Other Baptism Pictures can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/groups/sojournhuntsville/

Check out the site… http://relit.org/deathbylove/

So I am cruising the internet and I come across a story about Matt Allen (The Ice Cream Man) on ijustine.com…

He gives away free Ice Cream in the attempt to make the world a happier place.

I found the idea inspirational and completely applicable for the church. Looks like fun!!!

Several years ago a friend and I were ask to lead a worship services at an assisted living/retirement home. According to the manager of the facility, it would be just like starting a church. These people missed their traditional church services, singing hymns, and “old-tyme”, hellfire, and brimstone preaching. Someone above us on the pastoral food chain thought we were the right ones for the job. Good experience for two guys called to vocational ministry who had very little experience leading anything. We were a bit cocky… perhaps arrogant… all we wanted to do was (insert southern, backwoods preacher voice)“preach the word of God” and “sing the blessed hymns of the faith” and perhaps “snatch a few wayward, hell bound, gutter hardened… elderly people… out of the pit of darkness into the marvelous light” (end southern, backwoods preacher voice).

I don’t handle death well. I think this stems from being with my best friend in High School/College when he died. It was a traumatic experience that still haunts me to this day. Even after 18 years one would think that I would get over these emotions and come to grips with some level of acceptance. There are still moments/flashbacks/nightmares that take me right back to the event… a smell, a sound, a phrase, a name, a place, an old friend.

It happened today.

I come home from work and get the news that a High School/College friend is terminally ill with cancer, treatment is not working, and is at the hospital with family and friends waiting to die. She is 36… we graduated High School together… Went to college together… Dated for a little while… Another High School/College friend leaves me a message… gives me the details. Time flashes back in slow motion.

I just finished reading Craig Groeschel’s book called “Confessions of a Pastor - Adventures in dropping the pose and getting real with God”. This was a really good read. I read it in less than a day. The book is basically about him getting honest with himself and with God, becoming transparent, and becoming vulnerable. I am glad I read it.

2008 New York City Dwell Conference Audio

Mark Driscoll
Darrin Patrick
Tim Keller
C.J. Mahaney
Ed Stetzer
Eric Mason