Back To School

I’m well aware that David was of the tribe of Judah, not Benjamin as I said during both of yesterday morning’s sermons. I’m aware. Jonathan was of Benjamin, not David. I know.

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I’ve been chosen, somehow, to play the role of Moses in the upcoming VBS production of “Bound for Holy Ground” here at Legacy. Kipi is obviously desperate. Scraping the bottom of the barrel. I’m not sure how comfortable I am, as Legacy’s preacher, playing the character who led God’s people in circles around the wilderness for 40 years. And didn’t they all die and not make it into the Promised Land? Yeah, that’s weird. At least now, after watching this the first week of July, our church family will turn out in droves to audition for next year’s musical. I can’t imagine too many people out there who won’t say, after watching me, “I know I could do better than that!”

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I’m heading to Austin this afternoon for the 27th annual Austin Graduate School of Theology Sermon Seminar. Every year they bring in four or five of the best preachers and teachers of preachers in the country and we talk preaching for four days. These men take us through the Scriptures, chapter by chapter, and show us themes and words and give us insights and ideas. They outline sermons with us and explore other areas of study and related texts. And then they give us all their sermon manuscripts and notes.

This year Mark Hamilton will work with us on Amos, Rick Mars on Genesis 12-50, Dwight Robarts on Hebrews, and Jeff Peterson on Galatians. Eddie Sharp will also lead a couple of sessions on “The Flock and the Shepherds: They Smell Like Trouble.”

I go to the Tulsa Workshop and the ACU lectures to be inspired, to be revived and rejuvenated. I go to Austin to work. It’s pretty intense.

At last year’s Sermon Seminar, I was two weeks away from moving to North Richland Hills and beginning our full-time preaching ministry here at Legacy. Now, I’m two weeks away from celebrating my one-year anniversary. So Stan Reid has asked me to speak at one of the Tuesday afternoon sessions on “Some Things I’ve Learned About Preaching Since I Knew It All.” Stan wants me to speak for 20 minutes on things I’ve learned in my first year of preaching. And then take questions.

The first thing I learned is that I can’t do anything in 20 minutes.

My great friend, Jason Reeves, who preaches at the Grayston Church of Christ in East Texas, is going with me. It’s always good to share time with one of the Four Horsemen. I’ll get to see all my old Austin Grad buddies and professors. And then we’ll worship with the Marble Falls Church Wednesday evening. I’m really looking forward to a jam-packed and fruitful week.

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But what do I do if our hotel doesn’t carry the Versus channel in our rooms? I haven’t called the hotel yet. I plan to do that later this morning. I can’t imagine anything keeping me from watching Game Six tonight. So there’s probably a 50-50 chance at least one of the preachers at the Sermon Seminar might be forced to visit one of the establishments on Austin’s Sixth Street tonight.

Peace,

Allan