Pimpin' Ain't Easy

Time for me to push more of my stuff on you guys.

I based my Sunday morning sermon a few days ago on that article that I linked for you folks last week: "10 Ways to Tell You're Slipping". This is a time of year where people & churches are lulled into a kind of spiritual slump. The most depressing day of the year will soon be upon us -- I think that this year it will be January 21st. That "award" is arbitrary, but there IS something to it. This is a sermon that speaks to the folks where they are. It's one of those that, when I preached it, I could tell it was being received the way it needed to be received.

If you find yourself in the middle of the week in need of a lesson primer, help yourself.

A Theology of Preaching

When I decided to spend my life pursuing preaching ministry, I became very curious about the enterprise. When Harding University added the preaching degree, I added it as a 2nd major along with my standard Bible major in the College of Bible & Religion. I searched out & read books that were dubbed seminal on the subject of preaching. I studied many of the different well-known preaching methods & forms. And still, despite my pursuit, what I found lacking was the amount of material written about the idea of what exactly we're doing when we're preaching. Not how someone thinks I should do it, or multiple ways to do it. Or how some other guy did it. But what preaching accomplishes & should intend to accomplish at each preaching moment as well as throughout a lifetime of preaching ministry.

My pursuit led me to write a research paper on the Theology of Preaching. I dug it up last night & made it into a PDF document that you guys can access. Geocities, the host for this document, does have a bandwidth limit. I have no idea what that limit is. So if for some wild reason the document is inaccessible, give it an hour & come back later to download it.

It's one of the things I spent time doing in academia that meant something to me. The Turabian may be shoddy. Some of the points stand to be expanded upon & fleshed out more fully. But I'm pretty proud of it, and it still helps inform & guide what I do to this day. If you've at all struggled with the issue(s) of what is we are exactly attempting to do when we preach, I commend to you my paper. Hope it helps.

Puzzling Phrase in the Story of the Tower of Babel

I came across this passage in Genesis 11 a couple weeks ago & sort of curled my eyebrows:

¹ Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. ² As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.

³ They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. ⁴Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

⁵ But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. ⁶The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. ⁷Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

So what do the rest of you theologians do with that line?

REVIEW: Justice? Or Just Us?

Just Watched:
The Kingdom

My Rating:
3½ Stars

Screen Writer Matthew Michael Carnahan is beginning to make a name for himself in Hollywood for his Islamo-Political Thriller Screenplays. And this will always have been his breakthrough work. His 2nd, "Lions for Lambs," was released just over two months ago.

The plot of this movie follows a team of FBI investigators who seek to find the assassins behind the shooting & bombing of Americans in a western compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The story is fiction, but according to Wikipedia, "it is inspired by bombings at the Riyadh compound on May 12, 2003 and the Khobar housing complex on June 26, 1996 in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia." I don't quite remember the '03 incident, but I clearly remember the '96 incident which happened soon after the Oklahoma City bombing. And the pictures in the film are quite reminiscent of that specific event.

I found the film very entertaining, and I as well found the ideological journey quite compelling. The carnage & victimization of innocent Americans immediately draws you in. And without revealing too much, there's a moment where your sympathy turns intensely personal. You begin to want justice just as much as the characters in the film want it. Along the way, the film educates the audience about some of the complexities involved in achieving such justice in this foreign land. And by the end of the film, you are left to wonder if justice for such deeds is even possible.

There's nothing funny about this. If you watch this film get ready to meet this disaster face to face.

The acting wasn't anything to write home about particularly. The bright spot was Jamie Foxx, who is beginning to rival Denzel as a dominating African-American screen presence. The writers and producers of this film wrote Jen Garner's role to be rather simplistic. In essence, she represents the heart & empathy of humanity in a war-torn setting. Frankly, she's basically the one who has permission to cry. Chris Cooper is the ornery old technician with just enough soul to make you like him. And Jason Bateman is the token smart aleck designed to (1) inject comic relief into the film when we need it and (2) to ratchet up the tension whenever we see him begin to get serious. Jeremy Piven plays his now type-cast fast-talking schmoozer. And Tim McGraw attempts to apparently reprise his white trash role from "Friday Night Lights" (it's really just kind of a bizarre & confusing cameo that utterly distracts from the subject that was at hand at that point in the film). So, basically, other than Foxx, either the acting itself stunk or the writers didn't really care to spend time developing the characters. And to me, characters are the engine that drive the film: it's all about placing REAL humanity in critical situations. These characters weren't real; they were clearly fabricated. Significant docking of points for that in my book.

As for the rest of the production of this film... I can't put my finger on it, but this movie just had a feel of having dumbed down complex issues for an American palate. In the middle of a political & investigative thriller, an action movie breaks out. It's a little bit shoot-'em-up western, a little bit counter-terrorist hostage rescue, and a little bit "Clear And Present Danger" Ambush Scene rip off. The action wasn't woven into the storyline with total seamlessness. In other words, I felt reminded that I was watching a Hollywood creation.

On to themes. For me, one of the major testaments of the film is the heroism of the local nationals who serve their country and live to fight for the cause of freedom & justice for all in the face of unspeakable tyrannical hate. I'm awe of their level of determination. They deserve the highest honors that our world affords. They are true heroes.

And as for the major theme, there is a common line spoken by two different actors at the very end of the film that is intended to speak volumes. Can't tell you what it is, but it goes back to that whole idea of justice. Is there justice? That is, in this life? Or is "justice" really revenge woven into a fairy tale that's spun in order to pacify the masses? That question the central focus of the film, and it's delivered quite well. I wasn't offended as if it was an underhanded attempt to take a slap at the right-wingers in Washington. Although I could understand why some conservatives might receive it that way. If you ask me, though, I would probably find such a reaction to be hyper-sensitive to partisan politics.

All in all, an enjoyable experience. But I'd say Carnahan has a way's to go before he fancies himself as Tom Clancy. 3½ Stars.

Dirty Little Secrets

On Thursday, while summarizing the latest on the public media feud between Clemens & McNamee, I wrote:

All the skeletons are coming out of the closet with this one, folks. The 2008 Presidential Election has nothing on these guys!

So, today, news outlets are reporting that information McNamee reported to federal law enforcement officials has been leaked. Specifically, McNamee told investigators that Clemens had an abscess on his buttocks while injecting Clemens with 'roids in 1998. From the ESPN article:

While any injection can lead to an abscess, an anti-doping expert said steroid injections are more likely to trigger abscesses, according to the Times.

It's circumstantial evidence at best. It is one more piece of evidence, but it really doesn't do anything substantial to further McNamee's public claims against Clemens. This release was a shot across the bow. Clemens hurt McNamee with the taped phone call & released info about his alleged rape of a woman in Florida. McNamee is just trying to show that he's got the goods to return the favor. From an article in the NY Daily News:

"Brian knows a lot about Roger's moral character and knows a lot about his extracurricular activities," said Earl Ward, McNamee's lawyer. "There's a lot that he could say to damage Roger's reputation, but we plan on taking the high road.

[...]

Attempts to smear McNamee could backfire, said Ward. McNamee worked with and knew Clemens over a significant stretch of time, the attorney said, and McNamee knows a great deal about Clemens' character as well, issues that can arise in a defamation suit.

"Brian knows a lot about Roger's moral character and if some of this stuff were to come out, Roger Clemens would look very, very, very bad," Ward said. "What does it all mean, in terms of our legal strategy? I think it's something that we'll look at in any defamation suit."

"High Road?" Yeah right.

Every little secret. Every embarrassing detail. Every speck of dirt under every fingernail will see the light of day before this feud is settled.

Twins Separated at Birth Wed & Divorce

From an article on MSNBC:

LONDON - Twins who were separated at birth got married without realizing they were brother and sister, a lawmaker said, urging more information be provided on birth certificates for adopted children.

A court annulled the British couple's union after they discovered their true relationship, Lord David Alton said.

[...]

"It involved the normal birth of twins who were separated at birth and adopted by separate parents.

"They were never told that they were twins," Alton said. "They met later in life and felt an inevitable attraction, and the judge had to deal with the consequences of the marriage that they entered into and all the issues of their separation."

How tragic! How do you even begin to deal with all the different feelings & emotions that would arise with such a revelation?

What would PRO-cousin-kissing reporter John Stossel say about this?? Courtesy of The Colbert Report:

Conversation with a Hog Fan: A Study in Fanhood

The following is a set of E-mails with a good friend of mine from college who is a big Hog fan. Here goes…

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: III (that’s ME)
Date: Dec 12, 2007 1:45 PM

Gotta get your thoughts on Bobby Petrino.

Are you happy with him?
How long do you think you’ll keep him?
What do you think of him as a person?
Do you think he will bring a championship to Arkansas?
If so, how long will it take?

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Original Grubb
Date: Jan 7, 2008 1:11 PM

I’m not thrilled with the hire but I think it is a bolder step for the program. One of the board members said something about how the past business model had been 8-4 and that the new business model is a REAL national championship.

I think the hire is immediately good in a couple of areas...namely the PASSING GAME. Which has just continued to get worse and worse and worse.

I think he has to stay at Ark. for at least 4 years to improve his “jumping” image.

I don’t know what to think of him as a person. I think the way he left Atlanta was not ideal. However, that is the business. In the past the Falcons have fired coaches quickly just like most NFL franchises.

I think he should have offered to stay and finish the season, and maybe he did and maybe they said “don’t let the door hit you”. I don’t know. It does seem like what the players wanted though, like it was a SPLIT that was going to happen anyways. In terms of betrayal. I think what Coach FRAN was the WORST. I think Saban was worse, ONLY because he specifically denied not only interest but in ever TAKING the BAMA job. Then he did it. I have no problem with him leaving the FINS for BAMA (though I am a FIN fan) but rather in how he did it.

I do not like how ESPN bashed and bashed him, but that was one thing and then mocking the UA program is not ok. Nutt was chased off for more than just his record and never proving he could take the NEXT STEP. In the past Arkansas’s expectations were just that of being 8-4. Only once in 50 years should the razorbacks be a top 5 team. Yet you look at Kansas, Rutgers, Boise State, Wake Forrest....other programs with similar excuses...small state, no big talent base???? Yet other programs have success. Still it was the DRAMA. The way he mishandled the recruiting and treatment of players, his wife’s involvement in the email and texting and the continual lack of a passing game, and the moral character issue of how he unfairly treated players...someone did DWI and a started was patted on the wrist and the other guy was kicked off the team for GOOD! And again, the inability to develop QB...ala DICK who looks worse as a Junior than he did as a raw 17 year old true freshman when he played at LSU.

I think he could bring a CHAMPIONSHIP to the HOGS but I don’t see it in the next two years. The talent is not all GONE but it is sparse. Pending Felix coming back. The schedule is killer. Play Florida and Texas the next two years plus the regulars of the west and South Carolina at Carolina. The year after that along with the SEC west and Florida, there is Georgia, and Texas and Texas A&M. So 2009 is a bad bad bad year.

The defense is sooo gross though.

And another thing about coach P. that I don’t think I’ve expressed yet is the concern over how he left the sitcha in Louie. Did he leave a bad pile for the new coach to step into in terms of OFF the field problems or...was he the GLUE that was keeping things stable? I don’t know.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: III
Date: Jan 11, 2008 12:01 AM

I love studying fanhood. Its one of my hobbies. And it’s fascinating to hear you talk about Petrino & Arkansas. You almost sound like an Alabama fan talking about Saban! Its hilarious! The similarities:

1) Common hatred for ESPN
2) Remarkable ability to forgive prior sins
3) Having to defend shoving the old guy out the door by…
- a) Having to share insider-type info to back it up
- b) Not settling for mediocrity
- c) Pointing to chronic problems that were never fixed
- d) Claiming that that our program & our “folks” are misunderstood by the national media.

I’m not making fun of you. I promise! I’m just pointing out how similar the logic, rationalization, & propaganda is.

---

As far as the “coaching sins” deal, here’s my take. As long as we live in a world where the two winningest coaches in Division 1A history are perennially on the hot seat, I refuse to fault coaches for looking after themselves by pre-empting their own dismissals. There’s a double-standard that exists here. Organizations & G.M.’s can give their “vote of confidence, still fire a guy, & get away clean, but Nick Saban can’t do the same. Organizations & G.M.’s can fire a coach midseason without repercussion, but if a coach leaves the team midseason he’s quitting on the team.

I understand the point of view that a majority of the nation holds about these two coaches. I just think its biased in favor of “fanhood” of the team. Why should a coach care to be loyal when it will never be shown to him? And this reveals a lack in character in coaches? Sports writers need to get off their sanctimonious high horses. Either that, or NEVER take a better job with a higher salary. When did upward mobility become taboo in our country?

That said, I think Petrino is gone from Arkansas in 3 years time. And Saban will be gone from ‘Bama in at least 5. These men are not settlers. Why would either of us expect that they ever will be? If your MFT studies taught you anything, I’m sure you learned that the best predictor of future behavior is past performance. I think Saban will rebuild Alabama just enough, but will not stick around to suckle off his success—he never has. Petrino will be looking for a new job every offseason—he did just that at Louisville according to Pat Forde (who covered him as a beat writer at that paper before moving on to ESPN).

I do agree with you that Fran is the slimiest one of them all.

Saban is putting together a scary ‘08 recruiting class. If he continues to stack this caliber of class year after year for several years, like he did at LSU, I won’t care whether he stays or goes. Looking at everything right now, I think the Tide re-emerges on the national scene in 2010 with enough flashes of brilliance between now & then to keep our loony fanbase satiated enough.

FWIW, I think Saban is an honorable man in a dishonorable profession. Underneath the veneer, he is a shy boy from West Virginia who doesn’t know how to deal with so much attention. From just listening to his press conferences each week, I can tell that he is a wise man who has keen insight in coaching & human nature. I’m telling you: this is no snake-oil salesman. He’s the genuine article… unless he is the most sociopathic, Machiavellian liar that I’ve ever heard of. I just don’t buy that he could be. I don’t think he could have the level of success that he has if he was. He’s a “Do the Right Thing” kind of guy who could only get what he wanted (having his cake & eating it, too—finishing the job in Miami while wanting to be back in the college game) by doing the wrong thing. I’m sure it will haunt him for the rest of his natural born days, but there was no other way around it.

I’m with you in not knowing what to think about Petrino.