Tom Allen

OK, you may have yawned through the past 3 weeks, but MARGIN: Spending the Time of Your Life , has been one of the most personally challenging series I've ever been a part of.  As usual, when I speak on parenting, my family goes crazy...when I speak on money, my finances get out of whack.  Marriage...you can figure it out. So, do a series on MARGIN  and, surprise, guess what happens...you suddenly realize your calendar is crammed and your schedule is all out of whack.  Life is running you, rather than vice-versa.  You didn't do it all at once.  In fact, you didn't even realize you were doing it at all.  Six months ago you committed to that wedding, a month ago you scheduled the next elders meeting, those folks could only meet with you after hours, the banquet is for a ministry you support and love, Singles have a place in my heart.  All good stuff.  But, when they all fall into those boxes with numbers on them, and they fall into sequential...

Read my blog yesterday?  Nope.  It didn't happen.  Reason?  Technical difficulties.  My device jungle now includes an iPad.  I was simply going to write my blog from it.  Nope again.  I couldn't figure it out. (this is not earth-shattering).  When I sought help from my 20-something technobots who know everything, they had problems as well.  (much to my delight)  So, let's talk about technology.  I know we've broached the subject before, but it seems in the Allen household I'm feeling a technological explosion...or implosion...I'm not quite certain. Got the new iPad (don't have iPad envy), and my goal, because all my Bible-reading is done on some electronic device, is to begin using it whenever I speak.  I'm sure there will be some kick-back ( "Shouldn't a preacher hold a Bible when he preaches?!  I mean really, that can't be biblical preaching if he doesn't even have a Bible!!!!!)   Problem is, the Bible is not...

From time to time I hear someone say of our church or, more specifically, of my preaching, "It's just not DEEP enough for me".   Problem is, I've never figured out what that means.  Maybe that proves they're all correct.  If you're not deep enough to understand what people who want DEEPER  mean, then you just might have proved their point.  Maybe I'm just exactly what they say...shallow. However, I have my own opinion. ( there's a shocker!!!)   Personally, I think I deal with some pretty deep stuff.  Who Jesus was.  How he expects us to live.  How the Bible speaks to our purpose, our money, our marriages, our kids, our time, our service, our priorities, our attitudes...to me that's pretty deep stuff. So, the question remains...if that's not deep, what is?  My conclusions are the following:      1.   Deep is confusing rather than clear .  In other words, if I can explain it in a way that can be    ...