I’ve never seen the strip mining thing, but I was only there for a decade, as opposed to being there as a child during the era of strip mining.

The thing about Western KY is that, although the hills roll and undulate in a pretty way, it is more “flat” than Eastern KY, which has the towns built along a winding strip between two foothills and you can’t see the horizon. I like the mountains for a little while. A retreat or a vacation, but then I start getting claustrophobic. Besides, they don’t have Tobacco Barns in the East, that fire the Tobacco in the fall so that the crisp cool October wind brings you the hint of sweet smoke – not the acrid kind. Of course, you do have “knobs” in Western KY. Miniature hillocks that sport dramatic colors when the leaves turn. I really miss that, right now.

Exiled from Kentucky for 36 years, I do get a twinge every time I drive into the state and see its beauty. I keep telling people who, like me, drive in from the east, that the reason WV is “almost heaven” is that when you are in WV you are almost in KY … hence, well, you know.

I have to say that my members of going to various places in western KY to preach are not as filled with images of beauty. I recall driving along the Western KY Parkway and seeing the landscape scarred by strip mining done with those huge shovels.

Driven by a Tobacco Barn with the smoke filling the air?

Y’know, this weekend is the big Tobacco Festival in Russellville. Rib Eye Sandwiches, hot off the grill and a great small town, county wide parade. The re-enactment of the James gang’s first bank robbery (though some dispute that it was the first – they are obviously wrong) right across the street from First Baptist Church, 6th and Main – which hosts the Rotary Club’s Pancake Breakfast all morning. Craft shows. Funnel cakes. Everything on the square.

If you aren’t doing anything this weekend, Saturday would be a great day to be in Russellville.

i have been working home a lot so it seems like i don’t see the outdoors much even!

yesterday while I grilled a steak I took the time to rake up all the leaves in the yard. I think it’s still suffering from the dry season we’ve had.

Thanks for the knowledge. Is it pretty in KY yet?

The formulas. It’s been a couple years since I read it and I don’t actually own the book, but they’re there. He might use the terms syncretism and sectarianism rather than liberalism and fundamentalism, I don’t recall exactly.

It was written in 2004 and I don’t think Missional vs. Emergent terminology was so hot of a topic back then. Though even in that book he was distinguishing himself from Emergent in favor of being one part of the emerging church, as I recall.

Do you really or are you just being cantankerous? How would you describe the difference? Clearly there is a lot of confusion of the two, especially among conventional church model pastors and lay men and women.

Nick,

Which part? The formula or the difference between Missional and Emergent?