This and that

The fall research season is in full swing. Just today I had three researchers going full-steam. All are graduate students, from Vandy, Lipscomb and U. of Chicago. I'm always energized by sharing scholarship and by facilitating scholarship. Today was a good day for research; and if anyone tells you that people are not interested in our history, then they would be wrong.

--------

On that note, my presentation to the Tennessee Conference of Historians Saturday at Union University in Jackson, TN went well. Being my first such presentation, I have nothing to which to compare it (at least as far as the presentation is concerned). However, I was comfortable with the paper and the conference as a whole was well-done. The people at Union went out of their way to make it a good experience. The coordinator of the session in which I presented made several thoughtful and genuinely helpful suggestions on the paper. I wasn't expecting that and was very impressed. My paper was entitled: Nashville Churches of Christ, 1866-1906: Patterns of Evangelism for a Growing Fellowship. I've got some more work to do on it, both in the areas of research and interpretation.

--------

I'm commuting in via Murfreesboro Road now instead of I-24. It's comparable, and sometimes quicker, plus I have yet to brace myself for what I'm sure is an impending rear-end from either 1) an 18 wheeler, 2) a redneck in a large pick-up, 3) women who are putting on make-up. If that sounds snobby or sexist, then you haven't driven I-24 in the mornings; you drive it for 6 years and then get back to me. For the drive home, however, the interstate is still quicker. Most days it flows rather well; today I made it home in about 35 minutes. Lately, I've listened to Bob Randolph and James Walters sermons from Brookline Church in Boston. I burn CD's and can get one, maybe two sermons in one one-way trip (unless Bob gets long-winded).

--------

Speaking of James Walters, I've found his work on Rome and Romans not only fresh and well-reasoned, but tremendously insightful for a reading and application of Romans. Ethnic Issues in Paul's Letter to the Romans; a book you should own. So, having an opportunity to hear him preach (even if on CD) is a real bonus. (Chad, I'm envious...take good notes!) I met James at Chad Smith's (beautiful) wedding last fall. A fine exegete and a nice guy (both of them).

--------

Speaking of Romans, we at Central Church will be in chapter 4 Sunday morning. Steve and I are attempting a program of teaching in which I teach the AM class, exegete the text for the day and he preaches the AM sermon on the same text, drawing out from it teaching for the assembly. The trick here is to do a class well (and not preach a sermon under the guise of a Sunday School lesson) and do a sermon well (and not preach as if it is a Sunday School class). I think the approach has real merit. This is the first time we've attempted such and it seems to be going well.

--------

How about that for a stream-of-consciousness post?

I've also added some new blogs, deleted others, and fixed some broken links. I've got more to add as time permits.