Ted Nugent and Issues, Etc.

This post could be titled “A Not So Typical Day in the Life of a Pastor.” This is a good light-hearted story for the 4th of July holiday.

The day started fairly normally yesterday. I spent the first hour or so of the day doing maintenance on the website and then went up to the pastor’s study up at church (let’s stop calling it an “office”) to catch up on phone calls, emails and to start Bible class for Sunday. I also got to spend an hour on the phone doing pastoral care (let’s stop calling it “pastoral counseling”) with a woman who is dear to me. I have been pointing her to the cross of Christ for 15 years now, once or twice a month to help her with her emotional problems. After lunch, (a couple of protein bars – I pretend like I am still on Atkins) I went up to the hospital to make calls. Then things went beyond typical.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon at home listening to the show while stuffing new member packets for our newest BJS brothers. The Pastor Wilken and Jeff Scwharz kibitzing hour was once again very enjoyable and the “wardog,” Dr. John Warwick Montgomery was comprehensive as always. He is sometimes referred to as the “wardog” because of his take-no-prisoners approach to Christian apologetics. (His colleague at the apologetics institute in Strasbourg, Craig Parton, is a BJS advisory board member.)

For diner we had ribs and rock ‘n roll. Tom, my favorite Roman Catholic and spouse of BJS editor/writer Elaine Gavin, is an audiophile and every once in while invites us to a concert. The home of BJS, Naperville, Illinois has a 4th of July festival every year called Ribfest where they attract about 50,000 people a day. Each night of the festival they have top name entertainment and on this particular night it was the Motor City Madman himself, Ted Nugent. We accepted the invitation and boy what a day that made for. How about this for an odd combination, Ted Nugent, Pastor Wilken and John “Wardog” Montgomery all within a few hours?

Actually, maybe it wasn’t such an odd combination, The Motor City Madman and the Wardog. I am not sure which could outlast the other in an energy burn. It would probably be a draw. Ted Nugent, as many of you know is an ardent supporter of the NRA and a flag-waver. He opened the show with a guitar rendition of the Star Spangled Banner and it brought the house down. He spent much of the time between songs editorializing about vegetarians, Barack Obama, freedom, and the importance of speaking one’s mind. His support for outspokenness reminds me of our favorite radio host.

The concert was outstanding. I certainly do not endorse Ted Nugent’s occasional foul choice of words, but apart from that it was an enjoyable evening filled with an energetic and appropriate use of the electric guitar, i.e. at a secular concert rather than in the Lord’s sanctuary. It was a full two hour concert which was not bad for the $10 admission price. In addition to his typical head-banging rock, he included a three song blues set which was appropriate for this crowd gathered in a suburb of Chicago, the so-called House of Blues. The concert ended with an encore in which “Uncle Ted,” an avid hunter, shot a flaming arrow across the stage in honor of the American Indian and in memory of the millions of buffalo slaughtered on the American frontier. I’m not looking for Pastor Wilken or the Wardog to do the same on any future shows, but I am confident that their energy levels will continue to rival the Motor City Madman.

Sounds like it was a great show. Nothing beats a live concert done by a true musician instead of the prerecorded “music” that most of today’s pop stars perform to. For that matter, I’d also like to get back to Naperville, IL. someday. I did my student teaching at Bethany back in the mid-90′s, and I have fond memories of that school/congregation. Makes me a bit jealous.

I’m not sure whether I am to respond to something posted or to post some “anti-pietist” event(s)in my life, but I will assume the latter. Almost every Friday for the last five plus years a group of men, with an occasional son or daughter of one of the attendees, meet at restaurant/bar and enjoy the company of one another for about an hour and a half. We always begin the meal with a joint table prayer (“Come, Lord Jesus, etc.”). Folk can’t help glancing at five or more men praying out loud. Then throughout the time together we make a little racket talking about this and that and especially religious issues making some of the good folk who don’t know us to glance at us. For a time we had breakfast at the absolutely best restaurant in town which the rest of the day was a fairly active singles bar. The waiter who got to know us said more than once that he wished he could sit down with us and enjoy life the way we did. I count it a victory that he knows we are pious (not pietistic) Lutherans and can have fun.

What a great idea to share stories of just how enjoyable life is when you’re living wholly in the grace of God with no false sense of obligation to keep some code of conduct to earn salvation. And it’s fun to think of all the opportunities God provides for us to enjoy ourselves. I’m hoping my contribution doesn’t run too long but the past nine months have been amazing. If it is too long I wouldn’t be offended if you didn’t post it.

It started in December with a trip to Peru where I enjoyed time in the Amazon jungle working with a ministry that has built a 100’ boat that travels upriver to bring the Gospel to native villages. On the way the three of us on the trip had some time in Lima where we sampled the local adult beverage – Pisco sour. It’s a little drink that packs a bit of a punch and one I highly recommend when you get to Peru.

In January I had the chance to make a quick run to Mexico. And I mean quick, as a teammate and I flew to San Diego where we met the man who coined the term Voluntourism. He took us into Tijuana for a delightful and genuine Mexican dinner. The next day we dropped in on some community development projects that are really making a difference. Then it was back to the border and flight back home to Colorado.

February had me and a teammate in Ecuador where we stood at the equator and watched water spin in different directions on either side of the line. Pisco sours are also popular in Ecuador so I made sure to enjoy a couple of those, too. We rode horseback up above 12,000 feet in the Andes Mountains one morning and that afternoon hiked into the jungle and rode five ziplines back out. It’s a real rush to be suspended 130’ above a river strapped into a harness flying along on a steel cable. The cables ranged from 700’ – 1400’ and it was truly exhilarating. We also got to meet a man who has built a church and school in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Quito that’s bringing help and hope to hundreds of people.

On the same trip we headed to Guatemala. Now, Guatemala City is quite interesting and a bit dangerous. We had a great guide who’s a former police officer turned missionary. He and his wife run a feeding center and after school program in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. After visiting with Albert and seeing the great work he’s doing we hopped a flight to Tikal to visit the ancient Mayan ruins that have been reclaimed from the jungle. There’s nothing close to the safety precautions in Guatemala that we enjoy here in the United States. But that didn’t stop me from climbing the 170’ high staircase (almost like a glorified ladder) to the top of a Mayan temple. It’s the location where George Lucas shot scenes of the forest moon of Endor for the Star Wars films. Looking out over the forest canopy I could picture the x-wing fighters taking off. Very cool. I wrapped up the trip with dinner at a famous Guatemalan restaurant…Applebee’s.

It was March when we headed to Costa Rica. Now that’s someplace I’d recommend for everyone. After visiting an orphanage that’s been helping children for over 75 years we checked out the tourist hotspots. And I mean hot! Arenal volcano in the heart of Costa Rica heats a river that runs down its side. That river is diverted into amazing pools and grottoes at the Tabicon Spa. I donned my swim suit and enjoyed the warmth at the base of the volcano. Sitting in the pool at the bar enjoying a pina colada is a delightful memory I’ll cherish forever. I have pictures.

From Costa Rica it was on to Jamaica. That’s a place I really wouldn’t recommend. The resorts are great but the abject poverty just outside the gates of the resorts is quite depressing. We stayed at a wonderful hotel in Kingston and met some of the island’s most important church leaders. I got the chance to hang out by the pool and got a bit of a sunburn. We checked out several resorts the most impressive of which was Half Moon Bay. Only days after our visit Prince Charles and Camilla arrived for a visit and stayed at Half Moon.

The March trip ended with a stop in Puerto Rico to meet with our local coordinator who prepares the community service projects we do on the island every summer. This is where the most bizarre thing happened. Our coordinator, Walter, works with underprivileged kids and he had tickets for a circus in San Juan. Though we were tired from our flight, we graciously accepted his invitation. We arrived at the circus (think a Puerto Rican version of Cirque de Soleil) in a huge tent staked out in a parking lot outside a sports stadium. Because Walter is friends with the owners of the circus we had sweet box seats right in front of the stage. About halfway through the show Walter’s wife Marsha pointed out a man sitting right in front of us and indicated that it was Siegfried. Yes, that Siegfried. Turns out he and Roy did a year in Puerto Rico before moving to Vegas in the ‘70’s and they have lots of friends there, including the owners of the circus. So we stayed after and hung out for drinks and visiting with Siegfried. True story! I have pictures.

In April my best friend, Dale, who lives in Winfield, IL treated me to a trip to the Master’s Tournament in Augusta, GA. There were six of us there including a Presbyterian Pastor from Oak Park who came as a guest of Dale’s business associate. We had such a blast! We stayed in a private home (one of those people rent to you for the week) in Aiken, SC just a few miles from Augusta. Every night we hit the Aiken hotel for some great scotch and mixing with a bunch of crazy Australians. Turns out they’re all about the golf. One night there was karaoke. We did a late night beer run another night and had a blast running around the grocery store like a bunch of teenagers. Did I mention that Augusta National is one of the most beautiful places on earth? I mean it. I have pictures.

In July I flew to Chicago where Dale had reserved a 24’ RV and a driver. We started with 18 holes at Prairie Landing in West Chicago, IL. Then we climbed aboard the party bus with satellite television, plenty of good beer, a bottle of 18 year old Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch and a wicked game of Texas Hold ‘em as we headed to TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois for our second round of the day. A night in a hotel and it was off to Harvester Golf Club in Iowa, one of the most exquisite courses I’ve ever seen. The second round that day was played at Tournament Club of Iowa in Polk City. A great steak dinner with my daughter who goes to college in Des Moines and we headed for our next hotel. Our fifth course of the trip was the links style beauty Wild Horse located in Gothenburg, Nebraska. Finally we drove on to Colorado and played our final round at Pelican Lakes in Windsor. The other three headed to the airport in Denver, Dave, our driver, returned with the RV to Chicago and I was already home. Six stunning golf courses in four days…it was glorious.

Just last Monday I returned from 17 days in Africa. I had so many amazing experiences there that it would be too hard to recap. In short I had the chance to walk through the Kibera slum in Nairobi, one of the largest slums in the world, and meet people who are doing ministry right in the midst of that place. I snorkeled in the Indian Ocean off Mombasa and ventured into the Kenyan countryside on motorcycles and mutatus (funky Kenyan buses). I was invited to speak to over 700 people at a Ugandan church on a Sunday morning with the privilege of sharing from Paul’s first letter to Timothy. I met a Tanzanian Lutheran Pastor and 300 children that his congregation provides school for. On my 50th birthday I woke up in Uganda to catch an early flight to Kenya. There a friend picked me up and transferred me to a regional airport where I caught a small plane to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. By the grace of God I had the chance to be in three different East African countries to celebrate my half-century. I capped the day off with the discovery of a new beer, Serengeti, and a traditional Tanzanian meal. Throughout the trip I enjoyed some great beer, including Nile Special which is brewed right at the headwaters of the Nile River in Jinja, Uganda (I drove by the brewery), Tusker which is brewed in Kenya but owned by SABMiller, the aforementioned Serengeti brewed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Kilimanjaro also brewed in Tanzania. I’d recommend any one of these if you ever get to that part of Africa. I saw crazy animals that are a testimony to God’s creativity. My last night in Africa I sat on the veranda of a beautiful resort in the Tarangire National Park of Tanzania and shared 12 year old Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch with some new friends as we looked out over the African countryside and up at the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. I just couldn’t help marveling at what an awesome and wonderful Father God we have and the freedom I have in His grace to enjoy all the world has to offer…literally. I have pictures!

I’m pretty sure it’s not the Ben Crenshaw design. It’s a public course but ranked on someone’s top 20 list. Way out in the boonies but quite challenging and fun to play. Under $50 for a round with a cart! Just got invited yesterday to go to the 2009 British Open. I look forward to adding that trip here next year.

Tim

“How about this for an odd combination, Ted Nugent, Pastor Wilken and John ‘Wardog’ Montgomery all within a few hours?”

I remember one spring a few years ago when both Ted Nugent and Issues, Etc. were in Dearborn, Michigan on the same day, and this provided great material for an April 1st post to the old Beggars All blog. I announced that the Nuge would make a special appearance on Issues, Etc. to talk about his book “God, Guns, and Rock ‘ n’ Roll.” Jeff had even requested that he play Stranglehold.

I had Jon Townsend hook, line, and sinker. I had him and quite a few others. I almost felt a little guilty…

Blessings.