Can an old dog learn new tricks?

1. Have you ever thought you were too old to start something new?
2. What if your greatest joy in life was hiding behind something you’ve always said you “don’t like to do”?
3. How can a seventy-year-old who once dreaded writing end up publishing books, blogs, and now podcasts?
4. Is it ever too late to discover a new passion — or could your next chapter be your best one yet?

What Does the Bible Say? Volume 1

What Does the Bible Say? Volume 2

New Shepherds Orientation and Seasoned Shepherds Revitalization blog 

How to Blog a Book

Between Preachers blog

Audiobooks Made Easy

Between Preachers, paperback

Between Preachers, hardcover

When you find a "mustard seed," please share the address of this podcast with a friend: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2369804/episodes/17566838

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Braden Parsons' email: bradencparsons@gmail.com

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Transcript

078 Can an old dog learn new tricks?

1. Have you ever thought you were too old to start something new?
2. What if your greatest joy in life was hiding behind something you’ve always said you “don’t like to do”?
3. How can a seventy-year-old who once dreaded writing end up publishing books, blogs, and now podcasts?
4. Is it ever too late to discover a new passion — or could your next chapter be your best one yet?

I have more fan mail from my podcast. These are the messages I’ve received since my first anniversary podcast in July. I’ve omitted the names.

August 18, Nashville, Indiana

Jerrie, you covered many pertinent areas that need to be discussed between elders and future preachers. It was refreshing to hear members included in the discussion. I’m in my 70's and have never heard a sermon or class exploring the issues involved in this subject.

October 20, Waverly, Tennessee

I wanted to thank you for sending me the link to Gleaning Mustard Seeds back when you started. I have been encouraged listening to them. I should have sent a note sooner but in this week's episode you said you work better with encouragement and I felt it was past time for me to offer some encouragement to you. I like the short and to the point lessons and look forward to hearing them every Monday. Sometimes it's late when I get to them and sometimes time gets away and I have to do some catching up but I always enjoy them. May God continue to bless you and your family in the work in the Kingdom.

October  31, Pennsylvania

Good afternoon. I attend a congregation in central Pennsylvania. My wife and I moved to the area 13 years ago. The congregation has been without elders for 15 years. I have often discussed our need to reestablishing elders in our "business meetings", but I can't seem to generate any desire with the men. Can you point me in a direction or offer some advice to help us in this goal? I feel I am ready to serve, but of course can not do this alone. We desperately need elders to shepherd the flock.

Thank you for your responses and encouragement.

If any of you — or anyone listening to this podcast would like for me to reply, please contact me at my email:  jerrie@barberclippings.com or phone:  (615) 584-0512

Thank you for every message, "likes" on Facebook, and personal comments. I plan to stay up to date and recognize those who send me a message on my podcast page.

And now for our topic today. Can an old dog learn new tricks? I think I’m evidence that it’s possible.

I never enjoyed writing until I was seventy years old. I didn't like writing term papers in high school and college. I put off starting the research until the last week, and wrote them the night before. On the Thursday before they were due, I’d go swimming on Thursday night. I’d buy one Coke to split between Gail and me. I’d start writing about 10:00 p.m. I’d write a page, and Gail would type it. That process went on until about 5:00 a.m. I’d go to bed and sleep until Gail finished typing the last page. At that point, she woke me up. She refused to type the bibliography. I typed the bibliography, went to class, turned in my term paper, played tennis, came home, and went to bed.

In my preaching, I enjoyed studying, preparing sermon outlines, and delivering the message. I didn't like writing one sentence after another and one paragraph after another.

However, throughout my ministry, I wrote an article for the bulletin each week. For the eleven years I preached in Dalton, Georgia, I had an article in the newspaper office by 5:00 p.m. each Wednesday and never missed a week.

I read somewhere years ago that a person should do something every week that they didn't like doing but needed to do. Those were my two projects each week that I didn't like doing but needed to, and I found them profitable.

J.C. and Betty Choate visited Central in Dalton. He asked me what I was writing. I told him I didn't like to write. He asked me about bulletin articles or newspaper articles. I describe both of those. He asked me to send copies of my newspaper articles.

He printed the book What Does the Bible Say? in India in 1981. He did the second printing in the United States. Brother Choate printed volume two with the same title, with more articles in 1999.

I led my first New Shepherds Orientation Workshop for the Fairlane church in Shelbyville, Tennessee, in November 2013.

I started a blog, New Shepherds Orientation and Seasoned Shepherds Revitalization, in January 2015 to promote and supplement that workshop. It was at that point that I began to enjoy writing. Many people encouraged me, commented on different posts, and suggested topics to discuss.  

Gail and I started doing interim ministry in 2007. That was a new concept for our brethren at that time. Many people told me I needed to write a book about interim ministry. I would reply to each person who suggested that, "I don't have time to write a book."

I learned about a book called How to Blog a Book, by Nina Amir.

What I learned from that book – I didn't think I had time to write a book, but I could write 500 words every two weeks. I outlined what I’d like to discuss in a book about interim ministry. I started the Between Preachers blog in January 2016.  That book was published in January 2020. It’s available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. I'll put links to these in the show notes.

A couple of years ago, our daughter, Christi Parsons, and her son, Braden Parsons, suggested that I start a podcast. My first reaction was that I didn't want to do it. But after taking an online course, Audiobooks Made Easy, I decided I’d enjoy podcasts. This is episode 78 of something I at first didn't think I wanted to do.  https://audiobooksmadeeasy.com/

Incidentally, I do much of my writing for blogs and podcast scripts by dictating into a word processor. I use Apple Pages. I say what I want written and have to do relatively little editing. I can speak faster and easier than I type.

My experience is that an old dog (eighty years old) can still learn new tricks.