WHEW!
Well, I'm back (as you may have noticed from Monday's flurry of posts). During our two week trip to Kentucky I heard 17 sermons by six different preachers, not to mention the ten sermons I preached myself. I was blessed to hear the incomparable Paul Earnhart four times. I tell people I try to preach like Paul Earnhart but everytime I sound like me instead. A discouraging thought, not the least for my audience! I heard Don Truex (of Temple Terrace, FL) for the first time, and was mightily impressed. The great Robert Jackson did his usual impressive job and made me wish I could have heard him 40 years ago in his prime. Randy Harshbarger was his insightful self, and is a model of sermon organization and presentation. The hero of the week was Bill Robinson who filled in for Robert Jackson on Thursday after bro. Jackson's brother-in-law passed away Wednesday. Bill was up until 4:30 am preparing for the assigned topic then spoke at 9:30 am. My response: "Where's your PowerPoint?" The slacker! (He left last Wednesday for over three weeks in India.) Anyone interested can
download the sermons and listen.
Who was the poor fellow who had to speak on the Sunday morning before these all-stars started on Monday? Yes, yours truly. I was the guy they brought in to insure the lecture speakers looked good.
The next Sunday I began a gospel meeting (aka, a revival) where my parents attend in Eastern Kentucky. That lasted through Friday night, and I brought selections from my series on the Sermon on the Mount. Needless to say, I sounded just like me all week. Sometimes dreadfully like me, but the lessons seemed to be well received (my grandmother loved it!).
We drove back with four-year old and almost two-year old in tow (yes they went to church during all the above and were troopers; my wife has been nominated for a medal of honor) on Saturday, I preached and taught class here Sunday, went to a singing Sunday night at a member's house and hosted the college kids at our house Monday for a study.
And, that, dear reader, is why theosebes has been mostly dormant for the past two weeks! Thanks for coming back.