Updates: Traveling Schedule and Writing Endeavors
Updates: Traveling Schedule and Writing Endeavors
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”-Augustine
Greetings, Perspectivalists.
I write to you from my home office a day before my traveling adventures begin. Today I put some final touches on things: polish a lecture here and there and gather a few books to take with me to use my time wisely on the road and next week in hell—better known as the Atlanta International Airport. But no need to pity me. These last few years have been delightful, and it is good to know there are those out there who have appreciated my meager contributions to larger conversations.
National Conservatism
But before delving a bit into the projects and traveling extravaganzas, I wanted to add a few notes about a more recent trip to Miami, Fl, the land of Cuban cigars and Orthodox Jews. Yes, the little area we visited in Aventura was the land of synagogues and plenty of wealth. The Jewish community was strong there, and the opulence of the place was conspicuous. At the generous invitation of Dr. Clifford Humphreys and Dr. Yoram Hazony, I was invited to offer the Protestant prayer at #natcon2022. You can read the prayer and my conference summary here and here.
The blessedness of the whole thing was making new friends and broadening my networking with guys like James Wood, William Wolfe, and Daniel Strand and reconnecting with Brad Littlejohn and Chase Davis. I am hopeful to see many benedictions come in the future from these endeavors and alliances.
Projects, Publications, and Podcasts
Before I leave for a bouncy season of come and go, my preaching ministry at Providence has been intense these past 13 weeks. I have been working my way through Mark’s Gospel and have taken a hiatus as I work through some thematic sermons on Covenant and Psalm-Singing. Our congregation has grown to over 250, and it has been an absolute joy to pour into the regular pastoral duties. The good news is that I have surrounded myself with a session and diaconate that think highly enough of me to take some things off my plate to avoid the early death of their pastor. We also approved a pastoral intern, whom I hope to be an extra incentive for continual scholarship and pastoral care in our congregation.
I am grateful to them for all these things and more. Lest I appear to be receiving too much praise, none of this could be accomplished without a congregation that is loving, patient, and more loving still towards me. When I say I am blessed, I say it with a real southern accent that slows the speech patterns to bleesssss-eded. It's blessedness fried like my corndogs.
On the publication front, I’ve had a few essays published, and I am working on a review of "Uncommon Unity: Wisdom for the Church in an Age of Division" by Richard Lints for the Providence Magazine, a journal of Christianity and Foreign Policy.
Further, my lengthy introduction to Abraham Kuyper's Lectures on Calvinism has been published by Canon Press. This is part of their fine work in their Christian Heritage Series, and I am honored to contribute to that cause. There are some printing hiccups, but it should be available soon. Also, Canon is publishing a book composed of a series of talks delivered at last year's council meeting of the CREC, and I also have a chapter in that book.
In the works now are a few projects. The first is a work on I Corinthians 11-14 and a Mark commentary project, both for 2023 and 2024, respectively. Both with the inimitable Rich Lusk, whom I consider one of the finest scholars of our day.
I also have some side projects on a short book on the fruits of the Spirit, and I still hope to offer a second edition of my small book, The Trinitarian Father, and the work I edited, The Church-Friendly Family.
Of musical note is the new tune I published entitled Strawbridge. The tune was written in honor of my dear brother Gregg Strawbridge who left this world on January 25th and whose friendship I miss, especially when things are getting difficult in pastoral lands. Several churches have begun singing it, and our congregation has been introduced to it. This is the second tune I've written, and after much peer-review, it's my joy to see it used and sung in churches and published in new hymnals. It was not added to the New Treasure and Hymns Songbook, but it may appear in the Redeemer Hymnal. The proliferation of high-quality hymnals is one of the unspoken blessings of our day. We need more cheers for this musical revival.
From publications to podcasts. I have always found that I have the face for radio, which means that the recording universe is made for someone like me. It's been fun to do a host of podcasts over the years, but I become a wee bit more selective as I get older. It's not that I wouldn't mind doing a podcast with a newbie with an audience of six, but the reality is I am not Dr. Strange. Dr. Brito has severe limitations, and I have to be a bit choosy; with few exceptions, I have to select the interview offers that seem most fruitful at this stage. You can see several of my new interviews. Check out a recent one with the Based Podcast on politics.
On the exciting front is my endeavor with my friend, Matt Fuller. Matt is a gifted video and audio technician. At least, that's what I call him. He is also a sharp thinker. We have been discussing starting a new format of conversations on current issues, and the end result was the beginning of Capture the Dragon. Our three episodes are LIVE, including the latest one on social media that just dropped a couple of hours ago. Go ahead and subscribe to the channel. I will wait.
We have some happy ideas going forward and are grateful for the great responses to the first three episodes.
As a final side of fries, I have some upcoming work for the Perspectivalist podcast focusing on James B. Jordan's work and some other political material. The third chapter review of Through New Eyes is available to subscribers. Some great plans are coming down the tobacco pipe, and I hope you will subscribe to the channel and even contribute to the cause.
Traveling Schedule
While the work behind the desk and the pastoral visits, and the preaching keep me active on a local front, tomorrow begins a heavy season of traveling. My session carefully overlooks my schedule and offers good judgment on all these things.
I will be leaving tomorrow with the family to Greenville, SC. I will be doing three talks at the Hall of Men’s Kings and Sons Conference. I will be offering an overview of my little book, The Trinitarian Father, and then closing with a talk entitled “Why Men Don’t Sing.” I will also be leading some chants from Proverbs and delighting in some manly business throughout. I will minister in Word at Christ the King this Sunday, and I am eager to see the good work of those saints and to greet them with a holy kiss.
That trip will merge quickly with our presbytery gathering in Nashville, TN, a day after. As the presiding minister, I will lead the two-day event, consisting of the unprecedented joy of having four candidates for examination to the ministry and one transfer exam. God is growing the CREC, and I am pleased to be a small part of this glorious endeavor.
I will return shortly thereafter back to paradise in Pensacola only to pack up and get to the airport in time to travel to Brazil, specifically Porto Alegre, where, in God’s kindness, I will be ordaining the first CREC pastor in South America. I am eager to be there and especially see my old Brazilian buddy, Joffre Swait, of pipe-smoking fame. We will all travel after the ordination to Joinville, Santa Catarina, where we will meet another young pastor seeking to join the battlefield in the CREC. Should things go well, as expected, we may have our second CREC congregation in Brazil.
Upon return to Florida, I will prepare to go from 80-90 degrees to the blistering cold of Anchorage, AL, where I will deliver two talks on the two Augustines. The first is on Augustine of Hippo, where I will offer an overview of his theology of friendship which I developed in my dissertation, and then on the lesser-known but influential Augustine of Canterbury, the evangelist of England. I will close the week with preaching at a CREC congregation there led by the faithful Rev. Jack Phelps. If time allows, I hope to interview him for my “Great Kuyperian” series.
I will then have some time back home, but I will pack my bags again to the land of gays and Gavin Newson, of which those two words different ARE NOT. I will join the un-gay, Bible-thumping fellows at the Center for Cultural Leadership. Andrew Sandlin is a titan, and I look forward to giving him a big hug and participating in jovial form in all the blessedness of those few days. We will be talking about all things National Conservatism, pro and con.
Finally, my annual endeavors will conclude in Monroe, LA, where I will deliver a talk at their annual fundraising event for the Geneva Classical School. My talk will focus on raising children who understand and apply the theology of mockery. Mr. Ed Lang is a gem, and I am eager to speak that evening and address his faculty the day after.
My schedule for next year is already uber exciting, and I will share the details with you in my next Perspectivalist.
Prayer as Gift
Finally, I ask you to pray for me in these areas:
Physical and mental strength to complete writing deadlines and endure much traveling in the months ahead.
That I leisure well in the presence of my enemies using mockery effectively.
For wisdom to choose the healthier options rather than assuming I can fulfill all of them.
Greater love for my tribe.
Piety to destroy devilish temptations; humility to see my efforts as an infinitesimal contribution to the greater work of the kingdom.
Competency to analyze my dilemmas and achieve wise decisions.
Pastoral succinctness rather than pastoral elongation; choosing to be concise rather than over-extending myself.