Week off

by Dan Phillips

Area flooding is threatening at least our timing, but we're supposed to be doing some local vacationing this week. So I myself am...

Back next week, Lord willing.

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Things To Come

by Dan Phillips

(Not the book by Pentecost, but, you know... things to come!)

My "things to do" list has well passed my "things done" list. When that sort of thing happens, blogging is a thing that gives. But I thought I'd tell you of some things in the works:

What it does and doesn't mean to walk in the Spirit. I've mostly written on the second aspect (doesn't mean), but mean to do some writing here, in addition to what's in TWTG. I've preached about it, more than once, but it remains to put it in a blog post.

A review of Matt Harmon's Mentor series commentary on Philippians. Absolutely wonderful commentary, a rare combination of scholarship and devotion. Enthusiastically recommend it, expect it to be used for years to come.

A review of Logos 6, particularly the Reformed package. I was a beta tester. Love it, recommend it.

A review of BibleWorks 10. Also beta tested this, also love it, also recommend it. Every pastor or serious Bible teacher should have this. In fact, I'm to be talking about it on the Theotek Podcast this Friday, Lord willing.

So, when I can, you'll see this. And an SHST this Friday if I can.

In the meanwhile if you've any interest, last Sunday I preached on that theme dear to our hearts: the glory of God.

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We scarpered

by Dan Phillips

My dear wife and I celebrated our wedding anniversary yesterday (I write proleptically, so with a "DV" attached). This year, we ran away! We headed off Wednesday to some not-too-far-off part of unexplored Texas — "unexplored" could describe about 99.9% of it, in our case — for a brief anniversary getaway. We're headed back today.

So no SHST today. Instead, in keeping with the theme, you could listen to the Sunday School series I taught on marriage. Or you could read the first blog post I ever published.

See you next week, or in church, whichever comes first.

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TIWIARN

by Dan Phillips

If you want to learn how to support extending the reach of the conference, contact Josh Feinberg.

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See you soon!

by Dan Phillips

Howdy, as we say in Texas.

As we're looking forward to seeing y'all in just a few days, preparations are going on busily all over. That includes the pastor's study!

So for once I'm not going to pare off the time to shape and shine and perfect a post. What we're all doing, including what I'm doing, will show in what you enjoy when you sit down with us here for our first-ever back-together-again-for-the-first-time Pyromaniacs Sufficient Fire conference.

It's stacking up to be a fun, encouraging, edifying time. We all appreciate your prayers.

According to the weather, bring warm clothes and a rain jacket.

See you Friday!

PS — if you're unable to come but want to support what we're doing, contact Josh Feinberg.

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Proverbs book now available for pre-order on Logos

by Dan Phillips

A number of you have been interested in getting God's Wisdom in Proverbs in Logos format... well, including me! The good news is that now it's available for pre-order at Logos for under $16. Moneywise, this is the best time to order a book from Logos.

Since publication, folks have asked about getting the book on Kindle. As I've always said, I don't think this would be the best book for Kindle (of which I know no plans), given all the FOOTnotes. But (I've always said) I think it'd be perfect for Logos.

And now... here y'go!

It didn't ruin my day much to get this congrats from someone who bought both my books:

It's cool @BibChr that ur great book on Proverbs is featured on the @logos homepage. Buy here http://t.co/zQ3M4nqJzq pic.twitter.com/ELpRzRdKvY
— David Limbaugh (@DavidLimbaugh) December 17, 2013

Let me ask you a favor, if I may. Many of you have used the book and encouraged me with the ways in which it's been helpful to you. Would you mind going over to Logos and rating it, and reviewing it so that folks will know why they should pre-order the book? I'd appreciate it.

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Strange Fire Conference #1: personal

by Dan Phillips

Here begins a series of posts on the Strange Fire conference held last week at Grace Community Church.

This may be the briefest, as it will be personal. I find people are often more interested in posts like this than I would ever in my most febrile moments imagine, so here 'tis. If you're not one of those people, sorry, really I am; see you next time.

Big Gulp. Dear wife and I flew out Monday evening, leaving our boys (14 and 18) alone for the first extended time. With a brilliance that I display only when I don't try, I had just preached a sermon on God's surprising cure for anxiety, which I selected without thinking how much I'd need it myself. We were helped in knowing that many in our dear church were available to them and would check up on them, perhaps performing unannounced inspections and the like.

Flight. But we ran into a (wait for it) glitch right away. Frontier Airlines, whose reputation for frequent cancellations and re-routings seems to be well-earned, wanted to re-route us due to a "routine maintenance." We wondered why, if it were routine, it caught them by surprise. But never mind; initially it looked like a windfall, in that we'd get a direct flight to LA instead of having a layover in Denver. Win, right? We only lightly detected the ominous overtones in the agent's promise, "I'm going to try really hard to get your luggage transferred to your new flight."

Heroic though her efforts may have been, they were not successful. We had a fairly uncomfortable ride in the very back two seats, hard against the bathroom, next to the only surly and unfriendly flight attendant I've ever encountered. When we landed — no luggage. Not a total surprise, so we logged our case with the agent after a long wait, and went to our room. Valerie had found a lovely Comfort Inn motel near Universal Studios, with a very nice, decent-priced room, great breakfasts, and best of all, about equidistant from Grace Community Church and Bob's Big Boy.

To close those loops:

• Our luggage did not come, nor were we contacted. So we contacted American Airlines, which was easy enough. However, they said Frontier had our luggage, and every time their driver went over, Frontier was closed. Finally, we tried to contact Frontier. It was impossible. Their web-page number, with menu selections for "luggage issues," went to a ticketing agent who had no way to contact anyone with luggage. The number we were given rang, got a voicemail that said in total "At the tone leave a message," and was worthless. So it's getting to evening-time, we've nothing but our travel-clothes, one phone is dead and the other is down to 13%. So in desperation, I Tweet about it. Incredibly, that gets a response. A very nice lady named Colette actually takes ownership of the issue, follows through, and we finally get our luggage — at 10:10pm the night before the conference.

• Bob's Big Boy matters to me because my first job out of high school was at the Bob's #1 in Glendale, California, which in 1973 still had actual car-hops. I still love their burgers, love them. Formula for about forty years: bun well, no relish, heavy mayonnaise, add avocado. This year I went crazy and added grilled, sliced onions. Yum. We got to eat there three times, once with our dear friend Tom Lusby (my Best Man at our wedding)! #WINNING

People at the conference. Now to overview the personal aspect of the conference — well, I do this with some fear. I know I'm going to forget something I shouldn't, and will kick myself when I find it out. But given that something is better than nothing...

The volunteers at Grace were amazing. There were 700 of them. And the place was laden with free food — fruits, candy, coffee, fancy-coffee-like-drinks, ice cream, pop/soda/cola/coke (depending on where you're from), and much else. They were unfailingly kind, friendly, cheerful and helpful. Just terrific.

We got to re-meet and (mostly) meet a number of online friends and new friends. We already knew the owner of truly the most underappreciated, excellent blog on the intrawebz, Fred Butler. Freddie was as he always is: friendly, helpful, interesting, laid-back, fun. Valerie and I loved hanging with him.

Also we had the joy a couple of times of chatting with longtime commenter Susan and her mother. What fun! She had a stack of Proverbs books for me to sign, so she could give them to friends, as she already had done with TWTG. Bless her.

I also met a brother named Brian from Ireland, who'd been involved for years in the "apostolic" "renewal." He thanked me for my writings on continuationism, saying it and the other Pyro resources had helped deliver him from the bondage of that false movement. We praised God together. One of my regrets is not being able to reconnect to hear more of his story.

Also, met Douglas Kofi Adu-Boahen, who was prevented by illness from meeting us at the Ashford Messianic Prophecy conference. Time will fail me in mentioning Nick Rolland, Matt McGrew and his father Dan (do I have that right?), Robert Audet... brothers and sisters from Iowa, Colorado, Texas, Australia, England, and so on.

It was a surprise treat to meet Andy Chulka. Andy is assistant pastor at a church in Missouri, and is using TWTG for the second time. First he went through it with a Men's Fellowship, and the response was so positive that he's now using it with the whole church. Of course, that doesn't spoil my day any.

At Grace itself, it was great seeing Travis Allen (who has a formidable memory) and Jay Flowers again. One of the highlights for Valerie and me was enjoying dinner with m'man Mike Riccardi, who's flourishing at GCC and Master's, and busier than a one-eyed cat watching six mouse-holes. Also got to renew acquaintances briefly with Phil's son Jeremiah Johnson and meet his lady-friend. Jeremiah was among those enjoying Valerie's life-changing peanut-brittle ministry when we visited his parents a couple of years back.

I didn't really look up the speakers, except of course Phil, briefly John MacArthur (more later), and Todd Friel. I had to see how tall Todd really was. "Freakishly," as it turns out. Loved talking with him, albeit briefly; it was a bit like talking to a lightning bolt. Todd asked me a really good, pointed question, and I was too cheese-headed from lack of sleep and extreme old age and other excuses to have a good, quick answer. One came to me a bit later, but I could never connect with Todd at the conference again. So I plan to share it with you (and him) in a post.

Of course the crown was breakfast Saturday morning with our dear friends Phil and Darlene Johnson. Phil was so busy that all we could do was chat in passing before and after meetings, but they were kind enough to get up (too) early, to have breakfast with us before we flew off. Barely time to talk grandchildren, conference, and a few other matters. Suddenly and far too soon, the time was gone, and so were we.

A full day of flying brought me back home to our dear boys, cats, and house — all still standing and in good shape, thank God. Very happy to be home, and very grateful to be back in worship and fellowship at the church I love on Sunday.

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Alone, outgunned, and hopelessly outnumbered

by Dan Phillips

In other words, "A target-rich environment."

When Frank told me some time back of his thoughts of hiating from The Intarwebz, I first thought to do the same. Since entering fulltime pastoral ministry at CBC here, I found that my time was more taken up, and even more that my "itch" was more scratched. I didn't have the same driving need to use blogging to get out the Word, since I had done it via books and now was doing it in The Real Thing, a local church. And a very dear one, at that.

And then there was the need to get out two scheduled posts every Tuesday and Thursday, which isn't always easy to wedge in. However, there are still things I want to do. There are a number of books I want to review, and still topics I want to dive into and truths I want to uncage from this platform.

That said, then, here's The Fewchah as we're looking at it:

1. We all know about Phil. Snif.
2. Frank is hiational, but the door is always open, in case someone on the internet is so wrong that only Frank can fix it.
3. Monday will be Spurgeon, and Friday will be Best-of, or Greatest Hits, now spanning amongst the three of us.
4. I'll post as inspiration strikes or need arises on the remaining days.

There y'go.

Phil's departure was a big loss to the intrawebs, but at least there was Frank. But now for a time, you won't have Frank to kick [you] around. I thought and think that the both of them do what no one else is doing, and what badly needs to be done. But God is God, and those brothers have better things to put their hands to at present.

So in the meanwhile, I'll endeavor to persevere, and maybe even...

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Doug Wilson bears witness to Andrew Sullivan; plus an aside on passion

by Dan Phillips

Please sit down, for your own safety.

We open with a Startling Insight that (I say, intending very little snark) a surprising number of people don't seem to grasp: I preach to be heard, and write to be read.

Yessir, there it is. As you know, unless this is your first visit (Welcome!), we here at Pyro write from deep conviction. "We" includes me. When it's about any of the issues of the day and not mere trivia, what I preach and write comes from 40 years of seeking the Lord, seeking to know Him and walk with Him and be of fruitful service to Him. This desire was born in my heart literally the day He saved me, and what you're reading right now is a fruit of that.

That being the case, probably like most sane males, I do what I do aiming at an impact. I neither preach nor write solely to amuse nor please myself (though there is the Jer. 20:9 factor). Writing to no readers, preaching to no hearers, would be the sound of one-hand-clapping, an exercise in futility.

So I preach and write because I'm convicted that I'm communicating some portion of God's truth. This rests on the deeper conviction that nothing matters more than God's truth. Put them together and you have the driving imperative that's moved me for forty years: to know Him and make Him known. To study, do, and teach (cf. Ezra 7:10; 1 Tim. 3:1).

That said, I was very grateful to God that so many found last week's thoughts on Gen. 1:1 to be true and useful, and expressed their desire to put it to use.  (See, there it is again: true, useful, used; there's my aim.) I always smiled when folks asked my permission (!) to make use of it; and I always said "Yes, thank you, please do! That's exactly why I write this stuff: to glorify God, to inform and instruct and equip and arm His people. When you take what I give and use it, I'm a happy man."

Many gracious and kind readers and Tweeters and others echoed the word of the post, to my grateful surprise. Among their number were Challies and the TGC home page. To say that none of this ruined my day would be sheer litotes.

And so it was a pleasure to see Doug Wilson also tweet kindly about the post. Then to my even greater surprised gratitude, a reader pointed out that Wilson elected to make use of the post in his debate with Andrew Sullivan about homosexual "marriage." And  so he did:

(You can get the whole deal right here.)

Now, I suppose that, were I a Big Name, I'd strike a jaded pose, sniff indiffferently, murmur "Quite," and reach for another pinch of snuff — as if this happens every day, and is only what one should expect.

But I won't. Why not? See above. When I Tweet something I feel deeply is vital, maybe I get a few, or if I'm "lucky" a dozen retweets. When Doug Wilson Tweeted about my post, he got 76 retweets and 56 "Favorites." The mentions on TGC and Challies drove our traffic up to 8-10X its already-generous normal rate.

Why do I care about that? Again, see above. That's why.

It's a funny thing; when I do something I care deeply about, and then share it, or share others' appreciation, some unkindly sneer that it's "self-promotion." Yet when John Piper and others constantly Tweet about their talks, conferences and articles, I don't see the same. Why not? Because we know Piper's very passionate about his message, and because most of us are glad to know about what he's doing.

Yet John Piper (unlike most of us) has his own instant-promotion machinery. He doesn't need to promote his work. So why don't we accuse him, who doesn't need to promote his work, of self-promotion? Because we know why he's doing it. He is completely sold out for his message, and he wants everyone to hear it. To which we say, "Amen, me too."

In that way, I'm no different... except for not having the built-in megaphone Piper has. So I have to work harder to get out the word I care about so dearly.

That being the case, I really have a special place in my heart for anyone who does what he can to use his own means to share the message I'm trying to broadcast.

Bringing me back to Doug Wilson.

I confess, not for the first time, that I don't completely "get" Doug Wilson. I haven't made a study of him. I know there are some areas where we absolutely do not agree: his postmillennialism, his baby-sprinkling, some of what he says about how parenting. Then in other areas, I just don't think I yet understand where he's coming from. But thirdly, in other areas, I think I do get him, and agree, and in those areas Wilson is absolutely brilliant. He expresses the truths I adore in simply sparkling, exquisite terms. I have used his insight (down to the very wording) again and again, usually with credit.

Now think a bit further. I say that to say this. If I were to use the cool hipster term I despise — "tribe" (eugggh)  — Wilson's not exactly my "tribe." When my first book came out, many other highly-visible folks one might see as being more in my "tribe" opted not even to publicly acknowledge its existence. Yet at that time, Doug Wilson was kind enough to reach across "tribal" boundaries to pick it as his first book of the month, and recommend it heartily. That I wasn't an A-lister like Wilson, nor a dead-center member of his "tribe," didn't stop him. He shared my passion about the message, and used his megaphone to commend it to others.

Why did I care? Well, of course, first, because it was simply kind and gracious of Wilson. Also, it gave me some insight to what Wilson must see as the Gospel, if he thinks that book represents it faithfully.

But, again, why did I care?

Once last time, see above. Wilson took the book in which I pulled out every stop and gave everything I had to give to convey a message I was and am dead-earnest about and wholly devoted to, and he raised its visibility. By doing so, Wilson used the platform God had given him to assure that others who otherwise would not have heard of the book would give it a look and PUT IT TO USE.

For that, I'll always be grateful; and this use vis-a-vis Andrew Sullivan is yet another example.

And then there's this bonus. Andrew Sullivan hears the name "Dan Phillips," and thinks... "Who?"

What's not fun about that?

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Briefly noted: TWTG on audio, God's Wisdom in Proverbs variouses, and CBC news

by Dan Phillips

Howdy gang. Having been happily benched this week, I'm taking this chance to sneak in a few bits of news of note.

First: some of you have said that you'd like to see The World-Tilting Gospel on audio book. While Kregel has no plans to put it in that format, I just saw a new-to-me feature on Amazon. It appears there's a way to "vote" for an audio version of the book.

If that interests you at all, go on over.

Second: others of you have been interested in seeing God's Wisdom in Proverbs in the Logos format. For my part, I think this would be of more value than Kindle; it's a "natural" for Logos' strengths. That said, here is the latest of several threads where Logos users are telling Logos of their interest. If that interests you, there's your opportunity.

Regular Pyro reader and commenter Joel Griffith (solameanie) finished working through the whole book, and has published his review of it. Check it out.

Finally: anyone on Facebook is welcome to "like" the page for the church I pastor, Copperfield Bible Church. It features links to sermons as soon as they are uploaded, and will announce any future events or seminars, as well as occasional notes and links on topics of interest to Pyro readers. Come aboard! Also, if you're interested, you can "follow" its Twitter account. Pyro readers find a warm welcome either way.

Finally-finally: Wherever you are, to coin a phrase: assemble in the Lord's household this Lord's Day when the service starts, to worship the Lord and hear the Word of the Lord. If you're capable, you know you should!

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Pyro brain-trust: On conferences in 2013

by Dan Phillips

Not the Point: so far, I'm working on the 2013 calendar, and am open for conference invitations for 2013, if anyone's interested: filops, then @, then yahoo.com.

Yes the Point: I'm also working on scheduling and budget for 2013. This is your opportunity to try to "sell" me (and, through me, other readers) on why I should go to your conference.

So: why should I, or anyone, go to your conference? Give info, dates, speakers, details, links.

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I got nothing... well, almost nothing

by Dan Phillips

I guess I do have this.

SCENE ONE: anxious parents pace back and forth in a hospital waiting room. Their only child fights for life in surgery. Word will come back at any moment. They alternately hold on to each other, and clutch their stomachs, sick with worry and care.

In comes their faithful shepherd, Pastor D. Zaster. His advent is preceded by a happy whistle and accompanied by a cheery smile.

"Why so gloomy?" he chirps. "God is sovereign! His purposes are sure and certain. Anything that happens today or tomorrow is just a little blip, a road bump, on the way to Christ's Kingdom. And your child? What's one child against the ages of eternity? Dead, alive, Christ is risen and the Gospel is glorious. Really, to fret is to disbelieve! Cheer up! You're making far too much of far too little!"

Our verdict? Jerk.

SCENE TWO: An anxious American expresses his fears and concerns about today's presidential election. He knows that the results will have an impact on abortion, religious liberty, national security, as well as all the matters of concern highlighted in Jeremiah 29:1ff. Romans 13:1ff., 1 Tim. 2:1ff., and 1 Pet. 2:14.

In comes Famous Religionist, chirping "Why so gloomy? God is sovereign! His purposes are sure and certain. Anything that happens today or tomorrow is just a little blip, a road bump, on the way to Christ's Kingdom. And your nation? What's one little country against the ages-long rise and fall of kingdoms? Ruined, flourishing, Christ is risen and the Gospel is glorious. Really, to fret is to disbelieve! Cheer up! You're making far too much of far too little!"

Our verdict? Deeeep. Thoughtful. Helpful. Nuanced. Positively Godicocious. Let's give him a conference so he can tell us more.

My verdict? Er, well, let's say it isn't any of that.

Before you want to tell me that a pivotal moment in American history such as this isn't worth getting worked up about, you go talk Jeremiah out of writing Lamentations and then get back to me.

And anyone who still thinks that weaving airy theologizations and rationalizations for his own blithe detachment is great and wise and godly... well, just stay well away from anyone I care about when tragedy looms.

We live in the day when Men Without Chests are carried to fame and glory by adoring masses; and any hint of criticism, any attempt at accountability for failure, any call to something better and more truly Biblical and godly and manly is punished by scolding and shaming and shunning. They are the enablers, without whom the fops would be invisible.

Ah well. Tomorrow we'll know more about what Americans have chosen to reward.

And if the news is bad, we'll have to endure the deep, nuanced, above-it-all essays from Job's friends, and the adoring sighs of their fanboys.

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Well, his name's totally pyromaniacal... mostly totally...

by Dan Phillips

Haven't the time to finish baking the things I have on-tap, so I'll shamelessly vanitize this to say

Happy birthday,

Josiah!

My middle son, Josiah Paul Julien Phillips, was born 17 years ago today, at 35 or 6 to 4 in the morning. It was one of the very happiest days of my life. You know, after the terror and all.

Josiah was first-named after the king who rediscovered the Word of God, which transformed both him and his culture (2 Kgs. 22). He was middle-named first after the great apostle, whose life was given to knowing Jesus Christ and making Him known, for all he was worth (Phil. 1:19-21; 3:8-17); and second after my dad, a dear and incredibly capable man, and just about the most unstoppable man I've known.

So Josiah's full name was both a prayer and a parental aspiration, as must have been the case for godly parents over the many millennia.

I could go on and on (Readers [unkindly]: "You already have"), but let's bring the vanity to a crescendo with something aimed at giving the birthday boy a smile:

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Phil Johnson Unplugged

by Phil Johnson



oday was my 59th birthday. In other words, I'm now officially in my 60th year. Last week I did some careful reflecting; I also did some calculating; and it was—how shall I say this?—unsettling. Convicting. Alarming. In the very best case, I figure I might have a decade and a half of productive full-time labor left. Looking back on the past 15 years, I realize that's a very brief time. I want to make the most of it.

Thursday my doctor confirmed what I was beginning to think: I need to cut out everything non-essential in my life that causes stress without giving me any cardiovascular benefit. I hate when geriatric patients recite the details of their medical reports, so let's just say that the doctor was serious: It's time for me to stop burning the candle at both ends. Darlene emphatically affirmed that diagnosis. Everyone who loves me is likewise in hearty agreement.

So: (gladly, with no reluctance whatsoever) I'm officially retiring from blogging, social media, and every other activity that intrudes on things that ought to be the real priorities in the final two decades of a man's life.

I started blogging 7 years ago because I was concerned about the drift of postmodern evangelicalism and the Emerging Church Movement. I've said everything I have to say about that issue—and many more issues. In fact, as I think about it, I have probably at one point or another blogged about almost everything I'm really passionate about. I don't have any significant opinions left.



Thanks for reading and responding to my posts over the years. I'm handing over the PyroManiacs' master keys to Frank and Dan (who are both better bloggers than I am anyway). They can do with the blog whatever they like: conscript Chantry to be the third man, have a contest to recruit other new team members, or simply close up shop. (But if you guys opt for the latter, please leave the archives online as a kind of Ebenezer.)

Most people don't realize this, but Frank, Dan, and I did not know one another when we started blogging. By the time we formed a group blog in January of '06, I had met Frank only once and Dan never. But I had been reading what they wrote at their own blogs, and felt certain we would work well together as a team. That turned out to be a good call—but all credit for keeping the machinery of our teamwork well-oiled goes to them, not me. Best of all, we've become good friends, and that friendship (including fellowship with our families) will continue. I promise.

But my blogging stops here. I've already got more than enough deadlines to keep me busy for the rest of my life, without the additional stress of writing 2-3 weekly posts and trying to keep up with every controversy in the blogosphere. As interesting as that is, it's not my most important duty—by a long shot. And at my age, nothing would be more tragic than letting my priorities get confused.

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all" (2 Thessalonians 3:18).

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UPDATED:  Frank here.  I don't want to spoil Phil's final post, but there is some mass hysteria churning up in the comments, so for the sake of clarity, before you comment, note:


1. All of Phil's posts here and at the original Pyromaniac blog will remain here and there until Google crashes or Jesus returns.  

2. To my knowledge, the spurgeon.org server will remain up and running with the Spurgeon Archives utterly in tact. 

3. Phi's announcement is that he is leaving these things as finished works, not as trash at the curbside, so let's maintain our perspective.

Right now Dan and I have no plans to "replace" Phil, as if that was even possible.  However, we also have no plans of shuttering this blog.  What gets said here still needs to be said, and nobody else is going to say it.  To paraphrase a great line, these posts aren't going to write themselves.


Back to the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Right now, this is where I am

by Dan Phillips 

Most of you who care (and many of you who don't) know I'm here in Houston, TX, pastorizing and very happy about it. What most of you don't know (because I haven't said) is that I've been without my family -- and not so happy about that!

This BTW is why it was especially dear to me that Frank Turk and his terrific family took the pains to be here with me on the Sunday when I was installed as pastor. It took some sting out of my family's necessary absence to have longtime dear friends here with me and my new friends.

My dear wife and youngest sons remained in Sacramento, selling the house and finishing up various necessities. They've been working like crazy day and night, so's to reunite here in Texas. Meanwhile, I've pastored and house-hunted... and house-purchased! Using iPhone pictures and working with a terrific local agent, I was able to purchase a house near a lake. In fact, here's one of the neighbors I met from a distance the other day:

I think that's a water moccasin. He disappeared into the water before I could say "Howdy." Texas has 'way more venomous snakes than California. In California, if it didn't have a rattle, it was friendly. Not so much, here. But I digress.

So all that to say that I don't have a post for you today, because today is the day when my family is finally to arrive! The cats arrived by jet a couple of weeks ago, the furniture arrived last Wednesday and was unloaded with the help of a wonderful bunch of folks from church, and my family's driving here today.

What I'll be doing is mowing, shopping, arranging, tidying, and basically getting ready for a moment I've been looking forward to since March 9, when the sight of my family waving goodbye was one of the saddest sights I've ever seen. God's been good to Valerie and me, holding us up and being with us. But we are really looking forward to being back together, and today is that day, DV.

Pray for them as they travel, and be good in the meta.

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Friday Filler

by Phil Johnson



his may be risky, because I haven't had an opportunity to listen for myself yet, but yesterday Chris Rosebrough reviewed one of my sermons. You can hear his review in the second half of this broadcast:




Chris's sermon reviews are sometimes painful to listen to but always insightful. He plays the sermon from start to end, stopping the tape where he needs to make a point. If you want to learn how to listen to preaching with a discerning ear—paying attention to content, context, and doctrine, rather than style-of-delivery alone—Chris shows how it's done.

Chris reviews the good, the bad, and the ugly almost daily. There's a lot more bad and ugly than good, sadly. I'm guessing he (mostly) appreciated my sermon on Barabbas because it featured the kind of gospel focus he usually appreciates. But if you want some scary entertainment (better than any horror movie out there), you ought to listen to Chris's review of a bad sermon someday.

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This is where I am today

by Phil Johnson



ook the redeye from LAX to Boston last night. (I'm sure you'll be able to tell that when this video is complete. I'll be the character asleep in the corner.) The video promises to be intriguing: a free-ranging conversation among three very intelligent men and one jet-lagged blogger. I proposed calling it "Band of Curmudgeons" or "The Emergency Room." Abendroth didn't go for my suggestions.

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Thoughts on T4G 2012

by Dan Phillips

I won't bump Phil, but anyone wanting my thoughts and personal highlights on T4G2012 can find them here.

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...and hello, Houston!

by Dan Phillips

[continued from here]

Several months ago, I was contacted by regular reader Sir Aaron, whose church had begun looking for a pastor. Was I interested? "Sure," I said. "Where is it?"

"Houston," he answered.

"Doesn't that get awfully hot?" I asked. (I know that isn't deep, but it was the first association I had.)

"Only outside," he replied.

Thus began a process of conversation between the gracious folks of Copperfield Bible Church. After we'd asked each other a lot of questions and done our own investigations, they flew my family and me out for a week's visit.

For my family and me, it was an exhilarating joy. To say that they treated us warmly or friendly wouldn't come near to capturing how we felt. They welcomed us like long-lost, dearly-loved family. Though we were far from home, we felt as if we were home. We went through a number of group meetings and individual suppers, among many other activities. I preached twice (you can find those sermons here), led three other meetings, and participated in an evangelistic outreach. It simply was a joy.

So when they invited me to bring my family and serve with their elders in pastoring the church, my family was delighted for me to accept.

So I begin "on the clock" as pastor today, and am to preach my first sermon as pastor next Sunday.

Now you know why I've been busy, and why I'll be busy. You all know it isn't easy for a Calvidispiebaptogelical to find a home, but by God's grace I found one.

I just had to come a long, long way to find it!

I'm looking forward with great eagerness to get to know, to love, to teach and lead these folks, in the company of the good brothers who are my fellow-elders. I am thrilled at the opportunity to exalt Christ by preaching and teaching the Word emphatically and passionately, living it by God's grace, and bringing it to bear in pastoral discipleship.

Your prayers for them, me and my family would be deeply appreciated.

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