People get ready Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Tomorrow is just another day...but it is a significant day for me. Tomorrow marks five weeks until the due date of our expected baby. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by and now I'm that much closer to being a daddy.

Let me just say that I am deeply in love with my wife, Megan. She is not only my best friend but she is one of God's greatest and most precious gifts to me. Walking alongside of her on this pilgrim's path to glory has been blessed, humbling, and full of joy. I am so thankful for her and so excited to enter this new phase of life as a parent with her. We've waited quite a while for this and now God is bringing to reality what we have so longed and hoped for! We're not sure if we're having a boy or a girl - and it's fun to sit around guessing which it will be - but one thing is certain, Caleb Daniel or Abigail Kathryn (aka Abby Kate) will be dearly and deeply loved by us.

I've had a good time with the preparations. I've been to classes. I've read some articles and books - some good, others laughable. I've organized and made room to store stuff. I've even pre-washed all the cloth diapers (yep...you read that right...that's fodder for another post, though). But I've also been preparing my heart. Sometimes I wonder how I'll ever be able to do it and then I'm reminded: I can't! At least not on my own. So, I ask God for his help. I seek him in his Word and I pray that he makes me a fraction of the Father that he is to his children.

So far things are calm. That might change as the day draws nearer. I'll keep you posted.

The privilege

Well, it took longer than I thought it would, but I am finally settling into a routine with life and work post-seminary. It's kind of weird not having some exam or paper hanging over my head all the time or stack of note cards in my pocket that need to memorized. Not that I really miss all of that, but it was a sort of routine. And anyone who knows me well knows that I love a routine. Anyway, on to what I really wanted to blog about...

Martin Lloyd-Jones is quoted as saying that preaching is "the highest and greatest and most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called."

There is no doubt in my mind that he was exactly right in saying this. Preaching is indeed a glorious task. When a man enters into the pulpit he bears an incredible responsibility. For after pouring himself into the text all week long and searching out the Lord's direction in understanding, explaining, and applying the text, he speaks on behalf of God and instructs God's people in truth and righteousness. Preaching, of course, is not something to be taken lightly. It requires much study, much prayer, and much humility.

I'm learning more and more about this reality this summer. I have the great privilege as the pastoral intern to be preaching through a series at Ambassador Presbyterian Church in Apex, NC this summer. I've preached before and I've even preached at this church before, but being able to preach for several weeks and to learn about the routine involved in frequent preaching is a remarkable learning opportunity. I love this church and I love God's people who attend there and it is an immense privilege to minister God's Word to them. I'm halfway done and I am learning more than I ever thought I would. But most of all, I'm learning to lean on Jesus more and more. When I am overcome during the week with my inadequacies and inhibitions I am left to do nothing else but seek him in prayer and ask for wisdom to understand and strength to go forward. When I am struggling with trying to make sure I say everything just right, I am reminded that perfection is an idol that I purposed to destroy long ago and I need to embrace the Spirit's work ahead of my abilities, etc. But most importantly, I am learning that I was made to do this. I'm still not sure I'll be preaching every week when God finally calls me to a ministry in a Church, but nevertheless I know that I am called to teach God's people. And even in the midst of all the learning, I can stop and rest knowing that I've indeed been called to do this...I've been called to this divine work and, with his help, I'll give myself to it and do it for his glory.

Still alive... Sunday, June 14, 2009

Sorry for the delay in posting. It's been a real busy couple of weeks. Megan and I spent several days in Il with our families (including a baby shower) and we've been playing catch-up for the last few days. Things should finally return to "normal" tomorrow and I'll get back in the swing of regular posting.

The road ahead Monday, June 1, 2009

Here we are in June...o Spring, why have you forsaken me? Eh, I digress and instead choose to tell you what's going on with me right now. In other words, "Dan what are you up to?"

Well first off, I started my new job today. It's not really a new job per se, but I am no longer a student worker and I get to work 30 hours a week! I work part time for the RTS Virtual campus doing course development. What this means is that I spend that time listening to course lectures and developing the course outlines, etc. to be used in the distance ed versions of those classes. I love this work and consider it a joy to minister to students all around the world in this way. Plus, I get to work with really cool people and I can do it from the comfort of my own home.

My pastor is going on sabbatical this summer and I'll be preaching for six weeks. I'm still praying about what my series will be but will surely be busy with all the sermon prep. Haven't preached this many times so close together before...should be fun!

I'm also working on my first "book"! Okay, it's not really a book - but it is a Bible study for small groups. It's on Habakkuk and I am really enjoying all the preliminary work that I have been doing. I'm reading background stuff in commentaries, perusing some books, and of course translating the Hebrew and LXX texts as well. I can't let myself get too rusty on those Greek and Hebrew skills.

Probably the most important thing I am doing this summer is preparing to be a father in August. I have a lot of praying to do...but I can't tell you how excited I am for this awesome blessing!

Until next time...

An expression of gratitude... Saturday, May 30, 2009

Below is a letter of thanks I wrote to my church on the occasion of graduation last week:

An Expression of Gratitude
to Ambassador Presbyterian Church
on the Occasion of my Graduation from
Reformed Theological Seminary on
the Twenty-Third Day of May, Two Thousand and Nine

I want to first give thanks to the Lord God who, in his divine providence, has seen fit to call a sinner such as myself into the service of his kingdom for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I also want to thank him for giving me a wonderful wife who has stood by me and has given so much of herself so that we could go on this journey together. In her, I have been given so much more than I could have ever imagined.

I also want to thank the session of Ambassador who has faithfully supported and guided me through my seminary studies. Your prayers, guidance, and provision have been a true blessing to me. Thank you for being obedient to God’s word by faithfully upholding and sending those such as myself who have been called to such a task. I especially want to thank Warren for his counsel, his prayer, and most importantly, his example. It is a privilege to strive to imitate him as he imitates Christ.

To the people of Ambassador Presbyterian Church, I give you my deepest and most heartfelt thanks. When God called Megan and I here almost five years ago, we left all the comforts of home and family and came to a place where we knew no one. Yet, you lovingly took us in and showed us great love and hospitality, so much that we now call this place “home”. Your friendship, love, encouragement, and prayers have truly given us a greater understanding of what it means to belong to the body of Christ. Thank you for giving so much of yourselves to us. May God continue to bless you as you faithfully serve him and his kingdom!

I am your grateful friend and brother in the Lord,
Dan Layman
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

What's in a name...

There are two things regarding this blog that you probably will want to know...

First, why is it called 'pastorlayman.blogspot.com'? Am I a pastor yet? Nope. Am I called to be a pastor? Last time I checked, yes. But hopefully , you can see the irony of the designation 'pastorlayman'. If not, let me explain. Typically you are either one or the other. You're a pastor (i.e. clergy) or you're not (i.e. layman). Well thanks to providence and my family name, I will one day get to be both. So, welcome to my oxymoronic existence. Glad you're here.

Second, why the title 'Nearer Still'. The deep spiritual reason is that it reminds me every day I am one step closer to the Celestial City where I will dwell for eternity with my Savior. The practical reason is that it was the only two words in a hymn that I liked enough to be a title. It was either that or "my bondage" or "the boast" or "one plea". (If you know these hymns, you get bonus points.) Hopefully I made the right choice.

Consider yourself informed and intrigued.

Welcome...

Here we go again. Yet another blog. And not just another blog in the already-cluttered information superhighway, but yet another blog from me. Rather than rehash how all that went down let's just raise our glasses, light our pipes, and move forward! Here's to you Al Gore: thanks for creating these here interwebs.

So yeah, I am now a seminary graduate. I have a master's degree in divinity and the one question I get over and over again is, "what does that mean?" Good question. There's many answers but most importantly for me, it means that God has fulfilled a desire that I have had for over a decade. And now, its really hard to believe that it's finally done. Which brings about the next question I get over and over again: "what are you going to do now"? Good question. We'll just have to wait and see what the Lord does. In the mean time, stay tuned. I'm sure I'll have a lot to talk about concerning that question in the very near future...