I Haven't Gone to the Church, but I've Read the Book

I've long had a theory about the Apostle Paul. I think if you asked him during his life what about his ministry would last, he would say the churches he planted. He loved the Church and the individual churches he planted in cities. He writes about himself as an Apostle. He doesn't call himself a writer.

But his work that has really lasted, when most of his churches died or transmogrified beyond recognition, is his writing. His letters to the churches have continued to bless the Church while the churches he was writing to are gone.

Now Jesus wasn't a writer (unless you count the time he scribbled in the sand in John 8, and no one knows what He wrote, despite thousands of sermon guesses through the centuries), but because four men wrote about His words and his deeds, the church goes on.

So this month, we salute writers by going to four churches where a writer we've learned from ministers or attends.* Each Monday we'll post about the author (and perhaps some of his or her work). As usual, on Tuesdays we'll write about the churches. We think God has used writers to build and bless His Church and will continue to do so.

-- Dean

*Tentative schedule for June:

June 7 - Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church, Marin City

June 14 - Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, Menlo Park

June 21 - St. Gregory of Nysaa Episcopal Church, San Francisco

June 28 - Saddleback Church, Lake Forest