Bee Fightin'

"When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees."
--Abraham Lincoln

This quote used to be one of my favorites on the topic of preaching. The alleged context was someone asking President Lincoln (an normal attender of a Presbyterian church) why he often visited the local Methodist church.
I often reflected on this quote before preaching as a sort of self pep-talk to remind myself that I should be enthusiastic because that is what people who come to church want to see passion and enthusiasm.
I do not really think that anymore. When I go to church I don't look for bee fightin'. Bee fightin' can be staged and often can be used for a cover-up for poor study and preparation. I find myself being drawn more and more to a studied and thoughtful preaching of scripture that allows oneself to consider and savor the text being presented. I find the analogy of champagne helpful. Sure it is exciting to shake up a bottle and let it rip, but I would much rather open a bottle slowly and really taste what has been crafted.

I get up every morning From my 'larm clock's warning

Back in July our Church started advertising for a vacancy for their administrator position. I (Zac) applied and ended up with a second job. There are a lot of things we like about the position. First-off it is a second job (that pays more than my first job) takes me from 24 hours a week of work to forty! I also have the privilege of working once again in a place where I feel I am making an eternal difference and not just allowing a rich corporation to get richer. The position will also not be limited to office work. The church is undergoing some organizational changes and the leadership is going to be forming into more of a ministry team and while I will be more responsible for administrative tasks I will also have some opportunities to eventually do some preaching and other pastoral type tasks.
I worked for a week and a half before we left for Ukraine and will really start-up in earnest once we get back. Thank you for all of you who have been praying about our job situation and continue to pray for the work that God is doing at All Saints' Loose.