by Greg | Jan 11, 2010 | Blog Posts
Today is a good day to let the pictures tell the story, so I have included photographs from the last couple of days. A view from our hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee on the morning of our departure for Bethlehem. One of the border guards as we were entering Bethlehem. This was an “impromptu” worship service in a shepherd’s cave in Bethlehem. Jeff Badke blending in with the palestinians in Bethlehem. That night several of us went shopping and I tried on some new crocs – they didn’t quite fit. Milton Martin was entering into talks with John McCain. That is why he is not in the picture. I was making sure I was not going to have to negotiate for Milton’s release. Keith and Carla singing a duet while worshipping at the Mount of Olives. Standing on the Mount of Olives with Jerusalem behind us. Part of our group eating in a recommended local restaurant that caters to Arabs. Hummus, falafel and all the fixins’! Last falafel! A highpoint for many – a visit and prayers at the Western Wall. It is getting late tonight so I will plan to post more pictures later. We look forward to sharing with you more about our fatastic pilgrimage. Peace be with...
by Greg | Jan 10, 2010 | Blog Posts
Saturday Our day began with the usual wake-up call at 6 except for I barely needed it. While I have enjoyed two good nights of rest, last night was not one of them. I do not travel well when it comes to sleep. It may have been a case of delayed jet lag, excitemment about the coming day, missing my family or general concerns with ensuring a smooth tour for the group, but it was certainly a long sleepless night. After breakfast we loaded the bus and departed Galilee for good, heading south with Jerusalem as our ultimate destination. Our guide, Nadar, is outstanding. He is a Syrian Orthodox and full of good humor and important knowledge. Should I return to Israel for another church tour I would like to retain his services for another time. His favorite line as we depart the bus for each site is: “Chop, chop; shake a leg; let’s get going!” Our drive was about 2 1/2 hours which was largely below sea level as we journied down the Jordan Valley. The geography changed dramatically from vibrant green hills and rich vegetation to stark, arid land. The wilderness, or desert as it can be translated in the Bible is a rough and rugged environment. Yet it was out of this same wilderness that Moses was called, Israel was led and fed and John the Baptist preached. The desert was where Jesus was tempted and so is a place of holy happenings and wanderings. We made one pit stop at an interesting roadside convenience store/toursit attraction. Along with bathroom breaks, others took advantage of new...
by Greg | Jan 8, 2010 | Blog Posts
I have two words for you – hummus bar. It is just that delicious and so I am thinking about adding a new food selection for Wednesday night dinners. I will ask Rodger Murchison what his opinion is when I get back. Speaking of food, several of us went out to make a falafel run but all the vendors had closed their stands, so I came back to the lobby to work on this blog. To my surprise and delight a DJ had set up a turntable and along with a partner began crooning to us some strange version of Hebrew disco. You just don’t see that every day in Augusta! Friday morning began with a wake up call at 6, breakfast at 7 and on the bus for Cana at 8. Cana is a rather congested town dedicated in part to celebrate the first miracle of Jesus – turning water into wine at a wedding. The village of Cana is only mentioned in the Gospel of John. The problem is that scholars do not agree as to whether this is the exact location of the original Cana. The Romans destroyed the original Cana during the great Jewish revolt around 66 AD. The Cana we visted today was one of three probable locations. Nonetheless it serves as an important place to reflect on the extravagance of God through this first miracle as well as the reach of God through the healing of the royal official’s son. We toured through the Church of the Wedding commemorating this first miracle. We boarded the bus and traveled 15 minutes to the...
by Greg | Jan 7, 2010 | Blog Posts
This is our first “full” day in the Holy Land. We arrived close to three yesterday afternoon and after a rather uneventful walk through customs we were warmly greeted by our tour guide welcoming us to Israel. Outside of sleep depravation and travel wearies all of us are well. We boarded a bus that took us to our hotel (which was more than a two hour winding drive) situated on the coast of the Sea of Galillee. By the time we arrived it was dark and so all we could really appreciate was the clean conditions of our room. Following a delightful meal of various salads, humus, and grilled meats, and a brief meeting (can you believe I actually have brief meetings?) we all stumbled to our rooms. While I cannot speak for the others, I slept soundly until our wake-up call at 6am. I do know that a few among our group have not quite adjusted to the travel and spent a good portion of the night watching reality TV shows in Hebrew. What a view – my room overlooks the Sea, which is surrounded by gently rolling hills. The Sea itself is dotted by fisherman plying their trade according to 21st century methods! Speaking of the Sea of Galilee, it is not really a sea at all, but a large fresh water lake about 750 feet below sea level. The weather here is absolutely outstanding – temperatures in the 70s and bright sunshine. Breakfast included a variety of yogurts, cheeses, eggs, breads and fish. Since most places are kosher, the dietary restrictions prevent serving dairy products with...
by Greg | Jan 4, 2010 | Blog Posts
Having finished packing my luggage only hours before departure, one of my last things to do is to sit down and write this article. From January 5th to January 14th I will be touring the “Holy Land” along with 41 others members and friends of First Baptist Church of Augusta. This will be my second tour of Israel but for most in our group it will be their first. For all of us it will be an opportunity to experience the land where the Bible comes alive as we tour such notable places as Bethlehem, Nazareth, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee and of course Jerusalem. Sacred places. One does not need to travel to the other side of the world, however, to experience sacred places. While it is quite moving to visit the places where Jesus walked and taught and served, places made sacred are not exclusively reserved for the footsteps of Jesus. For Henry David Thoreau, it was a small cabin on the edge of Walden. For the relatively small number of Creek Indians it was a rock formation in the shape of an eagle in middle Georgia. For the new parents it is the sterile enclosure of a delivery room where they saw their newborn for the first time. Sacred space. We do not always name our memorable points as sacred, but that is what they are – sacred, holy. It may be your grandmother’s kitchen thick with the smell of biscuits out of the oven and coffee whisping in the air. It may be a favorite oak tree from the family home place where you once...
by Greg | Dec 10, 2009 | Blog Posts
There was a little boy I met last Tuesday morning and I forgot to ask his name. As is my normal practice, I walked down from my study to the Activities Building on our church campus to have prayer with a special group of volunteers. Every Tuesday morning we assist families with their various needs including groceries, helping with utilities, rent and providing financial counseling. On Tuesday evenings one of our attorneys volunteers his time to provide free legal counseling. This particular morning the building was already crowded with volunteers and clients for our Benevolence ministry. There a little boy at the front door greeted me. He was quite friendly and polite and said, “Excuse me sir, how do I get to the playground?” Evidently he was someone’s child who came to our church for help. I explained that during this time the playground was reserved for our preschool but I hoped he would come back sometime and play. I learned he was in the fourth grade and that he was looking forward to the Christmas holiday because – and he said this with a big, toothy smile – his birthday was December 26 and he would be ten years old. I did not know why he was there or who was with him. I do not know what he will get for Christmas let alone his birthday. I do not even know his name. I do know that even though he did not ask me to feel sorry for him I did all the same. He really does not need me to feel sorry for him. Anyone with...
by Greg | Dec 8, 2009 | Blog Posts
Do any of you remember the “old days” when recipes were written on pieces of paper? Nowadays when you want a recipe you just open up the laptop and surf the internet and comb through list after list of variations of almost any dish. In fact, looking for a recipe is now as easy as searching on a cell phone. Last week Amy and I were searching through one of our recipe books looking for directions on how to make some particular dish – for the sake of the story let’s call it possum fritters (I do not spell possum as “opossum” since I do not call those marsupials “oh-possums”). This recipe book is the kind where you write in your own recipes as well as containing pockets for recipes clipped from magazines, newspapers, etc. Like any good recipe book it was dusty with old flour and stained with oil, icing smudges, and gritty remnants of sugar. It was a wedding gift over 21 years ago. Looking over the recipe book is like a culinary journal of our marriage. The earliest entries were typical of a couple still in college and living on meager resources. Most of them included ingredients that involved opening cans and heating in the microwave. Over the years our recipes grew somewhat in complexity and variety. Thumbing over the pages we were reminded of old friends, whom we need call; church members from previous pastorates, many who have passed on; and cherished family members who shared their specialties. Many of recipes are for food that tastes like home, and we have been blessed with many...
by Greg | Nov 18, 2009 | Blog Posts
By now many of us are beginning the frantic and frenetic pace of preparing for the descent of families around our tables. Some no doubt are mentally packing Thanksgiving away even before it has arrived and moved on to Christmas lists and schedules and decorations. Before we begin the wonderful Advent journey that begins in just two Sundays I would like to share with you a few lines of gratitude. Here is my abridged list for this year: · Growing up in a rural county on a farm surrounded by a family that believed in conversation, work, and fierce loyalty. · Looking out to my back yard and watching gold, umber and burgundy leaves flutter to the ground. · Good books and great books. · The memory of my old dog Samson, now buried in the back yard. Six months after his death I am still finding the remains of old tennis balls in our woods that he use to fetch with arthritic joints and drop at my feet smiling as dogs so often do. · My little plot of collard greens and my hope to begin picking them for New Years Day. · A cord and a half of split and dry firewood given to me by a generous church member. · The Aiken Farmers Market and the beautiful people who grow wonderful things to eat. One Saturday we met a grandmother selling delicious apple cakes – we wanted to take her home with us, but we bought a cake instead. · Wednesday night dinners. Sure, I take my food home to eat but it is not really...
by Greg | Nov 10, 2009 | Blog Posts
I am not known for clean cars. I like a clean car but most of the time my car looks like a piece of discarded lent parked between the lines. The other day one of my sons said, “Dad, I need some money. What can I do to earn a few dollars?” (there is no point in trying to guess which son I am talking about since both of them always need money. I was the same way at their age) “Wash my car,” was my response, “and I’ll give you ten bucks.” In fairness I should have paid them a hundred considering how dirty the car was. Like I said, I like a clean car but most of the time it looks used. This may go back to the days when I owned a pick-up. It stayed on the muddy side. Imagine as your pastor a muddy pickup parked outside of the church. Well, three other congregations suffered the indignity of my truck that was better suited to be parked outside of a honky-tonk instead of a church. Rarely was it seen in public clean because my philosophy was that only yuppies have clean pickups. It was true that my vehicle was not the sharpest in a funeral procession, but most of the time I rode with the funeral director, because my heater never worked. While I must apologize to you, my faithful congregation, that my car stays dirty more than it does clean, I make no apologies or excuses for any member who chooses to keep their truck burnished with thick layers of Georgia clay. Besides, trucks...
by Greg | Nov 3, 2009 | Blog Posts
This is my third and final blog related to my recent cruise. As you know I have fretted over getting sea sick given my propensity to motion sickness. Thanks to good advice and a prescription for a derma patch I survived my week at sea quite well. I enjoyed spending time with 47 folks from the church as well as leading a Bible study on the topic of “Extra-Canonical Literature,” all without the least bit of queasiness from cruising the Caribbean. What I was completely unprepared for was land sickness. Apparently for some of us readjusting to dry and steady ground can be a nauseating experience. It even has a name: Mal de Debarqument. I read where it is most common in pre-menopausal women…and apparently me. I assume there is not much to do but ride it out. Still, it is pretty embarrassing to sit at my desk and hang on for dear life while someone is trying to have a conversation with me. I just want my equilibrium back. Have you ever been sea sick or land sick? What about life sick? We have all had events come our way and like a rogue wave sweep us off our feet leaving us out of balance. I have a better understanding now of those disciples who were crossing the Sea of Galilee while a storm threatened to sink them – of course I was on a 14 story cruise boat and the ocean was as smooth as glass. Do you remember the disciples’ plea with Jesus? “Do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38) They just wanted...
by Greg | Oct 25, 2009 | Blog Posts
This week I am learning, in painful spurts, all the ways I am electronically tethered. It all started with an innocent cell phone purchase back in 1994. Already the church where I was serving as pastor had presented me a pager – you know, in case of emergencies. I saw the phone as a better way to communicate. That same year we also “got connected” to the internet and the world wide web. To my knowledge no one in the small church I was serving had an email account at that time so I was reduced to corresponding to the Director of Mission, who was a wizened old man in his thirties. You can probably track the evolution of the electronic leash from here. Cell phones no longer come in bulky bags, one per household, but now have nearly replaced the old fashioned “land line” telephone and email accounts have spawned like a virus. The tethering continues with text messaging, social networking, smart phones, and lots and lots of battery rechargers. My routine is to start the day by plowing through all of the messages, contacts, funny stories, urgent replies and the like. This week I am on this boat – well, it is a ship actually. All of those ways of staying connected and tethered and leashed now come with a cost. There are pricey fees for everything from a simple phone call to a quick email (which, by the way, is exactly how I am sending this article, although I found a place with free internet connection. I had to hike twelve miles crossing a rain forest...
by Greg | Oct 20, 2009 | Blog Posts
Hopefully no one will hear that phrase next week. Next week I will be leading a Bible Study for over forty members of First Baptist Church of Augusta members on a cruise ship. Yes, I know that my job is a difficult one, but someone must sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom. I have held Bible studies in foreign countries, up trees, on the sides of mountains and during retreats but never on a cruise ship. Here is something else: I have never been on a cruise before. One more thing… …I get motion sickness easy. Just the description of a rocking boat, or curvy roads along mountain passes, or the vicious circles of a Ferris wheel sends my digestive senses into a tail spin. That’s right, green around the gills, pass the barf bag, knee-walking motion sickness. I have read many remedies for motion sicknesses, but none seem to really help. The other day I was reading about how to prevent motion sicknesses when on a ship. First: do not stay in a room without a window. You will be relived to know our room has a view – a mechanical closet. The article went on to suggest that you need to spend time where you can see out, either through a porthole or on a deck with a view. Finally, keep your eyes on the far horizon and get your sense of balance by watching it rather than the closer, moving walls. Not bad advice when you think about it. That is what it means to be part of the resurrection. We look ahead to God’s...
by Greg | Oct 14, 2009 | Blog Posts
…That was what my friend Rob Nash said to me once many years ago. Rob is now the Global Missions Coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. His comment seems to betray much of what we good church going folks have been taught all of our lives. When you meet a neighbor, invite him to church…when a new student sits beside you in class, invite her to church…when you meet a couple at the local gym, invite them to church. Isn’t that the implied message we get from the pulpit to the pews? Go out and invite others to church. Rob remarked that you do not invite people to church. You invite them to Jesus. Of course inviting people to church is much easier. We can feed, entertain, enlighten and even enliven – all on one visit. Inviting people to Jesus, however, is inviting others into a relationship, which means commitment, discipline, sacrifice, relinquishing, and surrendering. To invite another to church, any church or our church, doesn’t really require much of us personally. To invite someone to Jesus is to share in a relationship. What kind of church do we want to be? Do we want to be a church of people where the journey ends at 3500 Walton Way or a people on a journey in relationships? It reminds me of another “pithy” saying that I have picked up along the way: Don’t go to church. Be the church. Be the church in word – all are welcome. Be the church in mission – the world is our parish. Be the church in love – every relationship has value....
by Greg | Oct 7, 2009 | Blog Posts
This week I have been trekking back home – not the one in Grovetown, but the one in Putnam County. Actually I have not made it so far as home, but to my home church of my childhood. Beside it is the cemetery where my grandparents are buried and where I will be too one day. Just beyond the modest porch of the church is a Georgia Historical sign indicating that this church – Philadelphia Methodist Church – is where Joel Chandler Harris worshipped 150 years ago when he was just a boy. I was honored to be invited to preach their revival this week. Each night fifty or so familiar faces gather in the small sanctuary to listen to the “boy” they have helped to raise. They are getting older but as I glance at my graying beard I am reminded that I am getting older too. I became a Baptist at sixteen when I joined the church in town, but the collection of small churches around our dairy farm will always be home to me. Over the years Amy and I have been pretty good at nesting for ourselves places to call home – even when we knew our stay would be temporary. Our first “home” was a tiny garage apartment in Rome, Georgia where I was finishing up my last year of college. Whenever our landlady would crank her ’72 Buick the roar of the motor would shake books off of our shelves. Our next home for three years was our seminary apartment. It was an efficiency unit which meant that you could place your hand...
by Greg | Aug 31, 2009 | Blog Posts
Reading List 2009 Not every book I have read this year is a great book, but thus far no book on the list has been a waste of time. I am slowly learning that just because I start a book does not mean I have to finish it. Therefore there are several not on this list because, to be candid, they were wasting my time – life is short, right? Non-fiction Unpacking Boxes, by Donald Hall Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflection on Mortality, by Pauline W. Chen The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality, by Tenzin Gyatso Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Pirsig The Book of Dead Philosophers, by Simon Critchley Brother to a Dragonfly, by Will Campbell Walden, Henry David Thoreau Essays Eagle Pond, by Donald Hall Spirituality The Asian Journals of Thomas Merton, by Thomas Merton Thoughts in Solitude, by Thomas Merton Theology Questions to all Your Answers: The Journey from Folk Religion to Examined Faith, by Roger E. Olson Biblical Studies Excavating Jesus: Beneath the Stones, Behind the Texts, by John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L. Reed Fiction Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse Ahab’s Wife: Or the Stargazer, by Sena Jeter Naslund Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpi Lahiri Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe Pastoral Care The Couple Checkup, by David H. Olson. I actually read this book in 2008 but forgot to put it on the list. <!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:””; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in...
by Greg | May 6, 2009 | Blog Posts
On April 23, thirteen members of First Baptist Church of Augusta departed Atlanta for Pecs, Hungary to partner with CBF field personnel Glen and Clista Adkins and their work with the Roma Gypsies. In the last blog entry I gave you information regarding the Romani people in Europe so I will not repeat myself here. Needless to say what I have read about has now been observed that their needs are great as is their marginalization in the larger society. Day 1 – Thursday We left Atlanta on time around 3pm and arrived at New York to catch the flight to Budapest. Outside of the ubiquitous crying babies and a few rowdy passengers the flight was uneventful. The same could be said for our 8 or so hour flight to Budapest. I know because I did not sleep a wink during the night. I have never been one to sleep on planes because I just cannot get comfortable – or maybe I just don’t want to subject passengers to my late night drooling! Day 2 – Friday We arrive somewhere around 11:30AM (5:30AM in Augusta) and were greeted by CBF Missionaries Glen and Clista Adkins (Glen is also the former Minister of Music at FBC Augusta). Our first official stop was for a quick bite to eat at Burger King. After being subjected to the meager meals of an airline, I was glad to eat a whopper which in Hungary tastes just like a whopper anywhere. We then enjoyed a three hour trip to Pecs, which was interrupted half way with a pit stop at a convenience store. The...
by Greg | Apr 22, 2009 | Blog Posts
As you read this I am well on my way, along with twelve other members of the church, to Pecs, Hungary. This is the second mission trip to work with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missionaries Glen and Clista Adkins at the Gandhi School where we will, in part, teach English to the Roma youth. Roma is a term I was not at all familiar with ten or so years ago, but then I started reading about the Romani people in mission’s related writings. Loosely defined Romani people are an ethnic group whose origins can be traced back to South Asia, into India, and for a thousand years have lived dispersed throughout Europe, particularly Central and Eastern Europe. In Hungary, as in most places, they are called gypsies because at one time it was mistakenly assumed that the Romani came from Egypt. The term “gypsy” has a pejorative connotation and historically until present day they continue to be victims of violence and persecution. During World War II they were a target of genocide by the Nazis. In 2008 Italy has singled the Romani out for registration. Imagine growing up and being told that because of your ethnicity, your culture or your looks you are of lesser value. Last year several of our church members, during free time, went out to eat in the city wearing t-shirts with the Gandhi School emblazoned upon it. They were ignored by the restaurant. There association with gypsies labeled them. Our work will, in part, be to not only strengthen and encourage the work of the teachers by assisting in teaching English, but communicate that Romani...
by Greg | Apr 2, 2009 | Blog Posts
…bread, of course. For most of us bread is both abundant and taken for granted. Except for the annual threat of a snowstorm which rarely manifests, grocery store shelves are filled with bread of numerous (countless?) varieties. Store bought bread, however, tastes…store bought. That is why I like baking bread. Baking bread can be both fun and frustrating. Like most anything homemade, the ingredients are important, and not just what goes in, but how much, how long, etc. One of the things I like about making and baking bread is that the mixing and kneading is done largely by hand. Observing the dough’s feel and texture is most important. Once bread is all mixed and kneaded you leave it alone and wait for the yeast to do its work. It may take an hour, or two, but slowly and steady the dough rises and the loaf takes shape. It is then ready for the hot oven and soon the kitchen is full of the yeasty smell of fresh bread! (don’t you wish this blog was scratch and sniff? Go ahead, lean into the monitor – you know you want to!) The best part of fresh baked bread is not in the making or the baking, but the breaking. Even better, is when you can break bread with people you love. Many Saturday evenings, if we do not have church commitments, Amy and I (and sometimes the boys when on the rare occasion they are home) will sit in our back yard and share fresh bread alongside olive oil for dipping. We also enjoy baking bread to share with friends...
by Greg | Mar 26, 2009 | Blog Posts
Car? Bus? Cab? Horse? Train? Mule? How did you get here? Throughout my childhood until I was old enough to own my own car (a 1969 Mustang fastback, 3 speed, straight six – for those of you who are curious) I went to church in my daddy’s pick-up. On the dairy there was little need for a car, so our family of five (my daddy, sister, two younger brothers and myself) would squeeze into his ’73 Ford pick-up to go to church each Sunday. By the time we arrived in the parking lot we sort of looked like a “DeLoach explosion” once the doors of the truck flew open. I have come a long way. Now I come to church in a 2005 MINI Cooper. Well, to be fair about this, Amy and the boys come later in station wagon. How do you get here? The question isn’t just concerned with modes of transportation. It really doesn’t matter to me if you came in a station wagon, minivan, walked or rode a mule (although you have to be careful where you park a mule). To ask, “how did you get here” is really a spiritual question. Who were the ones in your life that taught you about faith, that loved like Jesus and inspired you to do the same? In John’s Gospel we read of some Greeks that came to one of Jesus’ disciples and asked, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” (12:21) Philip and Andrew were asked to help the Greeks “get there.” As a “City on a Hill” we have been entrusted to teach, share and be...
by Greg | Feb 26, 2009 | Blog Posts
(photo by Rainier Ehrhardt) “When death comes… I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world” – Mary Oliver Last night (Wednesday, February 25) we hosted an Ash Wednesday service. Even though Christians have observed some form of the imposition of ashes for well over a thousand years, it is a relative new observance for Baptists. Yesterday I worked on the meditation or reflection for the service, experimented with the ash mixture with olive oil (no one teaches these things in seminary), and went over the order of worship with several of the other ministers. Just as we were wrapping up our church supper, I robed up and joined the other ministers in the sanctuary were we sat quietly for the service to begin. I love a church service that begins in quiet: no piano, or idle gabbing, or frantic, last minute activity. Just to sit for a few brief minutes and listen to the pews creak while finding stillness can be such a gift. The first half of the service was filled with music, scripture readings and reflections and so even to the most stalwart of Baptists it was still a fairly typical worship service, if not a bit more subdued than usual. I transitioned from my message on penitence and mortality – traditional themes for Ash Wednesday – into an explanation of the imposition of ashes. Traditionally the sign of the cross is marked on the foreheads of the worshippers as the minister recites the phrase: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” I was a bit concerned that the marking...
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