I’m blessed to spend this week on the campus of Pepperdine University at the Pepperdine Bible Lectures. I’m teaching a two day class called “Revolution-Five Missional Turns Churches Can Make in a Changing Culture to Lead People to Faith”; speaking at the Power for Today/ 21st Century Christian Lunch on “Being Good News” from the Sermon on the Mount; and doing a book signing at the Pepperdine Bookstore on my books Preaching to Pluralists and Rebuilding Relationships.
It was an unexpected surprise to be upgraded to first class on the non-stop from Memphis to Los Angeles. It’s only the second time in my life I’ve sat in first class. I must say—I’m spoiled. While the coach class had soft drinks and peanuts, we had eggs, sausage, bagels, fruit, cookies, coffee, orange juice and hot towels—not to mention the huge leg room. As friends of mine passed by on the way to coach class—Ed Gray, Buddy Bell, Charlie Fowler—I went overboard explaining that I had not paid for the first class; it was a free upgrade.
I wound up sitting next to a man who shared a great irony—he works for a company which produces printing ink (the kind used to print books and magazines), yet he was reading in his seat from a Kindle (an electronic book reader that, if successful, would put printed books out of business. It turns out that he also teaches Sunday School for teenagers. We talked about his teens and changes in the youth culture.
I rode into Malibu with Buddy Bell. He rented a PT Cruiser convertible. It was great—riding in a convertible on a sunny day on the Pacific Coast Highway. To top it off, we stopped at a local restaurant named Casablanca and had great Mexican food—tortillas handmade while we waited.
I’m looking forward to hear Monte Cox tonight, and then it’s to bed. My class starts in the morning.
