The Main Things are Plain Things

I. Living on The Road Was Gonna Keep Me Free and Clean

So I am back at Alistair Begg's minsiter's conference, preaching conference, kind of both. I have been maybe 5 times. It is always a very good, refreshing, enlightening, challenging, and spiritually revitalizing time. I have pounded the drum and invited many to accompany me. I am here with Adam Foster, pastor of Olive Hill Christian Church, and former youth pastor at the church I served in Morehead. Jim Hall is also here with us, pastor of Dunaway Methodist, the first church I served. He came to the altar at a revival I preached in 2007, and what a blessing that he serves the people I love so much. He also brought Ale 8s, because he knows we will be in an absolute desert in Cleveland. We rolled to dinner about 8, after the evening service at Begg's church. And because we are in Ohio, we ate at Bob Evans.
Begg preached on Hebrews 10, which is a great help to me, as we will be returning to the series on Hebrews on June 22.

II. The Desert's Quiet and Cleveland's Cold

I forgot to bring my gun. I came to Cleveland and forgot my gun. It's a Beretta 9mm. It is made of steel, not that polymer junk the Austrians get into. If need be, I could throw it and bring down a few miscreants. Alas. The only consolation I have is that there is some serious soul food nearby. Had French toast and fried chicken for breakfast. Have mercy there was as much crunch as chicken.

III. Pancho Needs Your Prayers, It's True
Why do I come to a Reformed Preacher's conference? Because Begg is one of the best preachers, and his Calvinism, like John Newton's, is like sugar in tea... it's there but you can't see it. To fortify msyelf, though, I got all hopped up on Dennis Kinlaw sermons from a podcast on the drive up, and what does Begg do? He quotes Martyn Lloyd-Jones quoting John Wesley. And then we sang "And Can It Be."
The interesting thing is that the only thing anyone has pushed back on is that the GMC ordains women. Really? That's your issue? Ok.

IV. We Coulda Had Him Any Day

I have to admit. We slipped out just before lunch and missed a breakout session because no trip to Cleveland is complete without going to Mabel's. It's a bbq joint downtown by the basketball arena and ballpark. Texas smoke meets Cleveland's Eastern European heritage. They smoke pastrami! Pastrami! Have mercy, that's in Revelation somewhere.
And then hard times: dinner at the Conference was... bbq. We are terribly miserable.

This is the end of the matter. There are, I think, about 1400 pastors here. That's enough to reform the nation if we will seek His Spirit and speak His Word.

I'll be heading back tomorrow afternoon. I pray for safe travels and ability to integrate what we have learned into fruitful ministry.