    But you know that stuff about dreams/visions in the Bible.

    My young friend got me to thinking about...

@#$%

    I believe in heaven through faith in Jesus.

    I believe it is the pure and perfect place of personal peace where there is no more pain or crying or tears or...

    I believe Jesus: "You will be with Me in paradise."

    What's not to like about that?

    Sounds a lot better than living in central Pennsylvania right now.

    So, yeah, I'd rather be with Jesus than anyone/anywhere/anytime else.

    Uh, that's what it's/He's all about.

@#$%

    But, sometimes, I feel like cashing in ahead of schedule.

    It's so hard as well as illogical trying to be rational with the irrational, irascible, irreconcilable, and...

    More to most of my time is exponentially spent with people bringing everything but heaven into...

    Everywhere I go.

    World.

    Country

    Franchise (aka denomination).

    Sports.

    Even...

    You name it.

    No escape.

    Peterson: "God, let me withdraw for a while now from the chatter and gossip of the world, and let Your words sink deeply into my mind and spirit.  In the quietness of these moments help me to realize the eternal significance of the birth of Jesus, in whose name I pray.  Amen."

    Sigh.

    I want to resign.

    I want to quit.

    I want to run away.

    I want to be with Jesus.

@#$%

    I can't.

    I've often been asked - indeed, I was first asked this while being examined on the floor of Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Presbytery back in 1976 - if I could/can see myself being/doing anything other than being an undershepherd.

    No.

    Yeah, I wouldn't have minded being called to pitch for the Yankees or beat Tiger to Jack's records or work at Woodstock HD.

    But, no, I can't see myself as anything other than an undershepherd.

    It's my Beruf.

    No escape.

    Matthew 10.

    John 10.

    I've always wanted to be just like Jesus for Jesus; except for, you know, the crucifixion part.

@#$%

    Karry, an elder and biker buddy, and I have joked about not cutting/trimming/whatever our facial hair until gossip ceases, attendance improves, people stop hoarding what He's entrusted to them to manage for Him, and other stuff that sparks temptations to resign, quit, run away, or...

    Bad idea; and not just 'cause it'd look like we'd gone over to the AGers or SBers.

    If we do it, we'll end up looking like ZZ Top.

    Maybe not.

    Nazirites come to mind.

    Not literally if you know what I mean; and if you don't, look 'em up.

    Uncut/unkempt hair to symbolize grief and mourning and...

    An irritant (salt) to those who are...

    Hey, Karry, maybe we should...

    I wonder if others would join the...

    Gotta pray on that one.

@#$%

    A street preacher in Belvidere came into my study after last Sunday's first service.

    He plopped his well-worn Bible down on my desk and demanded that I read Psalm 118:17.

    I did in several translations/paraphrases.

    He rebuked me for even thinking of resigning, quitting, running away, or...

    He yelled at me.

    He cried with me.

    He hugged me.

    He prayed with me.

    I didn't/haven't resigned, quit, run away, or...

@#$%

    Yes, I will die.

    Not yet.

    Maybe later than the dream implied to the chagrin of...

    Maybe sooner than a few would prefer.

    Of course, the world/country/franchise/church and so on are killing me.

    Yes, Gerry, you're right!  I do care...deeply.  Now I know why you cry so much.  You care...deeply...like Jesus did/does.

    We know what it's like to have a broken heart: "When He looked over the crowds, His heart broke."

    We're dying for...

    We know only He mends hearts.

    So, in the meantime that can be so mean at times, we're gonna get as close as we can to Jesus so we don't resign, quit, run away, or...

    We're gonna give 'em the Gospel.

    We're gonna call 'em to confession and repentance in thanks and praise for the Gospel.

    We're gonna live for Him...and we will die in the...

    Matthew 16:24-28.

    I'm resigning myself to this/Him.

@#$%

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Blessings and Love!