musement?

I just met with an area pastor who talked a bit about studying the bible for recreation. I must confess, i never really thought of it happening that way. I realize that sometimes we fall in love with the intricacies of doctrine and fail to have it change us. Is it a habit many of us are making to study God's Word just to have ammunition for arguments rather than for edification and sanctification? Are we not given the gift of scripture to the end of the Holy Spirit revealing truths about God and what He requires of us and our relationship with Him with respect to His Son? Do we study scripture for the purpose of recreation, and if we do, is that OK?

more fishies

Wow, i can't beleive how great the fishing is here. The fish are a little difficult to find, but i think growing up doing a mix of big river fishing and trout fishing has given me some good stuff to work with as far as knowing where fish are going to be. Thanks dad.
I think fishing is the best way to do evangelism and ministry at Stevens Point, as well as the best way to build rapport with new students. I took one of my freshman guys, Tom, out on Sunday night and we got 67 walleyes, plus the usual catfish and smallmouth, as well as some crappies and rock bass. This morning i got a chance to go with our music leader, Eric, and we caught a lot of walleyes. When we first got out, we couldn't get a walleye to hit where i usually get them every cast, so i picked up the musky rod. I make a habit of ALWAYS doing a figure 8 at the end of each cast here, because it's impossible to know when you have a follow. For no reason whatsoever, on my third cast i decided to forgo the figure 8, and a musky almost jumped into the boat trying to snatch my bucktail. Duh. I guess i'll have to go out again sometime.
New Student Outreach is winding down after 2 weeks here, and i'm feeling pretty good about settling into a more normal campus routine. This fall is going to be a little odd, because i am going to make myself work on raising support a lot. I am operating at around 70% of my budget right now, and i feel like i need to get that up over 90% before December. God has been faithful up to now, and He'll provide, but i have a lot of work to do for the ministry He's given me!
On a different note, Kyle Borg and I have been talking, but i'm working on a model for our IV chapter actually being an extension of the local church, instead of a separate entity. If any of you out there have some good ideas or advice for me i'd love to hear it!

Gospel Objectivity

Last Friday some good friends from church and i went downtown to give away hot dogs and talk to people about the free gift of grace from God through Jesus. It was a good time, but i became more and more concerned as we talked to more people. An alarming percentage of the people we talked to thought it was great that we believed in Jesus for our salvation. They found it so important to believe in something but "Jesus is different for different people." What!? That makes me want to puke. The saving acts of Jesus have all taken place apart from us and are in no way dependent upon our belief or disbelief. I just got done giving a talk to IV based mostly on 2 Timothy 2:8. There is definitely one particular Jesus that Paul is talking about in his gospel, the one risen from the dead, the offspring of David. "But if even we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." Galations 1:8. I said that it's like we create an imaginary friend that we trust our eternal souls with. Joanna said "I hope we are not content putting that kind of trust in a product of our own imagination." She's great. It is good that many people today feel a need for faith in something greater than ourselves, but concerning that we make up the "greater thing" on our own. I don't get it. Please turn to Jesus, the One "risen from the dead, the offspring of David," and not a Jesus of your own contrivance. Somehow God seems to have used my little talk at IV tonight, and more people are being brought into the family of God. I pray that He would continue to gather His elect here in Stevens Point. I'm so thankful He is faithful, even when we are faithless.
In other news, caught 67 walleye last night. It's getting colder, so i think the fishing, expecially for muskies, will actually pick up a bit. We'll see!

book thing

I guess i'm supposed to do this book list thing. It looks like fun. I wrote it all yesterday, but when i tried to post it it erased it instead. Maybe the list will be the same today, we'll see. The Bible is omitted from the answers, otherwise this list would get redundant. Here it goes:
1. One book that changed your life.
The Soul Winner by Charles Spurgeon. So good.
2. One book you've read more than once.
A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards. I had to, and i'll have to read it at least a few more times, because my brain is too small.
3. One book you'd want on a desert island.
Besides the Bible, it would probably be The Complete Works of John Bunyan that my fiancee and LaX IV guys got me as a going away present. That thing is amazing. John Bunyan is amazing.
4. One book that made you laugh.
Lectures to My Students by Spurgeon. He can be so hilarious and make his point stick. I'll never forget, "If you be lax in secret devotion, not only will you need to be pitied, but your people also." Well, i guess that part wasn't so funny.
5. One book that made you cry.
Women's Liberation, Jesus Style And not in a good way.
6. One book you wish had been written.
What it Means to be a Para-Church Organization by Geerhardus Voss or someone like that. Maybe A.W. Pink.
7. One book you wish had never been written.
A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McClaren. Why confuse people anymore? You can't say "I am a fundamentalist Calvinist" on the cover and go on to call Calvinists "Indian killers" and other names and expect it all to make sense. Seriously.
8. Some books you are currently reading.
Mortification of Sin in Believers by John Owen, Spurgeon's Sermons, The Bruised Reed by Sibbes.
9. One book you've been meaning to read.
The Life and Death of Mr. Badman by Bunyan. Actually, Joanna and i started it and will continue, it's just hard to read when we are several states apart. We each have a part to read, and read it like a play. All couples should read Bunyan together.

A quick update

New Student Outreach has been going well. We have been able to make conections with many freshmen and transfer students, and i pray that the Christians will start coming to church and the unbelieving students will continue to be drawn by God until they are in a saving relationship with Him. I already see much evidence of God's grace in the way many have responded to the gospel. Two guys have decided that they want to follow Jesus during college instead of giving in to peer pressure, and one of my leaders and i got to pray for a man who was having a really hard time as his parents are in a hospital far away.
Pray that the leaders here would be faithful and clear in communicating our vision for IV this year, and that the chapter would own what we are doing, and not just leave everything to the student leaders and staff. That has a tendency to happen, and there is not a stron tradition of student ownership at Stevens Point. I have to get back on campus, but i'd love to hear from you all!