Professor Paul

This past week I had the privilege of teaching The Minister of Youth class at Midwestern Seminary. A former colleague at LifeWay invited me this past summer to consider becoming an adjunct professor. I went through all the vetting process and somehow passed the test. I developed a syllabus and created projects with homework and everything. It was a good process for me to go through.

Monday-Thursday we met from 9a-330p. Seven of the most fun and entertaining people/students have been around. I am pretty sure that I did not fit their idea of a prof. We learned together and I am grading projects and they have one more big project to finish in meeting the requirements of the class.

It was a great experience. On Thursday afternoon, I climbed on a plane and flew to Anchorage for Avalanche which is their annual youth event. It was great to spend time training some great volunteers and leaders. That was followed by preaching on Sunday morning at University Baptist Church in Anchorage. It is a multi-ethnic congregation with a strong Palaun attendance. And I met a couple of Kenyans from Eldoret where I have ministered in the past. They both are champion runners at University of Alaska-Anchorage.

As I journey home, Sondra is in Guatemala with our church ministering to the people of Los Conchas outside of Guatemala City. Thanks for praying for her and the rest of the team. They return to the States, Sunday the 24th

Pastor/Staff Relationships

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Allen Jackson and Ben Trueblood and have a short discussion on  pastor/youth minister relationships. While not definitive, I think we raise some good observations and provide some helpful ideas for student ministers who are wanting to be in good relationship with their pastor and other staff members. You can find more videos like this one at Ministry Grid - LifeWay's new online training tool

Are You Prepared? Am I?

prep·a·ra·tion  

/ˌprepəˈrāSHən/

Noun

1. The action of making ready or being made ready for use.
2. Something done to get ready for an event or undertaking.

Some of you know that I am training/preparing for a Sprint Triathlon in May. I have been a runner for many years but a few months ago was challenged by one of my friends to do a triathlon. You know I am stubborn (I like to think of it as "disciplined") so I took up the challenge and the preparation that goes with trying to complete a short (very short) triathlon.

A couple of events have happened in the last couple of days that have made me think about preparation/training in a little different way. Our oldest called this week, sharing with us that as a nurse, she lost her first patient. It was a traumatic death and one that shook Shelbi to the core as you might imagine. I will spare you the details, but I did remind Shelbi that God had been preparing her for a long time to work with patients and that there would come a time, (God knew the time) that a patient would die under her care. I reminded her that God had prepared her well. And then I thought about the individual who died. Was he ready? Was he prepared to slip into eternity?

Another event that has occurred involves a pastor friend of mine named David Landrith. David pastors the great Long Hollow Church in Hendersonville, TN. David is a loving, caring pastor who more importantly loves Jesus and Loves his family. He recently has been diagnosed with cancer and is beginning the process of undergoing treatments that will be very rigorous.

These things cause me to realize that the best way to be prepared is to not focus on every possible circumstance, but to be focused on the One to trust and rely on. I know Shelbi and David love Jesus. I know that they could never be prepared for every possible circumstance, but they are leaning in hard and trusting Christ.

I am praying for each of them. I am praying that they and I will trust Christ in all things. There is no better way to be prepared.