Here I am nearly two months after retiring from Boeing and I’ve been silent here for a couple of weeks. I guess it’s time I gave a report. I had intended to be more frequent with my posts but obviously have not been. I tend to be overly cautious about my words and how they might be interpreted (read ‘misinterpreted’). I also want my paragraphs to be grammatically correct and come acrosss as reasonably intelligent. So it takes me a while to complete a sentence. This realization becomes an inertia that must be overcome before I can convince myself to place my fingers on home row and just start typing. Usually the inertia breaker takes the form of guilt over how long I’ve gone without writing.

To avoid dragging this out all day I’ll continue in outline form.

So, what have I been doing?

• Reading
• Scripture (currently reading through the Gospels)
• The Da Vinci Code (see below)
• 20/20 Vision, Bill & Amy Stearns – great description of what God is doing around the world
• Breaking the Da Vinci Code, Darrell L. Bock (skimming)
• Secrets of the Code, Dan Burnstein (selections)
• The Habits of Highly Effective Churches, George Barna
• Listening to sermons
  I download these to my MP3 player and listen while doing manual stuff
• Da Vinci Code series at Southwest Church, Indian Wells (Bob Thune, Senior Pastor)
• Core Doubts series at Rock Harbor
• The Theology Program at Bible.org
• Researching
• Emerging Church
• Gnostic gospels
• Early Church
• Thinking & note taking
• Tipping Point – This is the new “Life Group” for post-college age adults
• I’m taking on a role as a resource, mentor or catalyst
• We have just begun a six week discussion of The Da Vinci Code
• Bethany Web Site
• I’ve met with several of the team members and reviewed the process of posting to the site
• Ephesians Sermons on line
• Celebration Videos
• Currently developing an approximately 9 minute DVD for a 50th birthday
• Exercise
• Yard work
• Walking
• My To Do List
• Reading stack (not necessarily in this order)
• Wild at Heart, John Eldredge
• The Barbarian Way, Erwin Raphael McManus
• Velvet Elvis
• Global Partnerships, Hank Paulson
• Unveiled At Last, Bob Sjogren
• Finding God in Unexpected Places, Philip Yancey
• Bethany Web Site
• Needs major cleanup. Over the years its file arrangement and the page formatting have evolved rather
• Needs to be moved to more versatile server
• Add podcasting of sermons
• Add leader & member communication tools
• Add more efficient calendar
• This Blog
• Post my thoughts on various topics
• Search for Truth
• Theology
• Marriage
• Science
• I may just start posting what I have with minimal editing, just to get it out there.

I know there is more, but I need to get to work on some of it now. I’m resisting the probable need to review and edit what’s here before sending it.

Gary

It’s been more than two weeks since I’ve given an update and that has brought me into my second month since ‘retiring’. It has certainly not been a lazy month.

Reading: I have read, or am at various stages of reading several books.

1. Breaking Tradition to Accomplish Vision by Paul R. Gupta and Sherwood G. Lingenfelter. This is a ‘must read’ for anyone interested in missions. Bethany Bible Fellowship has copies available at a reduced price ($10). I have only a few pages left to finish.
2. The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey. I finished this one. I highly recommend it. Yancey was recommended to me by a young man at Bethany and is now one of those authors whose works I want to devour.
3. The Habits of Highly Effective Churches by George Barna. Another good one, but it has been set aside for the others.
4. Discussing the Da Vinci Code by Lee Strobel & Garry Poole. This is more of a workbook to go along with a discussion group I’ll be mentoring with the 20’s at Bethany (see below).
5. Exploring the Da Vinci Code by Lee Strobel & Garry Poole. “Investigating the issues raised by the book & movie.” This is also part of the curriculum for the group.

Research: I’ve spent quite a bit of time on the Internet looking up stuff on the Gospel of Judas, other early Christian writings, The Da Vinci Code, Tiktaalik Roseae, and how to do stuff on the Internet.
Jury Duty (described in 4/18 update): This has started me thinking about all the judical terminology related to Christianity and apologetics. I hope to comment on some of these elsewhere on this site.
Men’s retreat at Verdugo Pines, near Wrightwood, CA and atop the San Andreas Fault.
See www.bethanybiblefellowship.org/images/Men/06MensRetreat/index.html.

20’s ministry: Last Sunday morning we held our first meeting with key leaders of a new 20’s ministry being started at Bethany. One of our first topics will be a discussion of The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. This will give us an opportunity to discuss the reliability of the Gospels, the role of women in Christianity and whether Jesus is the Son of God.

I have just set up an actual blog on CrockerMedia.com. If you’re reading this you already should know how to get here. I’m just learning how to use it, so it may take a bit to get it (or me) up to speed.