Wow, its been a while, huh? Well, the month of August was wild because on the 4th of the month, Josiah started back to school. Yeah, really! It was like - what happened to summer? School got out, we went to Myrtle Beach for 10 days, came back and jumped into Vacation Bible School, then had some events at church in July, and the next thing I know, that big yellow thing is rolling up and swallowing up my baby boy. We had all kinds of plans for doing stuff - but there simply wasn't enough time. The schools here are only out for two months, so that "break" goes by fast. We do get two weeks in October, and then in the spring another two weeks. But, to be honest, I think I'd rather have a few more weeks in the summer.
Anyway, the month of August ended on a great note. A local Baptist Church sponsored a Bible conference that featured five really good speakers and some great worship. Two of the speakers were professors from Southern Seminary (one was also my pastor at Ninth and O Baptist in Louisville -Go Dr. Cook!). The other two speakers were younger guys - one a pastor from here in H'burg and the other (a former classmate) from Tennessee. The fifth was a guy I had never heard before, a TALL guy from Lexington named Patrick Whyte. Every one of these guys honored the Lord and proclaimed messages that challenged and convicted the hearts of those in attendance.
One message was very special because it was a sermon that should be recorded and used as teaching material for young preachers everywhere. Dr. Hershael York preached a textbook sermon on how to use illustrations. I have always appreciated Dr. York's preaching - I think I'd have to say he is one of my top three favorite preachers. He has an ability to just to take the text and make it more real and practical than you have ever understood it to be before, always staying true to what author was trying to communicate. On Monday night he took Colossians 2-3 apart and we looked at them in ways I'd never thought of. Most of all I was amazed at how he used his illustrations and stories NOT just to make a point clear, but to transition the sermon from point to point. They were word pictures that you could identify with, and stories that made you laugh. But, they did much more than that - they acted like bridges, taking you from place to place, point to point in seemless fashion. Seriously, you just don't want the sermon to end. The next day at lunch, several of the pastors who were at the conference all commented on that same thing.
Some say that Biblical preaching is dead. I heartily disagree. We just need preachers who can take the Word of God and proclaim it in a way that reveals its power and beauty. Thanks, Dr. York, Dr. Cook, Dave, Justin and Patrick. This hungry heart was satisfied. Preach on!
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