Talbot Davis, Author at Talbot Davis

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Talbot Davis September 26, 2014 at 1:00 am 0

I'm putting all of me into "All Of Me."

Meaning: my most thorough preparation, most serious prayer, and most honest question -- "can I really say these things?"

Of all the Love Song messages, this one more than any other deals with those sections in the Song Of Songs that will make you blush, start you giggling, and leave you asking, "how did THAT make it into the bible?"

Which I guess is why although it's only Friday, I really can't wait until Sunday.

8:30. 10. 11:30.

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Throwback Thursday — Pictorial Directory 1999

Talbot Davis September 25, 2014 at 1:00 am 0

Here's my family from a 1999 Good Shepherd Pictorial Directory (sorry, Olan Mills, but does anyone even do those anymore?). We had been here in Charlotte and at this church for about two months when this photo was taken.

In the photo our son Riley was seven; he is now a 22-year-old senior at Chapel Hill. Taylor was then 10; she's now a 25-year-old public relations professional in Atlanta.

And Julie and I were . . . late 30s then!

Which makes us early 50s now.

Which I think I like better.

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An Office? Or A Study?

Talbot Davis September 24, 2014 at 1:00 am 2

Pastor Dave Claassen posted these words back in 2013:

There’s been a subtle name change going on with the space where pastors work. What used to be called the pastor’s study is now called simply the pastor’s office. Why?

More and more the pastor is called upon to do leadership and management in the church. We go to leadership conferences, not study conferences. I’ve been at the same church for over 38 years and I can testify that church ministry is far more complex than it was the first years of my ministry. This requires more time to shepherd these complexities that can take away the time we spend providing green pasture upon which our people need to feed.

The pastor’s study was a place where the pastor, well, the pastor studied! The title was a reminder to the pastor and also the people that this was the primary task of the spiritual leader.

My goal is to be a pastor who studies. It’s important that I maintain set hours when I work on the sermon. The secretary has instructions to tell any caller that “he’s studying for his sermon right now. Can I take a message, or is this an emergency?” I consider it holy time and space where the sermon must come to life.

I also try to be intentional about doing some general reading in the first hour of each work day. Many days it’s less than an hour and some days no time at all, but it’s what I aim for. I need to be taking in more than I deliver each week in sermons, Bible studies, and writing. I need more input than I have output. This reading is in a variety of areas – theology, spirituality, church health, etc. It’s amazing how many books and articles you can read if you devote just 45 minutes to this work even four days a week.

Occasionally someone will glance into my office while I’m studying for the sermon or doing my general reading. I sometimes catch myself wishing the person had caught me on the phone or shuffling papers. I’m tempted to day, as I look up from my reading, “I really am working!” Why should I have to explain? After all, one of the primary tasks of the pastor should be to study, in his study!

I think of Paul’s advice to young Timothy. “Study to show yourself approved before God, a workman that doesn’t need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

You can read the original post here.

Claassen raises interesting questions and has me asking as I walk through the door of the room where I spend much of my dad: is this my office or my study? Can I work where I study and can I study where I work?

The kingdom coming may not depend on the answers to those questions, but the pastor's sanity might.

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Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Songs You’ve Never Heard Of From Artists You Have

Talbot Davis September 23, 2014 at 1:00 am 0

Back in the era of "album rock" (may he rest in peace), they used to call them "album cuts."

More recently, "deep cuts."

More plainly, "songs you've never heard of from artists you have."

What am I talking about? Songs that make up the bulk of individual albums but never get released as singles and so consequently never appear on the radio.

But if you've ever owned a good album (OK, CD), you know that such "filler" often include some of the best music on the entire disc.

So here are my five favorite songs you've never heard of from artists you have.

1. Tom Petty, Too Good To Be True from the album Into The Great Wide Open. This one doesn't need any more cowbell. It has the perfect amount the way it is.

(By the way, For All The Wrong Reasons from the same album easily could have made this list. Here it is:)

2. Led Zeppelin, Out On The Tiles from the album Led Zeppelin III. This one has so much working against it: it is on Led Zeppelin's least popular album, it has to share space on that disc with The Immigrant Song, and the title phrase is lost on most American listeners. Nevertheless, the musical progressions and song design helped pave the way for later, longer, layered guitar tracks like Kashmir and Achillles' Last Stand.

3. Bruce Springsteen, All That Heaven Will Allow from the album Tunnel Of Love. Bruce in love. For a little bit.

4. Don Henley, A Month Of Sundays from the album Building The Perfect Peace. A Farm Aid song before there was ever a Farm Aid. Leads directly into Sunset Grill.

5. John Mellencamp, Just Like You from the album Cuttin' Heads. Mellencamp released this album just after 9/11; otherwise, I believe more people would have embraced just how many good songs it contains.

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A Week In Tweets

Talbot Davis September 22, 2014 at 1:00 am 0

As some of you know, I have a Twitter account (@talbotdavis).

So on this Monday, I thought it might be helpful to scan through some of my tweets from the previous week and what those particular 140 characters show about my state of mind at the time. Here goes . . . a week in tweets.

Feeling a bit irreverent & even cynical as last Monday began . . .

Eph 5:19 - "speak to one another w psalms, hymns & spiritual songs & make your sure your church's band is the most kick-ass in the city."
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 15, 2014

. . . then fearful of losing whatever Methodist credibility I have left later in the day:

That #umc "oops, I did it again" feeling when you check @JohnMacArthur 's stuff for sermon prep for the 2nd time.
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 15, 2014

And a little bit combative by Monday night:

According to Ephesians 4, spiritual immaturity leads to doctrinal vulnerability. #umc
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 15, 2014

By the time I got to Tuesday, I was feeling grateful for what the Love Song series has done . . .

I used to think marriage was about survival & commitment. Then I read Song Of Songs. #LoveSong
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 16, 2014

. . . while giving a sneak preview of what the next series, Hidden Heroes, will include:

Every word of rebuke contains the seed of redemption. #HiddenHeroes
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 16, 2014

And the obligatory "somebody got my name wrong" moment:

That "still kind of mad at my parents for the odd name thing" feeling when someone calls you "Talbert" in a public #umc space. #NotBishop
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 16, 2014

Wednesday had the best news all week:

That elated feeling when you just bought @johnmellencamp tickets for March 27 2015 in Charlotte. #YourLifeIsNow
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 17, 2014

Thursday had a pop culture reference that, apparently, people either didn't get or didn't think was witty:

That @ModernFam feeling when your architect says "that's where the Wow Factor" comes in @gsumccharlotte .
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 18, 2014

So I decided to ruffle some Methodist feathers. It worked:

"This is my body, broken for you - as long as ordained clergy are present to make it so," said Jesus NEVER. #umclead #dreamumc
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 18, 2014

On Friday, I shared how I got grossed out at the Y:

That "I think I'll come back later" feeling when while entering Men's Rm at Y you bump into guy exiting with newspaper tucked under his arm.
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 19, 2014

And responded to the upcoming Left Behind movie:

In honor of @leftbehindmovie , here is @gsumccharlotte 's end times chart. pic.twitter.com/lt0TNBlBDX
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 19, 2014

Saturday featured a prescient tweet regarding SMU football. Final score: 58-6.

That "I'm dreading this" feeling when your beloved SMU Mustangs, who lost to N. Tex 43-6, are fixing to play Texas A&M on national TV.
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 20, 2014

By Sunday, I was feeling both more religious . . .

"Lord, give me a fresh anointing today that will make the message's impact far outpace its preparation." #LoveSong
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 21, 2014

. . . and more grateful:

That "parental pride" feeling when your 25 yr old daughter tells you about serving as a youth counselor on weekend retreat @BuckheadChurch
— Talbot Davis (@TalbotDavis) September 21, 2014

Talbot Davis

There’s been a subtle name change going on with the space where pastors work. What used to be called the pastor’s study is now called simply the pastor’s office. Why?

The pastor’s study was a place where the pastor, well, the pastor studied! The title was a reminder to the pastor and also the people that this was the primary task of the spiritual leader.

I think of Paul’s advice to young Timothy. “Study to show yourself approved before God, a workman that doesn’t need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

You can read the original post here.

Claassen raises interesting questions and has me asking as I walk through the door of the room where I spend much of my dad: is this my office or my study? Can I work where I study and can I study where I work?

The kingdom coming may not depend on the answers to those questions, but the pastor's sanity might.

Talbot Davis

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