Pepperdine Reflections 2008
Author: Bobby Valentine | Filed under: Bobby's World, Ministry, PreachingReflections on Pepperdine 2008
I made the trek back from Pepperdine yesterday. Actually I left about 4:30ish pm and arrived back in Tucson at not quite 2 am this morning. I probably could have done better but I got stuck in L.A. and it took me nearly 2 hours to go 30 miles. I made my way through part of CA behind a Lamborghini for a time. What a sweet looking car!
Pepperdine, as usual, was great. I arrived in Malibu last Sunday evening and camped in the Malibu Motel on Pacific Coast Hwy a couple miles from the campus and not far from the beach. I reviewed, relaxed by taking walks along the beach, spent several hours reading microfilm in the Payson Library and recharged. On Tuesday I checked in and found out that Kelly Carter, from Calgary Canada, was my roommate. We had many delightful conversations. One of the great blessings, perhaps the best, of Pepperdine (and any lectureship) is meeting old friends and making new ones. I laughed with Lisa and Ashley of Leafwood/ACU Press. I visited with Larry Fitzgerald. I saw Albert Lemmons for the first time since my family lived in Grenada, MS. I met Tyler Ellis, a campus missionary. I chatted with Steven Lemley, Melvin Boyd and Charles Siburt about being students of K. C. Moser. I had pizza (and geotracking) with my good friend Daryl Miller from Milwaukee. I had dinner with fellow blogger “Clarke” on the beach. I connected with Tom Olbricht, David Fleer and Randy Harris. Robert Hooper, author of A Distinct People, Steve Wolfgang (scholar on Daniel Sommer) and Terry Gardner (sleuth of all things concerning the Stone-Campbell Movement) all graced me with their presence in my lectures. I saw my old teacher Jim Martin all to briefly. I got to meet Suzy Brown who insisted that she was not a theologian but I beg to differ. I sat at the feet of my friend Edward Robinson. I learned again from Doug Foster. It was good to see Yuki Obata from Japan. Shelly Jacobson of Western Christian College in Canada also blessed me with her presence. I took in Danny and Terri Dodd’s class and was greatly blessed by them. I also took in some great classes by Greg Sterling. I sat, visited and prayed, with my good friends Curt and Sue Burton (Sue is the daughter of Carl Ketcherside … but Sue is worth knowing apart from her famous father).
My classes would have been so much richer had John Mark been there. As it was, though, I was quite surprised by the large crowd that decided to attend our class. Given that our class was at 9 pm I was expecting a decent crowd like usual. But nothing like what came. Class AC 245 was literally packed. I do not believe there was a spare spot. People stood along the wall and even in the door. On Wednesday night there were folks sitting on the floor!! These are the folks who really wanted to know about the “Struggle for the Soul of the Churches of Christ!” Thursday night was a repeat of the first two. God was good in all of this. Jerry Rushford and Tom Olbricht honored me greatly by asking me to address the gathering hosted by Restoration Quarterly … I shared with them some thoughts on “Jesus, David Lipscomb and the Spanish-American War.”
All in all I can say that I was blessed to be at Pepperdine. I was glad that around 20 folks made the journey from Palo Verde to come over to Pepperdine to share the beauty and encouragement. Late Thursday night we all met in the cafeteria for some pie. We visited, laughed and shared thoughts on the week. It was the young people, Travis and Amy, that decided to go to bed … it was past their bed time!!! There was only one draw back to the lecture and that was not even related to it. This was the first time that I have been to Pepperdine without my girls … and I did miss them.
Jerry Rushford puts on the best production, hands down, in the Churches of Christ. This was Jerry’s 30th year to head the lectureship. Congrats to him and the fine work he does for the Lord through it and the blessings he gives to thousands from literally around the world.
See you there next year,
Bobby Valentine
May 4th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Welcome home!
May 4th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
You always think you’ll see everyone, but our paths didn’t cross. Hope to see you in Abilene, if not sooner.
Grace and peace,
Tim
May 4th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Perhaps we would have … if you would have come to my class, 😉
Seeking Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
May 4th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I’m glad you made it home safely. I bet it is sunny there…
May 4th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I am glad you are home safely and it was interesting to hear about your experience and the classes. Now, I look forward to more of your posts, as I did miss them while you were away.
May 4th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Bobby,Enjoyed walking up the steps with you Wednesday night. And I really enjoyed your class then. I ordered the cds and look forward to getting the beginning and end. While you were talking, I thought of how the TT continues to be divisive among themselves today. They continue to argue over some irrevelant things and some more important things like the Holy Spirit, biting and devouring one another (seems I read that someplace). I thought that after Tom Warren died that they would split and they have. Thanks for the info and would encourage you and John Mark to expand and publish this material.
George
May 5th, 2008 at 4:42 am
Hello! Glad you had a great time. We did too. It was nice finally meeting you! We look forward to hearing the cd from your classes. We heard great things about them. Hope our paths will cross again in person, until then – bloooooooggggg!
May 5th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Glad you had a good time.
May 5th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Name dropper! (LOL)
Seriously, though, I get so jealous every year when people I know come back from Malibu and talk about who they met and what they heard. I have to go soon.
May 5th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
So glad it was a great encouragement for you and all who attended. Lord willing I will get to be there at some point.
God bless!
May 5th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I know you enjoyed getting your batteries charged and perhaps one day I’ll have the opportunity to visit some lectureships conducted by brethren that I don’t know well. Having said that, I do know at least three of the brethren you mentioned, so maybe my circle isn’t as small as I thought.
May 5th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Great seeing you there Bobby. Enjoyed your class!
Let’s talk about Jonah sometime!
May 5th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Bobby,
Sorry we missed each other! I meant to attend one of your late-night classes, but 9 p.m. California time felt too much like 11 p.m. Oklahoma time and the bed kept calling me. We had to head to the airport right after the Chronicle thing Friday where I saw “Clarke.” Alas, next time we will connect! Glad you had such a great experience.
Bobby
May 5th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Bobby,
It was very good to see you for a moment at Pepperdine.
Will you e-mail me? I don’t have your address.
(jim@crestview-church.org) Thanks.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:23 am
It’s hard to vicariously live the Pepperdine experience, but thanks for your notes that almost bring me to that point… maybe I can make it next year.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:56 am
We had a great time too. Really enjoyed the two classes of yours. Wed night we were selling pies for AWP. We are not home yet, since we went to Santa Barbara on Saturday and OC on Sunday. We will be home tomorrow -Tuesday. See you Wed night!
May 6th, 2008 at 2:12 am
Sorry I missed you at Coogies this year. I broke my 19 year streak of P-dine Lectures so that I can go on a “Wilderness Trek” with son in July in Colorado.
Hopefully we’ll see you next year.
May 6th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Bobby,
I am excited that you had such a great time brother. I hope this trip has strengthened you brother to face whatever the devil is throwin your way to get your down.
May 6th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Reading your blog makes me wish I had been there. Over the 20 years I attended, once I got to know people, the greater joy of the week was hanging out with people I only saw at Pepperdine.
May 7th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Your classes were great, bro. Sorry I didn’t get to connect with you. All of our Florida boys enjoyed what you had to say.
Pepperdine is overwhelming in many senses–so much beauty, so many presentations, so many people with whom we have connections. Seeing so many friends but getting to spend so little time with most of them is quite a frustration.
You are kept in prayer.
Peace.