A great man finishes well...

Dr. Clyde Cook, beloved long time president of Biola University, passed away last week at his home in Fullerton, CA. After returning home from a speaking engagement, he died suddenly at home, leaving behind his wife Anna Belle, 2 children and their families, and a university family of thousands.

Clyde Cook was a man whose life exemplified service to Christ. His parents were missionaries in Hong Kong at the outbreak of World War II, and when captured by the Japanese, the family was split among three prison camps. After the war, the family was reunited, and Clyde later attended Biola College, where he excelled in basketball. He later became a missionary to the Philippines, a professor at Biola and Talbot Seminary, President of OC International, and then President of Biola. Taking over the school at a time of transition and decline, he stemmed that slide and saw the school more than double under his presidency. He carefully guarded Biola's faithfulness to its heritage, while moving the school forward academically and in its influence in both the Christian world and the marketplace. He retired to become President Emeritus just one year ago and saw his successor appointed just this past fall.

I was blessed to have Dr. Cook as President during my time at Talbot, and I had a great appreciation for his leadership and his heart. Those of us with a long enough memory to have seen what he led Biola through have a great appreciation for his faithful service. He has finished his work here well.

Travels and Treasures

This has been an interesting month for me. The week after Easter I traveled to Russia to teach in a Bible institute and learn more about the work of a missionary friend. Byron was my guide, which is fitting because he has also been a friend and someone whose life and ministry I have admired for years. It was an amazing experience, and one that I hope to have a chance to repeat. Perhaps I blog on it later--you can look at my picture feed for some highlights.

After returning home, I turned around the next week and flew with my wife to California to meet my first grandson! Yes, as young as I look in that picture, I am a grandpa--Again, the picture feed can allow you to share the joy!

Then I returned and have been digging out of the pile of things awaiting me, emails to answer, mail to deal with, papers to grade (lots of those), class materials and a final exam to prepare, and of course the normal preparations that each week of ministry brings. Through it all I find myself rejoicing--I can't believe I get to experience all the amazing opportunities and blessings that are around me.

Don't get me wrong. There's plenty of hardship that comes along, but I am at one of those points where I can assert the truth of the statement that our "light and temporary afflictions" cannot be compared with the eternal weight of the glory to come.

A Wave of Muslim Conversions to Jesus Christ

Many saw the new this weekend that Pope Benedict XVI baptized into the Roman Catholic Church Italy's most prominent Muslim writer during his Easter mass. I am not a fan of Roman Catholic practices or dogmas, but that is amazing news, just the same.

What is important to note is that this is not just an isolated incident.

Increasingly, Muslims are questioning the tenets of their faith, and the practices carried on in its name. This has led many to look elsewhere for truth. Christianity, especially the biblical gospel, seems to be gaining hearers and followers in unprecedented numbers.

For a refreshing report on one way that God is doing His work in the Middle East read this article by Raymond Ibrahim, posted on National Review Online, about Father Zakaria Botros, an Egyptian Coptic cleric (whose own site has clear presentations of the gospel) whose TV show on a satellite channel is having remarkable influence throughout the Muslim world.

My friend, John Cook, tells me that in conversations with Iraqi pastors, the church there is exploding with growth through the conversion of Muslims.

Joel Rosenberg reports on Muslim conversions to Christianity as the untold story of the region and the decade.

Amazing stuff.

Let Judas Shake You

This is from John Piper on the Desiring God blog. Thought provoking as usual.

Hard Words on the Bush Presidency

While I am not certain I agree with all of this, David Frum's Diary on National Review Online gives a critical, and I fear all too accurate evaluation of the Bush presidency's inability to pick and manage the right team of leaders.

And near the end of this article by Michael Barone, the same theme appears--the President has been too willing to let others go too far down their own paths, to allow his own subordinates to undercut his policies, and to let others choose his military leaders without exercising a president's authority to question them.

Shelby Steele on Barack Obama

In an article entitled, "The Obama Bargain" in the Wall Street Journal, Shelby Steele, an incredible writer (who happens to be black) offers his insightful critique on the role of race in the success, thus far, of Senator Obama's candidacy, and the danger to it of the revelations about Obama's church.

Make no mistake. Rev. Wright (Obama's pastor) is no evangelical, nor is his church one that is in any way amenable to the biblical gospel. Whether Senator Obama is himself a true follower of Jesus cannot be known by his belonging to this church.

'Gilligan's' Mary Ann caught with dope - Yahoo! News

Mary Ann, say it ain't so!

Gilligan had a drug history as well, or at least Bob Denver did, before his death in 2005.

At least the Skipper and Mr. & Mrs. Howell didn't live to see this day! What does Ginger think? Will the Professor offer an anti-drug invention made of coconuts and bamboo?