Grade Six was a Long Time Ago!

This morning I won this tee shirt doing what I do best... losing to the mob.
The mob in this case was 100 elementary students at Lacombe Christian School. They and their teachers ganged up on me in an unfriendly game of 100 vs. 1 (like the tv show). I didn't stand a chance. It was Pastors Appreciation Day at the school so this was their way of toying with me. Instead of asking a Bible-related question they turned to the middle school science curriculum. Science was one of my better subjects in school and electronics was one of my hobbies then, but that was 35 years ago! I missed the question. I think maybe 4 of the 100 students missed the question. So I sat down with my other ministry colleagues and cried.
Actually, I exaggerate a little. It was a friendly game and more than 4 students missed the question. And I didn't really cry. I must admit it was actually fun. Several pastors fared better then I and went home with a tee shirt declaring themselves a winner or a toque with the school logo.
For someone who usually celebrates being correct it was a bit humiliating being beat so easily by the mob. On the other hand, the mob is overrated. I mean the real mob, not the grades 5th and 6th graders at LCS. By the real mob I mean the general public.
Most of the mob that I meet have voted with their absence from Christianity that they do not believe the Bible to be correct. It is either too narrow for their spiritual sensitivities or just plain untrue. I can't always answer the questions the world throws at me, but then the gospel is said to be nonsense to the wise of this world. I lose many of these intellectual battles.
But I will stand proudly on the contestant stage and declare my choice that the Bible is God's Word and contains everything I need for spiritual life. Of course, just having and reading a Bible is not the same as believing and obeying it. So add to my affirmative vote for the Bible's authenticity my devotion to its precepts. I get many things wrongs in life. I get many things wrong in my spiritual life as I try to follow God's Word. But I rise above the mob! Not by my superior intelligence or deeper spirituality or greater devotion. Simply because I put my trust in Jesus as my Deliverer, I rise above.
Good...now I fell better.
See you , later. I'm off to go make me a new tee shirt.

Which Bible to Read?

In my position as minister for a church I get asked quite often what is the best Bible to get (although it happens less than it used to, which worries me that either people are less interested in good Bible translations or are less trusting in my opinion about it). I have my favorite translation which I sometimes will recommend, depending on what I know about the person asking and their needs. But my favorite Bible is not one I preach from nor is it one I ever tell someone to buy for their personal Bible reading. It is The Dramatised Bible. The translation used is the NIV (not my favorite) but it is the way the Bible is structured that I like. It converts Bible passages into character scripts that are suitable for acting out or presentation by multiple readers. I find it refreshing to see and hear the word of God acted out or rendered by dramatic voices. Somehow it makes it more real to me. Narration in the Bible lends itself to this quite easily but even other passsages, like Psalms or New Testament epistles can be shared in a group devotional or worship setting in a way that is very engaging.

The best dramatised Bible, however, is not the one that sits on my shelf. People touch my life in significant ways with the scriptures because they live them out in their daily lives. One Christian brother got wind of me looking to purchase a vehicle when I was young, single and needing wheels for my independence. Upon learning what I was making as a downpayment, he generously mutliplied it by a few times which cut my period of financing down to a year instead of 2 or 3. I have bought many vehicles since and now more fully appreciate how generous his gift to me was. He did not let me pay him back but recommended I look for an opportunity to show the same kindness to someone else. I've read from a lot of translations about doing your good works before others that they would glorify God but none as clear as my friend's action. I take his words to heart and endeavor to be generous to others in a way that glorifies God. I figure this to be a much more importan part of ministry than pointing people to a good translation. They need to see God's word translated first and foremost in my life.

(By the way, I prefer the New Revised Standard translation, if you must know.)