Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Signs of Aging (Phil. 1:19-26)

Aging has a way of sneaking up on us. You know you're getting old when ...

  • You willingly go to bed at 9:00 every night.
  • You alone in your family knows how to drive a stick shift.
  • You still give paper quizzes.
  • You prefer a desktop to a laptop.
  • You use punctuation in text messages.
  • You were born in a territory that doesn't exist anymore.
  • You know what Wake Forest looked like before it was swallowed up by Raleigh.
  • It takes you forever to scroll to find your birth year on an online form.
  • You don't understand current jargon, but you don't care.
  • Ear hair seems to grow exponentially.
  • The music you grew up with is now called Classic Rock.
  • You're okay with fewer friends.
  • All your students were born after 9/11.
  • You hate iPhone updates. 
  • The first number of your age begins with a 7.
  • You have grandkids in college.
  • You start finding "boring" websites interesting (e.g., American Battlefield Trust).
  • You remember how your exegesis classes had 45 students (instead of 6) before online education took over.

I would also add:

  • Your longing for heaven is stronger than ever.

This week in our Philippians class we'll be exegeting Phil. 1:19-26. This passage contains the famous verse:

"For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

The words roll off the tongue. There's an unforgettable beauty and symmetry to them. Many of us have memorized them.

Paul had two options in front of him, and both were desirable. Both were good options. In life, Paul knows that he will be able to bear more fruit for Christ. In death, he knows that departing this life is desirable because he will go and be with Christ. For Paul, there was nothing greater than being in the eternal presence of Christ his master. To this point in his life he's tasted the appetizer of fellowship with Christ on earth. But he's longing for the main course. His metaphorical mouth waters at the idea of being with Christ for eternity.

That's why he can talk rather bizarrely about desiring death. He knows that through death he'll possess and enjoy Jesus forever. Nothing could possibly be better than that. But in the meantime, life for Paul means Christ as he loves and serves him day after day and year after year. So if he goes on living, he lives to bear fruit for Christ. The Living Bible puts it beautifully: "For to me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying -- well, that's better yet!" In essence Paul is saying, "If living will give me more opportunities to win people to Christ, then I really don't know which is better, to live or to die!"

Which leads me to ask: "Is my desire to live longer primarily because I long to be useful and fruitful through Christ to others?" Paul was willing to forego being in the presence of Christ in glorious eternity for the sake of the gospel. Am I? 

That same level of preparedness ought to mark our attitude toward Christ's long-heralded second coming. We ought to live in anticipation that it could happen tomorrow. Or, for that matter, today. Our hearts should be ready, our lives in order, our priorities correct. As the saying goes, 

Only one life, 

'twill soon be past. 

Only what's done for Christ 

will last. 

Haddon Robinson on Modern Preaching

"Most modern preaching evokes little more than a wide yawn." -- Haddon Robinson. 

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a -- SMITH MACHINE!

Today I used a piece of equipment at the gym I'd never used before. 

The smith machine is an amazing aid to lifting. Because of the additional rail-guide system, fewer stabilizing muscles are required to perform the movement. Today I used it for shoulder presses and felt like my risk of injury was far less than it is when using dumbbells. I normally find free weights better than machine exercises. That said, you can put together some great workouts using the smith machine. I wish I had discovered it earlier! 

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

The Farm Says Hey!

Scaling the Heights of Your Existence

I've always been a seeking soul, driven by some uncontrollable urge to challenge the parameters of my small world. It's just who I am. Growing up on a tiny island in the middle of a huge ocean, I wanted to explore the big wide world that was out there. One of these places are the mountains of Switzerland. What I want is not so much the glory of a climb achieved but rather the majestic beauty of the high peaks. I've gone from scaling inner heights to ascending outer ones. When I return from a climb I feel renewed -- a better human being, stronger and a bit more capable of facing life's unpredictable terms. By sharing my journey with others, maybe I can inspire people to take a closer look at their own lives and consider whether they are living their dreams or giving up on them. I don't like it when people talk but never do. I have to be careful not to develop that intoxicating habit myself. You can't wait forever to fulfill your innermost, God-given aspirations. Even if you fail, you must have the courage to persevere. If you never test your limits, how will you know what they are? Select only the most sublime goals. Force of habit will take care of the rest.  

Anyways, today was arm day at the gym. 

By God's grace, and only by his grace, and always by his grace, I'm still persevering in my training. I'm beyond grateful for my mountain guide. 

He's one of the best mountaineers in the Alps. Not snobbish, made of flesh and blood. We're a good team. The crowning achievement of my last trip to the Alps was, with his help, planting Becky's memorial banner on the summit of the Breithorn. Each time I'm up high, my body gets extremely debilitated. But the experience is unparalleled. 

Could that be just the reason God created mountains? 

Have a blessed day! 

Monday, February 10, 2025

A Translation of Phil. 1:12-18

Scripture is authoritative and sufficient. It's always textus rex -- the text is king. Not only are good sermons based on the text of Scripture, they should actually expound the meaning of the text. To prepare to do this well, I find it helpful to produce my own translation of the text I'm teaching. For what it's worth, here's a translation/paraphrase of Phil. 1:12-18 that reflects the results of my exegesis of this great passage.

1:12-14

And now, my dearest sisters and brothers, here's something I want you to sink your teeth into. I want you to know that my imprisonment has had the very opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being chained up, the gospel has actually broken its bonds and prospered. It hasn't in the least stopped advancing! You ask, how do I know this? Well, first of all, the entire palace guard in Rome and all the others here know that I'm in prison, not because I'm a criminal, but because I'm a Christian -- a servant of Christ. And secondly, by the very fact that I'm in prison for Christ's sake, most of the believers here have become more confident in the Lord, so that they grow bolder and bolder to preach the message without fearing the consequences,  remembering that "God works all things for good."

1:15-18

Some of them, it's true, are actually preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry toward me, motivated by nothing more than a competitive spirit and misguided ambition. Others, however, are motivated by goodwill and a loyal spirit toward me. They're preaching Christ out of love for me, because they know I've been put here by God on purpose to defend the gospel. The former preach Christ insincerely, motivated only by self-promotion, thinking that they are actually making my imprisonment even more galling than it would be otherwise. But what does it matter? Nothing matters except that, in one way or another, Christ is being proclaimed, whether with honest or dishonest motives. That's what makes me happiest! And it will continue to make me happy! 

God bless,
Dave 

An Attitude of Gratitude

The theme of Phil. 1:12-18 can be summarized in one sentence (I just made this up):

"An attitude of gratitude increases the magnitude of the gospel's amplitude."

Now let's see if I can go through the day heeding my own advice. I'll let you know. 

Learning Greek Is Like a Tree

Learning Greek is like a tree. You learn the fundamental principles first (i.e., the trunk), before you get into the branches and leaves. 

Throughout my years of study and teaching, I've relied on this visual aid to keep me on course. The principle holds true regardless of the activity. In lifting, you go from a broad perspective of understanding to the tiny intricacies of the science of strength training. Greek is the same way. Please don't rush into exegesis without a foundation in grammar. 

iPads and the Pulpit

Just a suggestion.

Ours is a constantly scrolling and swiping culture. 

That doesn't need to be reinforced from the pulpit. 

If you can, leave your iPad at home. 

Preach from a reservoir, not a canteen. 

Look us in the eyes and earn our attention. 

Thank you. 

Lifting Heavy

Post-Super Bowl Reflections

That was quite a game. 

To my Chiefs: 

Never forget your past wins, but don't dwell on them.

Ego is the enemy of excellence.

Stay focused on the next prize.

Being sober after losing is a tremendous blessing. 


To the Eagles:

Over-celebration is an enemy. 

You're never too good to lose.

Navigating the treacherous waters of success is never easy.

Stay hungry but humble. 


To both teams:

Thanks for an entertaining season. See you next year. 

Dealing with Disagreements (Phil. 4:2-3)

When Paul wrote the book of Philippians, he was well aware of a serious division within their ranks. The fellowship was fractured. Doctrine does not seem to have been the cause. Rather, the church was being torn apart by differences arising from rivalry, self-interest, mutual animosity, and pride. In 4:2-3, the problem bubbles to the surface. Two women were disagreeing, and people in the church were apparently taking sides and dividing. Paul must have wondered, "Can our partnership in the gospel survive?" And so he addresses both women by name, begging each one to be of the same mind in the Lord, that is, to reach agreement with each other if possible and, if not, at least to set aside any self-seeking attitudes that they may have had toward each other and replacing this with the self-giving attitude of Christ (2:5-11). 

I think there are a few principles here that we can apply whenever we disagree with our fellow believers. Here at five:

1. Disagreements are inevitable, even among the godly. If you're going to have a relationship with others that's based on honesty, truth, and transparency, there will be disagreements. Opinions and viewpoints will differ. Spirit-filled people will not always see eye to eye. Paul and Barnabas are a good example (Acts 15:36-41). This is even true in Christian organizations. I serve in a place where congeniality and unity reign. My colleagues are men and women I have the utmost love and respect for. But we don't always agree with each other. Yet our mutual respect is not affected in the least. We simply agree to disagree about something and aren't afraid to have an open and honest discussion about it.

2. In every disagreement, there are two separate ingredients. There is an issue, and there are convictions. The issue involves principles, while the convictions involve preferences. There are some convictions that all believers have because they are foundational truths of Christianity. But in many other areas, we will see things differently. The point is that we can still work in harmony with people with whom we disagree on these matters.

3. In most if not all disagreements, each side will have valid points. It's often difficult for us to acknowledge and value the other point of view because we are so vested in our own opinion. Thus Paul urges the Philippians to be "forbearing" (4:5). He means that we need to be willing to stop talking and begin to listen to others, to meet them halfway if we can, and not always insist that it's our way or the highway. William Hendriksen brilliantly translates the Greek word here as "bigheartedness." The idea is one of sweet reasonableness and magnanimity. If we have such an attitude, we'll be less likely to make an obstinate stand for what we believe is right. When involved in a disagreement, we will work at seeing both viewpoints. We'll do our very best to see the other's point of view. In fact, often they can support their point of view as well as we can support ours.

4. When both sides of an issue have good support, we should seek a wise compromise. For Paul and Barnabas to have done that would not have meant heresy. No doctrine was involved in their decision as to whether or not they should take John Mark with them on their second missionary journey. Paul could have said, "Let's take Mark on probation. If it doesn't work out in the first month, we'll send him home." For his part, Barnabas could have said, "Let's give Mark a minor assignment to see how he does. If on our journey we hear that he's measuring up, we'll send for him to join us." Could they have agreed on such a contingency plan? The answer seems to be yes. Instead, they separated in a manner they were probably not very proud of. Remember: a wise compromise is not necessarily a sign of weakness. Remember too that sometimes a third party is necessary to bring this about. In writing to the divided Philippians, Paul was a realist. He knew how hard it would be for Euodia and Syntyche to reach a compromise on their own. Hence he enlists a third party  -- either a man named Suzugos, or the entire Philippian church as a unit ("Suzugos" means "partner"). "Help these ladies," says Paul. "Work with them to restore harmony and amity. The relationship is as important as the issue." 

5. Finally, if the conflict persists and the issue cannot be resolved, graciously agree to disagree. Don't slam the phone down. Don't give others the silent treatment. Don't stomp out of the room. Remember that God can still use both sides to advance the gospel. Paul's second missionary journey was no less successful than his first -- a reminder of the truth of Rom. 8:28. 

A Suggested Sermon Outline of Phil. 1:12-18

When I think of Phil. 1:12-18, which has two paragraphs (1:12-14 and 1:15-18), a number of possible sermon titles comes to mind:

  • The Priority of the Gospel for Paul.
  • How to Deal with Trouble and Troublemakers.
  • A Prisoner's Triumph.
  • Living to Advance the Gospel Despite Adversity.
  • Cheerful Sounds from a Jail Cell
  • Your Circumstances -- A Witness for Christ!
  • Good Results from Bad Circumstances.

Lots of choices! I decided on this outline:

Sermon Title: 

Making the Most of Your Adversity for the Gospel's Sake

Question driving the sermon: 

How can our adversities advance the Gospel?

Outline:

1. When we see our painful circumstances as opportunities for evangelism (1:12-13).

2. When we see others' pettiness as reminders of our highest ambition: to see Christ proclaimed (1:15-18).

Takeaways:

1. Adversity provides new opportunities to share our faith.

2. We can use our circumstances as a witness for Christ.

3. My pain can be for His gain.

4. Sometimes the gospel advances by those who do not support us and will not cooperate with us.

How would you teach/preach this passage? 

Have a great day! 

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Farm Update

Today was a good day to finish up repairing my porch. 

Shout out to Nate and Nolan for their help! 

We also welcomed two new lambs to the farm today. 

They are so precious. 

A farm is a nice place to raise a family. 

I love watching the grandkids at work --  and at play. 

Hope your Sunday went well! 

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Be a T-Shaped Person! (If You Can)

While standing in line at Bo's this week, a guy asked me, "I've seen you here a lot. I'm curious: What kind of work do you do?" I replied, "Well, I think I'm sort of a jack of all trades and master of none. I dabble in many things, including teaching and farming." 

Now, we've all heard the saying "Jack of all trades and master of none." But do you know the full quote? It goes on to say, in essence, that this is often better than being "a master of one." I couldn't agree more. Let me explain what I mean with this state-of-the-art graphic:

This is what's called a "T-Person." A T-Person is known for two things:

1. Disciplinary expertise.

2. The ability to work outside one's core discipline. 

In other words:

Depth.

AND breadth.

Depth of high-level expertise in one's discipline. 

And breadth of experience, knowledge, and skills. 

I think this describes me to a T. (Pardon the pun.) Basically I've always been a T-Person. I recall graduating from Basel with my doctorate in New Testament. I had written my dissertation on Paul. Immediately some people attempted to peg me as a Pauline scholar. I refused the identification. Of course, there are men and women with doctorates in, say, New Testament textual criticism or New Testament canon who spend their entire careers in this one area of research alone. I couldn't do that. I've wanted to engage my curiosity about nearly everything that had to do with New Testament studies. Have I published on Paul? To be sure. But I've also longed to be knowledgeable about other areas as well. Thankfully, I've had a career that's allowed me to explore the things I'm curious about, be it the synoptic problem or the authorship of Hebrews or New Testament ecclesiology or linguistics or textual criticism or Christian missions. 

If you're a fledging Ph.D. student in New Testament studies, my advice to you would be: Definitely become an expert in your particular field. But don't be afraid to go out and learn about topics that aren't "in your lane" so to speak. I pray that you'll find that your career is one in which you have the freedom to explore the things you're curious about. Please don't limit yourself to just one if you can possibly avoid it.  

Why I Wrote "It's Still Greek to Me" (with a Nod to Paul Harvey)

A couple of months ago, John Miles asked himself, "Do I, or do I not, like Dr. Black's It's Still Greek to Me?" (His answer may surprise you.) 

In his video, John wondered out loud about how I happened to write my odd little book, which seems so different from my Learn to Read New Testament Greek. Well, it's all very simple.

After B & H had published my beginning grammar, Baker Academic asked me if I would write a second-year grammar for them. I didn't even have to think about the answer. It was a polite but definite "No thank you." You see, I knew that my friend Dan Wallace (we had attended Biola together) was in the process of writing an intermediate grammar for Zondervan. Knowing Dan as I did, I was certain that his grammar would quickly become the standard work in the field. "Dan's currently writing the definitive second year grammar," I told my friends at Baker. "So there's no need at all for me to write one."

Later, after Dan's work had appeared in print, Baker called me back and asked, "What do you think of Dan Wallace's new grammar?" "It's the greatest advanced Greek grammar ever published," I replied. After all, Dan's book was over 800 pages long. "Well, would you consider writing a more rudimentary intermediate grammar for us?" asked Baker. "Sure," I said, "but on two conditions: (1) that I could make it a true second-year grammar, and (2) that I could use a style that would appeal to students and pastors outside of a purely academic setting." The rest, as they say, is history.

By the way, I still think Dan's grammar is one of the best (if not the best) grammar beyond beginning Greek in print today. In my chapters in It's Still Greek to Me, I referenced by page numbers the parallel sections in Dan's Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics and pleaded with my readers not to stop with my book but to go on to deepen their studies through an encounter with Dan's magnum opus. 

That's still my advice today. 

Thanks for reading! 

Brethren, Brothers, or Brothers and Sisters? (Phil. 1:12)

One of the biggest debates today has to do with Bible translations. Perhaps as much as any other Greek word, adelphoi has become involved in the discussion. On Monday we'll encounter the first use of this word in our study of Philippians (1:12). 


The question here is: does the word include both men and woman? Ditto for the Greek word anthrōpoi. If so, how should these terms be rendered in English? Here are a couple of examples we'll discuss in class:

1 Tim. 2:4:

KJV = who will have all men to be saved
LSB = who desires all men to be saved 
NASB = who wants all people to be saved
ESV = who desires all people to be saved
CSB = who wants everyone to be saved

Rom. 12:1:

KJV = I beseech you, therefore, brethren
LSB = Therefore I exhort you, brothers 
ESV = I appeal to you, brothers 
NASB = Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters
CSB = Therefore, brothers and sisters ... I urge you

Incidentally, my personal favorite English rendering of adelphoi in Phil. 1:12 is not found above. I'll spill the beans next week! 

Three "Nevers"

1. Never say you're too old. I started serious strength training at the age of 69. Today I'm 72. Aging isn't "lost youth." It's a new stage of personal growth. 

2. Never fail to warm up first. If you fail to get your blood cells moving, you're asking for an injury. I never lift until I've spent at least 10 minutes warming up. 

3. Never say never. Today I was able to do three consecutive wide grip pull ups with proper form. It was a milestone for which I am VERY grateful. When you celebrate micro-wins on your way to your dream, it can boost confidence and increase the likelihood that you can achieve your goal. 

I can tell you firsthand that Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't have felt any better receiving his first Mr. Olympia title than I did today.

It's all grace. Thank you Lord! 

Friday, February 7, 2025

Leg Day

As you know, I do an upper body workout three days a week. So I just added a leg day to my schedule, at least until I'm able to run outdoors again on a regular basis. Like my pencil legs?

I do. In fact, I love 'em. After all, they're the only legs I've got. I figure things could be worse. And by exercising them -- who knows? -- they might get bigger and stronger. 

Is there a body part of yours that you don't like? Get over it. Why do we humans insist on comparing ourselves to others? Comparison is never pretty. Just consciously realizing this can be helpful. We can always find someone else in the world who is stronger or bigger or better looking etc. than we are. But when you compare yourself to yourself, it's a win-win situation. On the one hand, you realize how much you've grown and improved and matured and what progress you've made toward your goals. On the other hand, you can develop a healthy discontentment with yourself, one that allows you to push yourself forward to achieve greater heights than before. The old cliche is true: "Comparison is the thief of joy." So let's jettison it. We'll be so much better off. 

It's your journey, my friend. 

Just be you.

*Sermon concluded.* 

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Enjoying Big Family Meals Without Regrets

There's nothing wrong with celebrating a holiday (like Thanksgiving) by eating a big over-sized dinner with dessert. Being healthy isn't always about eating the best possible meal in every scenario. It means making conscious choices about what you eat and being content with the tradeoffs. Nobody needs to regret a few over-the-top meals they may have in the presence of those they care about the most. 

The Goal of Exegesis

On Monday next, we'll be exegeting this passage (Phil. 1:12-18). 

But the goal is not exegesis. Exegesis looks at ideas. A sermon looks at people. Exegesis differs from a sermon in the same way that taking a trip differs from studying a map. No biblical author wrote simply to convey information. Each one wrote to effect lives.

I'm eager to see the homiletical outlines the class produces for these two paragraphs. The inspired Scriptures exist so that we can be "adequately equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:17). Producing a sermon outline forces you to reflect on how attitudes and behaviors should be altered in light of the text. 

I'll share with you my own outline and paraphrase of these extremely interesting verses next week! 

Use the Mirror!

Using a mirror when doing curls definitely helps with doing the sets properly. This is as easily done at home as in the gym. 

The Wonder of Language

Languages have architectural and logical precision. Even the exceptions have rules. This shouldn't surprise us. God is the one who made language and languages. He does everything decently and in order. 

A Simple Hack for Students

Just because others are getting poor grades in class doesn't mean you need to. Do what others don't so that you can achieve what others won't. 

Do You Need a Personal Trainer?

Really thankful for one of the personal trainers at the Y. Today he was kind enough to take this video and then give me some feedback on how well my scapula are performing during close grip pull ups. 

People sometimes ask me if a personal trainer is absolutely needed. They are not required as long as you have sufficient motivation to make exercise regular and a willingness to actually get the work done. They can be expensive and aren't always right for some. I've learned that if I don't know how to use a certain piece of equipment or if I want to know if I'm doing an exercise correctly, I can always ask the staff to show me and they are happy to help. I've also learned that once you're a "gym guy," other gym guys will give you ideas and help when asked. 

But in the end, it's all going to be up to you. If you hold yourself accountable, routinely perform your exercises, and research on Youtube the things you don't know, you're gonna create that lifestyle for yourself. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

On "Bad" Bible Translations

Some people think the ESV is the best Bible translation. Others prefer the NIV. Read whatever you like most. Neither is a "bad" translation, and neither is perfect. 

Just Do It

Easy day at the gym today -- a light leg, scap, and arm workout -- but no less discipline is required! 

Discipline isn't just something that you begin. 

It's something you maintain with habits. 

Discipline gives us the very ingredients needed to achieve our goals. 

Do it because you want to.

Don't think about it.

Don't procrastinate.

Don't talk yourself out of doing it. 

Your discipline (or lack thereof) is on display daily in the condition of your body and your life.

Just do it! 

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Exactly 6 Months from Today

I'm getting nervous. And excited. 

Messy Success

You don't need to be perfect. Just consistent. Half a workout is better than none. Messy success is better than perfect failure. 

How I'd Train If I Started Over

When I first started training at the gym, I knew I was light years away from doing my first pull up. After a couple years of training, it seems to me that I should have approached the matter a bit differently. Instead of focusing on machine-assisted pull ups and lat pull downs, I should have been performing band-assisted pull ups from day one. I realize that this exercise can feel really awkward to somebody who's never done it before and some people might have to start out with really wide bands, but the exercise is worth learning and becoming proficient in. The problem with machine-assisted pull ups and lat pull downs is that these movements don't translate very well into doing actual pull ups. I think you'd be far better off incorporating some band-assisted pull ups from the get-go. If I was starting again I'm pretty sure that's what I would do. I wouldn't ignore the pull up or lat pull down machines. I would just focus on band-assisted exercises. 

Just a thought!

From today's workout:

Monday, February 3, 2025

If You're New to Lifting (15)

I want to go over a topic I get asked about a lot.

Why do you do what you do?

I ask "What is your why?" because it's actually the most important part of any goal. To make changes in your life you have to have something very powerful motivating you. I realized that early in my running career. I committed myself to running my very first marathon. What happened is that it changed my mindset completely. I started looking at my running differently. If you're going to succeed, you need to ask what your why is, because if it's not powerful enough you're probably not going to follow through with it. 

This means that before you get into the nuts and bolts of strength training, you need to get into the why. People usually lose their goals because of what's between their ears, not because the training is too hard or the diet is too rigorous. We can endure amazing things when we have a really good reason for doing what we're doing.

The "why" is the real answer and drive for everything in life. Not the what or the how. 

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Philippians: Gospel Partnership (9)

As we have seen, the theme of the book of Philippians is "Gospel Partnership." I deduce this from 1:5, where Paul thanks God for the church's "partnership (or fellowship) in the gospel from the first day until now." The idea behind the Greek word for "partnership" or "fellowship" is "to share in." As believers, we share in the gospel in two primary ways. We share in the gospel in the sense that we all share its benefits and blessings. That's what Paul is referring to in verse 7 when he writes, "we are all sharers in God's grace." As believers, we mutually enjoy the salvation and forgiveness that comes through Christ. "We have shared together the blessings of God" is how the Living Bible puts it. This is indeed how the gospel first set foot in Philippi. Lydia, the slave girl, the jailor -- these all stepped into the grace of God. And before you knew it, there was a church in Philippi, meeting in Lydia's home. Salvation had brought them a new citizenship -- a heavenly, spiritual one (3:20) -- and with it a radical realignment of values and relationships. 

I've found that whenever I meet together with fellow believers, wherever they are, there is a tremendous oneness we enjoy because we are united in Christ. The three years Becky and I lived in Basel were years filled with the sweet fellowship that the Holy Spirit produced between strangers. From day one, our church family became the Baptistengemeinde Basel, where many close friendships were made. 

I've experienced the same oneness in villages in Ethiopia and in high rises in China. Such fellowship in the gospel is a blessing of salvation I never want to take for granted. 

But as believers in Christ, we also share in the gospel in the sense that we share joint ownership in the work of spreading the gospel to others. The ASV renders verse 5 as "your fellowship in the furtherance of the gospel." If we are recipients of grace through the gospel, we are also sharers of that grace to others. In other words, those who genuinely possess the gospel are eager to propagate it. Thus, while I enjoy wonderful fellowship with believers anywhere in the world, I also find that I enjoy a special relationship with those whom I feel I have a special partnership in the work of the gospel. I think this explains the closeness Paul felt with the Philippians (1:8). It also explains the closeness I feel with my faculty colleagues or my missions partners in such faraway places as Ukraine and Korea. What makes these relationships so special is not only that we are brothers and sister in Christ, but that we also work closely together in the gospel. 

Let me try to summarize what I think Paul is trying to say here. There are two main ideas in the expression "partnership in the gospel."

1. The gospel at work in the partners.

2. The partners at work for the gospel.

It's really just a matter of moving from fellowship to participation, from mere association to personal involvement. The Philippians exhibited this shift in many different ways. Lydia got actively behind the gospel by opening her home to the new believers. The jailor believed and was baptized, but he also washed the feet of Paul and Silas and then made them a meal. This is indeed "partnership in the gospel from the first day until now"! Gospel partners say, "This is my team. I will work with you for the gospel. Together we will keep the main thing the main thing, all because we share with one another God's amazing grace." As 1:9-11 shows, it's our genuine love for each other that adorns the gospel. A united church advances the gospel. On the other hand, a divided church hinders the gospel. A selfish, individualistic person is not a gospel partner! Thus to paraphrase 1:5:

"I'm so thankful to God not only for your fellowship as my brothers and sisters in Christ, but also for your sympathetic collaboration and generous contributions in spreading and advancing the Good News from the very first day you heard and believed it until now."

The work of the gospel, in short, is the secret of fellowship in the church. And it is all the work of God (1:6). We merely work out what he works in (see Phil. 2:12-13)! 

Using "morphology" to share the gospel with Persians studying linguistics at Yerevan University in Armenia. 

Building up fellow believers in Cluj, Romania (my mother's ancestral home). 

Teaching Greek to church leaders in China. 

Happy Born Day, Little One!

Philippians: Gospel Partnership (8)

In 1910 in Edinburgh, there was a global conference on missions. 95% of the participants came from the western world and only 5% from the rest. 

In 2010, a similar conference was held in Cape Town when 5,000 evangelical leaders came together from all across the globe. Only 35% of the participants were from the western world and 65% from the majority world. 

This is a reminder of how the evangelical church exploded all across the world in the last century. No longer can anyone say that Christianity is a western religion. In fact, the 5 countries with the largest number of evangelical Christians in the world are China, India, Nigeria, Brazil, and South Korea. In 1910, only 16 percent of the mission force came from the non-western world. By 1960, that had doubled to 35%. In 2025 that number is expected to double again to 70%. This well illustrates how paternalism in missions yielded to partnership. A true gospel partnership was birthed through mutual respect and cooperation. 

The answer to paternalism and dependence lies in true partnership where the daughter becomes a friend, and where founding agencies partner with national churches. Praise the Lord! 

Shared Leadership -- Essential!

One of the things we saw last week in Greek class, as we discussed the first two verses of Philippians, is that New Testament leadership was shared leadership. Paul does not to refer to a solitary "overseer" but instead to (plural) "overseers." The fact is, Jesus never entrusted leadership of a local church to a single individual. Thus it's not surprising that we find numerous references in the New Testament to what Michael Green once called a "fellowship of leadership" -- witness the "elders" of James 5:14 as well as the "elders" of Acts 14:23. A plurality of qualified elders serves many functions, not least to help a congregation avoid the cult of personality that often accompanies one lead pastor or the burnout that often attends the single pastorate. I once heard it said that pastors today have three full-time jobs -- teaching/preaching, counseling, and administration. No one person can do all of that well. 

I was reminded of this when I learned that the tower at Reagan National Airport (which I've flown into numerous times) was short-staffed on the night of the fatal collision of an American Eagle airliner and a military helicopter. 

Hopefully the FAA will address this issue and make needed changes, sooner rather than later. My heart goes out to the controller as he or she was one person working two positions in arguably one of the most if not THE most intense, congested, and restricted airspaces in the United States. It's intense because of its proximity to the nation's capital, the Pentagon, and other very sensitive areas. Just why airport towers are understaffed is certainly open to political debate, but to me there's really no excuse for it. I think everyone in the aviation industry now realizes in hindsight that what happened at Reagan was an accident waiting to happen, and my guess is that runway 33 will be closed until things are figured out -- or that military aircraft will no longer be allowed to fly their normal route past the airport. If not, I would hope that airline pilots would refuse to accept an approach where any aircraft is flying right beneath them with a vertical clearance of only 200 feet. That's just plain absurd. 

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Are You Are a Procrastinator?

Procrastination is often perfectionism in disguise. Perfectionism (keeping those blog posts, videos, photos, etc. in draft form) helps no one. You need to take your potential seriously. 

Lambing Season Has Arrived on the Farm!

This adorable little guy was born this week. 

Best guess is that all of the other ewes are pregnant too. Mama and baby have bonded well. I'm so thankful for new life -- and for the warmer weather! 

De-Waxing My Surfboard

My job du jour? Prepping to strip the old wax off of my surfboard so that it's ready for a new season of wave riding. The old wax is pretty dirty and stained from use. On our next really warm day I'll leave it out in the sun and let the wax melt and then scrape it off with an old gift card. 

This board has "migrated" through the years:

5 years in Hawaii.

27 years in Southern California.

27 years on the East Coast. 

By the way, I'm planning on taking this board with me this summer when I return to Oahu. Renting a board just doesn't cut it. It will be fun to use this board again on the South Shore! 

We Value What We Notice

Hello again everyone! I can hardly believe we're already a month into my 2025 training block. It's also hard to fathom just how beautiful the weather is.

Yes, the sun is out -- and it's warm!

I spent the morning at the gym chasing down my biggest, hugest, most ginormous goal for the new year -- climbing the you-know-what. This will involve intensive training, eating a healthy diet, and attitude adjustments and balance. For every setback it seems there are ten blessings and joys. If you want positivity in your life, you don't have to look very far. It's around us all the time -- the goodness, the wonder, the abundance of living. It's all about perspective. Making the most of it all. That's the attitude I tried to have during today's workout. It was pure enjoyment! 

Not that anyone is interested, but I've posted a couple of vids of my workout below. Friend, you value what you notice. I try to notice the little things every day. Even if I don't make it to the top of the Riffelhorn, it'll be a good lesson in humility for me! 

Have a great rest of your day! 




Friday, January 31, 2025

The Boys Are Back in Town

Loving Me Some Philippians (Philippenses Amo)

Next Monday's class will cover Phil. 1:3-11. It's going to be SO MUCH FUN. As you can see, I've got tons to say about this passage. 

I've also been studying it in Latin. Care to hear a snippet? Pardon my "Etruscan" pronunciation haha! 

Have a great day! 

Too Good to Be True


Thank you, Bo's! 

Attempted: New Pull Up Record

My goal today was to do 6 narrow grip pulls in a row. I was only able to do 5. 

Pull ups are insanely hard. The more body fat you have, the harder they are.

I'll try again next week. I'm so close! 😉

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Stunning Altocumulus Cloud Pattern

Shot this a couple of hours ago. Wow.

The heavens just doin' their thing -- displaying the glory of God!

What Lifting Asks of Us

Here I am at the end of today's workout. Yes, I'm happy. 

All around me were people lifting a lot heavier than I was. Not that it matters. Being a lifter means doing my best. Having done that, I -- and those around me doing the same -- can go through a workout with pride, not embarrassment. 

Lifting asks what it has always asked -- no more and less -- simply everything over which we have control. 

Pulpits Are Not Substitutes for the Scriptures

Evangelical pulpits are not substitutes for the Sacred Scriptures. Not long ago I visited a church where the Bible stayed closed in people's laps during the sermon. But keeping the Scriptures open -- keeping them supreme -- is the only way to keep reforming the church.

The Bible is God himself speaking to us, not only in Hebrew and Greek, but in our own language. What have we done with such a great privilege? 

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

No Turning Back Now

Climbing a big mountain is like being in the Olympics. Months or even years of training have to be transformed into results in only a couple of days. I've been having a ball prepping for the challenge. I'm on my way to the summit of a really challenging peak. I'll do what it takes to get there, including today's run at the Tobacco Heritage Trail in LaCrosse, VA. 

I had to have my car serviced in nearby South Hill, so what better way to spend an hour and a half of free time than in running? 

No turning back now.

To the summit and a safe return.

I'm on a train with no intention of getting off.

I will not focus on the risks.

I will trust my guide to turn me around if he thinks it's necessary.

I'm heading into the unknown. 

How will I perform?

I'm going for the top of the Riffelhorn, putting my feet on terrain I've studied meticulously in photographs to glean its secret paths.

I am proud to be trying.

I am proud to be Dave Black.

I am proud I have the courage.

Nice Day for Some D

Yes, it's January.

Yes, I'm sunbathing.

Yes, I'm from Hawaii.

Yes, I'm a beach bum at heart.

Thank you. 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Back Day at the Gym (+ Life Lessons Learned)

My workouts these days reflect my dream of summiting the Riffelhorn this summer. 

Today was no exception. I really want to work on my back at the moment and so I did 4 really great pull exercises to strengthen my lats. These include:

1) Wide grip pull ups.

2) Narrow grip pull ups.

3) Lat pull downs.

4) Rows. 

I've got 6 months to prepare for the climb. I think I might have a 50-50 chance of achieving my goal -- maybe a little higher than that, but not much. At this stage of life it's been impossible for me to predict the outcome of any really challenging goal be it a marathon or a mountain. One of the greatest gifts I've received from marathoning has also been one of the most difficult truths to accept: I've had to learn that I'm human. My body is not unique or special. I am susceptible to all the trials and tribulations that we all have to face as we age. I cannot hide from them. I cannot escape them. I have to face them head on. I believe we can all find the right way forward if were willing to take the risk of moving off the spot we're on. 

I came to this life as an athlete not because I wanted to but because I didn't know how else to cope with losing my wife. One of the ways God used to get me moving forward again was with my own two feet. Being an athlete doesn't mean you're athletic. (I'm certainly not.) Being an athlete simply means that you are committed to facing the world around you with the courage of an athlete. If you choose to live this way, then I think you'll find, as I have, that you have more strength of will and body than you ever dreamed possible. 

Today, 11 years after Becky's homegoing, I am much stronger than I ever thought possible. Not stronger so much in a physical sense as in the sense that I feel more capable, with Christ's help, of facing the challenges that life throws at me. I'm learning to face the challenge of aging in the same way I face the challenges of running or mountaineering -- with faith in God and with the strength he gives to those who rely upon him. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Sunday, January 26, 2025

When Progress Is SLOOOOOOW

Whoever said patience is a virtue must have been a gym rat before starting to spew out quotes. 

It's 190 days exactly before I hope to stand atop the Riffelhorn in Switzerland. 

Sometimes my progress feels so SLOW. 

Like today. 

Progress seems to be measured not in inches or even centimeters but in millimeters. 

Still, I can't stop.

Progress is progress. 

Slow progress is better than no progress at all. 

Roger Miller said it well: "It took me 20 years to become an overnight success." 

Growth takes belief. 

You can't have one without the other. 

Stopping equates to zero. 

This is literally infinitely less than the smallest progress. 

So focus on the goal, every day.

Keep on improving, every day. 

Even when you're moving at a snail's pace. 

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Outdoors Again!!!

This day has started out beautifully! I didn't ask a lot for Christmas, so I decided to ask the Lord if I could have just ONE day of sunshine so that I could get in a run. And he granted it. As I was driving to Farmville I was hoping against hope that the High Bridge Trail would be runnable but -- alas -- it had the runnability of an ice-skating rink. Hmm, wonder if the local high school has a track that's open to the public? Et voila! 

I got in a lovely run for just over 5 miles before stopping for lunch. 

Glad to see I got my steps in. 

Felt REALLY good to run again.

Earlier I had gone to the gym for a brief workout. 

I thought I had a shot for 4 close-grip pull ups in a row. Et voila! 

(Like my French?) The bad news is that I'm not even close to getting in 4 straight wide-grip pull ups with proper form. They are much harder! 

Are you anything like me? I always want more. I am never quite satisfied. That makes me annoying but it also makes me driven. It's just who I am. Yeah, I know -- there's a happy balance between acceptance and pushing yourself. But I'm still trying to find it. This is something I'm definitely working on. 

Oh well, enough wah, wah, wah. It was a GREAT morning to be running and lifting in Southside Virginia today. Simply said, it's tough not being outdoors on a day like this! 

Have a great weekend wherever you are! 

Friday, January 24, 2025

The 2MAD Eating Plan

If you're looking for a good way to lose body fat, the two meal a day (2MAD) eating plan may be for you. You choose any two meals of the day. This could be either lunch and dinner or breakfast and lunch. The approach I use is breakfast and "drunch" (dinner + lunch). The two meals are fairly far apart. This means a roughly 18 hour window of fasting every night. I have a small breakfast during my Bible time before heading to the gym. For drunch I'll have a large meal with plenty of satiating protein. I find this is not just great for weight loss and maintaining where I want to be, but it gives my digestive system a break and helps me feel generally more comfortable in everyday life. It's great for keeping your insulin in check and for dipping into a little ketosis to help your body with cellular cleanup. I eat breakfast at roughly 8:00 am and drunch at about 1:30 or 2:00 with usually a protein drink in between. That averages to about 2,000 calories per day, which is about a 800-1,000 calorie deficit below my maintenance calories. I find that when I eat just 2 meals a day with no snacking in between I have no trouble maintaining muscle mass. 

In short, the 2MAD diet is a wonderful way to control calories and burn body fat. You burn calories in a short amount of time without having to starve yourself and without having to lose a bunch of strength. For anyone who needs a quick jump start on their fat loss then this might be for you. Or if you're already lean but you want to get to that next level of leanness pretty quickly without having to do anything crazy, this is also for you. You're going to consume food within a 6-8 hour window while indulging in the foods you enjoy. My drunch meal leaves me fully satisfied for the next several hours before I go to bed, when autophagy kicks in until about 8:00 am the next day. The caloric restriction that results from eating fewer meals I have found to be very, very easy. But whatever diet you choose, make it an approach to training and nutrition that's as easy as possible to stick with and that promotes overall health and wellbeing. 

Have a great weekend! 

Coffee and Me

One thing most books on Bible study miss is the concept of coffee. Never underestimate the effects of a good cup of brew on your reading of Scripture. 

Philippians: Gospel Partnership (7)

Many people consider joy to be the theme of Philippians. 

I would argue that at best joy is a subtheme of the letter, which is all about "gospel partnership." Take just chapter 1 as an example:

1:4-5: Here Paul rejoices specifically because the Philippians had become partners with him in gospel ministry. "I rejoice because of your participation in the gospel."

1:16. Paul rejoices because "Christ is being proclaimed."

1:18: Paul continues to rejoice because he knows that through their prayers and the help of the Holy Spirit this would turn out for his deliverance from prison. This would give him further opportunities to preach Christ.

Joy is never the goal.

Joy is always a byproduct.

Joy is the byproduct of living to spread the saving message of the gospel. 

"Make the Bible Your Hobby!"

I love this! 

He is so right! 

For what it's worth, here's a video clip of my Greek New Testament as of 8:00 this morning. 

As you can see, it's in a major state of disrepair. I've already had it rebound three times. I need to do it again but I can't find anyone local who I can trust to do it for me and I just can't bring myself to put it in the mail and risk getting it lost. I've had this Bible for decades. I literally couldn't stand to part with it. In case you've never noticed, I heavily mark it. This includes the personal reflections of my mind and heart. One day the book will be passed on to my children. I hope they'll enjoy reading my notes and seeing my chicken scratch on its pages. I can see them laughing or wondering at things I've written. I hope they will find it a priceless treasure, a family heirloom. In its pages they will always be able to find their father or grandfather as they travel along the same path of life that so delighted me. 

(I realize some people can't bring themselves to write in their Bible. They feel like they're putting graffiti on the Mona Lisa or Michelangelo's statue of David. Believe me, I get that view and respect it!)

Anyways, a shout out to John Miles for the video. If you've never visited his Youtube channel, you might want to give it the once over. Lots of good, edifying stuff there.