tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44460522269698494032024-03-13T22:09:34.883-04:00Uncommon Christian Ministries - Dr. Francis KyleThis blog--one of over 600 million--is uniquely devoted to Uncommon Christian Ministries (www.UncommonChristian.com), the preaching and writing ministry of Dr. Francis Kyle. And to all things James Brainerd Taylor (1801-1829), the recently rediscovered Princeton University and Yale Seminary-trained evangelist, cousin of famed Protestant minister David Brainerd (1718-1747) and third generation admirer of pastor-theologian and Brainerd biographer Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758).Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-54352623736760276722021-05-16T21:00:00.119-04:002021-07-25T23:32:04.472-04:00First Impressions: Why I’m Loving My New Home of Halifax County, NC<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-69esLKraPCM/YKHNKEz14NI/AAAAAAAAB1I/wRtXXCiHGWsSv4T5QMkmTXcS3PdyqMlkgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1117/BBChalifaxCountyNC.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1117" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-69esLKraPCM/YKHNKEz14NI/AAAAAAAAB1I/wRtXXCiHGWsSv4T5QMkmTXcS3PdyqMlkgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/BBChalifaxCountyNC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County, NC</a><br />Est. 1758</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span> moved to <a href="https://www.visitnc.com" target="_blank">North Carolina</a> in July 2019. Now is a good time to reflect on my first twenty-two months. To put in writing what I have been bragging about to family and Facebook and otherwise friends throughout the USA, Canada and overseas. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As an unofficial, volunteer ambassador for <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County</a>, I have offered to host and show them around if their health, time and finances allow for a visit whenever post-coronavirus safe travel begins.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">During my first eleven months here—including during March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic semi-unexpectedly began to wreak havoc on our county, state and nation—I had hosted eight family members and friends hailing from Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky and Washington State. And both new and longtime North Carolina friends from Edgecombe, Johnston, Nash and Wake counties, and some from Virginia, have blessed me and <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County</a> with their presence and dining and shopping dollars.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Historic churches and rural highways</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The 156-year-old church I joyfully serve is in <a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc.html" target="_blank">Weldon</a>. The church building (see below photo) is one of over 250 structures that lies within the federal government-recognized <a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc/67-weldon-nc-historic-district.html" target="_blank">Weldon Historic District</a>. Five miles south—and just three miles north of “The Birthplace of Freedom” county seat of Halifax—is my affordable rental house with its two guest rooms. The stretch of highway <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_301" target="_blank">U.S. 301</a> that the quiet rural home on 275 acres is situated on is part of North Carolina’s 17-county <a href="https://historicalbemarletour.org" target="_blank">Historic Albemarle Highway</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZL_3IvtQdA/YKMX1lVAQBI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/Mwb-NQhssmIy0NLMtLf-qycVn0cqMNSqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s300/OpEd2.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="300" height="161" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZL_3IvtQdA/YKMX1lVAQBI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/Mwb-NQhssmIy0NLMtLf-qycVn0cqMNSqgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h161/OpEd2.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>On a broader level, the pre-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_95" target="_blank">Interstate 95</a> and 1,100-mile <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_301" target="_blank">U.S. 301</a> that runs from Delaware to Florida was once known as “The Highway of Southern Hospitality.” Though meant more for hotels and motels, I hope to exemplify this historic nickname to family, friends and strangers alike with my private residence. “<i>[Seek] to show hospitality</i>' (Romans 12:13). "<i>Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares</i>” (Hebrews 13:2). "<i>And one more thing: prepare a guest room for me</i>" (Philemon 1:22, 2 Kings 4:10).</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prior to beginning pastoral ministry at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WeldonBaptistChurchNC/" target="_blank">Weldon Baptist Church</a> in December 2020, I originally arrived in <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County</a> to serve a semi-rural church along the 350-mile </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_158" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">U.S. 158</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. The now 131-year-old Bethlehem Baptist Church is three miles west of the Roanoke Rapids city limit, near Thelma.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">--> NOTE: It was an active and fascinating time serving at Bethlehem Baptist Church, minus dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic:</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p> + <span style="font-family: inherit;">See </span><a href="https://www.rrspin.com/news/1904-new-bethlehem-pastor-to-be-installed-nov-10.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for the online article about the November 2019 pastoral installation service at Bethlehem that saw pastor-author-conference speaker friend </span><a href="https://rbclouisville.com/about/#leadership" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Jim Savastio</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of Louisville, Kentucky, preach the pastoral and congregational charge. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ See </span><a href="https://www.rrspin.com/news/2965-bethlehem-to-honor-longtime-little-country-pastor-sunday.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">June 2020) and </span><a href="https://www.rrspin.com/news/3081-jenkins-preaching-at-bethlehem-sunday.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (July 2020) for online articles--and </span><a href="https://www.wral.com/church-visits-94-year-old-preacher-of-another-church-in-halifax-county/19155000/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for a related and inspiring 25-second news video from a major Raleigh television station on Father's Day 2020--on my local preacher-evangelist friend of 11 months, the late </span><a href="https://www.hockadayfs.com/obituary/rev-james-simp-jenkins" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">James "Simp" Lewis Jenkins</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (1926-2020). In the 1950's, beloved Simp was converted, baptized and mentored at Bethlehem. He remained an active pastor at the Halifax County church he founded (1989), Little Country Baptist Church, up to his death at age 94. An inspiring man of God!</span></p><p>+ See <a href="https://rrspin.com/news/3420-fbi-agent-lay-preacher-to-speak-at-bethlehem-sunday.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for an online article on my new FBI-Raleigh Supervisory Special Agent friend who substitute preached for me at Bethlehem in October 2020. (I am a graduate of the 9-week, 30-hour <a href="https://www.fbicecaaa.org" target="_blank">FBI Citizens Academy-Charlotte/Raleigh</a>, fall 2019.)</span></p><p>+ See <a href="https://shoredailynews.com/headlines/wife-of-former-union-baptist-pastor-celebrates-100th-birthday/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to learn about a 100th birthday party I attended in November 2020 in Chincoteague on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The party was for a widow and beloved former pastor's wife at Bethlehem (1953-60), the Halifax County-native Ethel Virginia (Bryant) Britton, wife to prominent pastor and revivalist </span><a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48518411/obituary-for-raymond-l-britton-bbc/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Raymond L. Britton, Sr.</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (1923-2003). </span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is a simple but semi-long and neat story of how I first heard about Bethlehem Baptist and <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County</a> in February 2019 while living in Kentucky. After visiting in March 2019, and then moving here thirteen weeks later, my usual eager-to-learn curiosity and gas-friendly motorcycle have enabled me to discover a lot about 263-year-old <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County</a> and the surrounding area in a short period of time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">USA, Canada, Israel</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the sake of geographical context and prior to this current American Southeast/mid-Atlantic residence, I lived in the Midwest/Upper South, 2013 to 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky, and Toledo, Ohio, ages two to five; two decades in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle, in Port Angeles, Quilcene and Marysville, Washington; and fifteen foundational years in the Northeast/New England, ages five to twenty, in West Hartford, Connecticut. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To add to the geographical autobiography, I was born in Miami Shores, Florida. But my native Midwest parents (mother Ohio, father Kansas/Nebraska) moved us six kids back to northwest Ohio after only one year in The Sunshine State. So, since age one, I have been a traveling man, with travels in all American states (minus Alaska) and living in The Buckeye State, Constitution (or Nutmeg) State, Evergreen State, Bluegrass State and now The Tar Heel (or Old North) State. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OoLFmNyxEdQ/YKMS4WaZ9fI/AAAAAAAAB2A/99aVjRmU_HcrjgIRTnZV5tpXZnOU5UHuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/MiamiHeraldIFK30sept1970articlePreview1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1974" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OoLFmNyxEdQ/YKMS4WaZ9fI/AAAAAAAAB2A/99aVjRmU_HcrjgIRTnZV5tpXZnOU5UHuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/MiamiHeraldIFK30sept1970articlePreview1.jpg" /></a></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">--> NOTE: Among other schools he served as a college educator, my late father was the Dean of Faculty at Miami Shore's Barry University, 1970-71. Though not readily available online (contact me if wanting a digital copy), see the October 1, 1970 (section F), <i>The Miami Herald</i> article on my professor/dean father, <b>"Barry's 'Radical': Changes Brewing on Campus."</b> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The W.W. II U.S. Army veteran and at-the-time 43-year-old Dr. </span><a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/journalstar/name/irvin-kyle-obituary?pid=18980989" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Irvin Francis Kyle, Jr.</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (1927-2006) is quoted as saying, "<i>A liberal education means to liberate and there is serious questions as to whether much of the present curriculum has any liberating function. . . . The types of ideas I have alluded to are neither new, radical nor revolutionary--except from one's own personal point of view. They have been around for many years. If they are subversive then they ought to be. And if you label radical that which is different, then I'm a radical</i>."</span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Additional but more temporary living locales have included ten years of long-ago seasonal jobs in three western U.S. national park hotels and restaurants (Glacier-Montana, Big Bend-Texas, Olympic-Washington State); six years of studies in Canada at a college near Calgary and a graduate school in Toronto, plus a three-year, semi-residential doctoral program in Portland, Oregon; and two years, spring 2009 to summer 2011, of spiritual pilgrimage and cross-cultural ministry in Israel, with the <a href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jerusalem-s-the-armenian-quarter" target="_blank">Armenian Quarter of Old City Jerusalem</a> as my home base. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The figurative “<i>pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night</i>” (Exodus 13:22) has divinely and adventurously led me to live, study, work, minister, volunteer, play, pray and motorcycle in some of the world’s many “pages.” “<i>The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page</i>” (Saint Augustine). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>I now cheerfully add <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County</a>, <a href="https://www.visitnc.com" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>, USA, to my "pages" in the "book" written by "the only true God" (John 17:3) who alone "</span><i>created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it </i><span class="text Isa-42-5" style="position: relative;"><i>and spirit to those who walk in it</i>" (Isaiah 42:5).</span> We live in a truly fascinating created universe. So much to learn and explore on land, sea and sky, and about cultures and people "<i>made in God's image/likeness</i>" (Genesis 1:26, James 3:9). But only one lifetime to do it in. "<i>Let me be up and doing constantly, faithfully, firmly</i>" (<a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_qfrom.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a>, 1801-1829). Gotta make this one life count "<i>while it is day</i>" (John 9:4), blessing others along the way. For the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have all of eternity/heaven to rest from our labors where our good works will follow us (Revelation 14:13). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b></b></div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kLnr8Lf-L3E/YKHN1sLkzOI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/bmsaWGp-cQw76cALqIljWNIbHcnKipPPACLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/BBChcedc2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="607" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kLnr8Lf-L3E/YKHN1sLkzOI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/bmsaWGp-cQw76cALqIljWNIbHcnKipPPACLcBGAsYHQ/w238-h400/BBChcedc2.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>Answered prayer: return to semi-rural America</span></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Having lived and ministered in cities, suburbs and semi-rural areas, I like semi-rural the best.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After ten fascinating, productive and consecutive years in and near three great cities—Jerusalem, Seattle and Louisville, 2009 to 2019—this lifelong and lifetime loan/debt-free bachelor intentionally wanted to slow his life down. To be more narrowly focused on his main calling in life by reducing and simplifying his personally rewarding but overly multi-tasking life and ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, with childlike faith I prayed specifically—and obediently asked in Jesus’ name—for a return to a less hectic and less distracting semi-rural area in the U.S. or Canada:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“. . . whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give to you. . . . Ask [in My/Jesus’ name], and you will receive, that your joy may be full”</i> (John 16:23-24 ESV). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet in my asking I was fully aware that personal and national divine blessing and cursing occurs irrespective of geographic locale:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. . . . Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country”</i> (Deuteronomy 28:3,16 NKJV).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And I was equally aware that physical and spiritual danger exists in every geographic context, as the New Testament’s Apostle Paul experienced during his extensive missionary travels:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea”</i> (2 Corinthians 11:26 NIV).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Found: new home</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While not to be confused with Halifax County, Virginia, or Roanoke, Virginia—and with deep gratitude for divine grace, guidance and providence—I have unexpectedly and happily found a semi-rural place to call home in 50,000-resident Halifax County, North Carolina, and near the county’s most populous town of 15,000-resident <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Rapids,_North_Carolina" target="_blank">Roanoke Rapids</a>. Being one among <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_counties_in_North_Carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina's 100 counties</a>, this "<i>good and broad land</i>" is not a paradisiacal "<i>land flowing with milk and honey</i>" (The Promised Land, Exodus 3:8). But it will more than suffice for now and the foreseeable future as I seek to maintain my habit of "growing where I am planted."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In providing my first impressions of this area of northeastern North Carolina, this well-travelled newcomer and hopeful longtime resident will do so by means of using <b><span style="color: #800180;">Halifax County, NC</span></b>, as an acronym. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHQnrDY_eiI/YKHOqOv3lZI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/WXI-DPi57ecOvMEGV4Ivif-t9U4YX_W7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/BBChalifaxCountyNC2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1800" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHQnrDY_eiI/YKHOqOv3lZI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/WXI-DPi57ecOvMEGV4Ivif-t9U4YX_W7gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h240/BBChalifaxCountyNC2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iefs-LxJUQ4/YKModTYG3JI/AAAAAAAAB2g/D5JI9sOazykU3LrSUxQLerLOd2mMUgw9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s728/BBChalifaxCOnc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="728" height="374" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iefs-LxJUQ4/YKModTYG3JI/AAAAAAAAB2g/D5JI9sOazykU3LrSUxQLerLOd2mMUgw9gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h374/BBChalifaxCOnc.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">H</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">istory</b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">.</span> Native American, African American, <a href="https://www.isjl.org/north-carolina-weldon-encyclopedia.html" target="_blank">Jewish</a> (especially in <a href="http://divinityarchive.com/bitstream/handle/11258/8594/historyoftemplee00rogo.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y" target="_blank">Weldon</a>), colonial era, Civil War, Reconstruction era, agricultural, <a href="https://www.roanokecanal.com/roanoke-canal-museum.html" target="_blank">canal</a>, <a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc/68-the-first-railroad-hub-of-the-south-weldon-nc.html" target="_blank">railroad</a>, religious, political, athletic, industrial. Wow. Impressive. Such a wide variety of historical topics to choose from for this pastor and independent scholar whose specialty is the nineteenth century; whose church he is serving, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WeldonBaptistChurchNC/" target="_blank">Weldon Baptist</a>, was founded in 1865 by the 26-year-old Confederate chaplain, George Washington University graduate and Virginia native, <a href="https://wakespace.lib.wfu.edu/bitstream/handle/10339/83881/MS615_Deans_Joseph_Franklin.pdf" target="_blank">Joseph Franklin Deans</a> (1839-1903); and whose rural stretch of U.S. 301 that his rental house on 275 acres lies along is part of North Carolina’s 17-county <a href="https://historicalbemarletour.org" target="_blank">Historic Albemarle Highway</a>. To my joy and fascination, nearly 50 of the state government-approved 1,600-plus roadside historical markers are in Halifax County. (To search and view the markers, see the free <a href="http://www.ncmarkers.com/search.aspx" target="_blank">online database</a> of the <a href="https://www.ncdcr.gov/about/history/division-historical-resources/nc-highway-historical-marker-program" target="_blank">North Carolina Highway Marker Program</a>. Created in 1935, the program is administered by the state's <a href="https://www.ncdcr.gov" target="_blank">Department of Natural and Cultural Resources</a>.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">ffordable Housing</b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">.</span> I can guarantee that owning or renting a home or apartment in Halifax County is way less expensive than most other parts of the U.S. The same is true for property tax.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">L</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">akes</b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">. </span>Roanoke Rapids Lake and the 20,000-acre <a href="https://www.visitnc.com/listing/tkDX/lake-gaston" target="_blank">Lake Gaston</a>—and the 50,000-acre <a href="https://www.ncparks.gov/kerr-lake-state-recreation-area/home" target="_blank">Kerr Lake</a> in the surrounding North Carolina and Virginia counties—offer refreshing and fun water opportunities for fishermen, swimmers, boaters, jet skiers and scuba divers. And for my fellow motorcyclists who are less aquatically inclined, the curvy country roads near the lakes are fun to cruise.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">nterstate 95</b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">.</span> Although I prefer driving the backroads, it is convenient living near such a major, multi-lane highway when having to get somewhere quick. And the rural portion of the 1,900-mile I-95 that goes through Halifax County is incredibly more relaxing than the super busy and often traffic-jammed Connecticut and New York stretch of I-95 that this Northerner grew up near. Also, because of <a href="https://www.i95exitguide.com/overnight-stops/roanoke-rapids-nc-i-95-exit-173/" target="_blank">“America’s Best Exit”—exit 173</a> that essentially divides Roanoke Rapids and Weldon—county residents have no shortage of gas station, auto repair shop, retail store, restaurant and hotel ballroom rental options.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">F</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">ood and Beverage</b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">. </span>There is a nice variety of national chain and family-owned restaurants to choose from in and near Enfield, Halifax, Hobgood, Littleton, Roanoke Rapids, Scotland Neck and Weldon. And, yes, I’m enjoying the vinegar-based <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue_in_North_Carolina" target="_blank">Eastern North Carolina barbeque</a> and Brunswick Stew. I never heard of either before moving to Halifax County. And for those liking fine craft spirits such as bourbon, gin, vodka and whiskey, there is the new <a href="https://weldonmills.com" target="_blank">Weldon Mills Distillery</a> along the banks of the Roanoke River. <a href="https://weldonmills.com/distillery-tours/" target="_blank">Tours of the distillery</a> are available. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">rea Attractions</b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">.</span> Situated between Raleigh-Durham and Richmond, Virginia, Halifax County is close enough but far enough away from so many area attractions and three decent-sized international airports (RDU, RIC and Norfolk’s ORF). If one includes southern and eastern Virginia, within a 125-mile radius is a playground filled with historical sites, art museums, oceanside beach resorts, university and seminary libraries and events, sports entertainment options (including collegiate, professional hockey, minor league baseball and auto and motorcycle racing), county and state fairgrounds, festivals, theaters and concert halls.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">X</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">-factor: The People of Halifax County</b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">.</span> Less hectic, semi-rural living that is surrounded by natural beauty is super pleasant and tranquil. But I learned decades ago that it is the friendliness, or the lack thereof, of the local residents that make or break a community. There are too many Halifax County new friends to mention that have made this Yankee’s transition to North Carolina smooth and enjoyable. On a humorous note, I must admit: in all my domestic and foreign travels, I have never lived in an area where so many older men are known in the community by their nicknames rather than their real first names. Because of this, I politely ask older male church members for their full legal name in case I need to visit them in the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L419XbKuxTc/YKHF5QAPvOI/AAAAAAAABz8/ABmZKwYPZuw_TWUBlJ5wmT6BWP4O8x1QgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1140/BBChcedc1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1140" height="301" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L419XbKuxTc/YKHF5QAPvOI/AAAAAAAABz8/ABmZKwYPZuw_TWUBlJ5wmT6BWP4O8x1QgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h301/BBChcedc1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk8oP6ep2RM/YKMT34aIVqI/AAAAAAAAB2I/lQp39b_9OZgfNT5iCR3VqUF2NdBinsd3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/OpEd1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk8oP6ep2RM/YKMT34aIVqI/AAAAAAAAB2I/lQp39b_9OZgfNT5iCR3VqUF2NdBinsd3QCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h200/OpEd1.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">C</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">hristianity</b></span><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Past, present and future, the Protestant Christian faith saturates </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_County,_North_Carolina" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Halifax County</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. The Bible Belt-situated county is especially rich in Baptist and Methodist history. Present-day churches, Christian radio stations and live Southern Gospel, African American Gospel and otherwise concerts are aplenty. And the future bodes well for the Baptist denominational affiliations I happily identify with due to the solid leadership of and partnership among the </span><a href="https://www.nrbaptistnc.org" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">North Roanoke Baptist Association</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><a href="https://ncbaptist.org" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Baptist State Convention of North Carolina</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><a href="https://www.sbc.net" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and the Wake Forest-based </span><a href="https://www.sebts.edu" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">O</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">cean</b></span><span style="color: red;">.</span> I am fully aware there is no ocean front property in Halifax County or—according to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioPa1URjZ_Y" target="_blank">George Strait 1986 classic song</a>—Arizona. But Atlantic beaches, including along North Carolina's famous Outer Banks, are close by yet far enough away to avoid devastating hurricanes in our Upper Coastal Plain region. As a partly related and fun bonus, my boyhood hometown professional hockey team of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartford_Whalers" target="_blank">Hartford Whalers</a> became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997. In January 2020 in Raleigh, I attended <a href="https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/fans/whalers-night" target="_blank">Whalers Night</a> at a Hurricanes game.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">U</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">niversity of North Carolina “Founding Father</b></span><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">.”</span> Though not without his slave-owning flaws, Halifax County lays claim to the primary founder of the nation’s oldest public university (1795). The British-American and Princeton University-educated <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/davie-william-richardson" target="_blank">William Richardson Davie</a> (1756-1820) spent significant time in Halifax County. When initially living along highway U.S. 158, I lived close to William R. Davie Middle S.T.EM. Academy, Davie School Road and Davie Wood Drive. I now live off of U.S. 301, close to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_R._Davie_House" target="_blank">William R. Davie House</a> on Norman Street in Historic Halifax.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">N</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">ature and Weather</b></span><span style="color: red;">.</span> There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors during the county’s four distinct seasons. The list includes <a href="https://www.ncparks.gov/medoc-mountain-state-park/home" target="_blank">Medoc Mountain State Park</a>, <a href="https://www.roanokecanal.com/roanoke-canal-trail.html" target="_blank">Roanoke Canal Trail</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_River" target="_blank">Roanoke River</a> (“The Amazon of North Carolina” according to the <a href="https://www.ourstate.com/the-mighty-roanoke-river-a-photo-essay/" target="_blank"><i>Our State</i> March 2021 magazine cover</a> and extensive photo essay) and the amazing <a href="https://shwpark.com" target="_blank">Sylvan Heights Bird Park</a> that is home to the world's largest collection of water fowl. And the weather extremes during the summer and winter are bearable here, allowing year-round outdoor exercise at the county-wide <a href="https://getfitstayfitrv.com/images/halifax-lg.jpg">Roanoke Valley Fitness Interactive Trail (F.I.T.)</a> developed by the Roanoke Rapids-based <a href="https://getfitstayfitrv.com" target="_blank">Roanoke Valley Community Health Initiative</a> ("Empowering Healthy Lifestyles").<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><b>T</b><b>ourism Dollars and Related Jobs</b></span><span style="color: red;">.</span> The Lori Medlin-led <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> does a magnificent job informing the state and nation of the county’s abundant cultural, historical and natural assets, as well as the popular <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com/listing/FmKv/halifax-county-visitor-center-dog-run" target="_blank">Visitor Center dog park/run</a> by I-95’s exit 173. This includes billboards along I-95; colorful advertisements I have seen in <i>USA Today</i> travel supplements and North Carolina's popular <i><a href="https://www.ourstate.com" target="_blank">Our State</a></i> monthly magazine; and the easy-to-remember web address <i>exit173.com</i> that redirects to HCCVB’s <i><a href="http://visithalifax.com" target="_blank">visithalifax.com</a></i> when clicked. And to the joy of the <a href="https://halifaxdevelopment.com" target="_blank">Halifax County Economic Development Commission</a>, with the tourism industry comes jobs. The HCEDC does impressive work in making Halifax County attractive to businesses while providing <a href="https://halifaxdevelopment.com/halifax-county-nc-location-2/" target="_blank">this promise</a>: "<o:p></o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>If your company is considering expansion or relocation, you’ll find a wide range of resources to help you evaluate Halifax County as a location for your business. You will find information on incentives and financial assistance we offer to qualifying businesses, available buildings and sites, demographics and economic data, and other valuable information and options to support your business needs</i>."</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">outh</b></span><span style="color: red;">.</span> Pre- and post-coronavirus, there was and will be no shortage of enjoying in-person high school athletic contests on a Friday night or otherwise. Go Chargers, Trojans, Vikings (both Halifax Academy and Northwest) and Yellow Jackets! And enjoying theatrical productions and concerts by students in the county’s public and private schools. This former K-12 substitute public school teacher, and former middle/high school and community college basketball coach, is impressed with the local students, parents and educators he has met so far. After high school, I like the fact that young adults can choose to remain here for affordable higher education by attending the accredited <a href="http://www.halifaxcc.edu" target="_blank">Halifax Community College</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ze36Tbmp3s/YKHGuWtIt1I/AAAAAAAAB0I/ypvNxI3uNOglxImsFa5FLyK18TZyF06pACLcBGAsYHQ/s2400/BBChalifaxCountyStrong.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="2400" height="272" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ze36Tbmp3s/YKHGuWtIt1I/AAAAAAAAB0I/ypvNxI3uNOglxImsFa5FLyK18TZyF06pACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h272/BBChalifaxCountyStrong.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Tagline and image borrowed from <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau</a>. 2020.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">N</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">ational, State and Global Significance</b></span><span style="color: #38761d;">.</span> The astonishing list is long and growing for Halifax County. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ The <a href="https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/historic-halifax/history/halifax-historic-district-importance/halifax-and-revolution" target="_blank">Halifax Resolves</a> on April 12, 1776, is the first official action in the American colonies calling for independence from Great Britain.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ According to <a href="https://www.presnc.org" target="_blank">Preservation North Carolina</a>, the county has produced more leaders—governors, congressmen and generals—than any other county.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="https://enfieldnc.org/town-history" target="_blank">Enfield</a>, founded in 1740 and therefore the oldest town in Halifax County, was once the world's largest raw peanut market. The 1759 <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/enfield-riots" target="_blank">Enfield Riots</a> are one of the earliest political actions against British tyranny, helping to spark American independence. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ The founder of the Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T, est. 1872 in Wilson, N.C., bought by Truist Financial Corporation in 2019) was born in Enfield. <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/branch-alpheus" target="_blank">Alpheus P. Branch</a> (1843-1893) grew up in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGsMTfTIRPw" target="_blank">recently renovated house ("Branch Grove," built 1848)</a> his father, Samuel Warren Branch (1804-1865), had built on his family's plantation. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc/history-of-weldon-nc.html" target="_blank">Weldon</a> is <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com/listing/gBdK/rockfish-capital-of-the-world" target="_blank">“The Rockfish Capital of the World,”</a> attracting fishermen from near and far. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc/history-of-weldon-nc.html" target="_blank">Weldon</a> once had a vibrant Jewish community up until the early twentieth century. Many owned clothing stores. Residents of neighboring Roanoke Rapids and Emporia, Virginia, came to Weldon's Temple Emanu-El to worship on the Sabbath. (Both available online: see the "Weldon, North Carolina" entry in <a href="https://www.isjl.org/north-carolina-weldon-encyclopedia.html" target="_blank"><i>The Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities</i></a> and Leonard Rogoff's 100-page <i><a href="http://divinityarchive.com/bitstream/handle/11258/8594/historyoftemplee00rogo.pdf" target="_blank">A History of Temple Emanu-El [1912-2006]: An Extended Family</a></i> [2007]).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ In 1840, the 161.5-mile <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/wilmington-weldon-railroad" target="_blank">Wilmington and Weldon Railroad</a> has the longest railroad in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ With its own roadside historical marker since 1965 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1994, the still-standing <a href="http://www.ncmarkers.com/Markers.aspx?MarkerId=E-71" target="_blank">Kehukee Primitive Baptist Church</a> near Scotland Neck (at junction of highway N.C. 125 and S.R. 1810) was erected around 1872. But the original, now no-more church building located less than three miles away was erected around 1742 during the revival-filled <a href="https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/lessonplan/firstgreatawakening.html" target="_blank">First Great Awakening</a>. The original church was the Mother Church of the Calvinistic-believing <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/kehukee-baptist-association" target="_blank">Kehukee Baptist Association</a> (est. 1769), the nation’s fourth oldest Baptist association behind only the Philadelphia (1707), Charleston (1751) and Sandy Creek, North Carolina (1758) Baptist associations. See Lemuel Burkitt and Jesse Read, <i><a href="https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100139636" target="_blank">A Concise History of the Kehukee Baptist Association</a></i> (1803).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ The prominent Methodist Bishop and "Prophet of the Long Road," <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Asbury" target="_blank">Francis Asbury</a> (1745-1816), often stayed with pastor-educator <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/bradford-henry-bartlett" target="_blank">Henry B. Bradford</a> (1761-1833). After recently moving from the Enfield/Fishing Creek area to Halifax, the <a href="https://bradforddenton.com" target="_blank">Bradford Denton House</a> (ca. 1760) has marvelously been restored. See <a href="https://bradforddenton.com/18th-century-life/bishop-francis-asbury/reverend-francis-asbury.html" target="_blank">here</a> for excerpts (1801-03, 1815) from Asbury's journal regarding some of his visits to Halifax County. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="https://www.ncdcr.gov/blog/2015/07/07/sir-archie-and-the-north-carolina-roots-of-thoroughbred-racing" target="_blank">Sir Archie</a> (1805-1833), the first great Thoroughbred racehorse stallion bred in America and an inaugural member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, resides in Halifax County when he was owned by William R. Davie and then Davie’s son. This is before Sir Archie lives at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mowfield" target="_blank">Mowfield Plantation</a> near Jackson in Northampton County.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ Civil War activity and shipyard, including the building of the 376-ton and 158-foot steam-powered ironclad warship <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/albemarle-css" target="_blank">CSS <i>Albemarle</i></a> by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_Navy" target="_blank">Confederate States Navy</a> (CSN). The warship had much success against the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_(American_Civil_War)" target="_blank">Union</a> before its sunken demise on October 27, 1864, in Plymouth, N.C. (A floating replica of the warship is on display at Washington County Historical Society's <a href="http://portoplymouthmuseum.org/about-port-o-plymouth-museum/" target="_blank">Port 'o Plymouth Museum</a>. And the ship's smokestack is on display at the <a href="https://www.museumofthealbemarle.com" target="_blank">Museum of the Albermarle</a> in Elizabeth City, N.C.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ Begun in 1892, the 5,500-acre <a href="http://www.ncmarkers.com/Markers.aspx?MarkerId=E-94" target="_blank">Caledonia State Prison Farm</a> near Tillery is the state’s oldest correctional institution.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ Three new historical marker displays—in Halifax, Roanoke Rapids and Weldon—are part of the National Park Service-created <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1205/index.htm" target="_blank">National Underground Railroad “Network to Freedom”</a> trail. (Since 2020, I have served on the<a href="http://www.halifaxundergroundrr.com" target="_blank"> Halifax Underground Railroad</a> Advisory Committee.) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ The <a href="https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/tillery-nc/" target="_blank">Tillery Farms Resettlement</a> project is an African-American national success story thanks to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s rural anti-poverty agency, the New Deal’s Resettlement Administration (1935-37). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ The wealthy <a href="https://www.eastman.org/about-george-eastman" target="_blank">George Eastman</a> (1854-1932), of Eastman Kodak camera fame, chose beautiful and friendly Halifax County for his “home away from home.” The New York entrepreneur and philanthropist owned a 2,500-acre plot and built his <a href="https://www.eastman.org/node/5806" target="_blank">rustic hunting retreat, Oak Lodge, in Ringwood</a> near Enfield.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ The pre-Rosa Parks <a href="https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/sarah-keys-bus" target="_blank">Civil Rights Movement incident on August 1, 1952, in Roanoke Rapids</a> sees the 23-year-old African American <a href="https://sarahkevansproject.com/who-is-sarah-keys-evans/" target="_blank">Sarah Keys</a>—while dressed in her U.S. Army Women’s Army Corps uniform—refusing to give up her seat on a Trailways bus. <a href="https://www.rrspin.com/news/3148-saluting-sheer-bravery-keys-evans-honored.html" target="_blank">August 1, 2020, is declared “Sarah Keys Evans Day” in Roanoke Rapids</a> and in conjunction with the dedication of a <a href="https://sarahkevansproject.com" target="_blank">new mural depicting her story</a> in the Martin Luther King Park on Virginia Avenue.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ In 1909, the Roanoke Rapids Paper Manufacturing Company is the <a href="http://www.ncmarkers.com/Markers.aspx?MarkerId=E-81" target="_blank">first to ever produce kraft pulp</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ Opening in 1972 in Weldon, the <a href="http://www.chockoyottecountryclub.com" target="_blank">Chockoyotte County Club</a>’s 18-hole, par 72 private golf course is designed by the well-respected golf architect <a href="https://asgca.org/architect/emaples/" target="_blank">Ellis Maples </a>(1909-1984). A native of “The Home of American Golf” (<a href="https://www.homeofgolf.com/for-golfers/" target="_blank">Pinehurst, N.C.</a>), Maples was mentored by the legendary Scottish-American who put Pinehurst on the golf radar: <a href="https://rosssociety.org/Donald_Ross_bio" target="_blank">Donald Ross</a> (1872-1948). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ Roanoke Rapids’s<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Peters_Stevens" target="_blank"> J. P. Stevens and Company</a> textile mill worker and union advocate, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Lee_Sutton" target="_blank">Crystal Lee Sutton</a> (1940-2009), inspires the 1975 book <i>Crystal Lee, a Woman of Inheritance</i> by a <i>New York Times</i> reporter, and then the 1979 movie <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Rae" target="_blank">Norma Rae</a></i> that earned <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8ulYIVcCeY" target="_blank">Sally Fields</a> the “Best Actress” Academy Award. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">+ The now 92-year-old <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=glAT51Mggmo&app=desktop" target="_blank">Jack Tant</a>, one of the winningest engine builders in NASCAR history, is a longtime resident of Littleton.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">C</span></b><b style="font-size: large;">ultural Attractions, Events and Shopping</b></span><span style="color: #274e13;">.</span> While not super abundant due to its more rural locale and when compared to the big city, 50,000-resident Halifax County nevertheless has its fair share of cultural attractions, events and shopping opportunities within its 731 square miles. These include the <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com/story/mhpp/the-art-of-napolean-hill" target="_blank">Napolean Hill-created large outside murals</a>; <a href="https://www.halifaxarts.org" target="_blank">Halifax County Arts Council</a> exhibits and gatherings; theatrical and other performances at the <a href="https://lakelandcac.org" target="_blank">Lakeland Cultural Arts Center</a> in Littleton, and the <a href="http://www.epacnc.org/about-us.html" target="_blank">Enfield Performing Arts Center</a>; concerts at <a href="https://www.rrtlive.com" target="_blank">Roanoke Rapids Theatre</a>, <a href="https://weldonmills.com" target="_blank">Weldon Mills Distillery</a>, <a href="http://www.halifaxcc.edu/Centre/" target="_blank">The Centre</a> at Halifax Community College, churches and other venues; and super affordable movie tickets and amazing popcorn at <a href="https://www.rcetheaters.com/roanoke-rapids" target="_blank">Roanoke Rapids’s RCE Theater</a>. Moreover, antique, artisan's gallery and outlet shops at the neat <a href="https://www.riversidemill.net" target="_blank">Riverside Mill</a> in Weldon, and <a href="https://www.auntrubyspeanuts.com" target="_blank">Aunt Ruby's Peanuts</a> and <a href="https://southernsecretsenfield.com" target="_blank">Southern Secrets at Mears</a> (original art, handmade gifts, home accessories and interior design, event resources, custom engraving) in Enfield, are three among many Halifax County stores worth one's shopping time and dollars. The (Highway) <a href="https://www.johnstoncountync.org/301-endless-yard-sale/" target="_blank">301 Endless Yard Sale</a> is also an annual highlight in Weldon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkjsCHQus3c/YKHIP3cfxjI/AAAAAAAAB0w/tsyLuZyZxtUkpR0xeT2ObGgi3t0gVlvwACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BBCpastoralInstallationSignNov2019.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkjsCHQus3c/YKHIP3cfxjI/AAAAAAAAB0w/tsyLuZyZxtUkpR0xeT2ObGgi3t0gVlvwACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/BBCpastoralInstallationSignNov2019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />November 2019</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFj7aqLRS7o/YKHfimQa_XI/AAAAAAAAB1g/v4vsukHdRGEgbDmhzUOWpMixdtYVB2aeACLcBGAsYHQ/s712/BBCbethlehemBaptistRoanokeRapidsNC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="712" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFj7aqLRS7o/YKHfimQa_XI/AAAAAAAAB1g/v4vsukHdRGEgbDmhzUOWpMixdtYVB2aeACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/BBCbethlehemBaptistRoanokeRapidsNC.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Bethlehem Baptist Church<br />Est. 1890<br /><a href="https://www.visithalifax.com" target="_blank">Halifax County, NC</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZIEUE9fKII/YKHHtZfAZtI/AAAAAAAAB0g/3rRnslNK-5sJ7B52rckFmCiwh2kU8hgaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s949/WeldonNC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="949" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZIEUE9fKII/YKHHtZfAZtI/AAAAAAAAB0g/3rRnslNK-5sJ7B52rckFmCiwh2kU8hgaQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h286/WeldonNC.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc/history-of-weldon-nc.html" target="_blank">Weldon, Halifax County, NC</a><br />Est. 1745</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2t6G1hDlZDg/YKHI5wYD68I/AAAAAAAAB04/Z6TSV6X5yPYpYU4J3wFRJ8V8LsbGZzwZACLcBGAsYHQ/s720/WeldonBaptistChurchNC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="720" height="466" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2t6G1hDlZDg/YKHI5wYD68I/AAAAAAAAB04/Z6TSV6X5yPYpYU4J3wFRJ8V8LsbGZzwZACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h466/WeldonBaptistChurchNC.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WeldonBaptistChurchNC" target="_blank">Weldon Baptist Church</a><br />Est. 1865<br /><a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc/history-of-weldon-nc.html" target="_blank">Weldon, Halifax County, NC</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeD44qjGu3o/YKLldkOfkqI/AAAAAAAAB1o/c3LFQve1vJgECmtWRaZWpuLCmck8QffvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/WBCbaptism21march2021i.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeD44qjGu3o/YKLldkOfkqI/AAAAAAAAB1o/c3LFQve1vJgECmtWRaZWpuLCmck8QffvgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/WBCbaptism21march2021i.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />March 2021<br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WeldonBaptistChurchNC/" target="_blank">Weldon Baptist Church</a><br /><a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc/history-of-weldon-nc.html" target="_blank">Weldon, Halifax County, NC</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DT950DdBu5E/YKLl_548QPI/AAAAAAAAB1w/zKuCi-yxdwMR7LqVlIfYtaaeNv8IFqA_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/WBCbaptism21march2021iii.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DT950DdBu5E/YKLl_548QPI/AAAAAAAAB1w/zKuCi-yxdwMR7LqVlIfYtaaeNv8IFqA_wCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/WBCbaptism21march2021iii.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />March 2021<br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WeldonBaptistChurchNC/" target="_blank">Weldon Baptist Church</a><br /><a href="https://www.historicweldonnc.com/about-weldon-nc/history-of-weldon-nc.html" target="_blank">Weldon, Halifax County, NC</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qI7lsb66AIw/YKHJjs9zZPI/AAAAAAAAB1A/uoz2WjdVIqY2CYvmvEJ7eA3QNKbZoRRugCLcBGAsYHQ/s1400/BBCbaptistStateConventionNC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1400" height="326" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qI7lsb66AIw/YKHJjs9zZPI/AAAAAAAAB1A/uoz2WjdVIqY2CYvmvEJ7eA3QNKbZoRRugCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h326/BBCbaptistStateConventionNC.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://ncbaptist.org" target="_blank">Baptist State Convention of North Carolina</a><br />Est. 1830</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Halifax County, NC, USA36.2646764 -77.60778657.9544425638211536 -112.7640365 64.574910236178852 -42.4515365tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-2411781632518652672019-07-11T17:28:00.008-04:002021-05-16T17:33:57.652-04:00UCM moves to North Carolina, July 2019As of July 2019, <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a> has moved to northeastern North Carolina, near the Virginia border and the popular, 1,900-mile <a href="https://www.i95exitguide.com" target="_blank">Interstate 95</a>.<br />
<br />
An exciting new chapter of pastoral, preaching and writing ministry begins in near semi-rural <a href="https://www.roanokerapidsnc.com/" target="_blank">Roanoke Rapids</a> in historic <a href="https://www.visithalifax.com/" target="_blank">Halifax County</a> (est. 1758), <a href="https://www.visitnc.com/" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>. Previous locales included Port Angeles (2007-09, 2011-12) and Marysville (2012-13), Washington; Jerusalem, Israel (2009-11); and Louisville, Kentucky (2013-June 2019).<br />
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The twelve-year ministry is looking forward to being blessed and a hopeful blessing to area churches and ministries, the <a href="https://www.nrbaptistnc.org/" target="_blank">North Roanoke Baptist Association</a> (est. 1955), <a href="https://ncbaptist.org/" target="_blank">Baptist State Convention of North Carolina</a> (est. 1830) and the <a href="https://shepherds.edu/shepherds-360/" target="_blank">Shepherds Theological Seminary 360 Regional Fellowship</a> (Cary, NC).<br />
<br />
UPDATE:<br /><a href="https://rrspin.com/news/1904-new-bethlehem-pastor-to-be-installed-nov-10.html" target="_blank">Online article</a> announcing the arrival and pastoral installation of Dr. Kyle. October 29, 2019.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpPLE2Exf6U/YKGL7_A7AhI/AAAAAAAAByY/stnuWOPgt_cV4JlTB6UXeUUsoaqQCjs2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BBCpastoralInstallationSignNov2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpPLE2Exf6U/YKGL7_A7AhI/AAAAAAAAByY/stnuWOPgt_cV4JlTB6UXeUUsoaqQCjs2ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/BBCpastoralInstallationSignNov2019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />November 2019<br /><br />UPDATE, February 2021:<br />Dr. Kyle is now serving at Weldon Baptist Church, also in Halifax County.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ub2u0LW2nbs/YKGIv2pAXMI/AAAAAAAAByE/HPVCgKIiJZs6UCJ-49jhlKTNW7zcm8zugCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/BBChcedc2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="607" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ub2u0LW2nbs/YKGIv2pAXMI/AAAAAAAAByE/HPVCgKIiJZs6UCJ-49jhlKTNW7zcm8zugCLcBGAsYHQ/w381-h640/BBChcedc2.jpg" width="381" /></a></div><div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKDvMgGb674/XW76ZnHykHI/AAAAAAAABro/7-QVB1auyHY1colMv2zybb0witdsSwJ0gCLcBGAs/s1600/BBChalifaxCOnc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="728" height="371" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKDvMgGb674/XW76ZnHykHI/AAAAAAAABro/7-QVB1auyHY1colMv2zybb0witdsSwJ0gCLcBGAs/s640/BBChalifaxCOnc.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="https://www.visithalifax.com/" target="_blank">Halifax County, NC</a><br />Est. 1758</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a class="irc_mil i3597" data-cthref="/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwicubuV663jAhUhTd8KHfDDBAQQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestplaces.net%2Fcity%2Fnorth_carolina%2Froanoke_rapids&psig=AOvVaw1voawcS3wRWqfSgF4zgOHZ&ust=1562967834616262" data-noload="" data-ved="2ahUKEwicubuV663jAhUhTd8KHfDDBAQQjRx6BAgBEAU" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwicubuV663jAhUhTd8KHfDDBAQQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestplaces.net%2Fcity%2Fnorth_carolina%2Froanoke_rapids&psig=AOvVaw1voawcS3wRWqfSgF4zgOHZ&ust=1562967834616262" jsaction="mousedown:irc.rl;focus:irc.rl" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #660099; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image result for roanoke rapids nc" class="irc_mi" data-iml="1562881467280" height="400" src="https://img.bestplaces.net/images/city/3756900_NC_Roanoke_Rapids.png" style="-webkit-background-size: 21px; background-color: white; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)), -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)); background-position: 0px 0px, 10px 10px; background-size: 21px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65) 0px 5px 35px; display: block; margin: 61px auto auto;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="https://www.roanokerapidsnc.com/" target="_blank">Roanoke Rapids, NC</a><br />Est. 1897</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T1XC9MhxKlo/XT3prn4dS4I/AAAAAAAABqs/f42XYHIoKtwFxA8yKRxZUPDnfj-5MRfFACLcBGAs/s1600/BaptistStateConventionNorthCarolina.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Baptist State Convention of North Carolina" border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1400" height="324" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T1XC9MhxKlo/XT3prn4dS4I/AAAAAAAABqs/f42XYHIoKtwFxA8yKRxZUPDnfj-5MRfFACLcBGAs/w640-h324/BaptistStateConventionNorthCarolina.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://ncbaptist.org/history/" target="_blank">Baptist State Convention of North Carolina</a><br />Est. 1830<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-igjzrBv9TNg/YKGNJrIkDFI/AAAAAAAAByg/1Xz-tmFWYdkV9ITB8smV6M4hqIry8BcigCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/BBCnrbaNC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-igjzrBv9TNg/YKGNJrIkDFI/AAAAAAAAByg/1Xz-tmFWYdkV9ITB8smV6M4hqIry8BcigCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/BBCnrbaNC.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://www.nrbaptistnc.org" target="_blank">North Roanoke Baptist Association</a><br />of North Carolina<br />Est. 1955</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870, USA36.4615395 -77.654146436.359344 -77.8155079 36.563735 -77.4927849tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-57696698777950951872016-06-19T22:15:00.000-04:002016-06-19T22:15:11.060-04:00The Holy Bible on the floor? A polite plea for greater respect for the Word of God<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bOXLx_yu13k/V2dJXEHltDI/AAAAAAAABjc/NTxkr8I0hWs59pylVQMrC0pda3VLg-KuACLcB/s1600/HolyBible.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bOXLx_yu13k/V2dJXEHltDI/AAAAAAAABjc/NTxkr8I0hWs59pylVQMrC0pda3VLg-KuACLcB/s1600/HolyBible.jpeg" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n the obituary-like announcement of the death of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_N._Taylor" target="_blank">Kenneth N. Taylor</a> (1917-2005), the founder of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyndale_House" target="_blank">Tyndale House</a> publishing company (1962) and translator of Tyndale's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Living_Bible" target="_blank"><i>The Living Bible</i></a>--a popular paraphrased Bible published in 1971 but since reworked and renamed the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Living_Translation" target="_blank"><i>New Living Translation</i></a> in 1996--<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/juneweb-only/55.0a.html" target="_blank"><i>Christianity Today </i>magazine wrote on June 10, 2005</a>,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Kenneth, eagerly attending Sunday school [in Beaverton, Oregon], was early impressed with the
inestimable value of Scripture. He once saw his father accidentally drop
a Bible; and with almost ceremonial gentility, [his father] the Reverend Taylor
picked it up from the floor. Kenneth respected the Word, but he wrestled
with archaisms in the King James Bible—a certain portent of future
editorial tasks. As publisher and writer, he would similarly honor the
Bible and its effective communication.</blockquote>
<br />
While risking the label of being a Christian legalistic or Bible idolater, I humbly and politely plead with my fellow believers in the <a href="http://www.everystudent.com/wires/whowas.html" target="_blank">Lord Jesus Christ</a> to show greater respect for <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/" target="_blank">God's holy, inerrant and eternal Word</a> (Old Testament, New Testament) by not placing it on the floor or ground. If our actions speak louder than words, then this simple and intentional non-action would display for others--and especially those yet outside of "the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jude+3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Jude 3</a>, New Testament), including those from other faiths (false religions)--the respect and honor due to God's sacred Word.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ha_Y9xTrTKc/V2dJN7gjiCI/AAAAAAAABjU/FAWVki5nZdoE017juqS3JacZN_NyLUqKgCLcB/s1600/BibleOnFloor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ha_Y9xTrTKc/V2dJN7gjiCI/AAAAAAAABjU/FAWVki5nZdoE017juqS3JacZN_NyLUqKgCLcB/s640/BibleOnFloor.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-61589765199364455532016-05-17T21:59:00.000-04:002016-06-05T00:40:34.148-04:00Ministering to those in hospitals . . . Oakley F. Belden, Sr. (1927-2016) . . . new book: "Lessons from a Hospital Bed" (J. Piper)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-52h0Zw6CstU/V1OVYVj9_nI/AAAAAAAABjA/w-BiX1lGELYQtSIAtRk-FlSoeNfzdZTYQCLcB/s1600/T4GfriendsOakleyFrancis%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-52h0Zw6CstU/V1OVYVj9_nI/AAAAAAAABjA/w-BiX1lGELYQtSIAtRk-FlSoeNfzdZTYQCLcB/s400/T4GfriendsOakleyFrancis%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">On left: <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/louisville/obituary.aspx?pid=180042322" target="_blank">Oakley Franklin Belden, Sr.</a> (1927-2016).<br /><a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>. April 2012.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>hat does a Christian do when he or she visits a hospital patient or someone in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospice" target="_blank">hospice</a> situation?<br />
<br />
In general and in short, be a good listener, share a Bible verse or two, pray and be brief. In most cases, just your physical presence (i.e., taking time out of your busy schedule to show you care) is appreciated.<br />
<br />
I--a "tent making" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2018:3" target="_blank">Acts 18:3</a>) <a href="http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/2015/08/reflections-on-my-first-18-months-as-a-sterile-processing-technician.aspx" target="_blank">hospital worker in the field of surgical instrumentation/sterile processing and infection control</a> (November 2013- )--recently visited a dear and elderly friend (April 2012- ) in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospice" target="_blank">hospice</a> care center. Three of <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/louisville/obituary.aspx?pid=180042322" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Oakely Franklin Belden, Sr.</span></b>'s</a> (1927-2016) last four days on earth I was able to visit. Each day I shared a Bible verse(s) and prayed for the longtime and beloved <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a> (<a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>) deacon who was born the same year as <a href="http://articles.courant.com/2006-08-24/news/0608230683_1_tcc-pratt-whitney-training-program" target="_blank">my father (1927-2006)</a> and who also served in the U.S. Army during <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii" target="_blank">W.W. II</a> (1939-45).<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze straight before you."<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov+4%3A25&version=ESV" target="_blank">Proverbs 4:25</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living."<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=rom+14%3A7-9&version=ESV" target="_blank">Romans 14:7-9</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thes+4%3A13-14&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:13-14</a></blockquote>
<br />
In February 2014 and 2015, I tried to take Bro. Oakley to his first-ever <a href="http://gocards.com/index.aspx?path=mbball" target="_blank">University of Louisville Cardinals men's basketball</a> game. The February 2015 attempt came courtesy of <a href="http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/rick-pitino" target="_blank">Basketball Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino</a>'s administrative assistant who gave us three complimentary tickets. However, a fragile 87/88-year-old Oakley had to cancel both times the night prior due to his health. O well. The <a href="http://www.everystudent.com/wires/whowas.html" target="_blank">Lord Jesus Christ</a> was Oakley's greatest joy and treasure, not sports. Yet he was a big U of L basketball fan.<br />
<br />
Relatedly, an excellent new resource by <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/about/john-piper/overview" target="_blank">John Piper</a> was published recently (February 2016) to spiritually instruct and encourage hospital patients. At only 80 pages and a $7.99 retail price, I highly recommend the pocket-sized little book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Hospital-Bed-John-Piper/dp/1433550431" target="_blank">Lessons from a Hospital Bed</a></i>. The foreword is written by <a href="http://www.joniandfriends.org/jonis-corner/jonis-bio/" target="_blank">Joni Eareckson Tada</a>. From Piper's <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/books/lessons-from-a-hospital-bed" target="_blank">Desiring God website</a>, a discount is given for bulk orders of 100 copies.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QjNo7VmW9Q8/V1OVMOSsHoI/AAAAAAAABi4/3OXdgCeugV8IEfkipAKT46GOkVKlS-KbACLcB/s1600/LessonsFromAhospitalBed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QjNo7VmW9Q8/V1OVMOSsHoI/AAAAAAAABi4/3OXdgCeugV8IEfkipAKT46GOkVKlS-KbACLcB/s640/LessonsFromAhospitalBed.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/books/lessons-from-a-hospital-bed" target="_blank">Lessons from a Hospital Bed</a></i>.<br />By <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/about/john-piper/overview" target="_blank">John Piper</a>. 2016.</span></td></tr>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-25360202438410127302016-04-15T18:51:00.000-04:002016-05-10T20:53:49.380-04:00Together for the Gospel, biennial conference for pastors . . . "We are Protestant: The Reformation at 500" (2016 theme)<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Icm0OnGgaeQ/VzJ23cehaGI/AAAAAAAABig/3MIV7OJtgsgAz9YCRUNx4rQ3fcJ_5ZLKQCLcB/s1600/T4Gorg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Icm0OnGgaeQ/VzJ23cehaGI/AAAAAAAABig/3MIV7OJtgsgAz9YCRUNx4rQ3fcJ_5ZLKQCLcB/s320/T4Gorg.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>hat a joy to attend my third (2012, 2014, 2016) <a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">Together for the Gospel</a> pastors conference, April 12-14, 2016, at the <a href="http://www.kfcyumcenter.com/" target="_blank">KFC Yum! Center</a> in <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>. This also was my second time serving as a volunteer, being one among the 320 volunteers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The combination of sound biblical instruction, sweet fellowship with attending friends from Canada, and 10,000-plus "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in [our] heart to the Lord" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A19&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Ephesians 5:19</a>) makes the every-two-year conference truly special.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All plenary sessions, panel discussions and breakout sessions are available for viewing at the <a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">T4G</a> website.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/author_bio.php" target="_blank">a former nominal Roman Catholic who is deeply appreciative of the Protestant Reformation</a> and its European leaders like <a href="http://www.theopedia.com/martin-luther" target="_blank">Martin Luther</a> (1483-1546) and others, I was doubly blessed by this year's theme of the <a href="http://www.theopedia.com/protestant-reformation" target="_blank">Protestant Reformation</a>. From now and throughout 2017, tributes and commemorations will be taking place within many Protestant denominations in honor of Martin Luther's bold protest against the theological teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther's nailing of his <a href="http://www.theopedia.com/95-theses" target="_blank">"95 Theses"</a> on the door of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Church,_Wittenberg" target="_blank">All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany</a>, on October 31, 1517, is widely considered the action that sparked the <a href="http://www.theopedia.com/protestant-reformation" target="_blank">Protestant Reformation</a>. The Latin-worded <a href="http://www.theopedia.com/five-solas" target="_blank">"Five Solas"</a> best summarize the theological emphases of the reformers in regard to a sinner's salvation before a holy and righteous God:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Sola fide</i> (by faith alone)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Sola Scriptura</i> (by Scripture alone)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Solus Christus</i> (by Christ alone)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Sola gratia</i> (by grace alone)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Soli Deo gloria</i> (glory to God alone)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivUQnpkDTWM/VzJ2vD5FmeI/AAAAAAAABiU/PBHaQxMdx8YR9QJSuq8viIDeLjDFPkKOgCLcB/s1600/T4Glogo2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivUQnpkDTWM/VzJ2vD5FmeI/AAAAAAAABiU/PBHaQxMdx8YR9QJSuq8viIDeLjDFPkKOgCLcB/s640/T4Glogo2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Begun in 2006 by evangelical leaders <a href="https://9marks.org/about/mark-dever/" target="_blank">Mark Dever</a>, <a href="https://www.rts.edu/jackson/faculty/bio.aspx?id=177" target="_blank">Ligon Duncan</a>, C. J. Mahaney and <a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/" target="_blank">Albert Mohler</a>---and with frequent guest speakers such as <a href="https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/kevindeyoung/" target="_blank">Kevin DeYoung</a>, <a href="http://www.gty.org/connect/biography" target="_blank">John MacArthur</a>, <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/about/john-piper/overview" target="_blank">John Piper</a> and <a href="http://www.theopedia.com/rc-sproul" target="_blank">R. C. Sproul</a>--the conference grows in attendance each time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the 2016 <a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">T4G</a> conference, over 10,000 attended from 43 countries, including 459 from Canada. About 19,500 "unique users" from 130 countries watched the livestream of the conference. Over 20 Protestant denominations were represented, with 41% from the <a href="http://www.sbc.net/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention</a> (just 4 miles away from the downtown <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville</a> arena are the SBC's <a href="http://www.boycecollege.com/" target="_blank">Boyce College</a> and <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a> which total over 5,000 students). 48% attended for the first time, with 56% being under age 40. Over 200,000 free books were distributed, with each attendee receiving over 20 free books (thus, the registration fee just about equals or is less than the retail value of the books received).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The next <a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">T4G</a> conference is scheduled for April 11-13, 2018, in <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville</a>. Registration will begin in late 2017. (The 2016 conference sold out, so be sure to register early.) If interest, time and finances allow, <a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">T4G</a> is a truly special and highly recommended conference to attend.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cXvfuDaR35E/VzJ22ms140I/AAAAAAAABic/V7DzxNFSnqoPbnHjYaMCLepH1oED2bdvwCLcB/s1600/T4GconfApril2016louisvilleKY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cXvfuDaR35E/VzJ22ms140I/AAAAAAAABic/V7DzxNFSnqoPbnHjYaMCLepH1oED2bdvwCLcB/s640/T4GconfApril2016louisvilleKY.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">T4G</a> at <a href="http://www.kfcyumcenter.com/" target="_blank">KFC Yum! Center</a> in <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>. April 12-14, 2016.<br />Over 10,000 attendees from 43 countries and 20 Protestant denominations.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Z1fD_DYZgI/VzJ24YrK-WI/AAAAAAAABik/uA_X5LChbDobGhd0Ow0LQJlaqt-dEUVcwCLcB/s1600/T4G2016friends.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Z1fD_DYZgI/VzJ24YrK-WI/AAAAAAAABik/uA_X5LChbDobGhd0Ow0LQJlaqt-dEUVcwCLcB/s640/T4G2016friends.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Friends at the <a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">T4G</a> "Canadians Together for the Gospel" breakout session.<br />April 13, 2016. Watch the video of the session <a href="http://t4g.org/media/2016/04/canadians-together-for-the-gospel/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tXbQ6sglO_g/VzJ22jEq8qI/AAAAAAAABiY/yN_lHAjTuIgAPGFGST0IUfLZ7ekqoFSeQCLcB/s1600/T4GfreeBooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tXbQ6sglO_g/VzJ22jEq8qI/AAAAAAAABiY/yN_lHAjTuIgAPGFGST0IUfLZ7ekqoFSeQCLcB/s400/T4GfreeBooks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over 20 free books for all <a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">T4G</a> 2016 attendees.<br />Read and be blessed!</span></td></tr>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-82849606568241290192016-03-26T18:05:00.000-04:002016-06-04T19:54:18.242-04:00Pastor-Professor William "Bill" F. Kerr (1915-2003), a centennial tribute . . . "Tail of the Dragon," a motorcyclist's dream<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/home/index.cfm/obituaries/view/fh_id/13080/id/798683" target="_blank">Dr. William "Bill" F. Kerr</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">1915-2003</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">W</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">hile attending the “<a href="http://www.sbts.edu/resources/category/lectures/carl-f-h-henry/page/1/" target="_blank">Carl F. H. Henry: A Centennial Celebration</a>” at <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a> in <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>, in September 2013, I was reminded of my first learning about the
evangelical stalwart from <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/home/index.cfm/obituaries/view/fh_id/13080/id/798683" target="_blank">William"Bill" Fulton Kerr</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">As Henry (1913–2003)
was departing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Baptist_Theological_Seminary" target="_blank">Northern Baptist Theological Seminary</a> in 1947 in order
to help form <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuller_Theological_Seminary" target="_blank">Fuller Theological Seminary</a> in Pasadena, California, my
new friend and mentor, Dr. Kerr (1915–2003), informed me—nearly a half-century
later, at age 78 (and me a <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/author_bio.php" target="_blank">one-year-old Christian convert of 22 years of age</a>) in 1993 in <a href="http://www.portangeles.org/" target="_blank">Port Angeles, Washington</a>—that he was arriving at the Lombard, Illinois,
campus in order to serve as the school’s new Associate Professor of Old
Testament (but later changed to Professor of Theology).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span></span><br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAgfNHllAPE/VwGr-RFCdCI/AAAAAAAABiA/8eMtM4867vUZFXizjWMCly4dpKj_3HJgA/s1600/KregelBibleHandbookKerr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAgfNHllAPE/VwGr-RFCdCI/AAAAAAAABiA/8eMtM4867vUZFXizjWMCly4dpKj_3HJgA/s320/KregelBibleHandbookKerr.jpg" width="189" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">That
spring (1947), Kerr had just graduated with his Doctor of Theology degree from
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Baptist_Theological_Seminary" target="_blank">Northern Seminary</a>. During his doctoral studies, he served as the seminary’s
instructor in history and Old Testament (1944–47). Before the Old
Testament teaching post was assumed, however, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Baptist_Theological_Seminary" target="_blank">Northern Seminary</a> instead appointed
Kerr as Professor of Theology, thereby filling the post left vacant by the
California-bound Henry.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the centennial anniversary of
Kerr’s birth in 2015 (September 6), a tribute to <span style="font-family: "times new roman";">the beloved pastor-professor-<a href="http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3AKerr%2C+William+F.%2C&qt=hot_author" target="_blank">author</a> seemed in order. So I researched, wrote and delivered a paper/lecture on Dr. Kerr at the annual southeast regional meeting of the <a href="http://www.etsjets.org/" target="_blank">Evangelical Theological Society</a>. <a href="http://www.ciu.edu/" target="_blank">Columbia International University</a> in <a href="http://www.columbiacvb.com/" target="_blank">Columbia, South Carolina</a>, served as host to the March 18-19, 2016, meeting. Dr. Kerr was a member of ETS, as well as the <a href="https://www.aarweb.org/" target="_blank">American Academy of Religion</a> and the <a href="http://www.sbl-site.org/" target="_blank">Society of Biblical Literature</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">My paper/lecture was one of 42 presented along with three plenary sessions by professor, author and Christian apologist </span><a href="http://www.paulcopan.com/" style="font-family: 'times new roman';" target="_blank">Paul Copan</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">. Dr. Copan spoke on "God, Evil, and the New Atheism, "God, Evil, and the Old Testament" and "God, Evil, and Civilization."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">For a copy of the paper entitled <b><span style="color: blue;">"In the Shadow of Carl F. H. Henry: The Life and Ministry of William F. Kerr,"</span></b> please contact <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/contact.php" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UMMM4ybKt9Q/VwA7dHlKKwI/AAAAAAAABg4/5KAlgPemVnEUWaS7Wpp3MrJfrRjeWVUcQ/s1600/FrancisKyleETSSEmarch2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UMMM4ybKt9Q/VwA7dHlKKwI/AAAAAAAABg4/5KAlgPemVnEUWaS7Wpp3MrJfrRjeWVUcQ/s640/FrancisKyleETSSEmarch2016.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Francis Kyle</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Lecture on friend and mentor <a href="https://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/home/index.cfm/obituaries/view/fh_id/13080/id/798683" target="_blank">Dr. W. F. Kerr</a> (1915-2003). March 18, 2016.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ciu.edu/" target="_blank">Columbia International University</a>. <a href="http://www.columbiacvb.com/" target="_blank">Columbia, SC</a>.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>"Tail of the Dragon"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">While on the same, 12-day, 1,900-mile road trip to the American Southeast (Lebanon, TN; Asheville and Cherokee, NC; and Charleston, Columbia and Coosawhatchie, SC), I was able to finally ride the <a href="http://tailofthedragon.com/" target="_blank">"Tail of the Dragon"</a> on March 12, 2016. On my 2004 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_V-Strom_650" target="_blank">Suzuki V-Strom DL650</a> (a middleweight sport touring bike that I've owned since 2007), this was my first and long-awaited motorcycle trip to this historic and scenic region of the country. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">With 318 curves in 11 miles on the North Carolina/Tennessee border--and situated along the borders of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm" target="_blank">Great Smoky Mountains National Park</a> and <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/cherokee" target="_blank">Cherokee National Forest</a>--this short stretch of the 582-mile <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_129" target="_blank">U.S. Route 129</a> is popular with motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts. <a href="http://tailofthedragon.com/" target="_blank">The Dragon</a> has no cross roads, no driveways and trucks are banned. Sadly, and mostly due to rider/driver error, deaths occur on The Dragon--see stats <a href="http://tailofthedragonmaps.com/tail-of-the-dragon-deaths/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">For a 27-minute <a href="http://www.easttennesseepbs.org/programs/tennessee-life/" target="_blank">"Tennessee Life"</a> (production of the PBS-TV station in East Tennessee) feature story on <a href="http://tailofthedragon.com/" target="_blank">The Tail of the Dragon</a> that aired in May 2015 (episode 14), see <a href="http://watch.easttennesseepbs.org/video/2365501461/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deals_Gap,_North_Carolina" target="_blank">Deals Gap, North Carolina</a>, the tiny community that lies at the mountain pass (2000' elevation) along the North Carolina/Tennessee border, is a must visit when beginning or ending one's ride on <a href="http://tailofthedragon.com/" target="_blank">The Dragon</a>.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZPSuR4LD9I/VwA_QQw7C8I/AAAAAAAABhs/N9k9XMf6kjM0hLYMPpiYMagEvUb7M7Gxw/s1600/FrancisKyleTailOfTheDragonMarch16i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZPSuR4LD9I/VwA_QQw7C8I/AAAAAAAABhs/N9k9XMf6kjM0hLYMPpiYMagEvUb7M7Gxw/s640/FrancisKyleTailOfTheDragonMarch16i.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Francis Kyle</a> on the <a href="http://tailofthedragon.com/" target="_blank">"Tail of the Dragon."</a> March 12, 2016.<br />Photo courtesy of Powerhead Productions, <a href="http://killboy.com/" target="_blank">Killboy.com</a>. Robbinsville, NC.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUAdTPPk86Q/VwA_RuP36yI/AAAAAAAABhw/IgqRBj1irf8hGfq_mNZCd1xbhupB68BUQ/s1600/FrancisKyleTailOfTheDragonMarch16ii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUAdTPPk86Q/VwA_RuP36yI/AAAAAAAABhw/IgqRBj1irf8hGfq_mNZCd1xbhupB68BUQ/s640/FrancisKyleTailOfTheDragonMarch16ii.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Francis Kyle</a> on the <a href="http://tailofthedragon.com/" target="_blank">"Tail of the Dragon."</a> March 12, 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Photo courtesy of Powerhead Productions, <a href="http://killboy.com/" target="_blank">Killboy.com</a>. Robbinsville, NC.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Drq84VuSX0/VwA_QKVWc3I/AAAAAAAABho/LIXqydPiedYxR3ZWlJROhUGT5x2TL5pwg/s1600/FrancisKyleTailOfTheDragonMarch16iii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Drq84VuSX0/VwA_QKVWc3I/AAAAAAAABho/LIXqydPiedYxR3ZWlJROhUGT5x2TL5pwg/s640/FrancisKyleTailOfTheDragonMarch16iii.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Francis Kyle</a> on the <a href="http://tailofthedragon.com/" target="_blank">"Tail of the Dragon."</a> March 12, 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Photo courtesy of Powerhead Productions, <a href="http://killboy.com/" target="_blank">Killboy.com</a>. Robbinsville, NC.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span>Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Columbia, SC, USA34.0007104 -81.03481440000001633.5796499 -81.68026140000002 34.421770900000006 -80.389367400000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-79687785164869143292016-03-05T01:35:00.001-05:002016-07-26T12:48:53.382-04:00Embracing the Truth Bible Conference, 6th annual . . . March 8-11, 2016 . . . Hamilton Chapel Church, Lebanon, Tenn.<span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>ith the theme this year being <span style="color: red;"><b>"Set Apart To Do Holy Business for Our King,"</b></span> the 6th annual <b>Embracing the Truth Bible Conference</b> (ETT) takes place March 8-11 in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladeville,_Tennessee" target="_blank">Gladeville</a> community of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon,_Tennessee" target="_blank">Lebanon, Tennessee</a> (25 miles east of <a href="http://www.visitmusiccity.com/" target="_blank">Nashville</a>). I will be attending the last two days of the conference as a first-time attendee.<br />
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Click <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/pdf/Embracing%20the%20Truth%20Bible%20Conference%20Final%20flyer%202016.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> to view the conference flyer; <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/pdf/Embracing%20the%20truth%20itenarary%202016.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> for ETT's schedule; and <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/pdf/Letter%202016.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> for the ETT welcome letter.<br />
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[Post-conference update: to listen to the messages, see <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ett_conference.asp" target="_blank">here</a>.]<br />
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The conference's vision is "to help men as leaders 'to guard what has
been entrusted to you' (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+1%3A14&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Timothy 1:14</a>) and to 'be strong in the grace that is Christ
Jesus' (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A1&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Timothy 2:1</a>) and 'to share in the suffering,
like a good soldier of Jesus Christ'" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Timothy 2:3</a>).<br />
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Though primarily for men and especially for pastors/church elders, women also are welcome to attend ETT and be instructed and blessed. However, there exists an ETT-like <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/womens_conference.asp" target="_blank">annual spring conference solely for women</a>. This year (2016), the Women of Grace Bible Conference is at the Holiday Inn (World's Fair Park location) in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, April 21-23. This year's theme is "Christian Women Growing in Grace."<br />
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ETT will feature, in total, 7 lectures and 9 sermons by 11 "Sovereign Grace" (Calvinistic Baptist) African-American (and some Caucasian) preachers from 6 U.S. states: Georgia, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.<br />
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After the opening lecture and sermon on the evening of March 8, the <a href="http://pastorjimmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ETT-Schedule.pdf" target="_blank">daily format for March 9-11</a> (Wednesday-Friday) is to have one lecture (10:30 a.m.) sandwiched between two sermons (9:15 and 11:45 a.m.) in the morning, fellowship and lunch provided by the host church (1:00 p.m.), the afternoons free for rest or recreation, and then one lecture (6:15 p.m.) and one sermon (7:15 p.m.) in the evening. So it's like going to a multi-day music festival, but instead of music, the people are gathered to hear the Bible taught (lecture) and preached (sermon).<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eIodXyiQHPU/Vtp2AtAj11I/AAAAAAAABfw/OpMmQZ87nVk/s1600/ETTbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eIodXyiQHPU/Vtp2AtAj11I/AAAAAAAABfw/OpMmQZ87nVk/s200/ETTbanner.jpg" width="200" /></a>Once again, <a href="http://hamiltonchapelchurch.org/history.htm" target="_blank">Hamilton Chapel Church</a> is hosting ETT. The historic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon,_Tennessee" target="_blank">Lebanon, Tennessee</a>, church was founded by newly freed slaves just after America's 4-year <a href="http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war-overview/overview.html" target="_blank">Civil War</a> had ended in 1865. <a href="http://hamiltonchapelchurch.org/history.htm" target="_blank">Hamilton</a>'s pastor (1992- ), <a href="http://hamiltonchapelchurch.org/pastor.htm" target="_blank">Dr. Robert L. Spickard, Sr.</a>, "has led the congregation in tremendous spiritual growth over his fifteen year tenure at this church. He teaches about the election of grace, justification, salvation, and sanctification. He preaches about the sovereign grace of Jesus Christ. Under his leadership, he has taught us that we serve a sovereign God, eternal, and still on the throne."<br />
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In the African-American church tradition, the conference presider is <a href="http://www.mainstreetbaptistchurchlexky.org/about-us/associate-elders-and-staff" target="_blank">Wayne Cornelius</a>, the senior assistant pastor at <a href="http://www.mainstreetbaptistchurchlexky.org/" target="_blank">Main Street Baptist Church</a> in <a href="http://www.visitlex.com/" target="_blank">Lexington, Kentucky</a>.<br />
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As always, ETT conference registration is free. But the conference organizers ask that attendees complete a simple <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/pdf/Registration.pdf" target="_blank">registration form</a>. "The cost will not be a burden to those who attend, but believe those who receive this wholesome manna will support us in seed to continue these efforts to share the gospel." A morning and evening freewill offering will be taken each day.<br />
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If in the Nashville area March 8-11, consider this as your invite to attend and be instructed and blessed by ETT's "wholesome manna" from God's Word, preached by God's choice servants who are some of the boldest preachers I know. "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+28%3A1&version=ESV" target="_blank">Proverbs 28:1</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZ4iy5L-Vak/Vtp01xonpMI/AAAAAAAABfo/beAxfdaUlns/s1600/ElderDJward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZ4iy5L-Vak/Vtp01xonpMI/AAAAAAAABfo/beAxfdaUlns/s400/ElderDJward.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder/Pastor <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">D. J. Ward</a> (died 2008)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.mainstreetbaptistchurchlexky.org/" target="_blank">Main Street Baptist Church</a>, <a href="http://www.visitlex.com/" target="_blank">Lexington, Ky</a>.</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The African-American <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/calvinism-is-not-new-to-baptists" target="_blank">Calvinistic Baptist</a> ETT conference is the annual spring conference of the annual summer <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/about.asp" target="_blank">Sovereign Grace Bible Conference</a> founded by the late <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">D. J. Ward</a> (died 2008) over 30 years ago (1985- ).<br />
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Prior to its current host church (2010- ) of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/New-Home-Missionary-Baptist-Church-150765348317955/timeline?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">New Home Missionary Baptist Church</a> in <a href="http://www.chattanoogafun.com/" target="_blank">Chattanooga, Tennessee</a>, the SGBC was held where <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">Elder/Pastor Ward</a> served (1989-2008), namely, at <a href="http://www.mainstreetbaptistchurchlexky.org/" target="_blank">Main Street Baptist Church</a> (est. 1862 during the <a href="http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war-overview/overview.html" target="_blank">Civil War</a>) in <a href="http://www.visitlex.com/" target="_blank">Lexington, Kentucky</a>. The historic church is part of Lexington's <a href="http://www.visitlex.com/things-to-do/afam-heritage-trail/main-street-baptist-church/" target="_blank">African-American Heritage Trail</a>.<br />
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All 11 ETT preachers were influenced by Elder <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">D. J. Ward</a>, either by Elder Ward's pastoral mentoring (thus, are a spiritual "son in the ministry" in the African-American church tradition) or by Elder Ward's sermons. For a brief biography on Elder Ward, see <a href="http://www.codymcnutt.com/blog/2016/6/2/two-strikingly-different-preachers-one-matchless-savior" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Through my good friend <a href="http://www.drennanford.com/home/index.cfm/obituaries/view/fh_id/13080/id/800153" target="_blank">Daniel R. Green</a> (1947-2006), I first learned of Elder Ward relatively soon after my conversion to the Christian faith (Evangelical Protestant) in 1992 and while living in Port Angeles, Washington. I then first met and heard Elder Ward preach at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na_ZEczKQBA&list=PL5E5E455ACF6569F7" target="_blank">John G. Reisinger</a>-founded John Bunyan Conference in Pennsylvania in 1996. I met and heard him preach again when I attended the 2003 and 2004 <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/about.asp" target="_blank">Sovereign Grace Bible Conference</a> in <a href="http://www.visitlex.com/" target="_blank">Lexington, Kentucky</a>. As with many others, so also did <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">Elder D. J. Ward</a> make a lasting impression on my life and ministry, especially as it relates to preaching and pastoring. (Read <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kentucky/obituary.aspx?pid=179731859" target="_blank">here</a> for a April 24, 2016, tribute to Elder Ward in the <i>Lexington Herald-Leader</i>.)<br />
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The ETT preacher from Greensboro, North Carolina, is one of my favorites. A close friend of <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">Elder Ward</a> and blessed with a sharp mind and pastor's heart, he is one of the boldest and bravest preachers I know. <a href="http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SpeakerOnly=true&currSection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=David^Morris" target="_blank">David B. Morris</a><span style="font-size: 100%;"> studied classics and linguistics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He became a Christian in 1973. After nearly twenty years of pastoral ministry, he entered
an itinerant ministry of evangelism and conference speaking. He and Terri, his
wife of 31 years, have six children. Click <a href="http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SpeakerOnly=true&currSection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=David^Morris" target="_blank">here</a> to listen to some of Elder Morris' sermons. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">Another favorite "Sovereign Grace" preacher of mine who will be at ETT is <a href="http://pastorjimmc.com/about-pastor-jim/" target="_blank">Jim McClarty</a>, the founding pastor (2001- ) of <a href="http://salvationbygrace.org/" target="_blank">Grace Christian Assembly</a> in Smyrna, Tennessee. (Not that it matters, but both Pastor Morris and Pastor McClarty are Caucasian men loved by the "Sovereign Grace" African-American churches that are primarily located in the American South.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6lwiA3UCcUA/Vtp0p-UrbrI/AAAAAAAABfc/aQKvgfKFOTY/s1600/JimMcClartyPastorTennessee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6lwiA3UCcUA/Vtp0p-UrbrI/AAAAAAAABfc/aQKvgfKFOTY/s320/JimMcClartyPastorTennessee.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pastor <a href="http://pastorjimmc.com/about-pastor-jim/" target="_blank">Jim McClarty</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://salvationbygrace.org/" target="_blank">Grace Christian Assembly</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smyrna,_Tennessee" target="_blank">Smyrna, Tenn.</a></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4GuqpLhS4bU/VtsD49dqyFI/AAAAAAAABgA/3ATJT3mP8A8/s1600/morrisdavid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4GuqpLhS4bU/VtsD49dqyFI/AAAAAAAABgA/3ATJT3mP8A8/s1600/morrisdavid.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Evangelist <a href="http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=David_Morris" target="_blank">David B. Morris</a><br /><a href="http://www.visitgreensboronc.com/" target="_blank">Greensboro, N.C.</a></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F-Bnan3TkiU/Vtp1Uw6iGLI/AAAAAAAABfs/ya4qjoG2fz4/s1600/LebanonTennUSA.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F-Bnan3TkiU/Vtp1Uw6iGLI/AAAAAAAABfs/ya4qjoG2fz4/s400/LebanonTennUSA.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon,_Tennessee" target="_blank">Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee, USA</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Lebanon is named after <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedars_of_God" target="_blank">the Bible's reference to Lebanon</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">as there are cedar trees prevalent in the area.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"Cedars of Lebanon" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+9:15&version=ESV" target="_blank">Judges 9:15</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+kings+5%3A6&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Kings 5:6</a>, etc.).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In Wilson County are the <a href="https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/article/ag-forests-sf-cedars-of-lebanon" target="_blank">Cedars of Lebanon State</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/article/ag-forests-sf-cedars-of-lebanon" target="_blank">Forest</a> and 900-acre <a href="http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/cedars-of-lebanon" target="_blank">State Park</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">The first <a href="http://www.crackerbarrel.com/about/heritage-and-history" target="_blank">Crackle Barrel Old County Store</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;">restaurant</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">and gift shop was in Lebanon, Tenn., 1969.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">With over 630 stores in 42 states,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">its headquarters remain in Lebanon.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Lebanon, TN, USA36.2081098 -86.291102436.0030603 -86.6138259 36.413159300000004 -85.9683789tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-24504381920916461862016-02-07T00:00:00.000-05:002017-06-06T16:19:03.049-04:00"That I may be useful is my desire" <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3sfIipq4eE/VrbL3rTbjxI/AAAAAAAABfE/lQLRaFlpdSI/s1600/UsefulToGod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3sfIipq4eE/VrbL3rTbjxI/AAAAAAAABfE/lQLRaFlpdSI/s400/UsefulToGod.jpg" width="253" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n his brief 27 years, <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829) longed to be useful to God. The striving uncommon Christian did his <i>"best to present [himself] to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth"</i> (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%202:15" target="_blank">2 Tim. 2:15</a>). He sought to be "a vessel for honorable use" to God:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable <b>use</b>, set apart as holy, <b>useful</b> to the master of the house, ready for every good work."</i><br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A20-21&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Tim. 2:20-21</a></blockquote>
This desire of the Connecticut-born and Princeton University and Yale Seminary-educated <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/us/22c.asp" target="_blank">Second Great Awakening</a> evangelist is evident throughout his journals and letters--and what his contemporaries said about him--that are included in the once popular <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=6GM3AAAAMAAJ&vq=useful&source=gbs_navlinks_s" target="_blank">Memoir of James Brainerd Taylor</a></i> (1833) and <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=YQxMAAAAYAAJ&dq=editions:LCCN36022115" target="_blank">A New Tribute to the Memory of James Brainerd Taylor</a></i> (1838). For instance, Taylor writes,<br />
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<i>"My heart at times rejoices in the prospect of being <b>useful </b>to my fellow sinners, and at times it shrinks back from the many difficulties which rise to my view. The life of a faithful minister (and such may I be, if admitted to the office) appears to me to be more glorious than any other. He is prompted by true benevolence; he labors not to destroy men's souls, but to save them. He is engaged in a cause which must prosper, for Christ is the head [of the church, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=col+1%3A18&version=ESV" target="_blank">Col. 1:18</a>]. He shall receive a reward according to Christ's promise [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=rev+22%3A12&version=ESV" target="_blank">Rev. 22:12</a>]."</i><br />
~ age 18, November 16, 1819, New York City, letter to his parents in his native <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Haddam_Historic_District" target="_blank">Middle Haddam, Connecticut</a></blockquote>
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<i>"The time necessary for me to go through the course marked out is eight years. I hope that in the discharge of my duty during this period [as a preparatory, university and seminary student] I may be <b>useful</b>."</i><br />
~ age 18, November 1819, New York City, letter to his parents</blockquote>
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<i>"But while I set so great a value on a good education, I would not be understood to say that education is a matter of highest importance. Pure and undefiled religion [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james+1%3A27&version=ESV" target="_blank">James 1:27</a>] is the chief thing in the character of a minister of the gospel. Without it he cannot be<b> useful</b>."</i><br />
~ age 18, November 1819, New York City, letter to his sister</blockquote>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIzN69sp7M8/VrbMAthniRI/AAAAAAAABe4/4J6eQ-RLkhw/s1600/UsefulnessBrokennessCharlesStanley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIzN69sp7M8/VrbMAthniRI/AAAAAAAABe4/4J6eQ-RLkhw/s400/UsefulnessBrokennessCharlesStanley.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>"My wish is to glorify God [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+cor+10%3A31&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Cor. 10:31</a>], and be <b>useful</b> to my fellow men. . . . If I can only be <b>useful</b>, it will be enough for me."</i><br />
~ age 18, November 1819, New York City, letter "to a young friend"</blockquote>
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<i>"I trust that I have not been called to this place for nothing. That I may be <b>useful</b> is my desire. If my heart does not deceive me, I long to spend and be spent for Christ [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+12%3A15&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Cor. 12:15</a>]."</i><br />
~ age 19, July 12, 1820, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, letter to his fellow ministerial student friend </blockquote>
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<i>"And may I be an honor to my father, and to the mother who bore me! May I glorify my heavenly Father [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+cor+10%3A31&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Cor. 10:31</a>] and be made a blessing to society! O may I not live like a cipher [a zero or a secret writing] in this world, but be made extensively <b>useful</b>. For this, let me ask your continual, earnest, united prayers."</i><br />
~ age 20, December 1821, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, letter to his parents </blockquote>
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<i>"I see nothing here to live for but to spend and be spent for God [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+12%3A15&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Cor. 12:15</a>]; and no longer than I may be <b>useful</b> would I remain here below."</i><br />
~ age 22, May 1823, New York City, letter "to Miss W."</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Religion can be enjoyed in college. Lord, amidst so much iniquity, keep me spotless [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A14&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Pet. 3:14</a>], and make me <b>useful</b>." </i><br />
~ age 22, November 9, 1823, Princeton University (freshman), New Jersey, journal entry</blockquote>
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<i>"When I had given myself renewedly away to be the Lord's wholly [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=num+32%3A12&version=ESV" target="_blank">Num. 32:12</a>, etc.], I longed to be <b>useful</b>, and felt willing to live and labor for souls." </i><br />
~ age 26, April 1827, Trumbull, Connecticut, journal entry</blockquote>
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<i>"After all, I am a poor tool. Peradventure, my present hour [of serious physical illness and travels in the warmer American South] is to prepare me for greater <b>usefulness</b>. I know not the will of Him with whom is the future [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james+4%3A13-15&version=ESV" target="_blank">James 4:13-15</a>]. Enough to know that he now guides my footsteps."</i><br />
~ age 27, April 19, 1828, Augusta, Georgia, letter to "his dear friends at the North"</blockquote>
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<i>"Should I recover [from tuberculosis], I shall look upon the varied dealings of God with me as happily preparatory for my future<b> usefulness</b>."</i><br />
~ age 27, June 25, 1828, New York City, letter to family and friends in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Haddam_Historic_District" target="_blank">Middle Haddam, Connecticut</a></blockquote>
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On the same day that the 27-year-old <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">J. B. Taylor</a> died of <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/plague/" target="_blank">tuberculosis</a> in the home of the prominent Southern Presbyterian <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/A_memoir_of_the_Rev_John_H_Rice_D_D_firs.html?id=l8cEAAAAYAAJ" target="_blank">John Holt Rice</a> (1777-1831)--the home was located on the campus of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Presbyterian_Seminary" target="_blank">Union Seminary</a> (est. 1812) which itself was then situated on the campus of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampden%E2%80%93Sydney_College" target="_blank">Hamden-Sydney College</a> (est. 1775) in central Virginia--Rice wrote to Taylor's eldest brother and New York City businessman and Christian philanthropist, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=IR2YOYMplbMC&pg=PA319&dq=knowles+taylor,+old+merchants&lr=#v=onepage&q=knowles%20taylor%2C%20old%20merchants&f=false" target="_blank">Knowles Taylor</a> (1795-1850), on Sunday, March 29, 1829,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>It devolves on me to perform a mournful service. . . . How mysterious this event! -- since it has appeared to me inevitable, that one so prepared for the ministry, and so desirous to be <b>useful</b> as our dear brother was, should die; the thought has often occurred to me, that there are services for very holy and devoted men, in a higher sphere, to which they are called, and where they do incomparably more for the glory of the divine Redeemer, and are more <b>useful</b>, than they could possibly be on earth. And while we are wondering that they should be cut off, and disappoint all our hopes of their <b>usefulness</b>, they probably do more in a day, in heaven, than they could do in a lifetime in this world. The Master had <b>use</b> for our brother above, and called for him. We would fain have kept him here. I confess that I never have seen a young man whom I so much wished should live.</i></blockquote>
Please join <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a> in prayerfully longing like <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> to be made useful to God: "<i><b>useful</b> to the master of the house, ready for every good work</i>" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+tim+2%3A20-21&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Tim. 2:20-21</a>).<br />
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Yet let's not make an idol out of usefulness: "My usefulness was the last idol I was willing to part with, but the Lord has enabled me to give even this up. I am now content to be laid aside, overlooked, neglected, and forgotten--only let his wise and holy will be done" (Cotton Mather, 1663-1728).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3IsSpWmWcV4/VrbMEasrc-I/AAAAAAAABfE/E959cjJFHHM/s1600/Philemon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3IsSpWmWcV4/VrbMEasrc-I/AAAAAAAABfE/E959cjJFHHM/s400/Philemon1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philemon+10-11&version=ESV" target="_blank">Philemon 1:10-11</a>, New Testament</span></td></tr>
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-80905074425481417412016-01-16T15:47:00.000-05:002016-12-04T22:58:33.144-05:00Memberships: Investing Time and Money into Your Interests and Passions<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WgRlj8HlRkQ/VpqItc5m6UI/AAAAAAAABdw/irJZiZ6eW0c/s1600/MembershipApplication.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WgRlj8HlRkQ/VpqItc5m6UI/AAAAAAAABdw/irJZiZ6eW0c/s320/MembershipApplication.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">J</span>anuary is normally dues paying time for <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/author_mab.php" target="_blank">my memberships</a>. So at the beginning of each year, I evaluate my memberships in order to see if there are any I want to add or remove based on my changing interests, financial situation and geographic locale.<br />
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With a wide variety of interests and passions, there are many good associations, leagues and societies to support with my time and money. But with limited time and finances--and with only one life to live ("it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment," <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+9%3A27&version=ESV" target="_blank">Hebrews 9:27</a>)--I must choose and be intentional. This includes limited time to read the monthly, quarterly or annual periodicals published and sent by some entities as a membership benefit.<br />
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Below are the <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/author_mab.php" target="_blank">19 entities I am a member of</a> because I believe in and want to support what the non-profit entity stands for and does. Most (11) have annual dues ($20-$100), one (1) has a one-time membership fee, some (5) are academic in nature and some (8) are free based simply on gathering together because of mutual beliefs or interest. Six of the 16 entities have origins that date back to the nineteenth century, the oldest forming in 1803. The newest entity formed in 2000.<br />
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My fellow kingdom-minded Christian or otherwise, what are you interested in and passionate about? How can you go "about doing good" and bless an entity by your membership dues, involvement and/or advocacy and therefore increase an entity's influence by "strength in numbers (members)"?<br />
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"<i>Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, </i></div>
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<i>especially to those who are of the household of faith</i>."</div>
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%206:10&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Galatians 6:10</a></div>
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"<i>Jesus of Nazareth . . . went about doing good</i></div>
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<i>. . . for God was with him.</i>"</div>
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+10%3A38&version=ESV" target="_blank">Acts 10:38</a><br />
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<i>"learn to do good"</i><br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+1%3A17&version=ESV" target="_blank">Isaiah 1:17</a></div>
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<b>Local Church & Denominational Affiliation</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Immanuel Baptist Church</b></span></a> (Louisville, Kentucky)<br />
~ Member, 2013-<br />
~ Est. 1887; "building a community from all cultures where Christ is King"<br />
~ See David N. Theobold, <i><a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/862405898" target="_blank">A Great People's Church: A History of Immanuel Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky, 1887-2005</a></i> (2005)<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">The most important membership in life is with a blood-bought local "church</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">of the living God, the pillar and ground [buttress] of the truth (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3%3A15&version=NKJV" target="_blank">1 Tim. 3:15</a>),</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">and which has the crucified and risen <a href="http://www.everystudent.com/wires/whowas.html" target="_blank">Lord Jesus Christ</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">as her Head (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph+5%3A23&version=ESV" target="_blank">Eph. 5:23</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A18&version=ESV" target="_blank">Col. 1:18</a>):</span></b></div>
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"<i>. . . the church of God, which [the Lord Jesus Christ] obtained</i></div>
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<i>[bought, </i><i>purchased] with his own blood.</i>"</div>
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+20:28" target="_blank">Acts 20:28</a></div>
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"<i>. . . you were ransomed . . . not with perishable things such as gold or silver,</i></div>
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<i>but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.</i>"</div>
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+pet+1%3A18-20&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Peter 1:19</a></div>
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~ Recommended resources: Bobby Jamieson, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Going-Public-Baptism-Required-Membership/dp/1433686201/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452977958&sr=1-7&keywords=church+membership" target="_blank">Going Public: Why Baptism is Required for Church Membership</a></i> (2015); Thom S. Rainer, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Am-Church-Member-Discovering-Difference/dp/1433679736/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452977645&sr=1-1&keywords=i+am+a+church+member" target="_blank">I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the Difference</a></i> (2013); Jonathan Leeman, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Church-Membership-Represents-Building-Churches/dp/1433532379" target="_blank">Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus</a></i> (2012) and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Church-Surprising-Offense-Gods-Love/dp/1433509059/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452977958&sr=1-9&keywords=church+membership" target="_blank">The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love: Reintroducing the Doctrines of Church Membership and Discipline</a></i> (2010); and Thabiti M. Anyabwile, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1433502127/ref=rdr_ext_tmb" target="_blank">What Is a Healthy Church Member?</a></i> (2008) . . . Online, visit <a href="http://9marks.org/" target="_blank">9Marks: Building Healthy Churches</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.kybaptist.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Kentucky Baptist Convention</span></b></a></div>
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~ Member, 2013-<br />
~ Est. 1837; "The Body shall serve and assist the churches in their sovereign capacity by the providing of resources and the facilitating of cooperation so that both the Body and the churches may fulfill the Great Commission [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A18-20&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 28:18-20</a>]"; consists of nearly 2,400 autonomous churches; bi-weekly newspaper (print and online) <i><a href="http://westernrecorder.org/index.page" target="_blank">Western Recorder</a></i> (1825- )<br />
~ State affiliate of the <a href="http://www.sbc.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Southern Baptist Convention</b></span></a> (est. 1845, over 46,000 churches)<br />
~ <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a> is a member of KBC's <a href="http://www.lrba.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Long Run Baptist Association</b></span></a> (est. 1803)<br />
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<b>Pastoral Fellowship</b><br />
<a href="http://www.firefellowship.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals</b></span></a> <b><span style="color: blue;">(F.I.R.E.)</span></b><br />
~ Member (individual), 2011-<br />
~ Est. 2000; "a unifying network for independent Reformed (and Reforming) baptistic churches to experience mutual edification [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+1%3A12&version=ESV" target="_blank">Romans 1:12</a>], fellowship, cooperation and prayerful support in ministries and missions"<br />
~ Membership includes annual regional (fall) and national (spring) conferences<br />
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ALSO: When time allows--and though no formal membership exists--attendee at:<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">Together for the Gospel</a> (T4G)</b></span><br />
~ Est. 2006; biennial conference for pastors; Louisville, KY; attendee, <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2012/03/together-for-gospel-2012-theme.html" target="_blank">2012</a>, 2014, <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2016/04/together-for-gospel-biennial-conference.html" target="_blank">2016</a>; most recent is in <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2016/04/together-for-gospel-biennial-conference.html" target="_blank">April 2016</a> with the theme "We Are Protestant: The Reformation at 500"<br />
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<a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Sovereign Grace Bible Conference</span></b></a> (every summer, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/New-Home-Missionary-Baptist-Church-150765348317955/timeline?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">New Home Missionary Baptist Church</a>, Chattanooga, TN, formerly/pre-2010 in Lexington, KY; attendee, 2003, 2004, 2013)<br />
-and- <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2016/03/embracing-truth-bible-conference-6th.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Embracing the Truth Bible Conference</span></b></a> (every spring, <a href="http://hamiltonchapelchurch.org/history.htm" target="_blank">Hamilton Chapel Church</a>, Lebanon, TN; attendee, 2016)<br />
~ Annual gatherings of African-American Calvinistic Baptist churches--and that are connected to the late <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">D. J. Ward</a> (died 2008), elder/pastor of <a href="http://www.mainstreetbaptistchurchlexky.org/" target="_blank">Main Street Baptist Church</a> in Lexington, KY--throughout primarily the American South and Southeast; the two Tennessee conferences are also attended by many who are not elders/pastors--all are welcome and invited to listen to great Christ-centered teaching and preaching, and some of the warmest and sweetest fellowship that exists this side of heaven.<br />
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<b>Theology (Protestant)</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.etsjets.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Evangelical Theological Society</span></b></a><br />
~ Member, 2007-<br />
~ Est. 1949; "a professional, academic society of Biblical scholars, teachers, pastors, and others involved in evangelical scholarship. We serve Jesus Christ and his church by fostering conservative, evangelical biblical scholarship"<br />
~ Membership includes receiving the academic quarterly <i><a href="http://www.etsjets.org/jets" target="_blank">Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society</a> </i>(JETS); presenting papers/lectures at ETS regional (spring) and national (fall) conferences; book and conference registration discounts<br />
~ See Andreas J. Kostenberger, ed., <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/144598137" target="_blank"><i>Quo Vadis [Where Are You Going], Evangelicalism? Perspectives on the Past, Direction for the Future: Nine Presidential Addresses from the First Fifty Years of the </i>Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society</a> (2007)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SWQEkJ5Tq8U/VpqMK1Qt9eI/AAAAAAAABeU/7bo3nZYBuYw/s1600/StrongerTogetherRope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SWQEkJ5Tq8U/VpqMK1Qt9eI/AAAAAAAABeU/7bo3nZYBuYw/s320/StrongerTogetherRope.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>Missions (Protestant)</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.emsweb.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Evangelical Missiological Society</span></b></a><br />
~ Member, 2007-<br />
~ Est. 1990; "exists to advance the cause of world evangelization. We do this through study and evaluation of mission concepts and strategies from a biblical perspective with a view to commending sound mission theory and practice to churches, mission agencies and schools of missionary training around the world"<br />
~ Membership includes receiving EMS's annual academic book published by <a href="https://missionbooks.org/products/categories/category/ems-series" target="_blank">William Carey Library</a> (e.g., in 2015, the complementary book was <i>Diaspora Missiology: Reflections on Reaching the Scattered Peoples of the World</i>, in 2014 <i>The Missionary Family: Witness, Concerns, Care</i>); presenting papers/lectures at annual regional (spring) and national (fall) conferences</div>
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<b>History (4)</b></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="https://www.churchhistory.org/" target="_blank">American Society of Church History</a></b></span><br />
~ Member, 2007-<br />
~ Est. 1888; "a scholarly community dedicated to studying the history of Christianity and how it relates to culture in all time periods, locations and contexts"<br />
~ Membership includes receiving the quarterly academic journal <i><a href="http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=CHH" target="_blank">Church History: Studies in Christianity and Culture</a></i>; presenting papers/lectures at ASCH national conferences<br />
~ See George H. Shriver, <i><a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/13761244" target="_blank">Philip Schaff [1819-1893]: Christian Scholar and Ecumenical Prophet; Centennial Biography for the American Society of Church History</a> </i>(1987)<br />
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<a href="http://www.ncsaweb.net/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Nineteenth Century Studies Association</span></b></a><br />
~ Member, 2016-<br />
~ Est. 1979; "purpose of this non-profit educational organization shall be to advance research and scholarship, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary studies, in all aspects of nineteenth-century culture"<br />
~ Membership includes receiving the annual interdisciplinary academic journal <i><a href="http://www.ncsaweb.net/NCS-Journals" target="_blank">Nineteenth Century Studies</a></i>, and presenting papers/lectures at NCSA's annual national conference<br />
--> NOTE: My areas of interest and scholarly pursuits regarding the "long" nineteenth century--chiefly America's antebellum (pre-Civil War) period--include the <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/us/22c.asp" target="_blank">Second Great Awakening</a> (1790-1830) and especially in New England and the Connecticut-born evangelist <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829); early years of the <a href="http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/fmmovement.htm" target="_blank">American Protestant foreign missionary movement</a> (mostly the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Board_of_Commissioners_for_Foreign_Missions" target="_blank">American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions</a>, est. 1810); origins and growth of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Theological-Education-Evangelical-Tradition-Albert/dp/0801020611/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1455489567&sr=8-15&keywords=theological+education+history" target="_blank">Evangelical Protestant theological education</a> (1807- ); <a href="http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/" target="_blank">Lewis and Clark/Corps of Discovery expedition</a> (1803-06); westward expansion frontiersmen, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westward_Expansion_Trails" target="_blank">emigrant trails</a> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Trail" target="_blank">California Trail</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Trail" target="_blank">Oregon Trail</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe_Trail" target="_blank">Santa Fe Trail</a>, etc.) and Protestant pioneer missionary activity in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_frontier" target="_blank">The Great American West</a>; relations between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States" target="_blank">Native American tribes</a> and the U.S. government; and British and American involvement in the Middle East (mainly Palestine/Israel)<br />
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<div>
<b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://filsonhistorical.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Filson Historical Society</span></a> </span></b><br />
~ Member, 2013- </div>
<div>
~ Est. 1884; "Kentucky's oldest and largest privately supported historical society" whose mission "is to collect, preserve and tell the significant stories of Kentucky and Ohio Valley history and culture"; headquartered in <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>; covers entire <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_River" target="_blank">Ohio River Valley</a> (<a href="https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award99/icuhtml/fawhome.html" target="_blank">"The First American West"</a>) and thus the U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia <br />
~ Membership includes free lectures and archival research visits; members-only access to online podcasts and research tools; receiving the quarterly newsmagazine <i>The Filson</i> and the quarterly academic journal <i><a href="http://filsonhistorical.org/read-watch-listen/ohio-valley-history/ohio-valley-history-submissions/" target="_blank">Ohio Valley History</a></i> (published collaboration of FHS, <a href="http://www.cincymuseum.org/" target="_blank">Cincinnati Museum Center</a> and <a href="https://www.uc.edu/about/uc-history.html" target="_blank">University of Cincinnati</a>)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.louisvillehistoricalleague.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Louisville Historical League</span></b></a><br />
~ Member, 2013-<br />
~ Est. 1972; "dedicated to promoting the appreciation and preservation of our cultural heritage and historic environment in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Louisville,_Kentucky" target="_blank">metro Louisville area</a> [est. 1778]"</div>
<div>
~ Membership includes free lectures<br />
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<div>
<b>Motorcycling (2)</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-udeb9CNzkGs/VpqIwLqSN7I/AAAAAAAABd4/6MRSJhG99xA/s1600/WhyBeAMember.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-udeb9CNzkGs/VpqIwLqSN7I/AAAAAAAABd4/6MRSJhG99xA/s320/WhyBeAMember.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">American Motorcyclist Association</span></b></a><br />
~ Member, 2007-<br />
~ Est. 1924; "to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling"; headquartered in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickerington,_Ohio" target="_blank">Pickerington, Ohio</a>; USA's largest motorcycle advocacy organization (over 200,000 members)--including for <a href="http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/events/womenandmotorcycling" target="_blank">women riders</a>--with an emphasis on "Rights, Riding, Racing"<br />
~ Membership includes supporting AMA government relations/activism in Washington, D.C.; monthly magazine <i><a href="http://americanmotorcyclist.com/Magazine/Archive.aspx" target="_blank">American Motorcyclist</a></i>; online access to members-only area; <a href="http://americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/amaroadsideassistance" target="_blank">AMA Roadside Assistance</a> (for motorcycle and car); money-saving discounts at many motorcycle retailers, hotels and motorcycle/car rental agencies, and with certain motorcycle magazines and at certain motorcycle events and races (<a href="http://www.aimexpousa.com/" target="_blank">AIMExpo</a>, <a href="http://www.amasupercross.com/" target="_blank">AMA Supercross</a>, <a href="http://www.arenacross.com/" target="_blank">Arenacross</a>); riding events and rally opportunities with the <a href="http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Riding/Street/PremierTouringSeries/EventsAndSeries_List.aspx" target="_blank">AMA Premier Touring Series</a> and/or with a local <a href="http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/clubsandpromoters" target="_blank">AMA Club</a>; discount to annual <a href="http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/events/AMAConvention.aspx" target="_blank">AMA Convention</a> and <a href="http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/Events/HallofFame2015.aspx" target="_blank">AMA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony</a> (every October in Orlando, Florida), <a href="http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Racing/RacingBanquet.aspx" target="_blank">AMA Championship Banquet</a> and <a href="http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/events/amavintagemotorcycledays" target="_blank">AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days</a> (every July in Lexington, Ohio); admission discount to the <a href="http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/" target="_blank">AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame</a> (opened 1990)<br />
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<a href="http://ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm?CFID=17369278&CFTOKEN=56303509" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Iron Butt Association</span></b></a><br />
~ Member, 2015- </div>
<div>
~ Est. 1984; "The World's Toughest Motorcycle Riders"; "Dedicated to the Sport of Safe Long Distance Motorcycling"; over 60,000 members; one-time membership fee (no annual dues)<br />
~ I became an IBA member after completing a <a href="http://www.ironbutt.com/ridecerts/getdocument.cfm?DocID=1" target="_blank">"Saddlesore 1000"</a> (1,000-mile motorcycle trip in 24 hours or less): rode 1,053 miles in 21 hours, <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a> to <a href="http://www.northernontario.travel/sunset-country/top-10-things-to-do-in-dryden" target="_blank">Dryden, Ontario, Canada</a>, August 8, 2015, on my 2004 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_V-Strom_650" target="_blank">Suzuki V-Strom DL650</a></div>
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<b>Public Safety (2)</b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://louisvilleky.gov/government/police/services/volunteer-opportunities-lmpd" target="_blank">Volunteers in Police Service</a></span></b> <b><span style="color: blue;">(VIPS)</span></b><br />
~ Member, 2016-<br />
~ Est. 1999 by <a href="https://louisvilleky.gov/government/police" target="_blank">Louisville Metro Police Department</a>; LMPD volunteers provide about 1,900 hours of monthly service<br />
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<a href="https://louisvilleky.gov/government/police/citizens-police-academy-0" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association</span></b></a><br />
~ Member, 2016-<br />
~ Alumni, <a href="https://louisvilleky.gov/government/police/citizens-police-academy-0" target="_blank">LMPD Citizens Police Academy</a> (led by <a href="https://louisvilleky.gov/government/police/community-services-division" target="_blank">Community Services Division</a>), Class No. 27, 13 sessions, Sept.-Nov. 2016<br />
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<b>Local Community Leadership</b><br />
<a href="https://www.leadershiplouisville.org/membership/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Louisville Leadership Center</b></span></a><br />
~ Member, December 2016<br />
~ Est. 1979; LLC "is a non-profit, member-oriented organization whose mission is to grow and connect a diverse network of leaders who serve as catalysts for a world-class community."<br />
~ Alumni, LLC's 2.5-day <a href="https://www.leadershiplouisville.org/focus-louisville/" target="_blank">"Focus Louisville"</a> program, December 2016<br />
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<b>Healthcare (Infection Control, Sterile Processing of Surgical Instrumentation) </b></div>
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<a href="http://www.iahcsmm.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management</span></b></a> (IAHCSMM)<br />
~ Member, 2014-<br />
~ Est. 1958; headquartered in Chicago, Illinois; "Instrumental to Patient Care"; over 26,000 global members<br />
~ Is the international certification association for my "tent making" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Acts 18:3</a>) Louisville <a href="http://insidekentuckyonehealth.org/News-Article/ID/3720/Jewish-Hospital-Continues-to-Raise-the-Bar-on-Sterile-Processing#.Vr9u0M4-BPU" target="_blank">hospital job (2013- )</a> as a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAOCDMbDvRQ" target="_blank">Sterile Processing Technician</a>--see my "Perspectives" op-ed articles in <i>Infection Control Today</i> magazine: <a href="http://digital.infectioncontroltoday.com/i/544280-aug-2015/8" target="_blank">"Reflections on My First 18 Months as a Sterile Processing Technician"</a> (August 2015, pages 8 and 10) and <a href="http://digital.infectioncontroltoday.com/i/628563-feb-2016/8" target="_blank">"Just a Tech? The Benefits and Greatness of Being--and Remaining--a Sterile Processing Technician"</a> (February 2016, pages 8 and 10)<br />
~ Membership includes the bi-monthly newsmagazine <i><a href="http://iahcsmm.org/members/communiqu%C3%A9-online.html" target="_blank">Communique: A Publication of IAHCSMM</a> </i>and bi-monthly e-newsletter <i><a href="http://iahcsmm.org/members/central-source-online.html" target="_blank">Central Source</a></i>; discounts on IAHCSMM resources and for annual national conference; member-only online access to various sterile processing resources<br />
~ See photos and feature cover article in IAHCSMM's September/October 2015 <i>Communique</i> (pages 56-60) of the hospital department I work at: <a href="http://insidekentuckyonehealth.org/Portals/0/Communique%20magazine%20PDF.pdf" target="_blank">"Triple Crown Certification: How One CS Department is Winning the Race for Quality, Safety and Professionalism"</a>; also see <a href="http://insidekentuckyonehealth.org/News-Article/ID/3720/Jewish-Hospital-Continues-to-Raise-the-Bar-on-Sterile-Processing#.VvsF1LQ-BPU" target="_blank">here</a> for additional information on the feature magazine article<br />
~ See also photos and feature cover article in <i>Healthcare Purchasing News</i>, May 2016 (Vol. 40, No. 5, pages 10-17), <a href="http://www.hpnonline.com/inside/2016-05/1605-SF-SPDOY.html" target="_blank">"Jewish SPD Bolsters Package Deal within Regional IDN: Winning team weathers past, present and future in positive flux"</a> (our department was <i>HPN</i>'s "2016 CS/SPD Department of the Year"); see also <a href="http://digital.hpnonline.com/editions/z38o/0A148ky/1605-HPN/html/index.html" target="_blank">here</a> for the digital copy of the May 2016 issue<br />
~ I initiated and helped organize the "Jewish Hospital: Past, Present and Future" program at Louisville's <a href="http://www.kentuckyonehealth.org/jewish-hospital" target="_blank">Jewish Hospital</a> (est. 1903), August 21, 2016; co-sponsored by <a href="http://www.kentuckyonehealth.org/" target="_blank">KentuckyOne Health</a> and the <a href="http://www.louisvillehistoricalleague.org/" target="_blank">Louisville Historical League</a>; see <i>InsiderLouisville.com</i>'s pre-event coverage <a href="https://insiderlouisville.com/business/jewish-hospital-will-explain-guiding-principles-and-new-initiatives-in-upcoming-presentation/" target="_blank">"Jewish Hospital explains guiding principles, recent feats and new initiatives"</a> and <i>JewishLouisville.org</i>'s post-event coverage <a href="https://jewishlouisville.org/presentation-showcases-jewish-hospital-past-present-future/" target="_blank">"Presentation showcases Jewish Hospital Past, Present and Future"</a></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.iahcsmm.org/chapters/chapter-listing.html?id=1422" target="_blank">Kentuckiana IAHCSMM Chapter</a></span></b><br />
~ Member, 2016- ; vice president, 2016-17 (former secretary, April-Sept. 2016)<br />
~ Est. April 2, 2016; regional <a href="https://www.iahcsmm.org/" target="_blank">IAHCSMM</a> chapter for Kentucky and southern Indiana<br />
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<b>Physical Fitness</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.planetfitness.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Planet Fitness</span></b></a><br />
~ Member (home club, Louisville, Kentucky), 2015-<br />
~ Est. 1992; "a unique environment where anyone--and we mean anyone--can be comfortable. . . where a lasting, active lifestyle can be built"; headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire<br />
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-71632179896993827112015-07-07T17:36:00.000-04:002017-11-08T22:22:59.617-05:00FOUND: Original oil paintings of James Brainerd Taylor and family members . . . "O, mamma, how happy I am that his portrait is left us. It will be a precious relic indeed"<span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>fter a 17-year, research-filled wait, the original 1828 oil painting (39" x 32") of <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829) has been located. The June 29, 2015, finding came as a result of a periodic search inquiry on various online search engines regarding James Brainerd Taylor and select family members.<br />
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The background to the J. B. Taylor painting is explained in my <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Francis-Kyle-III/e/B003YDD7DW" target="_blank">An Uncommon Christian: James Brainerd Taylor, Forgotten Evangelist in America's Second Great Awakening</a></i> (University Press of America, 2008, page 142):<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"After five sittings and just three days prior to his departure for the South on November, 4, 1828, [Taylor's] portrait was completed in New York City by America's premier nineteenth-century portrait artists, <a href="http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/artist-info.1963.html?artobj_artistId=1963&pageNumber=1" target="_blank">Samuel Lovett Waldo</a> (1783-1861) and <a href="http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/jewett_william.html" target="_blank">William Jewett</a> (1792-1874). In reflecting upon the portrait, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitch_Waterman_Taylor" target="_blank">Fitch Taylor</a> penned words of tenderness addressed to his parents on April 3, 1829, just five days after James' death: 'O, mamma, how happy I am that his portrait is left us. It will be a precious relic indeed.'"</blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a4skVxIqwSc/Vi7VjFtmkkI/AAAAAAAABdA/UYNGNFXw6zA/s1600/James%2BBrainard%2BTaylor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a4skVxIqwSc/Vi7VjFtmkkI/AAAAAAAABdA/UYNGNFXw6zA/s640/James%2BBrainard%2BTaylor.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Age 27 (5 months before his death in Virginia)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">October 1828, New York City</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Painting (39" x 32") by <a href="http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/artist-info.1963.html?artobj_artistId=1963&pageNumber=1" target="_blank">Samuel Lovett Waldo</a> and <a href="http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/jewett_william.html" target="_blank">William Jewett</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><i>Courtesy of <a href="http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Connecticut River Museum</a>. Essex, Conn.</i></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JJCgKaBsrLs/WgPFzYCnJ5I/AAAAAAAABmM/CCvTJEipOyAScjRclqG0Rde2H0cXBGsrACEwYBhgL/s1600/JBTpaintingDec2016iiiJPG.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JJCgKaBsrLs/WgPFzYCnJ5I/AAAAAAAABmM/CCvTJEipOyAScjRclqG0Rde2H0cXBGsrACEwYBhgL/s400/JBTpaintingDec2016iiiJPG.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nameplate on the frame<br />to the original oil painting.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZXLFdi7DLw/WgPFs_bljfI/AAAAAAAABmQ/WC9a_ev958cGEUQJHq5vpAAhKMRp7ig4ACEwYBhgL/s1600/JBTpaintingDec2016i.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZXLFdi7DLw/WgPFs_bljfI/AAAAAAAABmQ/WC9a_ev958cGEUQJHq5vpAAhKMRp7ig4ACEwYBhgL/s640/JBTpaintingDec2016i.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Francis Kyle. December 16, 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="https://www.ctrivermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Connecticut River Museum</a>. Essex, Conn.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Also located in the same archival collection are the portrait paintings of Taylor's parents, <b>Col. Jeremiah Taylor</b> (1773-1849) and <b>Lucy Brainerd Taylor</b> (1777-1865), and two of his younger brothers, <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitch_Waterman_Taylor" target="_blank">Fitch Waterman Taylor</a></b> (1803-1865, the compiler/editor of <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=YQxMAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=new+tribute+to+the+memory+of+james+brainerd+taylor&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAGoVChMI2oL-tr7XyAIVgRU-Ch1h9QHb#v=onepage&q=new%20tribute%20to%20the%20memory%20of%20james%20brainerd%20taylor&f=false" target="_blank">A New Tribute to the Memory of James Brainerd Taylor</a></i>, 1834) and <b>Samuel Taylor</b> (1813-1873). In all, twelve portraits of members of the five generations of the prominent Taylor family of Connecticut have been located by this Taylor family researcher. <b>William Taylor</b> (born ca. 1625) is the emigrant ancestor and progenitor of this particular branch of Taylors in America, having arrived in Connecticut from Lancashire County, England, in 1647.<br />
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The oil paintings are housed in the <a href="http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/collections/library-archives/hours-and-directions/" target="_blank">Stevens Library archival collections</a> at the <a href="http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Connecticut River Museum</a> in Essex, Connecticut. Essex is located along the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_River" target="_blank">Connecticut River</a> some fifteen (river) miles south of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Haddam_Historic_District" target="_blank">Middle Haddam, Connecticut</a>, the birthplace of J. B. Taylor.<br />
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I plan to include some of the newly discovered portraits in my <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_books.php" target="_blank">hopeful third book</a> on J. B. Taylor: <i>Uncommon Christian Evangelism: Lessons for Today from James Brainerd Taylor</i>. Both <i>An Uncommon Christian</i> and the companion volume, my edited anthology <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Intense-Brightness-Spirituality-Uncommon-Christian/dp/0761839704/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445560147&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Of Intense Brightness: The Spirituality of Uncommon Christian James Brainerd Taylor</a></i> (University Press of America, 2008), already include over 35 images in each book.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-loHP0vypbmA/Vi7WvgABwwI/AAAAAAAABdI/opNgRTwB-5c/s1600/Lucy%2BBrainard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-loHP0vypbmA/Vi7WvgABwwI/AAAAAAAABdI/opNgRTwB-5c/s640/Lucy%2BBrainard.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=9pJQAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA140&lpg=RA1-PA140&dq=lucy+brainerd+taylor+middle+haddam&source=bl&ots=9OXjn7tOZ2&sig=BvqjV7dGYE7vK13BPLXVlWbdtwY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAGoVChMIwrrCu4LtyAIVCWMmCh1qqQon#v=onepage&q=lucy%20brainerd%20taylor%20middle%20haddam&f=false" target="_blank">Lucy Brainerd Taylor</a> (1777-1865)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Age 57</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1834, New York City</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Cousin (3x removed) of the famed missionary <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brainerd" target="_blank">David Brainerd</a> (1718-1747)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Painting (30.5" x 34.5") by <a href="http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/artist-info.1892.html?artobj_artistId=1892&pageNumber=1" target="_blank">Frederick R. Spencer</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Courtesy of <a href="http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Connecticut River Museum</a>. Essex, Conn.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
My research and writing on J. B. Taylor began after buying the <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Memoir_of_James_Brainerd_Taylor.html?id=6GM3AAAAMAAJ" target="_blank">Memoir of James Brainerd Taylor, Second Edition</a></i> (1833) for $10 at a used bookstore in Manchester, Connecticut, in July 1998. In the memoir's frontispiece is a black-and-white engraving of the portrait painting. My research into finding the hoped-for still existent original painting had included phone calls to various art galleries throughout the U.S. that housed art works by the painters Waldo and Jewett, including the <a href="http://www.npg.si.edu/" target="_blank">National Portrait Gallery</a> in Washington, D.C. But it was not until 2015 that I was able to finally locate the original oil painting. Up until now, the only known extant portrait of any of J. B. Taylor's immediate family was a sketch of <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=wbASAAAAYAAJ&dq=jeremiah+humphre+taylor&source=gbs_navlinks_s" target="_blank">Jeremiah Humphre Taylor</a> (1797-1882), one of James' two older brothers, that appeared in Henry Anstice's <i><a href="https://archive.org/details/historyofstgeo00anst" target="_blank">History of St. George's Church in the City of New York, 1752-1811-1911</a></i>. (See figure 10 in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Francis-Kyle-III/e/B003YDD7DW" target="_blank">An Uncommon Christian</a></i>, and figure 10 in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Francis-Kyle-III/e/B003YDD7DW" target="_blank">Of Intense Brightness</a></i>.)<br />
<br />
Here are the three <i>Hartford Courant</i> newspaper articles (1995, 1997, 2002) that have been posted online and that have provided this independent researcher with new information about this particular branch of the Taylor family of Connecticut. William Taylor (born ca. 1625) is the emigrant ancestor and progenitor of this particular branch of Taylors in America, having arrived in Connecticut from Lancashire County, England, in 1647.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://articles.courant.com/1995-03-07/news/9503070451_1_portraits-home-at-river-museum-brownstone" target="_blank">"Portraits of Family Find a Home at River Museum"</a><br />
March 7, 1995<br />
<i>Hartford Courant</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://articles.courant.com/1997-12-07/news/9712070331_1_art-and-antiques-executive-secretary-property" target="_blank">"St. Clements Comes Out of Hiding: Estate Leads Portland's Renaissance"</a><br />
December 7, 1997<br />
<i>Hartford Courant</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://articles.courant.com/2002-07-08/news/0207080002_1_taylor-family-room-st-clements-estate" target="_blank">"Ask the Courant: St. Clements in Portland, Conn."</a><br />
July 8, 2002<br />
<i>Hartford Courant</i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m7yZoNj5HH0/Vi7W0Zp129I/AAAAAAAABdQ/LQR0wa9eriI/s1600/Col.%2BJeremiah%2BTaylor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m7yZoNj5HH0/Vi7W0Zp129I/AAAAAAAABdQ/LQR0wa9eriI/s640/Col.%2BJeremiah%2BTaylor.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://historicbuildingsct.com/?p=22483" target="_blank">Col. Jeremiah Taylor</a> (1773-1849)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Age 61</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1834, New York City</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Collateral descendent of Church of England literary giant <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Taylor" target="_blank">Jeremy Taylor</a> (1613-1667),</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">considered the "Shakespeare of Divines"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Painting (36" x 31") by <a href="http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/artist-info.1892.html?artobj_artistId=1892&pageNumber=1" target="_blank">Frederick R. Spencer</a></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: small;">Courtesy of <a href="http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Connecticut River Museum</a>. Essex, Conn.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some of the highlights from the three articles--combined with some information provided by the <a href="http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Connecticut River Museum</a> curator, Amy Trout--include the following:<br />
<br />
+ The Taylor family name/line ceased on October 16, 2003, with the death of <b>Prudence Taylor Palmer</b> (1931-2003, born New York City, died Portland, Connecticut). According to <a href="http://articles.courant.com/2003-10-17/news/0310161207_1_mrs-palmer-taylor-line-world-figure-skating-championship" target="_blank">her obituary</a>, "As an only child and the last in the Taylor line, Mrs. Palmer inherited much of the Taylor history and memorabilia. She devoted the last of her life to the preservation and distribution of that material."<br />
<br />
Mrs. Palmer's preservation efforts included authoring and editing with her husband <b><a href="http://articles.courant.com/2004-01-13/news/0401120640_1_harvard-university-residences-building-on-main-street" target="_blank">Theodore Johnson Palmer</a></b> (1918-2004) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/St-Clements-Chronicle-Connecticut-Castle/dp/096341500X" target="_blank"><i>St. Clements: The Chronicle of a Connecticut River Castle</i></a> (1992) and <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/213434430" target="_blank"><i>Letters to Harry [Henry Osborn Taylor], 1872-74: Man of Letters</i></a> (2000), both of which include Taylor family history. And her donating 90 acres (including Taylor Brook) to form the Middlesex Land Trust's <a href="http://www.middlesexlandtrust.org/wordpress/?page_id=426" target="_blank">Palmer-Taylor Preserve</a> in the Middle Haddam area of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Hampton,_Connecticut" target="_blank">East Hampton, Connecticut</a>.<br />
<br />
Concerning Portland, Connecticut's <a href="http://www.saintclementscastle.com/" target="_blank">St. Clements Castle</a>, it overlooks the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_River" target="_blank">Connecticut River</a> and was built in 1902 for New York City attorney <b><a href="http://deanremembers.blogspot.com/2011/09/tennis-chamption-howard-taylor.html" target="_blank">Howard Augustus Taylor</a></b> (1865-1920) and his wife. It remained in the Taylor family until 1970 when it was donated to Wesleyan University. The university then sold it in 1993 to the non-profit <a href="http://www.stclementsfoundation.com/" target="_blank">Saint Clements Foundation</a>, at which time the Taylor family portraits were donated to the <a href="http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Connecticut River Museum</a> by the Taylor family. Today, the castle/mansion is a <a href="http://www.stclementsfoundation.com/" target="_blank">popular wedding venue</a>.<br />
<br />
+ The paintings of J. B. Taylor's parents, Col. Jeremiah Taylor and Lucy Brainerd Taylor, were completed in 1834 by the New York City-based itinerant portrait artist <a href="http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/artist-info.1892.html?artobj_artistId=1892&pageNumber=1" target="_blank">Frederick R. Spencer</a> (1806-1875). The paintings--in addition to a painting of an anonymous "Son of Col. and Mrs. Jeremiah Taylor"--were loaned by the Taylor family (Mrs. David Taylor of Portland, Connecticut) for display at the <a href="http://www.mwpai.org/" target="_blank">Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute</a> in Utica, New York, September 2 to November 2, 1969. Though photos of the three loaned paintings were not included in the print publication of the Spencer exhibit, they were mentioned in <i><a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/698715120" target="_blank">A Retrospective Exhibition of the Work of Frederick R. Spencer (1806-1875)</a></i>. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8d6THAwLVF4/VjTcJEB_kVI/AAAAAAAABdg/1VuIUwR5u3Y/s1600/ConnecticutRiverMuseum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8d6THAwLVF4/VjTcJEB_kVI/AAAAAAAABdg/1VuIUwR5u3Y/s640/ConnecticutRiverMuseum.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/" target="_blank">Connecticut River Museum</a> (est. 1975)<br /><br />Essex, Connecticut</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-10585311458457959232015-06-12T13:14:00.000-04:002015-06-12T13:24:17.146-04:00America's moral revolution: Uncommon Christian counter-culture among those not celebrating<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hat which was condemned is celebrated.</i><br />
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>That which was celebrated is condemned.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>Those who will not join the celebration are condemned.</i></div>
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So the British theologian and journalist <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Liberal-Christianity-Theo-Hobson/dp/0802868401" target="_blank">Theo Hobson</a> has stated on what a society's moral revolution looks like with a 3-step criteria. (Quoted by American culture commentator, author and seminary president <a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/" target="_blank">Albert Mohler</a> in Oklahoma's <i>The Baptist Messenger</i>, <a href="http://www.baptistmessenger.com/the-gospel-sexuality-the-church-2/" target="_blank">"The Gospel, Sexuality and the Church,"</a> posted March 16, 2015.)<br />
<br />
Count the <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a>-inspired <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a> as among those not celebrating America's moral revolution but which is rejoicing in Jesus' "words of eternal life" (John 6:68):<br />
<br />
<i>"Whoever believes in [the Lord Jesus Christ] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the Son of God."</i><br />
John 3:18<br />
<br />
<i>"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."</i><br />
Romans 8:1<br />
<br />
Relatedly, here is an insightful 9-minute video interview with <a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Mohler</a> on "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLTrqo6ErXo" target="_blank">How to Survive a Moral Revolution."</a> It was given at <a href="http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/2015" target="_blank">The Gospel Coalition national conference</a> in Orlando, Florida, April 13-15, 2015. Also available is a written transcript of some highlights of the same interview--see <a href="http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/albert-mohler-on-how-to-survive-a-moral-revolution" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001338.2526647 -85.758455700000013 38.2526647 -85.758455700000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-60315689282136714942015-05-18T12:34:00.000-04:002015-06-19T12:40:17.669-04:00"The Life of David Brainerd [1718-1747]: A Documentary," new DVD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j4kIqRggRx0/VYQ9_wdbrkI/AAAAAAAABcY/cLyFogIaspo/s1600/DavidBrainerdQuote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j4kIqRggRx0/VYQ9_wdbrkI/AAAAAAAABcY/cLyFogIaspo/s1600/DavidBrainerdQuote.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hose familiar with the Second Great Awakening evangelist <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829) will be interested to know that a new DVD on Taylor's famed First Great Awakening missionary cousin has been released.<br />
<br />
"The Life of David Brainerd: A Documentary" by <a href="http://silviusmotionpictures.com/" target="_blank">Silvius Motion Pictures</a> sells for $14.99.<br />
<br />
The 57-minute <a href="http://churchworksmedia.com/shop/23589244" target="_blank">DVD</a> can be used individually or for a small group study. Also available is a 44-page <a href="http://churchworksmedia.com/shop/23589274" target="_blank">companion devotional booklet</a> ($4.49). Both can be purchased online from the distributor, <a href="http://churchworksmedia.com/brainerd-dvd" target="_blank">Church Works Media</a>.<br />
<br />
Here is the DVD's description by the Cleveland, Ohio-based producer:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Explore the life and influence of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brainerd" target="_blank">David Brainerd</a> (1718-1747), the subject of the most popular book written by <a href="http://edwards.yale.edu/research/about-edwards/biography" target="_blank">Jonathan Edwards</a> (1703-1758), America's greatest theologian. The documentary answers the questions, Who was David Brainerd, and why has he had such a lasting international influence? It emphasizes David's sufferings and weaknesses, demonstrating that God loves to use weak things to show off his strength--a much needed emphasis in today's evangelical church.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The DVD includes footage from more than a dozen places where Brainerd lived. It features diary narrations by Tim Keesee (<a href="http://www.frontlinemissions.info/" target="_blank">Frontline Missions International</a>) and interviews with exceptional scholars on the topics of David Brainerd, Jonathan Edwards and <a href="http://biblicalspirituality.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/boundriesspirituality.pdf" target="_blank">evangelical spirituality</a>.</i></blockquote>
<br />
One day, it's hoped that a <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_books.php" target="_blank">similar documentary DVD</a> and companion <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_books.php" target="_blank">devotional</a> will be produced and published on the once equally famous <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a>. (In <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Uncommon-Christian-Forgotten-Evangelist-Awakening/dp/0761838627/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434731556&sr=1-2" target="_blank">An Uncommon Christian: James Brainerd Taylor, Forgotten Evangelist in America's Second Great Awakening</a> [2008]</i>, see Appendix B, "David Brainerd and James Brainerd Taylor, A Comparative Chart.")<br />
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-58725856998813414852015-04-06T19:17:00.000-04:002015-04-06T19:17:33.152-04:00Evangelical Theological Society, annual Midwest regional meeting . . . April 10-11, 2015, Chicago . . . Theme: Sexual Holiness<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hough my lecture is not on the important and timely theme of <b>"The Church and Its Call to Sexual Holiness" </b>(<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+4%3A4&version=ESV#en-ESV-29591" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:4b</a>, New Testament) I'll be delivering a lecture at the annual Midwest regional meeting of the <a href="http://www.etsjets.org/" target="_blank">Evangelical Theological Society</a> on Friday, April 10, 11:00-11:40 a.m. This year, the meeting is being hosted by Chicago's <a href="http://www.moody.edu/" target="_blank">Moody Bible Institute</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>"'Mr. James Brainerd Taylor, I presume?': The American Inspiration Behind David Livingstone's 'Uncommon' Christianity"</b></span> is a lecture I delivered at various places in 2013, the bicentennial anniversary year of the birth of the famed Scottish missionary-explorer <a href="http://www.livingstoneonline.ucl.ac.uk/biog/dl/bio.html" target="_blank">David Livingstone</a> (1813-1873). (See my <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2013/02/david-livingstone-uncommon-christian.html" target="_blank">March 1, 2013, blog post</a> for an online summary of the lecture that is based on my recent research discovery from a Livingstone letter manuscript housed at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh.)<br />
<br />
Though a repeat lecture, the presentation does provide an opportunity to inform others about the forgotten "uncommon Christian" evangelist <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829). And my attendance provides an opportunity to get to know members of my new ETS region. This is my first Midwest meeting since leaving ETS's Pacific Northwest region in 2013. <br />
<br />
The lecture is one of fifty-five that are being delivered during the two-day meeting. The topics range from various academic fields, including Historical Theology, New Testament, Old Testament, Same Sex Attraction, Systematic Theology and Theology.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wYodV63WIq8/VSLk9ggAoiI/AAAAAAAABbQ/_8tjbj5KZ9U/s1600/RobertGagnon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wYodV63WIq8/VSLk9ggAoiI/AAAAAAAABbQ/_8tjbj5KZ9U/s1600/RobertGagnon.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.robgagnon.net/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon</span></a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The plenary sessions are on <b>"The End of Man: Homosexuality and the Human <i>Telos</i>"</b> (<a href="http://www.dts.edu/about/faculty/dblount/" target="_blank">Dr. Douglas K. Blount</a>, Dallas Theological Seminary) and <b>"Homosexualist Readings of Scripture by Two New Testament Scholars, William Loader and James Brownson"</b> (<a href="http://www.robgagnon.net/" target="_blank">Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon</a>, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). This will be my second time hearing from Dr. Gagnon. I had the privilege of hearing him at the ETS-Pacific Northwest annual regional meeting in Tacoma, Washington, in April 2013.<br />
<br />
A graduate of Dartmouth College, Harvard Divinity School and Princeton Theological Seminary, Prof. Gagnon is considered the foremost Evangelical Protestant scholar on the issue of homosexuality in relation to Christianity and the Bible. Among many other writings--in print and online via his <a href="http://www.robgagnon.net/" target="_blank">website</a>--he is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Bible-Homosexual-Practice-Hermeneutics/dp/0687022797" target="_blank"><i>The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics</i></a> (Abingdon Press, 2001, 522 pages).<br />
<br />
For those interested--and via <a href="http://www.robgagnon.net/" target="_blank">his website</a> and <i>YouTube.com</i> and <i>Vimeo.com</i>--Dr. Gagnon has appeared in many videos, most of which are available online and at no cost. This includes his 7-part online video series "The Bible and Homosexual Practice." Some of his writings and videos have been translated into other languages. Click <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/the-church-in-a-homosexual-culture-an-interview-with-robert-gagnon" target="_blank">here</a> ("The Church in a Homosexual Culture") and <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/same-sex-temptations-in-the-church-an-interview-with-robert-gagnon" target="_blank">here</a> ("Same-Sex Temptations in the Church") for 30-minute audio podcast interviews with Dr. Gagnon on John Piper's <i>DesiringGod.org</i>.<br />
<br />
From the <a href="http://www.etsjets.org/about" target="_blank">ETS website</a>, here is the background to this academic society that consists of over 3,000 members. Among <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/author_mab.php" target="_blank">other societies and associations</a>, I've been a member of ETS since 2007. The minimum requirement for full membership is a Master of Theology degree (Th.M.), of which I earned in 2005 from <a href="http://www.tbs.edu/" target="_blank">Toronto Baptist Seminary</a>.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Founded in 1949, the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) is a group of
scholars, teachers, pastors, students, and others dedicated to the oral
exchange and written expression of theological thought and research.
The ETS is devoted to the inerrancy and inspiration of the Scriptures
and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Society publishes a quarterly
journal, the </i>Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (JETS)<i>,
an academic periodical featuring peer reviewed articles, as well as
extended book reviews, in the biblical and theological disciplines. ETS
also holds national and regional meetings across the United States and
in Canada. </i></blockquote>
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Chicago, IL, USA41.8781136 -87.62979819999998241.4995241 -88.275245199999986 42.256703099999996 -86.984351199999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-7500609533894489182014-01-03T14:14:00.000-05:002014-06-12T10:41:34.628-04:00"An Uncommon Christian" and "Of Intense Brightness" now available as e-books<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>s of today (January 3, 2014), <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a> is pleased to announce that both <i><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/book1.php" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>An Uncommon Christian: James Brainerd Taylor [1801-1829], Forgotten Evangelist in America's Second Great Awakening</b></span></a></i> (University Press of America, December 2007, 255 pages, Foreword by John F. Thornbury) and the edited anthology companion volume <b><i><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/book2.php" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Of Intense Brightness: The Spirituality of Uncommon Christian James Brainerd Taylor</span></a></i> </b>(University Press of America, June 2008, 168 pages, Foreword by James M. Houston, Epilogue by Peter Adam) are now available on Kindle and Nook.<br />
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The e-books are currently 39-45% off the books' retail price, with the Kindle edition offering the "text-to-speech" feature.<br />
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To purchase an e-book edition, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Uncommon-Christian-Forgotten-Evangelist-Awakening-ebook/dp/B00JBZLNLU/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1402510951&sr=1-2" target="_blank">here</a> (Kindle) or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-uncommon-christian-francis-i-iii-kyle-iii/1116890754?ean=9780761838623" target="_blank">here</a> (Nook) for <i><b>An Uncommon Christian</b></i>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Intense-Brightness-Spirituality-Uncommon-Christian-ebook/dp/B00JBZLNHE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1402511298&sr=1-1" target="_blank">here</a> (Kindle) or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/of-intense-brightness-i-francis-iii-kyle/1116890757?ean=9780761839705" target="_blank">here</a> (Nook) for <i><b>Of Intense Brightness</b></i>. "Sneak preview" sample pages of each book are provided on the online retailers' website.<br />
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NOTE: The paper and e-book edition of UCM's <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_books.php" target="_blank">third book</a>--<i><b>Uncommon Christian Evangelism with James Brainerd Taylor</b></i> (or, <i><b>God's Co-Worker: 21st-century Evangelism with Uncommon Christian James Brainerd Taylor</b></i>)--is planned for publication in 2015 or 2016. Stay tuned.<br />
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com1Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-17048327059147561352013-11-30T18:58:00.000-05:002014-06-11T15:30:33.698-04:00John F. Thornbury, uncommon Christian pastor, author and fellow admirer of James Brainerd Taylor (1801-1829) . . . 44-year pastorate at the same Pennsylvania church, 1965-2009<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>s an example of delayed gratification, I finally met in-person a favorite biographer of mine and the author of the Foreword to my <i><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/book1.php" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>An Uncommon Christian: James Brainerd Taylor, Forgotten Evangelist in America's Second Great Awakening</b></span></a></i> (University Press of America, 2007).<br />
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On November 20, 2013, I met <a href="http://bellepointbaptistchurch.com/about-us/staff/pastor-of-worship-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">Dr. John F. Thornbury</a> for lunch in <a href="http://www.visitlex.com/" target="_blank">Lexington, Kentucky</a>. Afterward, he invited me to his home where I met his wife (Reta) of 50 years, viewed his personal library, talked about his son (author and president of New York City's King's College, <a href="http://www.tkc.edu/abouttkc/president/biography.html" target="_blank">Dr. Gregory Alan Thornbury</a>) whom I had heard speak in Louisville just weeks prior, learned about his bookbinding hobby and prayed for and with him. A blessed time of fellowship it was!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yVH9ccpoosQ/Uxt5LPj0jXI/AAAAAAAABWM/DnZg3yV__7U/s1600/JohnThornburyFrancisKyle20nov2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yVH9ccpoosQ/Uxt5LPj0jXI/AAAAAAAABWM/DnZg3yV__7U/s1600/JohnThornburyFrancisKyle20nov2013.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bellepointbaptistchurch.com/about-us/staff/pastor-of-worship-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">John F. Thornbury</a> (right) and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Francis-Kyle-III/e/B003YDD7DW" target="_blank">Francis Kyle</a> (left).<br /><a href="http://www.visitlex.com/" target="_blank">Lexington, Kentucky, USA</a>. November 20, 2013.</span></td></tr>
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It was during the <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/author_bio.php" target="_blank">early years of my Christian life</a> in Washington State (October 1992- ) and my Canadian student days at Bible college and seminary (1994-2000) that I first learned of Dr. Thornbury. The introduction came through the reading of his biographies <a href="http://www.amazon.com/David-Brainerd-Pioneer-Missionary-American/dp/0852343485/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394297874&sr=1-5" target="_blank"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">David Brainerd: Pioneer Missionary to the American Indians</span></b></i></a> (Evangelical Press, 1996) and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Sent-Revival-Nettleton-Awakening/dp/0852340990/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394297310&sr=1-7" target="_blank"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">God Sent Revival: The Story of Asahel Nettleton and the Second Great Awakening</span></b></a></i> (Evangelical Press, 1993).<br />
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Since the famed missionary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brainerd" target="_blank">David Brainerd</a> (1718-1747) was a maternal cousin of <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829), and since the itinerant evangelist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahel_Nettleton" target="_blank">Asahel Nettleton</a> (1783-1844) was a ministerial mentor to Taylor, I was very pleased that in 2006 Dr. Thornbury agreed to write the Foreword to my <i><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/book1.php" target="_blank">An Uncommon Christian</a></i>. To my surprise and delight, he was already familiar with J. B. Taylor and the once-popular <i><a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/Memoir_of_James_Brainerd_Taylor.html?id=6GM3AAAAMAAJ" target="_blank">Memoir of James Brainerd Taylor</a></i> (American Tract Society, 1833). If I recall correctly from our conversation, a copy of the 19th-century memoir was given to him as a gift by an older female member of a Kentucky church he pastored in the 1950s or early 1960s. He asked that I sign his 1833 copy, of which I happily complied.<br />
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Here is an excerpt from Dr. Thornbury's Foreword to <i><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/book1.php" target="_blank">An Uncommon Christian</a></i>:</div>
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<i>The second reason I recommend this book is evangelical and is, of course, related to the first. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Francis-Kyle-III/e/B003YDD7DW" target="_blank">Kyle</a> refers to <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829) as <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/index.php" target="_blank">"an uncommon Christian"</a> and he obviously was. Today we might refer to him as an "extraordinary" believer, who in his love for the triune God his self-denying spirit, and his intense desire to win the lost, lived above the level that most of us experience. The last part of this book gives credible proofs, based on those who knew him intimately, that he was, if we may so speak, "sold out to God." For many today, even those who hold high offices in the church, their commitment to Christian principles seems almost half-hearted when we look at the standard of behavior set by Jesus and the apostles. Aside from the gross wickedness that has plagued some prominent Christian leaders today, even the best of believers, it seems, are offering to God an alloy of consecration rather than the whole-hearted affection for God, his word, and his church, that the Christian faith deserves.</i></blockquote>
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<i>There is no doubt about it: believers can be instructed, motivated, and inspired by reading the lives of the saints of the past. In the life of <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a>, we see what God's grace can do in the life of one of his children. It shows how, in the midst of great suffering and hardship, a Christian cannot only blossom with the beautiful flowers of piety, but can be happy in the process. In one respect, the subject of this biographical work excelled his maternal relative, who he was so much alike, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brainerd" target="_blank">David Brainerd</a> (1718-1747). He never suffered from the chronic depression that dogged the Indian missionary. Though often plagued by illness and though even at times persecuted for his loyalty to the gospel, Taylor seemed largely to live on the high plateau of joy in the Lord. In this respect, he was like another man, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Taylor" target="_blank">J. Hudson Taylor</a> (1832-1905), who I read somewhere stated with humility, but with profound gratefulness, that for many years not a cloud of doubt had passed between himself and his Savior.</i></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j1OZjnTjqDQ/Uxt-b9qpw1I/AAAAAAAABWk/w2dpIT0ms60/s1600/JBTupaBook1CoverJPEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j1OZjnTjqDQ/Uxt-b9qpw1I/AAAAAAAABWk/w2dpIT0ms60/s1600/JBTupaBook1CoverJPEG.jpg" height="400" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/book1.php" target="_blank">An Uncommon Christian</a></i>.<br />University Press of America, 2007.<br />Foreword by <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/book1_excerpts.php" target="_blank">John F. Thornbury</a>.</span></td></tr>
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Because Brainerd, Nettleton and Taylor were all born in Connecticut, <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/author_bio.php" target="_blank">the land of my (non-Christian) upbringing (ages 5-20)</a>, my interest in them--and their historical eras of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Great_Awakening" target="_blank">First Great Awakening</a> (1730s and 1740s) and <a href="http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/publication/2008/04/20080407113519eaifas0.3545038.html#axzz2vP3UHm8i" target="_blank">Second Great Awakening</a> (ca. 1790-1830)--was and remains high.<br />
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Interestingly, all three studied at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_University" target="_blank">Yale</a> in New Haven, Connecticut, but with different outcomes: Brainerd was expelled in 1742, Nettleton was a member of the Class of 1809 and Taylor died while a student on medical leave from Yale Seminary in 1829 (he died and was <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=29657825" target="_blank">buried in Virginia</a>).<br />
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Concerning Brainerd, Dr. Thornbury pastored near where Brainerd ministered to the <a href="http://delawaretribe.org/" target="_blank">Delaware Indians</a> in eastern Pennsylvania. In <i><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/book1.php" target="_blank">An Uncommon Christian</a></i>, I include an 11-page appendix entitled "David Brainerd and James Brainerd Taylor: A Comparative Chart."</div>
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In addition to his biographies on Brained and Nettleton, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pastor-New-York-Spencer-Houghton/dp/0852345127" target="_blank"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">A Pastor in New York: The Life and Times of Spencer Houghton Cone [1785-1855]</span></b></a></i> (Evangelical Press, 2003) is Dr. Thornbury's third biographical work.<br />
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His other, non-biographical works include <i><a href="http://pilgrimpublications.auctivacommerce.com/The-Doctrine-of-the-Church-by-John-Thornbury--P2969661.aspx" target="_blank"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The Doctrine of the Church: A Baptist View</span></b></a></i> (Pilgrim Publications, 1971); <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Help-Us-Pray-John-Thornbury/dp/0852342861" target="_blank"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Help Us To Pray</span></b></a></i> (Evangelical Press, 1991); <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/System-Bible-Doctrine-John-Thornbury/dp/0852345267/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394305648&sr=1-2" target="_blank"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">A System of Bible Doctrine</span></b></a></i> (Evangelical Press, 2003) and <i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">You Want to Get Married! For those who have wedding plans or wish to</span></b></i> (self-published, 2008). These works are in addition to his contributions to various books and journals.</div>
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What is fascinating about <a href="http://bellepointbaptistchurch.com/about-us/staff/pastor-of-worship-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">Dr. Thornbury</a> is that his writing ministry was in addition to his family life (he and his wife of over 50 years raised two kids) and pastoring the same Pennsylvania church for 44 years (1965-2009).<br />
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After serving churches in Kentucky and leaving <a href="http://winfieldbaptist.com/" target="_blank">Winfield Baptist Church</a> in Winfield, Union County, Pennsylvania, in 2009, he returned to his native Kentucky. Since 2011, he has been serving as the Pastor of Worship at <a href="http://bellepointbaptistchurch.com/about-us/staff/pastor-of-worship-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">Bellepoint Baptist Church</a> in Frankfurt, the capital city of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.<br />
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For an insightful August 12, 2009, online interview with Dr. Thornbury, see <a href="http://rvanneste.blogspot.com/2009/08/interview-with-john-thornbury.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Also, see <a href="http://ericcsmith.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/learning-from-a-faithful-shepherd-pastor-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">here</a> for "a handful of brief observations . . . made from afar" regarding Dr. Thornbury's longevity in pastoral ministry. Lastly, a sampling of his sermons (2004-05) can be found <a href="http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Pastor_John_F._Thornbury" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-htj0-JO12do/Uxt-HgYQ0gI/AAAAAAAABWc/ERlxOUgQZjU/s1600/JohnThornburyBellepointBaptistChurch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-htj0-JO12do/Uxt-HgYQ0gI/AAAAAAAABWc/ERlxOUgQZjU/s1600/JohnThornburyBellepointBaptistChurch.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bellepointbaptistchurch.com/about-us/staff/pastor-of-worship-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">John F. Thornbury</a>.<br /><a href="http://bellepointbaptistchurch.com/about-us/staff/pastor-of-worship-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">Bellepoint Baptist Church</a>.<br /><a href="http://www.visitfrankfort.com/" target="_blank">Frankfurt, Kentucky, USA</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rA_RiFhfJgE/UxuC5DSSt4I/AAAAAAAABWs/PZ3TpfQ4QEg/s1600/JohnThornburyRetaThornburyFrancisKyleNov2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rA_RiFhfJgE/UxuC5DSSt4I/AAAAAAAABWs/PZ3TpfQ4QEg/s1600/JohnThornburyRetaThornburyFrancisKyleNov2013.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bellepointbaptistchurch.com/about-us/staff/pastor-of-worship-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">Dr. John F. Thornbury</a>, Mrs. Reta Thornbury and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Francis-Kyle-III/e/B003YDD7DW" target="_blank">Dr. Francis Kyle</a>.<br /><a href="http://www.visitlex.com/" target="_blank">Lexington, Kentucky, USA</a>. November 20, 2013.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TRAMVUw4KxQ/UxuPZ2ZiSvI/AAAAAAAABW8/9O7T7w6BIpM/s1600/RecoveringClassicEvangelicalismThornbury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TRAMVUw4KxQ/UxuPZ2ZiSvI/AAAAAAAABW8/9O7T7w6BIpM/s1600/RecoveringClassicEvangelicalismThornbury.jpg" height="640" width="412" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Recovering-Classic-Evangelicalism-Applying-Wisdom/dp/1433530627" target="_blank">Recovering Classic Evangelicalism: Applying the Wisdom and Vision of Carl F. H. Henry</a>.<br />Crossway, 2013.<br />By <a href="http://www.tkc.edu/abouttkc/president/biography.html" target="_blank">Gregory Alan Thornbury</a>, son of <a href="http://bellepointbaptistchurch.com/about-us/staff/pastor-of-worship-john-thornbury/" target="_blank">John F. Thornbury</a>.</span></td></tr>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Lexington, KY, USA38.0405837 -84.5037164000000338.0405837 -84.50371640000003 38.0405837 -84.50371640000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-41487575852113181502013-10-30T16:10:00.000-04:002013-11-23T17:06:49.381-05:00R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary . . . celebrating 20th anniversary as president (1993-2013)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he fall semester of 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of R. Albert Mohler, Jr.'s presidency at the <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a> in <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sbts.edu/about/president/" target="_blank">Dr. Mohler</a> is the 9th president of the 154-year-old seminary, the oldest and largest of the six <a href="http://www.sbc.net/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention</a> seminaries.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gWXNkAZcOew/Uo_efbWoh2I/AAAAAAAABUs/MEITisCzk-0/s1600/AlbertMohler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gWXNkAZcOew/Uo_efbWoh2I/AAAAAAAABUs/MEITisCzk-0/s320/AlbertMohler.jpg" width="214" /></a>The anniversary is to be celebrated with gratitude as much kingdom good has taken place at <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">SBTS</a>--and within the <a href="http://www.sbc.net/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention</a> (est. 1845) and the <a href="http://www.wheaton.edu/isae/defining-evangelicalism" target="_blank">Evangelical Protestant</a> church at-large--through the godly and strong leadership of <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/about/president/" target="_blank">Dr. Mohler</a>.<br />
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The October 15, 2013, chapel service at SBTS honored the milestone. A <a href="http://news.sbts.edu/2013/10/16/mohler-honored-by-trustees-on-20th-anniversary-as-southern-seminary-president/" target="_blank">resolution "of thanksgiving and appreciation"</a> was given to Dr. Mohler by the school's board of trustees. See <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/resources/chapel/what-do-you-have-that-you-did-not-receive-gratitude-and-christian-discipleship/" target="_blank">here</a> to watch the video of President Mohler's 32-minute chapel message on that special day. His message was titled <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;">"What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive? (1 Cor. 4:7): Gratitude and Christian Discipleship." </span><span class="Apple-style-span">A <a href="http://news.sbts.edu/2013/10/16/after-20-years-as-president-mohler-summarizes-his-tenure-as-gratitude/" target="_blank">written summary of the chapel message</a> is available online.</span><br />
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In the October 2013 issue of the SBTS campus publication <i>Towers</i>, the insightful article <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">"Twenty years and counting: Mohler reflects on his presidency at Southern Seminary" </span></b>appears. Click <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/resources/towers/twenty-years-%E2%80%A8and-counting-%E2%80%A8mohler-reflects-on-his-presidency-of-southern-seminary/" target="_blank">here</a> to read the online version. And see <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/resources/towers/2013/october-2013/towers-october-2013/" target="_blank">here</a> to read online the entire 28-page issue, including the photo essay <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/resources/towers/twelve-hours-with-the-president-a-photo-essay/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>"Twelve hours with the president."</b></span></a><br />
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Titled <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">"Recovering A Vision: The Presidency of R. Albert Mohler, Jr.,"</span></b> here is a 25-minute documentary chronicling Dr. Mohler's presidency during the past two decades:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>NOTE</u></span></div>
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+ The <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">SBTS campus</a> is located just 4 miles from <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a> (est. 1887), my new home and ministry base in <a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville</a>, <a href="http://www.kentuckytourism.com/" target="_blank">Kentucky</a> (May 30, 2013- ).<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8LDHsXe-uDM/Uo_ejzYRk5I/AAAAAAAABVI/sWw0QTw-d_I/s1600/TheConvictionToLeadMohler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8LDHsXe-uDM/Uo_ejzYRk5I/AAAAAAAABVI/sWw0QTw-d_I/s320/TheConvictionToLeadMohler.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conviction-Lead-The-Principles-Leadership/dp/0764210041" target="_blank">The Conviction to Lead</a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (2012)</span></td></tr>
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+ On October 10-11, 2013, I had the privilege of attending <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/about/president/" target="_blank">Dr. Mohler</a>'s leadership seminar at <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">SBTS</a>. The 2-day seminar was based on his book <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conviction-Lead-The-Principles-Leadership/dp/0764210041" target="_blank"><i>The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership that Matters</i> </a></b>(Bethany House, 2012). See <a href="http://news.sbts.edu/2013/10/30/in-alumni-academy-course-mohler-talks-convictional-leadership-shares-from-early-days-of-presidency/" target="_blank">here</a> to read a summary of the seminar.<br />
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At the end of the seminar, attendees were invited to Dr. Mohler's presidential home to view a portion of his legendary personal library of over 40,000 volumes. This was my second visit to the library, the first being in April 1999 when I visited the SBTS campus to consider their Ph.D. program. With Dr. Mohler himself as the guide, <a href="http://vimeo.com/groups/27420/videos/8693850" target="_blank">here is a 7-minute video</a> of his library/study from the 2010 <a href="http://t4g.org/" target="_blank">Together for the Gospel</a> conference.<br />
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+ Dr. Mohler's 20-year SBTS presidency (1993-2013) nearly parallels <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/p/kyle-bio.html" target="_blank">my Christian life thus far (1992-2013)</a>. He at the academic institutional level and me at the personal and ministry level (in U.S., Canada, <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2011/08/summary-of-26-months-in-israel-may-2009.html" target="_blank">Israel</a>)--I join him in giving thanks to the Lord for every obstacle overcome, temptation resisted and challenge met during the past two decades.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSG9qIz6Lcc/Uo_ef7yjCLI/AAAAAAAABVA/OZ3e8Y02QI8/s1600/AlbertMohlerLeadership.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="449" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSG9qIz6Lcc/Uo_ef7yjCLI/AAAAAAAABVA/OZ3e8Y02QI8/s640/AlbertMohlerLeadership.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkCa5agnfgo/Uo_efocqBcI/AAAAAAAABU8/aEtWDiQzgZM/s1600/SouthernBaptistTheologicalSeminary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkCa5agnfgo/Uo_efocqBcI/AAAAAAAABU8/aEtWDiQzgZM/s400/SouthernBaptistTheologicalSeminary.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Est. 1859</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.gotolouisville.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Louisville</a>, <a href="http://www.kentuckytourism.com/" target="_blank">Kentucky</a>, USA</span></td></tr>
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-5898065485671146522013-09-30T23:58:00.000-04:002013-11-23T17:18:06.326-05:00Carl F. H. Henry (1913-2003), "A Centennial Celebration," September 26, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9qt1Xvjjj-Y/UkpIzw9hBgI/AAAAAAAABKE/4SkcbFOHuk8/s1600/Henry100thAnniversary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9qt1Xvjjj-Y/UkpIzw9hBgI/AAAAAAAABKE/4SkcbFOHuk8/s1600/Henry100thAnniversary.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>f we see <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Billy Graham</span></b> as the great public face and generous spirit of the evangelical movement, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Carl F. H. Henry</span></b> was the brains." So wrote David Neff, the editor of <i><a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/" target="_blank">Christianity Today</a></i>, an American national magazine founded by Graham and Henry in 1956.</span><br />
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The year 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the most important 20th-century theologians and leaders within <a href="http://www.wheaton.edu/isae/defining-evangelicalism" target="_blank">Protestant Evangelicalism</a>. Dr. Henry was born on January 22, 1913, to German immigrants who settled on Long Island in New York.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Carl F. H. Henry (1913-2003): A Centennial Celebration</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VYB4R0upfHg/UkpI0U_NFCI/AAAAAAAABKQ/HkbLxY8gCJY/s1600/HenryCentennialCelebrationSBTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VYB4R0upfHg/UkpI0U_NFCI/AAAAAAAABKQ/HkbLxY8gCJY/s320/HenryCentennialCelebrationSBTS.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://events.sbts.edu/carlhenry/" target="_blank">A Centennial Celebration</a>. Louisville, Kentucky.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In honor of the anniversary, I had the privilege of attending the one-day conference, <a href="http://events.sbts.edu/carlhenry/" target="_blank">"Carl F. H. Henry: A Centennial Celebration"</a> on September 26, 2013. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">With about 100 in attendance, including some relatives of the late Dr. Henry, the conference took place at the <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a>. (To my delight, SBTS is located just four miles from my new home and ministry base [June 2013- ] in Louisville, Kentucky-- <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a>.)</span><br />
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All 5 speakers (<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Paul House</span></b>, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">R. Albert Mohler Jr.</span></b>, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Richard Mouw</span></b>, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Greg Alan Thornbury</span></b> and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">John Woodbridge</span></b>) and <a href="http://vimeo.com/75584779" target="_blank">4 discussion panelists</a> (<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">David Dockery</span></b>, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Mark Galli</span></b>, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Timothy George</span></b> and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Russell D. Moore</span></b>) knew or had at least met Dr. Henry. So personal reminisces were interspersed throughout the academic conference, making the event quite insightful and enjoyable.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For a full, post-conference report by SBTS' <i>Towers</i> magazine, see <a href="http://news.sbts.edu/2013/10/10/4151/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">To watch <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Mouw" target="_blank">Dr. Mouw</a>'s opening 45-minute message during the SBTS morning chapel hour, click <a href="http://vimeo.com/75526839" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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To watch the 32-minute panel discussion, with <a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Mohler</a> as the moderator, see <a href="http://vimeo.com/75584779" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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And here is <a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Mohler</a>'s 51-minute talk entitled "The Indispensable Evangelical: Carl F. H. Henry and Evangelical Ambition in the Twentieth Century":<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/75578031?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/75578031">Carl F. H. Henry Centennial Celebration: Session 3 with Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.</a> </div>
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from <a href="http://vimeo.com/southernseminary">Southern Seminary</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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Among the highlights from the "theologian's play day" (so <a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Mohler</a>, SBTS President) was a free photocopy for conference attendees of the first-ever issue of <i><a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/" target="_blank">Christianity Today</a></i> (vol. 1, no. 1, October 15, 1956). From 1956-68, Dr. Henry served as the magazine's founding editor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eh7pt2bEgts/UkpI9nFjHmI/AAAAAAAABKY/Gxcie2P705k/s1600/RecoveringClassicEvangelicalismThornbury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eh7pt2bEgts/UkpI9nFjHmI/AAAAAAAABKY/Gxcie2P705k/s320/RecoveringClassicEvangelicalismThornbury.jpg" width="207" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">By <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Recovering-Classic-Evangelicalism-Applying-Wisdom/dp/1433530627" target="_blank">Greg Alan Thornbury</a>. 2013.</span></td></tr>
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Also, the lecture from the new president (2013) of <a href="http://www.tkc.edu/" target="_blank">The King's College</a> (Manhattan, New York City) and author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Recovering-Classic-Evangelicalism-Applying-Wisdom/dp/1433530627" target="_blank">Recovering Classic Evangelicalism: Applying the Wisdom and Vision of Carl F. H. Henry</a></i> (Crossway, 2013), <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Greg Alan Thornbury</span></b>, was a real treat. Dr. Thornbury is the son of <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">John F. Thornbury</span></b>, a longtime pastor (1965-2009) of Winfield Baptist Church in central Pennsylvania.<br />
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The now semi-retired Dr. J. F. Thornbury wrote the Foreword to my <i><a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/book1.php" target="_blank">An Uncommon Christian: James Brainerd Taylor [1801-1829], Forgotten Evangelist in America's Second Great Awakening</a></i> (University Press of America, 2007).<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Dr. Henry: Online Resources</span><br />
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For an introduction to Carl F. H. Henry, here are 7 online resources that UCM hopes will prove helpful.</span><br />
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+ <a href="http://www.anb.org/articles/08/08-02378.html" target="_blank">Biography by Bruce J. Evensen</a> via <i>American National Biography Online</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2013/01/22/happy-100th-birthday-carl-f-h-henry/" target="_blank">"Happy 100th Birthday, Carl F. H. Henry"</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(blog entry by Justin Taylor, January 22, 2013)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/13/us/rev-dr-carl-f-h-henry-90-brain-of-evangelical-movement.html" target="_blank">"Rev. Dr. Carl F. H. Henry, 90, Brain of Evangelical Movement"</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(obituary by Laurie Goodstein, <i>New York Times</i>, December 13, 2003 . . . see <a href="http://www.henrycenter.org/about/timeline/memorial/commemoratives/" target="_blank">here</a> for other obituary notices)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/628.htm" target="_blank">"Papers of Carl F. H. Henry - Collection 628"</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(stored at the <a href="http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/archhp1.html" target="_blank">Billy Graham Center Archives</a> at Illinois' <a href="http://www.wheaton.edu/" target="_blank">Wheaton College</a> . . . provides a detailed biographical summary of Dr. Henry's life and ministry)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_F._H._Henry" target="_blank">Wikipedia article</a> on Dr. Henry</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/topics/h/carl-f-h-henry/" target="_blank">Various articles</a> in <i>Christianity Today</i>, 2003-10</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">+ <a href="http://www.henrycenter.org/" target="_blank">Henry Center for Theological Understanding</a> (Deerfield, Illinois)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llC0ZPg10eE/UkpI0FNalnI/AAAAAAAABKM/tElzccwSipA/s1600/HenryCenterTEDS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llC0ZPg10eE/UkpI0FNalnI/AAAAAAAABKM/tElzccwSipA/s320/HenryCenterTEDS.jpg" width="298" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.henrycenter.org/" target="_blank">Henry Center</a> at <a href="http://divinity.tiu.edu/" target="_blank">Trinity Evangelical Divinity School</a> (TEDS).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Deerfield, Illinois, USA.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><u>Conference (Henry Center)</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">October 11, 2013</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.rememberinghenry.org/" target="_blank">"Remembering Carl Henry:</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.rememberinghenry.org/" target="_blank">Evangelicalism Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow."</a></span></td></tr>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-13335794469722743802013-08-31T23:26:00.000-04:002013-09-03T15:25:33.399-04:00"Uncommon Christians" by Henry W. Frost (1858-1945), China Inland Mission<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n his 1914 <a href="http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/29894/1/Z191_21_0807.pdf" target="_blank">essay "Uncommon Christians"</a> for the <a href="http://www.omf.org/omf/us/about_omf_international/history" target="_blank">China Island Mission</a>, the North American Director for CIM (1893-1929), <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&lpg=PA230&ots=_61hcMmBcZ&dq=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&pg=PA230#v=onepage&q=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&f=false" target="_blank">Henry W. Frost</a>, wrote,<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[The Lord Jesus Christ] desires that no disciple should remain a common Christian, but rather that every disciple should become, at once and forever, an uncommon Christian. . . . </i></blockquote>
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<i>[There] is a multitude of common Christians; but, comparatively, there is but a small body of uncommon Christians. So then, things are terribly wrong.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>And it is no light matter that this is so, since it is this living on common planes of life which makes common action possible and uncommon action impossible. For a low-living church will never produce anything else but a low-level product of experience.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>It is a vital question, therefore, what the Master means when He declares that He would have His disciples to be uncommon Christians. And it is this question which we desire to face, and as far as possible, to answer. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>What then is an uncommon Christian?</i></blockquote>
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Frost bases his <a href="http://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/29894/1/Z191_21_0807.pdf" target="_blank">16-page essay</a> and the term "uncommon Christian" on Scottish Bible translator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Young_(biblical_scholar)" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Robert Young</b></span></a> (1822-1888)--of <i>Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible</i> (1879) and <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young%27s_Literal_Translation" target="_blank">Young's Literal Translation</a> </i>(1862) fame--and Young's suggestion that the Lord Jesus' words in <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">John 10:10</span></b> can be translated as, "<i>I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">above the common</span></b></i>."<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GZE7_7_SpGc/UiKqHNI5MEI/AAAAAAAABJQ/8G5lVVnh6J4/s1600/HenryWfrost1858_1945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GZE7_7_SpGc/UiKqHNI5MEI/AAAAAAAABJQ/8G5lVVnh6J4/s400/HenryWfrost1858_1945.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&lpg=PA230&ots=_61hcMmBcZ&dq=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&pg=PA230#v=onepage&q=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&f=false" target="_blank">Henry W. Frost</a> (1858-1945)</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/29894/1/Z191_21_0807.pdf" target="_blank">According to Frost</a>, an "uncommon" Christian (i.e., "above the common" Christian) is one who<br />
<br />
(1) makes God's Word his only, his full, and his constant rule of faith and practice;<br />
<br />
(2) lives out his life, having no confidence in the flesh, but having all confidence in the person and power of the Holy Spirit;<br />
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(3) makes the Lord Jesus Christ once and forever the absolute Lord of his life;<br />
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(4) has the vision of those who walk in heavenly places, and who thus sees things from the heavenly and larger standpoint; and<br />
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(5) gives his life irrevocably to God for the saving and sanctifying of the souls of men.<br />
<br />
Published by CIM in Philadelphia and Toronto, the entirety of the 1914 essay is <a href="http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/handle/1813/29894" target="_blank">available online</a> (in <a href="http://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/29894/1/Z191_21_0807.pdf" target="_blank">PDF format</a>) and at no cost thanks to Cornell University Library's <a href="http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/handle/1813/29894" target="_blank">Wason Pamphlet Collection</a> (vol. 91, pamphlet 21).<br />
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The essay gives no indication if Frost borrowed the "uncommon Christian" term from, or was influenced by, <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/index.php" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>James Brainerd Taylor</b></span></a> (1801-1829), the <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/us/22c.asp" target="_blank">Second Great Awakening</a> evangelist who most likely coined or originated the term some 90 years prior.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">J. B. Taylor</a>, a Connecticut native and maternal cousin of the famed missionary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brainerd" target="_blank">David Brainerd</a> (1818-1847), <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/index.php" target="_blank">defined</a> an "uncommon" Christian as one who is an "eminently holy, self-denying, cross-bearing, Bible, everyday" Christian. Among others, the prominent Scottish missionary-explorer to Africa, <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2013/02/david-livingstone-uncommon-christian.html" target="_blank">David Livingstone</a> (1813-1873), was <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2013/02/david-livingstone-uncommon-christian.html" target="_blank">inspired to become an "uncommon Christian"</a> by his reading of the popular <i><a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/p/j-b-taylor-memoirs.html" target="_blank">Memoir of James Brainerd Taylor</a></i> (New York and London, 1833).<br />
<br />
Detroit-born and a graduate of Princeton University, the American Presbyterian pioneer missionary <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&lpg=PA230&ots=_61hcMmBcZ&dq=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&pg=PA230#v=onepage&q=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&f=false" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Henry W. Frost</b></span></a> (1858-1945) was responsible for establishing an American headquarters for the <a href="http://www.omf.org/omf/us/about_omf_international/history" target="_blank">China Inland Mission</a>. Founded in 1865 in Great Britain by missionary <a href="http://www.omf.org/omf/us/about_omf_international/history/hudson_taylor" target="_blank">J. Hudson Taylor</a> (1832-1905), CIM relocated its offices to the U.S. in 1901. In 1965, CIM changed its name to the <a href="http://www.omf.org/omf/us/about_omf_international/history" target="_blank">Overseas Missionary Fellowship</a>. Today, <a href="http://www.omf.org/omf/us/about_omf_international/history/cim_to_omf_international" target="_blank">OMF International</a> is headquartered in Colorado.<br />
<br />
On the 50th anniversary of its first appearing in 1938, OMF Books republished in 1988 Dr. and Mrs. Howard and Geraldine Taylor's 364-page <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/9971972654" target="_blank">By Faith: Henry W. Frost and the China Inland Mission</a></i>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-pL8tKWZ34/UiKuzb_6CfI/AAAAAAAABJc/Y37vMl4bZwA/s1600/ByFaithHenryWfrostChinaInlandMission1988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-pL8tKWZ34/UiKuzb_6CfI/AAAAAAAABJc/Y37vMl4bZwA/s400/ByFaithHenryWfrostChinaInlandMission1988.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Henry-Frost-Inland-Mission/dp/9971972654" target="_blank">By Faith: Henry W. Frost and the<br />China Inland Mission</a></i><br />(1938, reprint 1988)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For an entry on the "uncommon Christian" H. W. Frost in the nearly 2,500-entry, 845-page <i><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&dq=henry+w+frost+biographical+dictionary&source=gbs_navlinks_s" target="_blank">Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions</a></i> (page 230, Gerald H. Anderson, ed., Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1999), see <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&lpg=PA230&ots=_61hcMmBcZ&dq=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&pg=PA230#v=onepage&q=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&f=false" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
As the <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&lpg=PA230&ots=_61hcMmBcZ&dq=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&pg=PA230#v=onepage&q=henry%20w%20frost%20biographical%20dictionary&f=false" target="_blank">BDCM entry</a> notes, Frost was a contributor to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fundamentals" target="_blank"><i>The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth</i></a>. In the historic 90-essay, 12-volume set (1910-15), he wrote the essays on "Consecration" (in vol. 10) and "What Missionary Motives Should Prevail?" (vol. 12). As of 1999 when the <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&dq=henry+w+frost+biographical+dictionary&source=gbs_navlinks_s" target="_blank">BDCM</a> was published, Frost's 900-plus-page unpublished autobiography was stored at the <a href="http://www.omf.ca/" target="_blank">OMF International archives in Toronto, Canada</a>.<br />
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-49048944270657899992013-07-31T23:59:00.000-04:002014-09-10T12:50:56.101-04:00Sovereign Grace Bible Conference (African-American), 30th annual . . . August 4-8, 2013 in Chattanooga, Tennessee . . . Elder D. J. Ward, conference founder<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PszrrDEhbLU/UfnhmVEAH8I/AAAAAAAABIg/1al_kYRvtuE/s1600/SovereignGraceBibleConference2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PszrrDEhbLU/UfnhmVEAH8I/AAAAAAAABIg/1al_kYRvtuE/s400/SovereignGraceBibleConference2010.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/" target="_blank">Sovereign Grace Bible Conference</a>. Chattanooga, Tenn.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span> am set to attend the 30th annual <a href="http://sovereigngracebibleconference.org/" target="_blank">Sovereign Grace Bible Conference</a>, August 4-8, 2013.<br />
<br />
The host church (2009- ) is <a href="http://www.nhbcchattanooga.com/" target="_blank">New Home Missionary Baptist Church</a> in <a href="http://www.chattanoogafun.com/" target="_blank">Chattanooga, Tennessee</a>.<br />
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New Home's pastor is <a href="http://www.nhbcchattanooga.com/page/elder_gm_spotts" target="_blank">Elder G. M. Spotts</a>, one of the many ministerial students of the conference founder, the late <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">Elder D. J. Ward</a>. <br />
<br />
I will be attending the annual conference with a budding African-American preacher from my new home church in Louisville, <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a>. He is a student at the <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a> and a graduate of the <a href="http://louisville.edu/" target="_blank">University of Louisville</a>.<br />
<br />
It will be my first time attending the truly unique African-American conference since 2004. I had attended also the 2003 conference that had the then-Minneapolis pastor-author <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/about/who-is-john-piper" target="_blank">John Piper</a> as one of the 12 or so mix of white and black preachers. This was when the conference was held in Lexington, Kentucky.<br />
<br />
I first learned of the <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/" target="_blank">Sovereign Grace Bible Conference</a> in the mid-1990s from <a href="http://www.sogncm.org/pages/about-us/contributors/#jgr" target="_blank">John G. Reisinger</a> of <a href="http://www.sogncm.org/pages/" target="_blank">Sound of Grace</a> ministries. I had <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/author_bio.php" target="_blank">become a Christian in October 1992</a> and soon thereafter a believer in God's sovereign electing grace (<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/what-we-believe-about-the-five-points-of-calvinism" target="_blank">Calvinistic/Reformed Baptist theology</a>, especially as it pertains to soteriology, the doctrine of salvation). I had initially learned the Doctrines of Grace (T.U.L.I.P.) through Reisinger's video tapes, as shown to me by friend and spiritual mentor, <a href="http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006610180307" target="_blank">Daniel R. Green</a> (1947-2006), of Port Angeles, Washington.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TONTq6Vk0s8/VBB_kl7ezxI/AAAAAAAABaY/-cacXUmOQd8/s1600/JohnGreisinger2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TONTq6Vk0s8/VBB_kl7ezxI/AAAAAAAABaY/-cacXUmOQd8/s1600/JohnGreisinger2014.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">John G. Reisinger.<br />June 2014. Canandaigua, NY.</span></td></tr>
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It was at a <a href="http://www.sogncm.org/pages/" target="_blank">Sound of Grace</a>-sponsored <a href="http://www.sogncm.org/pages/events/2013-john-bunyan-conference/" target="_blank">John Bunyan Conference</a> in Pennsylvania in April 1995 that I first heard Elder D. J. Ward preach in person. What a blessing! At the time, I was 23-years-old and had just completed my first year of studies at <a href="http://www.prairie.edu/" target="_blank">Prairie Bible College</a> in Alberta, Canada.<br />
<br />
For the history of the annual <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/" target="_blank">Sovereign Grace Bible Conference</a> that began in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, moved to the historic <a href="http://www.mainstreetbaptistchurchlexky.org/" target="_blank">Main Street Baptist Church</a> in Lexington, Kentucky, and is now held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, see <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/about.asp" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
And <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kentucky/obituary.aspx?pid=108583936#fbLoggedOut" target="_blank">here</a> is the <i>Lexington Herald-Leader</i> obituary for Elder D. J. Ward, and <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/remembering-elder-d-j-ward" target="_blank">here</a> is the April 29, 2008, online tribute to Elder Ward by Dr. John Piper. Lastly, <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/ward.asp" target="_blank">here</a> is the entire Homegoing and Memorial services for Elder Ward.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">UPDATE</span><br />
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Click <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/messages.asp" target="_blank">here</a> to listen to and/or download the sermons and music sessions from the 2013 conference.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kUEJ7VuHsTw/Ufnhmn9KGoI/AAAAAAAABIY/y8MpwkAvo0A/s1600/SovereignGraceBibleConferenceSingingMen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kUEJ7VuHsTw/Ufnhmn9KGoI/AAAAAAAABIY/y8MpwkAvo0A/s400/SovereignGraceBibleConferenceSingingMen.jpg" height="136" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RnkYVLGfXV4/UfnhmG9tDnI/AAAAAAAABIc/84gT36rr4pE/s1600/SovereignGraceBibleConferenceSinging.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RnkYVLGfXV4/UfnhmG9tDnI/AAAAAAAABIc/84gT36rr4pE/s1600/SovereignGraceBibleConferenceSinging.gif" /></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3dpyEoD9rh8/UfnhmNTkWZI/AAAAAAAABIM/cFpLgMMOteA/s1600/ElderDJwardChattanoogaTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3dpyEoD9rh8/UfnhmNTkWZI/AAAAAAAABIM/cFpLgMMOteA/s640/ElderDJwardChattanoogaTN.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kentucky/obituary.aspx?pid=108583936#fbLoggedOut" target="_blank">Elder D. J. Ward</a>. <span style="font-size: small;">Conference founder</span>, <a href="http://www.sovereigngracebibleconference.org/" target="_blank">Sovereign Grace Bible Conference</a>.</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsVAHS5eJts/UfnltH5llJI/AAAAAAAABJA/Jz_8-naJAxU/s1600/NewHomeMissionaryBaptistChurchChattanoogaTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsVAHS5eJts/UfnltH5llJI/AAAAAAAABJA/Jz_8-naJAxU/s400/NewHomeMissionaryBaptistChurchChattanoogaTN.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.nhbcchattanooga.com/" target="_blank">New Home Missionary Baptist Church</a>. Chattanooga, Tenn.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT1jbGUA8rU/UfniE9y10-I/AAAAAAAABIs/6c_TC8ZtISE/s1600/ChattanoogaTNmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT1jbGUA8rU/UfniE9y10-I/AAAAAAAABIs/6c_TC8ZtISE/s400/ChattanoogaTNmap.jpg" height="392" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.chattanoogafun.com/" target="_blank">Chattanooga</a>, Tennessee. USA.</span></td></tr>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Chattanooga, TN, USA35.0456297 -85.3096800999999834.8377672 -85.632403599999975 35.2534922 -84.986956599999985tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-45456728812739228172013-06-30T23:10:00.000-04:002014-03-24T07:46:40.314-04:00Uncommon Christian Ministries moves to Louisville, Kentucky . . . Immanuel Baptist Church & Pastor J. Ryan Fullerton<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vRtEg1R3RAU/UdOyCXPpC3I/AAAAAAAABHY/7jUTiHDBafo/s297/UncommonChristianMinistries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vRtEg1R3RAU/UdOyCXPpC3I/AAAAAAAABHY/7jUTiHDBafo/s1600/UncommonChristianMinistries.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a>. Est. 2007.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3GoPryGxa-8/UdN-7d9Km8I/AAAAAAAABGE/n0z_3Eu-mGQ/s480/LouisvilleKYskyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3GoPryGxa-8/UdN-7d9Km8I/AAAAAAAABGE/n0z_3Eu-mGQ/s320/LouisvilleKYskyline.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">U</span>ncommon Christian Ministries</a> moved this month to <a href="http://www.possibilitycity.com/" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>.<br />
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Nicknamed <i>Derby City</i>, <i>River City</i>, <i>Possibility City</i> and <i>The Gateway to the South</i>, <a href="http://www.possibilitycity.com/" target="_blank">Louisville</a> is the 27th largest city in the U.S. (pop. 605,000, over 1.2 million in the metropolitan area). The Ohio River separates the historic city (est. 1780) from <a href="http://www.exploresouthernindiana.com/" target="_blank">southern Indiana</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVThYCefVe0/UdN-7jz_ttI/AAAAAAAABGM/78MnsMhQhOc/s400/LouisvilleKYusaMap.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVThYCefVe0/UdN-7jz_ttI/AAAAAAAABGM/78MnsMhQhOc/s320/LouisvilleKYusaMap.gif" height="200" width="320" /></a>So ends UCM's time in <a href="http://www.portangeles.org/" target="_blank">Port Angeles, Washington</a>, and <a href="http://marysvillewa.gov/index.aspx?nid=231" target="_blank">Marysville, Washington</a>.<br />
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The pre-Christian, <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2011/06/go-west-young-man-great-american-west.html" target="_blank">New England (Connecticut) boyhood dream to "Go West, Young Man"</a> was more than fulfilled:<br />
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"<i>Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.</i>" <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2037:4&version=ESV" target="_blank">Psalm 37:4</a>.<br />
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"<i>No good thing does [the Lord God] withhold from those who walk uprightly (blameless).</i>" <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2084:11&version=ESV" target="_blank">Psalm 84:11b</a>.<br />
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"<i>Now to [the Lord God] who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.</i>" <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph%203:20&version=ESV" target="_blank">Eph. 3:20</a>.<br />
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After traveling 2,500 miles throught 8 states, UCM's new home church is Louisville's 126-year-old <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Immanuel Baptist Church</span></b></a>.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nuo4k5YhTgE/UdN-7XATU_I/AAAAAAAABGA/ca2-8qIzC_o/s500/ImmanuelBaptistChurchLouisvilleLogo.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nuo4k5YhTgE/UdN-7XATU_I/AAAAAAAABGA/ca2-8qIzC_o/s1600/ImmanuelBaptistChurchLouisvilleLogo.png" /></a></div>
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At <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel</a> (est. 1887, spiritually revitalized 2002- ), I am reunited with my longtime friend (1995- ) from Canada's <a href="http://www.prairie.edu/" target="_blank">Prairie Bible College</a>, <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2012/02/j-ryan-fullerton-uncommon-christian.html" target="_blank"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">J. Ryan Fullerton</span></b></a>. A fine preacher and an <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2012/02/j-ryan-fullerton-uncommon-christian.html" target="_blank">uncommon Christian friend to sinners</a>, Ryan serves (2002- ) the growing, 400-member church as her lead pastor.<br />
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Situated on the border of the predominantly African-American <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoketown,_Louisville" target="_blank">Smoketown</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_Park,_Louisville" target="_blank">Shelby Park</a> neighborhoods of Louisville, the <a href="http://www.sbc.net/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention</a> church is in substantial agreement with the theology and ministry philosophy of <a href="http://www.9marks.org/" target="_blank">9Marks: Building Healthy Churches</a> and <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/" target="_blank">The Gospel Coalition</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDFNSZH7YLU/UdOt-k1cXMI/AAAAAAAABHA/dNN5KygJCR0/s600/SouthernBaptistTheologicalSeminaryLouisvilleKY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDFNSZH7YLU/UdOt-k1cXMI/AAAAAAAABHA/dNN5KygJCR0/s200/SouthernBaptistTheologicalSeminaryLouisvilleKY.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Many students and some professors from the nearby <a href="http://www.sbc.net/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention</a>-owned and operated <a href="http://www.boycecollege.com/" target="_blank">Boyce (Bible) College</a> and <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a> are members of <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel</a>.<br />
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Founded in 1859 and with <a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/" target="_blank">Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.</a> as its 9th and current president, SBTS is one of the largest seminaries in the world. Student enrollment is over 2,000 at the flagship school of the six <a href="http://www.sbc.net/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention</a> seminaries in the U.S.<br />
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Partly because of its close proximity and cooperative relationship with Boyce College and SBTS, the church has a <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/mission/ways-to-be-equipped/" target="_blank">3-year Pastoral Apprenticeship program</a>. Over 70 men participated in the program during the 2012-13 school/ministry year.<br />
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Like the many churches and Christian ministries based in the centrally-located American city and state of <a href="http://www.possibilitycity.com/" target="_blank">Louisville</a>, <a href="http://www.kentuckytourism.com/" target="_blank">Kentucky</a>, so <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel</a> likewise serves as a strategic hub for kingdom-advancing activity. After the Bible college and seminary students who are also <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel</a> members graduate, many of them scatter throughout the U.S., Canada and other parts of the globe to serve as church deacons and elders, Sunday school teachers, church planters, evangelists, missionaries, pastors and professors.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--I6sab-sTek/UdOt-x1v-OI/AAAAAAAABHE/100Kiy2ge3g/s500/BoyceCollegeLouisvilleKY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--I6sab-sTek/UdOt-x1v-OI/AAAAAAAABHE/100Kiy2ge3g/s200/BoyceCollegeLouisvilleKY.jpg" height="200" width="182" /></a>This fact combines two passions of mine and is the reason I believe <a href="http://www.possibilitycity.com/" target="_blank">Louisville</a> and <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a> are a good fit for me and the <a href="http://www.churchhistory.org/blogs/blog/james-brainerd-taylor-forgotten-second-great-awakening-evangelist-and-my-uncommon%E2%80%9D-christian-hero/" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a>-inspired evangelism- and discipleship--themed ministry of <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>Uncommon Christian Ministries</b></span></a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>(1) ministering to Christian youth and young adults who are serious about their faith--and, in some cases, are called to the Gospel ministry--and (2) in the context of the local church.</i></blockquote>
I am not against academics and para-church ministries as I possess a few academic degrees and had a community college campus para-church ministry for nearly 8 years. But it was for <i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">the Church</span></b></i> that the Lord Jesus Christ shed his blood (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2020:28&version=ESV" target="_blank">Acts 20:28</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph%205:25&version=ESV" target="_blank">Eph. 5:25</a>).<br />
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--> NOTE: For the history of the church, see <i><b><a href="http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/david-theobald/a-great-peoples-church/paperback/product-20009682.html" target="_blank">A Great People's Church: A History of Immanuel Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky, 1887-2005</a></b></i> by <a href="http://www.gracebcdansville.org/about/leadership/elder-dave-theobald/" target="_blank">David N. Theobald</a> (Lulu Press, 2012). "The history documents how Immanuel was/is impacted by the doctrine and vitality of the nearby <a href="http://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a>." For the library holdings of the 125-page book, see <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/862405898" target="_blank">here</a>.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YuLtsFSpkk/UdN-78AKYII/AAAAAAAABGY/XRzyHifZreo/s565/immanuelBaptistChurchLouisvilleEst1887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YuLtsFSpkk/UdN-78AKYII/AAAAAAAABGY/XRzyHifZreo/s320/immanuelBaptistChurchLouisvilleEst1887.jpg" height="303" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a>.<br /><a href="http://www.possibilitycity.com/" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>, USA.<br /><br />Est. 1887.<br />Present building (3rd location) built 1905.<br />Spiritually revitalized 2002-present.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jSIEv12x6AE/UdN-7lNO2_I/AAAAAAAABGc/Hb0QzvOUZsw/s960/ImmanuelBaptistChurchLouisvilleRemodel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jSIEv12x6AE/UdN-7lNO2_I/AAAAAAAABGc/Hb0QzvOUZsw/s400/ImmanuelBaptistChurchLouisvilleRemodel.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a>.<br />Louisville, Kentucky, USA.<br /><br />Recently <a href="http://www.redemptionpainting.com/immanuel-church-sanctuary-renovation/" target="_blank">refurbished sanctuary</a>. 2012.<br />By <a href="http://www.redemptionpainting.com/immanuel-church-sanctuary-renovation/" target="_blank">Redemption Painting Co.</a></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCF8U_DhjoY/UdOFFvnylWI/AAAAAAAABGw/mEZ6uxr0l60/s712/LouisvillePossibilityCityLogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCF8U_DhjoY/UdOFFvnylWI/AAAAAAAABGw/mEZ6uxr0l60/s400/LouisvillePossibilityCityLogo.jpg" height="155" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.possibilitycity.com/" target="_blank">Louisville, Kentucky</a>, USA.</span></td></tr>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Louisville, KY, USA38.2526647 -85.75845570000001337.853296699999994 -86.403902700000017 38.6520327 -85.113008700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-28935684683611782212013-05-24T03:38:00.000-04:002013-05-27T12:24:42.460-04:00Robert Murray McCheyne (1813-1843), uncommon Christian Scottish pastor and missionary . . . 200th anniversary of his birth, May 21, 2013<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Se1LHnA1BL8/UZ8UMJjUpXI/AAAAAAAABD8/bss91iXs8Dw/s1600/RobertMurrayMcCheyne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Se1LHnA1BL8/UZ8UMJjUpXI/AAAAAAAABD8/bss91iXs8Dw/s320/RobertMurrayMcCheyne.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorpmcheyne.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Robert Murray McCheyne</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hough largely unnoticed by Evangelical Protestants, May 21, 2013, was the bicentennial of the birth of <a href="http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorpmcheyne.html" target="_blank">Robert Murray McCheyne</a> (1813-1843).<br />
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Just weeks prior, on March 19, was the bicentennial of another famous Scotsman, the missionary-explorer <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2013/02/david-livingstone-uncommon-christian.html" target="_blank">David Livingstone</a>.<br />
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Click <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/biographies/he-kissed-the-rose-and-felt-the-thorn-living-and-dying-in-the-morning-of-life" target="_blank">here</a> for an instructive and inspirational 90-minute presentation by <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/about/who-is-john-piper" target="_blank">John Piper</a> titled <b><span style="color: blue;">"He Kissed the Rose and Felt the Thorn: Living and Dying in the Morning of Life, Meditations on the Life of Robert Murray McCheyne."</span></b> It was delivered at Desiring God's 2011 conference for pastors in Minneapolis.<br />
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Another minister who died young, the "uncommon Christian" <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801-1829), was often compared to R. M. McCheyne, David Brainerd (1718-1747), Henry Martyn (1781-1812) and other American, British and Scottish evangelists, missionaries and pastors who died young in the 19th-century.<br />
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<i>"[<b>James Brainerd Taylor</b>] was a man of exceptional piety, a Christian of the <b>Henry Martyn</b> and <b>[Robert Murray] M'Cheyne</b> type. With him love for Christ and the souls of men was a ruling passion."</i></blockquote>
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--> John T. Duffield (1823–1901), Professor of Mathematics and Mechanics (1847-98), Princeton University, and longtime advisor to and historian of the student-led and James Brainerd Taylor-founded <a href="http://findingaids.princeton.edu/collections/AC135" target="_blank">Philadelphian Society of Nassau Hall</a> (est. 1825, continues today as the <a href="http://pef.mycpanel.princeton.edu/" target="_blank">Princeton Evangelical Fellowship</a>). Among other works, Duffield is the editor of <i><a href="http://www.logos.com/product/10308/the-princeton-pulpit" target="_blank">The Princeton Pulpit</a></i> (1852), a collection of 15 sermons by some of Princeton Theological Seminary's faculty and staff, including Archibald Alexander, Charles Hodge and Samuel Miller.</blockquote>
Be blessed as you learn more about this Scottish divine and originator of the "<a href="http://www.bibleplan.org/mcheyne.htm" target="_blank">McCheyne Bible Reading Plan</a>" (whereby one can read through the Old Testament once, and the New Testament and Psalms twice, all in one year).<br />
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<i>"Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. . . . Live much in the smiles of God. Bask in his beams. Feel his all-seeing eye settled on you in love. And repose in his almighty arms."</i><br />--> R.M. McCheyne</blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-koc7d7HXXAc/UZ8UOyRhavI/AAAAAAAABEE/GMnL0StQrBE/s1600/RobertMurrayMcCheyneResource.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-koc7d7HXXAc/UZ8UOyRhavI/AAAAAAAABEE/GMnL0StQrBE/s640/RobertMurrayMcCheyneResource.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">To visit, click <a href="http://www.mcheyne.info/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-38847022336304694472013-05-01T02:40:00.000-04:002013-11-02T20:32:39.736-04:00Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (F.I.R.E.) . . . national conference, Seattle, May 20-22, 2013<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FruQ-vyn5hE/UYihDXXHEgI/AAAAAAAABDU/MuhH0S0QJOY/s1600/FIRElogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FruQ-vyn5hE/UYihDXXHEgI/AAAAAAAABDU/MuhH0S0QJOY/s320/FIRElogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://firefellowship.org/" target="_blank">Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Est. 2000.</span> </span></td></tr>
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"<span style="font-size: x-large;">E</span>very Spiritual Blessing" (Eph. 1:3) is the theme for the 2013 national conference of the <a href="http://firefellowship.org/" target="_blank">Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals</a> (F.I.R.E., est. 2000).<br />
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Along with four pastors, <a href="http://www.wts.edu/faculty/profiles/trueman.html" target="_blank">Carl Trueman</a>, author and Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary near Philadelphia, is a plenary speaker.<br />
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<a href="http://firefellowship.org/register-for-2013-national-conference/" target="_blank">This year's conference</a> is being held May 20-22, 2013, near Seattle, at Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. Come and bless us with your presence! (Last year's conference was held in Louisiana.)<br />
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<a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a> has been a member of <a href="http://firefellowship.org/" target="_blank">F.I.R.E.</a> since 2011, having been active in a F.I.R.E. ministry (<a href="http://voice-wilderness.com/" target="_blank">Voice in the Wilderness</a>) in Jerusalem, Israel, August 2009 to July 2011.<br />
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<a href="http://firefellowship.org/" target="_blank">F.I.R.E.</a> "is a unifying network for independent Reformed (and Reforming) baptistic churches to experience mutual edification, fellowship, cooperation and prayerful support in ministries and missions. There is no membership fee. Each project is initiated and overseen by a local church. Other churches may be invited to participate by sharing their time or resources. The success of the network is dependent on the committed involvement of the members."<br />
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The ecclesiastical fellowship adheres to the <a href="http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/bcof.htm" target="_blank">Second London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689</a> and the <a href="http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/bc1644.htm" target="_blank">London Baptist Confession of Faith 1644</a>. And affirms the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_solae" target="_blank">Five Solas</a> of the Protestant Reformation:<br />
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<i>Sola Scriptura </i>- Scripture Alone<br />
<i> Sola Fide</i> - Faith Alone<br />
<i>Soli Deo Gloria</i> - the Glory of God Alone<br />
<i>Solus Christus</i> - Christ Alone<br />
<i>Sola Gratia </i>- Grace Alone<br />
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Here is a 5-minute introductory video on F.I.R.E. It is from the May 2008 national conference in Mount Hermon, California. Be blessed!<br />
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Seattle, WA, USA47.6062095 -122.332070847.2636815 -122.9775178 47.9487375 -121.68662379999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-5423460180733707962013-03-23T05:50:00.000-04:002013-06-06T21:18:48.345-04:00"Justification and Regeneration" by Charles Leiter (Foreword by Paul Washer) . . . 4th annual Fellowship Conference in Denton, Texas, March 28-31, 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m-gnQAwmtlM/UU12FpH7-hI/AAAAAAAABCM/7bGpSXO9flg/s1600/JustificationRegenerationCharlesLeiter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m-gnQAwmtlM/UU12FpH7-hI/AAAAAAAABCM/7bGpSXO9flg/s1600/JustificationRegenerationCharlesLeiter.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Available <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/justification-regeneration-charles-leiter/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span> good introductory book to two essential Christian doctrines is Charles Leiter's <span style="color: blue;"><i><b>Justification and Regeneration, 2nd Expanded Edition</b></i></span> (Hannibal, Missouri: <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/" target="_blank">Granted Minstries Press</a>, 2009). The Foreword is written by <a href="http://www.hcmissions.org/about-us/heartcry/staff/2" target="_blank">Paul Washer</a>, founder of <a href="http://www.hcmissions.org/" target="_blank">HeartCry Missionary Society</a>.<br />
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The 192-page book is available in <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/justification-regeneration-charles-leiter/" target="_blank">print</a> or as an <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/justification-regeneration-ebook-charles-leiter/" target="_blank">e-book</a>. Though more expensive, it is also available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Justification-Regeneration-Expanded-Edition-Charles/dp/0981732151" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>. However, a free PDF copy is available <a href="http://www.sermonaudio.com/new_details3.asp?ID=35995" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLVZXWaqhbs/UU1161Ts8MI/AAAAAAAABB8/W7_SUne0Eks/s1600/CharlesLeiterPastor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLVZXWaqhbs/UU1161Ts8MI/AAAAAAAABB8/W7_SUne0Eks/s320/CharlesLeiterPastor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Charles Leiter</span></td></tr>
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Since 1974, Leiter has served as co-pastor of the non-denominational <a href="http://lakeroadchapel.org/" target="_blank">Lake Road Chapel</a> in Kirksville, Missouri. Prior to being led into full-time vocational ministry, he studied physics and mathematics. He has been a conference speaker in the United States, Eastern Europe and South America (click <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/categories/By-Person/Charles-Leiter/" target="_blank">here</a> for some of his sermons).<br />
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<a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/categories/By-Person/Charles-Leiter/">Leiter</a> is also the author of <i><b><span style="color: blue;">The Law of Christ</span></b> </i>(<a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/" target="_blank">Granted Ministries Press</a>, 2012, <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/law-of-christ-book-charles-leiter/" target="_blank">print copy</a> or <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/law-of-christ-ebook-charles-leiter/" target="_blank">e-book</a>). The Foreword is also written by <a href="http://www.hcmissions.org/about-us/heartcry/staff/2" target="_blank">Paul Washer</a>.<br />
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The publisher provides this helpful <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/justification-regeneration-charles-leiter/" target="_blank">summary</a> of <i><b>Justification and Regeneration</b></i>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The aim of this work is clear: "This book attempts to set forth in clear Biblical light the nature and characteristics of justification and regeneration, that God may be glorified and His children brought to know more fully the liberty that is theirs in Christ." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To achieve this end, <a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/categories/By-Person/Charles-Leiter/" target="_blank">Pastor Leiter</a> first sets forth man's greatest problem, sin. Specifically, man has a "bad record" because he has sinned, but also a "bad heart" because he is by nature a sinner and can do nothing but sin.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
But the glorious news of the gospel is that Christ has dealt with both our bad record and our bad heart. The bad record has been taken away because Christ died for our sins, and on that basis God has "justified" us, which means He has declared us righteous. As for the bad heart, this is destroyed when God "regenerates" us; God changes our hearts so that we begin to forsake sin and pursue true righteousness.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This book is deep enough for the seasoned theologian but simple enough for the brand new Christian, and it will yield its rewards whether you study it in-depth or read it devotionally. Many have used it for small group Bible studies, and unbelievers interested in Christ and willing to read a book will find the gospel fully explained here. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We have seen this book help so many people in various ways. For some, it shows the difference between biblical Christianity and the shallow, powerless "gospel" often preached today. Others have found new confidence and weaponry putting sin to death in their own lives. In the very least, all who read it gain a fuller vision of the salvation accomplished for us by Christ.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In our view this is a book that deserves the rank of "Christian classic."</blockquote>
Here is an insightful <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/2013/03/23/justification-and-regeneration-review-and-response/" target="_blank">review</a> of <i><b>Justification and Regeneration</b></i> by <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2012/02/j-ryan-fullerton-uncommon-christian.html" target="_blank">Ryan Fullerton</a>, lead pastor of <a href="http://www.ibclouisville.org/" target="_blank">Immanuel Baptist Church</a> in Louisville, Kentucky. In the review are also links to other reviews.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fellowship Conference</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.grantedministries.org/categories/By-Person/Charles-Leiter/" target="_blank">Leiter</a> and <a href="http://lakeroadchapel.org/" target="_blank">Lake Road Chapel</a> are co-sponsors of the annual <a href="http://illbehonest.com/fellowship/" target="_blank">Fellowship Conference</a> in Denton, Texas, held on the grounds of <a href="http://www.campcopass.com/" target="_blank">Camp Copass</a> along the shore of Lewisville Lake. Leiter is one of the speakers, as is <a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/2012/02/j-ryan-fullerton-uncommon-christian.html" target="_blank">Ryan Fullerton</a>.<br />
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2013 is the 4th annual conference. This year's theme is <b>"Love to God and Love to Men." </b><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a> will be attending for the first time this year. Come join us and blessed us with your presence!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_Q1FhKbGcU/UU11-2YFWLI/AAAAAAAABCE/MO-_myD8Ya8/s1600/FellowshipConferenceDentonTX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_Q1FhKbGcU/UU11-2YFWLI/AAAAAAAABCE/MO-_myD8Ya8/s400/FellowshipConferenceDentonTX.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For info., see <a href="http://illbehonest.com/fellowship/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-83650886015619764202013-03-01T02:54:00.000-05:002015-11-01T17:50:38.743-05:00David Livingstone, uncommon Christian missionary-explorer . . . 200th anniversary of his birth, March 19, 2013 . . . events and exhibits in Africa, U.K., USA, Canada<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3LbO8oG-1w/UTCBCudD3FI/AAAAAAAAA_E/w7WQrpDPhiI/s1600/LivingstoneRoyalCollegeOfPhysiciansAndSurgeons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3LbO8oG-1w/UTCBCudD3FI/AAAAAAAAA_E/w7WQrpDPhiI/s320/LivingstoneRoyalCollegeOfPhysiciansAndSurgeons.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<i>“I have found that I have no unusual endowments of intellect, </i><i>but I this day resolved that I would be an</i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: blue;">uncommon Christian</span></b>.”</i></div>
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So wrote a young <a href="http://www.livingstoneonline.ucl.ac.uk/biog/dl/bio.html" target="_blank">David Livingstone</a> (1813–1873) prior to his initial departure for Africa.<br />
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Though not widely known today, the inspiration behind Livingstone’s resolution is <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>James Brainerd Taylor</b></span></a> (1801–1829). The Princeton University and Yale Seminary-educated evangelist in the <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/us/22c.asp" target="_blank">Second Great Awakening</a> was a household name in mid-19th-century America and Great Britain.<br />
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As learned from the <i><a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/p/j-b-taylor-memoirs.html" target="_blank">Memoir of James Brainerd Taylor</a></i> (1833), Taylor defined an "<span style="color: blue;"><b>uncommon Christian</b></span>" as one who is an “<span style="color: red;"><b>eminently holy</b>, <b>self-denying</b>, <b>cross-bearing</b>, <b>Bible</b>, <b>everyday</b></span>” Christian.<br />
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Probably the most widely known person who was influenced and inspired by Taylor’s <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christianity</a> was Livingstone.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKthavZefH4/UTCBAD0g22I/AAAAAAAAA_o/r_FUh3R4xj8/s1600/DrLivingstoneIpresumeHenryStanley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKthavZefH4/UTCBAD0g22I/AAAAAAAAA_o/r_FUh3R4xj8/s400/DrLivingstoneIpresumeHenryStanley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stanley_sir_henry_morton.shtml" target="_blank">Henry Morton Stanley</a>: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">David Livingstone: “Yes, and I feel thankful that</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I am here to welcome you.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>November 10, 1871 Ujiji, Tanzania, Africa</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</tbody></table>
Presumably in a diary entry, the famed Scottish pioneer missionary-explorer to Africa wrote (and as quoted above),<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>I have found that I have no unusual endowments of intellect, but I this day resolved that I would be an <b><span style="color: blue;">uncommon Christian</span></b>.</i></blockquote>
Elsewhere, in a May 5, 1839, letter to his younger sister Janet, it is clearly known that Livingstone read and was influenced by the <i><a href="http://franciskyle.blogspot.com/p/j-b-taylor-memoirs.html" target="_blank">Memoir of James Brainerd Taylor</a></i>.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a2BGtI7-bQ8/UTCCuvFqkvI/AAAAAAAABAA/x035SB4YvXA/s1600/JamesBrainerdTaylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a2BGtI7-bQ8/UTCCuvFqkvI/AAAAAAAABAA/x035SB4YvXA/s320/JamesBrainerdTaylor.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a><br />1801-1829</span></td></tr>
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At the time of writing, the memoir’s popularity was at its peak in the U.S. and U.K. (a London edition appeared in 1834 by the publisher Westley and David), and the 26-year-old Livingstone was 19 months shy of leaving for Africa.<br />
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In the U.S. in the mid-1800s, Taylor's memoir was the 5th most printed memoir by the largest Christian publisher at the time, the <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/Memoir_of_James_Brainerd_Taylor.html?id=6GM3AAAAMAAJ" target="_blank">American Tract Society</a>. Jonathan Edwards' biography on Taylor's cousin, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brainerd" target="_blank">David Brainerd</a> (1718-1747), was the 2nd most printed memoir by ATS.<br />
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In the letter—which is housed at the National Library of Scotland’s <a href="http://digital.nls.uk/jma/" target="_blank">John Murray Archive</a> in Edinburgh—Livingstone makes reference to “<b>Mr. J. B. Taylor</b>” and “<b><span style="color: blue;">uncommon Christians</span></b>” (with “uncommon” underlined for emphasis). He then cites the American evangelist almost verbatim.<br />
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At the time, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Missionary_Society" target="_blank">London Missionary Society</a> (est. 1795) candidate Livingstone was studying theology under a pastor in <a href="http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-117813-livingstone-cottages-ongar-essex" target="_blank">Ongar, England</a>. And his sister was a teacher in their native <a href="http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/David-Livingstone-Centre/" target="_blank">Blantyre, Scotland</a>.<br />
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Livingstone quotes from a May 11, 1823, letter that Taylor wrote while a student at New Jersey’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrenceville_School" target="_blank">Lawrenceville Academy</a>.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hScb8OHs4mA/UTCBDIsDyuI/AAAAAAAAA_U/BGtyXW1AeeU/s1600/NationalLibraryOfScotland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hScb8OHs4mA/UTCBDIsDyuI/AAAAAAAAA_U/BGtyXW1AeeU/s200/NationalLibraryOfScotland.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://digital.nls.uk/jma/" target="_blank">John Murray Archive</a>.<br />National Library of Scotland.</span></td></tr>
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In the letter, the 22-year-old Lawrentian quotes from his own journal entry that describes his dramatic “second conversion” (assurance of salvation) experience in <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">Haddam, Connecticut</a>, on April 23, 1822.<br />
--> See <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=40637532" target="_blank">John Holt Rice</a> (1777-1831) and <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=40942538" target="_blank">Benjamin Holt Rice</a> (1782-1856), <i>Memoir of James Brainerd Taylor, 2nd Ed.</i> (New York: American Tract Society, 1833), 82-90. Memoir available online at <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/Memoir_of_James_Brainerd_Taylor.html?id=6GM3AAAAMAAJ" target="_blank">Google Books</a> and <a href="http://archive.org/details/memoirjamesbrai00ricegoog" target="_blank">Archive.org</a>.<br />
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Quoting the entire section for the sake of context, Livingstone states to his “dear sister,”<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“The hand of the diligent maketh rich.” [Proverbs 10:4.]</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>This is true not only with respect to the things of this world, but also in reference to that, the possession of which is of far more consequence then all the other good things in the whole universe: the attainment of holiness, eminent holiness. We have the highest inducement to diligence in seeking this.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“They who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled.” [Matthew 5:6.]</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Pray without ceasing.” [1 Thessalonians 5:17.]</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>And, “Whatsoever we ask” the Father in Christ’s name, “believing, we shall receive.” [Matthew 21:22.]</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Let us ask perseveringly, earnestly, and with a determination never to rest content till we have attained, what </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: red;">Mr. J. B. Taylor</span></b><i> used to term, the state of being </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: blue;">uncommon Christians</span></b><i>, that is, “</i><b style="font-style: italic;">eminently holy and devoted servants of the Most High"</b><i> [</i><span style="color: red; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">James Brainerd Taylor</span>, quotation marks not in the original<i>].</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Let us seek—and with the conviction that we cannot do without it—“</i><b style="font-style: italic;">that all selfishness be extirpated, pride banished, unbelief vanish[ed] from the mind, every idol dethroned, and everything hostile to holiness and opposed to the divine will crucified; that ‘holiness to the Lord’ may be engraved on the heart </b><i>[Exodus 28:36, 39:30]</i><b style="font-style: italic;">, and evermore characterize our whole conduct</b><i>” [</i><a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" style="color: red; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a>, quotation marks not in the original<i>]. This is what we ought to strive after; this is the way to be happy; this is what our Savior loves: entire surrender of the heart.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>May He enable us by His Spirit to persevere till we attain it. All comes from Him, the disposition to ask as much as the blessing itself. “Every good gift,” every grace “comes from the Father of lights” [James 1:17]. Let us bless him if he has given any desire after him and his Savior, and take it as a pledge of better things to come.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We must not rest satisfied with desires, never draw any comfort from our feelings. But only be content with the blessings themselves when conscious of resting on the Lord Jesus. Never look within but constantly away from ourselves to the blessed cure for our maladies, which is ever open and always free. </i></blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rIysxgvpvCI/UU5LuJIky1I/AAAAAAAABCc/kh6jQ-C9j4I/s1600/LivingstoneCottagesOngardEssexEngland.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rIysxgvpvCI/UU5LuJIky1I/AAAAAAAABCc/kh6jQ-C9j4I/s1600/LivingstoneCottagesOngardEssexEngland.GIF" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-117813-livingstone-cottages-ongar-essex" target="_blank">Livingstone Cottages</a>.<br />(Formerly called Chapel Cottages.)<br />Ongar, Essex, England.<br />This is where Livingstone penned<br />his May 5, 1839, letter.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CtxHRFJySo/UU5LwaxzrvI/AAAAAAAABCk/cgF82IUA92k/s1600/LivingstoneCottagesOngardEssexEngland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CtxHRFJySo/UU5LwaxzrvI/AAAAAAAABCk/cgF82IUA92k/s1600/LivingstoneCottagesOngardEssexEngland.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-117813-livingstone-cottages-ongar-essex" target="_blank">Livingstone Cottages</a>.<br />Ongar, Essex, England.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In one of the first exhaustive biographies on Livingstone, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Garden_Blaikie" target="_blank">William Garden Blaikie</a> quotes from a portion (approximately one-fifth) of the above May 5, 1839, letter by Livingstone. With a massive amount of Livingstone manuscripts at his disposal, the professor at New College, Edinburgh, no doubt had to be selective regarding what to include, and what not to include, in his 500-plus page volume.<br />
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In <i><b><span style="color: blue;">The Personal Life of David Livingstone</span></b></i> (New York: Revell, 1880, free online copy <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/The_personal_life_of_David_Livingstone.html?id=bY8BAAAAQAAJ" target="_blank">here</a>), Blaikie omits “Mr. J. B. Taylor,” maybe with the thought that the specific human source of Livingstone’s “uncommon Christians” remark is inconsequential.<br />
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And because Livingstone himself does not use quotation marks, the Scottish biographer is understandably unaware that Livingstone is actually citing “Mr. J. B. Taylor” in the section of the 1839 letter that he does include. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Garden_Blaikie" target="_blank">Blaikie</a> (1820-1899) simply writes, “Alluding to the remark of a friend that they should seek to be ‘uncommon Christians, that is, eminently holy and devoted servants of the Most High. . .’” (page 46).<br />
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The impression is given that the anonymous friend is a contemporary of Livingstone, possibly a friend (perhaps good friend D. G. Watt), fellow ministerial apprentice, or even his pastor-mentor, the Rev. Richard Cecil. And that the section “all selfishness be extirpated, pride banished, unbelief vanish[ed] from the mind, every idol dethroned,” etc., and expansion of what it means to be an <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">“uncommon Christian”</a> (“eminently holy and devoted servants of the Most High”), are Livingstone’s own words and not those of his anonymous “friend.”<br />
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Despite the omission of “Mr. J. B. Taylor” by Blaikie—and subsequently every Livingstone biographer since Blaikie’s hagiographical <i><b><span style="color: blue;">The Personal Life of David Livingstone</span></b></i>—and despite the lack of quotation marks by Livingstone (and subsequently Blaikie and every Livingstone biographer since), that the anonymous “friend” is the “uncommon Christian” American evangelist <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/jbt_about.php" target="_blank">James Brainerd Taylor</a> (1801–1829), a.k.a. “Mr. J. B. Taylor,” can be deduced with certainty.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hRg14SO77kc/UTCBCm0MmTI/AAAAAAAAA_I/VzL4bgwA10k/s1600/LivingstoneOnlineLogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="80" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hRg14SO77kc/UTCBCm0MmTI/AAAAAAAAA_I/VzL4bgwA10k/s400/LivingstoneOnlineLogo.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">To visit, click <a href="http://www.livingstoneonline.ucl.ac.uk/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Bicentennial Events and Exihbits in Africa & U.K.</span></u></div>
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Here are 4 major online resources and events in honor of the 200th anniversary of David Livingstone's birth:</div>
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+ <a href="http://livingstone200.org/" target="_blank"><b>Livingstone200.org</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.frontline.org.za/" target="_blank">Frontline Fellowship: Serving Persecuted Churches in Africa</a><br />
Cape Town, South Africa<br />
Dr. Peter Hammond, Founder & Director (est. 1982)<br />
--> Frontline Fellowship <a href="http://www.frontlinefellowship.net/" target="_blank">USA branch</a> (Manitou Springs, Colo.)<br />
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+ <a href="http://davidlivingstone200.org/" target="_blank"><b>DavidLivingstone200.org</b></a><br />
National Trust of Scotland, Scotland Malawi Partnership, the Scottish government, etc.<br />
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+ <a href="http://livingstone2013.com/" target="_blank"><b>Livingstone2013.com</b></a><br />
Livingstone, Zambia<br />
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+ <a href="http://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship/special-services/upcoming-special-services/2013/march/livingstone-bicentenary-wreathlaying" target="_blank"><b>Westminster Abbey Bicentenary Commemoration</b></a><br />
London, England<br />
March 19, 2013 (6:30 p.m.)<br />
--> The ceremony is being attended by Livingstone and Moffat family members, church bodies, medical professionals, government officials, MPs and MSPs and many others with a deep regard for Livingstone and his legacy . . . Livingstone's wife Mary (1821-1862) was the daughter of <a href="http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/bmoffat.html" target="_blank">Robert and Mary Moffat</a>, Scottish missionaries to Africa<br />
--> Livingstone's <a href="http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/david-livingstone" target="_blank">grave and inscription</a><br />
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ALSO, see:<br />
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--> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21829205" target="_blank">"Dr. Livingstone: A 200-year Legacy,"</a> BBC News, March 18, 2013<br />
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--> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-21834392" target="_blank">"Events mark birth date of explorer Dr David Livingstone,"</a> BBC News, March 19, 2013<br />
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--> "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/scotland-blog/2013/mar/19/scotland-malawi-davidlivingstone" target="_blank">Celebrating David Livingstone, 'Africa's first freedom fighter'</a>: Born to mill-workers living in a single room in Blantyre near Glasgow 200 years ago, David Livingstone's life and legacy as an explorer and humanitarian is being celebrated across the UK and Africa," "The Scotland Blog," <i>The Guardian </i>(U.K.), March 19, 2013<br />
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--> <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/heritage/meeting-david-livingstone-s-descendants-1-2843386" target="_blank">"Meeting David Livingstone's Descendants,"</a> <i>Scotsman.com</i> (Edinburgh), March 20, 2013<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pe9nm0LL6Z4/UTCBAlkKseI/AAAAAAAAA-U/Lmlfg_Q2B9A/s1600/Livingstone200frontlineFellowshipSouthAfrica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pe9nm0LL6Z4/UTCBAlkKseI/AAAAAAAAA-U/Lmlfg_Q2B9A/s640/Livingstone200frontlineFellowshipSouthAfrica.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">To visit, click <a href="http://livingstone200.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u>
<u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Bicentennial Events in USA</span></u><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">(for <span style="font-size: large;">Canada</span>, scroll to very end)</span><br />
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<div>
While American commemorative events are understandably yet sadly few, <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a> (est. 2007) is presenting a paper/lecture at the following academic conferences and church. For a copy of the paper, <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/contact.php" target="_blank">contact UCM</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">“Resolved that I would be an uncommon Christian”:</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: blue;">The Influence of the “Uncommon Christian”</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: blue;">James Brainerd Taylor on David Livingstone</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: blue;"><i>In Honor of the Bicentennial of Livingstone’s Birth (March 19, 2013)</i> </span></b></div>
<div>
<br />
+ <a href="http://www.etsjets.org/" target="_blank"><b>Evangelical Theological Society</b></a></div>
<div>
Pacific Northwest annual regional meeting</div>
<div>
March 9, 2013 (3:00 p.m.)</div>
<div>
Church For All Nations<br />
Tacoma, WA<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
+ <a href="http://www.emsweb.org/" target="_blank"><b>Evangelical Missiological Society</b></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Pacific Northwest annual regional meeting</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
April 6, 2013 (10:45 a.m.)</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Multnomah Biblical Seminary</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Portland, OR</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
+ <a href="http://www.churchhistory.org/" target="_blank"><b>American Society of Church History</b></a></div>
<div>
Biennial national spring meeting (and ASCH's 125th anniversary)</div>
<div>
April 6, 2013 (4:00 p.m.)</div>
<div>
Crowne Plaza Hotel Conference Center</div>
<div>
Portland, OR</div>
<div>
<br />
+ <a href="http://www.fbcmarysville.org/" target="_blank"><b>First Baptist Church</b></a><br />
47th annual missions conference<br />
May 14, 2013 (7:00 p.m.)<br />
Marysville, WA<br />
<br />
ALSO:<br />
<a href="http://www.etsjets.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Evangelical Theological Society</b></span></a><br />
Midwest annual regional meeting <br />
April 10, 2015 (11:00 a.m.)<br />
Moody Bible Institute<br />
Chicago, IL<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.etsjets.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Evangelical Theological Society</b></span></a><br />
67th annual national meeting<br />
November 19, 2015 (2:40 p.m.)<br />
Atlanta Hilton Hotel<br />
Atlanta, GA<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe see some of you in Marysville, Tacoma or Portland? Come and bless us with your presence!<br />
<br />
If desiring a copy of the paper--or a more informal PowerPoint presentation at your church or meeting--<a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/contact.php" target="_blank">contact UCM</a>.<br />
--> NOTE: The 139 PowerPoint slides are available <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/frontfel/david-livingstone-14500122" target="_blank">here</a>. They are borrowed from Dr. Peter Hammond of <a href="http://www.frontline.org.za/" target="_blank">Frontline Fellowship</a>, Cape Town, South Africa, and <a href="http://www.frontlinefellowship.net/" target="_blank">Frontline Fellowship USA</a>.<br />
<br />
Also, for a <b><span style="color: blue;">map</span></b> created by <a href="http://uncommonchristian.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Christian Ministries</a> entitled <b>"The Global and Cross-Cultural Impact of the American Evangelist James Brainerd Taylor (1801–1829) and His Two Memoirs (1833, 1838),"</b> see <a href="http://www.uncommonchristian.com/jbt_map.php" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VR1gvRXRhfU/UTCA_KE2lyI/AAAAAAAAA9w/iw7Ktn-ovtE/s1600/DavidLivingstoneWestminsterAbbey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VR1gvRXRhfU/UTCA_KE2lyI/AAAAAAAAA9w/iw7Ktn-ovtE/s400/DavidLivingstoneWestminsterAbbey.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Livingstone's grave. (See <a href="http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/david-livingstone" target="_blank">here</a> for text.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Westminster Abbey. London.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsPXwIIiBFI/UTCA_HFhwbI/AAAAAAAAA94/72cEdxC9A-4/s1600/DavidLivingstoneChristianHistoryMagazine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsPXwIIiBFI/UTCA_HFhwbI/AAAAAAAAA94/72cEdxC9A-4/s400/DavidLivingstoneChristianHistoryMagazine.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Issue 56 (Vol. XVI, No. 4). 1997. <i>Christian History</i>.<br />To order, or to view the free online copy, see <a href="http://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/issue/david-livingstone-missionary-explorer-in-africa/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1FtlAbGua3E/UTCBAWvRsKI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/vPQmxx78s4U/s1600/Livingstone200bicentenary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1FtlAbGua3E/UTCBAWvRsKI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/vPQmxx78s4U/s200/Livingstone200bicentenary.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">To visit, click <a href="http://davidlivingstone200.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4MRof694tk8/UTCA_u52ZTI/AAAAAAAAA98/rmVazSIxzY8/s1600/Dr-LivingstoneAttackByLion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4MRof694tk8/UTCA_u52ZTI/AAAAAAAAA98/rmVazSIxzY8/s320/Dr-LivingstoneAttackByLion.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Dr. Livingstone attacked by a lion."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-riw35o6RYiM/UTCBBwms6DI/AAAAAAAAA-0/zFHg6QTo9YY/s1600/LivingstoneBirthplaceBlantyreScotland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-riw35o6RYiM/UTCBBwms6DI/AAAAAAAAA-0/zFHg6QTo9YY/s400/LivingstoneBirthplaceBlantyreScotland.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Birthplace of Livingstone. March 19, 1813.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/David-Livingstone-Centre/" target="_blank">David Livingstone Centre</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N90u0nzqihY/UTCBBjo_CLI/AAAAAAAAA-s/euX8yaYrxJY/s1600/LivingstoneBicentenary2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HRnWUJp6bQE/UTCBBBmvk2I/AAAAAAAAA-k/Qd_2qfPkCmk/s1600/Livingstone2013logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HRnWUJp6bQE/UTCBBBmvk2I/AAAAAAAAA-k/Qd_2qfPkCmk/s320/Livingstone2013logo.jpg" width="273" /></a><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N90u0nzqihY/UTCBBjo_CLI/AAAAAAAAA-s/euX8yaYrxJY/s320/LivingstoneBicentenary2013.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WOl355june4/UTCBB_31ESI/AAAAAAAAA-w/rWx7mQxLRGo/s1600/LivingstoneBicentenaryVictoriaFallsAfrica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WOl355june4/UTCBB_31ESI/AAAAAAAAA-w/rWx7mQxLRGo/s320/LivingstoneBicentenaryVictoriaFallsAfrica.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3aetK1RuRw/UTCBBTH_c-I/AAAAAAAAA-o/k9QLpzyHWWI/s1600/Livingstone2013livingstoneZambia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3aetK1RuRw/UTCBBTH_c-I/AAAAAAAAA-o/k9QLpzyHWWI/s1600/Livingstone2013livingstoneZambia.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">To visit, click <a href="http://livingstone2013.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HryTIyTpEKs/UTCA_LUkG3I/AAAAAAAAA90/qXja6RCkqXg/s1600/DavidLivingstoneImperialObsessionsConference2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HryTIyTpEKs/UTCA_LUkG3I/AAAAAAAAA90/qXja6RCkqXg/s640/DavidLivingstoneImperialObsessionsConference2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Imperial Obsessions: David Livingstone, Africa and world history: a life and legacy reconsidered."<br /><a href="http://livingstone2013.com/" target="_blank">Academic conference</a>. April 19-21, 2013. Livingstone, Zambia.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cQjplwRNNo0/UTCBCVy9LcI/AAAAAAAAA_M/Js-VN2149ug/s1600/LivingstoneNov2013africaEvent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cQjplwRNNo0/UTCBCVy9LcI/AAAAAAAAA_M/Js-VN2149ug/s400/LivingstoneNov2013africaEvent.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">To visit, click <a href="http://livingstone200.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><u>Bicentennial Exhibit in Canada</u></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.castlekilbride.ca/newsckList.php" target="_blank">"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?"</a><br />
& <a href="http://www.castlekilbride.ca/newsckList.php" target="_blank">"David Livingstone: Magic Lantern Series"</a> (in Belvedere Gallery)<br />
<br />
March 19 - August 31, 2013<br />
<br />
Castle Kilbride (1877, designated national historic site 1994)<br />
Baden, Ontario<br />
<i><br />David Livingstone, a Waterloo resident and great-great-grandson of <a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19000622&id=R-5hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0ZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7098,1973199" target="_blank">John Livingstone</a> (1811-1899, older brother to the famed David Livingstone), donated artifacts to the exhibit, as did the Museum of Health Care Kingston, Stratford-Perth Archives and Waterloo Region Museum.</i><br />
<br />
Of this lone Canadian exhibit, see:<br />
<br />
+ <a href="http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/900687--dr-livingstone-i-presume-in-baden" target="_blank">"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume - in Baden: Exhibit shows location connection to explorer David Livingstone,"</a> <i>The Record</i> (Kitchener, Ont.), March 10, 2013<br />
<br />
+ <a href="http://www.waterloochronicle.ca/community/dr-livingstone-i-presume/" target="_blank">"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?"</a>, <i>Waterloo Chronicler</i>, March 13, 2013<br />
<br />
+ <a href="http://metronews.ca/news/kitchener/590697/exhibit-shows-waterloo-connection-to-explorer-david-livingstone/" target="_blank">"Exhibit shows Waterloo connection to explorer David Livingstone,"</a> <i>MetroNews.ca</i>, March 11, 2013<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wNwuCG1OOmE/UU7JNjGxL9I/AAAAAAAABC0/_b6Fr9GPJnY/s1600/DavidLivingstoneWaterlooOntarioCanada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wNwuCG1OOmE/UU7JNjGxL9I/AAAAAAAABC0/_b6Fr9GPJnY/s400/DavidLivingstoneWaterlooOntarioCanada.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Canada </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">David Livingstone.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">March 2013.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />Great-great-grandson of <a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19000622&id=R-5hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0ZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7098,1973199" target="_blank">John Livingstone</a> (1811-1899),<br />Canadian immigrant and older brother</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">of the famed David Livingstone.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Photo by Brent Davis. <i><a href="http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/900687--dr-livingstone-i-presume-in-baden" target="_blank">The Record</a></i>. Kitchener, Ont.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VFq4CsNcTc/UTqINIEiyEI/AAAAAAAABBs/SDBFhH86bRs/s1600/JohnLivingstoneSr1811_1899canada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VFq4CsNcTc/UTqINIEiyEI/AAAAAAAABBs/SDBFhH86bRs/s400/JohnLivingstoneSr1811_1899canada.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Canada</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19000622&id=R-5hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0ZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7098,1973199" target="_blank">John Livingstone</a> </b>(1811-1899).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Older brother of David Livingstone.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Pictured with his grandson.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Immigrated to <a href="http://www.ontariotravel.net/TCISSegmentsWeb/main.portal?language=EN" target="_blank">Ontario, Canada</a>, in 1840.<br /><br />Lived in <a href="http://www.lanarkcounty.ca/" target="_blank">Lanark County</a> in eastern Ontario, 1840-60.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listowel,_Ontario" target="_blank">Listowel</a>, <a href="http://www.perthcounty.ca/" target="_blank">Perth County</a> in southwestern Ontario, 1860-99.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.visitperth.ca/pdfs/Epitaphs-and-Headstones-with-maps.pdf" target="_blank">Buried</a> in Fairview Cemetery in Listowel, Ontario.</span><br />
<div style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HYAwPvGRpck/UTT0_Y38g6I/AAAAAAAABBM/OfYj5NPt56Y/s1600/ThunderMountainLivingstoneRangeAlbertaCanada.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HYAwPvGRpck/UTT0_Y38g6I/AAAAAAAABBM/OfYj5NPt56Y/s400/ThunderMountainLivingstoneRangeAlbertaCanada.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Canada</span></b></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Northwest face of Thunder Mountain in the <a href="http://www.peakfinder.com/range.asp?{RangeName}=livingstone" target="_blank"><b>Livingstone Range</b></a>,<br />a sub-range of the Canadian Rockies in southeastern <a href="http://www.travelalberta.us/" target="_blank">Alberta, Canada</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />The range was named after <b>David Livingstone</b> in 1858 by <a href="http://www.peakfinder.com/people.asp?PersonsName=Blakiston%2C+Thomas" target="_blank">Thomas Blakiston</a> (1832-1891),<br />an assistant to the Irish-born geographer and explorer <a href="http://www.peakfinder.com/people.asp?PersonsName=Palliser%2C+John" target="_blank">John Palliser</a> (1817-1887).<br />When British-born "Forgotten Explorer" <a href="http://www.peakfinder.com/people.asp?PersonsName=Fidler%2C+Peter" target="_blank">Peter Fidler</a> (1769-1822) climbed Thunder Mountain</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">in 1792, he became the first European to make a recorded ascent in the Canadian Rockies.<br /><br />There exists a <span style="color: red;"><b>Mount Livingstone</b></span> in both <a href="http://www.peakfinder.com/showpeakbyid.asp?MtnId=547" target="_blank">Alberta</a> (7,948 feet [2,422 meters])<br />and <a href="http://www.peakfinder.com/showpeakbyid.asp?MtnId=1093" target="_blank">British Columbia</a> (10,150 feet [3,094 meters], so named in 1927).<br /><br />Adjacent to B.C.'s Mount Livingstone is <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.peakfinder.com/showpeakbyid.asp?MtnId=1200" target="_blank"><b>Mount Stanley</b></a></span> (10,138 feet [3090 meters]),<br />named after <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stanley_sir_henry_morton.shtml" target="_blank">Henry Morton Stanley</a> (1841-1904), the <i>New York Herald</i> journalist<br />of "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" fame.</span><br />
<div style="font-size: 16px;">
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Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446052226969849403.post-27403521209560938392013-02-01T02:59:00.000-05:002013-11-02T20:36:42.178-04:00Synchronized Sunday school or Bible study resources for all ages . . . Answers Bible Curriculum + The Gospel Project<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>wo newly published and highly recommended resources for Sunday School or Bible study are <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/answers-bible-curriculum/" target="_blank">Answers Bible Curriculum</a> and <a href="http://www.gospelproject.com/" target="_blank">The Gospel Project</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Both are 3-year study programs that unify an entire church by teaching the story line of the Bible (the grand narrative of Scripture)--from Genesis to Revelation--in an age appropriate manner. So all age groups are studying the same material but in a way that is at their intellectual and emotional maturity level.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2U561lpxK4c/UQuNWaGpT3I/AAAAAAAAA8k/ZRKrWydW3c4/s1600/AnswersBibleCurriculum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2U561lpxK4c/UQuNWaGpT3I/AAAAAAAAA8k/ZRKrWydW3c4/s640/AnswersBibleCurriculum.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/answers-bible-curriculum/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Answers Bible Curriculum</span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/answers-bible-curriculum/" target="_blank">Answers Bible Curriculum</a> was created by the apologetics (Christianity-defending) ministry <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/" target="_blank">Answers in Genesis</a> (est. 1994).</div>
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With the Australian <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/outreach/speakers/ken-ham/" target="_blank">Ken Ham</a> as co-founder and president, AIG holds to <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/get-answers/topic/creationism" target="_blank">Young Earth creationism</a> and a literal interpretation of the Old Testament book of Genesis. Therefore, and as the <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/about/faith" target="_blank">AIG Statement of Faith</a> asserts, "Scripture teaches a recent origin for man and the whole creation, spanning approximately 4,000 years from creation to Christ" (i.e., the earth is approximately 6,000 years old). And, "The days in Genesis do not correspond to geologic ages, but are six [6] consecutive twenty-four [24] hour days of creation."</div>
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Located in Kentucky but on the Kentucky/Ohio border (just west of the Cincinnati airport), the state-of-the-art, $27 million <a href="http://creationmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Creation Museum</a> (est. 2007) is part of AIG.</div>
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Here is a summary of AIG's <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/answers-bible-curriculum/" target="_blank">Answers Bible Curriculum</a>, a curriculum that is in its first year of use at the church I am currently serving and teaching Sunday school at, <a href="http://www.fbcmarysville.org/" target="_blank">First Baptist Church of Marysville, Washington</a>:</div>
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<a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/answers-bible-curriculum/" target="_blank">Answers Bible Curriculum</a> is a full-featured, chronological, 3-year Sunday school program. (12 quarters with 13 weeks per quarter. But could be 4-year curriculum if a church breaks for the summer.)</blockquote>
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Its 156 lessons--35-75 minutes each--are synchronized across 7 age groups: Pre-K & Kindergarten, Grades 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, Junior High, High School and Adults. </blockquote>
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Each group covers Genesis through Revelation and learns the same material—but at different levels of depth—empowering exciting and easy discussion for the entire family. The first 2 years cover the Old Testament, and the third year surveys the New Testament.</blockquote>
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In response to the startling findings of numerous studies, <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/answers-bible-curriculum/" target="_blank">Answers Bible Curriculum</a> is designed to stem the tide of skepticism toward God’s Word that begins in grade school. That skepticism turns to disbelief, and causes over two-thirds of young people to abandon church by the time they graduate.</blockquote>
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No other Sunday school program so thoroughly equips believers to defend the truth of the Bible! And because all ages cover the same basic material at the same time, parents can easily discuss it with their children—and add insights from their own learning. Fun and easy-to-use, this curriculum lays the foundation for life!</blockquote>
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The <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/answers-bible-curriculum/why-abc/" target="_blank">purpose of Answers Bible Curriculum</a> is (1) to present the gospel, beginning in Genesis, to all generations; (2) to train believers to know, obey, and defend God’s Word; and (3) to encourage believers to become conformed to the image of Christ.</blockquote>
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This cutting-edge new curriculum was written with the following principles integrated throughout the lessons:</blockquote>
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+ We can trust all of God’s Word beginning in Genesis</blockquote>
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+ The Bible presents true history</blockquote>
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+ God’s plan of redemption is woven throughout Scripture</blockquote>
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+ God’s attributes are displayed throughout the Bible</blockquote>
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+ We must carefully and accurately interpret the Bible</blockquote>
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+ We must be ready to give an answer for what we believe</blockquote>
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+ We are to live in light of what the Bible teaches</blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RuoH5DTw6Qs/UQuNn2iGfxI/AAAAAAAAA8s/GQnlnXE6Ves/s1600/TheGospelProjectLifeWay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RuoH5DTw6Qs/UQuNn2iGfxI/AAAAAAAAA8s/GQnlnXE6Ves/s640/TheGospelProjectLifeWay.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.gospelproject.com/" target="_blank">The Gospel Project</a></span></td></tr>
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Concerning the equally instructive and multi-generational <a href="http://www.gospelproject.com/" target="_blank">Gospel Project</a>, it was created by <a href="http://www.lifeway.com/" target="_blank">LifeWay Christian Resources</a> (est. 1891), the publishing and retail arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.<br />
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Here is how <a href="http://www.lifeway.com/" target="_blank">LifeWay</a> describes the content of the 3-year curriculum:<br />
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The Bible is not a collection of stories. It is one story, the story of God’s plan to rescue His people from sin and death. It is the story of redemption, the gospel message of Jesus Christ. And it’s our story, too.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.gospelproject.com/" target="_blank">The Gospel Project</a> is a Bible study resource that invites Adults, Students, and Kids of all ages to dive deeply into God’s story of redemption through Jesus Christ. In every lesson, participants are immersed in the gospel and learn how when the gospel works on them, they become a part of the story, too, the very hands and feet in God’s gospel project.</blockquote>
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Led by General Editor <a href="http://www.edstetzer.com/" target="_blank">Ed Stetzer</a> and Managing Editor <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/" target="_blank">Trevin Wax</a>, <a href="http://www.gospelproject.com/" target="_blank">The Gospel Project</a> is designed to unify an entire church under a single Christ-centered curriculum. Separate study plans for adults, students, and kids ensure the proper focus and depth for each age group.</blockquote>
Churches cannot go wrong using either of these two fine Bible study resources, either for Sunday school or small group studies.<br />
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Again, both 3-year, synchronized study programs are highly recommended as they lead students of all ages back to Bible basics--and therefore to the truth and excitement of the Gospel ("good news") presented therein.<br />
<br />Francis Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03852076585984427082noreply@blogger.com0Marysville, WA, USA48.0517637 -122.177081847.8820652 -122.49980529999999 48.221462200000005 -121.8543583