Many Hats

Over the past few years, I have had the propensity to wear several hats simultaneously. Indeed, that has often been the most distinctive aspect of the work of King’s Meadow. I do lots of different things--all aiming at the same end. The work with our schools in Iraq and Indonesia, the projects developing curricula for American homeschoolers and African missionaries, the strategic publishing plans, and the conferences and seminars are all part of the overall mission of discipling and equipping the church for the work of service in the world.

Now, I am adding another hat. Two weeks ago I officially accepted a call from Christ Community Church (PCA) in Franklin to serve the congregation as Teaching Pastor (I waited to say anything here until after congregational approval, acceptance by presbytery, and all the other little details had been settled). Starting late this summer I will be working alongside the existing pastoral staff in the areas of leadership development and adult discipleship--moving our congregation to ever more mature expressions of the Reformed faith and life. I will also have regular Sunday morning preaching opportunities--of which I am very excited.

But I wanted you to know that these new responsibilities will not hinder or sideline the ongoing work of King’s Meadow. If anything, they will only enhance our important efforts and our upcoming projects. Everything we are doing with Servant Group International, African Leadership, Gileskirk, Classical Development Services International, and Franklin Classical School will continue. And now we will have the added weight of the local church behind us. We will also be able to free up additional funds for the projects themselves--because now I will not need to draw a regular salary from the Study Center budget. The biggest change in my day-to-day activities will be that I will not be traveling and speaking outside of Franklin nearly as much as I have in the past--which Karen, Joel, Joanna, Jesse, and I all enthusiastically welcome.

It is my prayer that many of you will continue to support the ministry with your sacrificial giving. We have some big projects coming up this year after all: I hope to finally be able to publish the two Chalmers books I’ve been working on for the past three years; the first couple of Gileskirk unit studies should soon be available; and our curriculum development program for the schools in Iraq, Indonesia, three countries in East Africa, and perhaps soon, Peru, will slip into high gear. Greg Wilbur will be undertaking a number of exciting new projects. And I also hope to be able to package and make available several hundred of my teaching tapes, which have been sitting around in boxes for years.

For all this and more, we will need your help like never before. I may be wearing yet another hat, but the vision, the mission, and the determination is the same as always.

Getting Older

Someone at church asked me if all this training for marathons and preparing for triathalons business I've been engaged in of late was actually evidence of some sort of some sort of pathetic mid-life crisis--a preacher's equivalent of a little red sports car. Hmmm. Nope. I don't think so. Indeed, there are so many distinct advantages to having arrived at the half century mark, I can hardly enumerate them all. Today is my youngest son's twenty-first birthday and his mother and I are thrilled! We love watching our kids grow up, mature in faith, and take on new challenges. I love the way adult children become friends and confidantes as well sons and daughters. I can't think of anything much better than having my daughter work with me every day running our ministry office. My eldest gets married this summer--and already I'm thinking about spoiling any grandchildren the Lord may send our way. I'm thinking: this is the time of our lives! Why would anyone assume that somehow such joys would need the compensations of little red sports cars or marathons? Are you kidding? Mid-life crisis? No way. More like mid-life party-time!