I know and am very grateful that a number of you have bought my book already.  But many have not.  And some of you who have bought it have not read it yet, of that I am sure because I know how many unread books I have on my shelves that I got with good intentions!  So this month I want to challenge you to buy a copy of a book about the resurrection if you have not already, read it, and then recommend it to your friends or better yet review it on Amazon or your own blog. Never assume that your friends have heard of a book that you read and like.  They may well not have.  Word of mouth is the best way for people to hear about helpful books. If you, or someone you know, prefers audio books (if you have a long car commute they are ideal) there is an mp3 version available.

There are of course other books out there on the resurrection, and if you like the look of one of them better, I will not be offended if you read it instead!  A good shorter one is Lifted by Sam Alberry and a good (much!) longer one is N.T. Wright’s The Resurrection of the Son of God. Every Christian should read a book about the resurrection at least once in their lives. Why not determine to do it before this Easter.  If you are going to be reading it through, why not let me know and post any questions in a comment here or @ me on Twitter and betweeen now and Easter I will do my best to answer any questions you may have.

Two parts of a study guide which includes video are available: 1- Do We Neglect The Resurrection? and 2 – How can we know Jesus really rose again?

I have also filmed a third episode but not written questions yet.  If anyone has ideas for good study guide questions do let me know, I intend to try and complete this as soon as I can given other commitments.

And if you are free just after Easter, I think there is still room at a whole conference on the resurrection called Bible On The Beach where I will be a speaker.

In a sermon from the series  The Christian’s Duty in a Hostile World, John MacArthur connects two glorious truths: the centrality of Jesus’ resurrection and that “faith cannot be removed or detached from the realm of real life.”

It is no great surprise to me that I enjoyed Bob’s book so much,  or that he seems to be enjoying mine.  For while their subjects may seem disconnected at first glance, in reality they have everything to do with each other!

The truth that lies behind Bob’s view of both the individual’s need for transformation and the need for the church to impact society is well expressed by MacArthur:

Salvation is not just forgiveness for sins. Salvation is a new order of life . . . when we understand salvation in a biblical way, we must understand that salvation effects a whole transformation of life. It is not just the forgiveness of sins, it is the transformation of life.

MacArthur goes on to explain that our woeful neglect of the resurrection has led to a terrible misunderstanding:

You might be interested to know that as central as the cross is in Christianity, it was not really the central focus of the early church. The early church saw much more in salvation than just the moment at which Christ atoned for sins, the moment in which He died on the cross. The early church saw salvation in much broader terms than that. The early church saw salvation as something that only began with the forgiveness of sins and led to a life transformed into obedience and consummated in the glory with Jesus Christ. It is interesting that even history sort of reflects this. In his book, Civilization, author Kenneth Clark shows that the cross as such was a very late symbol in Christian art and Christian culture. When we think about Christianity, we think immediately about the cross as the symbol of our faith. You might be interested to know that as far as that book, Civilization, determined the first appearance of the cross in Christian art or culture occurred in A.D. 430, all the way into the fifth century, on the doors of the church at Santa Sobina(?) and that that cross was a very small little cross inset into some piece of Christian art.

The early church did not focus on the cross. The early church focused on what great event? The resurrection. It focused its attention on the resurrection. And consequently its preoccupation was not with the point at which sin is forgiven, but the point at which new life begins. And the resurrection is that point. We, of course, died in Christ spiritually and in that death the penalty of sin was paid. But we also arose in Christ, says Paul, to walk in newness of life. To be saved then to the early church, and surely to us as well, was not just to have your sin forgiven. It was not just some transaction which dealt with your guilt. But rather to be saved was to be delivered from the power of darkness and to be translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. In other words, it was to enter in to an entirely new kind of life, to enter into a new sphere of existence. Salvation is not just atonement. Salvation is not just forgiveness. Salvation is regeneration. It is transformation. It is the imparting of a new kind of life, the life of God in the soul of man.

Why do so few Christian preachers today grasp this fully?

But MacArthur doesn’t leave us there.  He goes on to explain that if life transformation has happened in you, then good works are the inevitable result.  As Bob Roberts likes to put it “We serve not to convert but because we are converted.”

MacArthur then explains that every single Christian has a unique contribution to make to the Kingdom effort.  I can almost hear Bob talking about using your job to connect to the nations:

So you have a special gift. It’s a combination of the colors, as it were, on the palette of giftedness that come together to make you unique and there’s nobody like you, absolutely no one like you . . . So you take that unique gift in a unique ministry with a unique effect with a measured amount of grace and a measured amount of faith and then you add your physical capabilities, your training, your background, your opportunities, your environment and all your influences and you function like nobody else…nobody else. That’s why there’s nobody to replace you if you don’t function. That’s the extent of spiritual gifts.

So there you have it: Because salvation is not only about forgiveness of sins but the start of a new life begun by the resurrection of Jesus, Christians have a duty in this world to spread that new life, not only by preaching but also by acts of kindness that stem from a transformed heart.

Josh Kouri recently read Raised With Christ and the Spirit used it in his life in a very encouraging way.  I pray that others will experience similar effects by the work of the Spirit in their hearts:

You will be given a generous dose of Spirit induced angst as you read. Jesus is alive. So much more is possible! I enjoy being a part of a church that is radical by most men’s standard, but this book left me on my face repenting for settling for less than what is possible. I want to experience the power of the risen Christ. I want my city to see His glory and be raised with Him. O that we would live to see another awakening in the church that brings the life of Jesus flooding into the streets of our cities! As I read, worship erupted from my heart and when I finished reading I wanted to know Jesus more.

via Raised With Christ – How The Resurrection Changes Everything » Blog Archive » 4 Reasons to Read Raised With Christ.

I want to tell you about a conference I will be speaking at during the week of  Monday, February 21 to Friday February 24 2011. It is called Life in the Spirit and will take place in Swanwick, UK. The event has previously had Sam Storms as a regular speaker, and has gathered a number of people who are committed to bringing the twin emphases of Reformed doctrine and charismatic experience together.  This year I will be speaking for one session, and it would be great to meet some of you my readers there.  Other events that I am speaking at are described on the Raised With Christ calendar page. If you are interested in having me come and speak, please do get in touch on email at adrian.warnock@gmail.com.  I am not taking any more bookings for 2010 but do have some availability in 2011.

During my blogging break I appeared on Premier Christian Radio’s Unbelievable?. I joined in a conversation with a church leader about whether the physical resurrection of Jesus really matters. It was refreshing to meet someone who did not believe in Jesus bodily resurrection , who unlike many neoliberals today, was at least willing to call himself a liberal. I encourage you to  Listen here and look at some of the other programs.

Having spoken just yesterday about the fine line between self-promotion and hiding one’s light under a bushel, it might surprise you that I would share a video at the begining of this post in which  Terry Virgo (who incidentally has recently joined Facebook) begins his slot recommending books at the Brighton conference by commending mine. There are a number of reasons why I feel very comfortable doing this, however.

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, Terry’s book review segments have been a major part of my conference life for three decades. No one who has ever heard him passionately commend a book could ever forget the very helpful way he does this. After all, this is the man who single-handedly sold the entire first UK print run of Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology with one announcement. Pastors would do well to watch this video and learn how to really persuade your people to get a hold of a book. One leader who seems to have learned from Terry’s skill in this matter is my own pastor Tope Koleoso, who sold 100 copies of Raised With Christ in 10 minutes! I want to permanently house a video of Terry at his memorable best.  This is a man who’s love for Jesus spills over into a love for books.

During such recommendation slots in the past Terry has routinely mentioned his own and his wife’s books. He does it always in a disarming way, for example saying “and this is a book by my wife’s husband…”   He does it humbly but boldly because nobody invests the ridiculous amout of time it takes to actually write a book unless they believe passionately in its message.  I make no apologies for suggesting that you buy my book.  I know that many of my regular readers have yet to get a copy (though the publisher is happy with the sales).  I know that considering the resurrection and all it’s implications can do you great good in your Christian walk.  The only reason I can think of that you should not get ahold of a copy is if you are already reading another book about the resurrection. 2010 has a few months to run yet, so please consider making sure this is the year that you read a book on the glorious victory of Christ and what it has accomplished for us.

If cost is an issue, then right now there is a great deal of 25% off at Amazon.com or over 40% off at Amazon.co.uk At those prices, why not get some copies for your church bookstore, or as gifts for friends.  Just think, you could get some Christmas shopping done early this year!  Before you say it, remember, this is not a book just for Easter time, any more than great books on the cross should only be read at such a time of year.

Finally, Terry also commends some other fine books that you should consider getting. The first is  Tom Schreiner, Magnifying God in Christ which Terry says gave him great confidence in a rickety airplane.

Next is a book called Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer, who according to Terry has “five personalities pumped into one body.” Ed is well worth listening to and reading and serves us all well.

Finally my good friend Phil Moore’s books are all commended from his Straight to the heart of series. Available so far are Matthew, Acts, and Revelation

All of the above books along with many other helpful resources are available at the Newfrontiers online store

My diary is filling up fast. Work-wise it looks like I am going to have to be in the USA three or four times between now and Christmas as well as traveling to Europe.  So it is just possible that I might be able to squeeze in connecting with one or two of my American friends.  Let me know on adrian.warnock@gmail.com if you are interested in this or even possibly fitting in a resurrection talk, though that may not be so easy. 2010 is almost full for all the preaching away that I am happy to do, and I am beginning to fill up in 2011 as well. For an up to date calendar, see the Raised With Christ page. I would really appreciate a few of you dropping me an email to agree to pray for some of these events, and I look forward to meeting some of you at them.

I am sure that you will understand that with a schedule that includes a full-time secular job, this blog, opportunities to discuss my book, church leadership, fatherhood and most importantly being a husband, I am very busy! I am not feeling drained at the moment, but am instead energized.  However, I am very glad to be going on holiday this weekend with my family. At some point between now and then, I will be completely disconnecting from the online world. Pray for us that we have a truly restorative and enjoyable memory-building time. Parents of five children under 14 will know that this will in itself require something of a miracle!

I am fortunate that I have an abundant supply of some great guest posts that have been sent to me via email, some material I have already written, and some videos to share with you.  As such, the blog will remain on autopilot, and while there may be a slight reduction in frequency, posts will continue to appear here as if by magic over the next few weeks.  I will remain largely disconnected from the Internet, however, and will not be writing new blog posts, facebooking or tweeting from when I disconnect until the beginning of September.  The only email I will answer during this time will be that which I receive on my work address and for which I am paid to reply! So, if you want to ask me something get in there quick today!  I find that cutting  back on at least some of my other responsibilities is very helpful to me. Pray that I will get good perspective on what God is calling me to do and be for the rest of the year. Pray also that even on our return from holiday, I will therefore be able to take some more time when I am not working to build quality relationships with my family.

Here are my diary dates over the course of the next few months (in addition, I will also be participating in a number of Jubilee Church events)

Saturday, August 7
2-30 PM Premier Christian Radio‘s Unbelievable?
A conversation with a liberal about why the physical resurrection of Jesus really matters. Listen live via a radio or the web.

Sunday, August 15
Preaching at King’s Church, Ilford

Sunday, September 19
Preaching at Kings Community Church, Braintree

Sunday, October 24
Preaching at Community Church Bishops Stortford

I am pleased to announce today that Raised With Christ is now available as an audio book. You can buy it from Long Train Audio now for immediate download. For a limited period only of 14 days, you can obtain an exclusive discount. The codes you need to type in are: AWUSD which takes $3 off the US Dollar purchase and AWGBP which takes £2 off the UK pounds purchase (you can buy in either currency). Customers outside the UK or US can choose which they use, it’s fine to use either.  I hope you enjoy listening to the book and feel free to jump into the online study group. If you run your own blog you can also sign up to an affiliate program with very generous rewards (see the link in the site’s sidebar).

I know not everyone who wanted to join the study group  has had a chance to answer last week’s questions, but I was eager to get part two up today. I only just made it!  Please feel free to pop back to last week to catch up, or just jump in right here.  I am also very interested in any suggestions for additional study questions that might be helpful in a small group setting. On advantage of this online setting is that we do not all have to be online at the same time to join a study group.  I will interact personally with every Twitter poster unless we are totally swamped!  I enjoyed very much last weeks’s comments and look forward to hearing from you today.  If you do not have a Twitter account, they are free, but if you prefer you can email me at adrian.warnock@gmail.com.  As last week, there is a brief video to introduce the session:

Watch on Vimeo.

SESSION TWO

Christians can often simply assume that Jesus rose again without thinking about why we believe he did. The material addressed in these chapters is therefore vital for us in helping us to build our confidence and hope. For without Jesus’ resurrection as we saw last time we are of all men to be most pitied. We can only be confident of our own faith and salvation, to the extent to which we are confident in the resurrection of Jesus. We must also be careful to obey 1 Peter 3:15 which urges us “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” Having this material ready to discuss with people who are not yet Christians is vital if we want to share the gospel. When we tell someone we believe that Jesus rose again (which is the essential component of the gospel announcement) we better be ready to tell them why we think that! Amazingly some apologetics courses no longer include this kind of material, which was once very well known by all evangelicals.

QUESTION ONE -”What would the world look like today if when Peter and John ran up to the tomb, the body was still there?” Please discuss this on Twitter using the tag #rwc2a

For the rest of the questions see  SESSION TWO: How can we know Jesus really rose again?.

Remember, the resurrection is not just for Easter. We should have Jesus’ resurrection on our lips all year round as much as the cross. The first of these two newly released videos is the first in the online study guide that we are working on right now. It would be great if you could consider getting a copy of the book and join a group of us each week as we discuss it. These weekly discussions (which are conducted via Twitter) will help refine the study guide for future readers and groups of readers.

Watch on Vimeo.

The second video comes from the Q and A. In it I answer the question: “Why did you decide to write about the resurrection?” Other video questions include:

• But don’t all Christians believe in the resurrection of Jesus?
• Do we need to mention the resurrection when we preach?
• Are you saying that the cross is overemphasized?
• Why do Christians neglect the resurrection?
• Do you want us to emphasize the resurrection rather than arguing about theories of atonement?
• What are the implications of neglecting the resurrection?
• Why is the resurrection so important for understanding our justification?
• How does the resurrection transform our lives today?

Watch on Vimeo.

This is from the Raised With Christ website:

Adrian invites you to join in a “virtual study group” being held online via Twitter. If you don’t already have a Twitter account you can join very easily for free. Just like in any offline discussion group, please also interact with other people’s replies.  To make it easier to follow we will use a series of “hash tags”. Please use #rwc1 for general discussion and add a specific letter as below to discuss one of the questions below. Please also feel free to suggest other study questions, or ask the author anything you want.

You can watch the conversation evolve by following any of the specific links below.

This study group is open and deliberately carried out in public, but we hope that some of you will commit to join us as we post a new section each Monday for the next 9 weeks or so (there may have to be a couple of breaks for Adrian’s annual leave, etc). Responding to Twitter conversations in near real time will make this feel more like a “real” group. We pray that this experiment will benefit each of us.

Or, it is possible to join in on Facebook, please answer each question under the relevant section.

As we begin, We appreciate some of you may not have got your copy of the book yet, so this first session covers all the introductory material, chapter 1 and chapter 4 which is available free online. If you have only got time today to read one chapter, read chapter 4.  It is not essential for you to have read the relevant chapters to benefit from considering together the following questions, though obviously it will help.  If you haven’t yet read them, thinking through these questions will help you as you then approach reading the book.  Why not join us online or form your own group to help you work through the book . . .

Please begin by reading 1 Corinthians 15:1-22

QUESTION ONE. Do you agree that we neglect the resurrection? If so why? Paul here outlines the very core of the gospel.  In the opening verses he clearly states that the cross and resurrection of Jesus are the twin foundations of our faith.  Would you agree that some of the gospel presentations you have heard over the years have not emphasised the resurrection equally with the cross? Do Christian preachers under-emphasize the cross? Do we neglect the resurrection:

• In our conversations with other Christians?
• In our reading?
• In our thinking?
• In our preaching?
• In our evangelism?

Do you think we neglect the resurrection? If so share some examples and also discuss why you think this is. (For ideas see chapter 4). Please tweet your thoughts (you are welcome to post more than once!) and remember to include the code #RWC1a. Or discuss on Facebook HERE.

MORE QUESTIONS AT  SESSION ONE: Do we neglect the resurrection?.

It still amazes me that, thanks to modern technology, words can fly around the globe into different continents, but also very different church streams.  The resurrection of Jesus is the one thing that can unite all true Christians.  We all believe in it, and no matter how much we might neglect it, at heart we know it is vital. So it was great to see this paragraph from my recent interview quoted by brothers so far away:

There is no historical doubt whatsoever that a man called Jesus lived and was crucified 2,000 years ago. It is also without dispute that a group arose quickly after his death, claiming he was risen. Despite the apparent absurdity of such a claim and vigorous attempts to persecute them off the face of the earth, this group grew quicker than any other before or since. Soon the whole Roman Empire became a Christian state without a sword being raised by the all-conquering new faith. This remarkable growth is impossible to explain without the Resurrection.

via The Anglican Parish Of Haliburton: The Resurrection Changes Everything.

I still dare to believe in Christian bookshops. Oh, they need to evolve all right. It seems like the new “Living Oasis” chain might have some of the right ideas in some places. Making the bookshop also serve as a coffee shop and meeting point seems like a great idea. Getting people into the shop is the challenge. Once there, if the bookshop is well laid out and with helpful staff, the customer may well be encouraged to buy more materials. Why not make the effort and go visit your local store this weekend if you still have one? If you want to pick up a copy of my book, Raised With Christ, that could be a good reason to go.

British Christian bookshops have gone through a period of turmoil in the last few months. As a direct result, a number of stores were not even open around the time pre-orders for Raised With Christ were placed. There were also some early stock shortages due to higher than expected sales. But many stores are now getting stock, and all are now in a position to order it from IVP UK.

The following stores have kindly sponsored a Facebook campaign for this book and have said they are stocking it:

• GLO Bookshop, Motherwell
• LST Books & Resources, Northwood
• Perivale Christian Bookshop, Perivale
• Ards Evangelical Bookshop
• Christian Bits
• Christnet Books

Stores known to stock Raised With Christ:

• Cornerstone in North Finchley have stock in their main store and at the Oak Hill College bookstore.
• Illuminate
• The surviving Wesley Owen stores report that they all have stock.
• Some CLC bookshops have stock (we have confirmed this with Birmingham and Sheffield)
• The new Living Oasis stores are only starting up, but we understand that some intend to stock it.
• Unicorn Tree Books, Lincoln
• Previvale Christian Bookshop, West London.

Why not check your local store this weekend and let us know if they have stock? The UK Christian Bookshop Directory will help you find your closest store.

Meanwhile, it seems that plenty of stores in Australia have it (including also Orange Christian Bookstore and Reformers, and as far as we can tell many Christian bookshops in the USA area also selling it.

Some of you may feel that my support for Christian bookshops in this way is not consistent with the fact that the Raisedwithchrist.net site promotes other avenues to purchase the book. The fact is that life is not as simple as that. Many Christians no longer have a local store, so have no choice but to buy online. Also, I am fully convinced that we should not see the Internet store as the enemy. Every book sold on an Internet store is, if it is any good, a potential sale for a Christian bookshop when the reader recommends the book to their friends who may live in another part of the country.

Every Christian needs to become an advocate for good books. One of the most helpful things we can do for our friends is to encourage them to read a great Christian book.

Raised With Christ was launched at Jubilee Church this past Sunday. The people were incredibly gracious in their response, and much to my surprise we sold all 100 available copies in just 10 minutes. I am sure some of that was due to the love of this wonderful family of God for me as one of its members.  But Tope’s endorsement of the book was really very nicely done. If you are a pastor with a specific book to promote, you would do well to follow this example.

In the video my lovely wife makes a rare, but very welcome, appearance in front of the camera.   It will represent the last post for a while on this blog about my book. If you are interested in following information about the book and reaction to it, then headlines from the Raised With Christ site will continue to appear in the sidebar here, on my Twitter feed, and on Facebook.

Watch on vimeo

I am  pleased to announce  that Raised With Christ – How The Resurrection Changes Everything has now been released in the UK. It is available to order from Newfrontiers Resources for immediate dispatch. This Lent why not read a book about the resurrection of Jesus and its implications for us today? Isn’t it time we stopped neglecting this central foundation of our faith?

You can find your local Christian bookshop at christianbookshops.org.uk. If you run a Christian bookshop visit their blog for details of an offer to feature you here if you agree to stock the book.

There is a bit of a stock shortage right now, which means that some Christian bookshops may not yet have copies. The main UK Christian distributor is currently unable to help, at least at the moment. Your local store will be able to order copies for their stock from IVP UK, or STL USA.

Christian bookshops or church bookstalls can usually also be served by 10ofthose.com but they are, unfortunately, currently awaiting stock.

See the website for the book at raisedwithchrist.net for more information about the book.

As you get your copy of Raised With Christ and read it, I would love to hear your thoughts about it. Just visit the Facebook page or why not write a review for amazon.co.uk?

You can listen to an online stream at 5 PM ET (10 PM UK time) today of an interview with Paul Edwards, or if you live in the Detroit area why not tune your radios in?

No, I haven’t gone back to the United States. Thankfully most radio interviews can be done on the phone. I just thought that I really ought to post a bit about my time in the Chicago area. I haven’t got round to this yet thanks to the trip home and my still present jet-lag.

One highlight of my trip was going into Moody Radio studios to actually record a series of interviews. One was put out live on Moody’s Morning Show. The second will be aired on Moody’s Prime Time America from Monday to Friday next week each day, I believe sometime shortly after 6:30 PM ET. I also helped with an impromptu request to do a piece on N. T. Wright. I do not know yet when that will be used.

The Moody campus is an interesting place. The buildings are massive, and to see what has been achieved there makes you realize just how much God can accomplish through the inspiration of one man sold out for him. Visiting Moody’s museum for the first time,  and also once again in the Billy Graham Center, moved me close to tears. These two men were set ablaze by God and set the world on fire. Having spent just two weeks away from home traveling, I know that I would not want their lifestyles. I thank God for them, however, and pray that God will raise up the like again.

It was, of course, great to visit my publisher, Crossway Books, at Wheaton.  They are a small company who really punch way above their weight because of a big vision for the glory of God.  Speaking in their chapel was great fun.  I talked about the vital things that women do for the kingdom and the example of Mary and Martha and some other women connected to the resurrection.  During my time at Wheaton I stayed in the home of a member of my blog editor’s family, and got a chance to share a seafood dinner out with Annette and her son.

It was also fun to meet up finally with Matt Sweetman who is leading Destination Church Chicago, which is about to move to The ComedySportz Theatre  at 929 West Belmont Avenue, 60657. Their first meeting in the new venue will be at 09:00 AM a week from this Sunday (i.e. the 28th of February). If you are in the area, why not go and visit to support them?

They have some great people with them, including the Hosier’s who put me up, and a guy who ministers to male prostitutes in the area.  They really believe God has called them to reach out, see the lost saved, and grow significantly in the city of Chicago. Pray for them that God’s purposes will be fulfilled through them.

Justin Taylor is a long-time electronic friend of mine.  He has always struck me as a good brother when I have met him face to face, and I very much enjoy his blog.  A couple of years ago I interviewed him by email. This video is him turning the tables on me.  We talk about my book Raised With Christ. This first appeared on Justin’s Blog. Let him know if you think he makes a good interviewer as he is considering doing similar films with other authors in the future. I think he did really well and am beginning to get used to having the tables turned on me!

I have had a great time here in St. Joseph, Missouri.  I traveled down with two men who I now call dear friends, Jeff Gates, the pastor at Living Hope Church, St. Joseph and Ben Roed, who with his lovely wife Peggy, are serving in Living Hope and are being well trained by Jeff. It was wonderful to see how clearly Peggy and Ben complement each other. They are relatively newly married, but it was obvious to see how much of a support Peggy is to him, and how her strengths will continue to complement and at times hide his weaknesses! A wife who will make you look better than you are is a gift from God.

Single men, if you think you may have God’s hand on you, make sure you marry such a godly woman who will help you achieve everything God has for you. Quite frankly, such a wife will be more important than anyone else in helping to shape you, all the time doing so in a submissive and honoring way. Beware, however, that as much as a good woman can make you, the wrong kind of woman can completely ruin you for any significant work for God.  The women I have met here, including Jeff’s wife, have all impressed me with their commitment to the cause, their warmth, and their loving support for their husbands. Anyone who claims that the women in our churches are somehow not valued and not given room to serve their Lord has not spoken to some of the incredible women we have in our family of churches, fully caught up in God’s mission and playing very significant roles.

All this, of course, makes me miss my own better half even more.  If ever a woman has had to put up with a busy husband who has needed a lot of help, a lot of “releasing” to do things like go on a two-week trip to the USA, and  a whole bunch of raw edges in him for her to lovingly confront,  it is Mrs. Andrée Warnock.  Thank you darling for being such a good wife to me, far better than I deserve.  I pray that I may be an ever better husband to you, and I long for our reunion!

Another woman I have met here was Gail Robins, who together with her husband Chris, have served me wonderfully by opening their lovely home to me.  Her passion to open a consignment store made me think of Proverbs 31:

An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life . . .

She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

I was also impressed by the many Christians I met here both socially and during the meeting that was organized for me to speak on the resurrection.  Nobody anywhere has yet disagreed with my claim that we have all been neglecting the resurrection.  Yet we saw in the resurrection yesterday a wonderful tool to bring unity. As one of the  leaders of the three campus organizations that cancelled their own meetings to attend the meeting co-sponsored by Living Hope and Frederick Boulevard Church, St. Joseph’s said, “How could we refuse to listen to a talk on the resurrection of Jesus?”

Speaking of Frederick Boulevard, meeting their pastor Micah Fries was an absolute delight. One of many things that has impressed me about Jeff Gates this week is his eagerness to reach out and partner with other churches and Christian groups. Micah certainly seems to have needed no encouragement to make such a connection. He is sharp, bright, self-deprecating, willing to speak of what he sees as his own denomination’s strengths and weaknesses, and eager to learn from others. Being placed on a list of ten influential young Baptist pastors has not turned his head. I saw in this man a servant of the Lord, and it was enjoyable to spend some time connecting with him. I feel that God has given us this opportunity to meet for a purpose. I hope we can serve the Lord together in some capacity, even if it’s just engaging with each other’s online material.

It has been a great time, and as I prepare to leave for Kansas (known to me mainly in my youth for the Wizard of Oz!), I have many great memories from my time in St. Joseph. I am very keen on God’s work being done in big cities. Though this place is not a big city, however, God is also very interested in towns like this. Even its residents would admit that there is not much that marks out this place as very different from many other American cities. They were the home of the Pony Express, and a place where trade happened in early times with local native Americans, but there are few other major claims to fame. God is very committed to a place like this. He takes the weak things to shame the strong, and the things that are not to shame those who think they are something special.

I met many people who God has made to be very special indeed. This place will always have room in my heart. This is not least because it is the very first town outside my own country where God has taken me to proclaim his word. Seeing a mix of students and older adults getting excited about the significance of the resurrection we have all so failed to celebrate  was obviously the highlight of my trip so far. Please pray with me that those who heard me last night will continue to study the wondrous implications of Christ’s resurrection, and that we all may be better equipped by our Lord to share the full gospel with those we meet.

On my recent visit to northern England, I was able to interview the leader of the Newfrontiers North team. I was deeply impressed with what I saw and heard during the day as his team of around 100 people gathered. God is doing a great work in the North of England and many healthy growing churches have been planted. There was also an amazing sense of community and true friendship in the room. It was wonderful to see a group of leaders with very different gifts and personalities fused together into a team. The team laughed, but clearly also had a serious edge as they work hard together to continue the wonderful mission of seeing people meet with Jesus and be transformed by joining Christ’s church.   It was at the end of a day which excited me about what God is doing that I was delighted to film the following interview:

This weekend I embark on a two-week trip on the other side of what we affectionately call “The Pond.” I would value your prayers and look forward to meeting some of you. In some ways I wish I could stay longer and make it to more places, but this is the longest I would want to be away from my family. I thank God for iChat which will help me stay in touch with them.

I do plan to blog about some of my experiences. Then, once I am home, Raised With Christ information will, as much as possible, be confined to the book’s own website, though headlines will continue to appear in the sidebar. I am eager to get back to “normal” blogging, if there is such a thing!

Here is my schedule:

Saturday, January 30
Travel to Minneapolis

Sunday, January 31
Attending Bethlehem Baptist Church

Monday, February 1 – Wednesday, February 3
Attending the Desiring God Conference
1 PM CT (2 PM ET, 7 PM UK) on February 1 Live radio and Web interview with Janet Mefferd
8:45 PM on February 2 Taking part in a “Meet The Author” and book signing.

Wednesday, February 3
Traveling to St Joseph, Missouri

Thursday, February 4
4 PM – 6 PM Book signing and “Meet the Author” at local Borders Bookstore.
7 PM Speaking at joint meeting at Popplewell Room, Missouri Western State University co-sponsored by Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church and Living Hope Church

Friday, February 5
7 PM Speaking at Grace Church, Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

Saturday, February 6
Traveling to St. Louis

Sunday, February 7
Attending both Jubilee Church, St. Louis and The Journey
Hoping to attend a Super Bowl party to enhance my American cultural knowledge!

Monday, February 8
Informal meeting with local church leaders and free time.

Tuesday, February 9
Traveling to Chicago area.

Wednesday, February 10
Free day, except:
1 PM CT Recording Interview for Bob Boyd

Thursday, February 11
Speaking at Crossway Books staff chapel service and having various meetings with people from my favorite publisher.

Friday, February 12
7 AM Live from the studio of the Moody Morning Show
Then recording an interview for Moody Primetime.
Flying home!