tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56464392009-02-20T16:22:33.039-08:00Mike Cope's blogSniffing out the work of God in this world.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.comBlogger500125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141874980215551352006-03-09T03:42:00.000-08:002006-03-09T04:17:55.436-08:00Tomorrow, this little series on the Bible will continue. But for today, here's the big news. This will, probably, be my last day to post on mikecope.blogspot.com. It's been a nice home for the past two and a half years. But beginning tomorrow, I'll be found at www.preachermike.com. The name is chosen because that's what so many of kids at Highland call me. Either "Preacher Mike," or, a few Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141776888277608522006-03-08T03:25:00.000-08:002006-03-08T05:42:14.700-08:00The B-I-B-L-E #2 Another shocking discovery of my early life was this: people wrote the Bible. Real, live people. People who did not have perfect lives or perfect insight into the mind of God. People who wrote in their language, using their own vocabulary and style. Luke's writing is polished; John's is more like someone who was trying to connect with the middle schoolers (simpler syntax Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141735234837451212006-03-07T04:20:00.000-08:002006-03-07T04:42:40.413-08:00The B-I-B-L-E Here is one of the most shocking discoveries of my early life: the Bible has to be interpreted. I know that's a no-brainer. But I grew up thinking that what set us apart from all other religious groups is that we just believed the Bible. God said it. We believed it. That settled it. Other people had creeds. Others twisted it because they liked musical instruments or didn't Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141654944465390202006-03-06T06:08:00.000-08:002006-03-06T07:01:58.783-08:00Some of the books that continue to impact me no matter how many times I return to them: Richard Hays, The Moral Vision of the New Testament Eugene Peterson, Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work and Working the Angles Nicholas Wolterstorff, Lament for a Son Frederick Buechner, Telling the Truth: the Gospel As Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline Dallas Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140274475340628202006-02-25T06:46:00.000-08:002006-03-06T06:25:07.013-08:00Most years no one wanted to bother running against Bob Hunter. It wasn't worth the time and effort. Bob has been such a respected state representative that he always cruised through elections--with or without opponents. Bob was never afraid to cross political boundaries to support important causes. This year he isn't running for reelection because he's battling prostate cancer. So my Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141422626890984722006-03-04T04:42:00.000-08:002006-03-04T10:11:17.716-08:00Here is the picture that was supposed to go out with a Christmas letter. It's from our trip to Estes Park last summer. So "Merry Christmas from the Copes" (either very belatedly or very early). I've been working with a lot of old pictures, getting a presentation ready for a family gig. Here is my beloved's high school graduation picture (posted withOUT permission): And here she is a Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141308933342067032006-03-03T04:02:00.000-08:002006-03-04T05:21:38.460-08:00I love what's happening at the Walden Media group, the ones who produced "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." Check out their website for films they have coming, including one based on the life of William Wilberforce. My buddy Darryl Tippens just heard Michael Flaherty, president of the company, speak and said he's a seriously devoted Christ-follower. - - - - Meals are such a dance with Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141057960332804202006-03-02T04:18:00.000-08:002006-03-02T04:57:00.856-08:00Highland just received an invitation to the "Contending for the Faith" lectureship with such scintillating class topics as (I kid you not): "Are We Holding a Form of Anti-ism Because We Oppose False Doctrine and False Teachers in ACU, OCU, Harding, FHU, DLU, and the Like?" "Are We Occupying an 'Anti' Position When We Oppose the Church of Christ Disaster Relief Agency?" "Anti-ism Is Not God's Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141052285492085702006-03-01T03:24:00.000-08:002006-03-01T09:25:29.286-08:00Ah, "There's No Pulpit Like Home." . . . And, happy birthday to my friend Anna Claire. . . . And, an introduction to Good Soil Ministries, run by my brother-in-law, Steve Meeks. - - - - I mentioned recently hearing Bob Russell talk about the toll that criticism takes over the long haul. He told about an Easter service a couple years ago that he thought was the best he'd ever been part of. Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141056770659937572006-02-28T03:24:00.000-08:002006-02-28T10:56:39.870-08:00Here are a couple photos of Kerri Lane and her girls serving communion at Highland. The memorial service will be today at 11:00. - - - - If you have a high speed connection, check out this clip. Thanks, DU, for the link. [NOTE: At 6:30 this morning, this link wasn't working. See my note in the comments. ESPN's version is available on video at espn.com.]Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1141013977989811742006-02-27T03:58:00.000-08:002006-02-27T04:21:07.576-08:00He was more than just King Nebuchadnezzar. He was “Nebuchadnezzar, Inc.” Fresh from a great military victory at Carchemish over the Egyptians (605 B.C.), he was maybe the most secure man in the universe. Youth, strength, wealth, clout–all were his! He was a steel tank, a shining knight, a superhero. Besides all that, his name was impressive. As one third-grade girl wrote to me: “Dear Mr. Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140997845399989882006-02-26T15:49:00.000-08:002006-02-26T15:50:45.440-08:00Jerry's sermon this morning was profound. Speaking from Matthew 6:1-18, he talked about the addiction of approval. I would encourage everyone to download it from our podcast (in a couple days) and listen to it. Many of us probably need to hear it about once a month!Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140782848612080712006-02-24T03:55:00.000-08:002006-02-24T05:35:55.103-08:00From the No-Wonder-So-Many-People-Hate-Christianity Department: A dozen states are scrambling to restrict picketing at funerals. They're doing it because Pastor Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, consider it their mission to protest at the funerals of American troops. They believe that what's happening in Iraq is God's judgment on America for our toleration of gays.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140698023883940482006-02-23T06:30:00.000-08:002006-02-23T07:09:18.183-08:00Earlier this week I wrote a post for this morning, knowing I wouldn't have time today. It's the one I posted earlier. But now I'm going to stop and take the time to post again. Kerri Lane died last night. She was an amazing woman--a godly mom raising two of the sweetest girls in the world (kindergarten and 4th grade) by herself. This past summer, in the midst of her battle with melanoma, sheMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1139775475045889912006-02-23T03:54:00.000-08:002006-02-23T04:14:12.846-08:00I weary of the triumphal claims made by some about healing. Here's the truth: lots of godly people who pray for healing don't get well--at least not in the way they hoped for. It isn't because God doesn't love them or because not enough people had real faith. So much damage is done by supersaints who claim that healing is a done deal to those who believe. Yet on the other hand, we aren't Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140611599254503292006-02-22T04:22:00.000-08:002006-02-22T04:33:19.300-08:00The new issue of Wineskins is on unity and has several excellent articles. (Great job, GT.) But please, please don't miss the article entitled "Circle of Fire: Barton Stone and a Spiritual Model of Unity" by Gary Holloway at wineskins.org. This piece by Gary, a member of the Bible faculty at Lipscomb, confirms again my belief that, under the leadership of Randy Lowry, a lot of growth and Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140494051806840452006-02-21T16:18:00.000-08:002006-02-21T05:35:32.206-08:00Later this week I'll be meeting about 20 guys whom I've met with for a day or two each year for 20 years, usually right after the ACU lectureship. When we started we were all young preachers in Churches of Christ. Through the years, there have been lots of ups and downs that we've celebrated together and grieved together. We've connected with each other through divorce, death, struggles, Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140436474893599152006-02-20T03:45:00.000-08:002006-02-20T03:54:36.486-08:00This morning I'm supposed to talk about how and why I got into blogging. I'm just trying to remember how and why I got into this class. I just looked back to see what my first blog entry was about. It was on August 4, 2003, which is probably old by blogging standards. Here it is: Monday, August 04, 2003 We just returned from Pensacola Beach--our 15th straight year in the same condo (since Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140280201847690992006-02-19T04:01:00.000-08:002006-02-19T04:07:47.636-08:00As I sit here in my office praying over this text that won't let me go--Matthew 5:43-48--I remember these words of William Willimon: "'The Trouble with you preachers is that you are always talking about something so far removed from my world, where I really live, as to be incomprehensible. Keep your sermons close to the real world,' he said to me as we shook hands at the church door. "I turnedMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140195944657089652006-02-18T05:32:00.000-08:002006-02-18T05:47:38.246-08:00Several years I went to the National Prayer Breakfast. It was a good experience, but there was nothing there that year quite like Bono's prophetic words this year. - - - - Thanks to a reader of this blog, there will be Krispy Kreme donuts at our 8:30 class Monday morning at the ACU lectureship. Greg Kendall-Ball, Travis Stanley, and I are teaching a class called "Blogging Isn't a Dirty Word."Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140148202500938722006-02-17T03:58:00.000-08:002006-02-17T09:06:11.843-08:00I've always been a runner. I've enjoyed both jogging with friends (thousands of miles with Leon in the Searcy days) and training alone in early morning hours. I've had fun with 5Ks, 10Ks, and marathons. All right, "fun" is a bit too strong a word for the marathons. But the overall experiences were fun. (Who wouldn't like running 26 miles through all five boroughs of NYC?) One year I set Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140096389028041312006-02-16T05:20:00.000-08:002006-02-16T07:14:37.903-08:00Check out www.nomoregoats.com to see the exciting plans of a young Highland couple! - - - - Good words from Wade Hodges, this year's director of the Tulsa Workshop, in response to some criticism that's been raised about this year's program. I'm looking forward to doing a keynote and joining my amigo Randy Harris in a class called "Totally Outrageous Stories for a Troubled World." - - - - OneMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1140021816845531752006-02-15T08:38:00.000-08:002006-02-15T08:43:36.886-08:00We all know how important small groups are to churches. The larger you get, the smaller you must get. But here's my question: what should those groups be doing? I love the Larry Crabb vision of groups as a place of intergenerational connecting where we engage each other deeply with gospel values. We learn one another's stories and help each other through prayer, encouragement, mentoring, andMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1139851318105943912006-02-14T04:02:00.000-08:002006-02-14T04:29:29.396-08:00Happy Valentine's Day, my dear. Our first date was 29 years ago today. "Through it all, love remains." L, M. - - - - If you want to know more about why I think Albert Pujols is the greatest player in baseball (besides sheer talent), check here. - - - - For today, a classic piece from Henri Nouwen, taken from his "secret journal," written during a difficult time in his life: "Giving Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646439.post-1139695466804544632006-02-13T04:32:00.000-08:002006-02-13T04:42:14.783-08:00Today I'm interviewing Jerry Taylor, a member of the Bible faculty at ACU and the new associate preaching minister for Highland. How can I say this simply? THE GUY CAN PREACH. In fact, he's giving a keynote address this year at the North American Christian Convention (the annual gathering of leaders of the Christian Churches). Jerry, would you tell us a little about the New Wineskins RetreatMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01973958229716565176noreply@blogger.com12