On Vacation

After a very busy Christmas season, we're on vacation this week in Hunt, Texas. Well, mostly in Hunt. Presently Faith and I are at my parent's house in San Antonio. Leslie and Justin are hunting in the San Saba area. Leslie killed her first deer yesterday evening. Justin's giving it a try this morning. I'm sure I'll hear from them a little later. Anyway, here are a couple of pictures. One is of Leslie and me before a bike ride in Hunt. I'm on the bike that Leslie bought me for Christmas. I bought Leslie one for her last birthday.

There's quite a story associated with how I came to acquire this bike. To locate it, my loving family took me on a wild hunt on Christmas Eve. Leslie gave me someone's garage door opener, and told me three neighborhoods that the bike could possibly be in. The bike was in the garage of a senior adult that we know well enough that he/she would allow Leslie to hide the bike in their garage. Well, if you only knew how many senior adults I know in these neighborhoods, you'd see how daunting of a task this was. She said that if I didn't find it in five tries, that she would reveal its location. So, to make a long story short, the bike was in the 5th garage we came to. But you should have seen me pointing this garage door opener at all these garages. It was pretty humorous. Once, Justin even said "drumroll, please." I thought that was a hint. But he was just bluffing. It wasn't that particular garage.

The other picture is me in front of the Dam Store in Ingram, which is between Kerrville and Hunt. This convenience store is across the street from the Ingram Dam, which is on the Guadalupe River. Leslie and I had a similar picture made several years ago in front of the same Dam Store. Anyway, if you ever get to visit that Dam Store, it's a good one.

Christmas Day 2007

It's Christmas Day. Whew! It's been a very busy season, as usual. Last night we had two Christmas Eve services at our church. Thanks to all who came, and thanks especially to those on the program who had to be at both services. Last Thursday night, there was the Las Posadas Christmas program at St. Stephens where my daughter goes to school. Here's a picture of my daughter Faith with her friends Caitlyn and Callie. Oh, and that's me with the lamb ears on. Yes, while the children played a variety of roles, like shepherds, angels, and wisemen, I was a little lamb. A guy has to be pretty confident in his manhood to wear such an outfit!

When I say it has been a busy season, I think about the second and third weeks of December. After a couple of back to back dress rehearsals our sanctuary choir, orchestra, and drama troupe gave two great performances of a musical called "There is Peace in the World Tonight." Here's how the rest of the week went down: Monday evening I went to the middle school band concert. Tuesday night was the high school band concert. Wednesday night we had a party for all those in the church Christmas musical. It was at our house. Thursday night I had a dress rehearsal for the Starlight Symphony Orchestra, in which I play percussion and timpani. Friday I went with several from our church to "Mainstreet Bethlehem" in Burnett, Texas. Got home pretty late. Saturday evening the SSO had a concert in Blanco. Sunday afternoon, they had a concert in Wimberley. Sunday evening, our church went caroling. We had a "breather" week; and then it was back to work with planning the Christmas Eve services. As I've always said, the Christmas season is one of the busiest times of year for musicians!

Anyway, our family is going on vacation now, and looking forward to some time to ourselves, where the calendar is not controlling our lives. There's a lot of joy in this season of the year. My family hopes all of you are experiencing this same joy as we all reflect on the real meaning of Christmas - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14 NIV).

Twelve Drummers Drumming

Well, not really. But there are definitely three of us. That's Sharon Miller and Tom Haddon with me at the Starlight Symphony Concert, which was held at the Wimberley Community Center. Thanks to my wife Leslie for taking the picture. If anyone wants to know about future concerts of the Starlight Symphony Orchestra, click here.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Thanks to Billy Graham (not "the"), one of our church members, for taking this photo. It was taken at Emily Ann Theatre in Wimberley. If you haven't been out to Emily Ann yet, you're really missing out. They've been hosting the "Trail of Lights" for the past few years during the holiday season. So go and check it out.

Peace in the World Tonight

This weekend our music and drama ministry is presenting a new Christmas musical by Randy Vader and Jay Rouse called "There is Peace in the World Tonight." It has some great musical moments, and a dramatic play that weaves in and out of the music. It's been a lot of fun to prepare. Here's a picture of the choir, orchestra, and cast of the production.

Some Thoughts on Being at FBC Wimberley for Ten Years

This month marks my ten year anniversary at First Baptist Church, Wimberley. It was around the summer of 1997 that I began praying earnestly for God to move me to another church, one where I could be a full time minister of music, rather than continuing in the combination position of music and youth minister, which I had done for 13 years. There was a 2 year period in which I taught middle school and served as a part-time music minister, but if I had continued doing that I would have probably suffered a nervous breakdown, not because of the church work, but because I was never called to teach in a middle school environment. Leslie knew it too, but she let me experience it to find out for myself that full time ministry was God's ultimate call on my life.

Anyone who knows me very well realizes that I love living in central Texas and wouldn't desire to live anywhere else. As a matter of fact, there was a time when I served on the mission field. Well, it was at a church in Wichita Falls, but it felt like a mission field, because I was over 300 miles away from the family and friends that I knew in central Texas. Ten years ago, Leslie's parents and my parents lived in San Antonio, but I also had relatives in Austin; so I prayed that God would move me to a church either in San Antonio or Austin, where I could be close to home. I never would have imagined that God would have planted me right in between these two great cities! But this is exactly what happened. I'm reminded of the scripture verse many of us know by memory. But I really like how the New Living Translation puts it:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

There was a path that God wanted me to take, and it led right to First Baptist, Wimberley. What a wonderful journey it has been. When I came to the church, we were having two traditional Sunday services. And now we have two very different services, contemporary and traditional, or whatever labels you want to put on them. The beautiful thing is that we worship the same true and living God in both settings, and that we are one in the Spirit.

Eight or nine years ago, a friend asked me what I thought God had in store for me in the future. I simply told him I would like to remain at First Baptist Wimberley as long as possible, loving the people here, and growing with them. He just said "that's awesome." The friend I'm referring to is Cole Phillips, former student minister here, who is now the pastor of the Connection Church in Kyle.

In my ten years here I can remember being the sole ministerial staff member twice. They were short times, to be sure, but challenging. You see, I've never thought of myself as a great leader. I'm much more comfortable in the 2nd or 3rd chair position of church leadership. And let me say that I am so happy to be working alongside the wonderful staff that we now have here at FBC! Our pastor is a man with a lot of vision, and a lot of great ideas for this church. It's a pleasure to work under his leadership. And what a great time to be celebrating ten years, because didn't we just break ground at the corner of Ranch Road 12 and Winters Mill Parkway!

There are a lot of volunteers in this church who help me, in both the music and senior adult ministries. And if I tried to name them, I would surely leave some people out. So let me just say that there's no way I could have ever stayed here this long without their support and encouragement. I feel that way about our congregation, as well. I have been overwhelmed at the love and encouragement that this church family has extended to my family through the years. Earlier this year you allowed me to take a two month sabattical, for which I'm grateful. It was such a blessing to be able to worship the Lord in many different congregations, without having to be the one in charge of planning the services.

Finally, let me say thanks for putting up with me all this time. It's been an honor to serve here. And I want to thank my faithful and supportive wife, Leslie, who has traveled with me on this wonderful journey. Our children were very young when we moved here. This has been a wonderful community to raise a family. As for our church, it's the desire of my heart that we continue to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18), and that we strive to always be making a difference in the community and in the world. I echo the words of the German music composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, who used to sign his manuscripts "Soli Deo Gloria" - "To God alone be the Glory."

King's Fair 2007

Every year our children's ministry puts on a community-wide event called King's Fair, which is a Halloween alternative. Everyone had a wonderful time. I was Robin Hood, and, for the record, I wasn't wearing tights. These pictures show myself, as well as Justin, Faith, and some of their friends.

It seemed like people from all over the community were at the King's Fair. It was very well organized by our children's minister, Amy Wagner, and KDO Director, Amber Messenger. So congratulations to these two wonderful people on our church staff. The rest of our staff was there too.

It's wonderful to see how a lot of our church members come together for this event every year. It takes a lot of people to put this on. So, a big thank you goes out to all of you who helped. My wife says I like to play "dress up." So, as you can see, I was in my element.

Science lovers poke fun at reckoning of Earth's age

I read an article in the Austin American Statesman today. Here's a link to it on the web. The first few lines immediately caught my attention:

They drank a blue-green concoction called Noah's Floodwaters Punch. They ate a Flat Earth Cake, a gentle poke at the Bible's description of the planet's shape. They listened to scienfific talks about the age of the earth.

Just who were these people? It was a gathering at Bookpeople, one of the local Austin bookstores. This meeting was held by the Center for Inquiry, a nonreligious organization that has had an Austin chapter for nearly a year.

This event was

an opportunity for those who disagree with creationism to have their say. In the always controversial process of deciding what Texas' science textbooks say, he said, "A lot of people representing the science view don't always have a forum."

Alright, is anyone going to correct the Austin American Statesman? It's one thing to report about events like this, but let's be accurate. The article says that the people at this meeting were eating a Flat Earth Cake, poking fun at just how "non-scientific" the Bible is in describing the earth. But just where does the Bible describe the earth as being flat?

From the website clarifyingchristianity.com, we learn that

The Bible described the shape of the earth centuries before people thought that the earth was spherical.

Isaiah 40:22
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

The word translated “circle” here is the Hebrew word chuwg which is also translated “circuit,” or “compass” (depending on the context). That is, it indicates something spherical, rounded, or arched—not something that is flat or square.

The book of Isaiah was written sometime between 740 and 680 BC. This is at least 300 years before Aristotle suggested that the earth might be a sphere in his book On the Heavens.

This brings up an important historical note related to this topic. Many people are aware of the conflict between Galileo and the Roman Catholic Pope, Paul V. After publishing A Dialogue on the Two Principal Systems of the World, Galileo was summoned to Rome, where he was forced to renounce his findings. (At that time, “theologians” of the Roman Catholic Church maintained that the Earth was the center of the universe, and to assert otherwise was deemed heretical.)

We could not find any place in the Bible that claims that the Earth is flat, or that it is the center of the universe. History shows that this conflict, which took place at the time of the Inquisition, was part of a power struggle. As a result, scientific and biblical knowledge became casualties—an effect we still feel to this day.

The article also says they were celebrating Earth's birthday, a satire on the belief held by some creationists that the Earth was created on Oct. 23, 4004 B.C., an idea attributed to the 17th-century Anglican Archbishop James Ussher.

It's true James Ussher came worked out a system in which he "figured out" the age of the earth, based on his reckoning of the time statements in the Bible. But this was one man's view. I can't think of anyone who actually takes his dating of the earth seriously, Creationist or otherwise. And people need to know that among Creationists, there are those who are "old earthers" and "young earther," depending on whether they believe the days of Genesis 1 are literal 24 hour periods, or epochs of time.

I don't usually talk about science vs religion kinds of things in this blog, but the article caught my attention. Therefore, I felt compelled to write.

Man of La Mancha

Recently I played the part of the Padre in the Broadway Musical Man of La Mancha. The play ran from September 21 through October 14 at the Wimberley Playhouse, the theater of the Wimberley Players. This was my first production with them, and it was a lot of fun. The director, LeRoy Nienow, of Austin, Texas, is definitely a pro. I was impressed how he thought through every detail with great precision. He was able to get a large cast and crew of people to work together for the common goal of accomplishing something wonderful for our community and surrounding area. David Bisett (on the right in the picture) played Don Quixote. It was a joy to work him and all the others in this cast and crew. Click here to see some backstage photos.

The Daily Audio Bible

I have to recommend something I found out about recently. It's Brian Hardin's Daily Audio Bible. Brian is a Nashville, TN, based record producer, photographer, graphic designer and author. You know, one of those Renaissance men of our own time. Anyway, for the last couple of years, he's recorded the entire Bible on a daily podcast. You can either listen online, or download the entire year to iTunes. Each day has about 25 minutes of a Bible reading, as well as some comments and prayers by Brian himself. Interestingly, he varies his reading by switching between various English Bible translations on a weekly basis. So if you're used to reading one translation of the Bible, as I am with the NIV, it's a fresh experience to hear Holy Scripture in different versions.

At the end of several of the podcasts, he will feature a spoken testimony from someone who has called in. Some of the comments are quite beautiful because they're made by broken people who came across the podcast, gave it a listen, and were greatly encouraged, as a result of listening. Anyone can call the phone number listed on his website to offer a comment or make a prayer request. Think about it: Making a prayer request on this website, or calling one in, insures that potentially tens of thousands of people will pray for your specific requests. Wow! That's a lot of prayer.

So give the Daily Audio Bible a listen. Click here and start listening! It will strengthen you and your walk with Christ.

A Block of Salt

The following is a Children's Devotional I have prepared to give in couple of days as part of the chapel service at St. Stephens Episcopal School:

Does anyone know what I have here? That’s right, it’s a saltshaker, which reminds of a story in the Bible. In Genesis 19, God sends two angels to warn Lot and his family to get out of the city of Sodom, for God was about to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of these cities were very wicked, and God’s judgment was about to fall on them.

The instructions the angels gave Lot were clear: “Run for your lives! Don’t even look back.” At first, Lot just stood there. As wicked as the city was, he was still strangely attached to it. But the Bible says that “the Lord wanted to save Him. So the angels took Lot, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city.

When they were safely out of the city, “the Lord sent burning sulfur down like rain on Sodom and Gomorrah. He destroyed those cities and everyone who lived in them, as well as their land and trees and grass that grew there.” And then something horrible happened. Lot’s wife looked back at the city and “was turned into a block of salt.”

Remember the instructions the angels gave: “Run for you lives! Don’t even look back.” When God says something, he means it. Let Lot’s wife serve as an example for us. When you have left a lifestyle of sin and unrighteousness, don’t look back, as enticing as it might seem. Keep going forward with God, with eyes of faith to follow Him, no matter where He leads.

God will bless your faith and trust in Him. Why would we want to held back by something the book of Hebrews calls “the sin that so easily besets us?” On one occasion, Jesus told a woman to “go and leave your life of sin.” But Jesus would never ask us to leave something unless He fills that empty place with something that is so much greater: a life of joy, purpose, and fulfillment, which is rooted in Him, the source of eternal life.

West Texas Trip

Recently I took a group of senior adults to West Texas. How exciting is that!!?? When you say "West Texas" that "covers a lot of ground." But we visited one of the most beautiful regions in the entire state. I'm speaking of the Fort Davis/Big Bend area. We had about 25 people in our group, including our church members and their friends and relatives. OK, I have to be honest for a moment. I took this group of seniors out to this region because I went with my family a few years ago and loved it. I figured if we had such a wonderful time out there, why shouldn't others?

The most memorable part of the trip was probably the Star Party we attended at the McDonald Observatory. If you've never been to the Observatory, let me encourage you to go as soon as you can. It's a guided tour through the night sky. And the people directing the tour are thorough experts. The following day we went back for a solar viewing to see what was happening on our nearest star, the Sun. Of course, we were watching a live telescope view of the sun that was filtered and showing on a screen in an auditorium. Afterall, we weren't stupid enough to actually look at the sun!

We also viewed the Marfa lights. These are strange and defy description. But no trip to this region would be complete without a viewing of these mysterious lights! We arrived just before sunset and it took about 45 minutes before their was any activity. But then the lights "came on." Unfortunately, a haze in the sky prevented us from seeing them more brightly. For history, we visited the Fort Davis National Historic Site. Buffalo soldiers figured prominently here in the latter part of the 19th century. They protected settlers from Apache and Comanche raids.

Visiting Big Bend National Park was an optional side trip. Ten of us went there one afternoon. I guided them straight to the Chisos Mountain Basin, where they were treated to some of the most scenic views in all of Texas. The mountains out there, rising from the desert, are majestic and awe-inspiring.

We stayed three nights at the Indian Lodge in Davis Mountains State Park, taking up 13 rooms. The Indian Lodge is a unique structure that was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) of the Roosevelt administration, as part of the "New Deal." Since it was built, several additional rooms have been constructed. But the additions were built to look like the original hotel. All of our state parks owe a great deal of thanks to members of the CCC for building the original state park buildings and structures that we have come to love and admire today.

Leslie had to work during this trip, but I was glad my children could go. It was particulary gratifying to hear the seniors commenting on how well behaved and friendly my children were. So, all in all, we had a wonderful time out in West Texas. I know I organized this trip for a large group of people, but gosh, it kinda felt like a vacation too!

A Prayer in Remembrance of 9-11

It's only a few days until we remember the anniversary of 9-11. I wrote the following prayer to read in church on Sunday, Sept. 9th:

Almighty God, today we pause to remember the national tragedy of 9-11. This senseless act of terrorism that brought America to her knees just a few years ago reminds us that evil is very much a part of the world we live in. But you have told us to take courage, and that you have overcome the world, and to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Make us stand strong today.

Holy Father, you are the Prince of Peace. When other world religions tell us that they stand for peace, let your people remember that true peace comes only through a right relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. We ask you to bring peace to this world. It can happen. Our pastor reminded us a couple of weeks ago of your promise that all things are possible with God.

Comforting Savior, let your mercy be upon all those who suffered the most on that fateful day, that is, those who lost loved ones and close friends. Some of them are still reeling in despair to this day. I pray that they would receive peace that passes all understanding. Now, Lord, teach us to pray like you once taught your disciples.

Our Father, which art in Heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

in earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory,

Forever and ever. Amen.

Is He Baptist or Episcopalian?

You be the judge! Here I am standing with Father Patrick Gahan, pastor of St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Wimberley and Bishop Earl McArthur (Ret., West Texas Diocese). We had just held the Saint Stephen's Opening Convocation on the first day of school. Father Gahan preached a wonderful sermon, I read from the Gospel of Luke and prayed, while the Bishop gave the final blessing to the school, students, faculty, and staff.

A Big Bend Moment

This moment was obviously filmed at Big Bend National Park.

A Civil War "What's in the Cup?" Moment

Well, here's another moment video that my son filmed. We were at Fort Davis National Historic Site in West Texas. Enjoy!

Shaenyn Alyse Yates

Here's the beautiful baby Shaenyn Alyse. This is our student minister and his wife's baby girl, born last Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. She was 6 lb. 15 oz. and 19 1/2 inches. Mom and Baby are fine! Congratulations to the Yates family!

Yellowjackets Music Video - "Wildlife" from 1988

Leslie and Classmates of her Motorcycle Class

Here's a picture of Leslie and some of her classmates who participated in the Javelina Harley-Davidson Riders-Edge class. It was earlier this month.

Paul's Letter to FBC Wimberley

Here's a letter written by the hand of the Apostle Paul to our church. OK, it was actually written by one of our church members, Jay McDonald. He wrote it when Harold O'Chester was our interim pastor. Some of you recall the healing that our church needed to go through when Harold was here. Harold and Barbara's ministry were just what our church needed at the time. Anyway, I was going through some old emails, and came across this letter. So here it is. It's as timely now as it was then:

Greetings to the First Baptist Church at Wimberley

I, Paul, have decided to write to you and offer some words of encouragement, correction, and love.

There is, and always will be, diversity among humans. Our God started this when he created Eve, rather than leave Adam alone. The first two children born of this union were tragically different. God does not use a cookie cutter.

You members of this church are joined to serve God. There is a common, holy truth among you – belief in Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior.

The very fact that you are all different can be, and should be, a great asset -- gathering strength from each other. These collective strengths can be marshaled into accomplishing amazing things under God’s leadership. So, use these differences as a plus, not fretful of them, but mindful of, and grateful for God’s unerring wisdom.

Remember that as you serve Him, in this body, that the overall goals and needs of His church are far greater than any one person’s preference or agenda.

So, don’t stir up trouble! Not only will you ultimately be punished, but, tragically, God’s work in your community, and even around the world will be hampered. If one part of a body is weak, damaged or wrong, then it is without question that the entire body suffers.

I am certain that God’s love permeates your body of believers. When God created us, He gave us first the ability to love Him – but also to love others. Why did He do this? I don’t question God’s unfailing wisdom, but in wonderment, what if He had left the last part out?

My partial answer to you is that the world is made infinitely more pleasing to us all when we give and receive love! I strongly believe that of all the abilities God gave us, love is the best of all!
So, practice God’s love in your midst. How infinitely beneficial this will be!

Paul

Yellowjackets Music Video

This is Yellowjackets, my favorite modern jazz quartet, performing Invisible People. Give it a click and listen. They're incredible!

Mood Lighting is so Overrated

I don't know what came over me today, but I decided to fix a light switch by myself. Those of you who know me realize I would normally call up a friend who is an electrician. I don't normally do this kind of thing. But I fixed it all by myself! I have a book from Home Depot that showed me exactly what to do.

A little background might be needed here. We've lived in our house for 9 years, and this particular light switch has needed to be changed the whole time. It's a traditional switch, but with a dimmer slide on the right. It powers the chandelier above our dining room table. The problem was that when you turned the light on, with the dimmer all the way up, the faceplate would get warm, very warm. So, I've always been a little afraid of accidentally leaving the house with that light switch on. Maybe it would be the cause of a fire.

I fixed the problem by installing a normal switch without a dimmer. Now when you turn the light switch on, the chandelier just shines bright. No more of that mood lighting, where you can dim or brighten the lights at will. No, now the mood is always bright! And the face plate doesn't get warm anymore! I fixed it. I really did.

I still don't know how to wash the clothes. But my next project is going to be to flush out our two water heaters. Some of you call them "hot water heaters." But why in the world would you call them "hot water heaters." Don't you think that's a little redundant, like "ATM machine?"

Thank You, God!

Today we got some great news about my father-in-law, Henry. He is in complete remission! Our family, our church, and all our friends are so excited about the answered prayers. Thank you, God!

An Alaskan Moment

The Inside Passage from Seattle, Washington to Skagway, Alaska

Alaskan Cruise, Inside Passage, June 21-30

Last Friday our family took off for an Alaskan Cruise out of Seattle. We are on the ship Vision of the Seas, which is one of the Royal Caribbean Fleet. I find the ship to be very similar to Rhapsody of the Seas, which we took out of Galveston on the occasion of my wife and my 20^th anniversary. This time we’re celebrating my parent’s 50^th anniversary.

I’m very grateful to my parents because they gave my family, along with my sister-in-law’s family, this cruise as a gift. You see, it was important for us to be with them on their 50^th, and what better way to celebrate the occasion! Including my parents, there are 10 of us total.

One of the hardest things to get used to is the abundance of daylight up in these northern parts. The sun doesn’t really go down until we’re in bed for the night. Then it rises at something like 4:30 a.m. However, it’s a small price to pay for the fun and relaxation of the cruise.

Seattle, June 21-22

After arriving in Seattle, Leslie and I got in touch with Blake Edwards, who served as student minister at our church in the recent past. It was great to see Blake and his wife Karla! We became good friends when they lived in Wimberley. Karla had to work on Friday, but Blake showed our family around the city. It was better than any guided tour we could have bought!

Of course we had to see the original Starbuck’s. But we were able to see many other interesting places, as well, including Amazon.com. Did you know that Amazon.com is a real place? I didn’t! Anyway, we saw the main headquarters, which was formerly a hospital.

In the early afternoon, we boarded the cruise ship in Seattle. It never ceases to amaze me how huge these floating cities are. One of the officers of the ship told a group of us that future ships will be able to carry more than twice as many people, and have things like roller coasters! From Seattle, we headed straight for Juneau, which was quite a distance to travel by ship. But the scenery was breathtaking!

On June 23^rd, we were at sea all day. That evening we enjoyed a formal meal with all ten of us present. This was the captain’s dinner. This ship, like several other cruise ships, follows customs from way back, one of which is dressing up fancy for certain occasions. Anyway, we enjoyed a really nice dinner and wonderful conversation. It’s rare that all ten of us sit together and eat a meal, so it was a very special moment.

Juneau, June 24

At 11 a.m. June 24^th we arrived in Juneau. While there, Justin, Leslie and I rode mountain bikes for 9½ miles, where one of the highlights was visiting Mendenhall Glacier. Pieces of the glacier had fallen off and were floating in the lake at the foot of the glacier. We also saw some American bald eagles in flight and perched in tall trees.

Although Juneau is the capital of Alaska, it’s strange in that you can’t get to it by any road or highway, or even by train. One arrives in Juneau by sea or by air. They have an air strip, but the only planes I observed coming and going were the kind that land on water. I loved seeing these planes taking off and landing in the same waterways that the ships were using.

Leslie and I were pleased to run into Matthew Ward and his sister Annie Herring, while in Juneau. These two, along with their sister, formed the Christian music group Second Chapter of Acts who were very popular in the 70s and early 80s. Matthew told me they were performing on another ship, along with some other artists who were popular in those days, Dallas Holm being one of them.

After a full day we boarded the ship again. By this time Justin had discovered the glass elevators, which he’s been enjoying ever since. Faith has been doing all kinds of fun activities with other 9-11 year olds up on deck 10. With everybody going separate directions, we do manage to see each other quite a bit, meeting for meals, etc.

Skagway, June 25

We docked in Skagway at 7 a.m., so when we woke up, we were there. I really enjoyed this town. This was the northernmost place our cruise visited. Along with Juneau, Skagway figures heavily in the gold rush days of the late 1890s. I read the history of these brave people who risked their lives in pursuit of the gold.

The Canadian government required them to pack enough food for a whole year when they traveled further north, toward Dawson City, to stake out their claim. This surely kept a great many people from starving to death. It’s just that several trips were required to get the food packed in. You’ve all seen old photos of people climbing the Chilcoot Trail, with supplies on their backs, trudging up a snowy “staircase,” while holding onto a cable that ran from the top to the bottom of a mountain.

The town, though larger, still maintains the charm of the 1890s, with period architecture and wooden sidewalks. After walking through the downtown area, I met Justin and Leslie back at the ship. We went on a 3.6 mile hike around lower Dewey Lake. This is funny because to get to Lower Dewey Lake you have to climb a pretty steep trail. Once you’re at this mountain lake, you can hike around it. Leslie took a picture of me drinking from a mountain stream up there. I haven’t gotten sick yet, so I guess the water was OK.

My parents took a 3 hour train ride into the Alaskan countryside. They had a great time. Randy and Holly, Jordan and Patrick enjoyed a musher’s camp and sled dog experience. They were pulled by the dogs for a mile through the backcountry of a historic Gold Rush site.

Tracy Arm Fjord, June 26

It’s a funny name for a place, but this was some of the most beautiful country we’ve seen so far. One of the cruise publications says that traveling up this inlet is “like going back through geologic history. The fjord’s dramatic walls lose their vegetation until they become bare shining rock, shaped and ground smooth by the ice. In many places the mountains plunge vertically into the water, which is more than a thousand feet deep.”

There are two large glaciers in this fjord, dropping a lot of their ice into the inlet. For this reason, the ship was traveling slowly through the area. There were small ice bergs all over the place. I took so many pictures in this area, bringing the total so far to over 250! And there are still many others to take. Before we turned around to head back to the main passage, I saw a seal playing in the water. Later I saw one on a berg.

This afternoon we saw several whales in the ocean, spouting and jumping out of the water, as if they knew it was time to perform for the tourists! This day has been the most beautiful and sunny day we’ve enjoyed since leaving Seattle.

Leslie has been busy walking around the ship today. I even walked two miles with her today around the top of the ship. Did you know that if you go seven times around the track up on deck 9, you will have gone two miles? I mentioned to Leslie today how cool it would have been if they allowed her to bike around up on the top of the ship! Oh well.

Prince Rupert, June 27

Today we arrived at the British Columbia Port of Prince Rupert. I haven’t read much about this little town, but enjoyed our visit nonetheless. We chose not to go on an excursion here, choosing rather to walk around the town. We did see a few American bald eagles. One of them just kept circling above us. I have no idea what it was looking for, but it was putting on quite a show for those of us from the lower 48.

I went to a museum near the port. It showcased the cultures of Pacific Indian. These Indians are known for their totem poles, which are quite tall and beautiful. Later in the day I managed to find the public library in Prince Rupert, where I was able to connect to the internet and check email, etc. I’m too cheap to buy minutes for internet usage on the ship.

By the way, I heard that the American bald eagles are going to be taken off the endangered species list this week. However, it will still be illegal to hunt them. We left Prince Rupert about 5:30 p.m. and continue to see beautiful sights along the inside passage!

At dinner this evening, another formal occasion, we celebrated my parent’s 50^th anniversary. The waiters came and sang to them, which was to their surprise. Later my dad took part in karaoke night, where he sang George Strait’s “Ocean Front Property.” A great time was had by all.

At Sea, June 27

We’ve been at sea all day today, having left the port of Prince Rupert yesterday evening. This has been the day for everyone on the ship (over 2100) to do the things they’ve wanted to do all week. I’m not really into the whole spa thing, but I did go to something called the relaxation room. I just read from some books, etc. The room does have a nice view. And it’s very quiet. That’s another thing. There are many lounge areas on this ship, but they think their needs to be constant music playing. Don’t get me wrong. The music is very good, but just being in a quiet space is pretty nice.

We’ve gone through some pretty narrow passages today, and have viewed beautiful homes along the shore. I’ve also enjoyed seeing the occasional lighthouse. Once today when I was taking pictures in the front part of the ship, the ship’s horn blew a long blast. This blast was so loud, that if I had been holding my camera out over the rail of the ship, I probably would have dropped it in the ocean! Man it was loud.

Tomorrow we arrive in Seattle, where the cruise began. It’s been a wonderful trip. Don’t know if we’ll ever come this way again. But if not, it’s been one of the greatest vacations ever! God’s majestic handiwork is everywhere around us, and it’s a pleasure just to be a speck out here in all this beauty! Thanks again to mom and dad for making this whole trip possible.

Dan in Jail?

Not really. But thanks to my friend Holly Bollinger for "improving" this profile picture of me!

Anybody up for some Texas Hold 'Em?

Here's Justin, his friend Chase, and me playing a little Texas Hold 'Em.

Cousins Camp 2007

Every year we have cousins camp here at the Stephens house. It's going on right now. Here's a picture of Justin and Faith's cousins, Hannah and Sarah. Faith and I are in the shot too. Justin was taking the picture.

The Village Church and Park Cities Baptist Church

I visited two very different churches on the weekend of June 9-10. On Saturday evening I went to the Village Church in the Highland Village area of northwest Dallas. Of course, I thought of Hilary's book "It Takes a Village." Anyway, the Village Church meets corporately every weekend, and in several small groups during the week.

During the sermon, Pastor Matt Chandler talked about a recent Denton Baptist Association meeting he attended. And then he chuckled when he said something like "some of you are finding out for the first time that we're a Baptist church!" I thought, "Wow." A lot of young families are coming to this church, and don't even realize that it's Baptist. This is not a bad thing, really, because the people seem to know what the church and the gospel is all about. Matt emphasized some mission activities they were involved in during the past week. So they are definitely displaying the love of Christ in their community.

The music was wonderful: The praise team started with a country set of a couple of standard hymns that most everyone knew. The education minister made a funny comment at welcome time: Talking to their worship leader, he said, "Hey, that was country. We're going to have a talk this week." Everyone had a good laugh. After the welcome and announcements, they sang some slower worshipful songs, much like the second slow music sets we have in our early service. Following that, the sermon on Matthew 25 had the theme of using our talents: how much are we using our talents (skills, etc.) for the Lord? No invitation was given, but the pastor closed in a benediction prayer.

Lots of young families and students were here, along with several in their 40s and 50s. After the service, we all exited and were served coffee and a bag of chips. This wasn't your typical church coffee. This stuff was really good!

The next day I went to Park Cities Baptist Church. This congregation has been around since 1939, and is a well-established church. It reminded me of First Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, in its magnificent architecture. Also like FPC San Antonio, they had more morning traditional services than contemporary. Park Cities BC has two morning traditional services, and one contemporary service, while FPC San Antonio has three traditional services and one contemporary on Sunday mornings.

Anyway, Park Cities contemporary service looked and sounded very professional. It was in the "Great Hall" of the church; maybe that's their big fellowship hall. I don't know. Senior Pastor Jim Denison preached at this service, although he doesn't do so normally. Next, I went to their traditional service. They had a choir of about 40 people, along with an orchestra of about 18, including strings. This service is one of those "if it ain't in the hymnal, we ain't singing it" kind of services. Their choir anthem was lively and enjoyable; but the congregational singing was pretty slow. Those who know me understand that I like the tempos to be lively in the first music set of our traditional service. The offering was taken at the end, in response to the worship that took place, with a classical trumpet duet, accompanied by their wonderful-sounding pipe organ. Then we were dismissed in prayer.

I am so thankful that my church allows me to visit these congregations. I'm learning a lot and it's refreshing to be a participant, rather than the one who plans the service. And I'm so thankful for all the fine people who are doing the things I normally do back at my home church, FBC Wimberley!

More Thoughts on Blended or Separate Services

If anyone didn't know how I felt about the issue of blended vs. separate a.m. services, I think they know now after reading the last blog entry. Nevertheless, however our church decides to go on this issue, I will put my support there. People are offering different opinions to our pastor. So I pray for him to be able to work through the issue. I'm confident that he will, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, lead our church to make the right decision regarding this issue.

I told someone today that people are concerned about keeping our two services separate because, when we move into our new auditorium, the sheer size of it will make our church look small if we keep meeting separately. So, to keep this from happening, it seems natural to join the two services, so that we have a good crowd that comes closer to filling up the auditorium. My friend offered a possible solution:

He said that we might think about roping off the back sections of the auditorium, and lighting only the front part that contains the people. This way people aren't spread all over the place. As we grow we can gradually remove the ropes, etc.

Another thing that might be good is actually joining the two services for a month, or so, just to celebrate the new facilities. Then we could go back to our normal schedule. Any other ideas? I invite them. Also, if anyone can think of a blended service of 600 to 1000 people that is working well, and is in Texas, let me know. The Directors of Mission that I talked to (check out my last entry) couldn't think of any. So if you can think of one, please let me know. I really want to keep an open mind about this.

Blended Worship or Separate Worship Services

I talked to two Baptist Directors of Mission today. I told them I would be in Dallas this weekend, and asked if they would recommend a church to visit that had a successful blended service, one that was running 600 to 1000 members, or slightly more, in worship. They could not think of a single one. They knew of some smaller congregations that were trying to do a blended service, but were not having much success.

Both of these men agreed that it would be a step backward to join our two a.m. services (traditional and contemporary) into one that is blended. They said our culture demands that we have choices. Ultimately, they thought that people would not be happy with that arrangement because of their varying musical preferences.

I have talked with members of our church who have different opinions as to whether we should try to put our two very different services together. Some say that because of our two Bible Studies that happen concurrently with these two services, our church actually feels like two churches meeting in the same location. These folks complain that they don't know everyone in the church anymore.

Then there are others who, like the directors of mission I mentioned above, say that it would be a mistake to join the two services, and that it would possibly stunt the growth of our church. At the same time, they emphasized that music style is just one component among others that have to work together, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to produce numerical growth.

I have tried to remain neutral on this subject, but it's becoming more difficult. Right now we have a 10:30 service that was very traditional at one time, but is slowly becoming more blended in style. We also offer a contemporary service. As far as the number of people who actually attend these a.m. services, they are about the same in each service. This arrangement seems to be working well at the present time.

As for wanting to know everyone in the church, one director of missions told me that studies have shown that you really can't get to know more than 30 or 40 people anyway. So if we want to grow, we need to stop being concerned about knowing everyone. And is that really a prerequisite of church life, that we all know each other? What is the largest Baptist church you can think of? Now is there any possible way the members could all know each other?

To address this concern, we should probably offer more opportunities for fellowship in which everyone can participate, while still maintaining separate services. Maybe a "dinner on the grounds" every now and then would be nice, or a picnic away from the church some Sunday. It would be interesting to see what happens. I'll bet that people in general would go to the people they already know; i.e. the people who attend their worship service! Oops. I probably should tone it down a bit.

A long time ago I came to the conclusion that people just have different musical tastes. This is not a bad thing at all. We should celebrate our diversity. But to blend traditional and contemporary music into one service, all the while expecting everyone to like the two different kinds of music may not be very realistic. Some seniors, long time members of our church, already feel our traditional service is getting too contemporary for their tastes. And someof those who attend our contemporary service probably wish it were more "edgy" in the music. So I have to ask, why in the world we would want to try and meld these groups together.

I love all of these people who prefer one musical style over another. And I don't think they're being narrow minded just because they don't like certain types of music. I simply recognize that they are individuals who are more comfortable in their worship of Almighty God when they are surrounded with music that moves them, be it contemporary, traditional, or any other style you could imagine.

Finally, let me say that we need to see ourselves as one local church, regardless of the different kinds of worship services we have. Second Baptist Church in Houston is huge, offering 4 or 5 different styles of worship, meeting on multiple sites, and no one thinks of them as being more than one church. Let us just be thankful that we have different kinds of people in our church, and that we have the ability to offer a "palate" of styles when it comes to worshiping the Lord through music.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26-28, TNIV).

I would appreciate you comments, but you will have to set up a blogger account to be able to leave them. This doesn't mean you have to become a big time blogger; it just means you have to do a few keystrokes to be able to leave comments. You can also email at danstephensmm@yahoo.com. As always, thanks for reading!

Gateway Community Church, Austin, TX

That's where I was today. Gateway Community Church is a seeker church in Austin, Texas. I have a cousin that attends church here. He was raised in the baptist denomination, but enjoys going to church here because of the emphasis on authenticity he finds here. Their Sunday morning services are very intentional about reaching skeptics and seekers in the Austin area. You can tell in the music and the preaching, where the lyrics aren't very theologically deep, and the messages invite people to investigate the claims of Christ.

My cousin Robert told me about some of the changed lives who go to this church, including an atheist who came to know Christ as a result of people ministering to him from this church. The service began with a band singing 3 songs, leading the congregation in worship. It was a high energy experience with a lot of participation. Then the children's pastor shared some announcements, asking for 75 volunteers to help in children's activities this summer. Next, a guy shared a testimony about being real. This was from the heart. He asked some hard hitting questions about authenticity. Next was an offering, with the band playing "Welcome Back," from the 70s television hit "Welcome Back, Cotter." After this a soloist came to the mic and sang a song that led right into the message. The pastor, John Burke, even referenced the song at the end of the sermon.

Even though it was a seeker service, the pastor referenced several verses from the gospels. At the end of the service, there was no invitation, but the pastor closed in prayer. Oh, and I forgot to mention earlier, that announcements were displayed on the screen during the offertory - "Welcome Back." And as the children's pastor was sharing announcements even earlier in the service, specific slides would come up as he shared about the upcoming events.

The church has a great bookstore and coffee shop. This is a very inviting area, where people can visit before and after the service. Here's their weekly schedule:

Each Sunday:
•	Three identical services every Sunday at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. We have plenty of room at the 9:30 and 12:30 services.
•	Exciting age-appropriate kids programs available for children birth through grade 4 at all three services.
•	Junior High (6th - 8th grade) meets Sunday mornings at 12:30 p.m.
•	High School meets every Wednesday night at 7:15 p.m.
•	Deaf interpretation available during 9:30 a.m. service.

Another cool thing is the blog that people are invited to check out after the messages. At this blog, called "Second Helpings," is a list of discussion questions from the sermon. People can go over the questions by themselves, or in small groups. This particular day, the pastor was beginning a new series called "God in Sandals: What we know about the Heart of God from the life of Jesus." The church's website goes on to describe the series, even giving the titles to the upcoming messages:

Jesus lived among real people with real problems, just like you and me. We can learn much about who God is by looking at how Jesus interacted, responded and lived life among us. Over the next six weeks we’ll take a look at His wisdom, forgiveness, masculinity, creativity, friendship and truth-speaking.

Date	Message
June 3:	Wisdom - John Burke
June 10:	Forgiveness - John Burke
June 17:	Masculinity - John Burke
June 24:	Creativity - John Burke
July 1:	Friendship - Betty Blake Churchill
July 8:	Truth-Speaking - Rick Shurtz

It was a great day of worship. If you are in touch with a skeptic, this is a great church for them to visit. They come in contact with people just like them. The people in this congregation represent people who are at different stages in their walk with Christ, many who are just checking out Christianity for the first time, even those who are struggling with addictions. This church welcomes all kinds of people. Love and grace are felt here. The pastor's brand new book, "No Perfect People Allowed" could be the theme of this congregation.