The Good & the Bad of Proposed U.S. Infrastructure Ideas

"Some of the infrastructure ideas put forward are obvious and fine: rebuild roads and bridges. One is unexpected and smart: strengthen the electrical grid. One is so lame as to seem a non sequitur: make sure every classroom has the Internet. In America, you don't have to worry that kids won't go online, you have to worry the minute they do. The Internet is not a gifted teacher, but only another limited resource. There is no sign, none, that the Internet has made our nation more literate, or deep, and many signs it has made us less so, u no?" Excerpted from "Rectitude Chic: The First Christmas in the Age of Restraint," Peggy Noonan's weekly online "Declarations" article in today's Wall Street Journal.

The rest of Noonan's article is worth your time to read--with a good cup of coffee, of course!

Wonderful Counselor of Finance

I recently began a four-part Christmas sermon series based on the four names of the Child born, the Son given, unto us in Isaiah 9:6: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. In my preparations for the sermon concerning Jesus being our Wonderful Counselor, literally Wonder of a Counselor, I pulled off my library shelf a volume from the The Kregel Classic Sermons Series edited by Warren Wiersbe, Classic Sermons on the Birth of Christ. In it I discovered the manuscript of the sermon "The Christ of Christmas" preached on "The Lutheran Hour," best I can tell, on Christmas night, 1930, the year after the 1929 Crash by Walter A. Maier and heard over a thousand radio stations. Maier's exposition and application of Christ as Counselor in those days of economic and social hardship seem all too applicable to Christmas 2008 and maybe more so by Christmas 2009.

Near the conclusion of the sermon I delivered last Sunday, November 30, to the First Christian Church of Owensville congregation, I included the following quote from Professor Maier:

I believe that for many thousands who are listening in tonight the needs of a capable, competent counselor has perhaps never been as great as it is on this Christmas Day, when we remind ourselves that the past year has brought to millions a long series of disappointments of various kinds and degrees. You have gone on year after year with a smug sense of self-satisfaction and with a good deal of confidence in your money power, your brain power, your social power, but who have found that this house of cards in which you have enshrined your happiness has been puffed over by bank failures, financial reverses, war, and unemployment, and who now look about for some one and something that can effectively lift you out of the labyrinth of hopelessness and helplessness—you can find a divine Counselor in Bethlehem. Here is a counselor who is concerned first and foremost about the sole that lives on after the trinkets and baubles that men clutch so frantically crumble into disappointing dust. Here is the faithful and efficient Counselor, who tells us, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God,’ that is, get right with God. Remove the barrier that separates you from God and that keeps you away from the inner happiness which alone makes life worth living.

And when you come and ask, ‘How can I get right with God? How can I remove the impurity of sin from my life?’—great and wonderful Counselor that He is tells us, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.’…Never has His counsel failed; never is there any problem too intricate for His constructive solution; never is there any sorrow too deep to be healed by the balm if His consoling love. So tonight, when the joy of Christmas stands out in crying contrast to the sorrow that reigns in the hearts of some of my audience, when you think of your own misfortunes, of the gladness that has been turned to sadness through the coming of cold death or through the blasting of long-cherished hopes or through the tragedy that has followed in the wake of grievous sins; look above these difficulties to the Counselor, reposed in Bethlehem’s manger, and believe Him, when He calls out to you, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (p. 52).

During this Christmas season, there are two passages of Scripture that keep coming to my mind that certainly seem timely. One is taken from one of the apostle Paul's letters to his comrade Timothy:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:6-10, NIV).

The other passage, one that Maier briefly referred to, comes the lips of our Lord Jesus:

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:31-33, NLT).

As the old hymn says, "Oh, what peace we often forfeit!" Well, let's not forfeit it this Christmas. Let us focus and follow the Prince of Peace who is also Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father.

Is Another New Deal the Answer?

"Early in what became the Great Depression, John Maynard Keynes was asked if anything similar had ever happened. 'Yes,' he replied, 'it was called the Dark Ages, and it lasted 400 years.' It did take 25 years, until November 1954, for the Dow to return to the peak it reached in September 1929. So caution is sensible concerning calls for a new New Deal." And so begins a thought provoking Nov. 28 article, "Same Old New Deal?, " by George Will in the Jewish World Review.

Psalm 65

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.

1 Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 O you who hear prayer,
to you all men will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
5 You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness,
O God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 Those living far away fear your wonders;
where morning dawns and evening fades
you call forth songs of joy.
9 You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
10 You drench its furrows
and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers
and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the desert overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing. (NIV)

Real Bicycles

Most of us who pedal don't do it to win. We ride to enjoy the scenery, run errands, commute, save gas, exercise, think and more. But, I believe, most of us appreciate good, solid bikes and accessories. And, some of us, even if we can't afford them, really like traditional, retro-type, all-purpose bicycles made from lugged steel that have a hint of a by-gone era. Two companies that fit that mold, in my opinion, are RIVENDELL BICYCLE WORKS and VELO ORANGE. Rivendell has some great reading with a unique style. Their paper catalogues are worth keeping for literature's sake. Velo Orange has a pretty neat blog, too. Take a look if you like to ride but aren't interested in speed, at least a lot of it.

Interesting Choice of Words

Matthew Balan of Newsbusters writes the following about an episode of PBS' Charlie Rose:

Newsweek’s Evan Thomas and Jon Meacham shared a bizarre Obama love-fest session with Charlie Rose on the PBS host’s program on Wednesday. Meacham stated that he was "very struck watching the stagecraft" of Obama and pointed out how Obama gave his victory speech by himself: "...[H]ave you ever seen a victory speech where there was no one else on stage? No adoring wife, no cute kid -- he is the message." Thomas went one step further in this vein: "There is a slightly creepy cult of personality about all of this." Rose confronted him on his use of this phrase, and he explained that it made him "a little uneasy that he's so singular. He's clearly managing his own spectacle. He knows how to do it. He's a -- I think, a deeply manipulative guy..." Later, all three marveled about how it was "amazing" that Obama "watches us watching him."

I was watching this interview when it first aired. The "creepy cult of personality" comment was quite attention-grabbing and not just for Charlie Rose. Meacham didn't disagree with Thomas' comment either.

Truth & the Presidency

"I had rather starve and rot and keep the privilege of speaking the truth than of holding all the offices that capital has to give, from the presidency downward." --Henry Adams (1838-1918) Source: The Christian Almanac by Grant & Wilbur

The President-Elect's Portrait

Every Friday I try to read Peggy Noonan's online column, "Declarations," in the Wall Street Journal. Today's article, "The Children Are Watching," Noonan wrote:

Some wonder if Barack Obama is a hard leftist or more a pragmatic politician who simply rose in leftist precincts (that would be you, Hyde Park, Chicago). A less charged way to put the question would be: Is he a strict modern liberal, or possibly a man of some considerable moderate instincts? The obvious answer is: We're about to find out. But I think the more interesting answer is: He's about to find out. In the presidency, daily decisions become patterns become pictures become, in time, full-length portraits. In the Oval Office you meet yourself every day. It is going to be very interesting to see Mr. Obama meet himself in this way.

The "full-length portrait" that develops will be interesting to see. I pray it's a good picture that develops as a result of the prayers of the saints and the great sense of humility and holy fear that should come over anyone who wears the title and function, President of the United States of America.

Post-Election To-Do List

Author, pastor, and lecturer George Grant posted the following wise Christian counsel on his Eleventary Blog:

Post-Election Commitments
1. Pray more. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
2. Listen first. James 1:19
3. Work harder. Colossians 3:23
4. Serve others. Galatians 6:9
5. Defend life. Proverbs 24:11-12
6. Grumble less. James 5:9
7. Do justice. Amos 5:24
8. Love mercy. Micah 6:8
9. Walk humbly. Proverbs 15:33
10. Rejoice always. 1 Thessalonians 5:16
11. Trust Jesus. Revelation 19:6

Mini Trangia 28 Alcohol Stove

Awhile back I bought a Mini Trangia alcohol stove for backpacking & bikepacking. Hope to get to use it during the next several months. It works great for making Folger's Singles and comes in handy when the power goes out at home!

The guy in the YouTube video isn't me. The credit goes to Billecbqrp:

Current Favorite Online Tools

In random order:

• Twitter
• Twitscoop (embedded in iGoogle)
• Twitter Gadget (embedded in iGoogle)
• iGoogle
• Biblegateway.com
• Blogger
• Wikipedia
• Gmail

Importance of Values Voters

Michael Medved wrote a thought-provoking article, "Will the Return of Values Voters Bring Another Election Day Surprise?" In it, Medved recalls how four years ago the Election Day polls surprisingly showed how important moral and family values were to voters, something the media had largely ignored. There we were, two years into a two-front war, and voters cited moral values as the most important issue. Could it happen again?

Insightfully, Medved makes the important link between financial and family issues:

Controversies regarding the future of the family aren’t a distraction from financial challenges; for most Americans, there’s an inescapable connection between economic and values issues. Nothing brings long-termsecurity and prosperity more reliably than a stable, traditional family lifeand nothing predisposes people for a life of poverty more thanout-of-wedlock birth and marital chaos. The educational success of ourchildren, which directly determines their future financial future, dependsmore on the values they learn at home than the quality of their schools.Learning to work hard, to save money and to live within your means remains adependable path to economic advancement and the failure to learn those lessons (especially by political and business leaders) helped to create the current crisis.

Lord willing, come late Tuesday night or Wednesday morning we'll know if the majority of voters made the connection between what's really good for both their families and their billfolds.

Importance of Facts

"When one thinks of all the men who have put their lives on the line in battle to defend and preserve this country, it is especially painful to think that there are people living in the safety and comfort of civilian life who cannot be bothered to find out the facts about candidates before voting to put the fate of this nation, and of generations yet to come, in the hands of someone chosen because they like his words or style." --Thomas Sowell in Jewish World Review, 10/21/08.

Character Crisis, not Financial Crisis

"If more people on Wall Street and at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue adhered to Booker T.’s ideal and model of character, our country would not be having to deal with our present moral and financial crisis." These are the words of Reggie Jones taken from his October 5 blog posting "It's a Crisis of Character, not of Financial Markets" at the BOOKER T. WASHINGTON website.

Worship Preparation

"The quality of our worship is not based on our activities but on our character. Churches can mistakenly assume the better the music, the more impressive the building, and the more eloquent the preaching, the more worshipful the experience will be. Genuine worship, however, originates from within our hearts. If our relationship with God is not healthy, all these things are nothing more than religious pageantry." --Richard & Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God Day by Day

Where is Mr. Smith Now?

On this day in 1939, Frank Capra's film classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, starring Jimmy Stewart, premiered in Washington, D.C. (Source The Christian Almanac by Grant & Wilbur)

I believe there is a "Mr. Smith" somewhere in those halls of government today. Do you?

Listening to See

I don't remember where I heard it recommended a few years ago, but I think it must've been on a radio program which would not come as a surprise. The suggestion was to listen to political debates and not watch and listen to debates. The idea was that it causes the listener to really focus on what is being said and not allowing body language, glitz, etc. interfere with the message.

Well, I know that body language is part of communication, but I decided to once again follow the listening suggestion. I believe I tried it about eight or twelve years ago, but not sure. Anyway, last Tuesday night I settled down in my swivel-recliner in my home "office" upstairs, turned on my Eton radio, tuned it to my local NPR radio station, 88.3 WNIN-FM, perked up my ears and began listening to the second 2008 Presidential Debate between Senators Obama and McCain, as well as feeling sorry for Mr. Brokaw whose pleas to follow the rules were virtually ignored.

Listening didn't change my mind about who I plan to vote for, but I think it did cause me to really concentrate on what the candidates were saying. It also seemed to magnify some super-repitive phrases of both candidates: Sen. Obama, "Look, ..." and Sen. McCain, "My friends, ..." Listening also helped me "hear" what they didn't talk about, like the issue of abortion (infanticide). Listening without seeing seemed to help eliminate the drama of the moment and "see" the substance or lack thereof.

One other thing I learned from the experience: I can fix a broken desk lamp while listening to a presidential debate and not miss a thing!

The Source of Optimism

"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled." --David to Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45, NKJV)

"It is impossible to stand in the presence of God and be a pessimist." --Henry & Richard Blackaby in Experiencing God Day by Day, October 4.

Godliness

"Depth always comes slowly." --John Ortberg

For Bookworms Interested in Bookworms

George Grant's Grantian Florilegium Sep 30 blog posting, "Spurgeon & Books," is a fascinating bit of history regarding C.H. Spurgeon's love of books and his view of them.

Spurgeon's reading of six books a week and remembering what he read years later reminds me of Teddy Roosevelt's reading and remembering of at least five books a week, even during the most hectic times of his career.

Proteined Taters for Backpackin' & Bikepackin'

Want a quick, hot, cheap, tasty, comforting meal that provides both carbs and protein for your next overnight backpacking or bikepacking trip? Try this great little supper or breakfast idea:

• Boil 2 cups of water on your alcohol, solid fuel or gas ultralight stove.
• Remove water from heat & add one package of Hungry Jack Easy Mash'd Potatoes. Five flavors available: Cheesy Homestyle, Hearty Baked, Creamy Butter, Premium Homestyle, & Roasted Garlic. (I buy mine at the local Dollar General Store for $1 a package.)
• Add 1/4 cup (more or less according to personal preference) of Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP).
• Cover & let set for a couple of minutes to let the TVP soften.
• Enjoy!

This will feed one hungry person as a total meal or divide nicely for two folks with other side items.

Lacking Narrative

David Brooks, Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times, has an interesting article, "Thinking About McCain," highlighting his first-hand observations of Senator McCain and his accomplishments. Brooks, however, reveals how that for all of McCain's experience, successes, positive qualities and leadership ability, he has yet to communicate a central argument as to why he should be POTUS.

Mr. Brooks saves discussing Senator Obama for a later day.

The 1st Debate

"What debate? Political posturing does not statesmanship make!" --George Grant, Sep. 26, 2008

Two "Americas" & Political Rhetoric

Reggie Jones' September 16 posting "Achievers are Not Robber Barons" on the Booker T. Washington Society website discusses what he calls "class-oriented bigotry" against the rich. He reveals how many politicians don't understand how there can ever really be any win-win situations between the rich and not-so-rich. Just because some rich get richer doesn't mean that the poor have to be getting poorer.

Foreign Policy Experience

It's been less than a year since I started taking an interest in Thomas Sowell's commentary on current affairs, including education and the economy. What I like about him is that while he seems absolutely brilliant, he speaks the language of common folk. Maybe that is in itself a mark of brilliance. He has an interesting website which, though it couldn't be much plainer in design, is, like his books, all substance.

Anyway, in light of the recent Experience Wars being debated between the Republican and Democratic Presidential campaigns, Sowel's September 4, 2008 article, "Foreign Policy 'Experience,'" in the National Jewish Review makes for sound reading. From historical, experiential and observational perspectives, he helps the reader understand how to properly define "experience" and determine who actually has the most.

Banks and Uncle Sam

Working my way through The Christian Almanac, today's accounts included a tidbit from 1788:

At an interest rate of 6 percent from the Bank of New York and the Bank of North America, the United States took out its first loan. The money went to pay the salaries of the president and members of Congress (p. 540).

It didn't take long did it?

228 Years Before 9.11.01

On September 11, 1773, Benjamin Franklin penned, "There was never a good war or a bad peace." (Source: The Christian Almanac by George Grant & Gregory Wilbur)

Quick, Healthy, Liquid Meal

Want to make a drink that'll substitute for a small meal that has no cholesterol, little sugar, plenty of veggie goodies, healthy fat and protein and tastes good too?

One 12 ounce can of V8 Juice
One and a half Tspns of olive oil
Two Tbsps of Bob's Red Mill Soy Protein Powder.

Pour in about 1/2 of the can of juice into a glass. Add the protein powder and stir until well blended. Add the olive oil and stir. Add the rest of the juice and stir again. Drink.

Guess Who?

You might want to take a look at George Grant's September 9 blog posting at Grantian Florilegium.

Of course, time will tell if there will be any other similarities.

C.S. Lewis on Social Morality

A Christian society is not going to arrive until most of us really want it: and we are not going to want it until we become fully Christian. I may repeat "Do as you would be done by" till I am black in the face, but I cannot really carry it out till I love my neighbour as myself: and I cannot learn to love my neighbor as myself till I learn to love God: and I cannot learn to love God except by learning to obey Him. And so, as I warned you, we are driven on to something more inward--driven on from social matters to religious matters. For the longest way round is the short way home.--C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

Readings in Progress

Declaring the Richness of Christ in Life

"We are long on devices and programs. We have too many of them, and they get in the way. What we really need are preachers who can stand in simplicity and manifest and declare the richness of Christ in life. There isn't anything on earth that begins to compare with that for human benefit and human interest." --Dallas Willard (From "A Cup Running Over" in The Art & Craft of Biblical Preaching. Zondervan, 2005.)

Privileges of Christian Citizenship

"Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him."--Apostle Paul (Philippians 1:27-30; NLT)

"Here indeed is conviction of sin: a person gripped by the awfulness of eternal loss. It arises from seeing a church standing for Christ, standing for eternal things, enduring worldly loss and disrepute for the greater riches found in the Spirit and, throughout all, standing united." --J.A. Motyer (Philippians. Inter-Varsity Press, 1999)

Elite Education's Disadvantages

While reading one of my favorite blogs, Wilbur Blog, by Greg Wilbur of King's Meadow, I was referred to a fascinating article in The American Scholar titled "The Disadvantages of an Elite Education" by William Deresiewicz. His thesis: "Our best universities have forgotten that the reason they exist is to make minds, not careers."

After reflecting upon the article, I concluded that I've been quite blessed with the majority of my post-secondary education being well-grounded. My bachelor's degree from Johnson Bible College was most definitely from a biblical world view and my graduate work that included Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Grace Theological Seminary, and The Center for the Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean allowed me to continue to pursue my education from that framework.

Ben Stein's Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

On Sunday, April 27, one of First Christian Church of Owensville’s adult small groups that I facilitate viewed Ben Stein’s movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The movie highlights what happens when respected scientists and science professors, regardless of their religious or non-religious backgrounds, question Darwinism or suggest the possibility of Intelligent Design.

It will be interesting to see what part this movie will play in the great origins debate (or non-debate). Go see it and take a friend with you.

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

This movie hits the movie house screens April 18: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Booker T. Washington

As I get older, I'm gaining a greater appreciation for and interest in history, particularly that bit that took place during the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. Some of the appreciation centers around three legendary figures--Eric Liddell, about whom the movie Chariots of Fire is largely centered, Teddy Roosevelt, the president, scholar and adventurer, and Booker T. Washington, who founded Tuskegee Institute and was a great civil rights leader for all Americans.

Bookert T. Washington was born on this day in 1856 and died in 1915. So far, I've read three biographical-related books about him and recommend all of them highly: Up from Slavery, his autobiography, Booker T. Washington and the Adult Education Movement by Virginia Lantz Denton, and Then Darkness Fled: The Liberating Wisdom of Booker T. Washington by Stephen Mansfield.

Recently, I discovered two interesting but different websites that include his namesake: Booker T. Washington Society and Booker T. Washington Inspirational Network. I also keep a link to both of these under the "News, Interests, & More" section of this blog site.

Our education systems could learn a lot from his whole-person (head, hands and heart) approach to learning.

The Christian Almanac by Grant & Wilbur

For my 2008 daily devotional reading, I'm reading through the New Kings James Version Bible, Henry & Richard Blackaby's Experiencing God Day by Day, and The Christian Almanac: A Dictionary of Days Celebrating History's Most Significant People and Events by George Grant and Gregory Wilbur.
I knew it would be interesting, most of George Grant's writings are to me, but I didn't realize how inspirational and encouraging The Christian Almanac would be. The back cover of my edition provides a great overview:

For each day of the year [it] provides a wide range of useful information:

• A time line of events that place that day
• An essay of about a person or relevant event in Christian history
• Suggested Scripture readings that allow a reader to complete the entire
  Bible in a single year.
• A memorable quote that enlightens each month's theme
• Acknowledgement of liturgical feast days and holidays where
  appropriate

The Lamb Led to the Slaughter

Greg Wilbur's blog for March 20, 2008, "Music for Good Friday," is certainly worth one's time to read as we enter what is traditionally known as Easter Weekend.

This Easter Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (CDST) at First Christian Church of Owensville (Indiana), the adult choir will be presenting The Power of the Cross by Marty Parks.

Hikin' & Bikin' Trousers

Once in a blue moon a guy receives a gift that he never would've bought for himself but is willing to in the future if he ever needs another one. Last Father's Day my adorable wife bought me a pair of pants for bicycling that I've become fond of also wearing for hiking or just taking it easy at home. They're tough as nails, lightweight, quick-drying, comfortable and, thanks to a "velcro" cuff adjuster, you can even adjust them to wear as knickers when you're riding a bike on a muggy, southwestern Indiana day in August. They're made in the USA and they come from the folks at Rivendell Bicycle Works.

2008 Presidential Campaign Religion

Marvin Olasky is one of my favorite writers. He is the editor-in-chief of World Magazine, provost of The King's College (New York City) and a professor at The University of Texas at Austin. His March 13 blog post, "Political religions", is an interesting observation of the use of religion in the 2008 Presidential Campaign and how journalists have reported this topic thus far this season.

You may view all of Olasky's World on the Web blogs at: http://www.worldontheweb.com/author/marvin-olasky/.

Timely Advice for Our Nation's Citizenry

"Let us keep before us the fact that, almost without exception, every race or nation that has ever got upon its feet has done so through struggle and trial and persecution; and that out of this very resistance to wrong, out of the struggle against odds, they have gained strength, self-confidence, and experience which they could not have gained in any other way."--Booker T. Washington

Another Encouraging National Preaching Summit

I just got back from my sixth National Preaching Summit. This year's speakers were three father and son "teams": Bob & Rusty Russell, Ken & Kyle Idleman and Jeff & Taylor Walling. It is held each March in Indianapolis and traditionally starts on a Monday at 1:00 p.m. and is over the next day around 11:30 a.m. Next year's Summit is scheduled for March 9-10. I highly encourage any preaching minister who wants to gain insight on the high calling of both preaching the Gospel and being a preacher. Here is the Summit's own description:

The National Preaching Summit is designed for those who have the privilege of proclaiming the Gospel. The Summit is not a "church growth conference," nor a "practical ministries" seminar. Our objective is to offer a first-class conference for church leaders dealing with the preaching event in a positive way, at an affordable cost. We seek to celebrate the joy of preaching, while enabling those who are called to preach to hone their skills.