Whirled Views with Dan Burrell

In a few weeks, thousands will be descending upon Charlotte, NC for America’s best apologetics conference.-á Each year, the Southern Evangelical Seminary sponsors the National Conference on Christian Apologetics.-á Originally founded by renown author and scholar, Dr. Norman Geisler, it is being lead now by the new President of SES, Alex McFarland.

I happen to be good friends with both Dr. Geisler and Dr. McFarland and my former church once served as the host site for this fantastic conference.-á Last year’s conference broke all previous attendance records with 5,000 attending and this year’s conference, being held at the cavernous Calvary Church in Charlotte, is expected to be completely sold out with as many as 7,000 attendees.-á That’s why it’s important to register now.-á Alex told me recently that registrations are well ahead of last year’s record-breaking conference.

This year’s speakers include Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell, Chuck Colson, Sean McDowell, Erwin Lutzer, John Ankerberk, Gary Habermas, Mark Mittelberg, Frank Turek and Harold Rawlings among others.-á The theme is “Winning the War of the Worldviews” and it is scheduled for November 9-10.

There is also a separate teen conference targeting the statistic that tells us that nearly 8 out of 10 students fall away from the Christian faith with the first few years after high school.-á This conference option will feature several worldview experts from Focus on the Family who specialize in training young people to stand for their faith.

Last year’s conference had registrants from every state and many foreign countries.-á-á This would be a great conference to attend each year, so get information on it and register now before it’s too late.

For a conference brochure, click HERE.

For general information and registration forms, click HERE.

Many of my readers know-áthat IGÇÖm a former classroom teacher having taught grammar, literature and composition to grades 7-12 for several years.-á My first year as a teacher, I taught-áseven sections of students, six of which were language arts classes and I had seven different preps stretched across six grade levels.-á (Let us all pause here and allow me to whimper in retrospect.-á Of course, I was a brand new teacher and I thought that was GÇ£normal.GÇ¥)

In an inexplicable moment of insanity, I assigned each of my 150 students a 3-page book report for each of the-ánine months of the school year.-á I wanted my students to be readers!-á But during my epiphany of pedagogy designed to emphasize the classics, I-á had assigned to myself the grading of 1,620 individual book reportsGǪ.at total of 4,860 pages of hand-written drivel!-á Yep, IGÇÖm a smart one!

As I perspired each week over tomes of convoluted rewrites of book jackets and cliff notes written in the scrawling penmanship of disinterested adolescents, one of my biggest frustrations was grading the work of students who didnGÇÖt comprehend the concept of margins.-á These little Einsteins thought that the light pink and red lines on their notebook paper (this was pre-word processing days, mind you) were merely suggestions.-á Thus they would fill their pages from top to bottom, side to side using every available bit of white space.-á I found this odd, because my experience in writing had taught me to triple space, using repetitive adjectives (as in very, very, veryGǪ.) for emphasis, develop gigantic margins and use other literary techniques to fill as much space with as few words as possible.-á (As you can tell, I eventually got over that and now wordiness and run-on sentences are my hallmark.)

Those students who chose to ignore margins frustrated me because there was no space to make notations, to offer suggestions, to ask questions, to discuss details.-á To comment on their reports, I would either have to write over their work, flip the page over and write on the back (which was probably missed) or go to the very end of the report and find space at the conclusion (which by the time I had reached that space, I had forgotten what I intended to say.)-á Margins were needed so that I could offer input and instruction.

Sadly, many of us in ministry and in our families do the equivalent with our lives.-á We try to have it all, do it all, be everything to everyone and in doing so, we pack our lives to the edge.-á We have to schedule our comings and goings like a Presidential event.-á One problem GÇô an ill child, a car that wonGÇÖt start, an unexpected guest GÇô and our carefully choreographed plans cascade into a disaster of missed appointments, broken commitments and reshuffled priorities.-á Stress builds, burnout emerges, batteries discharge GÇô why?-á Because we havenGÇÖt left any margins.

Scripture tells us to GÇ£Be Still and Know that I am God.GÇ¥-á That requires margin time.-á Jesus never seemed frenetic.-á I mean hereGÇÖs the King of the Universe on a mission of infinite importance with a ministry time line of only 3.5 years in a lifetime that would only last 33 years and you never, one time, see him rushing, hurrying, stressed out over his schedule or over-extended.-á You do find him sitting next to a well in Sychar talking to the town hussy and sharing with her eternal life.-á We do know that during a huge storm during which the disciples were totally freaking out that he was down below taking a nap.-á We can surely read how he spent time with the little kids who would gather at his feet.-á We remember well how he told Martha that Mary had GÇ£chosen the better thingGÇ¥ because she sat with him chatting rather than rushing around the kitchen cooking dinner.-á Jesus taught constantly by example and thereGÇÖs nothing in his life that said we should fill our lives so full that we donGÇÖt have time to think, share, live, rest and create.

Sometimes in our evangelical culture we make the mistake of cherry picking the instructions of scripture that fit best into our preconceived plans or perspective. -áFor example, if we know of someone who breaks the commandment against committing adultery or using the LordGÇÖs name in vain or murdering or stealing, we get agitated.-á We confront.-á We gossip.-á We bring up church discipline.-á These things ought not to be!

But when it comes to keeping a Sabbath for worship, rest and rejuvenationGǪwe somehow think it is spiritual to wear ourselves out, to ignore what even God Himself did after six days of creation, to somehow pretend that we are supermen and women with no need for margins.-á Some will say, GÇ£IGÇÖd rather burn out than rust outGÇ¥GǪbut GÇ£outGÇ¥ is still GÇ£outGÇ¥ regardless of how you get there.

If you are too busy to play with your kids, too busy for some quiet devotional time with the Lord, too busy to attend a worship service, to busy to read a book, too busy to take a walk with your sweetheartGǪ.then maybe itGÇÖs time to take a look at your margins.-á Margins shouldnGÇÖt -ábe so wide that they demonstrate laziness and shallowness, nor should they be non-existent.

Check out your marginsGǪyouGÇÖll be a better spouse, parent, teacher, ministerGǪ.and youGÇÖll be more effective in ministry as well.-á Living with balance is a spiritual discipline.

It’s been a busy week since I last posted.-á I had a great article replete with photos entitled “First Days” which was about the first day of school in general and the one we experienced at Dade Christian in Miami where I am serving as a part-time interim, but WordPress went crazy for a day or so and I couldn’t get it posted and I eventually lost it somewhere in cyperspace.-á But we had a great opening to school at DCS with between 1,300 and 1,400 students, 106 in the senior class (a school record), a tremendous orientation for faculty and just a generally great week.-á Upon my return to Charlotte, it was a busy week of painting and remodeling the house we are moving into in the next few weeks, a great Sunday service at Providence Church where my good friend, Ken Rudolph delivered an awesome message on prayer and then catching a plane back to Miami last night.-á

So on the plane last night, I jotted down a list of rants, observations, questions and oddities while we flew south.-á By far, my periodic “Rants” are the most popular blog articles I post (based on feedback) which probably says a lot about me and you, the readers.-á Last week, I had at least a dozen people write, call or mention to me that they were waiting for the next installment.-á So, in no order of importance or significance or anything else….here we go yet again!

- So, who was the Rocket Scientist who decided to send the first teacher (to make it) into space during a time of the year when 99.9% of the students AREN’T EVEN IN SCHOOL?!?-á Hello, NASA?-á Doesn’t anyone there remember that agrarian ritual that’s been in our country for about 250 years known as “SUMMER BREAK?”-á

- Having switched to diet beverages several years ago, (when ironically, I weighed 20 pounds less), I now believe that the diet soda that tastes least like a diet soda is Diet A&W Root Beer.-á If you have to drink diet and if you like root beer, then Diet A&W is the way to go.-á (Plus, no caffiene!)

- While watching a classic game on ESPN the other night, it struck me that when I was in high school in the 70’s, all the guys wore short shorts and tall socks.-á Today’s teams wear long shorts (that look more like culottes than shorts) and short socks.-á Either way, we showed about the same amount of leg, just different parts of the leg.-á Let me pause here to say that I like the 00’s better than the 70’s.-á Can I get a witness?

- I’ve noticed that a professional liability that comes with working for the government at about any level seems to be extreme arrogance for some folks.

- I predict that the Democratic ticket will be Clinton/Obama and that they will win the White House.-á I’m not particularly glad about it, but it’s my prediction.

- Why is Obama considered a “black candidate” when he’s as much white as he is black?-á And why do we care?-á I’m far more interested in his stand on the issues than the tone of his skin.

- In the end, I’ll take character over talent and/or good looks any day.

- What’s with our culture’s production of “bad girls” lately?-á I thought boys were rats and snails and puppy dogs tails.-á Considering today’s crop of Paris, Lindsey, Britney and their ilk, someone’s going to need to rewrite-áthat nursery rhyme.-á And I REALLY don’t understand parents who let their-á’tween and teen kids follow after these kinds of trampy examples.

- Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?-á (Please join me in praying that-ásome kind and-ábenevolent South Floridian will produce a couple of Monday Night tickets for me to see my beloved ‘fins this year while I’m working in Miami.)

- The difference in wishing “grace” or “vengeance” on someone is usually dependent on whether you need it yourself or you want someone else to get it.

- I’ve lived in the heat and I’ve lived in the cold.-á Personally, I think it’s easier to live in the cold.-á I mean you can always put more clothes on to get warm, but there’s a limit to what you can take off to get cool.

- I recently rented a PT Cruiser and found it to be the roomiest compact care I’ve ever driven.-á I’ve heard they are going out of production and I think that would be a shame.-á They are really a nice little car.

- Why do we punish Cuba with a trade embargo and enrich China with all kinds of free trade?-á-áThey are both communist countries who don’t really like us….and frankly, I’m more frightened by China than-áCuba.

- I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a tattoo that didn’t make the wearer just look a little sleezy.-á I know they are popular.-á I think it sounds cool to hear them called “tats”.-á But c’mon, even a tiny little smiling butterfly makes the wearer look just a little trashy.-á And to call them-á”Body Art” is like saying that grafitti belongs in the capital rotunda.

–áSomeone told me years ago to read the Proverbs that corresponds with the day of the month.-á That was really great advice and no matter how many times I read the Proverbs, I keep learning stuff.

- The amount of junk we tend to gradually accumulate is-ásimply appalling.-á Thus, I end up parking $25,000 worth of automobiles in my driveway while we park-ástuff that wouldn’t bring $250 at a-áyard sale in the garage.-á Pretty stupid, isn’t it?

- Arby’s Homestyle Turkey/Bacon/Ranch Sandwhich is outstanding.-á The bread is whole grain and really great.-á Plus, there’s something about them that makes you feel like you’re eating healthy when you have one even though it isn’t.

OK….I’m out of time.-á Until-áthe next rant-o-mania…I’m over and out.

For the first time in my life, when I get up on Sunday morning these days, I can choose to worship wherever I want to go to church.-á All my adult life, I have worked at a church and so my church attendance “options” were zero.-á This has been a new, at times — uncomfortable, position for us.

Last Sunday, we decided to visit the church that was started out of the church I pastored in Charlotte.-á Located in Denver, NC – a bedroom community of Charlotte — we went to which is pastored by my dear friend, Ben Rudolph.-á I have known Ben since he was a tow-headed boy.-á Today, he is a Godly father, pastor and friend.

Ben felt called to start a church while he was on our staff where he served as the Youth Pastor.-á Ben was the first person I hired to serve on our pastoral team at my former church.-á His parents had been friends of mine for years and of my wife for even more years.-á Ben had served as an intern during my time as a pastor in West Palm Beach.-á He’s a graduate of Baptist Bible College, Clark Summit, PA.-á His dad, Ken Rudolph, is one of America’s best youth speakers.

So over the course of nearly a year, Ben and I worked toward making it possible for him to plant a daughter congregation of Northside Baptist Church.-á He located six or seven “seed” families.-á We added this outreach to our budget.-á We began praying together.-á God laid the Denver, NC area on our hearts.-á Providence Church was launched September 11th, 2006 on the Anniversary Sunday for Northside.

Sunday was my first time in attendance for a church service.-á I will tell you that it’s an adjustment walking into any church as a guest attender for me these days and Sunday was no exception.-á But from the moment I left my car on Sunday, I was blessed.-á Ben was greeting each attendee at the door with a hug and a handshake.-á The workers were in their place and greeting folks with enthusiasm.-á While using temporary facilities, they had prepared the room with banners, audio/visual aids and a welcoming, but appropriate atmosphere.

The music was balanced and positive.-á Folks participated and worshipped.-á Then Pastor Ben got up and opened the word with clarity, power and practical application.-á He used exposition, exigesis, humor and instruction in a 40-minute sermon that flew by.-á I took notes.-á I was challenged.-á I was blessed.-á I whispered to my wife… “Here’s a man I could call ‘Pastor’.”

As we had lunch together and drove home, my entire family spoke of the blessing they had received at Providence Church.-á Everyone of my children asked if we could go there again.-á I was just blessed beyond words to have sat under such sound instruction presented by a young man whom I’ve literally watch “grow up” in the ministry.-á

Some days any pastor wonders whether or not their ministry has mattered.-á Sunday, the Lord let me know that in some small way, He allowed Ben’s path to cross with mine these last couple of decades so that I could enjoy a Sunday of refreshment and encouragement.-á Such an hour goes along way in bringing comfort, joy and perspective into a lifetime of ministry.

If you don’t have a church home and you live anywhere near Denver, NC — I’d urge you to give Providence Church a visit.-á You’ll be blessed!-á You can find their website HERE.

Many of you know that I have been working with Cuban national pastors for the last four or five years.-á I have traveled the world on missions trips for over fifteen years, but I don’t know when I have been more challenged and blessed by any national pastor like I have been by Pastor NMR (Name hidden for his protection.)-á

My most recent trip was in February when I visited central Cuba where Pastor NMR moved to plant churches in an often over-looked part of the island nation.-á (Most missionary endeavors tend to focus on large cities easily reached by plane and car.)-á During my five days there, I met nearly a dozen national “missionaries” who left their home towns and jobs and moved to this part of Cuba specifically to plant churches.-á-áPastor NMR-áwas supporting those missionaries with the $200 per month I had committed to him from the church I pastored.-á

Over the years, I’ve been able to raise thousands for him in order to help with housing for the pastors (about $1,000 buys a minimal house of 2-4 rooms for a pastor and his family where he starts the house church), reconstruction of original church buildings (many of which are 100+ years old) which is allowed under Cuban law, transporation needs, seminary help, ministry tools and other support items that we in America take for granted.

(In the next few weeks, I’ll post some amazing pictures on this blog.-á Unfortunately, they are all packed away now and will have to wait until our move is complete sometime next month.)

With the help of my home church in Missouri, I have established an account for support for Cuban National Ministries.-á I had planned on visiting Cuba again last June, but personal circumstance prevented me from going.-á I plan on going sometime in October as it stands right now.-á I was able to personally send $1,200 in short-term assistance from my own funds with a Liberty University student of mine who just traveled to central Cuba with his church.-á Pastor NMR has several other pastors who are ready to move to the area to plant churches in these smaller towns of about 5,000-15,000 people and where there is no gospel presence.-á For a pastor to get set up, it requires about $1,000 for housing and then $20 per month in family support.-á (Amazing — what we spend on a meal at McDonald’s for 4 people will take care of an entire family’s needs for a month.)

Several things about the account I have set up:

1. 100% of every dollar given goes to Cuban ministry.-á I will pay my own way when I take the resources.-á Donors can receive an exact itemized accounting for how their donations are used.

2. Gifts are tax-deductible.-á Checks should be made out to Grace Baptist Church — Cuban Ministries Fund.

3. You may request and receive pictures of the pastors supported, items purchased, how they are being used, etc… and I will email them to you.-á You will be challenged and encouraged by the difference you can make.

4. You may specifically “adopt” a missionary pastor and his family for $20 per month (minimum) if you will make a commitment to support them for at least one year ($240 total).-á

I will periodically post specific needs that exist and which would be a huge help for Pastor NMR and the missionary pastors.-á I have periodic phone communication with him and we can exchange emails from time to time as well.

Pastor NMR is also starting a seminary in a local town through a Baptist Church I attended during my last visit as they celebrated their One Hundred Year Anniverary.-á The facility is in very bad shape and needs thousands of dollars in construction supplies (the nationals do most of the labor) and set-up supplies for the instruction.

Immediately, they have need for:

A laptop Computer ($2,000)
CD Players with MP3 capability (with A/C power supply) ($50 each)
2 Houses ($1,000 each)
Construction supplies for church repair ($ toward purchase)
Vehicle ($5,000 - this would purchase a vintage diesel-powered car — pre-1959)
Personal supplies - ($ for clothing, rice/beans, transportation for training, books, school supplies, worship CD’s for house churches, percussion instruments, etc…)

I will try to post a monthly reminder and update on this blog.-á I will be setting up a paypal donation account in a few weeks, but the way to give a tax-deductible donation is to send a check to:

Grace Baptist Church
(Cuban Ministries Fund)
533 East Rollins Street
Moberly, MO 65270

On behalf of our brothers and sisters in Cuba, thank you for helping them reach their nation with the Gospel.-á Few believers have a more difficult set of circumstances than our Cuban friends and the impact we can make in their lives with a gift of any size is absolutely amazing.

Thank you for praying for them and for giving what you can.

Over the last couple of months, we’ve been blessed to hear from so many of our friends across the country and, of course, from the ministries we’ve served over the years.-á My announcement to resign from my last pastorate and to seek a new direction in ministry took some by surprise, but in the end we are confident that God has and continues to direct our lives and we look forward to the future with a sense of anticipation and peace.

As we have communicated before, it is our desire to stay in the Charlotte area for the time being, but are obviously first and foremost committed to obeying the Lord’s will for us.

We’ve returned from a month-long family time where we were able to spend time with my family in Missouri and then take a few days and make some memories with our youngest two children while the older two returned to work and a missions trip.-á-á We are now in the process of preparing to move to a new house in a few weeks.

Immediately after I resigned, I received a phone call from my good friend, Dino Pedrone, who is the Senior Pastor at New Testament Baptist Church in Miami.-á They are one church with two locations (one in Miami-Dade and the other in Broward) and they have Christian schools at both locations as well.-á Due to an unexpected opening in the headmaster’s position at Dade Christian School, they were in need of a senior administrator.-á While serving as the President of the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools during the 1990’s, it was my privilege to ask Dr. Pedrone to join the FACCS Board and when I moved to North Caroline, he suceeded me as President.-á Under his leadership, the church and schools have been blessed by the Lord and this is one of America’s truly unique and historic ministries.-á Over the years, I’ve been privileged to serve as a consultant to many Christian day schools and have served on scores of accreditation teams and I’ve been on the campus of New Testament and Dade Christian School many times.

Dr. Pedrone asked me to assist Dade Christian by serving in an interim capacity while they begin their search for a new headmaster and I was delighted to accept.-á There is a long, very personal appreciation and debt we have for this ministry that stretches back nearly a half-century.-á The church I pastored in Palm Beach County, FL was started and salvaged by New Testament.-á Dr. Al Janney, the founding pastor was and is a personal friend and mentor to me.-á I have had scores of friends and church members in both of my church who attended New Testament and Dade Christian Schools.-á I have been friends with the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jim Virtue for over 20 years.-á So I saw this as an opportunity to invest back in a ministry that has been a blessing to me for most of my adult life.

I began my assignment this week and will be spending at least a couple of days each week on campus for the new few months.-á With over 1,300 students, nearly 200 staff and faculty, an expansive program and a rich history and reputation, there are plenty of challenges and opportunities to build on what already exists there.-á From my first moment on campus this Tuesday, I was blessed by the heart of the team in place, the friendliness and acceptance from the entire DCS family.-á We’ve had a great week of orientation, we’ve been meeting our students and their parents and we are excited about the start of school next week.

One of the unique things about South Florida ministry is the cultural and ethnic diversity that exists.-á The staff of DCS reflects that diversity and I’ve met faculty members from Nigeria, Australia, Nicaraugua, El Salvador, Cuba, Honduras, Puerto Rico and even Tennessee.-á (And that’s just the beginning of the list, by the way.)-á I love the richness that this melting pot brings to ministry and it is reflected in the Wednesday night Bible study, the student body and every facet of the New Testament ministry.

In addition to this temporary position, I’m serving as an adjunct professor for Liberty University and Southern Evangelical Seminary teaching Discipleship and Church Administration online and in an evening course.-á I am also going to be doing some work on the two books I have sketched out and obviously, will be searching for the permanent position for ministry in the coming months as well.-á

Julie and the kids are doing well and we have grown together as a family throughout the summer.-á We are homeschooling the two younger kids.-á Megan will return to her former school to complete her high school education.-á Nathan returns to Liberty University next week as a sophomore.-á Megan had an accident the night she returned from her missions trip and ended up accidentally amputating the end of one of her fingers.-á It was reattached and the most recent doctor’s report indicates that he is cautiously optimistic that the reattachment was successful.-á Thankfully, I was out of town that night, so it fell to Julie to pick up the finger, put it on ice and spend six hours in the emergency room.-á I’d show you a picture on this blog, but it is really too disturbing to look at.

Again, Julie and I cannot adequately express our appreciation to the hundreds who have written, called and sent notes over the last couple of months.-á Your encouragement and ministry to us has been a tremendous blessing.-á I wish we could answer each one personally.-á

Many have asked what my plans are for my ongoing involvement in Cuba with the church planting ministry there.-á I have talked to my pastor friend there multiple times and was able to send him several months of personal support for the eleven missionary pastors/families we are currently supporting.-á In the next day or two, I plan on posting more information about the ministry in Cuba and how you can get involved and support this amazing work.-á I do plan on returning to Cuba this fall and will be taking several friends and interested partners with me on this trip.-á Check back here and find out how you can make a HUGE difference in this island nation.

So that’s the update….I won’t belabor you with the this much detail in the future, but I will keep you posted regarding the Lord’s direction and leading in our lives.

As always, I’m expecting His Best……Dan

Well, the brain cells are firing again after a month off and I’m ready to blink a few times and step into the bright world of the blogosphere once again.-á I’ll clear a few more cobwebs and then give everyone an update before getting back to my sporadic ramblings, articles and general trouble making.-á I hope everyone has had a good summer and I’ll be back shortly.

Dan