Today I posted my most recent sermon from the Book of Ruth - Chapter 3 on the First Congregational Church of Waseca web site (blog). I have been preaching through the book of Ruth one chapter at a time, and it has been going really well. I had a lot of positive and specific feedback from this past week's message. And by feedback I'm not talking about the simple obligatory things that people often say when they don't have anything else to say. I'm talking about specific references and conversations about the meaning in the message. It's nice to know people are paying attention! No snoring yet!
Just as a personal update, I am really enjoying what I am doing. You spend all the years working hard in seminary, serving in other churches, never knowing exactly how it will go when you are out on your own. It's going GREAT! I really was uncertain about becoming a Senior Pastor, especially in a 1 pastor church. That's not a reflection on the church, but is my own fear of not being sure I was ready. I'm still not sure I'm ready, but I know now that I'm doing what I am supposed to be doing, where God wants me to be. And that is exciting. And scary. And challenging. It is forcing me to walk in faith, something I am not inherently gifted at. So it's a good thing, an uncomfortable thing. My church members have been incredibly gracious and supportive, which makes all the difference in the world to my success.
Tonight I am taking my high school group (called Youth Chat) to Mankato to grab a quick bite of supper and then to Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. Focus on the Family's Pugged In Online review. My wife and I saw this movie late last week and it spurred some good conversations about what we believe and the systematic censorship exposed in the movie. It is a sort of documentary, so it is plodding at times, but overall we really enjoyed it. The last few minutes are the best part of the movie with Richard Dawkins looking quite foolish in his infinite regress based argument for aliens planting a seed on Earth leading to the creation of life on our planet (and isn't that a form of Intelligent Design?). Talk about having to have faith to believe in something unsubstantiated! I could go on, but won't, because this post isn't about evolution vs. creation etc. Agree or disagree with Ben Stein's premise, he clearly exposes systematic censorship within academia against Intelligent Design.
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