A Serious Way of Wondering

A few years ago, Reynolds Price wrote a book with the intriguing title, A Serious Way of Wondering, and I finished reading it a couple of weeks ago. At the heart of the book is conversations Price imagines Jesus having concerning three different topics that he never addressed. I liked the idea, but, for me at least, none of the discussions had "the ring of truth" (to use J. B. Phillips' description of the N.T. documents).

Despite this, I appreciated much of the rest of the book, and I am in love with the title. After all, wouldn't life be better if we adopted "a serious way of wondering"? I love this picture of my wife, Susie, and our new granddaughter, Grace, because of the wonder in Susie's eyes. All of life would be immeasurably richer if we could learn to see with eyes of love and grace.

A Perfect Day

How could our last day in Wakiki have been any better?

Alan Williams and I visited Pearl Harbor, experienced the Arizona memorial, and walked around the mighty "Mo" (the battleship Missouri). While we were doing that, the girls--Susie and Melanie Williams--went to Hilo Hatties. Then we rendevoused at Aloha Stadium (where the Pro Bowl is played) for the flee market (the best bargains in the area).

After we cleaned up at the hotel, we walked to the Outrigger, where we fixed our own steaks and seafood, and watched the sunset.

A perfect day to culminate a wonderful ten days of renewal! Thank you, Lord!

More Variety -- Baptist Style

The main reason Susie and I came to Hawaii was to attend the Baptist World Congress in Honolulu. Most people are not aware that Baptists are the largest Protestant Christian group in the world with well over 100,000,000 adherents.

Every five years Baptists who are affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance congregate. The BWA is the only organization that effectively networks Baptists from all over the world. It is composed of more than 200,000 churches affiliated through 214 conventions and unions in 119 countries. This year Baptist unions from Zambia and Viet Nam were formally accepted as part of the BWA family. However, with this many Baptists, comes enormous diversity. (You know the old joke, don't you, that says whenever "two or three" Baptists are gathered together in Christ's name, you have four opinions!)

Many people struggle with this diversity. They think there must be a right way to think, organize, or worship. One of the clear lessons of the Congresses I have attended is that there are numerous ways to honor God. Indeed, nature reveals that God loves diversity, so we need to deeply appreciate other believers -- otherwise, how will we be able to enjoy a heaven in which people from every nation, tribe, and language will kneel before God's throne in deep worship (Rev. 7:9-10)? For me, then, the World Congress is a rehearsal for heaven.

Where else would you experience congregational singing in English, the opening prayer in Norwegian, listen to special music from a Congolese Canadian, have the scripture reading in "Gha" (a west African language), view a dramatic interpretation by a group of Texans, and then hear God's Word proclaimed by an Australian?! The diversity is glorious, and the diversity is challenging . . . because it forces us out of our comfort zones.

In the pictures, you can see a small portion of the 200+ Korean Childrens' Choir and a group of women from India. I just wish I had time to introduce you to the gospel choir from Norway--who knew?--and the men's choir from Nagaland. What diversity! What joy!

"Oh, what a foretaste of heaven divine!"