Prep

There are lots of book on preaching. There are lots of books on giving presentations. Somewhere between preaching and giving a presentation is teaching an adult Sunday School. "Adult" is a big category. More specifically, I'm interested in the area of teaching Sunday School to college students and young adults.

If anyone has tips on that or knows of a book/article/blog, that'd be great.

As I've taught through different books & subjects my approach to prep has varied. I won't talk about all of those but here's a summary of how I've prepped for the most recent series of classes on "Knowledge of the Holy" by AW Tozer. (By the way, this definitely is NOT how I suggest one ought to prepare for teaching Sunday School.)

• Before teaching the class I read through the book once. I read the first couple chapters carefully, then skimmed the rest.
• Monday: I usually start prepping one week in advance. And by that, I mean I'll try to read the chapter I'm teaching around Monday. I'll also read through related material in Systematic Theology. I won't start outlining or thinking of main points till Saturday.
• Tuesday-Friday: I may or may not look at the book again. Instead I'll be reading a bunch of other stuff and listening to other sermons. But I'll be reading and listening with the particular "lens" that I'm going to be teaching on. So for example, I'll try to link 'The Sovereignty of God' with the sermons I listen to even if the sermon series is on something seemingly unrelated. If something I come across really strikes me, I'll email myself to remind me to include that passage/anecdote/etc. in my class
• Saturday: This is when I crank - I have to. But I work in a very ADD way. When I work I'll be listening to a sermon, listening to music, eating, drinking, talking out loud, and praying. I tend to have multiple books open - mainly KOTH, Systematic Theology, and the Bible. I mark up the books: writing numbers & letters, drawing arrows, underlining, boxing and trying to figure out what are the main points I want to teach. Then I lay the outline into slides with the title headlines. After that, I start to fill in each slide as I think about what key points I want to make and how to best present them visually.
• Sunday: I usually don't look at the slides again until I teach. And I only teach from the content on the slides - usually bullet points. No manuscript or extra notes. Teaching is the fun part - you say stuff you never intended or expected to say. It's an adventure. Sometimes you just get really animated about something that you didn't anticipate. And as I teach I'm praying that something sticks to the hearts and minds of whoever listens.

Shalom.

Augustine - The Confessions

What does ambition seek except honor and glory? But only You Lord have a glory forever that can never be lost. What does the power of the mighty desire except to be feared? But none has power that can never be seized and stolen but You.

What do the lonely and the anxious long for except for a love that they cannot lose? But who can give a love that does not fade and die but you. What does weariness seek except rest? But what sure rest is there apart from you.

Thus the soul commits adultery whenever it turns from you and seeks these things that it cannot find except in you.

O Lord you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.

Boring Facts

Hello reader,

Here are some things you don't care about regarding my every-day life...

• I eat salad for lunch about 4 times a week and for dinner about 3 times a week. Today's salad includes dark, green, leafy vegetables, cauliflower, brok-o-lee, peas, corn, asparagus, grilled chicken, beets and craisans. With olive oil and red vinegar.
• I eat salad because I'm getting old and what I eat affects how I feel, move and think. Jonathan Edwards was a smart man for being vigilant over his nutrition.
• I work on the fourth floor of my building. The cafeteria is on the second floor. Whenever I see someone taking the elevator down I take the stairs and race. When I beat them I feel a universal sense of victory for all who take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• After dinnner I eat my before-bed meal which usually consists of yogurt, string cheese, microwavable Trader Joes / Lean Cuisine, and kettle corn/pop corn
• I like the sound of preaching - I'd estimate I listen to 3-4 sermons a day. It could be different ones or the same one multiple times
• One of my major weaknesses is finishing books - I'm always reading multiple books at a time and almost never completely finish a book. I'm currently reading "Prodigal God" by Tim Keller, "Why We're Not Emergent" by Kevin Young, "Managing the Non-Profit Organization" by Peter Drucker, "Invitation to Lead" by someone, and I just ordered "Tale of Two Sons" by John MacArthur.
• When I wake up Monday-Thursday I fantasize about going to sleep at 10PM. Inevitably, I always sleep much later despite not having a TV or internet.
• I rarely take a shower in my apartment - I go to the gym at work almost every day and shower there. Saves money on soap/shampoo, etc.
• Yesterday I applied to summer internships at Acumen. They do business stuff for poor people around the world. Very awesomeness.

Bonus Season

Later today I will get my bonus figure. Expected to be sharply down due to economic situation - particularly on Wall Street.

Here's the first verse of today's ESV Study Bible Reading:

Psalm 41:1 "Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him"

I know my bonus will be less than half of what it was last year. Earlier on I was disappointed about it, but reading Psalm 41 reminded me that there are billions with far less than I have.

Please Don't Tell

What's up.

For our Team Building Event at work, we're going to Please Don't Tell (PDT).

Here's the review from CitySearch

In Short
This initials stand for "please don't tell" at this hidden lair, which slakes the city's thirst for impeccably made cocktails and Prohibition-era intrigue. Patrons enter through a "secret" entrance inside the St. Mark's wiener joint, Crif Dogs, to sample a drink menu devised by Jim Meehan (Pegu Club, Gramercy Tavern). Most of the room's light emanates from the glowing bar top, which attractively illuminates exposed brick walls hung with taxidermy and crescent-shaped leather banquettes.

So... Hot Dogs in a Club you enter through a Phone Booth

Why We're Not Emergent Part 1

I'm going to do something boring for all of my 2 readers!

I'm going to do a commentary / book review on "Why We're Not Emergent" by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. What will be different about this review is that it (1) won't be as well written as the other ones on the internet and (2) I'll incorporate thoughts from (a) a personal perspective (b) a corporate perspective as memeber of a church & fellowship.

Why am I doing this?

Because though I had been following the Emergent 'debate' from a distance, it has now entered my church and it is important to address and understand for the sake of guarding our doctrine.

Emerging Church Leaders are guys like:

1) Brian McLaren - author of "Generous Orthodoxy"

2) Doug Pagitt - author of "A Christianity Worth Believing"

3) Rob Bell - author of "SEXGOD" and "Velvet Elvis", NOOMA

Many probably don't know that there are, in fact, different stances on the Emergent church. I think it's naive to accept everything that posits itself as "Christian" without thoughtful examination. Our litmus test can't be our own experiences (i.e., well, it was helpful for me). The standard by which all else is judged is the Word of God.

OK - hopefully I can be disciplined enough to do this regularly for you two guys/girls reading this and not bore you to death.

I like...

Art.

Mark Rothko.