Dr. Wendell Kempton, may your memory inspire us!

“Wendell Kempton served Christ as a leader of global Great Commission ministry. His passion for God and love for people caused him to be used of God in the lives of multiplied thousands through the years,” said Baptist Bible College & Seminary President Jim Jeffery.

The greatest and most life-changing sermons don't come from a pulpit. More often, they're observed rather than heard. The greatest sermon I've "heard" lately is the one Dr. Wendell Kempton is still preaching in his death. The sermon is entitled "Live for God so utterly and completely that there isn't time for anything else!" His life will continue to cry this out if we are willing to continue to listen to him and others like him.

So often I talk to students and friends about how to defeat sin. The answer is simply this: Live for God every second of every day and there won't be any time left for anything else. In the words of my friend Joe Knable: "We're never idle. We're either running after sin, or running after Christ and His righteousness." There are only two pursuits in life.

“Wendell Kempton served Christ as a leader of global Great Commission ministry. His passion for God and love for people caused him to be used of God in the lives of multiplied thousands through the years." I want this to be said of me! I want it to be said of you too.

Happy New Year

I arrived "home" to good 'ole Clarks Summit, PA at 9:30pm on Saturday, Dec. 22nd . . . just 2 short days before Christmas. My luggage, however, didn't arrive until 2 days after Christmas. No clothes. Period. The luggage finally arrived just in time for my first speaking engagement at my sending church. Important day to have clothes. I also got bronchitis since arriving home. It's been an eventful week and a half.

It has been fun though. Travis, Kaci and Lana arrived the day after Christmas, and my friend, Phil Graf, was able to come for New Years weekend. I was sick the whole time, but it was still a lot of fun to be surrounded by my brothers, my sister-in-law, my 19-month-old niece and a good friend. 2007 ended well. It's been GREAT to relax!

I believe a good question to ask as a new year begins, is not "what will 2008 hold?", but "what will I make of it?" In the words of Anne of Green Gables, "It's not what life holds for you - it's what you bring to it." What will you bring to 2008? 2008 may or may not hold your dreams. What if it doesn't? What will you do to bring glory to God and make it a great year? I have a few ideas . . .