Pastor Pusch

Thursday, March 5, 2009
1:30 – 3:00 pm General Session #1 – Pastor Johnny Hunt
3:00 – 3:30 pm Break
3:30 – 4:30 pm Age Division Breakout #1
4:30 – 4:45 pm Break
4:45 – 5:45 pm Age Division Breakout #2
5:45 – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 – 8:00 pm General Session #2 – Dr. Thom Rainer

Friday, March 6, 2009
8:30 – 9:30 am General Session #3 – Allan Taylor
9:30 – 9:45 am Break
9:45 – 10:45 am Age Division Breakout #3
10:45 – 11:00 am Break
11:00 – 12:00 pm Age Division Breakout #4
12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 pm Topical Breakout #1- Elmer Townes
2:00 – 2:15 pm Break
2:15 – 3:15 pm Topical Breakout #2 – Brian Robertson
3:15 – 3:30 pm Break
3:30 – 4:30 pm General Session #4 – Pastor Johnny Hunt

Have I told how excited I am to be going!

PASSION BABY! 

Darfur – The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudan President Omar al-Bashire for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Unfortunately the judge panel did not see inconclusive evidence for genocide in the region; however, if al-Bashire is brought before the ICC he will be facing life imprisonment.

Ominous Bill – Senator John McCain’s attempt to cut out billions of dollars in earmarks was denied by a senate vote of 63-32. The $410 billion dollar spending bill is said to be packed with over $32,000,000,000 (billion) in earmarks. Sadder yet is that upwards of 40% of the $32billion is being claimed by the G.O.P.  *Is this how it’s going to be? Spend, spend, spend? If it’s not one bill, it’s another… all while Obama talks fiscal responsibility and cutting wasteful spending.

Chicken McNuggets - Did anyone else hear about the 9-1-1 call against McDonalds? Latrease, of Florida called 9-1-1 after McDonalds ran out of Chicken McNuggets.

SSinHD – Tomorrow I am heading to the Sunday School in HD conference being held at the First Baptist Church in Woodstock, GA. The conference begins tomorrow at 12:30pm and will conclude at 4:30pm. It’s not to late to purchase tickets… so go… you will not be disappointed!  www.sundayschoolinhd.org

What I get to hear over the next two days…

Dr. Thom Rainer, LifeWay President and Southern Baptist Convention Leader of Education - Sunday School and the Essential Church 

Allan Taylor, FBC Woodstock Minister of Education, Author, and Founder of Ember to Blaze Ministries - Sunday School Upgrade – Standard Def to HD

Pastor Johnny Hunt, FBC Woodstock Pastor and Current President of the Sounthern Baptist Convention – 1. The Vital Role of SS in the Local Church 2. Having a Fire in your Gut

Elmer Towns, Co-founder and Vice President of Liberty University – A Biblically Grounded Sunday School Meeting the Needs of a Contemporary Society

Brian Robertson, FBC Woodstock Pastor of Assimilation – Closing the Back Door

… and several others!

Last Saturday I was the guest speaker at a Christian Education Summit in North Alabama. I began the 3  hour session discussing the importance of effectively communicating with students (young or old). I shared with them this triangle I developed as a model for how we should approach our mission as Christian Educators/Teachers. This model simply says that “Life is held up by our Faith in God and the Truth of His Word”. My challenge to the group was for them to really focus in on evaluating their teaching style and in making sure they understood the difference between teaching lessons and teaching lives. It was a challenge to focus more attention on the application and response to God’s Word more so than the mere transmission of it. As teachers and Christian educators, we must concern ourselves with the 12 inch journey between head and heart.

For further reading into the difference between teaching lessons and teaching lives, click here.

By the way… I truly enjoyed my time with the people in North Alabama. I believe all of us walked away encouraged by one another. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity.