A couple of weeks ago, I had the rare opportunity to sit with my family during a Wednesday Mid-Week Lenten service.  It was refreshing to sit with them, but a lot of work.  Because they are four years old, my girls must remain busy at all times.  Fortunately, they are quiet about it.  But their constant motion and short attention span can be distracting for a parent.  My wife is amazing!  She sits with them and “experiences” them every Sunday.

Somehow the idea of a sabbath has become foreign to our 24/7 culture. When I say sabbath, I'm not just envisioning a one hour worship service on Sunday morning. I'm thinking about a whole day of rest, devoted to physical rest and spiritual renewal. That was the way it was to be for the Old Covenant people. They, their animals, and the guests in their homes, were to rest. Maybe God our Father knows us to well. Without that rest, we consuming creatures would work ourselves to death...literally and figuratively. Take a sabbath rest. Recently I went on a 48 hour prayer retreat.

Discovery Channel's "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" has created tons of reaction from the Christian community around the world. I was able to watch only a part of the program, so I do not feel fit to comment as of yet. One review that was well done was written by a Seminary classmate of mine. Here is the link: http://desperes.inspirlink.com/Index.asp?PageID=7261

This past Sunday (3/4/07), Hope had a video crew on campus to shoot film for our capital campaign and outreach videos. On a normal Sunday during Sunday School Hour, I am busy teaching. But on this day, I was the "client-producer" and spent that whole hour with the crew filming various Sunday School classes. I have been at Hope now for over eight months, and this was the first time I really got to see everything that happens during the hour between worship services. And what I saw was something special: the Body of Christ - alive and active.

Welcome to Pastor Jon's Blog! I plan to use this space to jot down my thoughts and reflections as I look at the world with theological eyes. You might also read good sermon ideas that never made it to the pulpit, or just general musings on life, family, and society.