The Name still applies

I've wanted to sit down and write for about a week, but after going away for the weekend, I had some catch up to play.

Where did I go you ask? I was able to go up to Minneapolis to the Desiring God Conference entitled, Above All Earthly Powers: The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World. It was a great time of teaching and fellowship. I was able to stay with some college friends of mine and got to meet his wife and be encouraged by them. The speakers were great. Big names like, D.A. Carson, Timothy Keller, Mark Driscoll, John Piper. Driscoll was the biggest draw for me. He's pastor of Mars Hill Church out in Seattle. I was turned on to him a few years back, but just started listening to him regularly back in January. He doesn't pull his punches preaching and always starts with Jesus and ends with Jesus. That's what really impressed me about him. I was listening to him once and I'm quite sure he said "Jesus" about 15 times in 2 minutes. You don't hear preaching like that very often.

It was interesting, most of what was talked about, or against, at the conference is what I'm living in here at Seminary. Truth is something that can't be found. Do we really need Jesus? Scripture is central, but not inerrant-- which leads to dismissing of verses we don't like. It's an interesting atmosphere. But so I can react after some reflection, which doesn't always happen in the moment, I'll be posting my commentary here.

The name still applies though.

Silence and Solitude

Be glad there wasn't a gun around me last Friday. It may have been a permanent silence. I'm kidding of course...

For one of my classes this semester I had to do a solitude and silence retreat just outside of Chicago. It was about 12 hours, half of which I slept through. I'd never been silent so long. It was an interesting experience, but not one that I'll purposely seek after ever again. I did get some good photos, which I posted down below. The bottom two, the chair and massage bed, were in the room where I spent most of my day. It wasn't quite that dark, but I liked the effect the window gave them. And the blurry crucifix was just outside my room. I hope you enjoy.

The chapel was full of stained glass windows. My dad taught me to love stained glass, so I took some pictures remembering him... he's still alive. I don't want to sound morbid.  

This crucifix was in the main chapel. I threw on some effects and came up with this. Again, with the notion that we don't full grasp Christ's death on the cross. 

Crucifix. I think we as Protestants often don't like seeing the Catholic Crucifix, but even when we do try to see it and dwell on Christ as sacrifice, it is hard for us to understand, or see clearly.