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From Shane Hipps:

Calling all “emergent-types” in the Valley

Tony Jones is in Phoenix next weekend and we’re having a little get together. Tony is the National Coordinator of Emergent Village, author of numerous books and most recently editor of An Emergent Manifesto of Hope. Tony and I will be enjoying a beverage at Aunt Chiladas near 16^th st. and Northern on Saturday June 2^nd at 8pm. You’re welcome to join us.

Weary

I promise, I will return to regular blogging after June 1. The final revisions on my book manuscript are due that day. And, in the meantime, I'm licking my wounds over a couple of difficult speaking engagements, most recently this past weekend. More on that later, as well.

But I will say, I'm thanking God for my dear friend, John Franke, who has been providentially available to me twice in the last few months as I've been received less than favorably at two different venues. If I were in this thing alone, I'd have quit a long time ago.

Over on the MonsterPod...

...with Will Penner. Check it out.

Thoughtfully Reformed

I am so way, far behind on blogging! My final (and fourth) draft is due to Jossey-Bass on June 1, so it's difficult to write here when that's breathing down my neck. I'm also traveling to speak every weekend this month.

I was at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan for the first half of last weekend. As I arrived, I saw two girls walking down the sidewalk in full Dutch costume with wooden clogs on. No joke. Turned out it was the weekend of the annual Tulip Festival. Of course, I immediately thought this meant they were celebrating driscollian/piperian theology, but in fact it was the flowers they were excited about.

Speaking of reformed theology, I found the folks at WTS to be warm, open, evangelical, and reformed. They were thoughtful, and not the least bit reactionary. Surely some didn't like all that I had to say, but their hospitality trumped any disagreements.

The conference was for area youth workers, as well as interested seminarians and Hope College students. When I meet people like that, I almost reconsider my current thoughts about seminary education...