Is Texas Big Enough for This Tall Canadian?

I am looking forward to preaching this weekend at Kerrville Bible Church & Believer’s Fellowship of San Antonio 3^rd Annual Men’s Retreat.

Kerrville Bible is pastored by my old friend Chris McKnight who single-handedly enabled me to pass seminary. You see, Chris is one of those really smart people who hardly have to study and after failing every quiz in Dr. Thomas’ New Testament Introduction I was about ready to give up. Chris, who had the distinct privilege of grading all my failed quizzes (and yes, I had the joy of marking all of his PERFECT!) once asked Dr. Thomas (on my behalf) if one of my answers would do, even though it was not exactly the way the good doctor had worded it. Said doctor said, “No,” but my buddy Chris jumped out of his seat, and went and argued on my behalf for that one point... and he won.

I got 3 out of 12 on the quiz.

Now, you may think that is a pathetic little story, but for a guy who was working 32 hours a week, with a new baby in the house, and 14 hours of class time and oodles of homework... it was life. Somebody was for me! Out of all my days in seminary classrooms that one always comes to mind as the most encouraging!

So, I am glad to go and preach at the H. E. Butt Foundation's Linnet’s Wings Camp this weekend, where the brochure for the retreat includes the line, “Bring Your Own Shotgun.” I am fairly certain they will not let me take one on the plane and equally as sure that if I tried to shoot a shotgun I would dislocate my shoulder, so I will pass on that. But the steak dinner and hiking and fish fry look great!

I will be preaching four messages on leadership:

• The Heart and Soul of Leadership: Service
• The Means of Leading: Risk
• The Mark of a Leader: Holy Resolve
• The End of Leadership: Finishing Well

I hope it is used of God in the lives of my Texan brothers. Please pray to that end and forgive me if I preach in a Texan drawl when I get back... it's so contagious!