.: What’s Bruin :.

D.A. Carson, professor of the New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

The Supremacy of Christ and Love in A Postmodern World
2006 Desiring God National Conference
Saturday Evening General Session

Introduction
What the world needs now . . . Love for whom? The song has just enough truth so we can feel good about ourselves, but not enough to reflect on what God wants for us.

Five Petitions from Jesus
To his heavenly Father on behalf of his followers (John 17)

1. Jesus prays that God will keep his followers safe - John 17:11-12, 15
Standard: Because Jesus is going away
Purpose: Protection from the devil, from the world (John 17:16), from disunity

2. Jesus prays that his disciples may be one - John 17:20-23

Standard: Jesus himself - John 17:22
Purpose: So the world will believe that the Father sent him - John 17:21, 23 - vindicates Jesus’ claims

3. Jesus prays that God would sanctify Jesus’ followers - John 17:17

Standard: The truth
Purpose: To be sanctified in Christ’s own sanctification

4. Jesus prays that his disciples will experience the full measure of Jesus’ joy

Standard: Because Jesus is going to the Father and they will no longer be able to see him
Purpose: To do the Father’s will

5. Jesus prays that his followers will be him forever

Standard: Because the Father loved Jesus before the foundation of the world - the Father determined that Christ’s glory will be displayed
Purpose: For God to dwell with his people so they can see the glory of Jesus

Love
1. The supremacy of Christ in the mediation of God’s love - John 17:25-26

• Jesus is the ultimate tabernacle - the meeting place between God and his people
• The Word became flesh (John 1 - 6 quotes from Exodus 32, 33, 34)
• God’s love for us is mediated through God’s love for his Son on the cross
• The goodness of God par excellence is on the cross

2. The role of Jesus Christ in the Trinitarian experience of God’s love - John 5

• Jesus says he is God — one with God
• Sonship has a functional role of one’s father - functional dependence upon his Father
• The Son can do nothing by himself, whatever the son does, the Father does because the Father loves the Son.
• Whatever the Father does, the Son also does — The Son perfectly reflects the Father because the Father loves the Son. John 14:29 - I do exactly what my Father has commanded me

3. The exclusiveness of Jesus Christ in our experience of God’s love

• The guarantee of Christ’s love for us is the love between the Godhead
• The ultimate purpose of Jesus going to the cross is to obey his Father. Not my will, but Yours be done.
• The reason why God has given everything to the Son is because of God’s love for the Son. The Father is determined that all will honor the Son.

Conclusion
The perfection of love is obedience.

Tim Challies has a more complete summary of this talk. I spent most of my time listening and did not focus very well on my notetaking so I’m sure you’ll find Tim’s summary more cohesive than these notes.

Tags: absolutes, Christian, conference, culture, D.A.-Carson, Desiring-God, Jesus-Christ, postmodern, Sermons, Spiritual, supremacy-of-Christ, truth

Mark Driscoll, author of The Radical Reformission: Reaching Out without Selling Out and Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church (The Leadership Network Innovation)
Pastor of Mars Hill Church

The Supremacy of Christ and Truth in A Postmodern World
2006 Desiring God National Conference
Saturday Afternoon General Session

Introduction
A look at Jesus:

• Born in a podunk town
• Had a virgin mother
• Led an obscure life until the age of 30
• Ministry spanned roughly three years
• Had an astonishing legacy — we denote time in history by his birth
• Most influential person in the history of the world
• Culturally hot as ever, the subject of pop culture (t-shirts, tattoos, television, pop stars
• Cross of Christ is a pop icon

Mark says that he is glad that he doesn’t look like a girl because it’s kind of hard to worship someone you can beat up.

Christology
There are two different views of Christology in the Emergent church vs. the New Calvinism.

Incarnation view of Jesus (popular with the Emergent church):
They think of him as fully man. The humanness of Jesus is stressed. The gospels and Philippians 2 demonstrate that Jesus identifies with us through his suffering and service. Jesus came into culture and entered into community with lost people.

The problem with this view is when it becomes an incomplete/extreme view of the incarnation — when Jesus has become someone who is less than God. In this extreme, Jesus is little more than someone than a marginalized person who cannot inspire the world or transformation of life. This Jesus is not big enough to be worshiped, feared, obeyed, and respected.

Exaltation view of Jesus (popular with the New Calvinists)
The divinity of Jesus is emphasized. Scriptures such as Isaiah 6 and John 12:41 demonstrate the transcendence and imminence of Christ.

Driscoll says that we must avoid the error of reductionism. We need both views of Christ. We should not overemphasize Jesus’ humanity; however, because he suffered and was tempted, we can identify with him. He is our example of humility, suffering, and service. We should not overemphasize Jesus’ divinity; however, we must depend upon the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. We have the authority to call people to repentance. There is no one but Christ who is Lord, King, Judge, and Ruler. We can turn to Luke and Acts for scriptures that demonstrate the incarnation of Christ. We can turn to Revelation for scripture that demonstrates the exalted Christ with heavenly scenes and the throne room (See Revelation 19 for the portrayal of the authority of Christ.) In Revelation we all see that Jesus has a “tattoo” on his legs that say “King of kings, Lord of lords”. He wears white, declaring war.

Missiology
In reaching people for Christ, Driscoll argues for relevantism or being seeker-sensible. He says we must contend for the exaltation of Jesus Christ. See Jude 3 for this timeless truth of contending for the faith. We must make an assault on pluralism with the proclamation that faith is delivered to us once for all. It is this faith that must be contended for.

• Scripture as truthful
• It is the inerrant, meta-narrative in authority over everything and everybody.
• We must tell the overarching story of the bible
• Sovereignty of God must be defended against open theism
• Virgin birth
• Argue against Pelagianism, which is the denial of original sin
• We are wicked from conception.
• But it is a popular belief that people are essentially good.
• Penal substitutionary atonement
• God hates sin.
• God’s wrath burns against sinners.
• We are not safe from the wrath, anger, and justice of God UNLESS we believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins. Christ made The Great Exchange (Luther).
• Exclusivity of Jesus - he is different from anyone (any religious leader) who has ever lived by claiming he is the the only way to God
• Don’t send people to hell in the name of tolerance and diversity.
• It’s better to be offended now than to be kindling forever.
• Take Oprah for example: “One of the biggest mistakes humans make is to believe there is only one way.
• We are created male and female
• Doctrine of hell
• Jesus speaks of hell more than anyne.
• Advertising markets “functional saviors” to get out of your “proverbial hell”.
• Kingdom over culture

Contextualization
This is the proverbial fork in the road. Driscoll says to think of this as doing “timely ministry”. We must communicate the truth to various people groups and culture (See 1 Cor 9). To the Jews Paul became as the Jews, etc. in order to win some to Christ.

In postmodern culture, there will be some things that we need to reject, receive, and and redeem.

Tim Challies has a more complete summary of this talk.

Tags: absolutes, Christian, conference, culture, Desiring-God, Jesus-Christ, Mark-Driscoll, postmodern, Sermons, Spiritual, supremacy-of-Christ, truth

Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City

The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel in A Postmodern World
2006 Desiring God National Conference
Second Saturday Morning General Session

As prefaced by Keller himself, this talk was more of a lecture rather than a sermon.

Introduction
Keller introduces his lecture be referring to a message from Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones (given in London in 1959). He said that “the demon is in too deep” and that this kind comes out by prayer and fasting, referring to a passage in Mark 9. In this passage, he refers to an allegory where the boy in this passage represents the contemporary church and the disciples are represented by the church. In today’s society, the notion of the spiritual is gone. The problem is not apathy. Now, the Western world is a mission field; it is an ex-Christian mission field. So today’s evangelism in the West is for a culture that used to be Christian.

Western culture has the memory of Christianity such that they are inoculated to the gospel. So what won’t work anymore is a presentation or a program. Now, people need to be shown that you need a personal Savior. In our society, Christian background is gone. In European cities, there are pockets of “Christ-haunted” people.

In North America during the 60s, there was crusade evangelism. Then in the 70s and 80s, there was programmed personal evangelism. In the 90s, we had (and continue to have) seeker sensitive services. The current program, or what Keller refers to as the last “magic bullet” evangelism, is the Alpha program. Keller says that traditional evangelism is even less effective because of three problems:

1. Truth - viewed as a power play
2. Guilt - the listener knows they need to be good
3. Meaning - people don’t believe text or that words can get meaning across

Six-Point Approach for Doing Evangelism
Pastor Keller presented six points for doing evangelism.

1. Gospel theologizing

Jonah 1:1 - The word of the Lord came to Jonah, go to Ninevah and preach

Mistakenly, it’s believed that theology is for the “advanced”. Especially in a postmodern society, it is important to present theology that is based on an exposition of the gospel. Inherent in gospel language must be the idea that God gave himself as a sacrifice, a vehicle for salvation. The goal of God speaking should never be separated from the gospel. Every aspect of theology must be gospel-centered.

In programmatic gospel presentation, the story arc of the universe was missing. It was missing the story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. The programmed gospel is:

• Very individualistic
• Missing emphasis on the corporate
• Missing emphasis on the kingdom

Postmodern evangelism must include a blend of systematic theology and biblical theology.

2. Gospel realizing

The end of Jonah 2 shows that salvation is of the Lord. The gospel must be presented in such a way that people realize the wonder of the gospel and its implications.

The gospel: I am accepted through what Jesus Christ did; therefore, I obey. IF I am saved by grace, then there is nothing that God can’t ask of me.

Religion: I am accepted by God IF I obey.

People might understand the gospel intellectually, but existentially, they are still justifying themselves through their own actions, the approval of others, success, money, or how your children turn out.

3. Gospel urbanizing

When you come to the city, how could you not love the mass of lost people? The city is strategic because as the city goes, so does the culture.

Evangelical churches are the least loving because they don’t like being around people who are not like them. You can’t reach the world for Christ if you don’t reach the cities.

4. Gospel communication

The are four stages to sharing the gospel relationally: intelligibility, credibility, plausibility, and intimacy.

• Intelligibility:
• Progressive communication shown through Jonah 3:4-9. In past gospel presentations, we would tell others about God, sin, Christ, and salvation. But this does not work anymore because people don’t understand these things anymore. In Acts 17, Paul lays out the Christian world view. It’s an example of how people need to intelligently perceive what you are presenting them.
• Credibility:
• We need to show unbelievers that their belief system is not true in their own terms. For example, it is a widely held postmodern belief that all religions are equally valid. Everyone grasps part of the the truth so they think what they see is the whole truth. No religion can say they have the truth; therefore, there can be no one true religion or absolute truth. This is said in the interest of being inclusive while Christianity is exclusive.
• Postmodern evangelism must deconstruct these beliefs by showing what the non-negotiables of the gospel are. A good question to ask would be: “Whose exclusive views lead you to love, peace, and serving others?”
• Plausibility:
• We must connect with the hopes of unbelievers. This is contextualization.
• We need to show how the lines of their own lives and the struggles of their own culture will only be resolved in Jesus Christ.

5. Gospel formation

When Jonah goes back to Ninevah a second time, he is a broken man. Similarly, fruitful evangelism is produced out of Christ’s power and human weakness. So it’s important to share our weaknesses and how Christ’s strength helps in those weaknesses. Unless something comes into your life that humbles you, you may not really believe the gospel deep inside because you are not a “strength out of weakness” type person.

6. Gospel incarnation

Jonah is a setup for Jeremiah 29. Through exile, God was preparing the Jews for a different time in their history. The Lord told them to be part of the city (Babylon), to pray for its peace and prosperity.

We must use our religion for public good. It can’t be a private religion where you are so absorbed in your own problems that you don’t love others. So if you have a relationship with God, DO SOMETHING.

Jonah went to the city, but he didn’t love the city. People need to know what it’s like NOT to believe.

Question
Does the postmodern world know that we are the kind of church that loves them?

If not, then they have the right to rebuke us.

Tim Challies has a more complete summary of this talk.

Tags: absolutes, Christian, conference, culture, Desiring-God, Jesus-Christ, postmodern, Sermons, Spiritual, supremacy-of-Christ, Tim-Keller, truth

Voddie Baucham, author of The Ever-Loving Truth: Can Faith Thrive in a Post-Christian Culture?
Pastor of Preaching, Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas

The Supremacy of Christ and Truth in A Postmodern World
2006 Desiring God National Conference
First Saturday Morning General Session

Introduction
Truth is a difficult thing to grasp, but the supremacy of Christ is what is at stake. There are two main competing world views in our culture: Christian theism vs. Secular humanism. Both of these world views have opposing viewpoints concerning four issues or questions:

• Question of God
• There is a God who is all-powerful vs. no God where man is the starting point.
• The overwhelming majority of Americans believe there is a God
• Question of man
• Special creation of God vs a single-celled organism that has run a mock, an accident
• Question of truth
• Truth is true and absolute at all times vs. truth is used via naturalistic closed system (no supernatural) — excludes the possibility of God
• Question of ethics
• Absolute vs cultural — each culture negotiates its own ethics, each period of history negotiates its own ethics

Four Questions
It is in the soul of every person to ask four basic questions. These competing world views have two different answers.

1. Who am I?
• From culture:
• You are nothing, you are an accident, you are a mistake, you are a glorified mistake, the result of random evolutionary processes, no rhyme, no reason, no purpose
• From truth: Col 1:15
• Why does the text start with “He is”? Because the answer begins with Jesus Christ!
• He is God on this earth, God with us, God Almighty, the Creator of all things
• I am the crowning glory of the Creation of God regardless of your circumstances, your class or station in life
• You are what the Creator of the Universe says you are: I am created in the image of God — whether I am handsome or deformed
• As a result, I have inherent dignity, worth, and value
• Question for thought: Just because it (racism) happened, does not make it right (narrative does not make normative) — what rose up to stop it? That people who believed in the supremacy of Christ rose up to stop it.
2. Why am I here?
• From culture:
• You are here to consume and enjoy (unquenchable materialism)
• The only that matters is whether I am more powerful than you, and if you have something I need for my enjoyment, the it is incumbent upon me to take from you what I need for my own satisfaction (social Darwinism)
• Aryanism — the Jews were things
• What we do to the womb — a deformed child will hinder your ability to consume and enjoy
• The old and feeble — the end is near, you have a right to die, your children won’t have to take care of you anymore
• Children cost too much, they get in the way of our consumption and enjoyment
• From truth: Col 1:16-18
• To bring glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ — This is why I exist
• He is to have supremacy and preeminence in all things
• God is not against you having things; He is against things having you
• God made me with unique gifts and talents
• What if we saw our studies as stewardship, but raised children to discover the way God has put them together and then study that in the university to further the purpose for which they were created?
3. What is wrong with the world?
• From culture:
• People are insufficiently educated or insufficiently governed
• They don’t know enough or they are not watched enough
• More education, more government
• Problem: give more knowledge to a murderous people, who then have more knowledge to destroy, then they need to be governed more
• From truth: Col 1:19-21
• YOU are hostile in mind (to whom it was that created you)
• How can there be a righteous God and evil exist in the world?
• You look me in the eye and ask: How on earth can a holy and righteous God know what I did and thought and said yesterday and not kill me in my sleep?
• Then ask the question. Because you believe the problem out there?
• Why does the judgment of God tarry?
• Because the last breath I took I borrowed from Him!
• The problem is ME, the fact that I do not acknowledge the supremacy of Christ
• The problem is that I start with man as the measure of all things
• I judge God based on how he carries out MY agenda in the world — as a result, I want a God who is omnipotent, but not sovereign
• But if God is both omnipotent and sovereign, then I am at his mercy
4. How can what is wrong be made right?
• From culture:
• You need to have a religious experience, do more good than right, then hope for the best when you die
• Problem:
1. I can’t be good. I am radically depraved. Even when I do things that are good, I do them for wrong motives.
2. What about the things I did before my religious experience?
3. Where’s my assurance?
• From truth: Col 1:22-23
• By the substitutionary atonement of the death of Christ, not any other way (exclusivity)
  there is no other means for man to be justified
• 2 Cor 5:21 - God made him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf so that we may become the righteousness of God in him
• Instead God crushed and killed his Son to satisfy his justice and righteousness

Conclusion
Is that enough for my sin?

The spotless, sinless, lamb of God was crushed and killed to pay a debt he did not owe on behalf of sinners who could not pay it back.

• Repent and believe — the faith of sinners
• The supremacy of Christ in truth also means the sufficiency of Christ in truth
• I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of salvation

Tim Challies has a more complete summary of this talk.

Tags: absolutes, Christian, conference, culture, Desiring-God, Jesus-Christ, postmodern, Sermons, Spiritual, supremacy-of-Christ, truth, Voddie-Baucham

I was very excited to attend this first session. I arrived at the main doors of the auditorium early, probably one of the first 50 people inside. I really wanted to get a seat in the very front, but unfortunately, I followed some people to the right and got trapped behind this “media” wall. So I had to settle for some seats in the back, but fortunately, not in the balcony. As a result, I did not take any pictures of David Wells during this first session.

This is where I waited to get inside

The view from my seat on the first night
There were about 3,130 people at this conference.

I knew that there would be at least three bloggers attending this conference, bloggers whose blogs I read regularly, that is. And as we were waiting for the session to start, I started panning the crowd looking for a couple of bloggers in particular. I did not have to look very far since we were seated behind the “media” bar. I found live blogger Tim Challies right away. I snuck a picture of him and during the break after the first session, I introduced myself. He seems like a quiet guy and was a little uncomfortable when I shook his hand. But then again, he must get people coming up to him all the time at these conferences since thousands of people like myself read his blog every day. All in all, he’s a nice guy and I’ll probably see him at other conferences that he blogs about. I would like to attend DG each year God willing.

Tim Challies live blogged each session

The first session began at 7:15 PM. Though hymns are not my favorite style of worship, the voices were good. I like the traditional words a lot. I am more open tolerant about styles of worship music than when I was younger. I realize that God draws people into worship through a person’s musical tastes.

I did not finish reading Wells’ book before this conference (since it was his book that inspired the theme for the conference). However, I don’t think I missed out by not reading it ahead of time because Wells’ talk provided the introduction and the background for all the subsequent talks. And because I read the first hundred pages or so, Mr. Wells’ talk tonight was easier to follow, which is probably why I was able to get more out of it.

Although I did not think Mr. Wells was the most dynamic speaker, I did find him very interesting because he is an intellectual, and older person, and a well-respected author. Because I am currently reading his book, I already knew what kind of tone to expect for his talk. John, on the other hand, was critical, which was not a good attitude for the start of this conference. Criticizing the worship music and the first speaker was definitely not my idea of seeking what good can be gotten from participating in the first session. Honestly, after the first day, I began to wish that I had attended this conference alone or with somebody else.

After the first session and before the evening speaker panel, I think I pretty much was the most insulted I have been in a long time. I commented on why there was a shrieking baby at the conference and how inappropriate that was. The comment back to me was: “Wise words coming from someone who has never had children.”

Well, I am certain the other 3,129 people attending this conference would prefer to listen and participate in these sessions without have to filter out the sounds of a crying hysterical, shrieking child. I won’t bother going into more detail nor the two decades experience I have had working with children almost every day, as well as other parenting experiences here at home. Depositing sperm can make one a father, but it certainly takes more to be a dad. Suffice it to say, I don’t think I will ever be traveling with “close” friends ever again. I think there’s just too much similarity of personalities between good friends that it adds an additional stress to being around each other all the time.

Tags: absolutes, Blogging, conference, culture, David-Wells, Desiring-God, Friends, postmodern, Reflection, Sermons, Spiritual, truth, Worship

David Wells, author of Above All Earthly Pow’rs

The Supremacy of Christ in A Postmodern World
2006 Desiring God National Conference
Friday Evening General Session

Introduction
Mr. Wells began by stating that the supremacy of Christ is “a theme so great and so central without which the Church would not exist”. He begins his talk by delineating two distinct periods in history:

(1) In 1893, 90% of all Protestants lived in the West. Even after a century of missions, the religious distribution did not change much with still 90% of all Protestants living in the West.
(2) Today’s society is caught in a time of great Transformation where the spread of Christian belief is moving south and east. Statistically, there are probably more Christians in China than in the United States.

Christianity is struggling to survive in the Western world. The United States is the exception, but in Europe most churches and cathedrals are empty. In contrast, some African countries have about 80% of their population going to church. Today, Christianity is becoming more and more de-Westernized.

When to compared to Islam, which has a geographical center (Mecca) and a language (Arabic), Christianity has no center, no one race that dominates, no language, and no culture. Rather, Christianity is about a Person, not just the founder of a religion. This Person is none other than the incarnate, reigning, resurrected Christ.

He is so great that his death and resurrection marks time in all of history. But he is not just great, but also unique, in a category all by himself. No other religious figure claimed to be God incarnate, bear our sins, rise from the dead, and reign supreme. Mr. Wells argues that it is the uniqueness of Christ that be proclaimed in a postmodern society.

Case Study
Mr. Wells uses the book of Hebrews to make this point. Background to Hebrews:

• Written to Jewish believers brought up to treasure everything done in history
• Jews were sent prophets and given extraordinary leaders (e.g. Moses)
• Jews at the time of Christ faced persecution, Roman oppression, and were hounded by religious authorities, resulting in fear within

At this time, the Jews wanted to “disappear”, but could not ignore the uniqueness of Christ. In contrast to what the Jews were given in the Old Testament, Hebrews 1:1-2 says that God spoke in the past through prophets, but now in these last days God has spoken through his Son. So instead of prophets, they now had God himself, in the flesh, something never seen before. In addition to the Scriptures, they had Christ in whom is contained all the wisdom of treasures of knowledge. In essence, Christ is the “end-game” message, the complete and absolute synthesis of what God has been saying across the ages of time.

Hebrews 1-10 talks about why the Jewish believers were thinking of leaving Christ and going back to Judaism. The pastoral application of this is that they need to walk by faith to overcome their unbelief. Hebrews 3:19 recounts how the Jews could not enter the Promised Land because of unbelief. They could not see that God would be sufficient for what was on the other side. Instead they fearfully saw giants and fortified cities, “far greater” than what they could count upon from God’s deliverance.

In the same way these Jewish Christians were doing the same thing. They feared being kicked out of the synagogue and feared being rejected from Judaism, which would cut them off from Moses, David, Isaiah, all the great Jewish leaders. Hebrews 11, on the other hand, states that if you walk by faith, you will be in continuity and communion with all the great leaders of the past. This faith is the assurance of this hoped for and conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). It is the fearless persuasion of what was in the goodness of God and his character. People of faith are empowered to bear suffering and disappointments, Hebrews 11:35-38.

In today’s postmodern West, believers are experiencing the same thing.

• Difficult to focus on the supremacy of Christ
• There are opportunities that previous generations never had
• There are also numerous worries that previous generations never had
• There is the psychological pressure of living in this highly compressed, pressurized, and relativistic society where different lifestyles co-exist
• There is the intrusiveness of this world with so much that demands our attention

These problems become overwhelming when the supremacy of Christ is forgotten.

Scriptural Foundation for the Supremacy of Christ
Hebrews 2:8-9, grounded in Psalm 8
Problems:

• Man is given a mandate by God to have dominion
• This vision of dominion has been derailed
• The outside and inner worlds are out of control

Solution: Hebrews 2:9 — Jesus tasted death for us, the just dying for the unjust, bearing the righteous anger of God. It is Christ’s work that begins the work of “re-railing” creation.

Hebrews 10:11-13, grounded in Psalm 110
This is a comparison of the Old Testament priests and Christ. The OT priests never sat because their work is never finished. Christ, on the other hand, sat down at the right hand of the Father because his work on the cross is a finished work. Christ makes his enemies his footstool. Picture a conqueror putting his foot on the neck of his enemy. These verses demonstrate the sovereignty of God and Christ and the superiority of Christ’s priesthood (in the order of Melchizedek). Christ has been elevated and sits at God’s right hand; therefore, so do we. Christ’s conquest over death breaks the back of evil. Nothing the enemy does can change the final outcome.

Three Conclusions

1. Christianity is this kind of Christ: unique, central, indispensable, and supreme
2. We have been redeemed in full, but we see ourselves as not fully redeemed
3. It is God’s pleasure that his Son should be acknowledged NOW for who he is

Tim Challies has a more complete summary of this talk, especially if you’re looking for the implications of these conclusion statements.

Tags: absolutes, Christian, conference, culture, David-Wells, Desiring-God, Jesus-Christ, postmodern, Sermons, Spiritual, supremacy-of-Christ, truth

Since I was in Minneapolis a day early, I decided to visit the famous Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the United States. After a nice breakfast downstairs, John and I boarded the LRT at about 9:00 AM. It only cost $2 one way for the 25-minute ride.

Me on the LRT

The weather was okay, a little overcast, but not totally freezing. To keep my ears warm, I wore my cool beanie for the first time.

Not really knowing what to expect at this mall, I was anticipating this huge amusement park thing. And as you enter the mall from the parking/transit center, you enter the amusement park area.

Amusement Park inside the Mall of America

There’s a couple of other attractions like a shark aquarium, Lego play area, and an AMC movie theater. Soon after arriving, John and I had some coffee at Starbucks. Unfortunately, part of our conversation irritated me severely. But I tried to just ignore it the rest of the day.

It would be very difficult to walk around to all the shops in this gigantic mall. The most interesting store that we visited was a Halloween Express. There were all kinds of cool costumes and masks, as well as other interesting and strange get ups like fake boobs. I won’t put the picture here in the post, but you can see it in my Flickr set. I thought this ugly, scary clown was the best masked thing in the store.

I’d like this for the kids back in my neighborhood

(more…)

Tags: Apple, Bubba-Gump, conference, Desiring-God, downtown, Life, Light-Rail-Transit, Mall-of-America, Minneapolis, shopping, train, transit, transportation, Travels

NOTE; As I write about the conference, there will be two kinds of posts, personal and session summary. The following post is a personal one. I apologize in advance for all my grumbling, but I was exhausted when I left for this trip.

What a whacked up day it was. Last night after taking my exam, I procrastinated on my packing for the trip for several hours. The test was the culmination of the past few weeks of being busy at work and at school while trying to work ahead at both so I can go away to this conference without worrying about stuff that I’ve left behind. So with that said, I finished packing at about 3:00 AM and went to bed, then woke up at 3:45 AM. Josephine and I were out the door by 4:00 AM.

The relatively short flight from San Diego to Chicago was so uncomfortable. But I really think it was more because I was dog tired. Sleeping on airplanes is not one of my abilities. I was sure glad to get off the plane in Chicago for a two-hour layover. The last time I was in the Chicago airport was seven years ago for our honeymoon. Josephine and I were on our way to Miami for our Caribbean cruise. I remember how cool-looking the Chicago airport seemed to me and how vast.

Chicago Airport

After lunch at Chili’s, I just waited for my last leg to Minneapolis. I tried to relax and take a short nap while lying down on an uncomfortable, hard chair in the gate area. But the constant announcements over the loudspeakers disturbed what little dozing off I could get.

The flight to Minneapolis was worse than the first. Sorry for all my complaining. It’s a little “foreshadowing” of something I’ll write about later. Though only one hour long, I had a window seat, which normally would not have been so bad. But the sun was beating down on the side of the plane and making me hot. Plus, the ventilation system was not turned on until shortly before take off, so by takeoff time, I was burning up. On top of it all was a little girl talking out loud during the whole trip.

Grumble grumble. But yes! I finally landed, though still not feeling quite like I’m getting away for an uplifting weekend.

My buddy, John, arrived about a half hour later on a different airline. And now we were finally on our way. We rode the Light Rail Transit to downtown Minneapolis. The train terminal at the airport reminded me a lot of the Athens subway. That part of the train route was in an underground tunnel.

The ride on the train was very cool. I could feel myself starting to relax a little, though still extremely exhausted. I need sleep!

Minneapolis’ Light Rail Transit (LRT)

On the train ride, John must have taken about three or four calls on his cell phone. Little did I know then that he would spend quite a deal of time on the phone this weekend since it was a “working” trip for him with his national sales conference immediately after the conference.

The phone was attached to John for most of the weekend

After a brief look at a map of downtown Minneapolis, we started the short walk to our hotel at the Embassy Suites. I was very impressed with downtown Minneapolis. It is extremely clean and quiet, unlike Los Angeles or even San Diego. The architecture of the downtown buildings are fantastic, along with the layouts of the streets.

Fantastic architecture of downtown Minneapolis

Not a whole lot of traffic for rush hour

When we finally made it to the hotel room, I was relieved to see that it was very nice, though obviously older. Surprisingly, the Internet is not included in the cost of the hotel room. And the talk of the hotel prior to this trip was about how there was going to be free breakfast and dinner. So when we got to the downstairs reception area for the free “Happy Hour”, I saw that they were just serving chips, popcorn, and pretzels. But you could get alcoholic beverages for free. Kinda lame.

I think the evening with John got off on the wrong foot when he started talking to me about his Amway Quixtar Network 21 business … again. And despite my other efforts in the past to gently let him know that Josephine and I are not interested, I had to listen to a spiel again. So as gently, but forcefully as I could, I plainly let him know that I was not interested in building an Amway business. After that, I could tell he was slightly irritated and possibly his feelings were hurt. But the plain truth is: I don’t particularly like Amway and we’re just not interested in adding an additional business onto what we are already doing with Sunrider. So quite possibly, this encounter set the tone between us for the entire weekend. But I was determined to get the most out of this weekend conference for myself. After all, I came because of the inspiration I find daily in listening to the teaching of John Piper. And I’m here to be encouraged spiritually in my walk with Jesus Christ.

So we ordered an awesome pizza that was delivered to our room. The pizza was homemade Italian sausage, extra cheese, and lots of garlic. I watched the season premiere of Smallville, which was totally awesome. I will have to watch it again when I get home because the reception of it faded out in some key parts.

After unsuccessfully trying to write this article and upload my pictures to Flickr because of the lame Internet service (not worth the $20 I paid), I gave up and went to bed, totally spent and exhausted.

I promise I’ll be in a better mood tomorrow!

Tags: airport, Chicago, conference, Desiring-God, downtown, Life, Light-Rail-Transit, Minneapolis, ORD, Spiritual, train, transit, transportation, Travels

In about an hour and a half Josephine will be bringing me to the airport for my 6:30 AM flight to the Twin Cities in Minnesota. I’m attending the Desiring God Conference with my best friend my high school. Not sure about Internet access during the conference, but if there is, I’ll try to live blog it. If not, then I’ll just blog when I get back to the hotel room.

Tags: absolutes, Announcements, Blogging, conference, culture, Desiring-God, postmodern, Spiritual, Travels, truth

What a way to cap off a crazy week! Last weekend, the day after my right toenail finally recovered with the nail looking normal after more than a year, there was a thin, remnant of the old nail bed in the side of my toe. So it lifted up and I yanked it out, but a little piece of the old nail was stuck in the corner.

So this morning I went and had the same procedure done again. What a weird experience with the novacaine plus the re-cutting of my toenail. Then the doctor digging into the corner to get the little piece out. Yikes. I’ll spare you the pictures since it basically looks the same as last time.

That’s the way to cap off this crazy week of busy busy work and busy busy school (two assignments in Photoshop and an exam in Instructional Design).

Tags: Career, education_and_training, Health, ingrown-toenail, Life, work

For dollars.

At least that’s they way I’ve felt for the last couple of weeks. It’s been “hella” crazy as they say.

Work is work. It just gets busier and busier as my responsibilities increase. But I do like it. I find it rewarding and satisfying. Thankfully, today I finished my latest storyboard just in time before my trip.

School on the other hand is a drag. My Photoshop class is okay, although this weekend I’ve completed two assignments in one day since I’ll be headed for Minneapolis soon. The EdTec class is just plain unmotivating. I hope to find more motivation other than the hope of future promotion and financial gain. But this week, we have an exam that I’m somewhat stressed about. I guess once I take the exam on Wednesday night, I can relax somewhat and pack for the trip.

Tags: Career, Commentary, education_and_training, Life, work

Kikí: Greek dinner
photo • teknis | Flickr’s Friday Foto

Farmer: Andonis in Pyrgí, Chíos Greece
photo • teknis | Flickr’s Friday Foto

Tags: Chíos, CoolPix , dolmades, farming, Food, Friday_Foto, Greece, Photography, Pyrgí, spanacopita, Travels

Tirí: “Cheese!” Children on a field trip to the Acropolis
photo • teknis | Flickr’s Friday Foto

Widow: Widow sitting on her porch in front of her house in Pyrgí, Chíos Greece
photo • teknis | Flickr’s Friday Foto

Tags: Acropolis, cheese, Chios, CoolPix , Friday_Foto, Greece, Photography, Pyrgi, tiri, widow

Heads Will Roll: Fish being cleaned at the Oceanside Pier
photo • teknis | Flickr’s Friday Foto

Merry: Ride @ the San Diego County Fair
photo • teknis | Flickr’s Friday Foto

Tags: amusement-park, beach, California, CoolPix , Del-Mar, fair, fish, fishheads, fishing, Friday_Foto, merry-go-round, Oceanside, Photography, pier

What a relaxing day. I love Labor Day, despite the usual resurgent heat wave in Southern California. For the first time, I went to the Oceanside Pier with Josephine to look around and check out the neighborhood. Apparently, the Oceanside Pier is the longest wooden pier on the west coast at 1,954 feet. It was fun doing some people watching, especially the little kids interacting with the fish that had been caught. I’ll save my best fish picture for later this week for a Friday Foto.

And while the inland weather was in the 90s, the temperature on the pier was nice and cool with some wind. The wind played some tricks on Josephine’s hair!

Tidal Wave Hair

It was cool to look under the pier. I wish I had a telephoto lens so I could have taken some up close pictures, but I did not want to risk getting my gear wet. There was a group of boys wake skim boarding. I got some water action shots. When I started to walk away, one kid wanted me to take more. I think this one turned out good, especially with the crop. My original shot had a wider composition.

Skipping Waves

We ate lunch at a Mexican restaurant called Mucho Bueno. Though good, it was not as good as Mr. Taco here in San Marcos. Afterward, we had dessert at Dairy Queen and walked around for a little bit. But because it seemed like there was not much to do or see in downtown Oceanside, we went back home.

I’d like us to go back again at night when the pier is lit up with lights. I’ll bring my tripod then and take some night shots.

The rest of the day off, we just watched some US Open tennis on television. I missed the Roddick match, but he won, which is good, beating the guy who beat Agassi.

Tags: beach, Josephine_Bruin, Labor-Day, Life, Oceanside, pier, skim-boarding