I’m really enjoying the Bowerbirds. Check them out here.
pilgrim in progress
jason kovacs | life, faith, adoption, church, culture, and other randomness
Bowerbirds
Adoption Interview
Be sure to check out Dan Cruver, Dr. Russell Moore, and Joel Beeke tommorrow as they talk about adoption on the Calling for Truth radio program.
Changes Urged in Transracial Adoption
This article came out yesterday and has caused lots of discussion. I hope to put some thoughts down before too
long but would love to hear yours!
You can also listen to the discussion about the issue from Talk of the Nation yesterday on NPR - “Report Criticizes ‘Colorblind’ Adoptions.”
Graduation
This morning I had the joy of graduating from Reformed Theological Seminary. This was the culmination of a 7 wonderful and sometimes long years (two years of that at The Bethlehem Institute)
I am struck with a deep sense of gratitude, first for God’s grace then for my wife. My graduation is more a reflection of Shawnda’s dedication, encouragement, and sacrifice than it is of mine. She bore the brunt of the responsibilities on the homefront as God grew our family over the past three years from O to 3 children. And while I balanced working full-time with my studies she gave up having me home on Saturdays, evenings, and many other times.
I also want to thank my parents who have relentlessly encouraged and supported me through all these years! Next to Shawnda, they continue to be my greatest cheerleaders in following God’s will.
I can’t help but thank my friends and brothers and sisters who have also encouraged me along the way to keep pressing on.
I pray, and ask you to pray, that I will be a good steward of the excellent teaching and training I have been blessed with over the years. That I will never stop being a student and disciple; and that I will lead and pastor my family faithfully in these days ahead. Pray for grace to serve and work diligently as unto the Lord, knowing He will guide and direct my every step for His glory in all that He has for me ahead.
Thank you!
How Many Disciples Did Jesus Have?
Last night before bed we did our usual reading from the children’s Bible, prayer, and song. The reading last night talked about how Jesus had twelve men called disciples who followed him and learned from him. It would be easy for me and my children to think that Jesus had 12 disciples and that was all, but what do we call the rest of the folks that followed Christ. What do we call ourselves?
I’m reading through Luke right now and was struck the other day at how he makes a distinction between ‘disciples’ and ‘apostles.’
Luke 6:13 “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles”
Luke 6:17 “And the came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon”.
The Gospels also often refer to the “crowd” or “multitudes” that followed Christ along with the disciples. I think these can be helpful distinction to make because it helps us realize that anyone who follows Christ is either part of the “crowd” (those following out of curiosity, seeking, not necessarily believing or trusting in Christ) or a “disciple.” A “disciple” by definition is a student, an apprentice, follower, learner, one who has given his life to walk in the footsteps of another. A “disciple” is anyone who has put their trust in Christ as master, Savior, and Lord.
If my children ask me “how many disciples did Jesus have?” I would say “many and He is all about making many, many more!” It is the mission of the church to “make more disciples” - Jesus command in Matthew 28:19 was: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Proclaim + Bring the Gospel
“Soon afterward He went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God.” Luke 8:1
What does it look like to “proclaim” and “bring” the gospel of the Kingdom of God to those who need it today? One thing is certain our gospel is so great it must not only be proclaimed, preached, and spoken but must also be ‘brought’; I think that means, it must effect change and transformation of lives. It is God’s sovereign rule and authority breaking into our world and our lives.
One might say the ‘bringing’ comes through the ‘proclaiming’ and I think that is true. After all, “faith comes by hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ” (Rom 10:17). We need to proclaim the Gospel. We also need to bring the Gospel in practical ways. Jesus modeled the ‘bringing’ in how often his teaching and preaching was accompanied by healing, praying, and casting out of evil spirits. It is modeled for us in the early church through their focus on the poor and their practical care for one another.
We shouldn’t do one to the exclusion of the other. The proclamation of the Gospel and the bringing of the Gospel belong together and God’s kingdom is made present in our lives both.
Lord, send me out to proclaim and bring the Gospel of the kingdom of God to those who need it today.
Cannot Wait…
So many memories of boyhood television goodness!
‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian’ soundtrack
Prince Caspian opens tommorrow and the soundtrack was released yesterday.
Switchfoot has a great song on the soundtrack called “This is Home.” Jon Foreman, lead singer, explained that he was “always taken by [C. S.] Lewis’ ability to write about the bittersweet beauty in this world; this home we aren’t really made for but is the place we work out our humanity in the midst of our longing for our true home.†With this song, they “wanted to capture the longing that is embedded in much of Lewis’ writing- so I tried to think back to what these stories meant to me when I was six years old and write from that perspectiveâ€
MIA
I have not read a blog post in two weeks.
I haven’t even opened my blog reader.
I am a blog slacker…and proud dad of a new baby!
I will be back soon Lord willing.
