O Little Town of Bethlehem--No, Not That Bethlehem

Leading up to Christmas I was going through Matthew and Luke's birth narratives with my eighth graders. In order to give the students an appreciation of how arduous the journey may have been for Joseph and Mary to trek all the way down to Judea from Nazareth, I googled (yes, I know, very hard-core research) something like "distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem."

Imagine how surprised I was when a site popped up indicating the total distance as 7.4 miles. Perhaps I should have known this, but there is actually a second Bethlehem actually situated in Galilee, which means of course, that the journey would have been much more amenable to Joseph and his young wife. Who cares about that silly little business about Jesus being born in the city of David.

Clicking on one of the links that came up, I actually did discover that some scholars do in fact advocate that Jesus was born in the Bethlehem of Nazareth. Jim Davila, over at PaleoJudaica, came upon an article about an Israeli archaeologist who argues just that. Read Davila's excerpt from the article as well as his accompanying comments here.

Younger Leaders and the SBC

Here's an illuminating--ok, not really that illuminating for people who are familiar with SBC life--article from LifeWay about the declining percentage of younger leaders participating at the Southern Baptist Convention.

Here's what Stetzer has to say: "Of course, facts don’t convince everyone. My hope is that now, finally, we will stop debating and instead ask the hard question: ‘What is causing so many young leaders to stay away?’"

Maybe if the powers that be in the SBC would simply ask some of those younger leaders, they might gain a unique, though perhaps unwanted, glimpse into what at first glance might be judged apathy. (HT: Subverting Mediocrity)

Brewing Controversy

Our Church--Karis Community--has just made the news again. Gotta love the title of the article.

Gone Baby Gone and Male/Female Decision Making

Has anyone seen Gone Baby Gone? Recently P. and I went to view this movie bc quite superficially we had heard it is set in the Boston area, albeit a rough neighborhood, and wanted to take a walk down memory lane. Despite the depressing content, we enjoyed the movie, finding it to be very thought provoking. Oh, and by the, Casey Affleck is a much better actor than Ben. Ben actually directed this film, which has an incredible cast, notably Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, and Morgan Freeman.

Ok, here's the point: the movie concludes with the main characters forced to make a morally ambiguous (as the film wants us to see it) decision. The two protagonists, a male and female, are split to disheartening effect in how they frame the issue. While Monaghan's character focuses on the human consequence of the decision, Affleck's attention is fixated on the question of law and principle.

Interestingly enough, in discussing the issue afterward, P.'s and my perspectives seemed (though to a somewhat lesser degree) to reflect the same difference observed in the film between the lead characters. I wonder, is this a common male/female issue, whereby the male is drawn to the abstract while the female inclines more toward the personal? I certainly do not mean to stereotype nor to suggest that one extreme or the other by itself presents the whole picture. It's just a question that struck me.

If you haven't watched the film, do so when it comes out on DVD.

From Anime to Pakistan

Just taking a break from reading about anime in a freelance job I'm working on. I have a new appreciation for Japanese animation, I'll tell you that.

Winer, along with others at the counterterrorism blog, continue to provide analysis of the situation in Pakistan, including whether al-Qaeda affiliated elements may have been involved--as the government has naturally suggested. Should the infamous terrorist network be behind the assassination of Bhutto, the implications, Winer suggests, are chilling as they are extremely suggestive of al-Qaeda's intent: "they intend to take Pakistan and make it their kind of state."

I think we all know what that looks like. Just look at Taliban-run Afghanistan. Let's hope matters don't come to that and that some other democraticizing figure(s) step forward who can at once claim legitimacy and can wield power in an effective manner. Let's hope for a miracle, in other words.

Death in Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto was killed today in a suicide bombing in Pakistan. This is a sad day, not only because of the violent death of a former leader, but also because of the setback that this event probably represents for democracy in Pakistan.

MORE:

Here's an assessment both of Bhutto and what the assassination attempt means for Pakistan's--and indeed the region's--future over at the counterterrorim blog.

Elsewhere, the speculation centers on who was responsible--directly or indirectly--for Bhutto's murder.

Latest From Iowa

Ha ha. Looks like my Iowa (and New Hampshire) predictions may fall flat, as this latest info from CNN suggests. I wish people would just make up their minds.

Bethlehem Christians

Here's a good article about the plight of Bethlehem Christians that deserves reading--particularly on Christmas. I especially agree with this statement: "Israel cannot afford to lose the Palestinian Christians: They have long represented a moderating force."

Countdown to Iowa and New Hampshire

Who do you think will be the top three candidates from each party in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary? This is the question posed in a contest put on by Pajamas Media here. After agonizing over my choices for at least thirty minutes, I finally gave up the attempt for the moment.

It's a hard call. In Iowa, I tend to think that Huckabee will beat off Mitt Romney and John McCain will come in third--though he, Thompson, and Giuliani are bunched fairly close together in most polls. (I wouldn't mind if Thompson were a little closer to the top tier; he seems to have substantive stances on a lot of answers, but his campaign doesn't seem to be very well run at this stage.)

Even if Huckabee wins in Iowa, I don't think he will win in New Hampshire. If Romney wins in Iowa, I think he most certainly will win in New Hampshire. However, if Huckabee wins in Iowa and John McCain moderately well, I think the Arizona senator, who's already surging in the polls, stands a chance of beating Romney in the former governor's home territory. So in New Hampshire I'm betting Romney will still hold off McCain by a slim margin, and Giuliani will follow in third. Perhaps Huckabee will pass Giuliani if he wins Iowa, but I have a hard time seeing his influence in Iowa and elsewhere (read the South and Midwest) translating into results in the Northeast.

As for the Dems, I have sinking feeling--maybe it's just a fear--that John Edwards will win in Iowa. He has all but lived there since the last Democratic primary. Hillary seems on defensive mode, even trying to downplay expectations according to one report. I think I go Edwards, Obama, Clinton in Iowa.

I think Edwards will win in Iowa but not in New Hampsire. If Clinton places third in Iowa, I think her hold on New Hampshire will fall as well, as there are plenty of people committed to Clinton just because they think she is the most electable. Iowa might show this assumption false. In New Hampsire it will be Obama in a fairly substantial win with Edwards and Clinton virtually tied.

Is anyone else willing to handicap the race?

The Nativity Story

Just watched The Nativity Story for the first time the other day. I know: I'm seriously behind. Overall, I thought the movie was pretty good. This past week I tried to lead my students through the first chapters of Matthew and Luke, which forced me to rediscover a lot, and it was fun and moving at times to watch a movie presentation of the events. Mark Goodacre's review of the film is here.

The Problem with Circumcision, According to Johnny

Eight graders--apart from being frustrating to teach at times (more about that later, no doubt)--provide plenty of comic relief. A few days ago, I was drawing a parallel between the long wait Israel endured for their promised Davidic messiah and Abraham's wait (in skepticism) to see his wife, Sarah, conceive his promised son.

At this point, I decided to test their general bible knowledge. I asked if anyone remembered what it was that furnished the seeming obstacle [i.e., Sarah's age] to God's promise coming to fulfillment. A lovable student--we'll call him Johnny, to protect his identity--raised his hand in the back.

"Yes, Johnny?" "Um," he stammered, "wasn't Abraham unable to have kids because he was circumcised?"

I, and a few of his classmates, did my utmost to suppress a laugh. A chuckle might have slipped out though. I'm sure he's not going to hear the last of this from his friends.

Our Pastor

One thing that is weird about being back in a Southern Baptist environment is being exposed to Southern Baptist life all over again. Don't get me wrong, I have benefited much from my Southern Baptist education and am grateful for all the friends I've made along the way. I would not in any way want to paint the whole denomination with a broad brush--though I'm sure I have at certain times during the past. Prior to coming back to Columbia, I had almost forgotten about how much the alcohol issue consumes (no pun intended) many in the denomination, and especially here in Missouri. Unfortunately, our pastor, Kevin, has even had to contend with what I consider a near obsession with alcohol abstinence from certain quarters in Missouri Baptist life. Here's an interview with him posted on the Founders Ministries Blog. His gracious responses bear evidence to what a great pastor he is. I can only aspire to be as charitable.

Ping Goes Under

My lovely wife was baptized today at our soon-to-be official new church, Karis, in Columbia, MO. Our church meets in a hotel downtown, so we had to baptize her in another church nearby. The subplot of her baptism is that she has been attempting to have it done for a long time but has been twarted at severals points through the years. While in Boston, our beloved church was PCA, so the pastor, understanding that Ping had been sprinkled as an infant in a Presbyterian church, couldn't see any reason for baptizing her. Long story short, she was finally able to be baptized here in Columbia at our new (and already beloved) church. Here is pastor and friend Kevin Larson decked out in wadders (no, he didn't go fly fishing afterwards):

It was kind of a small baptismal but at the same time a cool one, because it was surrounded on all sides by glass, and so friends can gather and watch the dunking. Ping seems a little bemused by this feature:

Here's Ping preparing to descend into what, she hoped, would be warm water (I'm glad Kevin's not the type of guy to drown her in front of so many witnessess . . . or at all, for that matter):

Whew, she made it:

Kevin did a great job. Needless to say, it was a very special day for both Ping and I.

Mitchell Report

Yesterday I, along with countless other baseball fans, nervously awaited the release of the Mitchell Report on Steriod use in baseball. Almost every commentator I listened to on radio and TV leading up to the release tried their best to discredit it in advance: Any list would be incomplete; the names appearing thereon would be arbritary; owners and GMs effectively encouraged use of Steriods during the 90s; Mitchell had too much power and his connection with the Red Sox undermined his objectivity; heresay evidence was all that could be collected.

These and more judgments I listened to, but still I couldn't help but have butterflys in my stomach for fear that a few of my Sox favs--current and past--would be on the list, especially Big Papi, Mike Lowell, or Trot Nixon. Imagine my surprise, and horror, upon reading a leaked list that featured of all the unlikely suspects . . . Jason Varitek. No?! Not the Cap!



Thankfully, the list was later exposed as fraudulent. Now I can continue to harbor the illusion that none of my Sox heros (using the term loosely) touch the stuff. After all, they probably prefer HGH.

Elvis/Nixon and Jeff's Bible

Here's a crazy story about Elvis and President Nixon. I had no idea this happened.

A few days ago I ran across this hilarious onion piece (via the NT Gateway Blog) about an alternative bible, Jeff's Bible. It's a must read.

Psalm 33:18-22

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on

those who fear him,

on those who hope in his

steadfast love

that he may deliver their soul

from death

and keep them alive in famine,

Our soul waits for the Lord,

he is our help and our shield,

For our heart is glad

in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

Let your steadfast love, O Lord,

be upon us

even as we hope in you."

Prayer

Currently I'm reading Philip Yancey's book on prayer and am receiving good profit from doing so. These last few years this--prayer--has been difficult for me owing to a variety of reasons. It's not always (though sometimes) a matter of making the time for the discipline; often the problems involve feeling distant from God and latent anger or frustration.

I'm considering instituting into the pattern of my life regular times of prayer throughout the day and have even toyed with the idea of utilizing a prayer book. I'm open to hearing other people's thoughts on the subject, including practices that work well. What I like so far about Yancey's book (and all his books, for that matter) is the forthright acknowledgment that all the puzzles inherent in prayer may be unsolvable, but justification enough for the practice thereof may be be found in the fact that Jesus--who experienced the same things we do--prayed. For this reason I want to pray and understand the experiences of others. Please share.

T/K: Meditating on God--a lost art?

Multi-Purpose Knives

Taking a break from the tedium of proofreading, I happened to be watching a special on the History Channel--yeah, we get cable for the first time in our marriage!--about knives. The narrator was drawing a distinction between our current era's use of diverse kinds of knives according to task and an earlier time's reliance on one type of knife to accomplish all purposes.

The fact alone is not that startingly, but the manner in which the narrator drove home the point (get it?) made me laugh. Speaking of the chaps of a bygone era, he said that the "same knife a man would use to stab his wife's lover, would be employed in eating because of its effectiveness in slicing through butter." Nice.

This, of course, reminded me our butcher knife back home in WP. Not until years later, after having utilized the blade countless times, did I overhear my mom mentioning in an offhand manner to a guest (probably after being asked "where she had purchased such a fine knife") that this same knife was a murder weapon brought as evidence in a trial in which my dad was involved as an attorney; after the trial was over, my mom apparently was able to secure the weapon for her kitchen. I can only imagine that the knife was as effective as a murder weapon as it was for slicing through chicken.

Back (in limbo)

After a long hiatus, I'm back. Just about a month ago we moved to Missouri and are trying to adjust to new scenery and pace of life. It still seems somewhat surreal. From the moment we made the decision for P. to accept a residency position in Missouri to the time of move was probably only a couple months, and I guess that wasn't enough time to process fully what was happening.

So, we're here and attempting to adapt. Ultimately the decision to come here was probably a good one, as the residency position seems to be a good one, and it's great being closer to family. Being here, however, makes decision making about future jobs and/or grad school a more agonizing process. Earlier today I was reflecting on how straight-forward in conviction (though obviously fraught with suffering) was Paul's missionary commitment. I wish I had his sense of certaintly and conviction. In Philippians the apostle writes of his "partnership in the gospel" with the recipients of his letter, and remains certain that their prayers will result in his deliverance, meaning most of all that "Christ is glorified" in his body.

Reading of Paul, I'm forced to question whether my life goals are forged of personal ambition and aim at invididual glory. Should I be pursuing something that is more transparently service to the gospel? And where do personal gifting and (God-given?) interests fit into the vocation equation? These are questions with which I'm wrestling. I don't expect to have the answers anytime soon. Although I must have some answer soon . . .

Coveting vs. Contentment

Our Pastor's sermon today, on the tenth commandment (in a series he's titled "The Gospel According to Moses"), was especially good. Or maybe it was just pertinent to our situation and thus seemed especially good. He first pointed out that coveting is in some ways the sine qua non sin for the violation of all the commandments; it is coveting which takes place first before breaking any of the others.

What was most striking for us, however, was his emphasis upon coveting as the opposite of contentment. Coveting is the mindset that spurs us to seek other things--from other people--as the fulfillment of our needs and the condition for happiness. Usually implied by this mindset is idolatry of the heart; these others conditions or things have replaced God as our chief source of joy and fulfillment.

Pastor Um has often spoken of we as people--Christians no less--as being aspirational. We are always pursuing that next goal that we project will bring us an endless supply of popularity or wealth or status or influence; in short, fulfillment. Today's sermon on coveting hit both P. and I in the gut--but in a good way (not the kind of way that makes you want to vomit). It enabled both of us to realize that if pending opportunities don't pan out the way we want them, we can still be content, as God has already given us all sprititual blessings in Christ. In fact, if we continue to place all our hope for happiness in the granting of these opportunities, we have guaranteed ourselves that we will not be happy, as we have required something of these circumstances that only God can provide.

Eugene Lane

Tuesday I encountered some sad news when browsing the website of the MU Classics department. Eugene Lane, Professor Emeritus of Classics, died this past January. Dr. Lane was the closest thing to an academic mentor that I have ever had, and it was largely through his encouragement that I persevered in Greek, even when Sophocles (or Aristophanes, Aristotle, Plato, etc.) would have had it otherwise.

Initially, upon meeting him, I--and no doubt many others--thought that Dr. Lane was a curmudgeon. He could be at times an intimidating figure on account of his limitless knowledge as well as his seemingly anti-social tendencies. These impressions changed, of course, as students got to know this one-of-a-kind instructor through multiple courses.

For me, it happened rather randomly that I came to see Dr. Lane as more than just a demanding Greek instructor.

[I should indicate at this point, that I was anything but the model Greek student; usually, I was in the middle of the pack as far as aptitude went. Complicating the matter were my study habits: I would routinely stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning studying, only to sleep in and miss the very class (usually Greek) for which I had been studying. So normal was this procedure, that one Friday morning in Greek class, when handing back quizzes or calling on volunteers, Dr. Lane caught sight of me and "exclaimed" in his patented under-the-breath sort of way: "Eric, to what honor are we due for your appearance here on a Friday morning?," or something to that effect.]

Dr. Lane had been awarded through a faculty raffle (or something of that nature) two tickets to attend the Missouri football game that weekend. Unfortunately, he said, his wife was unable to attend, and so he was needing to give away the ticket, and wondered if any of us might want it/them. My hand shot up first, and so I was awarded the prize. (Curiously, I noticed that no one else seemed interested in the ticket; I wrote this off to their being nerds.)

After class, as I was walking out the door, Dr. Lane mumbled "I'll see you at the game, Eric," and it was only at this point that I came to the deflating realization that Dr. Lane would himself be going to the game, and I would be sitting right next to him! (It made sense, now, why no one raised a hand to claim the ticket.) I believe Adam even questioned me later why I had been so enthusiastic. I could have swore that in offering the ticket, Dr. Lane had made some comment about not liking football, which lead to my inference that he wouldn't be attending.

Despite my significant misgivings, the experience turned out to be rewarding. I learned about Dr. Lane as a person and his family; in turn, he asked me about myself, background, and interests. What really endeared him to me, though, was his comment midway through the fourth quarter as the tigers were characteristically getting throttled: "well, this ones in the can; I'm going home to have an iced cold Coors."

This experience meant a lot to me. It showed me Dr. Lane's human side and his love for life and his family. It also showed that he took an interest in people, particularly his students. I had cause to remember our shared football game experience and this kindly side of him again at his retirement party. I entered late to this event with another Greek student of his. As we came into the room, we saw a cluster of more, shall I say, extraverted students gathered around him, ones who had sat under his instruction for all of 1 semester. Feeling uncomfortable, I stood with my other "Greek" friend in the corner. Then I hear Dr. Lane (incredible in itself): "Now, there's the only student I have ever gone to a football game with." Saying this, he came over to talk to Laura and myself. I'm convinced he noticed how uncomfortable I/we looked.

In the past few years Dr. Lane has been encouraging by writing letters of recommendation on my behalf, despite the fact that his Parkinson's made this painful, no doubt. This past November I went to a conference in Washington, D.C., and had the opportunity to meet a scholar who has published a source-book with Dr. Lane. Early in this year, I e-mailed Dr. Lane to say that I had met Dr. MacMullen, and that the latter had had fond things to say about him. I didn't hear back from Dr. Lane. This, I assumed, was due to his advanced Parkinson's. Now I see that Dr. Lane passed away this very month. He will be missed.

Bye bye Schilling?

I know baseball's a business and all but should Schilling depart Boston, I would nonetheless be very sad. It's entirely possible that he won't play as well as he did two or three years; in fact, it's likely. He is, after all, 41 years old--a bit up there for a professional athlete. All the same, who can forget his heroics in bringing the Sox their first World Series title after nearly 90 years. Still vivid in my mind are the truck commercials leading up to his Red Sox debut, in which he announced his migration to Boston for the purpose of winning the title. Of course, much more memorable is his making good on his plans, and doing so while pitching on a temporarily stitched together achilles, leading to the famous bloodly sock. Judging from past experience--notably, the trade of Nomar, seemingly a Red Sox ficture--Theo will be willing to part with Schill should his performance not be great, but I'm not ready to see that happen.

Veritas Forum at MIT

For those of you who have never been to a Veritas Forum, I recommend you go. This year's one at MIT starts on March 1. Our good friend, Annette Kim, will be speaking on Saturday (3/3). Here's the schedule.

New Haven

Back to New Haven tomorrow. Monday I drove down there (with the wife) to speak with a professor in the Religious Studies Department about their PhD program in New Testament. Because I also have an interest in their Ancient Christianity program, I had to set up a separate appointment with a different prof. for tomorrow. Had I been able to check my e-mail Monday before leaving, I would have seen that the NT prof. offered to meet me on Weds as well, in order to spare me the extra trip. Alas, I was long gone before this e-mail was sent.

First of all, I'm not sure I have even the smallest chance of making it into either of these programs. (Early on in our conversation, Dr. Martin informed me that they basically admit one student a year into the PhD program. Nice odds, huh?) Aside from that, I'm not sure these programs are right for me--or if I'm right for them. I guess this is just part of the journey. Hopefully, just one of the schools I apply to will accept me. Ok, enough of the pity party. I better go listen to my Rocky sound track to get pumped up.

I guess I would rather be a bulldog than a terrier . . . .

Arepas for All

Okay, ignore the fact that I look less than masculine in this picture. (Ping was quick to point that out.) The important thing is that I'm enjoying a nice cup of Venezuelan espresso while Ping hangs on for dear life and Suru and Paul sit back and wait for the fireworks.

Here's the other side of the table. Yutian is certainly the ladies man. (B-day girl, Meritza, is third from left. Emily is to her right and Karen is on her left.)

Here's all of us together. Unfortunately, Ping looks like a growth protuding from the side of Karen's head, but what can you do.

Above are some photos from a wonderful lunch that our CG had to celebrate with our dear sister, Meritza, whose birthday was recently. The restaurant is an awesome Venezuelan eatery in the South End of Boston. Here's its website. We had Arepas, which are the main offerings on the lunch menu. I highly recommend the place. Meritza herself is Venezuelan, and since she seemed to like the food, it now has street cred with us.

Odds and Ends

Over at IsElbrechtDead, cousin Nate shares a touching story about his first manicure. (I'm sure there's many more to come.)

Ben Witherington has a balanced review of Rob Bell's ministry (HT: Jason). And here's a more recent post by prolific Ben.

Michael Gilleland at Laudator Temporis Acti reports on Killing God.

Jon at The Brew Site highlights Dogfish Head's Indian Brown Ale. I'm a huge fan of Dogfish Head and would recommend almost any of their brew. In fact, it was only after sampling their 90 Minute IPA that I started to take a liking to the bite of India Pale Ales.

Oh, this just in: UNC finishes off BC, a solid team. (Can't wait until Tournament time--the only time of the year when the wife will let me watch sports for an extended period of time; this is a new phenomenon, ever since I got her addicted to filling out brackets.)

Finally, I'd like to mention Reunion Christian Church's opening in the Boston area. Their first service is on Sunday, February 18 at 10:30 AM. More info is available on their website.

Special K

Nothing says baseball season like a Japanese import. This guy makes me super excited about this year's Sox team--and baseball in general. Sure, he probably won't live up to expectations for the first year, but there's no doubt that every game he pitches will be an event. Overall, I'm thinking that the Sox have pretty good odds of winning the AL East, or at least making it to the playoffs via the wild card. The Yanks seem to be having pitching doubts and all I can say is HA!

Bruce Metzger, RIP

I've just heard that Bruce Metzger has died. His contributions to biblical studies are numerous, and I have benefited from his scholarship. In addition to his broad expertise on New Testament-related issues he was, from what I have read elsewhere and deduced from his own writings, a fine Christian. He will be missed. (HT: Evangelical Textual Criticism.)

Update:
An obituary for Metzger is featured on the Princeton Seminary newsletter here, as well as on the SBL site.

Volf on Iraq War

Oh, I meant to highlight this post by Miroslav Volf on the Christian response to the Iraq War. While I certaintly don't agree with all he says--and feel he over simplifies the modern context of wars (as noted by one commenter)--I do feel that we as Christians should be extremely hesitant about under what conditions we would sanction acts of war that could (no, will) have lamentable consequences. I remember listening to a lecture given by as conservative a figure as Alan Keyes (sp?) on the immorality of the US intervention in the Balkan conflict due to the repercusions in terms of loss of innocent life; in my opinion, many of the same arguments can be applied to the Iraq conflict. However, on the whole, I recognize (contra to many) that many of the geo-political reasons given for invading Iraq were legitimate, even if on strategic grounds I was against the decision and on moral ones I was ambivalent. I am one confused puppy. The short of it is, however, that I feel that we need to engage the ideas proposed by Volf--however much some of us may cringe at the oversimplification in Volf's position--since Christians by the nature of their calling are required to evaluate issues from a unique vantage point.

Gotta Love Snow

It's a wintery day in NE. Today's blanketing was a welcome semi-surprise for me, someone who loves the white stuff (fyi: that's snow, not cocaine). Too bad classes couldn't have been called off; instead, I had to commute 1 1/2 hours to school for one afternoon class--the worst. Hope every one in the New England area is enjoying the long-awaited Jack Frost. (I'll take a picture and post it later for you non-NE folk, though, having had snow already in your parts of the country, it will seem a non-event.)

Service a la Paul

Okay, blogger sabbatical is over. I'm happy to be back if truth be told. Guess I kinda started to miss pontificating. Our small group is commencing what will be--I hope--a life changing interaction with 1 Thessalonians. For me this letter is very apt for our small community in the South End. Radiating from Paul's pen (so to speak) is his ardent love for a group of new believers; his willingness to give up all for their well being is hard to miss.

Two sections of the letter, both in chapter 2, particularly jump off the page for me. Defending--or recommiting to the record (?)--his manner of service among the young church, Paul says in 2.7-8: "But we were very gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only te gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us." Later in the chapter he goes on to exclaim: "For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy."

This for me is what living life together is all about--giving of ourselves on behalf of others and exalting in the realization of the other's ascendency in faith. I hope to be an emulator of Paul in this respect and to see others in the CG become so as well.