Tag, I’m It

Chris Anderson has “tagged” me and I’m it. Well, this was fun:

1. One book that changed your life



The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible by B. B. Warfield. This was one of the first books I read after my grad school days at Clemson. Through this book, Warfield instilled in me a love for the Bible and a love for theology all at the same time. It was just thrilling to read and discover the rich doctrine of the Scriptures. I have enjoyed teaching others many of the things found in this book.


2. One book that you’ve read more than once



The Disciplined Life by Richard Taylor. I think I picked this little book up at the Wilds several years ago. I found it to be very challenging, helpful, and worth reading every once in a while. In fact, I probably need to give it another read sometime soon.

The Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges is another book worthy of multiple reads but I have only read it once.


3. One book you’d want on a deserted island

Let’s face it, I would not last one month on a deserted island. But given some way to sustain myself for long periods of time, I think I would pick the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit by C. H. Spurgeon.


4. One book that made you laugh

Eccentric Preachers by C. H. Spurgeon. Most of the books I read are not what you would call “knee slappers” but I do remember this book being pretty entertaining.


5. One book that made you cry



Introduction to Topology by Gramelin and Greene. Yikes! What ever possessed me to take Topology my senior year at BJU? Sure, I was a math major but what was I thinking!?! I still have nightmares about this class and, wow, what a book. Don’t be fooled by the cartoon on the cover!


6. One book that you wish had been written

A decent exegetical commentary on the Psalms. The Psalms are so rich theologically and messianically but I haven’t seen any work that treats them in any detail. The closest probably are the three volumes in the Word series but even that set just skims the surface.

Maybe even better would be any commentary by Mark Minnick. Surely there is a Phil Johnson type running around Mt. Calvary or the BJU Seminary that could take on the task to edit one of Minnick’s book series. Romans, Ephesians, Revelation, John – take your pick!


7. One book that you wish had never been written



I know Chris already mentioned Grace Awakening, so I guess this is cheating, but I can’t think of another book that fits so well in this category. Selecting What Love is this? is such a boring softball pick that it hardly needs mentioning.


8. One book you are currently reading



The Drama of Doctrine by Kevin Vanhoozer. I just recently blogged about this book. See below.


9. One book you’ve been meaning to read



Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. I don’t read a lot of fiction but I have heard good things about this book, especially as it relates to spiritual things. This book is on my bookshelf just asking to be read. Besides, it's a classic.

I would also like to read the 2 volume biography of Hudson Taylor by Howard and Mrs. Taylor. This biography comes highly recommended by both my previous pastor and Dr. Minnick.

10. Tag someone, or five, take your pick

I'll tag Brian McCrorie.

Pastoral Transition Sunday

On July 23, 2006 Grace Baptist Church formally handed over the responsibility of senior pastor to David Wood. In the morning service, Pastor Henderson preached his final message as our pastor from 2 Peter 1. After his message we voted in the Wood family as members – it is always good for the pastor and his family to actually be members. Correction, two of the Wood girls stayed behind in Illinois for a couple weeks to help out with their old church’s VBS program – at least, that is their story. I think they were just trying to get out of painting. :)

That evening we had a testimony time so that our church family could reflect upon and praise the Lord for 6 years of faithful ministry by the Henderson’s. I’ve never seen so many grown men cry in all my life. After the testimony time, our choir presented a sacred concert that included a special song, Complete In Thee, that Bob Grass, our music director, composed specifically for this service. At the conclusion of the concert, Pastor Henderson came up to the pulpit to say some parting words and officially welcome David Wood as our new pastor. At this point, just about everyone in congregation was crying.

This was a special time for our young church, both sad and exciting at the same time. Pastoral transitions are not all that rare but, normally, unless the senior pastor is retiring and has groomed someone to take his place, you don’t have the incoming and outgoing pastor sharing the service in this way. Earlier that week, they were both in the pastor’s office, one unpacking books and the other packing, all at the same time. I joked with Pastor Wood that the reason Pastor Henderson looked so happy then was that he was using that opportunity to surreptitiously add to his library. :)

Getting back to the service, after Pastor Wood took the pulpit, he asked the Henderson’s to come back up on the platform so that we could officially send them out as church planters from our church to Tampa. We laid our hands on them and prayed that the Lord would bless them and their new ministry in Florida. I believe the Henderson’s are still on track to hold their first service in Tampa on August 13th. The Lord has supplied a good core group for them to start with but they will definitely need our prayers as they are starting all over from scratch in an area that is probably more difficult and certainly more expensive.


Here are some pictures from during and after the service:

The GBC choir sings during the sacred concert

Here I am reading Scripture between songs

Laying hands on Pastor Henderson and Melinda

GBC teens, including the two most recent, Katylynn and Whitney Wood

JD hanging out after church