Shawn Wood and His 200 Pomegranates

Orginally published on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 3:58 AM
by Todd Rhoades

MMI is excited to be today's stop on Shawn Wood's world-wide blog tour. Shawn is the Experiences Pastor at Seacost Church, and has a very interesting book (with a very intriguing title). It's called "200 Pomegranates and an Audience of One". I hope you'll enjoy this one-on-one interview with Shawn:

Todd: So, Shawn… who is this Huram of Tyre guy upon which you base your book?
Shawn: Huram of Tyre is a guy with a name problem. Best I can tell his dad was named Huram and then a somewhat popular guy in Tyre, the King, was also named Tyre. But our boy Huram finally gets some face time when King Solomon calls on King Huram to ask for his best metal artist to come and work on the temple. That's a lot of Hurams Todd.

Todd:  He did quite an elaborate project.  Why do you suppose he used pomegranates?
Shawn: The funny answer: “because fig was too easy to spell”.  200figs.com would have been so much easier.
The real answer: The Jewish Priests are said to have believed that pomegranate seeds number 613, I have never counted one so I can not really comment, but that would be one seed for each of the Bible’s 613 commandments.

The pomegranate was revered for the beauty of its shrub, flowers, and fruit it was thought to symbolize fertility, and abundance. Your readers may remember that in The Song of Solomon the King himself compares the cheeks of a bride behind her veil to the two halves of a pomegranate.  I have seen the inside of a pomegranate so I am not sure that would go over well today…apparently Solomon liked his women a little ruddy.

Todd:  What are a couple of takeaways we can learn from Huram?
Shawn: First is that Huram got Great at something.  Second is that he did something.  Third he lived a life to an audience of One.  I think that if we could do something great as worship to God everyday we could change the world.  Hopefully the rest of the book will help people with some practical steps and motivation to live that life of influence.

At the end of the book I have a prayer that I would hope would be the heart-beat of someone who had read, experienced and responded to the stories and scripture presented in this book:

“God, I pray that you would remind me that you created me for a life of meaning and influence, ultimately to bring you fame.  I pray that you would continue this work in me in me and hone my skills, talents and spiritual gifts in such a way that you would be honored by my greatness. As I walk in this journey, God, I pray that you would show me what to do, teaching me what the passion of my life should be. Along that journey, I pray that you would allow me to have the courage and the integrity to do something meaningful with my life.  Lord, teach me to see the needs of others as you see them, and to invest in your other people your prized possessions. When I do this, I pray that it would be a beacon that shines on you. God, as I do these things I pray that you would be my audience. That my love and adoration would be for you and that you alone would get my praise. And lastly, God, allow me the grace to finish the race well. I look forward to seeing you and hearing you say, “well done.” Lord, give me your strength to finish strong in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Todd: Since you’re into mentioning obscure people in your book; did you, by any chance, mention my name in your book?
Shawn: Todd it’s like you are reading my mind.  I pushed really hard with the publishers for the book to be 145 pages and they cut me off right at 144.  Something to do with gas prices.  Here is what page 145 would have said, “Todd Rhoades is an artist in so many ways, he is the smartest man in Ohio that I know who blogs” But blame the publishers on that one dude.

Todd: When was the last time you had a good pomegranate?  And for those of us who have never touched or knowingly seen an actual pomegranate, what fruit are they most like?  (They are a fruit, right?!)
Shawn: I prefer the Adwalla Pomegranate or POM myself to the real fruit…it’s a messy little piece of fruit really.  However I had one about two years ago in a message planning meeting.  It looks like and onion on the outside and corn that had a really bad day on the inside.

Todd: When does the book come out, and where will people be able to get it?
Shawn: I am honored to be releasing the book at Innovate 2008 at Granger Community Church.  The book will be available for pre-purchase wherever fine books are sold in September as well.  Because I feel real bad about that whole page 145 thing though I have a sample of the first chapter for you are your readers to take a look at here…

Thanks so much, Shawn, for making MMI one stop on your tour this year!

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