Christianity

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  Holy Experience

• When You're Just a Tad Overwhelmed ....

  Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  I'm standing at the counter, day seeping in without knocking, jotting down a list of the day's tasks, the work of a week, in my journal, and it's just a tad overwhelming and I am trying to remember just to breathe... And then I am fifteen, that summer I grip the handlebars of a Honda Goldwing, weave around margarine tubs set up as pylons in the backyard. Thread through four white Gay-lea markers, loop around the Manitoba Maple, slip through another four tubs, circle a knot of slender poplars, begin again on the far side, under the lilacs. Come the end of the day, my Dad would lean up against…

• Homeschool Routines and Rhythms

  Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:30 pm

  `What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul.'-- Joseph AddisonYou learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves. - Saint Francis de SalesAddendum: Another addition to Every Day Learning Links, links to online pages that update with new educational information daily. (HT: To kind reader, Debra (you folks are the best!):Glimpses of Christian History --Scroll to middle of the page for Today's story from Christian History…

• When Life Heats Up

  Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm

  I've got the squash peeled, gutted, chopped, November's sun food, and water's bubbling in grandma's pressure cooker, the one with the decades old, hand-smoothed wooden handles, and I only need the weight, that thing-a-mo-bobber that will dance in the heat.And she not on the shelf by the stove where I tuck her away, or in the cutlery drawer -- or pot drawers -- or utensil drawer. And I call Levi from Latin chants, Levi always with knitting needles in hand, even now, Levi the dryer and returner of all things enamel, stainless and shiny.I ask almost without angst, "Have you seen the weight for…

• Symphony of the Seraphim

  Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:08 am

  (with return of our internet server, I whisper)They were happy tears but he didn't know that, in from morning barn chores and those mama sows, finding me in front of the world's flickering screen.Those man hands stroke my hair and that always gentle whisper brushes my ear, "You sad?"And I shake my head and the words quaver, hardly knowing their way."My aunt once took me to Roy Thompson Hall. I must have been fifteen, this wide-eyed girl from the country, in the center of the arts and cosmopolitan Toronto. She had tickets to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra." I nod towards the screen."But this…

• The Real Joy Secret

  Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:30 am

  Iwake wanting to die. Scarlet light bleeds over the horizon, another day aching in. I lie in bed. Pull covers up over my head. I'm withered dry and even the tears won’t fall: a heart drought. .... continued...Read me over here today, please... (and for a giveaway for some furniture vases of your own) Would you like Holy Experience delivered to you quietly via email?...

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  Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff

• Arguing about whether heaven will serve Chick-fil-A or In-n-Out (Part 2)

  Jon

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  3 Reasons Chick-fil-A will be served in heaven. (See Part 1 about In-n-Out right here) 1. They really take care of the shortys. After my kids eat a Chick-fil-A kid’s meal, they read the book that came with it, and then quietly clean up the table and give me a big hug because they’ve just learned a lesson about the value of thankfulness. After my kids eat a McDonald’s happy meal, they throw the American Doll miniature toy that came with it on the ground, tell me they need a different one because “Julie is a hippy,” and then proceed to throw rocks at cars driven by old ladies. OK,…

• What’s your favorite post?

  Jon

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am

  One of the students asked me that last night before I spoke at the Clemson Fellowship for Christian Athletes. And it’s a good question, but I think I gave them the wrong answer. The truth is, I haven’t written my favorite post yet. But I’m about to. In a week. In a month. In whatever timeframe it ends up becoming, I’m about to write my favorite post of all time and I already know what the title is going to be: “We raised enough money to build two kindergartens in Vietnam!” We’re on the doorstep of that moment. At almost $48,000 of our $60,000 goal, we…

• Arguing about whether heaven will serve Chick-fil-A or In-n-Out (Part 1)

  Jon

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:45 am

  Forget emergent vs. fundamentalist. Forget beer fans vs. teetotalers. Forget small home church vs. megachurch. The issue that is currently dividing the church in half is much more complicated: Chick-fil-A vs. In-n-Out For those of you in parts of the country or the world where neither faith-based fast food restaurant reigns, allow me to invite you into the fray. On the one side, you’ve got Chick-fil-A, a chicken restaurant founded by Truett Cathy in Georgia. On the other side, In-n-Out, a hamburger joint founded by Harry Snyder in California. (Can you sense the east coast vs. west coast…

• Zakk gets vested!

  Jon

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:30 am

  “I think they’re layering their bangs right now. It’s this kind of a bunching technique that they’re doing.” “Hmmm, are you talking about having one bang go right over his eye? I’ve seen that. Where just one triangular swoop of hair stays over an entire eye the whole time.” “I thought about that, but my concern is that it if we swoop the hair too much it will make him look too emo. The other thing is the tips. Do we frost them?” That’s the conversation Wes Molebash and I had last night. In the last 10 days, he and I have become social anthropologists focused primarily on…

• Having “savior moments.”

  Jon

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  I wish Barnes & Noble had a diving board instead of a front door. That way, I could jump into the books and swim around like Scrooge McDuck in his money bin. I want to run down the aisles with my arms open wide pulling books from the shelf that I then roll around in and laugh, laugh, laugh the day away while Natasha Beddingfield’s “Unwritten” plays in the background. I love bookstores. But recently I thought I was going to throw up in one. I got all dizzy and sweaty. I felt faint and had to sit down. I lost the wonder of Tom Hanks in the toy store scene of the movie “Big.” I…

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  The Acton Institute - Acton News & Commentary

• The Financial Crisis: What We (Still) Haven’t Learned

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:49 am

  Acton Director of Research Samuel Gregg offers five lessons from the financial crisis. "One measure of a society’s inner strength is its willingness to learn from mistakes and alter behavior appropriately," Gregg writes. Will we heed the lessons?

• After the Berlin Wall -- the Enduring Power of Socialism

  11 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am

  We relegated socialism to the dustbin of history, but socialism never actually died and in many ways it has actually gained influence," writes Michael Miller. He looks at the long march of determined cultural Marxists through Western institutions.

• Government Health Care: Back to the Plantation

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:29 am

  If America has a race problem, Anthony Bradley points out, then it will manifest itself in both public and private sectors. Vastly expanding Washington's reach into the health care sector will only subject poor blacks to more government control.

• The Market, School of Virtue

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:39 am

  Many culture-oriented critics of the market -- on both the left and the right -- have attacked the acquisitiveness or self-serving aspects of the market economy. But Stephen Grabill shows that many of the character traits we call practical virtues are rewarded by the market economy. As a result, market activity may actually inculcate values and moral habits that make us better citizens, colleagues, employers, and employees.

• Public schools flunk the test on black males

  28 Oct 2009 | 6:41 am

  "Given the many social pathologies plaguing black males in low-income and fatherless households, the best place for at-risk black males is not the dominant failed public school paradigm," writes Anthony Bradley. "Since public schools are forbidden to teach virtue and often reduce children to receptacles of information, expanding private and faith-based options to black parents is the only compelling solution."

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  Baptist Standard

• Former pop music star, songwriter teamed up to glorify God

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:11 am

  The debut album by Chynna Phillips and Vaughan Penn, One Reason, conveys themes of redemption, forgiveness and hope with a musical canvas of harmony-rich arrangements.

• Stream event caters to Baptists under age 35

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:46 am

  The first group of messengers and visitors to arrive in Houston for the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting of Texas Baptists was a little different than normal. They all were under age 35, participants in Stream (http://www.bgct.org/TexasBaptists/Page.aspx? pid=6297)—a special event added to the meeting schedule to appeal to young Baptists.

• Love for kindergartners lasts 60 years for former pastor’s wife

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:24 am

  Some things have changed a bit since 1949 at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. Then, the church met in a house. Today, its 9,000 members fill a mammoth sancutary in multiple worship services. One thing hasn’t changed. Martha Howard still can be found teaching her room full of kindergartners—just as she has for 60 years.

• Hispanic Fellowship embraces Texas Hope 2010

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:12 am

  More than 300 Hispanic Texas Baptists prayed, worshipped and enjoyed fellowship in their heart language of Spanish, celebrating what God has done in and through them during the past year.

• Calvinism’s structure provides for comprehensive worldview

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:06 am

  Speakers at the G-5 Conference agreed that examining John Calvin’s theology leads Baptists to embrace a more biblical worldview.

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  Bible.org Women -

• What a Year of Disruption Means for this Thanksgiving

  Lael Arrington

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:39 pm

  The disruption to our lives that gripped us last Thanksgiving lingers still. The shock has worn off. But the waves continue to ripple out. On a week when the stock market soars we’re encouraged to think, as I saw on a billboard for Charles Schwab, "We can get our future back!" We feel like giving thanks. read more

• God Has Called Me To Do Nothing Good (and Other Lies of the Heart)

  Jamie Lath

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:52 pm

  It’s really amazing when you think about it. God calls us all to do different things. He takes our gifts, our passions, our loves, our weaknesses, our totality as His creation and then he calls us to do His work. The beauty of seeing the variety of ways that God’s Body is at work is stunning. I have a friend who records stories of people’s lives. I have a friend who is a teacher. Another who is a pastor. One who sells make-up. One who is a doctor. One who bakes bread. read more

• A Poem for the Gerasene (Luke 8:26-39)

  Sharifa Stevens

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  The ministry of loneliness Is staying when you want to leave When those around you don’t believe But you’ve come out of darkness The daily plague of Legion No clothes, no sleep, no shelter Life above the tombs no better Than living underneath The soul is strange the body bruised No end, this darkness permeates But then this man comes Radiates The promise, hope renewed Legions flee in fear Neighbors stand and stare They hate the man that caredread more

• Increase Your 'Net Worth: Everywoman’s Guide

  Sandra Glahn

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:56 am

  Yesterday at a conference for women in leadership, I led a workshop titled, “Increase Your 'Net Worth—Communicating in a Virtual World.” When the sponsors asked me to speak on the subject, I told them that—while I do have a web site, a blog, and two social networking accounts—I do not do Twitter and don’t plan to tweet anytime soon. I don’t own a Kindle. And I don’t even do HTML code or know how to design a web site. They said that was okay. They wanted someone who uses technology but isn’t a “techie” and doesn’t follow every trend.   read more

• A little glimpse of heaven

  Gwynne Johnson

  15 Nov 2009 | 2:50 pm

  This weekend I joined over 1700 others in celebrating 50 years of God's faithfulness to Bible Study Fellowship International, a ministry in which I participated for 25 years.  The room was filled with tearful and joyful reunions and the joy of hearing from many the "rest of the story."  In many cases it had been years since we had seen one another and it was a little taste of how we will celebrate the first thousand years of heaven. read more

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  Menlo Park Presbyterian Church Sermon-Cast

• The Daniel Project / Part 3

  15 Nov 2009 | 4:27 pm

  John Ortberg on 2009-11-15: The Daniel Project / Part 3Check out our weekly Sermon-Cast HERE

• The Daniel Project / Only God is God

  8 Nov 2009 | 4:10 pm

  Scott Scruggs on 2009-11-08: The Daniel Project / Only God is GodCheck out our weekly Sermon-Cast HERE

• The Daniel Project / Part 1

  2 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pm

  Nancy Ortberg on 2009-11-01: The Daniel Project / Part 1Check out our weekly Sermon-Cast HERE

• The Ripple Effect: "Imagine" - John Ortberg

  26 Oct 2009 | 12:59 pm

  This weekend John Ortberg continued our sermon series, The Ripple Effect, with a message called "Imagine."Hebrews 11Check out our weekly Sermon-Cast HERE

• The Ripple Effect: "Constructive Interference" - John Ortberg

  19 Oct 2009 | 2:12 pm

  This weekend John Ortberg continued our sermon series, The Ripple Effect, with a message called "Constructive Interference."Check out our weekly Sermon-Cast HERE

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  Brian McLaren EMC

• Religious Right Insanity, Evangelical Cowardice: Enough is Enough

  plushy55@yahoo.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:48 am

  I'm disgusted by the latest absurdity from the religious right covered in the clip below. I'm also depressed by the lack of courage among Evangelical leaders to speak out strongly against it (also covered in the clip below). How about it, Evangelicals? How many of you will join Frank Schaeffer and say, "Enough is enough?" Thanks to Tim King and Frank Schaeffer (I just finished his book Crazy for God - a really engaging read from a very gifted writer) for having the courage to tell the truth about this latest example of religion gone wild. And thanks to Rachel Maddow for her good coverage on…

• Prayer for the Earth - in French!

  plushy55@yahoo.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:19 am

  I just heard from Phillipe Kiener, who works with A Rocha (what a great organization!) in Switzerland. He and some friends have translated the prayer into French and made it available in several formats. Thanks, friends! Here is the link to the page of the prayer on the A Rocha Swiss site: http://www.arocha.org/ch-fr/g3/g3/priere-pour-la-terre-copenhague.html Here is the link to a nice PDF of the prayer: http://www.arocha.org/ch-fr/7275-DSY/version/1/part/8/data/priere-pour-terre.pdf?branch=main&language=fr The video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ue1qKrB0Mk

• Seeking creative non-military solutions ...

  plushy55@yahoo.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:40 am

  If your only tool is a hammer, every problem becomes a nail, the old saying goes. That means that in "the military industrial complex," non-military solutions won't simply be considered and rejected as impractical: they won't even come up on the screen for consideration. That's why the recent statement on a humanitarian-development surge in Afghanistan is so important. A group of faith leaders (among which I am included) have sent a letter to the White House urging the President to widen the frame of discussion beyond how many additional troops to send to Afghanistan. We ask the President to…

• Countdown Day 81

  plushy55@yahoo.com

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm

  For several years, it seemed that with every passing month, my theology was unraveling a little more. I was afraid there soon wouldn’t be anything left at all.… It was a scary and tough time. From A New Kind of Christianity: Ten Questions That Are Transforming the Faith (available February 9, 2010)

• Q & R: postmodernism and moral absolutes

  plushy55@yahoo.com

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:46 am

  Here's the q: Please help! I am currently taking a graduate class on church growth and we are using your book More Ready Than You Realize as an example of "friendship evangelism." You book has caused much discussion...which is what I guess you were wanting.... [details of class discussion removed] Here is my problem. I consider myself a postmodernist, but I can't really give a good answer why. What I do know is that the modern way (while once extremely effective) of evangelism is no longer effective. The following criticism is what I hear as an attack towards postmodernism, "they believe that…

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  Global Feed

• The Kingdom Work of the Corporate World

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

• From Embers to a Flame: Revitalizing Churches

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:21 am

  Revitalization ministry breathes new life into fatigued churches.

• An Anniversary to Mourn: Assessing 40 Years of No-Fault Divorce

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:29 am

  In order to break the divorce culture of America, we need to break the divorce culture in the Church.

• Like the Northwest Pilots, We All Get Distracted

  10 Nov 2009 | 10:34 am

  Whether we are flying planes or running seminaries ... raising a family or being a friend, we can all get distracted.

• When God Won't Heal

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:15 am

  Churches are ill-equipped to deal with those who suffer chronic illness.

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  http://heatheragoodman.com/rss.xml

• My Nemesis, Or Why My Next House Will Be a Tent

  hgoodman

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:53 am

  My Twitter friends may remember that sometime in September (or was it August?) I began degrouting our shower. The grout is original, which, while a high status in the art and fashion world, here means it's sometimes missing and sometimes moldy. I felt I had to shower after stepping out of my shower. And my Twitter friends may recall that this project may indeed be the death of me (see--I can pick up a good southern phrase). Classic tweets regarding the project include: off to de-grout my shower! (2:20 PM Sep 16th) wow. degrouting so much faster after Chris fixed the tool and showed me I could…

• Shades of a Leaf, a poem

  hgoodman

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:09 am

  The red has been in the leaf since its conception waiting for the bright sun to dim for the right amount of rain. Waiting. Then. Then. On a certain day not long before the leaf will fall not long before it returns dust to dust to mulch. Then the green fades giving way first to yellow then to orange. Then the red that has always been there waiting emerges along the veins and the edges pushing to the rest of the leaf. Pushing and bleeding until the whole leaf shines with waxy red brilliance.

• Making an Ordinary Jog into a Mary Poppins Afternoon o' Fun (Tactic #48)

  hgoodman

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:25 am

  For your afternoon jog, create a playlist on your iPod (or other mp3 player) of, say, Jamie Cullum's "I Could Have Danced All Night," "La Vie Boheme" from Rent, Chopin's Etude #5 ("Revolution"), and U2's "Elevation." Human nature demands you incorporate dance steps into your jog. Sure, you may incur odd looks from parents walking their children home from school (the children will understand, of course), but your heart-rate will double, you'll extend your run for the fun of it, and you'll actually look forward to your next jog.

• "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying."

  hgoodman

  13 Nov 2009 | 7:03 am

  Let me preface this with two statements: 1. Evangelism and social justice are necessary and normative to the Christian life. 2. Art has a place in shining light on and practicing in both these issues. For years, Christian writers have been decrying the idea that every book by a Christian author must be evangelistic. I don't think anyone means that a book necessarily can't have an evangelistic idea in it. After all, conversion is central to story, whether that conversion be Christian or not (meaning, the conversion could be that someone realizes something about themselves or solves a murder or…

• Trendy Archaeology

  hgoodman

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:05 am

  In Israel, I was trendy. I saw some of the latest archaeological digs. We passed a main street in Jerusalem from Byzantine times, drove by a sanctuary recently unearthed in Magdala, stepped into the believed house of Peter (the apostle of Jesus), peeked into the palace of Queen Helena (from first century AD), and walked through King David's Palace. In 2005 through 2008, a woman named Eilat Mazar (who happens to be the granddaughter of the archaeologist who unearthed the Temple Mount) excavated the area just south of the Temple Mount. Her team found remains of a foundation wall underneath…

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  CatalystSpace | Catablog

• Catalyst Voices - Greg Russinger

  info@catalystspace.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:10 am

  Today is Day One at the Portland Idea Camp.  Charles Lee and the Idea Camp team have rallied together to create a gathering focused on “Being Present with the City”. They want to "re-imagine what it would look like to be fully present in one’s city. Instead of approaching cities with a mentality of the Church “conquering” or “taking-over”, we hope to embrace our cities by first listening, learning, and loving our neighbors." Greg Russinger is from Portland and has been a part of this conversation for some time now; he and Charles Lee have worked…

• Respecting Doubts: Interview with Tim Keller

  info@catalystspace.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:43 am

  Tim Keller, the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York city, sits for an interview with Ed Stetzer. He has been very popular with atheists and non-Christians and many have come to hear him give apologetics for the Christian faith. His strategy is in his tone. The tone of some Christians & The New Atheists is harshly critical "take no prisoners" demonizing the other side. Keller says "We need to respect doubts because they have something in them that needs to be addressed." Listen to the full interview here

• Being Present with the City - #ICPNW

  info@catalystspace.com

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:32 am

  Fri & Sat in Portland there's a very important conversation going on. It's IDEA CAMP Pacific North West & they're talking about "Being Present with the City." Instead of approaching cities with a mentality of the Church "conquering" or "taking-over", we hope to embrace our cities by first listening, learning, and loving our neighbors. As a Christian leader, how are you making friends with your city? Do you agree that this is even important? Even if you're not a "leader" what are you doing to love your city/neighbor?

• We’re On the Same Team: 3 Suggestions for Inter-Church Collaboration

  info@catalystspace.com

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  There are 112 instances of the word "church" in the bible. Most of them refer to "The Church" as the entire body of believers. Somewhere along the way some leaders have gotten the idea that churches are in competition with each other - that it's about growing their event bigger than other churches. Really the goal is to make disciples and teach them to be like Jesus (Matthew 28) (perhaps this is debatable. If so, that's for another post) So, if that's the goal, it would help for us to work together - like the Army, or a football team. How can the body be successful if the foot is not…

• Catalyst Voices - Jamie Tworkowski

  info@catalystspace.com

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:13 pm

  During my trip to New York City last week I had the chance to spend time with Jamie Tworkowski, founder of To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA).  Check out our interview, and don't miss Jamie's discovery of new musical talent at the end of the video...a new voice for Catalyst???  :) Tonight, Jamie heads to the mtvU Woodie Awards in NYC.  He shares about this unexpected nomination during our interview, but you can learn more HERE.  Make sure to tune into the Woodie Awards on Friday, December 4 at 10pm EST on MTV, MTV2, mtvU and Palladia. Jamie Tworkowski - To Write Love On…

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  CatalystSpace | Articles

• The Comfortable Substitute, By Francis Chan

  info@catalystspace.com

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:54 am

  (This article is part of our latest GroupZine: Beyond the Trend. In it you'll find more challenging and thought-provoking articles like this one.)When I first started Cornerstone Church, I asked myself the question: What things do I need in order to start a church? The answer was obvious: find a building, a person to lead the singing, a sound system, a childcare area, and put together a good sermon. There were other things that I wanted, but these were the essentials. You can’t have church without them. Every evangelical knows you need a building, a sermon, singing, and a program for…

• Photo Release: Catalyst 2009 - Backstage, New Photo Set on Flickr

  info@catalystspace.com

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:23 am

  This month we're releasing a special photo set from Catalyst East 2009. As an attendee you rarely get to see all the craziness that happens behind the scenes. So this year we had some amazing photographers roaming around, capturing a backstage view of Catalyst 2009. Special thanks to Stephen Hunton who did a spectacular job with this project. He's one phenomenal photog. You should definitely talk to him about your next event. Check-out our FLICKR page to see this Backstage photo set from Catalyst 2009.

• $30,000 in 18 hours, By Jonathan Acuff

  info@catalystspace.com

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  “That's pretend, right?”My six-year-old daughter L.E. asked me that question one day. We were looking at a book on storms and came to a page about famines. In the corner was a little boy who was starving. His ribs were sticking out and flies covered his face. I kept flipping the pages but L.E. made me stop and return to that one. She asked, “What’s that?” I told her, “That’s a little boy who doesn’t have enough food to eat.” She thought for a few seconds and then responded, “That’s not real though. That’s pretend,…

• Q IDEAS | People of the Second Chance, An Interview with Gayle and Ted Haggard

  info@catalystspace.com

  11 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am

  Ted Haggard seemed to have it all: everyone loved Pastor Ted. However, underneath the smile was a broken and hurting man. Eventually, his secrets were uncovered and the world was exposed to his brokenness. What can we, the church, learn from the Haggard's experience about the importance of relationships, demonstrating grace, giving people a second chance and making the church a welcome place for those who are hurting? Mike Foster facilitates this very compelling interview with both Ted and Gayle, reaching into the lives of two people, given a second chance. View the Q Interview.

• No Disciples, No Mission, By Alan Hirsch

  info@catalystspace.com

  9 Nov 2009 | 2:55 am

  Having been believers and ministers for over 25 years now has given Debs and I an appreciation for just how hard it is to be an authentic follower of our Lord and Savior. To be an authentically radical disciple requires a relentless evaluation of life’s priorities and concerns—together with an ongoing, rigorous, critique of our culture—to ensure we are not adopting values that subvert the very life and message we are called to live out. For true followers of Jesus, discipleship is not simply the first step toward a promising career of being a Christian, rather it is itself…

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  CCBlogs

• Are we counselors?

  Carol Howard Merritt

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:44 am

  Carol Howard Merritt's blog Recently, we had a continuing education event at our church on responding to the economic crisis. As we all know, even though the markets are up, and things seem to be stable, the unemployment rate is still high. While the general population is moving on with their Christmas shopping, a huge percentage of our country is still unemployed, trying to get a job in an incredibly tight market. So the needs in our congregations, as well as the level of anxiety and depression, can be quite high. So we gathered, with two counselors, to find out how to best support people…

• I have not accepted Jesus as my personal savior. Have you?

  Steven Woolley

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:33 am

  Steven Woolley's blog I attended a day long evangelism workshop yesterday and learned quite a bit. One person was bold enough to give her testimony about when and how she accepted Jesus as her personal savior. That’s a bit unusual for us non-evangelically minded Episcopalians. I’ve known this woman for years and know her faith to be real and deeply held, and her intentions without guile. But I also know that, for many people, accepting Jesus as one’s personal savior has become a formula for the one correct way to become a Christian. Case in point; I got an e-mail just recently from an…

• Man of God

  Ryan Dueck

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:14 am

  Ryan Dueck's blog From a recent journal entry. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:3-5) The call comes—someone’s looking for a priest. Of course, you’re not a priest but you’re close enough. There’s been some trouble and someone wants to talk to a “holy man.” They want a man of God to come. Someone’s in a desperate place—they’ve tried to take their life. It didn’t work but things still look pretty bleak and dark and hopeless and they’re really…

• Why sin?

  Bob Cornwall

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:40 am

  Bob Cornwall's blog Yesterday, in my theology 101 sessions, we talked about sin -- and salvation, but mostly about sin. Disciples don't dwell on sin, for the most part. I asked my earlier group about their experience -- had they heard much about sin over the years? The answer was no. One reason for this is that Disciples, generally don't affirm the doctrine of original sin. We also reflect, even in unconsciously, an optimism that emerges out of the early 19th century American frontier experience. The world lay before them! They also reflected the Enlightenment thinking of Locke and Reid. So,…

• Two ecumenisms?

  Chris Sissons

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:47 am

  Chris Sissons's blog The arrangements put in place by the Roman Catholic Church to admit Anglicans disillusioned by women bishops has highlighted a couple of other issues about ecumenism in Britain. The joint statement made by the two archbishops recently states what might be called mainstream ecumenism will continue between the two churches. These are the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM). I am sure they will continue but we need to understand something of the context in which they…

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  The Christian Post RSS Feed | homepage

• Vatican Researcher Claims to Have Found Text on Shroud of Turin

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:58 pm

  A Vatican researcher claims she found nearly invisible text on the Shroud of Turin that includes the words “Jesus Nazarene” and mention of a death sentence.

• Commentary: Defending Life, Marriage, and Freedom

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:38 pm

  Today, I will tell you how you can take a stand for the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and religious freedom.

• God Shows Up in Vampire Novel

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:36 pm

  A handsome man with a dark secret, a vulnerable heroine and a love story make , at first glance, your typical vampire novel. But then God shows up.

• Christians Urged Not to Abandon Conscience; Proclaim the Gospel

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:48 pm

  Evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders who unveiled the "Manhattan Declaration" Friday insisted the document is not a political ploy. Rather, it is a testament to their common Christian witness

• Peacemaking Christian Ex-Hostage Returns to Iraq

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:07 pm

  A Christian peace worker has returned to Iraq for the first time since he was freed from captivity four years ago.

• 
  Christian Today

• US evangelicals deny climate change because theyre selfabsorbed

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  Unlike in the United States there is little controversy among evangelicals around the world on whether climate change is real said an evangelical representative at a press briefing on Capitol Hill

• Tim Vine lends support to Tearfund sanitation campaign

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:45 am

  Tearfund hands 10 Downing Street toilet seats covered in thousands of signatures calling for urgent action on the global sanitation crisis

• Churches call for end to detention of child asylum seekers

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:51 am

  Methodist Baptist and United Reformed Church leaders have called on people to send an extra card this Christmas to Immigration Minister Phil Woolas MP asking him to end the detention of children in the asylum system

• Former Christian Peacemaker hostage returns to Iraq

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:25 am

  A Christian peace worker has returned to Iraq for the first time since he was freed from captivity four years ago

• Women clergy need not divide Anglicans and Catholics Archbishop

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:20 am

  The Archbishop of Canterbury has told Catholics that the issue of women priests and bishops need not divide

• 
  Out of Ur

• Angry Preachers or Gospel Musicians?

  by David Swanson

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  There wasn’t much that could have distracted me on the way to the train station on a recent Saturday evening. After two days at an outdoor music festival—in the rain one day and under the blazing sun the next—I wanted nothing more than to return to our apartment for a long shower and some blessed quiet. Lollapalooza was a blast, a great opportunity to see some new bands and observe Chicago’s diverse youth culture. I might have stayed for the day’s final acts, but I’m a pastor and my ringing ears and tired legs needed a good night’s sleep before Sunday morning. Before I’d…

• Ur Video: Perry Noble on Responding to Critics

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  How should you and your church respond to critics? Perry Noble has some experience with the subject and some wisdom to share.

• Preaching for the Nod

  by Bob Hyatt

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Every once in a while I find myself preaching for the nod. That’s when we try to hard wire a bit of ego-stroke into a Sunday morning message. We do it a lot, and it’s so easy—insert that small comment, that little aside, or even that main point that we know will appeal to the sensibilities of certain listeners. You know, the left-leaning (or right leaning) political comment. The doctrinal aside that scratches the itch of that person so prone to give up the "Amen" or the vigorous head nod. Preaching for the nod has less to do with what we see in the biblical text and more to do with what…

• The Future of Church Facilities

  by Eric Reed

  12 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Until recently, churches responded to growing attendance by building larger facilities. But the faltering economy makes raising large sums for building projects harder to accomplish. And combined with the aversion of younger churchgoers to the bigger-is-better ministry philosophy, these tight-money days are demanding imaginative alternatives. For some churches, the question has become, "Should we build at all?" "We have told many clients in the last couple years, 'You're not ready to build, because you aren't sure what your ministry is,'" said Ed Bahler of the Aspen Group, a church design…

• Separated at Birth?

  by Url Scaramanga

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  A few days ago, Drew Dyck (managing editor of BuildingChurchLeaders.com) sent an email to Skye Jethani (managing editor of Leadership Journal) asking to borrow a book by Dave Ferguson. Drew parenthetically commented that Ferguson looked like Edward Norton the actor. That got the ball rolling. With the help of Drew Dyck, Tim Avery, and others, Skye created a post on his blog of church leaders and their celebrity lookalikes. It was so well received that I decided to post some of the more popular images here. Of course I'm always open to more. Send me your ideas. Tim Allen and Joel Osteen…

• 
  Prodigal Magazine

• 15 unique business cards and our simple one

  admin

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:05 am

  Business cards are a bit of an obsession to me.  I love to see people think out of the box and use the classic tradition of the business card exchange as a chance to impress and inspire.  New printing techniques allow unique ideas to come to life and has pushed the plain 3.5 x2 rectangle card into near extinction.  There are great services online that allow you to take your creation, customize it and have it shipped to your door in days. Design I always go back to simple.  There is something about the black and white contrast that always catches my eyes. I used the “Georgia”…

• Interview – Phil Wickham

  jvaughan

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:03 am

  A few weeks ago, I took a silent retreat into the North Carolina wilderness to get alone with God and to allow him to speak to my heart.  I took a copy of 1 cd on my ipod, Heaven and Earth which is Phil Wickham’s latest album that releases on November 17.  God spoke to me in many ways through scripture but He allowed Phil’s music to bring me to a point of true worship.  I sat down with Phil this morning to talk a little bit about who he is, his career and what inspires his songwriting abilities. History Q- Give a brief testimony of how you became interested in music as well as the…

• Jonny Diaz – Men of God Spotlight

  aclapp

  12 Nov 2009 | 8:43 am

  Our God is a God of redirection.  The Bible says in Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.”  Many of us have planned out our lives, striving to be one thing, only to learn later that God wanted us somewhere else.  When we make that commitment to the Lord, we see how God redirects the paths of our lives, leading us to where He always intended for us to be.  Jonny Diaz learned this lesson from the Lord and learned that sometimes, that redirection isn’t the easiest thing to accept, but once you are in the Lord’s will for your life,…

• Itsy Bitsy Spider – A life lesson

  Dgill

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:58 pm

  When my daughter was very small, she had a favorite song she would sing, very loudly, often for hours at a time. This song is one most, if not all, of us know very well. “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”. Just mentioning the song has many of you singing it right now.  Like many children, my daughter, when she was first learning the song, replaced some of the correct words she could not remember, with something else so she could continue the song.  In her case she added the words “whumpa whumpa”. Here is how it went: “The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain and…

• Christian Tech Conference Toolbelt – 8 things to bring

  admin

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:56 pm

  1.  Twittonary – twitter dictionary You better have your twitter lingo down as you will be attending tweetups, asked about your twaffic and surrounded by other tweeples. 2.  Moleskin – the notebook for hipsters ‘Losing my passport was the least of my worries, losing a notebook was a catastrophe.’ — Bruce Chatwin 3.  Flip Mini HD – you know….for your vlog. Also use to video guys walking into walls, signage or other barriers as they are checking their twitter account. 4.  SCL – The Book Jon Acuff breaks down Christian antics in a humorous way…

• 
  Commonweal Magazine

• The Common Life

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:44 am

  When I was barely twenty-one, I spent a brief and difficult period as a postulant in a Carmelite monastery. It didn't take me long to discover that I lacked a monastic vocation. No one who has (...)

• Grecian Gifts, Plus

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:40 am

  Since the mid-twentieth century, “virtue ethics” has staged a comeback among both theologians and philosophers. Reacting against the formalism of moral theory since Kant, scholars (...)

• BVM from A to Z

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:35 am

  Miri Rubin's hefty book on the Virgin Mary is an intellectual romp through two thousand years of Christian history that seeks to explore the Virgin's role in the shaping of Western culture, (...)

• He Was Right

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:31 am

  Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan was hauled before a Congressional Committee last year to explain why he had been blindsided by the global financial cataclysm. To his credit, he (...)

• Mind Games

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:07 am

  A review of a new production of Tennessee Williams's 'A Streetcar Named Desire'

• 
  Compassion International - Christian Blog on Child Poverty

• Christian Servant Leadership in Action

  Edwin Estioko

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am

  Every year, graduating Leadership Development Program (LDP) students in the Philippines go to work camp where they engage in community service. The yearly work camp usually engages students in missionary work to unreached tribal groups, but this year the students extended a helping hand to typhoon victims. At the end of October, LDP students from all over the Philippines came together in Manila, Santa Mesa, Novaliches and Bulacan for the annual camp. They were tasked to perform community service for those who had been badly affected by Typhoon Ketsana, which dumped more than a month’s…

• Life After Graduation for the Moody Bible Institute Scholars

  Web Team

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:13 am

  Tony, Michelle, Richmond and Jimmy talk about what they will be doing after they graduate from Moody Bible Institute and share some ways that you can pray for them. You can also view the Life After Graduation video on Vimeo. My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

• I No Longer Sponsor a Child

  Becky Tschamler

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:19 am

  I think I just had my first parental moment. You know the scene in any coming-of-age movie when a teenage girl is about to go to her first dance and she appears at the top of the stairs and her parent (usually a widowed father) stands there with tears in his eyes and a huge lump in his throat, totally entranced by his daughter’s newly uncovered beauty? That’s how I feel – entranced by a new level of beauty. While I was working in our child database I stumbled across a new picture of my sponsored girl – one I haven’t received in the mail yet – and I’m not exaggerating when I…

• AIDS Deaths Worldwide

  Web Team

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:17 am

  Here’s question seven in our lead-up to World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. Remember when you answer each day’s HIV/AIDS question correctly, you are eligible to win a free CD – your choice of either Portable Sounds by tobyMac or Beyond Measure by Jeremy Camp. We’ll randomly choose a winner each day from the correct answers. The answer to yesterday’s question is false. ART is not a cure for HIV; rather ART prevents the virus from replicating in the body. By stopping HIV from making copies of itself, less virus occurs in the body, which in turn allows the immune system (T cells) to rebuild…

• Restoring Social Outcasts to Community

  Ian Durias

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:58 am

  Dr. Matt Rindge, assistant professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University and a Compassion Child Advocate, spoke at our National Advocates Conference in October. In his message, he shared two observations about Jesus’ ministry. The primary effect of Jesus’ healings was to include social outcasts into community. Jesus’ healings restored outcasts to community by removing the obstacle that made them outcasts. By eating with outcasts, Jesus welcomed and accepted them just as they were. With the temple incident He critiqued a system/structure that excluded outcasts on the basis…

• 
  Daily Reflections

• November 20 - November 27

  Patrick Henry Reardon

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:36 am

  Friday, November 20Luke 19:41-44: The rejoicing hymnody of the previous verses suddenly turns to lamentation. In foretelling Jerusalem’s conquest by the Romans in the present verses, Jesus uses the language employed by the prophet Jeremiah when he foretold the earlier downfall of that city to the Babylonians (Jeremiah 6:6,13-14,17,21; 7:11). We recall that in Luke’s narrative this is the first time that Jesus has seen Jerusalem since His temptation in 4:9. All through His ministry, however, Jesus’ thought and intent have been directed to Jerusalem (Luke 9:31,51,53; 13:22,33; 17:11;…

• 
  Desiring God Blog

• As Nice As They Let Me, As Mean As They Make Me

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:06 am

  (Author: John Piper) One of the growing ministries of Desiring God is the outreach to prisoners. Those of you in the Philippian Fellowship hear about this more often than the rest of our website guests. On Thursday a team of four of us stopped in at Angola Prison in Angola, Louisiana. Warden Burl Cain was very gracious to take us into his world, even the most painful part of it. Here is what he said three years ago in Decision Magazine about this prison: This prison is the largest maximum-security prison in America. It is one of the most famous prisons in the whole world. It has only…

• Art and the Precious Limits of Reality

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:27 am

  (Author: John Piper) Here is Chesterton on the essence of art. Art is limitation; the essence of every picture is the frame. If you draw a giraffe you must draw him with a long neck. If in your bold creative way you hold yourself free to draw a giraffe with a short neck you will really find that you are not free to draw a giraffe. (Orthodoxy, 71) When I read this I remembered the thoughts I had in writing the advent poem called The Innkeeper. So quickly do we pass over the Christmas words, "Herod...slew all the male children…two years old and under." But the poet lingers, weeping,…

• Your Donations Yesterday

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:23 am

  (Author: John Knight) We are deeply humbled and very grateful to God for the more than 630 people who gave to Desiring God through GiveMN yesterday. As we prayed last week about this opportunity and how to present it in a prayerfully-dependent, God-centered way, we had no idea that God would raise up so many people during that short amount of time. It appears that this group of friends gave just over $139,000 in that 24-hour period. We will know final results, including our portion of the match, in the coming days. We are also grateful for all those who emailed who cannot give to us right now…

• Invitation to Our 2010 Pastors Conference

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:32 pm

  (Author: John Piper) Dear fellow shepherds of God's people, For over 20 years, we have assumed the foundation of Christian Hedonism at the Desiring God Conference for Pastors. But we have never focused on it. Until now. I thought it was time. Our theme for 2010 is The Pastor, the People, and the Pursuit of Joy The Apostolic Aim of Pastoral Ministry At least twice, the apostle Paul sums up the goal of his ministry in the joy of his people. First, to the Corinthians: "Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy." (2 Corinthians 1:24) Second, to the…

• Do Not Labor for the Food That Perishes

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:29 pm

  (Author: David Mathis) This week's sermon: "Do Not Labor for the Food That Perishes" Jesus isn't eager to be useful to our natural desires. He's too loving to be content with us seeing him as anything less than our supreme Treasure. So the Gospel of John was written to make known the glory of Jesus, not the glory of his gifts. The story points again and again to the person of faith, not the product of religion. Jesus tells us in John 6:27 not to labor for the bread that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life. Laboring for the enduring food does not mean earning his favor.

• 
  Emergent Village

• Luthermergent Gathering Recap [1]

  Editor

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:00 pm

  By Tim Snyder: In October, about 30 folks (some in and out) gathered in Edina, Minnesota, as part of Christianity21. The time was filled with conversation, new friends, old friends, hard questions, prayer and trying to figure out if we should even have a Luthermergent “network.” Thursday we gathered together leaders of communities to talk about their contexts and about what they’re learning. We asked that difficult and often elusive question, “so why Lutheran?” and noticed how many of our Luthermergent communities are led by folks who are adult converts to Lutheranism. Weird, right?

• Save the House of Mercy Podcast

  Editor

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:30 pm

  “What happened to the podcast?” We get emails asking this pretty regularly, along with comments like, “I found the House of Mercy sermon podcast at a time when I really needed to hear something new, thank you, thank you, thank you.” “Since discovering the sermon audio files on the House of Mercy website, I’ve been getting some church right here at home. Not every day, but, I confess, sometimes as much as three times a day.” Each weekly HoM podcast, gets an average of about 500 listens in a 12-month period, that’s like 26,000 a year. But, as may podcast listeners know, the…

• Follow the Moltmann Conversation Online [3]

  Editor

  9 Sep 2009 | 1:19 am

  The 2009 Emergent Village Theological Conversation with Jurgen Moltmann begins today in Chicago, Illinois. The conference runs September 9-11, and you can follow updates from the event using the Twitter feed below (#moltmann): #moltmann

• Moving Forward: Hopes for the Future of Emergent Village [17]

  Editor

  8 Sep 2009 | 8:43 am

  Continue reading a special letter about the future of Emergent Village »

• A Special Letter About the Future of Emergent Village [16]

  Editor

  8 Sep 2009 | 8:41 am

  Greetings! You may remember back in April that a number of people invested in Emergent Village gathered in Washington, D.C., to discuss the future of this conversation. In May that group of 24 shared our stories from the weekend and expressed our hopes for what is to come. With the previous EV leadership ready to step down, this was a prime opportunity to take stock of where Emergent Village has been over the past decade. Over the past few months those of us who gathered in D.C. have been discerning carefully and thoroughly where God is calling us together. Though we are by no means finished…

• 
  Episcopal Life Online

• Uganda's proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill causes concern and caution

  A proposed bill currently before the Ugandan Parliament that, if passed, would extend prison sentences for homosexuals and introduce the death penalty in certain cases has generated outrage from a number of religious groups while some Anglican leaders are being more cautious with their responses.

• Oregon diocese elects Michael Joseph Hanley as next bishop

  The Rev. Michael Joseph Hanley was elected Nov. 20 to be the 10th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon, pending the required consents. Hanley, 54, rector of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Roseville, Minnesota, was elected on the second ballot out of a field of three candidates.

• USA Today ad welcomes all people to the Episcopal Church

  An advertisement focusing on the welcoming nature of the Episcopal Church that ran in the Nov. 20 edition of USA Today is being made available to dioceses and congregations for local media use.

• 
  EPPC Publications

• The not-so-irrelevant Sarah Palin

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Sarah Palin's critics say she's a has-been. So why can't they stop talking about her?

• Diversity, But at What Cost?

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  The response to the recent Fort Hood killings exposes an absurd and dangerous devotion to political correctness in our military. 

• George and Betsy, Sixty Years Later

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Remembering George and Betsy Weigel, who would have marked their diamond wedding anniversary on November 12.

• A Critical Test for Democrats

  12 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  The looming Senate debate over abortion funding in the health care bill will force Democratic leaders to decide which they value more: the creation of a big-tent party that welcomes moderates or the appeasement of a small band of ideologues who consider abortion funding the party's top legislative goal.

• Hide-and-Seek with Iran

  12 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Latin America once again finds itself the object of heightened attention as global powers compete for strategic influence on its turf. This week brought several raised eyebrows as Israel's President Shimon Peres visited Brazil before continuing on to Argentina, the first meetingbetween South Americaand an Israeli head of state in 43 years, despite a significant Jewish population on the continent. His main purpose appeared to be one of caution as it pertains to the growing regional influence of Iran and Hezbollah.

• 
  Faith in the Workplace

• Interview with Francis Collins (Part 2)

• Love God With a Scientific Mind

• Baseball

  Where can you fail two thirds of the time and still be wildly successful?

• What Difference Does Character Make?

• Pardon Me, But Who's Chained to Whom?

• 
  First Things: On the Square

• Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience

  PreambleChristians are heirs of a 2,000-year tradition of proclaiming God’s word, seeking justice in our societies, resisting tyranny, and reaching out with compassion to the poor, oppressed and suffering.While fully acknowledging the imperfections and shortcomings of Christian institutions and communities in all ages, we claim the heritage of those Christians who defended innocent life by rescuing discarded babies from trash heaps in Roman cities and publicly denouncing the Empire’s sanctioning of infanticide. We remember with reverence those believers who sacrificed their lives by…

• Demands for Freedom

  Roman Polanski was arrested for the decades-old rape of a child—and a bunch of Hollywood types defended him. Old news, at this point. But the interesting thing about the case is not that some people defended him but how quickly the tide turned against his defenders. The most leftist magazines and websites in America, which had once published pieces in praise of child sex, were among the most relentless at hammering Polanski. “So what happened to turn yesterday’s ‘intergenerational sex’ into today’s bipartisan demands to hang Roman Polanski and related offenders high?” asks Mary…

• Truth Not Covered

  Jeffery Toobin, staff writer at the New Yorker and senior legal analyst for CNN, continues a well-worn liberal tradition in his latest Talk of the Town column, “Not Covered”—that of accusing his conservative opponents of hypocrisy. Toobin, a fully credentialed abortion-supporter, is unsurprisingly distressed about the Stupak-Pitts Amendment that was added at the last minute to the final version of the House healthcare bill. He begins his reflection with the tired observation that “abortion is almost as old as childbirth”—as if its early appearance in the history books somehow…

• The Reality of Hope

  After she died, it was as if I had broken my arm. A part of me ached all the time, and something that had been functional was now useless, and everything about my daily routine needed to be navigated differently. It was difficult, for instance, to stand in line at the post office or buy groceries or make dinner. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. I had spent much of the final six months of her life with her, my mother-in-law, my friend: Penny. And once she was gone, I missed her. I missed the Penny I knew when she was healthy—the woman who had enjoyed kick-boxing, who loved ice cream and…

• There’s Something About Bloody Mary

  Mary I, Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon’s only surviving child, was the first Queen Regnant of England, Ireland, and Wales, acclaimed, crowned, and anointed in spite of an attempt to change the succession after Edward VI’s death. Yet John Foxe indirectly gave her a nickname that has obscured her achievement as Queen Regnant, highlighted in two of the titles listed below, for centuries: “Bloody Mary.”Three new biographies (The First Queen of England: The Myth of “Bloody Mary” by Linda Porter; Mary Tudor by Judith Richards; and Mary Tudor: England’s First Queen by Anna…

• 
  FlowerDust.net

• I’m a Fat Skinny Person Who Can’t Do Push Ups

  Anne Jackson

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  I’m about six months out from embarking on a 3100 mile cycling trip across the southern USA, so I figure it would probably be a good idea to actually begin working out, getting in shape, and say, maybe buy a bike. In August, I had my heart condition corrected that was keeping me from exercising, and made a feeble attempt to begin training myself. That lasted about three weeks. A couple weeks ago, while watching The Biggest Loser, I decided I needed to bite the bullet and get a trainer. I met with Brandon Holt at Chadwicks Fitness. I shared with him the past, and most importantly, what…

• Going Way Back: Celebrating Big Givers

  Anne Jackson

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:47 am

  I’m wrapping up my manuscript for Permission to Speak Freely this week, so I’ve decided to repost previous blog material from the archives. I went and found some that had great conversation in the comments, and since there are so many new readers, figure it would probably be new to you and we can delve into the dialogue again. This one was posted about 18 months ago…back in the day when I didn’t use capitalization properly. Sorry about that. Read and discuss…What do you think? I’d especially love to hear from churches who do this kind of thing, because I…

• Looking Through the Eyes of Love

  Anne Jackson

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:13 am

  Today is my monthly contribution over at inCourage. Below is a sneak peek. You have to visit over there to read the full article. Enjoy! — It had been a really long day. 6 am came too soon, and as usual, I was running late to the airport. Due to the extra few minutes I spent taming my hair, I was unable to stop by Sonic for my habitual Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper. The tragedy. The flight from Nashville to Houston was one of the bumpiest I’ve ever been on. And I fly. A lot. This year alone, it’s somewhere around 45,000 miles. No kidding. Several people on our plane threw up and…

• And Under the Lights, We Drove Away

  Anne Jackson

  10 Nov 2009 | 7:24 pm

  I’m staying at a hotel where they have a duck ceremony twice a day. It’s pretty posh, at least by Arkansas standards (I kid, I kid.) It is a really lovely place to stay. Tonight after dinner, my friend and I stood underneath a well-lit driveway with large columns and doormen, waiting for the valet to bring my rental car so we could head back to the conference we are speaking at. The valet attendant closed my door, and I adjusted the seat to fit my ridiculously abnormal 34″-inseam-long-legs. I’m not even 5′5″, so this leg length could easily be considered a…

• Old Woman

  Anne Jackson

  9 Nov 2009 | 5:30 am

  Sometimes I wonder what I’m going to be like as an old woman. When I was eighteen, I wondered what I would be like when I was thirty and my imagination then and the current reality are very far apart from each other. I think I would like to be the kind of old woman who wears chunky necklaces and has bright white hair and that could tell tales of when I was thirty and forty and people would lean in and be mesmerized by my whimsical stories and the way I uncover timeless truth. But then I wonder if I’ll just end up alone in my bed with hairy legs and maybe a slight mustache. And I’d…

• 
  Godspace

• A Thanksgiving Prayer

  Christine Sine

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:33 am

  American Thanksgiving is less than a week away and we are all looking forward to what is fondly called Turkey Day.  It is my favourite American custom which I have embraced with great enthusiasm not just because I love good food and good fellowship but because I love the opportunity to think about what I am grateful for and what I have to thank God for.  It is a custom which is not celebrated in Australia but I am sure that it will be celebrated over and over in the Kingdom of God. Wednesday evening Tom & I will be speaking at the Thanksgiving service at St Aidans Episcopal church on…

• Today was World Toilet Day

  Christine Sine

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:29 pm

  Did you know that today was World Toilet Day.  It sounds to most of us as though someone is cracking a joke, but the lack of toilets is no joke for the 2.5 billion people in our world who lack adequate sanitation The World Toilet Organisation themselves are encouraging website visitors to head over to EndWaterPoverty.org and help improve sanitation and water quality where it’s needed most.  This leads to 1.8 million preventable deaths a year from diarrhea, dysentery, and other infections. This means that diarrheal disease is even more of a contributor to child fatality rates in the…

• Living into God’s Time – The Story Formed Calendar

  Christine Sine

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:04 am

  My friend Tara Malouf has just produced an extraordinary calendar – not like your ordinary calendars that begin in January and go through the twelve months of the year as we know them but one that flows to the rhythm of the liturgical year.  It begins in Advent and follows the seasons of the year.  I love it and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a way to connect the rhythm of their days to God’s rhythm. Tara calls her calendar The Story Formed Calendar because it has been formed by the story of God rather than by the story of our world. This calendar is a…

• Walking with God – Why Is It So Hard?

  Christine Sine

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am

  Several months ago I wrote a post in which I commented on the fact that in order for people to move from communities of poverty to the middle class they need to be willing to give up relationships for accomplishment and efficiency.  I have thought about this a lot over the last few months – first as I read through the posts for the summer blog series What is a Spiritual Practice and secondly as I travelled in Australia and conducted Rhythms of Grace seminars in which participants discussed the different ways in which they developed deeper relationships with God. The comment of one…

• The Coming Of the Lord is Near – Advent Meditation Video 2009

  Christine Sine

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:09 am

  Here is my Advent meditation video for 2009.  I have really enjoyed putting this one together as I have been meditating on What Am I Waiting for this Advent? The music is Gloria – Remember from the CD Standing Still by Jeff Johnson Used by permission. All rights reserved. A high quality version for use in large groups and churches can be purchased and downloaded here. You can see my videos from the last few years here The coming of our Lord is near, New light dawning in the midst of darkness New hope reigning beyond death and despair New life sprouting for all creation The coming of…

• 
  The Gospel.com Blog

• Is Church Attendance Required to Call Yourself a Christian?

  Chris

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:30 pm

  Let’s say a person became a Christian some time ago and just never got around to finding a church. They read still read their Bible and pray, but they’re not a member or even an active “visitor” of any organized body of Christ. Are they still a Christian? Is Church attendance required to call yourself a Christian? Here’s an answer from the ministry of Faith Facts: Yes, at least in a very technical sense. Salvation is not dependent on actions. God judges one’s heart. But let’s be honest. The Bible says that we are to love God with all of our heart,…

• The Manhattan Declaration

  Chris

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:21 pm

  Co-written by Chuck Colson, The Manhattan Declaration is an attempt for some evangelical, Catholic and Orthodox Christians to take a hard political stance on three issues: abortion, gay marriage and religious liberty. They unveiled it today although it was written a few months ago. Here’s the most descriptive few paragraphs from the Declaration: While the whole scope of Christian moral concern, including a special concern for the poor and vulnerable, claims our attention, we are especially troubled that in our nation today the lives of the unborn, the disabled, and the elderly are…

• Does Belief in God Necessitate Belief in Demons?

  Chris

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:12 am

  Earlier this week I ran across a post on Experimental Theology that discusses different approaches to the theology of demons. The author provides two viewpoints on either end of a spectrum: the Liberal and the Literalist. The former being a sort of demythologizing of the New Testament and the latter a sort of high-alert “demons are everywhere!” approach. Most people fit somewhere in between those two stances. Hop on over and read the entire article, the author presents some fascinating descriptions of where those views on demons go wrong. The post got me thinking about whether or…

• Should Christians Support Beauty Contests?

  Chris

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:26 am

  The hubbub surrounding Carrie Prejean has me thinking about beauty pageants and contests like Miss America and Miss World. They’re clearly part of the fabric of our culture, one of the towns I lived in even had a small town rendition put on by 4-H. Should Christians support beauty contests? What do you think?

• The Source of Atonement

  Chris

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:08 am

  Today’s devotional comes from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. In it, he explores the true source of our atonement: Jesus’ death: Beware of the pleasant view of the fatherhood of God: God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That thought, based solely on emotion, cannot be found anywhere in the New Testament. The only basis on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ. To base our forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive our sin and reinstate us to His favor…

• 
  HighCallingBlogs.com

• Fear of Seconds

  l. l. barkat

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  L.L. here, with Random Acts of Poetry. Wondering what’s next. Is it ever like that for you? Maybe you play an awesome game of chess and you think, “Will I ever do it again?” Or perhaps you make a gorgeous apple pie and wonder if you’ll ever get the crust quite like that in the future. If you are a writer, you might have tackled the blank page fabulously in the past, but today you feel terrorized by the emptiness of a new slate. When I wrote Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places, I couldn’t imagine what might come next. But an idea came. Now I just spent an intense…

• She Stepped Forward

  Dan King

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  It was a typical Sunday morning. Good worship. Good message. Good time to finish up so that I could get some lunch. (Be careful not to throw stones, because you know exactly what I’m talking about!) Then it happened… At the end of his message, our pastor typically offers an opportunity for people to come forward for prayer. Sometimes it’s an altar call that’s related in some way to his message. Other times he calls people up for other special prayer needs as the Holy Spirit leads him. I see it every week, so I’m not even sure why I was surprised this time. On…

• When Families Give Together

  annkroeker

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  Commercials, window displays, newspaper inserts, catalogs and radio spots awaken in our kids an almost manic need to acquire. As an “antitoxin” of sorts, we can model and inspire giving, whether it’s giving thanks, giving time, giving resources, or giving intangible gifts that have a deep and lasting impact on the recipients. Give Thanks Ann Voskamp of Holy Experience claims that giving thanks is joy medicine. She extends an open and ongoing invitation to count our blessings through the Gratitude Community of her One Thousand Gifts carnival. This past Monday, Ann V. shared these words…

• Performance Reviews: The Bad

  glynnyoung

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  A couple weeks ago, Bradley J. Moore posted about the peer review and performance appraisal process, with a discussion about image and performance. Performance appraisal processes are something of a major industry – peer reviews, performance reviews, results reviews, L-180s (team leaders are appraised anonymously by their team members), and L-360s (an individual is appraised anonymously by supervisor, subordinate, peers, colleagues on other teams), and others. I hate performance reviews, and not because they aren’t (theoretically) valuable. I’ve had them for my entire career, except…

• Grace for freedom, justice, pie

  Marcus Goodyear

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  “Before we’re served, shouldn’t we say grace?” asks Peppermint Patty. It’s a good question. Linus Van Pelt responds with a semi-historical account of the first Thanksgiving in American where the minister prayed, “We thank God for our homes and our food and our safety in a new land. We thank God for the opportunity to create a new world with freedom and justice.” In our daily life and work, we are being served by others. We ought to say grace. In our daily life and work, we are serving others. We ought to say grace. In our daily life and work, whether we are receiving pay or not,…

• 
  Good Letters: The Image Blog

• Fire in My Bones

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

  The irony is lost on no one—except, of course, for Elder Beck himself. He’s in full fire-and-brimstone mode, locked into a trance-like cadence and sounding a bit like a man possessed, even as he busies himself decrying the demonic nature of rock and roll. It’s the devil’s music; it’s leading the young people astray; it’s single-handedly....

• In Their Season

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

  Last week my husband raked up 25 bags of leaves from our yard, then stacked them in a neat, impressive row along the front sidewalk for the local Public Works guys to pick up the following morning. Our lone bell pepper plant gave up its last two offerings. Palm-sized and pendulous, they came right off the stem into our hands, and....

• Eyes Left

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:49 am

  Take a look at that picture to the left—the avatar for this blog post. I know nothing about the book; I didn’t even read the jacket, so I’m not recommending it by any means. I’m just using it to make an observation. Now that you’ve taken that in, take a look at this, and this, and this. See? (Ironically, that’s the operative word)....

• Episcopentecostalianism

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:19 am

  Undoubtedly, such a hybrid form of worship would be every bit as difficult to implement as it is to pronounce. Episcopentecostalianism. Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. But as a dissatisfied Christian for whom church remains an experience of longings unmet and clubby divisions on the traditional or charismatic side of....

• The Rose Above the Sky

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:56 am

  One of my friends is shutting down his business tomorrow. He’s always dreamed of owning his own advertising agency, so eleven years ago he took a deep breath, maxed out his credit cards, and founded Element, a brave little start-up that garnered more than its share of accolades and awards, and whose imprint can be found in....

• 
  www.markdroberts.com

• Three Top Website Recommendations

  Mark D. Roberts

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am

  Today, I want to recommend three great websites. I have been visiting these websites for several years with great appreciation. I have recommended them before, but they’re worth another shout out. Holy Land Photos This website offers thousands of photos of biblical sites. You name it, they’ll have it, and much, much more. But here’s the best part. For use in ministry or teaching contexts, you can use these fantastic photos for free. (Commercial uses require special permission, as do some website uses.) Holy Land Photos is the brainchild of Dr. Carl Rasmussen, who is…

• Laity Lodge on Worship Team Training

  Mark D. Roberts

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:53 am

  Worship Team Training is a ministry that provides inspiration, training, and resources for worship leaders, especially but not only those who lead in contemporary contexts. Worship Team Training offers a whole-person approach to the training of worship leaders, focusing on skill development, leadership growth, and spiritual renewal. Worship Team Training was begun by Branon Dempsey, a mature, visionary worship leader whom I met when teaching in the Southern California Worship Institute some years ago. Branon had enrolled in the Institute to develop his talent as a worship leader, especially…

• Fall in the Texas Hill Country, Part 2

  Mark D. Roberts

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am

  Here are a couple more photos, taken at Laity Lodge last weekend. Enjoy! ShareThis

• A Great Thanksgiving Tradition

  Mark D. Roberts

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am

  In this post I want to tell you about a great Thanksgiving tradition. Yes, yes, I know Thanksgiving Day comes a week from Thursday. But I’m putting up this post in the hopes that there still might be time for some of you to act on what I’m about to recommend. I’ll admit to a not-so-hidden agenda. I want to commend this the tradition I describe in this post to you as something you might wish to add to your yearly Thanksgiving repertoire. I guarantee that it will pay rich dividends in delight and expanded gratitude. I can boast about this tradition without hesitation because…

• Earl Palmer at Laity Lodge

  Mark D. Roberts

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am

  Earl Palmer taught at Laity Lodge this past weekend, leading a retreat for Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church. I know that many of my blog readers are familiar with Earl, but if you’re not, let me give a brief bio. Earl, a Presbyterian minister, served in four churches, including Berkeley Presbyterian Church in California and University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Washington. After his retirement from University Pres, Earl became the Preaching Pastor-in-Residence for National Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C.  (You can listen to or download his sermons here.) Earl is…

• 
  Mere Orthodoxy

• The Enlightenment and Evangelicals

  Matthew Lee Anderson

  9 Nov 2009 | 6:48 pm

  One of the common complaints against traditional evangelicalism is that it has been held captive by a distinctly Western approach to rationality that eschews mystery and narrative. The central target of this complaint is the “Enlightenment,” with its emphasis on reason to the detriment of revelation. Shane Hipps’ first book seems to walk down this road, though there are countless others. As the emerging church conversation has focused on the nature and role of truth, the epistemological effects and aspects of the Enlightenment have been pretty well worn over (though I see John…

• Thomas Says: It’s Wrong to Kill Yourself

  GaryH

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  After discussing questions about killing plants, animals, and sinners by private citizens, public officials, and clerics, Thomas picks up the weighty and delicate subject of suicide. His position is that “it is altogether unlawful to kill oneself.” Thomas isn’t messing around here. He usually reserves language like “altogether unlawful” for serious purposes. And this is the only place in the eight questions about killing that he uses such strong language. Furthermore, Thomas usually considers only three objections to his position. On suicide, he considers five objections. Whenever I…

• On God’s Knowledge of Us

  Matthew Lee Anderson

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:12 pm

  Michael Bird, a New Testament  scholar of the first rate, highlights Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 8:3 that “anyone who loves God is known by him” before going on to quote Richard Hays’ statement that “what counts is not so much our knowledge of God as God’s knowledge of us.”   I don’t know about how to rank these things, but I do know that my spiritual life underwent a remarkable change when I realized that God’s knowledge of us was the foundation and precursor of our knowledge of Him, and that His knowledge, while intimate, is a…

• What Kind of Culture is the Church

  Matthew Lee Anderson

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:22 am

  In my response to Frank Beckwith and John Mark Reynolds in The City, I pointed out that any that Christendom is impossible until evangelicals recover a robust notion of the Church’s existence as a culture–and maybe not even then. The notion of Church as culture, though, begs the difficult and tangled question of what kind of culture the Church is? This is one question Peter Leithart raises in his brilliant little book, The Baptized Body. Leithart defends baptizing infants by locating the practice in the context of discipleship and full integration into the culture that is the…

• Thomas Says: Clerics Cannot Kill Sinners (This Means You, Too, Protestant Pastors)

  GaryH

  30 Oct 2009 | 6:00 am

  The question of whether a cleric can kill a sinner (criminal) is not one that occupies the thoughts of Christians today. But whenever we find such a question that occupies a past thinker it’s important to reflect on why we don’t find such questions pressing. Sometimes we don’t find the question pressing anymore because the past thinker has settled the question decisively. Take, for example, the question of whether Christians should read and theologize about the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament). This isn’t a pressing question today among Christians partly (perhaps primarily) because…

• 
  novus•lumen

• Samir Selmanovic’s “It’s Really All About God”: First Impressions

  Jeremy

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:48 am

  I am half through Samir Selmanovic’s new book, “It’s Really All About God: Reflections of a Muslim Atheist Jewish Christian” From what I have read so far 2 things are clear: 1) Jesus has been stripped of all his Messianic implications, because Selmanovic chooses to refer to him simply as “Jesus,” rather than Jesus Christ whom the Church has referred to him throughout 2 millennia, which leads to 2) Jesus is simply one prophet among three options in our sophisticated world. It is also clear that the aim of Selmanovic is to argue for a leveling of the three…

• “It’s Really All About God” Coming Today

  Jeremy

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:05 am

  A few days ago I ordered Samir Selmanovic’s new book, “It’s Really All About God: Reflections of a Muslim Atheist Jewish Christian” for an independent study on Swiss theologian Karl Barth and German theologian Fredrick Schleiermacher. I am interested in this book for 2 reason: 1) Selmanovic has been a minor leader within the Emerging Church movement, serving on the Coordinating Group for Emergent Village, and seems to be becoming a stronger voice; and 2) from what I read in the prologue on-line, the book is a radical religious inclusivism and pluralism that is quite…

• Is It Even Possible to Identify False Teachers in 21st Century America?

  Jeremy

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:44 am

  A few weeks ago in my New Testament 3 class we studied the books of 2 Peter and Jude. One of the major topics of these two books is false teachers. Each book makes it clear that these men and women came from “among the people” and “among you,” rather than outside the Church. False teachers do not come from outside the Church through the media, other religions, etc…but arise from within particular church communities. It is within the communities of Christ that these intruders “introduce destructive heresies” secretly (2 Pet. 2:1b). They are not overt about…

• Poets, Prophets, and Preachers: Tuesday

  Jeremy

  7 Jul 2009 | 5:13 am

     I am live blogging the Rob Bell, Shane Hipps and Pete Rollins, event in Grand Rapids for Zondervan. New posts are at the top with content and commentary (my commentary in italics). Feel free to jump in with your ideas, reactions, and opinions. Read Sunday’s reflection HERE. Read Monday’s HERE. Today’s lineup: 9am-Rob; 11am-Pete; 2pm-Shane; 4pm-Rob…

• Poets, Prophets, and Preachers: Monday

  Jeremy

  6 Jul 2009 | 6:06 am

     I am live blogging the Rob Bell, Shane Hipps and Pete Rollins, event in Grand Rapids for Zondervan. New posts are at the top with content and commentary (my commentary in italics). Feel free to jump in with your ideas, reactions, and opinions. Read Sunday’s reflection HERE.

• 
  open source theology - collaborative theology for the emerging church

• Surprised by Tom Wright - a review of Surprised by Hope

  peter wilkinson

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:19 am

  Knowing I would have a few hours to spare here and there on a recent visit to Rovaniemi, just outside the Finnish Arctic Circle (setting of the Sauna episodes in The Demise of Sir Toby’s), I took Tom Wright’s Surprised by Hope with me. I had bought the book some time ago, but irritated by a remark I thought I had seen somewhere that this book made Wright the C.S. Lewis of the 21st century, I put the book down, having skim-read it, thinking ‘Oh no he isn’t!’. I must have been mistaken about the book. Surprised by Hope is midway between popular and academic…

• Comment spam

  Andrew

  4 Nov 2009 | 1:43 pm

  For some reason Open Source Theology has recently been subjected to sustained attacks of comment spam. For the time being I have stopped the automatic posting of comments to the site. I will try to approve genuine comments as quickly as possible, but there will be a regrettable lag. Some regular contributors will find that they can still post directly, and I will endeavour to add to this approved list over time.

• What does gleaning mean in our present context?

  Jacob

  24 Oct 2009 | 8:17 am

  A few weeks ago I was in Philadelphia’s Penn (train) Station. It was late and I was hungry, so I went into the only available store: Dunkin’ Doughnuts. The store was about to close and I was talking to the lady behind the counter. I couldn’t decide what I wanted and she said that I needed to hurry and choose because when the store closed, the doughnuts were thrown in the garbage. After I purchased what I wanted, I then watched her scoop 20 or more doughnuts and pastries into brown bag, roll the top down, and stuff it into the garbage.

• The World's Wisdom and God's Folly: A Gospel of Deconstruction

  James Walden

  20 Oct 2009 | 1:41 pm

  It’s been said that the preacher cannot exalt Christ and his own intelligence at the same time. Why not? What’s wrong with impressing the world, just a little, so that we might earn a hearing? Why was Paul so opposed to employing the rhetorical sophistication expected of public speakers by the Corinthians and others of the Hellenistic world? All rhetoric (simple or complex) is designed to be manipulative, right? What about gospel preaching?

• On the Historical Origins of Intelligent Design

  Jacob

  16 Oct 2009 | 7:27 pm

  Over at the Thinking Christian, Tom Gilson, a proponent of intelligent design, asks: “Who Defines ID?” My goal in this essay is not to define ID, but to inquire into its origins. For Tom and ID supporters to talk about ID in the present, it first had to be possible for Tom to invoke the phrase “intelligent design.” How did “intelligent design” become possible to talk about?

• 
  Presbyterians Today

• Presbyterian bloggers

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:00 pm

  5 worth following

• How to read a Gospel

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:00 pm

  A recent book compares new methods of biblical interpretation

• Landscapes of faith

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:00 pm

  Order study guides for a new Bible series

• What Presbyterians Believe

  21 Jun 2009 | 6:00 pm

  Explore the archives

• Go green!

  21 Jun 2009 | 6:00 pm

  New paperless subscription and renewal options

• 
  Let My People Think (RZIM)

• Secularism and the Illusion of Neutrality (Part 1 of 2)

  Ravi Zacharias

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  America’s growing secularism is a source of pride to many. They think it shows we’re open minded and neutral. But are we really? This week on Let My People Think Ravi Zacharias exposes the myth of neutrality.

• Redeeming the Arts (Part 2 of 2)

  Ravi Zacharias

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Movies, literature, music, the news media- they are all part of the arts and the all have a huge impact on culture. But what role should the church have in speaking to the arts? Ravi and a round table of experts dive into this topic a brand new message on Let My People Think.

• Redeeming the Arts (Part 1 of 2)

  Ravi Zacharias

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Movies, literature, music, the news media- they are all part of the arts and the all have a huge impact on culture. But what role should the church have in speaking to the arts? Ravi and a round table of experts dive into this topic a brand new message on Let My People Think.

• Whence the Power? (Part 2 of 2)

  Ravi Zacharias

  23 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Is it possible to live a godly life even in these difficult times? This week on Let My People Think, a brand new message as Arun Andrews tells us how God has supplied all our needs no matter our circumstance.

• Whence the Power? (Part 1 of 2)

  Ravi Zacharias

  16 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Is it possible to live a godly life even in these difficult times? This week on Let My People Think, a brand new message as Arun Andrews tells us how God has supplied all our needs no matter our circumstance.

• 
  Real Live Preacher

• Mysterious Paper Crane

  rlp

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:55 am

  I received a letter last summer. It arrived at the church, having been mailed from Corpus Christi on August 10th. There was no return address on the envelope. My name and address were carefully written with a calligraphy pen. There were faint guidelines, erased but still visible, which the person used to keep his or her handwriting straight. “Whoever sent this was being very careful and deliberate about it,” I thought. I opened the envelope and an origami crane fell out. A letter included with it told the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl from Hiroshima, who died ten years after the…

• Our life with Shelby - part two

  rlp

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:25 am

  Part two in a series. Click here to read part one. Shelby’s time in the psychiatric hospital was very hard on all of us. She was frightened to be there and wanted to come home badly. But Jeanene and I both felt strongly that she needed to finish her time of evaluation. She was there about 10 days. At the end of that time the psychiatric team gave us a diagnosis and a new medication, one that was carefully chosen to address specific issues. Before this she had been on a variety of anti-depressants and ADD medications. The standard procedure is to try things and see what happens. The doctors…

• Turtles all the Way Down now for sale!

  rlp

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:55 pm

    It's official. Well, it's as close to official as it can be. I have the first draft of the galley proofs in my hands. The cover is done. The editors and I are going over things one last time and then it's off to the printer. Turtles all the Way Down will be ready for shipping on or about December 1st. In plenty of time for Christmas. I'm so grateful to the Consafo publication team for this project. Over 200 people bought close to 400 advance copies of the book. They had the opportunity to vote on the content and write the blurbs for the back cover. In addition, 15 members of the team…

• Our life with Shelby

  rlp

  5 Nov 2009 | 4:43 pm

  My daughter Shelby turns 17 this month. We have been through some hard times with her over the last few years. Shelby has read this and is fine with me telling you about what has happened. The name of her second grade teacher has been changed in this account. My wife says that our middle daughter Shelby came into this world anxious and has been anxious ever since. She was a colicky baby who cried constantly. As a small child she was fearful of many things and hesitant to try anything new. She was most comfortable when she was alone and often played by herself. She spent hours in her room…

• Naked as the day we were born

  rlp

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:17 am

  I had a vision the other day that came to me in the form of a daydream. I was sitting in the library staring off into space when suddenly I imagined myself in a huge room with a crowd of people. We were all waiting for God to show up. Some people were standing around in groups, talking. Others were sitting down. A few were asleep. Suddenly God appeared and things got very quiet, which was understandable because God was about 30 feet tall. A man near the back was the last one to notice. He was telling a joke to his buddy when he realized he was the only one talking. He looked around, saw God,…

• 
  RedBlueChristian

• What’s Wrong with Cutting Medicare?

  ChrisB

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:17 pm

  This Congress keeps producing healthcare reform bills that try to pay for themselves via some reduction in Medicare payments. Those cuts will probably not happen, but conservatives decry them anyway, just in case. What’s the big deal about cutting Medicare? Let me explain using round numbers and oversimplification. Let’s set up the situation. Besides having to pay for whatever supplies are used on them (e.g., drugs, bandages), patient fees also have to cover things like the light bill, payroll, and rent as well as a reasonable operating margin (aka profit, which every business…

• Liberal Honesty on Healthcare Reform

  ChrisB

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:25 am

  Thank you, Robert Reich, for finally telling the truth about what the Democrats want to accomplish: “…[Y]ou, particularly you young people, particularly you young healthy people…you’re going to have to pay more. … And by the way, … if you’re very old, we’re not going to give you all that technology and all those drugs for the last couple of years of your life to keep you maybe going for another couple of months. It’s too expensive…so we’re going to let you die. … Also I’m going to use the bargaining leverage of the…

• On the Moral Obligation to Tell a Truthful Narrative

  Allan Bevere

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:43 am

  Story is intrinsic to our existence. Indeed, story is our existence. Life is an attempt to understand the narrative or narratives that makes sense of who we are or what we are about. It is not necessarily easy, however, to understand our narratives truthfully. We human beings are masters of twisting and turning the story in order to deceive ourselves in reference to what our narratives mean. We like determining the meaning of our story; and we will invent cover stories if need be in order to be the arbiters of our narrative. For me, one of the most discouraging things about politics is the…

• Rationing Mammograms

  ChrisB

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Want a foretaste of life with government-run health care? “A government task force said Monday that most women don’t need mammograms in their 40s and should get one every two years starting at 50 — a stunning reversal and a break with the American Cancer Society’s long-standing position. What’s more, the panel said breast self-exams do no good, and women shouldn’t be taught to do them ….the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a government panel of doctors and scientists, concluded that such early and frequent screenings often lead to false alarms and…

• What Should We Be Doing Today?

  Tony Mitchell

  11 Nov 2009 | 12:06 am

  I begin this piece by asking what you plan to do at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Will you stop to pause and remember the significance of that time some ninety years ago? Will you stop to pause and perhaps hear the bells of the church tolling in remembrance of those who have fallen in wars long ago and perhaps even recently? Or perhaps you will stop to pause and wonder why the bells are not ringing or why the people are more interested in the sales taking place and what they can get at low prices for Christmas this year. How many people will recognize that the…

• 
  Red Letter Believers

• You got questions? Here's a place to ask them

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:04 pm

  The WTFDIB portal is a place where anyone can ask any question about Christianity or the Bible. Other Christians can then reply to the question with helpful responses, links and bible verses. Here's a summary of WTFDIB's features: Anonymous posting option Up/down voting on questions and answers Full keyword text searching Ability to post Bible verse snippets from eight different translations Response ranking tool to categorize question responses Daily human moderation to keep things clean Favorites list to bookmark questions you're interested in Customizable auto-responder to alert you…

• Don't be a nuisance

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:16 am

  "A human being must have occupation if he or she is not to become a nuisance to the world." -- Dorothy L. Sayers

• Your conscience or your job

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:17 am

  What would you do if you were required to do something that violated your beliefs, your principles, or your faith? And to say ‘no’ meant unemployment? Such dilemmas, thankfully, are few in this great nation. Generally, we have a toleration of beliefs that allow those who hold strongly held beliefs to find a workaround. During the Revolutionary War, Quakers who refused to bear arms assisted in other ways, such as raising money and working in field hospitals. Seventh-Day Adventists who cannot work on Saturday’s are allowed to fill shifts on other days. Muslim checkers in grocery stores in…

• Is God on my team?

  14 Nov 2009 | 7:27 pm

  It’s a common thing in sports for well-meaning players to give God praise in post-game interviews.There are many athletes who offer prayer in tough situations. Cornerback Deon Sanders said this “When it's fourth down, I pray. I'm seeking God's help. I also pray that opposing quarterbacks will throw me the ball.” The quandary comes in when the quarterback is praying for a completion, not an interception.We are glad that people are vocal about their faith. It’s a genuine attempt to connect their ability with sovereignty, but it can send the wrong message. Does God really determine who…

• When work leaves you empty

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  We are honored that The High Calling published the following article. ## I have observed that there is an underlying narcissism in much of today’s workforce. A certain degree of vanity and self-absorption has corrupted our employment view. We go to work, not to contribute, but to find our own self-importance and worth. We punch in, only to wonder why the focus isn't on us. High Calling Blogger Every Square Inch has a great post on those jobs that are less than personally satisfying, and how God’s hand may very well be part of that. Increasingly, the expectations of the workplace have been…

• 
  Reformissionary

• Lots-o-Links 11.19.09

  Steve McCoy

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:49 pm

  I'm officially on the Verge social media team and for the  Verge Missional Community Conference from February 4-6. Hope to see some of my readers there! Follow Verge on Twitter and Facebook. Early bird rate for another 10 days. Go register now. Sojourn: Ambition - Acts 29 Louisville boot camp audio Dustin Neeley: Matt Chandler interview Part 1, Part 2 Jim Belcher's talk at VergeLA Ed Stetzer's 2008 interview of Tim Keller Homeless man throws coffee in face of barista in the Crystal Lake Starbucks I visit somewhat regularly.

• Music Review: On The Incarnation by Daniel Renstrom

  Steve McCoy

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:58 am

  Daniel Renstrom (Twitter) contacted me early last year and asked if I would be willing to review his EP, Adore and Tremble. Not knowing Daniel or his music I emailed and said I would listen and say something on the blog if I liked it, but no promises since I don't like much Christian music. He kindly sent the CD anyway and I really, really liked it and still listen to it. Check my brief take on Adore and Tremble from March of last year. Daniel contacted me again a few weeks ago and told me he has a new Christmas album called On The Incarnation (OTI). I can't listen to Christmas…

• Music Monday 11.16.09

  Steve McCoy

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:11 pm

  Don't miss the $5 albums this month at Amazon. The Antlers: Hospice - might be my #1 of '09 The Avett Brothers: Four Thieves Gone - anything Avett is must-buy Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - love this new album, full of gems Blitzen Trapper: Furr - #14 album of '08 for me John Coltrane: The Ultimate Blue Note - one of my fav jazz albums Grizzly Bear: Horn of Plenty - older, lo-fi sound from a hot indie band The Gaslight Anthem: The '59 Sound - a great album Flogging Molly: Float - so much fun, these guys I've been wanting get the Megafaun album, Gather, Form…

• Acts 29 Boot Camp in Louisville

  Steve McCoy

  13 Nov 2009 | 12:44 pm

  Had a great trip to Louisville for the Acts 29 Boot Camp: Ambition. Thankful for a church like Sojourn and good friends who serve there as well as many friends in Acts 29. It was a like a family reunion and I'm not even in Acts 29! It was a great couple of days. Check out Chuck Heeke's Flickr account for Ambition photos. (Photo on this post is from Chuck.)Though I'm not going to talk about any details, the wives' track really impacted Molly. Huge. Just what she needed. Otherwise, throughout the conference a couple of reoccurring themes stuck out to us. We are still…

• Lots-o-Links 11.12.09

  Steve McCoy

  12 Nov 2009 | 4:15 pm

  Creation Project: Resources for Biblical Womanhood, Resources for Biblical Manhood -- also Thinking Well About Your CityMark Driscoll: Organizing a Silence and Solitude Day, Part 1 (4 more coming) Bad review of Deep Church from Greg Gilbert/9 Marks  Good response by Deep Church author, Jim Belcher  Helpful thoughts from Brent Thomas Rethink Mission: Books Every Church Planter Needs to ReadI connected at the Acts 29 Boot Camp in Louisville with a guy I met a years ago at Capitol Hill BC in DC, Brad Byrd. I stayed at his house when visiting CHBC. He gave me a copy of The Gospel-Centred…

• 
  The Scriptorium Daily: Middlebrow

• Thank You Catholic Bishops

  John Mark Reynolds

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:58 pm

  President Obama is just returning from China having gently mentioned to the butchers of Beijing that human rights are important. The witness for human dignity will continue in China, but it will not be the soft approach of kowtowing to dictators while speaking softly to them. How do we know? The Chinese Catholic bishops and other Christian leaders do not have the luxury of fleeing to the West. It is their nation, their people, and their divine mission to stand for human rights. The Bible links the gospel to basic decency in this life when it says a hungry man needs more than cheering up and a…

• This Trial Is a Very Bad Idea

  John Mark Reynolds

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:21 am

  Enemy soldiers should be held in prisoner of war camps. If they are spies or have done something that merits the death penalty, they should be tried in military courts. They should not be tortured and they should be treated with human dignity. These seem like safe assumptions, but the Obama administration has decided that the New York terrorist attacks were not acts of war, but crimes. As a result, the terrorists will be tried in civilian courts. This is a very bad idea, but not just for the usual reasons given. It is a bad idea, because whatever we do this will be a show trial. The outcome…

• Courage of their Convictions: Don’t Work for Your Foe

  John Mark Reynolds

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:33 pm

  When talking to a fellow who bemoaned how bad his employer was (not Biola), I asked if he was going to let the boss know or going to resign . . . but it appeared he had no such intention. It wasn’t that he was looking and had to keep his job in the short term. He was content to keep doing something and supporting a thing he loathed merely for money. This man risks losing his soul and gaining a cubicle. My goal is always to follow the Logos where it leads. If the argument leads me to a position, My hope is to have the courage to stand my ground and some of the most shameful times of my…

• Preaching to kids

  Allen Yeh

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:40 am

  A couple of weeks ago, my pastor asked me to deliver the children’s sermon at my church. After teaching at the university level for over a year, it was a difficult shift in gears to preach to kids! I couldn’t use words like “hamartiology,” “supralapsarianism,” or “hapaxlegomena,” as much as I wanted to. (Then again, I don’t know if I could use them with my college students!) This is a summary of what I said: Hey kids, today we’re going to be talking about wisdom. Do you know what’s the difference between being wise and being smart? A lot of people think these are the…

• 2012

  John Mark Reynolds

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:16 am

  When I was a kid, I used to root for people to pick the next year as the date of Christ’s return. Since I really wanted to get married, I did not want the Day of Doom to come too soon. Using my childish reasoning, I figured that since the Savior had said no man knew the day or hour of His coming this meant that any date picked must surely be wrong. If you picked it, He would not come. (more…)

• 
  Seedlings in Stone

• Sure, the Chanterelle

  L.L. Barkat

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:01 pm

  Sometimes words escape me. Like tonight.Then I reach back and find something written at another time......like this simple poem, which you will find in the upcoming collection, along with much longer poems of course. My dad (I know you're reading this! :) doubts that two or three lines qualify as poetry. I tease him, saying he hasn't read much haiku. He laughs back and says, "True."To me, poetry is the capturing of something essential, emotional, full— regardless of how many words it takes to accomplish it. You don't have to agree with me; you can agree with him. My dad will be happy…

• Which Cover Speaks to You?

  L.L. Barkat

  13 Nov 2009 | 10:18 am

  Take a stroll with me, and I will listen. The woods are quiet and we can take our time.When you come to a clearing, look up and think. Is this the place? Is this how you feel when you are in my poems?Maybe a darker scene will do? How does it feel? Right for the words you are used to from me?Or perhaps this is a better place? Does it evoke the voice, as you remember it in my poems?You might think about it this way too: which would you prefer to set on your bedside table, or hold in your hands? Tell me your thoughts, and I will listen. The International Arts Movement, as publisher, will listen…

• Wordless Prayer

  L.L. Barkat

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:03 am

  It's part of our world, this violence, says Laura Boggess in response to the next chapter in Gerald May's Wisdom of Wilderness.I sit at my keyboard, wish for something profound to say, to add to a hard but good conversation. Nothing comes.Instead I remember a morning practice, born in desperation, when ordinary word-prayer seemed powerless to help me meet the days in an urban classroom that had no crayons, no paper, no math books, one tiny shelf of picture books, no teaching assistant, 30 kids (many with serious behavior issues).I don't recall what started it exactly, the wordless prayer. Was…

• How Do You Write?

  L.L. Barkat

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:15 am

  I write in the dark...andI write despite...Teahouse in Granada Spain, photo by L.L. Barkat.POETRY FRIDAY:Glynn’s David, HillsideKelly’s eve’s regretLinda’s Redeemer/LoverMonica’s Han and Leia On a DateBina’s Mrs. DeWinter’s Nighttime HonestynAncY’s meeleyKelly’s tensionLaura’s FruitMaureen’s Woman in His LifeA Simple Country Girl’s Autumn DanceSojourner’s AdorationMaureen’s Last Words with Her ExecutionerTravelmom's Lovee.l.k.'s surfaceLorrie's Nite Nite at Cricket Creek

• Want a Chance to Write at Beliefnet?

  L.L. Barkat

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:27 am

  Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places is going to be featured on Beliefnet in early December, thanks to the creative mind (and gracious heart) of Joan P. Ball, author of the upcoming book Flirting with Faith: My Spiritual Journey from Atheism to a Faith-Filled Life.If you post about Stone Crossings between now and then and drop your post link here (or there) so we don't miss you, you'll get a chance to be featured on Beliefnet. Five posts will be chosen for feature over five days. But all posts will be given links, so either way... you're there! We look forward to hearing…

• 
  Simply Missional

• Part Two: How To Build An Audience

  admin

  13 Nov 2009 | 7:13 am

  Yesterday, I shared briefly about building an audience. Here are some ways I think ANYONE can build an audience. Of course, it takes skill to “scale” the audience, and I’ll leave that for another blog post. Steps I use in building an audience: 1. Authenticity: If people think you’re fake, your dead. Be you! 2. Tell: Tell a story that has meaning, and create a simple and effective pathway for your audience to help. For instance, check out this story of Jonathan Acuff; In less than one day, he leveraged his tribe to build a school in Vietnam, Amazing! 3. Follow-thru:…

• Do You Have An Audience?

  admin

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:59 pm

  It takes an audience to achieve a mission. If you follow great organizations who accomplish their mission, you’ll notice one thing; they all do great at building an audience. Credit For instance: One Day’s Wages: Eugene Cho launched a Facebook Page with a simple request. For everyone that joins, ODW’s will donate $1 to fight poverty. He now has close to 900,000 fans. Needless to say, he has an audience. Invisible Children: They told a great story through video. Then they launched a nation-wide tour and asked activists to show their video. Soon they had an international…

• Orphan Sunday – Help Now

  admin

  9 Nov 2009 | 5:06 am

  Maybe you heard about Orphan Sunday yesterday. Now, you want to help. Go here for some tangible ways to make a quick, yet longterm impact in the lives of 100 kids in Zimbabwe!

• H.E.L.P. Blog

  admin

  4 Nov 2009 | 7:51 am

  For those who don’t know, I’ve been writing over at the HELP Blog. Here are some links: - Praying for the Poor! - HELP needs some help with our office. - Orphan Sunday is THIS Sunday.- Trip to Atlanta. Go check us out. For those who use RSS (Google Reader, Bloglines, Etc.), our feed is: feed://www.helpendlocalpoverty.com/feed/

• Atlanta

  admin

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:32 pm

  I’m currently in a hotel room outside of Atlanta, after driving eight hours from Raleigh. On my way to Atlanta, I stopped in Charlotte and had lunch with Steve. God has answered some prayers, when I left this morning, I had no clue where I would be staying. Lucky for me a friend donated cash for a hotel room tonight, and tomorrow I’m staying with a family I’ve never met-God’s Kingdom at work. In the morning I will meet with a church that is interested in doing some international work. Tomorrow night I get to reconnect with the Extreme Response boys (Jerry & Dan)…

• 
  SmartChristian.com

• www.ExperienceTurkeyTours.com Permalink

  Andrew Jackson

  24 Oct 2009 | 6:21 pm

  www.ExperienceTurkeyTours.com Take a look at my new site. Join me sometime.

• JOHN PIPER & ESCHATOLOGY CONVERSATION Permalink

  Andrew Jackson

  7 Oct 2009 | 11:29 am

  JOHN PIPER & ESCHATOLOGY CONVERSATION John Piper leads a conversation of eschatology (end times and book of Revelation) with Sam Storms, Doug Wilson and Jim Hamilton.  Excellent. Audio and video available at Desiring God.

• SOJOURNERS’ JIM WALLIS & ACORN Permalink

  Andrew Jackson

  27 Sep 2009 | 5:40 pm

  SOJOURNERS’ JIM WALLIS & ACORN Jim Wallis, the leader of Sojourners and the progressive Christian movement was a keynote speaker at the 2008 ACORN National Conference. This is what he said about ACORN: “You can’t change the politicians, you need to change the direction, and ACORN is an organization that can change the direction of the country by pressing from the outside and I have no doubt ACORN will be making their voices heard regardless of who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.” I have contacted Sojourners to inquire into their working relationship with ACORN, including…

• Institutional Entrepreneurialism Permalink

  Andrew Jackson

  14 Sep 2009 | 8:47 pm

  INSTITUTIONAL ENTREPRENEURIALISM As American institutions - media, education, government etc. - continue to rot from the inside out, there is a new opportunity for young institutional entrepreneurialism.  Here is some advice to young college graduates.  Forget traditional jobs, we are living in an age similar to the founding generation of our country when men and women can actually engage in institutional reconstruction.  One example of my point is the new media that is emerging as the old media dies.

• Sermon Illustration Video: Let It Go Permalink

  Andrew Jackson

  27 Aug 2009 | 4:01 pm

  SERMON ILLUSTRATION VIDEO Based on Philippians 3:13-14, I wrote a sermon illustration video recently titled “Let It God.”  Go to www.SermonSpice.com and search “Let It Go.”   Check it out.

• 
  Strangely Dim

• Duplicity, Schmuplicity

  Lisa Rieck

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:12 am

  Okay all you rhyming buffs. Here's a word for your next limerick: duplicitous. That's what I've been thinking about lately thanks to Mindy Caliguire's Soul Care guide titled Simplicity.

• An All Hallows Reflection on the Blood

  Christa Countryman

  30 Oct 2009 | 1:03 pm

  By Christa Countryman. It's pretty common for my roommate and I to spend time together, but recently we mixed things up a bit by spending a some time together in the ER. We should probably have been a little more serious,...

• There once was a girl who missed blogging . . .

  Lisa Rieck

  27 Oct 2009 | 8:53 am

  Hello Strangely Dim friends! I've missed you. And I've missed your brilliant reflections and coments. And I've missed my fellow bloggers. I've also missed my space heater. In honor of Dave's walk down memory lane through our limerick fun, I...

• Spam Attack, and Lisa's Back

  Dave Zimmerman

  27 Oct 2009 | 7:50 am

  Two events coincided this morning: 1. Lisa Rieck, our esteemed fellow blogger, returned to the office from some well-deserved time off. B. Strangely Dim was besieged by spammers. I don't link the two, except that one of the spam attacks...

• What Genesis Has Made Us

  Dave Zimmerman

  26 Oct 2009 | 8:22 am

  Of all the books in the Bible, I'd say that Genesis has the most capacity to capture the imagination. Genesis features countless stories that get stuck in little kids' heads--Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Ark, Abraham...

• 
  Tall Skinny Kiwi

• Why you can no longer ignore the emerging house church movement

  Andrew Jones

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:31 am

  Don't look for the elephant in the room. Look instead at the colonies of mice that have burrowed inside the furniture and are now taking over the house. "The latest research indicates that the number of house churches in Europe have already reached or surpassed 10,000, Australia could have up to 10,000, and New Zealand up to 6,000 house churches. Research in the US shows that between 6 and 12 million are already attending house churches, making house churches one of the three largest Christian groups in the country. In the case of Bangladesh or India, with many hundreds of thousands of house…

• Good morning everyone!

  Andrew Jones

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:15 am

  Good morning everyone. Its a beautiful day, just as David predicted and Bono confirmed. This is the day that the Lord has made. Good morning family of mine. Good morning sexy wife and good morning kids who had to explain the idea of 'fertilizer' in Farmville to me this morning. I must be getting old. Good morning Matos family who are letting us park on their land. Paulo Matos is the original tattoo artist in Portugal and also the best. And a wonderful host. He is proud of his latest edition which you read upside down for the full effect. Good morning to my friends gathering at Mission 21, the…

• Antioch Papers

  Andrew Jones

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:45 am

  I told you about the Antioch Gathering a few weeks ago in Turkey. Guy Muse has compiled a number of papers and reports from the meeting. Happy reading.

• Red-Eye Shift at a 24-7 Prayer Room

  Andrew Jones

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:19 am

  Our family took the red-eye shift at the local 24-7 Prayer room on Saturday night. We tagged teamed all night until 6 in the morning. Our kids slept in their sleeping bags until they were tagged. They did well. And they loved it. A lot more colorful and interactive than the boring prayer meetings I used to attend. Not complaining . . those were good times too. Funny how 24-7 Prayer rooms around the world all look the same. There is always a Bible, a map, coffee or tea, cd player, either paints or pencils, blank paper on the wall with doodlings from previous pray-ers. It was nine years ago…

• the people nobody wants

  Andrew Jones

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:39 am

  "Don't go to start a church . . . go to serve a city. Serve them with love, and if you go after the people nobody wants, you'll end up with the people everbody wants". Steve Sjogren, VCC Cincinnati, from the book The Externally Focused Church[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

• 
  The Lutheran

• Stamped by patriarchy

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Patri-what? What is this and what does it do to women and men?

• Upholding dignity

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

  In Cambodia, Lutheran organization turns management over to residents

• Thankful giving

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Youth know the importance of helping others.

• Mission: Congregational renewal

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Grand View gives back to Iowa parishes and leaders.

• A doll for Amina

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

    Harriet Kamakil still recalls an 8-year-old Somali girl named Amina who visited her daily at her office in the refugee camp where she worked. Kamakil gave a doll to Amina, who had never owned anything in her life, let alone a toy, and she never forgot the power of that doll. So when Kamakil came to the U.S. for school, she looked for a way to help in a bigger way. Earlier this year, the political science student at Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio, organized a drive to send play items to the Kakuma refugee camp in her home country of Kenya, where some 30,000 people live.I told…

• 
  The Suburban Christian

• Deadly Viper authors and publisher retract book

  Al Hsu

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:28 am

  In the past few weeks, Asian American Christians have been protesting the release of the Zondervan book Deadly Viper Character Assassins for its insensitive use and stereotypical appropriation of Asian and Asian American images and themes. The charge has been led by several of my authors, primarily Soong-Chan Rah (see key posts here, here and here) as well as Kathy Khang and Ken Fong, and many others (Asian and not) have been involved. I have weighed in here and there but have not said anything yet on this blog because as an editor at another publishing house, I did not want to be seen as…

• Find Work That Fits You

  Al Hsu

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:36 am

  [This is part of an article I wrote for TheHighCalling.org that was posted a few months ago.]My high school friends were a microcosm of school society. Eric was a photographer and yearbook editor. Ann was a leader in the marching band. Bill was the lead actor in theatre productions. Laura was in the dance line. Jeff was co-captain of the track team. Carol was co-captain of volleyball and synchronized swimming. Dan was in speech and debate.Me? I lettered in debate and theatre, and I ran track for a while. I also participated in things like academic decathlon and science olympiad. But my senior…

• On checking Amazon sales rankings

  Al Hsu

  10 Nov 2009 | 10:16 am

  "...he found himself checking Amazon every ten minutes or so to see how his crossword books were selling. They always had depressing numbers like 673,082 or 822,457. Once his latest had made it up to 9,326. It had given him a happy afternoon, until he logged on before going to bed and found it at 787,333." - Audrey Niffenegger, Her Fearful Symmetry, p. 49

• "The Day We Let Our Son Live"

  Al Hsu

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:35 am

  My wife, Ellen, wrote a blog entry about our son, Elijah, that has been reposted on Christianity Today's Her.meneutics blog. (The opening paragraphs below are by editor Katelyn Beaty; Ellen's material follows.)The Day We Let Our Son Live It ended up being the most important day of my life. Ellen Hsu, guest blogger When it comes to the chance for those with genetic defects to live, the news has not been good on either side of the Atlantic. Last week’s Telegraph reported that of all women in the U.K. who find out through prenatal testing that their baby will have Down syndrome, about 90…

• Introverts in the Church by Adam McHugh

  Al Hsu

  2 Nov 2009 | 2:23 pm

  Now that I've gotten some books off to the printer, I have a little more breathing space to announce books that have just been published. One that I'm excited about is Adam McHugh's Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture. (You can download free PDFs of the introduction and the first chapter.) I'm not an introvert myself, but I'm married to one, and I've found myself becoming somewhat more introverted in my rhythms over the years. Adam's book is a groundbreaking work that validates introverts' identity and temperament and lifts out the value and place of…

• 
  theologer

• Remember? We are dust. (Psalm 103:14)

  Roger Mugs

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  "For he knows our frame;he remembers that we are dust." - Psalm 103:14Do you remember this?Man how easy I forget. I begin to think I'm stone as in a statue, as in Mt. Rushmore, that will last until the world ends and leave a mark on humanity... until the world ends. But I am but dust. I will not remain on this earth forever. I will outlast this earth and Mt. Rushmore. You will too. Remember the quote about how we will outlast the greatest civilizations in history. We will outlast the earth a thousand years, and then another thousand, until our lives on earth were but a brief glimpse. A…

• Dead forums

  Roger Mugs

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am

  It's been forever since anyone visited theologer forums. Until a few days ago... someone hit it on Nov 6 and even posted.Craziness.I just would like to say for the record that I still love the idea and wish it didn't die. I went and looked at it again and would have loved for it to have lasted, but alas.If anyone has a more active website and would like to transfer the forum to their subdomain let me know... but no pressure. Others have voted to let it die, so I understand.

• Babby

  Roger Mugs

  14 Nov 2009 | 5:04 am

  Yea I know that's not how you spell it, but I love how many people online spell baby this way.I'm pretty stoked. I have two little girls now. A week ago Tuesday my wife gave birth to a beautiful gigantic 10 pound 10 ounce baby (4.83 kilos for your weirdos). I love it... but I am tired.Her hips are slightly dislocated and we're going to be spending a good amount of time with doctors over the next six weeks or so to get them corrected. But better a fixable hip condition than an irreparable heart problem or something. Praise God for children, I never fail to be amazed at how much capacity I have…

• Spend time with Christ. Become like Him. Desire what He desires (Ephesians 4:15)

  Roger Mugs

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am

  "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ . . ." - Ephesians 4:15I've been wrestling a lot lately with what is important in life. In my life I suppose I should say. God has called me to a few very specific things but I'm a very ambitious person with lots of hobbies and it's easy for me to get distracted. There is only one cure for my distraction.Time with the Lord. So that I become more like the Lord. So my desires become more like His desires and the non-important fades away.We are called to specific things in the Lord. I cannot…

• 2 Timothy 2:2 as a basis for church planting

  Roger Mugs

  1 Nov 2009 | 6:49 am

  "And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." - 2 Timothy 2:2Raising up others to enable them to do what the Lord has called them to do. Entrusting faithful men with the work of the Lord.This more and more feels like a calling. I want to teach at a seminary, but I more and more think preparing people to lead big churches is the wrong way to go. Are there seminaries teaching people to plant movements instead of mega-churches? I want in.This is the verse often quoted by church planting movements. They follow…

• 
  Think Christian

• ‘2012’ and our apocalypse obsession

  Josh Larsen

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:42 am

  The television commercial for the end-of-the-world extravaganza “2012” – complete with images of the earth being covered in a flood – prompted the following theological discussion between my 7 and 4-year-old daughters. “Look at all the water,” the younger one observed, her big eyes even larger than usual. “Don’t worry,” the older one reassured her. “God promised Noah that would never happen again.” I wonder what she would have said if she actually saw the movie. “2012” embraces the Noah reference and even tries to one-up the Bible story – the climax…

• Lightweight Identities Seek Stability in Idolatries

  Paul Vander Klay

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  If identity is the new guilt, then idolatry is the new sin. Protestants used to claim that Roman Catholics were idolaters because they had statues in their buildings. A couple of years ago an elder from a conservative Protestant denomination explained to me how Vietnamese people more easily came to Roman Catholicism from Buddhism because both religions worshiped idols. A new wave of literature is no longer so facile on this, understanding sin as idolatry is something deeper than carvings of wood and stone. Idolatry is making a publishing comeback. Tim Keller’s latest book…

• Identity is the New Guilt

  Paul Vander Klay

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:48 am

  For western Christianity the question for which Jesus is the answer was guilt. A much deserved hell was a clear and present danger for the general population and the church offered forgiveness and release from that threat. Money poured into the church through the sale of indulgences. Luther transformed the church when he discovered that our release had already been purchased. The audience glued to Jonathan Edward’s sermons saw themselves as that spider dangling above the pit of hell suspended only by God’s grace-filled self-restraining effort to not react to its rebellious…

• Faith, science, and explanation: Francis Collins and his critics

  Steve Matheson

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:05 pm

  Francis Collins is one of the most accomplished scientists in the world. A pioneer in the field of molecular human genetics, Collins developed a genetic mapping technique that enabled his research group to identify the gene that is mutated in cystic fibrosis. His continued success as a geneticist led to his appointment as the director of the Human Genome Project in 1993, and he famously guided that effort to phenomenal success. He is a well-spoken advocate for science, one of the few truly outstanding scientists who can communicate effectively with lay audiences. This past summer, President…

• (Church) Family First

  Bethany Keeley

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:48 am

  I’ve written here before about why I believe family focused talk in churches is alienating and excluding Christian singles and childless couples. I was thinking more on the topic recently, and thinking about how family focus also devalues other kinds of important relationships. For example, I’ve lived with the same roommate for the last 2 years. We are not just roommates, but also colleagues. We have a relationship that is based in trust and mutual support. We celebrate each others successes and commiserate when things don’t go the way we’d hoped. We share bills, but also meals,…

• 
  Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day

• 1 Corinthians 1:4-5

  Bible Gateway

  “[Thanksgiving] I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge—”

• 
  Dan Kimball: Vintage Faith

• Atlanta - Origins Listening Session this Friday and Youth Specialties

  DanKimball

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:59 am

  I am heading to Atlanta tomorrow to speak at the Youth Specialties Convention. I love, love, love being around youth leaders and always am thrilled to get to interact with those serving with youth. It will be odd as this...

• Trade As One @ Vintage Faith Church II

  DanKimball

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:52 am

  Yesterday we had the Fair Trade Boutique Fair at Vintage Faith Church. It was a Trade As One gift fair that was set up all day in the church building. You can read another article from the local newspaper that...

• Trade As One @ Vintage Faith Church

  DanKimball

  8 Nov 2009 | 5:06 pm

  I taught today in all 3 of our gatherings and as part of our worship gatherings we had Nathan George share about Trade As One and Vintage Faith Church hosting a fair trade boutique. The local newspaper here wrote an...

• The Year Of Living Like Jesus at Vintage Faith Church

  DanKimball

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:59 am

  I first heard of Ed Dobson back in the early 1990's when he was pastor at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was passionate about people outside of the church and was going against the grain of what normal...

• Origins at Outreach Convention in San Diego next week

  DanKimball

  28 Oct 2009 | 8:59 pm

  I rarely am getting time to blog or post things due to just being so full on this fun adventure of spending time with family, all that is happening with Vintage Faith Church, spending time with people outside of church,...

• 
  XXXChurch.com

• News - The Donald With Some Bad Advice

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:05 pm

  Just read this all over the Internet: Donald Trump has pretty much summed up what everyone else is thinking. When Carrie Prejean called him for advice, he told her to release the sex tape and make the dough. After making “the biggest mistake of her life”, doing a solo sex tape (or eight), she tucked her tail between her legs and shut up about her lawsuit against the Miss California pageant. Now, she’s dialing up the one man who she thought would give her some practical advice, The Donald. And what does he tell her? Give up the goods and donate the cash. According to sources,…

• Women - "Weak in the Knees" JERUSALEM Pt.1

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:09 pm

  “God's Message came to me: 'Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her outrageous violations.' Say this: 'The Message of God, the Master, to Jerusalem: You were born and bred among Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. On the day you were born your umbilical cord was not cut, you weren't bathed and cleaned up, you weren't rubbed with salt, you weren't wrapped in a baby blanket. No one cared a fig for you. No one did one thing to care for you tenderly in these ways. You were thrown out into a vacant lot and left there, dirty and unwashed—a newborn nobody…

• News - Hey Oprah!!!!

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:06 pm

  I don't normally watch Oprah. I am not in her book club but would love to be on her show one day. Not cause she is Oprah but because she has cornered the market speaking to women. I don't know of anyone else with such a loyal audience. Today she talked about women and porn. She said nothing negative about porn. She talked about the difference between porn and erotica. She had Jenna Jameson on the show who talked about her time in the industry. I think overall besides Jenna's honesty the show was pointless.  If anything she encouraged erotica and porn for women. If Oprah really had a…

• Teens - YOUR Story The Next Step.

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:05 am

  These are truly dark and pervasive times we all live in. Yesterday on the news we heard that the body of a young girl (5) was found dead off the side of the road, apparently ditched after her mother (who recently was granted custody after kicking her addictions) had sold her into child prostitution. No other story envelops our dark nature that so pervades our very existence (see media here).  We know that these are dark times. But we also know that these are bright times. This is in incredible time in history to be alive in. Presently, we all have a chance to help shape our world and…

• Couples - Wrong Way Down a One Way Street

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:17 pm

  So here you are heading downtown to an appointment minding your own business and you turn onto the next street. You look up and you notice that cars are driving on the wrong side of the road and right at you.  Then your head clears up for a quick second and you realize that you are heading down a one way road and you are headed in the wrong direction.  The first thing you do is to do whatever it takes to correct the situation, and turn yourself around heading in the right direction. Not only driving can we head down a one way street in the wrong direction but, we also can do it…

• 
  Life on Life

• Thoughts on A Christmas Carol...

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:47 pm

  This vid is hawt! This Christmas Granger will be leveraging the topics in Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol for a special teaching series. The December series will focus on recovery from their past, making a difference in the present, and deciding on a purposeful future.Speaking of a Christmas Carol, I just saw the movie last week in IMAX. The movie was very well done... but a little overplayed & dark in some parts. I'd be cautious to let small children watch it. However, Granger's production - following their series - I can highly recommend. =)What does your church have planned for…

• Help Build a Kindergarten in Vietnam

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:53 pm

  Jon Acuff, blogger over at SCL, is raising $60,000 to build two kindergartens in Vietnam through Samaritan's Purse. He has already raised funds to build one and he's only $14,000 away from meeting his goal. Read more about it [here]. You can donate to this cause [here].

• Power of Open Space

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:56 pm

  Read an article back in August on Open Space Technology in Rejuvenate magazine. Kate Burton interviewed my friend, Mark Matlock, about this technology because Mark is the VP of Event Content at Youth Specialties and had planned to use this new meeting strategy at the YS conventions this fall.In short, Open Space is a meeting strategy for harnessing the collective wisdom of a group to self-teach and learn rather than depending on the traditional role of a teacher or facilitator. Sounds pretty interesting right? I must admit, the article peaked my interest and I wanted to know more. Then within…

• Manic Monday Minute

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm

  Manic Monday Minute is a serious mind-dump that will probably take you one minute to read. Here are some thoughts going through my head right now...This is the Manic Monday MinuteLast week was quite the ride folks. Quite the ride!Our area was slammed with a NOR'easter (storm) for several days on end.Lots of flooding & damage to our area.I was fortunate to not have any damage to my home... but folks minutes from me were under water.Just before the storm hit my family came to town.It was so wonderful to spend a few days with them even though the weather didn't cooperate.We saw Jim Carrey's…

• 2007 Called...

  14 Nov 2009 | 6:11 pm

  My phone rang the other day and it was 2007 calling.Actually, I was on the phone with my mother and I saw that I had an incoming call. When I looked to see who it was calling me the caller ID displayed "2007 calling." Freaky.I should have answered the call. However, I sent it to voicemail and continued the convo with my mom. After I hung up the phone with my mother I checked my voicemail and there was no message. I tried calling 2007 back... and got an error message.I laughed over the whole ordeal because it reminded me of the sketch-- I think from Saturday Night Live -- about a certain year…

• 
  Deep Thoughts by Gman

• A Minor Prophet with a Major Message

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:15 pm

  This week we look at the book of Nahum, and how God is jealous. God speaks and encourages.http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/ZioO

• My Favourite Mt. Dew commercial

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:01 pm

  BTW my record for a can of Mt. Dew - no spills less than 7 seconds.http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/ZioO

• Chaos Creates Momentum!

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:22 pm

  Chaos creates momentum from Matthew Ralph on Vimeo.http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/ZioO

• Mending Hurting Teens

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:19 pm

  HT Joehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/ZioO

• Terrorism at Fort Hood

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:08 pm

  So we all know the newswhat happened at Fort Hood has been reduce to a shooting.Have we forgotten 9-11?What about Columbine?Have we become so callous to tragedy and death??Remember the Virginia Tech shootings? (Which I would think is an act of terror)I don't see the coverage as I did 10 yrs ago nor the outrage. I do see a lot of Political Correctness though.SAD isn't it. In fact I didn't even see one article that mentioned it was Terrorism but more Shooting, massacre. Like the 13 lives lost were an afterthought. As a minister, man of God ... it saddens me that people might take lightly death…

• 
  TechPastor.net

• When Changes Are Challenging

  frank

  14 Nov 2009 | 5:02 pm

  I have quite a few friends and family going through some changes right now and I was reminded of a post I wrote a while ago that I thought would be good to post again. As a leader in the church, sometimes change is one of the most challenging things for people to cope with especially volunteers. During some of my challenging change moments I have had people ask me how I remain so positive despite the rapid change around me. Here is my short list of things I try to do to stay positive: 1. Become Part Of It Often, the people that are negative about change, are struggling because they are…

• Strategic Small Group Ministry

  frank

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:55 pm

  My Friend Dave Treat is teaching a small group workshop with Russ Robinson in Washington DC next month.  This workshop is for individuals and teams in strategic leadership roles of small group ministry. This may include: -Senior or Lead Pastor -Executive Pastor -Small Groups Pastor, Adult Education or Ministries Director -Staff and volunteers in ministries that utilize groups for men, women, singles, children, and youth -Leadership Board Members, Elders, Deacons, or other strategic stakeholders -Small Group Coaches, current and potentially strategic volunteer leaders If this is something…

• Are You Afraid To Let Go?

  frank

  2 Nov 2009 | 8:39 pm

  A couple of years ago I remember taking my son to a birthday party, and it was at this party where he acquired one of his first addictions… BALLOONS! As we approached the park where the party was hosted his big brown eyes saw balloons of all colors tied to each picnic table in the pavilion. He had a smile from ear to ear and immediately ran to a paired set of red and blue balloons shouting, “Boom, boom!” because he couldn’t quite say balloon yet. Michael wasn’t strong enough to rip the strings from the table so he just stood there holding these two balloons tightly,…

• Five Reasons To Be In A Small Group For Life

  frank

  24 Oct 2009 | 1:27 pm

  At the Group Life Conference this year Andy Stanley shared five reasons that he will be in a small group for life.  Here they are: 1. It’s the easiest place to invite un-churched people to, especially if they are not ready for the whole Sunday morning experience. 2. It’s often one of the only contexts for pastors or church staff to engage in ministry with their spouse. 3. It’s the only environment where you get to engage others on their spiritual journey, where they are at.  You are often forced to connect with people that you would not normally connect with. We often are exposed to…

• Keep The Bible Fresh – Bill Donahue

  frank

  24 Oct 2009 | 12:52 pm

  In our small groups or classes, it is always a challenge to keep the bible fresh as a leader or teacher.  At the Group Life Conference Bill Donahue shared a few different methods to help us do a better job at keeping the Bible fresh: Guidelines to engage the text: Study the bible for yourself, not by yourself – Acts 2:42 Devote yourself to the teaching Never engage the text without encountering the author – you don’t need a backstage pass to encounter God in your study Read the Bible for transformation, not just information – don’t just seek to know about something, seek to know…

• 
  Digging the Word

• Suffering Has Benefits

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:06 pm

  1 Peter 1:6  So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. 7  These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.1 Peter 2:21  For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you…

• Watch Out!

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:11 am

  1 Peter 5:8-11  Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.Nobody looks forward to…

• Serving The Ugly Bride

  15 Nov 2009 | 4:45 am

  1 Peter 5:1  And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: 2  Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3  Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4  And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of…

• Where Is The Cake?

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:41 am

  1 Peter 4:12  Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13  Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.14  So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 15  If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs. 16  But it is…

• I Am A Minister

  10 Nov 2009 | 5:27 am

  1 Peter 4:10-11  God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.Nine times out of ten God chooses to use his children to accomplish his will. He could just speak and it would be done but instead he wants us to use the…

• 
  pastorforlife.org

• The Dark Side of Ministry

  Paul

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:17 pm

  Milfred Minitrea of the Missional Church Center, wrote a powerful post on his blog that I think deals with the dark side of ministry and how Pastors are constantly dealing with the issue of congregational change management and ministry effectiveness. In His post called, “Depression: Pastors In Pain”, he writes: David Treadway, pastor of Sandy Ridge Baptist Church in Hickory, North Carolina committed suicide in September. His tragic death is the fourth pastor suicide in the Carolinas during the past four years. Pastor Treadway was undergoing treatment for depression. In a USA Today…

• Defining Success

  Paul

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:10 pm

  Success is such a vague concept in Pastoral life. For ages, we’ve defined it by numbers. Whatever numbers we could produce. Numbers of people Numbers of dollars Numbers of buildings Numbers of salvations Numbers of baptisms. You number it and we’ll count it in the final tally! For the last “number” of years, many well-known Pastors have tried to re-define success by saying that God cares more about faithfulness than He does “success”. Others have said that faithfulness IS “success”. I appreciate the comment Rick Warren had on his Ministry…

• Rest That Sleep Can’t Provide

  Paul

  4 Nov 2009 | 5:22 pm

  Josh Patterson, Executive Pastor at The Village Church in Highland Village, Texas, wrote this great post recently on the topic of real rest … I spent the last two weeks away from work and one of those weeks in Jamaica on vacation. I had no agenda and not a lot of responsibility. I didn’t have e-mails to return, no pressure to return calls or make meetings. My most pressing decision was which book to read. It really was a great couple of weeks. But, there is a kind of rest that sleep cannot provide. There is a kind of rest that a vacation or time away from work doesn’t produce.

• Pastors Packing Whose Power?

  Paul

  1 Oct 2009 | 11:15 pm

  Here’s one interesting take on whose power we’re preaching and how …. click here!

• Even The Contemplative Struggle With Burnout

  Paul

  30 Jul 2009 | 12:51 am

  You may or may not have heard of Father Peter Norden, founder of a large social justice agency in Australia called Jesuit Social Services and a well-known Prison Chaplain down under. He recently announced his resignation from the ministry after 40 years, citing burnout. Interesting juxtaposition, in that Jesuits are known to be practicing contemplative spirituality  in every way. You can click here to not only read some of his story, but listen to a radio interview done with him where he is very frank about recognizing the lack of self-care throughout his ministry career. Also interesting is…

• 
  Reflections

• Cheap Books from Simply Youth Ministry

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:49 am

  Simply Youth Ministry is having a warehouse moving sale - and that means you can get some great books for really cheap.Go here for the whole list, and to order your books.It looks like they are going quickly, so hurry over and see what is left!

• Trivia Wednesday #147: Turkey Dinner on the Moon

  11 Nov 2009 | 4:24 am

  answer #146 - Abraham Lincoln (Who was the first President to make Thanksgiving a national holiday?)question #147 - Who was the first astronaut to eat a turkey dinner on the moon?-------This weekly trivia is provided for use within your youth ministry. You can use this random trivia in many ways: use it to start a conversation with a student, add it to your introduction for your lesson or message, include it in your next newsletter or email, or just randomly insert it into your daily conversations. No matter how you decide to use it, I hope this trivia knowledge can be beneficial within your…

• Trivia Wednesday #146: Thanksgiving

  4 Nov 2009 | 5:24 am

  answer #145 - $24.17, according to the 2008 spending analysis by the National Retail Federation. (How much money does the average consumer spend on a Halloween costume?)question #146 - Who was the first President to make Thanksgiving a national holiday?------------This weekly trivia is provided for use within your youth ministry. You can use this random trivia in many ways: use it to start a conversation with a student, add it to your introduction for your lesson or message, include it in your next newsletter or email, or just randomly insert it into your daily conversations. No matter how…

• NYWC 09: Friday & Saturday

  31 Oct 2009 | 8:15 pm

  The convention is definitely underway.A lot of great content being shared from speakers, teachers and fellow youth workers. This communication of ideas is what makes youth workers so great - we are not afraid to share what we know and learn from others who have been where we want to go.This attitude is what makes Open Space a great addition to the National Youth Workers Convention.Open Space was a great experience. For me, I stayed with a group who were talking about working in a small church. We talked about finances, reaching the community, ministering to students, staying relevant,…

• Photo Friday: Frozen Bananas & A Mutated Strawberry

  30 Oct 2009 | 4:26 am

  Bananas just do not look right after you freeze them.As a Halloween bonus: here is a picture of a mutated strawberry. Okay, really its just a very odd shaped strawberry that looks like it should sprout a mouth and start talking.--------------------These weekly pictures are provided as an available resource for use within your youth ministry. These pictures can be used for background slides, event promotion, or anywhere else you need a good photograph. What I ask is that you do not use them for anything in which you make a profit and attribute me as the photographer. I would also love to hear…

• 
  Human3rror

• Caption Please.

  John

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:35 pm

• Husband Fail Friday!

  John

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:22 am

  It’s Friday! Time for another Husband Fail! This is your opportunity to share silly stories of how your husband pretty much failed you this past week! Or, if you want to be honest (Mr. Husband) then go ahead and admit what you did and how it was so lame of you to do whatever you did before your wife shows up and does it for you! Please try not to take yourself (or this post) too seriously… Me First: Anytime things get tough people either choose to stay or go. In other words, the “fight” or “flight” reaction comes into play. For me, I’m the guy sprinting from…

• The Hives Wordpress Theme

  John

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:15 am

  The Hives Wordpress Theme is an extremely unique design originally created by award-winning designer Nurul Dahlan. He passed on the design to me so that I could code it into Wordpress. I had originally planned to use this for a client but that, of course, never happened. My second option was to put it up as a “premium” theme and get a few pennies out of it, since it definitely warranted the time and effort! But, I’ve decided to release it to the public, free and GPL. It’s got a rotating carousel, Lifestream, and more. It uses a few plugins but are easy to configure.

• How’s Your Day Going? Mine’s Like This…

  John

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:06 am

• 2nd Generation, Evangelizing Through the Web

  John

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:36 pm

  The Ignite Conference this past weekend was great. What an amazing opportunity to speak to the next generation of asian-american leaders! My keynote that morning was about character and how God cares more about this than anything else that we may do (I gave my Campus Pastor @JeffHenderson mucho props). My breakout covered the “Strategy of Free” as well as a healthy Q/A. A local news affiliate interviewed me and wrote the following story above, which I couldn’t really understand; the Google Translation attempt didn’t fare too well either. I’ll be the first to…

• 
  KRELLFISH

• Disco Elves

  Audra Krell

  14 Nov 2009 | 8:02 pm

  Send your own ElfYourself eCards

• The Setup

  Audra Krell

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:38 am

  When I was young I played with cardboard boxes for hours, making them into Barbie houses. It was all about the setup, carefully designing and placing furniture, wallpaper, clothes and shoes in each room. Barbie was never active. The only thing she ever did was stick her chest out even further and sit sway- backed in a plastic chair, as if she was too good to touch it. I never saw her enjoy her home.Now as a grown up, I look around and notice most people are managing their lives, but not many are really living. We carefully articulate, masterfully manipulate, caffein-ate, hydrate and medicate.

• Regift This

  Audra Krell

  9 Nov 2009 | 12:19 pm

  According to Dictionary.com, regifting is "to give as a gift, something one previously received as a gift."On the radio the other day, someone said regift is a dirty word. Regifting often has a negative connotation to it or even a humorous one if there is a white elephant in the room. This season, I am regifting my thoughts. The following are Holiday survival tips I've received in the past, and I'm passing on the best of the best to you. Don't say I never re-gave you anything!Respect that the Holidays are difficult for others. What is supposed to be the happiest…

• A Chance to Choose

  Audra Krell

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:55 pm

  For some it's the dreaded blank fortune. What could it possibly mean if you crack open a Chinese cookie that has well, nothing in it? Is your future short and bleak? Have you been forgotten?Around here, we choose to see it as a blank slate. A canvass for anything and everything. A chance to make the choice, decide just how life is going to be. An opportunity to be happy with the life God has given us.Just got back from Vegas, there was no foreboding cookie preceding our trip and everyone came home with all their body parts. By the way, that was no small feat in Vegas on Halloween.For…

• No Fall, Just Pumpkin

  Audra Krell

  27 Oct 2009 | 8:39 pm

  Pumpkin is one of my favorite times of year. When you live in AZ, there is no fall. Our seasons are: Hot  Hotter-Than-You- Know-Where  Pumpkin   Sweater Day  Then Hot starts again.So when the Pumpkin Lattes come out at Starbucks, it's a symbol to me. A sign that Hot will be gone at night for awhile.Here are some of my favorite pumpkin things to cheer you:Pumpkin Pie Blizzard from Dairy Queen (XXL)Pumpkin Pie from Village Inn (not a slice, the whole pie)Pumpkin Smash Smoothie from Jamba Juice (which I cannot have…

• 
  Thinking Out Loud

• Currently Reading: Duets by John & Anita Renfroe

  paulthinkingoutloud

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:07 pm

  Those of you who follow the world of Christian stand-up comedy — which I do not — will recognize the name Anita Renfroe.    She and her husband, pastor John Renfroe decided that as good as the selection is of devotional books for couples, something was missing. Enter Duets: Still in the Word…Still in the Mood, a series of 52 four-page considerations of texts from The Message highlighting various couples of the Bible.     Although this is a digest-sized book with a format that is as much study guide as it is devotional, the issues it raises and the questions it leaves…

• The Word on the Street

  paulthinkingoutloud

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:47 pm

  I originally blogged this back in April of 2008, when this blog was hosted at e4God.com, but after speaking with someone today about Rob Lacey’s Street Bible and The Liberator, I thought I’d take one more run at this topic while you can still buy copies of both in remainder bins at Christian bookstores. Ever since my parents gave me a copy of Get Smart, a youth edition of Living Proverbs (forerunner to The Living Bible) and the related Reach Out New Testament, I’ve been a huge fan of Bible paraphrases that arrest you in your tracks, bring the story to life, and say old…

• Midweek Lynx

  paulthinkingoutloud

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:40 pm

  Here’s this week’s recommended lynx links: We begin with a couple of YouTube vids.   This one was posted back in 2006, but is still popular.  The group Go Fish song Christmas With A Capital “C” is the basis for this homemade video. The second video clip is sort of at the other end of the spectrum, posted a couple of weeks ago by Voice of the Martyrs.  Instead of fighting to keep Christ in Christmas, some believers in other parts of the world are fighting more serious battles, as seen in this Raid on a Full Gospel Church. Carol at the blog Sheep to the Right…

• Jehovah’s Witnesses Willing to Invest Time

  paulthinkingoutloud

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:23 pm

  Today I met with a man who is a somewhat lapsed Episcopalian (or Anglican as we say here) who has been meeting on a monthly basis with some Jehovah’s Witnesses.     He has a lot of questions about various issues, and so he invited them into his home and they have been returning regularly, staying about an hour each time. There was a time when Evangelicals were very big on the concept of door-to-door outreach and visitation.   Many a Saturday morning in the 1950s and 1960s might be spent in twos or threes ringing doorbells in a local neighborhood. But as time went by, people tended…

• Planned Parenthood Director Resignation Gets Mixed Reaction at Church

  paulthinkingoutloud

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:03 pm

  This story deserved more than to be buried in a link list of suggested reading a few days from now.   It’s more significant than that.   And if you think you’re already on top of this one, just hang in there for a few paragraphs, or jump to the asterisk  below for a rather strange twist updating as of November 15th. Here’s a sample of how the story begins at The Christian Post: The director of a Planned Parenthood abortion center in Texas has resigned and embraced the pro-life movement after witnessing an abortion through an ultrasound. (Photo: Coalition for Life) Abby…

• 
  Just A Thought

• Advent Conspiracy

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Last Year I came across the Advent Conspiracy website. They had an awesome video encouraging people to worship fully, spend less, give more and to love all. They also encouraged people to give towards providing clean water to those without.So far 340 wells have been provided through this project meaning over 200,000 people now have access to clean water for the first time!I wanted to highlight

• Real Love Has to Stretch

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Some of you, those of a certain age who also grew up in N. America, may remember Stretch Armstrong. This was a toy in the 70's. The toy was of a muscular man whose arms and legs could be stretched long distances. I was thinking about this toy recently when reviewing this Scripture on love: "Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn't jealous. It doesn't sing its own praises. It isn't arrogant.

• In Sync With God!

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  I love how God speaks to many people at once and sometimes it all comes together and you actually get to see how God lines things up!Sunday was like that for me.This past week 4 girls in our church led worship. The girls (age 9-11) led us in 4 songs and a skit that one of the girls put together. The basic premise of the skit was that you can't just fake being a Christian, you have to live it.

• The Label Says Death!

  10 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  If life came with warning labels would we even pay attention? How many of us would still participate in activities we knew were dangerous if there was a big ol' sticker saying:WARNING THIS ACTIVITY WILL 100%, MOST DEFINITELY, POSITIVELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT KILL YOU!Of course those warning labels do exist. The Bible is filled with them. Sin = death! Yet how often do we lie, gossip, swear, dishonor

• Spark plugs and Faith!

  8 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  I was thinking about my childhood recently and remembered that I was about 11 when it happened.My 10 year old brother and I were out mowing the lawn and could not keep the lawnmower going. Every time we would start to push the machine the thing would die on us. My Dad was at work and so my brother and I decided we would try to solve the problem.We looked high and low and fiddled with the mower

• 
  InsideWork

• What’s Wrong With This Picture?

  Allan Lunsford

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pm

  Searching through the archives, I came across Seth Godin’s admonition about spam to the Direct Marketing Association’s DMA•05 Show: You’re spammers, each and every one of you,” Seth Godin told the Direct Marketing Association this week. You’re sending me unanticipated, impersonal, irrelevant junk in a format I don’t want to get about a product I’m not interested in and won’t have time to look at. And you’re hoping to persuade enough people to buy so you can go buy more stamps, or call more people, or buy more inserts, or run more ads. And the problem is, spam…

• Message in a Bottle

  Jim Hancock

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pm

  George Washington University’s Alcohol Cost Calculator estimates the incidence of problem drinkers per thousand employees by industry: Industry “Problem Drinkers” per 1000 workers Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing + Hunting 68 per thousand workers Construction + Mining 128 per thousand workers Education, Health, Social Services 51 per thousand workers Finance and Real Estate 89 per thousand workers Information + Communication 87 per thousand workers Leisure, Hospitality + Arts 133 per thousand workers Manufacturing 82 per thousand workers Professional 95  per thousand workers…

• Spirituality in Business Tip #1

  Bradley J Moore

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pm

  One of the most opportune moments to introduce an element of spiritual influence into your work environment is when you are starting a meeting. If you are the one who is leading the meeting, then you should very well be able to set the tone with a spiritual call to order. But not in a way that would make everyone think you are a freak. Which, yes, I would be concerned about that too. So, anyway, I’m not saying that you should start the meeting by lifting up your hands and calling out for the Holy Spirit to drop down tongues of flames upon your agnostic and multi-faith team members. No, you…

• Just What I Need…Every Day

  Howard Morrison

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pm

  Some psalms seem so personal they are almost embarrassing.  By that I mean, they are the record of the author’s very heart as he expresses deep things to his God.  Reading them can feel like you are peering in on something very sacred—and possibly they should have left well enough alone. But, no, God has chosen to reveal them.  For OUR benefit. And for His (in some ways beyond our knowing.) Psalm 143 is David speaking to God.  No one else seems to be around or of concern to David.  But he has a LOT of concerns that he must express to his God.  He has at least fifteen direct requests…

• 46: Digital Addiction

  Dan Wooldridge

  15 Nov 2009 | 11:02 pm

  Dr. Henry Cloud The One-Life Solution - Reclaiming Your Personal Life While Achieving Greater Professional Success, (p. 176), Collins Business, 2008 Sometimes, when activities are meeting some need other than those they are intended to meet, you can become attached or addicted to that behavior. You develop a need for it to perform some function that regulates how you feel … If you cannot be away from e-mail for some period of time to do something vital in life, like connect with your loved ones or take a walk or play golf, then something is wrong. If you cannot go to a social dinner…

• 
  Take Root and Write

• Overwhelmed and Under Pressure?

  Shona Neff

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:30 pm

  Are you feeling overwhelmed and under pressure? These two states of existence manifest themselves in different way. For example, many of us crumble under too much, but I tend to work more efficiently when under a little pressure. Even the four finalists on Dancing with the Stars poked some fun at themselves lip-syncing to the appropriately title song "Under Pressure." It was their way of releasing some of the stresses they feel as a result of the competition.Whether we feel overwhelmed or under pressure in positive or negative ways, it is a subject worth exploring.Negative In the…

• Review of Nutrition 101: Choose Life!

  Meredith Curtis

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm

  "I'm fasting all healthy food," I declared to my family as I popped a bad cholesterol-building cookie in my mouth. "Can someone pick me up some eggnog?" I know, I know, at my age, 47, healthy food choices are important. Oh, how I wish I had been a healthier eater when I was younger. I knew something about nutrition, but obviously not enough because my heart leans to white chocolate Resee Cups, M & Ms, Moose Tracks Ice Cream, and Whoppers. Maybe this review isn't about sharing information with you, but learning and cleaning up my own nutritional life.Nutrition…

• Are our Churches Disability Friendly

  Debbie Roome

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:30 pm

  In recent years, a greater awareness of the need for disabled-friendly buildings has arisen. Most new structures are built with this in mind and in many countries, public buildings are required to provide wheelchair access and wheelchair toilets. Even so, there are often times when disabled people may feel uncomfortable in a church environment. What does a Church Building need to be Disabled-friendly People with mobility issues or wheelchairs and those with sight problems need level floors, wide doors and access ramps. Wheelchair toilets are a must and flat wide paths through garden areas are…

• Thyme to Divide and Conquer (or Share!)

  Patricia Warren

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:30 pm

  That pretty little pot of lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina) in two years has spread to surround the yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and the Knockout rose bush. I love their soft leaves and even the obscure tiny yellow blossoms. But I did not intend to have a lamb's ear bed. It is supposed to be a perennial bed with a cottage garden look. What can I do to reclaim my garden? I want to keep some of the lamb's ears while making room for new perennials and annuals I discover for next spring's planning season.InfiltrateThe first step is to dig up the lamb's ear clumps (or other…

• Personalities and Preparing for the Holidays

  Shona Neff

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:25 pm

  The Holiday Season, which includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, is just around the corner. Many of us are giddy with anticipation thinking of family, fun, food, and festivities; others of us secretly cringe at the prospect of family, fun, food, and festivities. Much of our holiday outlook is affected by our individual personality which, in turn, affects how we act and react during the whirlwind that blows between Thanksgiving and the end of each year.We are going to explore how each personality approaches the festivities, as well as strategies that will help us enjoy this…

• 
  Godgirl's Weblog

• Moving Forward

  godgirl

  15 Nov 2009 | 8:02 am

  Just heard this worship song, Moving Forward…I just love these words and this is the theme of my life at the moment. I just want to keep moving forward despite my circumstances. Just wanted to share it with you.

• Twittersheep

  godgirl

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:26 pm

  Just learned about Twittersheep this morning.  This word cloud reflects the bios of the peeps that follow me. Pretty cool.  

• TwitterSheep

  godgirl

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:20 pm

  Just learned about Twittersheep this morning.  Here's what my twitter followers focus on.   http://twittersheep.com/results.php?u=cindyronzoni

• Ewoks Amok!

  godgirl

  30 Oct 2009 | 12:46 pm

  A PR Nightmare. Ewoks Amok! What do you when your live national news segment runs amok due to Ewoks!  Pretty much nothing.  You let them steal the show.  These characters were hilarious and so refreshing for live TV.  There's no way you (a producer) could have been prepared for this.  But I guarantee you more people are posting this than would have if they didn't act up. Watch and enjoy. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33549454#33549454

• Your Own Hype Could Poison You

  godgirl

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:16 am

  As a publicist whose primary job is to promote the efforts of others – Chris Brogan's words about how to be humble and sucessful just warm my soul.  I wish more people would adopt what he's preaching here.  Take a look and pass it along.  

• 
  Eric Bryant - Blog

• Free PFP Audiobook Offer for DBU & Baylor Students

  Eric Bryant

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:20 am

  If you attended one of the chapel services at DBU or Baylor, you could win a free copy of the Peppermint-Filled Pinatas Audiobook! Here’s how you can win! If you are willing to listen to the audiobook and help promote it, send me an email at eric@mosaic.org with “Free PFP Audiobook” as the subject.  I will randomly choose 20 people with DBU or Baylor email addresses on Tuesday, Nov. 24th to receive a free copy! (Promotion ideas could include an online review at amazon.com, audible.com, iTunes, your blog, facebook, or encouraging your ministry leader, pastor, or small group…

• Amena Brown Teleseminar (Dec. 8th)

  Eric Bryant

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:01 am

  Our next LIVE, free teleseminar will be with Amena Brown on December 8, 2009 at 2pm (PST). Amena is a writer, poet, and spoken-word performer who also serves as part of the Origins Project creative team.  Her latest album can be found at cdbaby.com. We will be discussing mobilizing artists and reaching people through the arts. SIGN UP HERE! Listen to previous teleseminars here!

• “What Would Google Do?” by Jeff Jarvis

  Eric Bryant

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:51 am

  I  have been reading a lot lately on the topic of innovation.  Specifically, I have been reading about the skills necessary to be effective at creating and sustaining a culture of innovation. One of the books I’ve enjoyed was Jeff Jarvis’ book What Would Google Do? When writing about the new ethic of our new world (as represented by Google), Jarvis writes: “Make mistakes well Corrections do not diminish credibility. Corrections enhance credibility. Standing up and admitting your errors makes you more believable; it gives your audience faith that you will right your future…

• “Speak Human Please” by Charles Lee

  Eric Bryant

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  “Speak Human Please” by Charles Lee: “During a leadership meeting last year at Mosaic, I heard Erwin McManus share about the inability of many faith leaders to “speak human.” He was referencing the lack of ability in many faith leaders to speak in a way that could be understood by those outside of their particular faith context. I think there is a principle here that is true of any profession or group/tribe. Whether you’re leading an organization, business, or movement, it’s vitally important to develop the ability to communicate well with those who may not be…

• DBU & Baylor Chapels

  Eric Bryant

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:54 am

  If you live near Dallas or Central Texas or know someone who does, I wanted to let you know I am speaking at the following schools at their chapel in case you or someone you know would like to come. November 20:  DBU Chapel Dallas, TX November 23:  Baylor Chapel Waco, TX

• 
  Faith Journey

• Book Reviewer Needed

  Paul

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:07 am

  I recently received two books from NavPress to read and write a blog review about. I’d like to invite one of you to help me out with this. All you need to do is read the book and write a review (what did you think of the book, what were some key things you either agreed or disagreed with, how might this book be helpful to others, etc.). The two books I received are: Uncompromised Faith The God Who Smokes You can choose which book you’d like to review and you get to keep it! Oh and I’d prefer a local reviewer so I don’t have to ship the book. If you are interested, just…

• A Story of Spiritual Direction

  Paul

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:20 pm

  There was a young man hiking in the wilderness, enjoying the beauty of nature and admiring what he saw and heard. After a few hours though, he started to feel as though he was simply going in circles. He wasn’t quite lost, but he felt as though there must be more to experience. After a while of having these thoughts and continuing to walk, he came up to a rest area where he met another hiker. He initiated conversation with this fellow nature lover, hoping that he might gain some wisdom from this man who looked as though he had hiked this and other trails a hundred times before. After…

• Helping Each Other Grow

  Paul

  16 Oct 2009 | 11:45 am

  What difference would it make in your life if you took time once a week to get together with a couple other Christians simply for the purpose of encouraging, urging, and helping each other grow in your faith? Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in complicated methods for spiritual growth that we forget the simple power of meeting with others for accountability, support, and encouragement. Sometimes it helps to have some direction for how to help each other grow, so I’ve pulled together a simple list of accountability questions that can be used. Here they are: PRAY •    Have you…

• Book Review: Real Church

  Paul

  29 Sep 2009 | 9:01 am

  In his latest book, Larry Crabb opens up and gets honest as he looks at his current feelings about the contemporary church. He starts out with the confession that though he has been a devoted Christian for most of his life, he finds most modern expressions of church to be uninspiring and unexciting. The first part of the book is spent dissecting what he sees as the shortcomings of the modern church. The second is spent setting a foundation of the church that Larry says he would go to. This kind of church is built on 4 things: Spiritual Theology, Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Community, and…

• Rule of Life: Service

  Paul

  18 Sep 2009 | 8:59 am

  Part 4 0f 4 in the Simple Rule of Life Series In this brief series, I’ve discussed what could be seen as a Rule of Life Tripod. Three simple things to build our daily life around: Prayer, Scripture, and Service. In this post, I’ll wrap it up by looking at the third leg: Service. Service – following the example of Jesus, the one who came not to be served but to serve I think that living a life of service is just as central to following Jesus as prayer and Scripture are. The example Jesus set for us was one of living for the sake of others. Consider these Scriptures that point the…

• 
  theoquest

• There's more that's changing than just the weather...

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:31 am

  "...like a champion rejoicing to run his course."This phrase really jumped out at me today as I was reading through Psalm 19. As David is describing how the skies shout out the awesomeness of the Creator, he likens the sun to a runner on race day - coming out of his tent ready and excited for the race, confident in victory. I remember waking up on gamedays ready to compete like that - practically jumping out of bed, excited for what lies ahead. I have to confess that I haven't bounced out of bed for quite a while. Staggered, rolled, stumbled... these words are much better descriptors of my…

• Top 5 Things I Hate About the Holiday Season

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:11 am

  5. Halloween.aka Boot Camp for Greedy Young Consumers. Is it really a good idea to promote the idea that if you show up on someone's doorstep and demand something, they're obligated to give it to you? Do we really need to ingrain a deeper sense of entitlement into the collective psyche of our next generation? Maybe I'm just bitter because I was always the kid whose candy bag got confiscated at the X-ray machine because some jack-o-lantern hid a needle in my laffy taffy! No - that's not it. Halloween is dumb - playing dress up and begging for candy is not a holiday.4. How Thanksgiving gets…

• Want to play?

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:23 pm

  When I was in college, the soccer team had a number of road games each year to destinations that were "less than entertaining". Some of the trips were close enough that we'd drive back after the game, but often we were left without much of anything to do but sit around some other school's empty dorm rooms.I remember on one of those trips, a bunch of us were sitting around playing cards, having fun - until someone got mad. An argument got going, and got a little heated - I think someone tried to cheat (which is funny/sad all by itself because I think we were playing for toothpicks or something…

• "It's not me, it's you..."

  11 Nov 2009 | 9:38 am

  I don't have a lot of good break up stories. When you marry as young as we did, you're spared a lot of the crappiness of the adult dating world - so glad I didn't have to deal with it. And thankful God put me with the right person and we both recognized it without having to screw up our lives first. Perry Noble's doing a series on being single right now with some great stuff though. Check out this link to his blog post about reasons two people should break up - and check out Newspring's site for the online message videos.Here's a line from one of the reasons:"Dating was not created to be some…

• Disconnected Church Kids

  10 Nov 2009 | 2:39 pm

  The Link Institute (which is a product of Huntington University's youth ministry program) and YouthWorker Journal teamed up for an essay contest (on the theme of The Church) for high school juniors and seniors. The winning entry was written by Ian Roseen, who shares a very insightful glimpse into what many students feel about the church. You should go here to read his article. I wish I could thank Ian for sharing his brief sketch of a typical Sunday morning for many in a generation that is being spiritually displaced. Go read the article. And if you have any capacity to do so, make sure the…

• 
  The Writing on the Wall

• The Q Dog of 2012 has a bark far worse than its bite

  hiscrivener

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:46 am

  Man, my fraternal juices were flowing when I saw this movie and knew this post was coming (shout out to my Ice Cold brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.). Why? Because I get to harangue a Q-Dog. No, no, not the “Atomic Dog” brothers but rather Quetzalcoatl - the triune man, dog and lizard of [...]

• Carrie Prejean and the story of the Christian boobs

  hiscrivener

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:57 am

  I couldn’t fight it any longer! Believe me, I tried, Wall Watchers. At first, I thought I could ignore Carrie Prejean during the Miss USA imbroglio. You know, when the Donald “trumped” the news and trotted her out before a sweltering dais of paparazzi, flashing cameras and gay rights activists who wanted to know just who in [...]

• Cross Eyed: The Last Supper Cubed?

  hiscrivener

  14 Nov 2009 | 6:33 pm

  In the screaming 80s, teeming with toxic hair and cross-dressing rockers, Styx penned a song, “Too much time on my hands (tick, tick, ticking away).” Aside from Dennis DeYoung’s chops leading the couch potato’s hymn, I never really cared for the song… until now. This week in video evangelism, we have the work of what has [...]

• These saints believe in D-O-G, and they’re not even dyslexic

  hiscrivener

  12 Nov 2009 | 3:41 am

  Statistics have shown church attendance is on the decline. People are disengaged with religion. And evagnelism just ain’t what it used to be. Something has got to be done, but what? If you’re the Rev. Tom Eggebeen of Covenant Presbyterian Church, you realize church attendance is going to the dogs. So if you can’t beat it, join [...]

• Paula White accuser gets busted for probation violation

  hiscrivener

  9 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am

  It seems a pathetic example of our justice system known as “Joshua Brian Randolph V. Paula White, Her “Vanilla Ice” son and Without Walls International Church” is about to take an abrupt right turn. According to the St. Petersburg Times, Randolph turned on his TV and noticed how the cameras love Paula White but him, not [...]

• 
  Preacherboy

• My Interview with Dan Merchant of Lord Save Us From Your Followers

  26 Oct 2009 | 10:56 am

  OR to see original interview: Click HERE

• What Does The Bible Say About Effective Leadership (part 2)?

  15 Oct 2009 | 3:56 pm

  Sorry this post has been so long in coming, I guess you could say I got sidetracked by life a little bit. It's all been apart of me being a more effective leader. I lead a group of emerging leaders through a real cool process this past year (my 5th year doing it). I'm proud to say, leaders have emerged from that process who are now leading another 15 leaders through the same process (duplication, I love it!)One of the things we always address is "What does the Bible say about leadership?" So, here is the 2nd thing (out of 10) the Bible says about effective leadership (that is a leaders who…

• Why Christian didn't drive a motorcycle while in the U.S.

  15 Oct 2009 | 3:04 pm

  This is Christian Jung. He is our missionary to Africa (right now in Mozambique). These are the roads they drive while getting the Word out about Jesus. Jesse Gellatly (one of our other missionaries to Mozambique) is filming him.

• Sunday October 11, 2009 YouVersion Live Link

  10 Oct 2009 | 3:12 pm

• The Skinny on Idea Camp PNW

  17 Sep 2009 | 12:06 pm

  Dates: November 20-21, 2009 Times: Friday (Nov 20) 11:00a – 5:00p and Saturday (Nov 21) 8:30 – 5:00p Location: Portland Foursquare Church 1302 SE Ankeny St., Portland, OR 97214 Cost:Absolutely Free! RSVP: EventbriteFor Lastest updates and Speaker List:Idea Camp Website and Idea Camp CommunityBecome a FAN on FacebookHere's the Skinny:Each Idea Camp has had it's own flavor or focus according to the area where the conference was taking place. So, it is only fitting that the Idea Camp Pacific Northwest Focus: Being Present With the CityThis particular Idea Camp will focus on the topics of…

• 
  Faith Journey

• Book Reviewer Needed

  Paul

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:07 am

  I recently received two books from NavPress to read and write a blog review about. I’d like to invite one of you to help me out with this. All you need to do is read the book and write a review (what did you think of the book, what were some key things you either agreed or disagreed with, how might this book be helpful to others, etc.). The two books I received are: Uncompromised Faith The God Who Smokes You can choose which book you’d like to review and you get to keep it! Oh and I’d prefer a local reviewer so I don’t have to ship the book. If you are interested, just…

• A Story of Spiritual Direction

  Paul

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:20 pm

  There was a young man hiking in the wilderness, enjoying the beauty of nature and admiring what he saw and heard. After a few hours though, he started to feel as though he was simply going in circles. He wasn’t quite lost, but he felt as though there must be more to experience. After a while of having these thoughts and continuing to walk, he came up to a rest area where he met another hiker. He initiated conversation with this fellow nature lover, hoping that he might gain some wisdom from this man who looked as though he had hiked this and other trails a hundred times before. After…

• Helping Each Other Grow

  Paul

  16 Oct 2009 | 11:45 am

  What difference would it make in your life if you took time once a week to get together with a couple other Christians simply for the purpose of encouraging, urging, and helping each other grow in your faith? Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in complicated methods for spiritual growth that we forget the simple power of meeting with others for accountability, support, and encouragement. Sometimes it helps to have some direction for how to help each other grow, so I’ve pulled together a simple list of accountability questions that can be used. Here they are: PRAY •    Have you…

• Book Review: Real Church

  Paul

  29 Sep 2009 | 9:01 am

  In his latest book, Larry Crabb opens up and gets honest as he looks at his current feelings about the contemporary church. He starts out with the confession that though he has been a devoted Christian for most of his life, he finds most modern expressions of church to be uninspiring and unexciting. The first part of the book is spent dissecting what he sees as the shortcomings of the modern church. The second is spent setting a foundation of the church that Larry says he would go to. This kind of church is built on 4 things: Spiritual Theology, Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Community, and…

• Rule of Life: Service

  Paul

  18 Sep 2009 | 8:59 am

  Part 4 0f 4 in the Simple Rule of Life Series In this brief series, I’ve discussed what could be seen as a Rule of Life Tripod. Three simple things to build our daily life around: Prayer, Scripture, and Service. In this post, I’ll wrap it up by looking at the third leg: Service. Service – following the example of Jesus, the one who came not to be served but to serve I think that living a life of service is just as central to following Jesus as prayer and Scripture are. The example Jesus set for us was one of living for the sake of others. Consider these Scriptures that point the…

• 
  GetReligion

• Who’s offended?

  Sarah Pulliam Bailey

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:59 pm

  I know from personal experience that Terre Haute, Indiana, is not the most happening place. But is “Church sign raises objection” really one of the most newsworthy items of the day? Bear with me, and read the beginning of the story. A sign at a Terre Haute church bearing a message that many people would deem “intolerant” has raised an objection from a concerned teenager who could not let the message go unchallenged. Saagarika Coleman submitted a letter to the editor of the Tribune-Star (see page A8) stating that she was “hit with a wave of shock. I was…

• When Lutherans split

  Mollie

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:12 am

  The Episcopal Church has less than half the membership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. But the former gets much more media coverage than the ELCA. But both are experiencing division under similar circumstances. Both churches have lost significant numbers of members in recent years, with congregations occasionally deciding to leave as a unit. And the problems in both churches deal with how the denomination interprets Scripture. The big fissures have been sparked by dramatic changes in church doctrine on sexuality. The Episcopal Church’s split has been covered extensively…

• All (Catholic) news is local (and modern)

  tmatt

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:57 am

  If you were creating the Ten Commandments of daily Journalism, you would certainly find the statement, “All news is local,” somewhere near the top of the list (but after “Don’t bury the lede”). Just because this commandment is true doesn’t mean that it’s the only truth that reporters need to take into account when they are reporting about complex news events, including those that center on debates about religious doctrines and traditions. You could see this pretty clearly in the coverage of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops this past week. This…

• Holy high holidays!

  tmatt

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:46 pm

  Every now and then, the avid news reader clicks on a link or opens up a newspaper and is faced with something so strange that it simply cannot be comprehended. As we have seen recently, this seems to happen quite often in MSM coverage of religion. So here we go again. This bizarre Associated Press story, as sent to us by a faithful reader in Pittsburgh, is quite short. Thus, let me share — brace yourself — the whole thing: PHILADELPHIA — An animal welfare official says a beheaded dog and cat found in Philadelphia appear to be the result of a ritual sacrifice. George Bengal,…

• Teletubbies and … Islam?

  Mollie

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:38 am

  Why, oh why, must all religion stories be told through the prism of politics? It really gets tiring. For instance, there was this Washington Post piece last Sunday about how Pat Robertson had said something intemperate (I know! Stop the presses!) about Islam that reflected poorly on Virginia Governor-elect Bob McDonnell. Robertson hadn’t made the comments with McDonnell or at a McDonnell event or in McDonnell campaign literature or anything like that. But he was a big donor to McDonnell’s campaign and McDonnell attended a graduate school affiliated with Robertson and so the Post…

• 
  Ragamuffin Soul

• We Are Moving To…

  loswhit

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:05 pm

  So Team Whittaker would love your prayers as we pick up and move the family to Chicago. I’ll keep this brief… God has blessed us with an amazing community of friends here in Atlanta. Some of us have decided that we want to be part of a movement committed to daily living out the Transformational Love of Jesus in the City so that we can change the World. And the way we plan to do this is in a community called Soul City Church…in downtown Chicago. Team Whittaker is moving with a few other amazing families to downtown Chicago to live, breathe, commune, fellowship, and take part…

• I Have Put Off [Blank] For Too Long

  loswhit

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:10 pm

  I have put off [blank] for to long… I’m going to get off my butt and actually do/plan/start [blank] before 2010. Fill in the [blank] Los

• Help Me With My EP Cover // BE THE CRITIC

  loswhit

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:45 pm

  An EP’s purpose is to start building the story on who you are as an artist. Then we drop the full length album on your head. There are 3 different directions we are going here. Here are the ideas… 1. This is the tormented ragamuffin soul in the midst of a heavenly place. I feel like that is who I am. Tormented but in peace. 2. The major reasons why I get invited to lead worship places is not becasue of my vocal runs. It is because I quickly build trust in a room of people and they trust me to take them on a journey towards The Throne. And when I do it…I laugh and have fun.

• There’s Coffee…Then There’s COFFEE – Gobena Coffee

  loswhit

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:50 am

  Gobena Coffee Story from Danae Lehman on Vimeo. Check out more of the story at Gobena.org What’s your favorite coffee? Los

• If You Could Have Dinner With One NON CHURCH LEADER…

  loswhit

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:15 pm

  A month or so ago I got to have dinner with Scott Belsky, CEO of Behance and ideator behind The 99% Conference. It was accidental, unbelievable, and future shifting. It once again brought me to the realization that most of the time, this small little church bubble we live in is exactly that. Sooooo small. If you could have dinner with a NON CHURCH LEADER… Who would it be? Los

• 
  internetmonk.com

• My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel: Gospel Articulations (Part 3)

  iMonk

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:05 pm

  I’ve been trying to emphasize the Gospel as the foundational content of the Christian life for many years. While I’ve worked at fresh articulations of the Gospel, there are a lot of familiar articulations of the Gospel that show up in my preaching and teaching with high school students and the adults in chapel and in my classes. For example, these are four different Gospel articulations that I’ve used repeatedly in speaking and teaching. They are not definitions or creeds. They articulations that summarize and balance the content of the Gospel as I understand it. It’s…

• My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel: Scripture Sources (Part 2)

  iMonk

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:29 am

  The apparent crisis in giving the Gospel its right and Biblically healthy place in evangelical Christian faith exists on several levels. First, there is the level of scriptural definition. While I can answer the question “What is the Gospel?” it is the Biblical material that should form my definition. Before I give some simple Gospel articulations, what are the Biblical sources of Gospel definition? Does the Bible give a definition of the Gospel? Or is the Gospel a theme that connects alll of scripture, yielding definitional material and language, but also context, meaning and…

• Misplaced, Taken For Granted and Ignored: My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel (Part 1)

  iMonk

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:59 pm

  In a recent sermon, I said that I was deeply concerned about the understanding of the Gospel that I hear among adult Christians and especially preachers. I was not just making noise. With every passing year, I’m amazed that the level of Gospel understanding seems to be lower and lower among Christian adults. This isn’t just a failure to hear the Gospel in the terms and definitions I prefer. No, it is an ever lowering articulation of the Gospel, a replacement of the Gospel with other concerns and, perhaps most distressing of all, a replacement and confusion of the Gospel-centered…

• Three Questions About Post-Evangelicalism

  iMonk

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:31 am

  1. Why did you start using the term “post-evangelical?” Aren’t you aware of how that term is perceived in the discernment blogosphere? This will seem hard to believe, but I simply wanted a way to say I was moving past evangelicalism to something else, but that something else wasn’t what would cause me to say “non-evangelical,” at least using the generally accepted understanding of evangelicals. I wasn’t in any way trying to identify with post-modernism or the emerging church. The Ancient-Future Evangelicalism of Robert Webber really described me, but…

• Chaplain Mike Mercer: Evangelicals And The Pastoral Care of the Dying: The IM Interview

  iMonk

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:36 am

  Chaplain Mike Mercer is one of the long-time faithful friends of this web site. Many of you will recognize him as a frequent commenter. Mike has gone the extra mile to befriend me and that has been a true gift. I wanted to do this interview because Mike is now involved in pastoral care of the dying and their families as a full-time ministry. This is an area where evangelical ministers and younger pastors need encouragement and help. Because pastoral care is so closely bound up with the integrity of the Gospel as a Word from God for the dying, I think this is a very worthy subject. This is a…

• 
  Tall Skinny Kiwi

• Why you can no longer ignore the emerging house church movement

  Andrew Jones

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:31 am

  Don't look for the elephant in the room. Look instead at the colonies of mice that have burrowed inside the furniture and are now taking over the house. "The latest research indicates that the number of house churches in Europe have already reached or surpassed 10,000, Australia could have up to 10,000, and New Zealand up to 6,000 house churches. Research in the US shows that between 6 and 12 million are already attending house churches, making house churches one of the three largest Christian groups in the country. In the case of Bangladesh or India, with many hundreds of thousands of house…

• Good morning everyone!

  Andrew Jones

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:15 am

  Good morning everyone. Its a beautiful day, just as David predicted and Bono confirmed. This is the day that the Lord has made. Good morning family of mine. Good morning sexy wife and good morning kids who had to explain the idea of 'fertilizer' in Farmville to me this morning. I must be getting old. Good morning Matos family who are letting us park on their land. Paulo Matos is the original tattoo artist in Portugal and also the best. And a wonderful host. He is proud of his latest edition which you read upside down for the full effect. Good morning to my friends gathering at Mission 21, the…

• Antioch Papers

  Andrew Jones

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:45 am

  I told you about the Antioch Gathering a few weeks ago in Turkey. Guy Muse has compiled a number of papers and reports from the meeting. Happy reading.

• Red-Eye Shift at a 24-7 Prayer Room

  Andrew Jones

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:19 am

  Our family took the red-eye shift at the local 24-7 Prayer room on Saturday night. We tagged teamed all night until 6 in the morning. Our kids slept in their sleeping bags until they were tagged. They did well. And they loved it. A lot more colorful and interactive than the boring prayer meetings I used to attend. Not complaining . . those were good times too. Funny how 24-7 Prayer rooms around the world all look the same. There is always a Bible, a map, coffee or tea, cd player, either paints or pencils, blank paper on the wall with doodlings from previous pray-ers. It was nine years ago…

• the people nobody wants

  Andrew Jones

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:39 am

  "Don't go to start a church . . . go to serve a city. Serve them with love, and if you go after the people nobody wants, you'll end up with the people everbody wants". Steve Sjogren, VCC Cincinnati, from the book The Externally Focused Church[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

• 
  Vintage Faith

• Atlanta - Origins Listening Session this Friday and Youth Specialties

  DanKimball

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:59 am

  I am heading to Atlanta tomorrow to speak at the Youth Specialties Convention. I love, love, love being around youth leaders and always am thrilled to get to interact with those serving with youth. It will be odd as this...

• Trade As One @ Vintage Faith Church II

  DanKimball

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:52 am

  Yesterday we had the Fair Trade Boutique Fair at Vintage Faith Church. It was a Trade As One gift fair that was set up all day in the church building. You can read another article from the local newspaper that...

• Trade As One @ Vintage Faith Church

  DanKimball

  8 Nov 2009 | 5:06 pm

  I taught today in all 3 of our gatherings and as part of our worship gatherings we had Nathan George share about Trade As One and Vintage Faith Church hosting a fair trade boutique. The local newspaper here wrote an...

• The Year Of Living Like Jesus at Vintage Faith Church

  DanKimball

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:59 am

  I first heard of Ed Dobson back in the early 1990's when he was pastor at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was passionate about people outside of the church and was going against the grain of what normal...

• Origins at Outreach Convention in San Diego next week

  DanKimball

  28 Oct 2009 | 8:59 pm

  I rarely am getting time to blog or post things due to just being so full on this fun adventure of spending time with family, all that is happening with Vintage Faith Church, spending time with people outside of church,...

• 
  Albert Mohler's Blog

• The Blur of Gender — Is The New York Times Trying to Tell Us Something?

  Albert Mohler

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:57 am

  Is The New York Times trying to tell us something? Just eleven days after running a story on gender-bending teenagers on the front page of its “Style” section, the paper is back with yet another front page story in the same section, this time on gender-bending young adults. The articles even cite the same psychologist as authority. What’s going on here? On November 8, the paper ran an article, “Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?,” that described cross-dressing among teenagers as a growing phenomenon. Reporter Jan Hoffman explained that “a growing number of…

• When Morality Collapses — The Therapeutic Evasion

  Albert Mohler

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:32 am

  Any civilization requires a stable, rational, and consensual moral framework in order to survive. Western civilization has been built on a framework of Christian morality, with the so-called “Judeo-Christian ethic” providing the moral principles that support laws, ethical reasoning, and moral impulses. Over the past several decades, that framework has been under sustained attack by ideological opponents, subverted by a secular shift among the elites, and increasingly forgotten by the masses. In its place, the moral reasoning mustered by many Americans amounts to a mixture of moral…

• NewsNote: Cartooning the Word — R. Crumb’s “The Book of Genesis”

  Albert Mohler

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:50 am

  In all likelihood, most people would never even imagine a cartoon version of Genesis. Nevertheless, the cartoon version has arrived, and it is attracting no small amount of attention. The Book of Genesis Illustrated is by famed cartoonist R. Crumb. Famous among cartoonists for his work as far back as the 1960s, Crumb has always combined cartoons and a social/political agenda. As David Colton of USA Today explains, Crumb is known for “subversive, turn-of-the-century linework, untamed libido, and obsessive social commentary.” Indeed, Crumb personally attributes aspects of his style…

• Atheism Remix Event at University of Louisville

  Albert Mohler

  16 Nov 2009 | 1:25 am

  I was honored to speak at a special event on the campus of the University of Louisville last night, sponsored by The Campus Church. I spoke on my book, Atheism Remix, in an author forum that brought a capacity crowd to the Red Barn on the UofL campus. I was honored to take part in this event, and to engage in a really productive question and answer session with the audience. I was especially pleased that some atheists attended and participated in the dialogue. The New Atheism demands Christian attention and a Christian response. This was a first-class event, organized by students under the…

• NewsNote: Woof ‘n Worship? Seriously?

  Albert Mohler

  13 Nov 2009 | 2:19 am

  Just for the sake of adequate seriousness, I will resist all temptations to pun. That is no easy resistance in light of the report from the Associated Press about American churches developing special services for congregants and their dogs. The story, reported by Gillian Flaccus, begins with Rev. Tom Eggebeen of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. Faced with an aging and declining congregation, the pastor decided to do something innovative — he started a service for both people and dogs, “Canines at Covenant.” Gillian Flaccus described Eggebeen’s idea:…

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  Without Wax

• Romantic Vampires?

  Pete Wilson

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:12 am

  Listen, I know men are weird. I know you ladies often wonder what in the world attracted you to us in the first place. You wonder… -Why do men always have to buy the biggest and most expensive version of everything? We’re utterly consumed by the latest weed-eater, shopvac, knife, or electronic gadget. -Why do men always think they can fix things? I’m sure women often wonder why we haven’t figured out after a hundred failed attempts this just isn’t our gift. While we can take apart everything from the TV to the garbage disposal, our expertise usually fails us when…

• The Thrill of Trusting

  Pete Wilson

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:21 am

  Few things are as thrilling as having a front row seat to watch people take steps of faith and trust God in new ways.  Here’s just one of many incredible stories from Faith, Hope and Love. Meet Christina. She’s a graduate student who just took one HUGE step of faith. Pete, I wanted to write and not only thank you (and the entire staff at Crosspoint) but also encourage you by letting you know you are not alone in this stepping out in faith. (I’m sure you already know that by the hundreds, maybe thousands that are stepping up…) Tonight was life-changing for me and I…

• My Former Gig

  Pete Wilson

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am

  It seems every generation has a group of these guys who every girl really thinks they want and every guy pretends to hate but really wants to be. I’m asking you to abandon all of your dignity today and answer this life defining question. Whose your favorite boy band of all time? Thanks to Tripp and Jarrett for the photo. As usual, nice work fellas.

• A God We Cannot See

  Pete Wilson

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:21 am

  As a father I feel as if I have the responsibility to teach my boys a lot of different things. Here’s just a few I’ve been thinking of… How to ride a bike. How to shave. How to tie a tie. How to dribble a ball. How to love people you don’t like. How to jump off really high stuff. How to do a push-up. How to understand women. How to treat a woman. But the most important thing I want to teach my boys… How to trust a God they cannot see. This past Sunday I watched hundreds of people make their commitment to Faith, Hope, & Love. Each commitment represented…

• Two Words

  Pete Wilson

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:28 am

  There are two words that for some reason are SO difficult to say. They’re difficult to say to your spouse. They’re difficult to say to your co-workers. They’re difficult to say to your kids. The two words: I’m Sorry. Why are these two words so problematic? One word: Pride There are few words that can change the bearing of a conversation, defuse anger, and convey the kind of healing power those two words can. My guess is there’s at least one person in your life that needs to hear those words roll off your tongue today.

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  22 Words

• Crafty packs of gum: Now I know why I’ve been chewing so much lately.

  Abraham Piper

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:21 am

  Stepping outside and drawing a stick of Extra from its box, I realized the new packaging is subtly reminiscent of cigarettes. Sly.

• 22 evidences that English has been preparing for Twitter for a long time

  Abraham Piper

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:12 am

  etc s/b w/ tho e.g. ergo re: btw fwiw & wanna gotta gonna thru ok 1 2 4 8 Others?

• Where will we not marry or be given in marriage? The new heavens and new earth…and Texas.

  Abraham Piper

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:24 am

  This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage. -The Texas Constitution, Article 1, Section 32(b) (via LL)

• 5 ways subscribers can make bloggers really happy.

  Abraham Piper

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:18 am

  Subscribe (obviously). Read the posts. (I don’t take this for granted.) Click through. Comment. Share posts you like with others. What else?

• 5 ways bloggers can make subscribers really happy.

  Abraham Piper

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:03 am

  Post regularly. Post readably. Always be interesting. Be funny sometimes. Syndicate your whole feed. Readers don’t want to… Read More What else?

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  beauty and depravity

• to mike foster and jud wilhite, and the leaders of zondervan publishing

  Eugene Cho

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:06 am

  Join us in continual prayer for this entire situation (personal thoughts and reflections). We believe we can and will emerge from this – wiser, deeper, and more unified as the body of Christ. Below is a letter we sent out this morning to our brothers, Mike and Jud, and the leaders of Zondervan Publishing. It is [...]

• zondervan’s statement, apology, and actions regarding deadly vipers

  Eugene Cho

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:02 pm

  As many of you know, several Asian-American leaders and I have been in dialogue with both the authors of Deadly Vipers and the publisher, Zondervan, over a controversy I’ve written about here and here. I know that many who have followed along have been frustrated by the [perception] of the  lack of progress and movement [...]

• “love and generosity and…loyalty.”

  Eugene Cho

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pm

  My oldest child is now in middle school and with that comes new adventures as a family. I’m extremely proud of her for many reasons. One reason is because of her creative spirit. Here’s a poem she wrote recently (after we returned from our vacation in Nebraska in late summer). I’m clearly biased but it’s beautiful [...]

• sarah palin, newsweek cover, and sexism?

  Eugene Cho

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:44 pm

  Sarah Palin is all over the news – just like she wants. And before you criticize her, she and her team have a strategy and they’re implementing it well to ensure that her persona is before the American public until the next Presidential election. Like her or not, get used to seeing and hearing much [...]

• we should all learn to bow like obama

  Eugene Cho

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pm

  Dear Americans, What is wrong with us? So, President Obama bows in respect to the Japanese emperor during his recent visit to Japan and the next thing you know, all kind of crazy, nonsensical, and ridunkulous statements are flung through the newspapers, blogosphere, radio shows, and chit chats. What exactly is wrong with the image above? What are your [...]

• 
  Wrecked for the Ordinary

• The Risk of Love in Africa

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Every day in Swaziland was a reminder of what true faith is. I would meet thirsty, hungry, lonely people who worshiped God, praised God, and gave him all the glory. Always. They sang. They danced. They smiled, even in the midst of extreme pain. One thing was certain: God is good, and they were faithful.   In the midst of all this faith, I was reading a section in the book Crazy Love about faith and risk. Author Francis Chan asks a bold question, "What are you doing right now that required faith?" In America, we are obsessed with safety. We love insurance, saving accounts, seat belts, you…

• To the Givers, this Holiday Season

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Here come the holidays. I've already got my Thanksgiving plans made, including where I am going and what I am cooking.  I'm working out what to do at Christmas. Some people I know already have their trees up and decorated.  Others are ticking off how many gift-buying days remain. A lady told me the other day that she's already done shopping and wrapping. Wow. With the holidays comes that special wave of giving.  This is, for me, what helps to offset the shopping frenzy and the multitude of things attached to Christmas that have nothing to do with Christ at all:  in the…

• Abiding: A Poem

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Abiding The branch, hanging low and proud on the tree, Stays connected somehow. Such a lifestyle is tangible, to say the least. You can look right at it and see the joint. And the tree, rising tall and steady, Stays connected to the earth, Into which it has sunk its roots deeply. And this connection too, Is a tangible one, One that eyes can turn toward     and see. And the earth, low and dirty, Is connected to every living thing, Finding life within it and upon it. Though this particular connection, This thing we so vaguely call gravity, Is slightly less visible, It is no less…

• Resolutions from the Unemployment Line

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  This past Friday, I joined the ranks of the unemployed when the shelter where I worked did some downsizing.  I had never been laid off before; that meeting was short, to the point, and absent the drama one might imagine.  Driving home that afternoon, I texted my kids.  "On my way home. Unemployed. God is good." The "God is good" was not so much a celebration (who celebrates losing a job?) as a reminder to myself:  the One who has carried me through to this point has not suddenly decided to drop me on my head.  In the days and nights since then, He has reminded me of…

• Tribes: Leaving Christianity as a Destination

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  You make your way through the long checkout and hand over the goods and use your medium of exchange to purchase some snacks for tonights' game. You communicate by using the language of the tribe. You use the tools of the tribe, like the bags they use to carry the goods. In that moment, you are a part of their tribe. The tribe of Wal-Mart.   You go to a football game and people in this tribe use screaming as part of their tribal language. They raise their hands. They buy beer. They hug people they don't know. But for those in the tribe, this is not odd behaviour. Its expected…

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  Kary Oberbrunner : Recovering Pharisee

• Free E-Book on Fasting for you.

  Kary Oberbrunner

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:23 am

  A few of you have asked how the 12 month fast is going? The answer. Amazing. Be blessed by an E-book written and donated by Natalie Crawley, one of the people from our online community doing the 12 month fast. Click here to enjoy. May you and God grow together through this forgotten spiritual practice.

• I hate “lay people”

  Kary Oberbrunner

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:05 pm

  “Lay people.” I hate the term. As if a few of us are ministers while the rest are second class Christians. The Bible doesn’t read that way. And it was never God’s heart…this clergy/laity divide. You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:5-9…

• Author discount extended to you for a limited time. Christmas gifts here we come.

  Kary Oberbrunner

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:52 am

  Some of you lead organizations, youth groups, churches, businesses, schools, and small groups. Christmas is coming and so is the season of gift giving. I wanted to pass on my author discount to you for a couple of my books. Of course you can buy them on Amazon for a few bucks off. Or you can buy a case of The Journey Towards Relevance or Called through me and get a  huge savings. I will even throw in free shipping too (free shipping offer inside the US only). If you buy a case of JTR you get 75% off of retail. (64 books to a case. Retail at $13.99 each. You get them for $3.49 each). If you…

• My trip to Toronto: Tim Horton’s, TWLOHA, Canadian Youth Network, & more

  Kary Oberbrunner

  15 Nov 2009 | 7:07 pm

  Last month I flew to Toronto to speak at The Change Conference (blog here). Dale Winder and John Latta (two super cool guys) of Canadian Youth Network (a super cool ministry) invited me to come speak to a crowd of student leaders. I accepted the invite because I believe in students who are willing to receive training in order to lead their friends to a closer relationship with Jesus. It’s funny how I went to bless others and in the process I felt like the one being blessed. A few things stuck out to me about the trip: I met many other ministry-minded people. I’ll be honest. I…

• You are the Story…How do you Read?

  Kary Oberbrunner

  13 Nov 2009 | 11:45 am

  Gearing up for the talk on Sunday at church. The title is: You are the Story The concept is from 2 Corinthians 3:2-3: You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.  This verse is probably review for you.  What probably isn’t review = Simchat Torah. Simchat Torah—meaning “Joy of the Torah” is celebrated on 22nd Tishrei, the day after the end of Tabernacles, and marks the…

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  Ligonier Ministries Blog

• Our Great High Priest in Hebrews: The Son Greater than the Angels (pt. 2)

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:50 am

  (Read Part I) How is it that we saints persevere in the faith? The grace of perseverance becomes ours as we receive and rest upon Christ alone as He is presented to us in the Word. According to Heb 1.1-3, He is the Son greater than the prophets of old. But there is a second answer to our question in Heb 1.4-2.18: our great high priest is the Son who is greater than the angels. The angels come before us in Hebrews in two capacities: 1) as heavenly messengers who delivered the old covenant revelation at Sinai (2.2); and 2) as post-fall guardians of access to God's presence, initially in Eden's…

• Our Great High Priest in Hebrews: The Son Greater than the Prophets (pt. 1)

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:10 am

  How is it that the saints persevere in the faith? The author of Hebrews says that our perseverance against the temptations to sin amidst our present sufferings is traceable, in part, to the depth of our appreciation for the surpassing greatness of Christ our high priest. In other words, receiving and resting upon Christ our great high priest alone, as He is presented in the Word, is a means by which the grace of perseverance comes to us His people. In this three-part series, we hope to grow in our knowledge of the glory of Christ our high priest from the letter to Hebrews and, in turn, to…

• Music of the Season

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am

  Celebrate the incarnation of the Son of God with these glorious sounds of Christmas. Listen to various orchestras, choirs, instrumentalists, and soloists perform Christmas hymns and songs arranged by talented composers from around the world. Let the reverence of these classical collections bring you to a greater appreciation of God's drama of redemption.The Word Became Flesh by Dan & Heidi GoellerThis album is a musical interpretation and celebration of the incarnation of the Son of God. The biblical narrative from creation through the fall to redemption is retold as familiar hymns,…

• Doctrine Applied

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  On a dark Friday afternoon two thousand years ago, an itinerant preacher and miracle worker hung on a Roman cross just outside the ancient city of Jerusalem. A small crowd gathered to observe the agonizing death of this man who, with His claim to be the very Lord of the universe, had aroused the ire of the temple authorities. Many in this crowd believed that they were doing a service to God and country by executing this popular teacher. Others remained bewildered that the one they called Messiah was suffering a death reserved only for the worst of criminals. Neither friend nor foe understood…

• Doctrine of God: Recommended Reading

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:05 am

  Does God exist, and if so, what is He like? Has God revealed Himself, and can we know Him? The answers to these perennial questions are vitally important for every human being to understand. Since the time of creation, believers have contemplated the nature and attributes of God, not in order that they may merely know more about God, but that they may know God Himself. There are a number of good books on the doctrine of God. The following are among the best.Theology ProperStephen Charnock -- The Existence and Attributes of God (1682) This classic Puritan work is a goldmine of wisdom and…

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  Ransomed Heart Blog

• My how God has changed!

  Craig McConnell

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:56 pm

  I’ve been reading through 35 years of my journaling. My how I’ve changed. My how God has changed! Now, of course God hasn’t changed, but a boat load of my beliefs about Him sure have. Over the course of a Christ-follower’s life long journey any beliefs he has about God that are beneath Him (God) will be dismantled and discarded. Dismantled by God.  Discarded by us.  After all, the Author and Perfector of our faith desires truth in our inner most being, and we, who are children of light cannot coexist with darkness once it’s been exposed. It actually takes a herculean effort to…

• It Was Ugly

  Craig McConnell

  29 Oct 2009 | 8:54 am

  I’m sitting at Gate B-42 waiting, as usual, for a United flight that’s been delayed four times since its scheduled time of departure over two hours ago. I’m among a crowd that is slowly morphing into a mob. The businessman seated one “Friendly-Skies”-blue vinyl seat over, gets up and for the third time approaches the Customer Service rep at the gate counter. And with three well enunciated words he un-corks vicariously venting for all 150 of us. Less than 10 seconds into his diatribe he crossed the line as our warrior-poet-representative and became a caricature/cartoon of a…

• 7 Iron Bliss

  Craig McConnell

  25 Oct 2009 | 5:47 pm

  Okay… who’s been praying for my golf swing? Thank you! When our close friend’s son asked our daughter, Meagan, to marry him we were elated. As the Wedding Week was being planned several rounds of Golf were on the docket. I’d never had any interest in shagging a ball around for 4-6 hours; however, realizing this was an opportunity to spend time with them zipping around in a golf cart while engaged in a competitive sport that involved skill, grace, jawboning and a beer afterward I decided to take it up. So, the humiliating process of learning to “play” began. It’s been a year and…

• Distraction

  Craig McConnell

  14 Oct 2009 | 9:27 pm

  “Hutchison's Law: Any occurrence requiring undivided attention will be accompanied by a compelling distraction.” – Robert Bloch   This is now the fourth afternoon I’ve sat down to scribble out a bit of all that’s unfolding before me to no avail. There’s a gumbo of fresh thoughts simmering around in my heart and head that I’d love to put out there on paper… (such as):  … there is a joy rooted in objective truth that desperate circumstances cannot alter. … what we actually mean when we say that “Marriage” is hard. … my love of naps. … the grief…

• Wrong Room?

  Craig McConnell

  1 Oct 2009 | 6:28 am

  Last night must have been a blue moon for this morning I went onto Facebook to peruse the status of my friends. A young friend posted: Thomas wishes that when he ran into a room and started dancing that other people would get up and dance. and not just sit and stare. ya. One of Thomas’s friends commented quickly: maybe you're running into the wrong rooms I didn’t read another line. I’m pausing still... God why does this grab me? Maybe we’re running into the wrong rooms/churches/small groups/relationships... Don’t stop dancing! – Craig McConnell

• 
  John Eldredge

• imotives 2: things I would not be caught dead doing

  John Eldredge

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:57 am

  singing onstage before a live audience getting a pedicure wearing a clown suit to the next Wild at Heart retreat having my personal journals read aloud at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention yodeling on Oprah in a tutu There are certain things that simply strike fear into our hearts when we given them even a passing thought. The fear is gut level. It has nothing to do with what is rational. It is primal. You have your list, and I have mine. Just to make sure you are tracking with me, jot a few down. Begin your list. “You could never pay me to…” fill in the blank. Wear your…

• i Motive

  John Eldredge

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:14 am

  Most of you have probably seen by now the commercials comparing the Mac to the PC. “Hello. I’m a Mac.” “And I’m a PC.” (If you haven’t, you can watch them on the Apple website.) They are funny; they are clever; and they are absolutely brilliant. The Mac is hip, laid-back, dressed for the times, tolerant, “authentic,” the ultimate postmodern. The PC is awkward, dressed for the office climate of the 50’s, goofy, overweight, fumbling, and clearly not authentic. C’mon now, admit it – you want to be the Mac. Even if you don’t own a Mac or ever care to own a Mac, in that…

• Our New Website is Up!

  John Eldredge

  14 Oct 2009 | 9:59 am

  Have you noticed – things always seem to take longer than you expect (and certainly longer than I ever want). But finally we are getting to release some new great stuff out of Ransomed Heart I think you’re going to love. First, check out our new website! We’ve been working on it for some time now, and though this is a “soft” launch (we have a number of new pieces yet to come) we are really excited about it. Some of the new things you’ll want to notice are:Love and War! Stasi and I wrote a marriage book (yikes) that releases December 15. Friends who have had a sneak peek tell us…

• Memory

  John Eldredge

  28 Sep 2009 | 3:02 pm

  One of my favorite quotes comes from Nathaniel Hawthorne: “Our Creator would never have made such lovely days and given us the deep hearts to enjoy them, above and beyond all thought, unless we were meant to be immortal.” I love it for a couple of reasons. One, it reminds me that the beauty of the earth and the golden days we do experience are gifts from a loving God, telling us what his heart is like. It also helps me with the dilemma of “but why do they pass so quickly?”I have a photo on my cell phone. It is an evening shot of the Tetons, taken during our summer vacation this past…

• Epic and Intimate

  John Eldredge

  18 Jul 2009 | 11:37 am

  I have been thinking about the Christian life, and my own life, thinking about the essential themes, experiences and needs, and I have landed on these two words to describe it: Epic and Intimate. Somehow these resonate deeply as the core of life with God.   As I thought about this, I remembered something that happened more than ten years ago, when my best friend Brent was killed in a climbing accident. I went to the mountains to seek solace, and solitude, beauty, and time with God. I was high in the Holy Cross wilderness, surrounded by majestic peaks and valleys. But the grandeur –…

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  Geoffrey Janes

• Children's Wing Video Tour

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pm

  Things are really coming along in the Children's Wing! Check out the video tour. We should be in within a couple of weeks!Children's Wing Video Tour from Geoffrey Janes on Vimeo.

• What's Your Excuse?

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  I am reading through Matthew. I got to chapter 8 last week, and read the story of the man who wanted to follow Jesus: 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 21 Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22 And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." - Matthew 8:19-22At first glance, Jesus sounds like a cold, mean grouch when he tells this man to…

• Celebrate Recovery

  11 Nov 2009 | 5:17 am

  Last night I had the honor of visiting our Celebrate Recovery ministry here at Southbrook Church. Wow! They have something special happening there! We enjoyed a spaghetti dinner at 5:30. I enjoyed spending time with people there.Nathan and Jennifer Campbell lead this group. I am so proud of them. They came to me a couple of years ago...they needed some help and guidance. We met a few times, worked on some things, and now here we are two years later. They are leading a vibrant ministry. It was a joy to see them working together as a team to pull off the entire evening.I stayed to hear Chad…

• Clean My Temple

  9 Nov 2009 | 12:37 pm

  Saturday we observed 24 hours of prayer for our church. From midnight to midnight people came to church in 30 minute shifts to cover our church and our community with prayer. It was a special time. It was awesome to be reminded throughout the day that someone right now was at church praying. Very cool.As I was taking my turn, I opened my Bible to the book of John. We've been studying John on Sunday mornings. When I got to chapter 2 I read about Jesus cleaning out the temple. It says that he made a whip of cords, and then went on a rampage, turning over tables, pouring out money, chasing…

• Monroe Campus - Some Thoughts

  4 Nov 2009 | 1:46 pm

  It's been one year since Pastor Rob twisted my arm and made me take on the campus pastor job in Monroe. And I haven't regretted it for one minute! I have to say I wasn't to sure about this whole campus pastor thing. I can also say we still have a lot of figuring out to do. We are exploring new territory. And we are seeing God use the people at Southbrook in amazing ways.I meet once a month with our ministry team leaders. We don't have any paid staff at the Monroe campus yet (besides me). But we have some super-committed volunteers, and as far as I am concerned, they are staff. At our last…

• 
  Good News Magazine

• GN Video Commentary: Bend But Don't Break

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:41 am

  The next time you experience one of those difficult times that take you close to your breaking point, remember the bamboo: bend but don't break.

• Commentary: "Acts of God"

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:55 am

  There is a substantial error in the common use of the term "acts of God." Why?

• This is the Way: Out of the Frying Pan...

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:54 am

  There is an old saying that fits foolish people: "Out of the frying pan, into the fire." The actions of an impulsive, non-thinking person fit this statement. All too often in life we think we are escaping one predicament only to put ourselves into another one—one that is worse. Peter explained that some had escaped the corruption of the world only to be entangled again and more deeply (2 Peter 2:20). Advisers in money matters often find that once people get their house in order, they go right ahead and slip into a mess again. It seems our guard is lowered. The most dangerous time seems…

• Archived Article: Extraterrestrial Life: What Does the Bible Say?

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:46 pm

  Humans have long searched the heavens for signs of other life. Is there life out there? Is there a way to know for sure?

• This is the Way: Open Your Heart

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:09 am

  “The human heart, at whatever age, opens only to the heart that opens in return,” stated Maria Edgeworth, a 19th-centurty writer. And certainly we have each experienced, from others or within ourselves, a closed heart. It is difficult to remain open because of the trust that is required from both sides. This element of trust we must have toward our fellow man is an important lesson and challenge we all face. Our life is built on trust in many small ways. Opening up to someone is one way to practice the trust we must feel for God and Christ. To open one’s heart does not mean…

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  Kitchen of Half-Baked Thoughts

• The letter to Ephesus: To the conqueror

  Tim Archer

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Each of the seven letters ends with a promise to the one who “overcomes.” What does it mean to “overcome” in the book of Revelation? We can go back to the throne room scene in Revelation 5 to get the answer to that question. When John is weeping because no one is worthy of opening the scroll, he is told: “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed (overcome). He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” The word is the same in Revelation 5 as it is in the letters to the seven churches. Christians are being called to overcome as Jesus…

• The letter to Ephesus: A love lost

  Tim Archer

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  The Ephesian church was told by Paul in Acts 20 that they would be troubled by false teachers, some of them arising from within the church itself. Paul wrote to Timothy (who was ministering in Ephesus) and spoke to him time and again about the false teachers that were and would be attacking the church (1 Timothy 1:3; 4:1; 6:3-5; 6:20-21; 2 Timothy 2:14-17; 3:1-5; 3:12-13; 4:3-4). Apparently the church paid attention, for Jesus lauds them for their resistance to false teaching. But he has a criticism. In Letters From The Lamb I wrote: Jesus recognizes that the Ephesian church is a hardworking,…

• The letter to Ephesus: Compromise on the horizon

  Tim Archer

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  The first letter in Revelation chapter 2 is the letter to the church in Ephesus. Ephesus competed with Pergamum and Smyrna for the bragging rights as most important city in the province of Asia. It was also a center for emperor worship. In our book, I wrote: The emperor cult was prominent in Ephesus during the first century. Archaeologists have unearthed an especially large temple to Domitian, the emperor who banished John to Patmos. The temple was designed to establish Ephesus as the world center of worship for Domitian, featuring a 27-foot-tall statue of the emperor which was visible by all…

• The faithful witness

  Tim Archer

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  I want to take some time to share some thoughts on the first few chapters of Revelation. With our book hot off the press (I’m hoping to see a copy in the next few days), I decided it was a good time to explore some of the topics we looked at there. One key theme in Revelation is that of the faithful witness. In Revelation 1:5 we read: “from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” (Revelation 1:5) In looking at this verse in our book, I wrote: In verse 5, John speaks of “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn…

• Thief in the night

  Tim Archer

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Years ago, Dr. Arlie Hoover spoke at the chapel at the Missions Seminar at ACU. He used an illustration from Søren Kierkegaard that really stayed with me. I’ve tried for years to find the original citation, but have not been able to find it. Anyway, the illustration goes something like this: A thief broke into a store at night. Instead of stealing anything, however, he merely changed the prices. What was expensive became cheap; what was inexpensive became costly. That, Kierkegaard said, is exactly what Jesus did. He came and changed all the world’s priorities. First shall be…

• 
  Godvertiser.com

• Your Message Is Certainly Interesting. Too Bad No One Ever Reads Your Boring Looking Flyers.

  godvertiser

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:46 pm

  People connect visually before they consume the content they are presented.  If it is engaging even before they come into focus with the words on the page, you have a higher chance of gaining and keeping someone’s attention. But an all-text flyer with 5 different fonts in 4 different font sizes doesn’t really count. One of the easiest ways to raise the bar in your ministry’s communications is to use stock photography and other graphics that are of professional quality.  So illustrations, photography and other graphics is something I regularly try to use in all my…

• Twitteratti Tuesday: Free Christian Twitter Background #5

  godvertiser

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:22 pm

  I just love this week’s free Twitter Christian Backdrop download graphic. Take it and post it now to share in the joy! When the Free Christian Twitter Background Series started on Godvertiser (new free twitbacks available here on Tuesdays!), I didn’t think it would be this much fun! I love J.C. And so should you! FREE CHRISTIAN TWITTER BACKGROUND DOWNLOAD LINK How to upload a custom background to your Twitter account: Log in In top navigation bar, click Settings (or go to http://twitter.com/account/settings) Click the last settings tab, Design Select a template, change your text…

• Is Holy Water Not Holy Enough That It Needs To Be Sanitized?

  BuddyCueto65

  12 Nov 2009 | 9:52 am

  In the Catholic faith, it is customary to enter the church and then dip your fingers in the Holy Water made available up front and then make the sign of the cross. It is a reminder of the baptism that one has made into the church body. Even though the Holy Water is not meant to be injested, some churches are taking the fears of the times into consideration. Here, the pesky old H1N1 fears have taken hold today. Check out this invention: sanitized Holy Water dispensers . . . But can HOLY water be sanitized? Does sanitization change the nature of the Holy Water — as transubstantiation does…

• Twitteratti Tuesday: Free Christian Twitter Background #4

  BuddyCueto65

  9 Nov 2009 | 11:22 pm

  As in most other parts of life, Christians are embracing Twitter. There are thousands of notable Christians using Twitter to wield their influence in the digital environment. Just as there are a plentitude of ways of expressing your faith in the offline world, Christian themed Twitter backgrounds is one of the ways some people are doing it online. Here’s our weekly dose of a free Christian Twitter Background from our free download series. Remember every week, we’re giving away a free Xtian Twitback design till the end of the year (if not beyond). Like this week’s Twitter…

• If Prayer Works Here, Imagine Its Effects In Your Mininstry

  godvertiser

  4 Nov 2009 | 9:59 am

  There are some people that are just gifted as prayer warriors. Don’t underestimate the power of prayer. It works — even in situations where you don’t usually associate prayer with. This video showcases just how powerful prayer can be. The gift this woman had was to have a faith life which allowed her to default to prayer. How many of us can say the same thing about our confidence in the same situation? Her faith and dependence on prayer assumedly reflects the strength of her spiritual faith. But that doesn’t get the rest of us off the hook! Just imagine what else…

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  Going to Seminary

• Logos Bible Software Launches Logos 4

  W. Ryan Burns

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Big news in Bible software today: Logos Bible Software has announced the release of the newest version of Logos Bible Software, Logos 4. I’ve had my hands on the Beta version for several months and, let me just say, it is amazing. With far too many upgrades, features, and resources to cover in a single post, you can visit www.logos.com/4 to see what Logos 4 can do for you. If you’re already a Logos users, be sure to check out the amazing crossgrade and upgrade options available for you. All the base packages have new books added to them and there are even some new levels that…

• Google Wave invite

  Brian Schmitt

  14 Oct 2009 | 9:27 am

  We were fortunate enough to get a Google Wave invite yesterday. And, we have so few friends that were interested in Wave we didn’t give all our “nominations” (read invites) away yet. If you would like to get nominated for a Google Wave account post your crazy idea for how it could be used in ministry. Then be sure to vote on the ideas you like the best by replying to that person’s comment. The winner will be nominated for a Wave account. If you’re asking what Wave is:

• Academic and Devotional Reading: A False Distinction!?!

  Stephen Hess

  11 Oct 2009 | 5:22 pm

  I am assuming that if you were given any advice upon entering seminary, this phrase may have come out: “guard your devotional time with the Lord!” I am not writing to suggest that this is poor advice by any means. It is great advice! Yet, I am wondering whether or not our notion of “devotional time” is too narrow? Are we not constantly communing with the Lord when we open up His Word?  He is now speaking to us through His Word and through His people when rightly handling the word of truth. Are we aware of Him? Am I? Before starting seminary, I interpreted that advice…

• Review: The New International Commentary for Logos

  W. Ryan Burns

  8 Oct 2009 | 9:26 pm

  NIC on the Old and New Testament My first real introduction to the New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament (NIC)  was in Dr. Kistamaker’s class on the Epistle to the Hebrews. The assigned reading for the class was, compared to my others, quite light. We were to read Hebrews, FF Bruce’s Epistle to the Hebrews from the NIC, and one other commentary. I thoroughly enjoyed Bruce’s commentary as it was very approachable, yet technical when it needed to be. Over the course of my seminary days I added a few more NIC volumes to my library, and was always happy with…

• Picking a Seminary

  Joel M. Usina

  29 Sep 2009 | 7:01 pm

  I am a second year student at Campbell University Divinity School. Campbell is embedded deep within the Baptist denomination. It is affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, the Baptist World Alliance, and is also a partnering institution with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). Too bad I’m not Baptist. “Why then are you going to Campbell?” you might ask. Good question. Let me share some reasons that were not a part of my decision to continue my education here and at the same time share some reasons that did influence this decision. First, I did not come…

• 
  Live A Revolution... Every Day

• Little Mo Mo's Pledge

  Todd Ruth

  9 Nov 2009 | 4:08 pm

• Falling Down and Squeezing It's Guts Out! Pumpkin Fun!

  Todd Ruth

  25 Oct 2009 | 5:52 pm

  Here's the latest video of our yearly family pumpkin carving event. It's full of near blood and guts.

• The Dancing Mo

  Todd Ruth

  24 Oct 2009 | 8:37 am

• More Than Genes

  Todd Ruth

  16 Oct 2009 | 12:54 pm

  When I was growing up, my mom and dad constantly reminded me that I was setting the stage for my brothers in school. They reminded me that as the oldest, the reputation I had in school would be renembered by my teachers and passed down to my brothers. Check this out: "I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you." 2Timothy 1:5 So here's the question... What are you leaving behind for your kids? Do you want them to share the reputation you have in each area of your…

• I Can't Shake It... Changing My Thinking

  Todd Ruth

  13 Oct 2009 | 2:03 pm

  I can't shake a phrase that Paul wrote in 1 Timmy 3:15: ..."This is the church of the living God..." "... the church of the LIVING GOD..." If you believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, you belong to the church of the LIVING GOD. If you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ, you ARE the church of the LIVING GOD. The LIVING GOD who conquered death. The LIVING GOD who raised the dead. The LIVING GOD who healed the sick. The LIVING GOD who conquered sin. What are you struggling with right now? We each have them. Some are bigger than others. But none is bigger than the LIVING GOD.

• 
  Food for the Body, Mind & Soul

• God Gave me the Opportunity.....

  Ms. Salubrious

  25 Oct 2009 | 7:47 pm

  A woman with the nicknames: Ma-ha, Slugger Maroo, Princess, Asbestos Mouth? You may be thinking that people must REALLY disliked her. In all actuality, all these names were given to my Grams out of love. You see, my Grams was the type of person that would just 'grin & bare it'. In other words, a real even-keel individual that you take for granted will be there for you whenever you need her. But, then life gets busy and you tend to overlook keeping atop of those times....... I never quite grasped how fast the time would fly between these two pictures, until the time was no longer…

• Like a Thief in the Night.....

  Ms. Salubrious

  22 Oct 2009 | 6:36 am

  PLEASE PAUSE MUSIC PLAYER INTHE RIGHT COLUMN, BELOW to hear this video! Thank You!!Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be…

• My Grams

  Ms. Salubrious

  9 Oct 2009 | 8:16 pm

  In the past I have always been uncomfortable in discussing death and thinking about death......God is changing me in this respect. He has broken away my inhibitions by completely submerging me in the concept. I have dealt with 2 close deaths so far this year, and will be sadly expecting another one shortly. My mom's mom in January, you can read the full story here: Grandma Has Left Us . The next, quite interestingly, someone whom I had never met, read it here: God's Baby . My third one I'm mournfully anticipating is one of a woman whom I greatly admire, respect and love: My dad's…

• Blessed Be Your Name

  Ms. Salubrious

  6 Oct 2009 | 6:18 pm

  PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO PAUSE THE MUSIC PLAYER, IN THE RIGHT COLUMN, TO HEAR THE VIDEO.I'm sure we could easily find excuses to seperate us from our Savior.....excuses that give rationalization for us not having to submit to Him. Excuses such as cancer, unemployment, infertility, drug & alcohol addictions, depression, disbelief, loss of loved ones, and broken relationships to name a few. Many of us 'deal with' some form of "possible" daily barriers such as these. Barriers to happiness, barriers to God. But what some people have figured out, is that these "barriers" can instead become…

• So You Have The FLU...Now What Do You Do?

  Ms. Salubrious

  4 Oct 2009 | 11:28 am

  PRODUCTS that I would personally take if I came down with Flu symptoms are listed below. It is probably a worthwhile idea to take MORE things to raise the immune system than LESS....simply because the more varied support your body receives, the better it will be able to fight off the invading virus. Some of these are things to be taking regularly beforehand as a preventative, read more in this BLOG posting: Why do People opt out of the Flu Shot & What is Virus Shedding? Natural Fighters include:Vitamin D3 --between 10,000 IU's -15,000 IU's /day for the duration of the illness, then…

• 
  orange county pastor

• What Would You Do with $300K for the Kingdom of God?

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:54 pm

  This was a hypothetical question I was recently posed...What would I do with 300,000 dollars to further local outreach in Orange County, Ca?The possibilities are endless!!!What would you do in Orange County or in your city with 300k?

• What to give thanks for when there feels like there is nothing to be thankful for

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:42 am

  Most of us will be asked what we are thankful for in the coming week.If you have had a difficult year, this task may be exercise in discouragment.The cool thing is if you are believer in Jesus Christ you always have a reason to be thankful not matter your circumstances.Psalm 7 reminds us that no matter what we can be thankful for God and his character:"I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High." Psalm 7:17

• Have a Free 49 Minutes?

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:42 am

  Download my sermon from last Sunday at Calvary,"What Should The Church Be Known For? (1 Timothy 5:1-16)I really enjoyed the sweet agony of preaching Sunday.It was sweet, because it is such a huge honor to teach God's word from the Bible to others.It was agony because I wrestled with the text for over 6 weeks, begging God for insight, writing and re-writing my sermon notes over and over, practing late into the night and not being able to sleep the night before because of nerves!To listen to the podcast, go HERE.

• Missing From The NIV Bible: 49 Verses!

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:04 pm

  Many have objected to the New International Version translation of the Bible over the years because of this eye catching stat. 49 verses found in older English translations such as the King James Version are completely missing from the NIV version. This has led some to jokingly refer to the NIV as the "Nearly Inspired Version" of the Bible (Nerdy Pastor Joke). So what gives? Does the NIV have some agenda no one is acknowledging?I came across an excellent blog post by Matt Dabbs (I like his name) from 2008.Read his thoughts below:=================================================="I always…

• Orange County Car Theft Victim: I Want My Bible Back!

  10 Nov 2009 | 11:28 pm

  I came across an interesting article today in our local paper, the Orange County Register:FULLERTON – Insurance agent Henry Jones, whose car was stolen Sunday in front of his downtown office, has posted a $1,500 reward. Not so much for the car, but for the safe return of a beloved Bible he shared with his wifethe couple shared.Jones said it's not the loss of his 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid that's disconcerting."It means the world to me," Jones said of the Bible he and his late wife, Vi, read together during their married life and on trips around the world.His wife died Aug. 31 after a…

• 
  The Blogging Muse

• You No Longer Have to Go To Church: Church Online is All You Need???

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:20 pm

  Last week there was quite a buzz around the internet social networks about a statement made by a well known pastor at a church leadership conference. He stated that they should focus on building a online church community rather than a brick and mortar church. He stated that it is not necessary for people to attend a church, that being part of a “online church” is all that one needs as a Christian. That being part of a body as to in person, gather to gather face to face is not needed. That pastors should be moving from a live congregation to a virtual online congregation, church only.

• Lighthouse Church of All Nations gives away $1000 in cash prizes fill pews every Sunday

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:10 am

  “At each of the three Sunday services, the Rev. Dan Willis of the Lighthouse Church of All Nations, in Alsip, IL. Pulls a number of one seat from a bag and the worshiper in that seat wins a cash prize. Two of the churchgoers win $250 and the third gets $500. The church gives away $1,000 each Sunday, Willis said. Willis concedes the cash prize is a gimmick to fill the pews.” This is wrong in so many ways to me, the Spirit in me was grieved when I read this, but I guess when you run church as a for profit business, spending a $1000 on marketing, gaining you $10,000 in new income (tithes)…

• 1.5 million evangelical Christians join Brazil’s "March for Jesus"

  3 Nov 2009 | 6:08 am

  An estimated 1.5 million evangelical Christians joined Brazil’s annual "March for Jesus" on Monday in Sao Paulp, Brazil, an event sponsored by a church whose leaders recently returned after being imprisoned in the U.S. for money smuggling. Now in its 17th year, the march unites faithful from hundreds of evangelical churches and attracts dozens of Christian bands, preachers and local celebrities. It is organized by the powerful Reborn in Christ Church, whose leaders said they had hoped to draw 5 million people to gather around a central Sao Paulo plaza where the main stage was…

• 2,000 Chinese children have been rescued by police in war against human trafficking.

  28 Oct 2009 | 8:44 am

  In a victory in the war against human trafficking Chinese police have found 2,008 children, ranging from babies to young adults, who were kidnapped from their families. Hundreds of arrests have also been made and 42 suspects were detained last week for allegedly selling 52 children in the north of China. In China’s patriarchal society, baby boys are especially prized, sometimes selling for as much as $6,000 (£3,670), says the BBC’s Quentin Sommerville in Beijing. Girls are sometimes sold for just $500 (£305), he says. Human traffickers also kidnap girls in order to sell them as…

• The Geneva Push? Yet another church planting movement.

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:14 am

  Yes, there is a new a church planting movement, this one in Australia called The Geneva Push? (news story here). I do not quite get the name, what does the name Geneva have to do with Australia anyway, when I saw the name I immediately thought of Geneva Switzerland, as I’m sure most people did. With that said, I must protest, Another church planting movement? I think we have to many now, all I have to say about them is enough, stop already. Speaking as one who has been part of a couple of them, we do not need them, they are just excuses to do nothing. To set around and talk about what we…

• 
  Trinity Presbyterian Church Podcast

• Teach Them Diligently

  Pastor Reid Hankins

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:41 pm

  Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 6 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 11/15/2009 in Novato, CA. Manuscript: Teach Them Diligently

• Oh That They Had Such a Heart

  Pastor Reid Hankins

  8 Nov 2009 | 11:20 pm

  Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 5:22-33 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 11/08/2009 in Novato, CA. Manuscript: Oh That They Had Such a Heart

• Bible Survey – Leviticus

  Pastor Reid Hankins

  8 Nov 2009 | 11:18 pm

  Adult Sunday School continued a Bible Survey class led by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 11/08/2009 in Novato, CA.  This week we surveyed the book of Leviticus.

• Loving Your Neighbor in Thought, Word, and Deed

  Pastor Reid Hankins

  1 Nov 2009 | 3:30 pm

  Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 5:19-22 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 11/01/2009 in Novato, CA. Manuscript: Loving Your Neighbor in Thought, Word, and Deed

• Bible Survey – Exodus

  Pastor Reid Hankins

  1 Nov 2009 | 3:22 pm

  Adult Sunday School continued a Bible Survey class led by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 11/01/2009 in Novato, CA.  This week we surveyed the book of Exodus.

• 
  Vision Baptist

• Don’t Be A Turkey

  Trent

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:56 pm

  Join us Tuesday Night at 7:00 pm for our Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner We will be giving thanks for all the blesseings we have been so graciously given from our awesome God! There will be a sign up sheet at the Welcome Center if you would like be part of the volunteer team that will prepare the meal. So don’t be a turkey and join us on Tuesday for a time of giving thanks! This service will take the place of our Thursday night midweek service. You may say I have never attended a service I just read the blog should I come? You may say I have been away from some time but would like…

• Getting God’s Ear

  gardner@bcwe.org

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:45 am

  2Kings 22:19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. God hears the man’s prayer and in this verse He even tells us why He hears and answers his prayer. I will try and put them in an order that would work for us. It started with hearing the Word of God. He found out that God had spoken against the place and the inhabitants. So…

• World Evangelism Today with Travis Snode #1

  davidvelke

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Click on the icon below to listen to today’s interview with Missionary Travis Snode.

• 1st Annual Turkey Bowl

  Trent

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:08 am

  We hope you are making plans to join us this Saturday for the 1st Annual Turkey Bowl! Contrary to popular belief we are not bowling turkeys or seeing how many bowls of turkey we can eat. We will be having a flag football game. The “Old Timers” verses “The Whipper Snappers”. We are suggesting a $5 for watch or play. The Students of Vision will be using the raised funds to show the love of Christ to a family in need this Christmas season! Need to know info: Time: 1 pm – 3 pm (First game starts at 1 pm) Where: The Evans Farm subdivision in Cumming, GA. The field is…

• December Adult Bible Fellowship Series

  Trent

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:47 am

  ADULT BIBLE FELLOWSHIP / DECEMBER SERIES Sundays at 9:30 AM As a church, we are gearing up for our move this December! More important than making sure we have the chairs ready to move, we must make sure we (the people) are ready to make room for God in 2010! We have an exciting and a highly relevant set of teachings we will be going through in December. The people of Vision are more important to us then the chairs of vision! We want to make sure we are ready to move in 2010 in every way God would have for us. December 6th How do we pack all this into one truck? How to make sure there is time…

• 
  Pilgrimage of the Heart

• Why Clip Art Sucks

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  I should have entitled yesterday's post, "Why Clip Art Sucks," instead of the aspirational "Changing the World... One Powerpoint at a Time". That's what I meant to say, any way. That may sound strong or even offensive to you, but here's why I believe it's true.   Clip art sucks, because...   1) It's a lazy way to tell a story. We're all telling stories: with how we interact with people at the bank or in our churches to how we market a product or invite someone to a barbecue.   Everything we do carries with it some kind of implicit of explicit message, and how we communicate it…

• Change the World... One Powerpoint at a Time

  15 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Let me be clear up front. This is more of a "marketing" post than a spiritual one. It's about the messages we share and why visuals are important. If you're looking for a devotional today, you won't find it here. Sorry. If you're interested in stories worth telling and believing, though, read on.   I've seen way too many Powerpoint presentations with awful-looking art in them. I've endured these in business meetings, school reports, motivational speeches, church sermons, and so on.   In fact, this has happened so many times that I feel compelled to write the following letter to…

• Building Community, Jon Acuff Style (Slowly and Honestly)

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Jon Acuff, author of popular satirical blog Stuff Christians Like, wrote on Twitter the other day: "How do you build an online community? The same way you build an offline one. Slowly and honestly." I responded to him in an email, congratulating him on how well he had done this with SCL, and he responded, saying that his blog was about to hit the 1 million unique visitors (note to old school geeks: that doesn't read "hits") mark just a year and a half after it had launched.   Okay, Jon: I don't know how "slowly" that has been, but you've certainly lived up to the "honestly" part.  …

• Welcome to Africa, Friends

  12 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Incredible story from Swaziland by Tiffany Berkowitz, a missionary who is currently on the World Race: I had just sat down on one of the mattresses in the common area of where we live to watch an episode of The Office with some of the girls. I had never seen it before, and thought a little mid-day bonding over popcorn and a show sounded pretty good.   Five minutes into the show, William and Matt walked in the room and asked the question: "Are there any girls who would want to go with Pastor Gift to deliver a baby?"   I think after the initial shock wore off... I jumped up faster…

• Introducing Change In Your Organization

  11 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  "It's not that we don't care; we just know that the fight ain't fair. That's why we're waiting, waiting on the world to change." -John Mayer   Bad advice, John.   Most people I know feel like their work environments are stale, at best. They are places that are unfriendly to creative and innovative thinking. Opposed to change. A few lucky ones actually enjoy the benefits of a workplace that invites and embraces change.   Depending on where you work, innovation may not be always be a good thing. There are certain places where you don't want to be changing things around…

• 
  LifeVesting

• Hanukkah Hams: Game Warden Edition

  Andy Wood

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:22 pm

  Tomorrow gun season begins for deer hunters in my home state.  And what better way to celebrate than with another round of Hanukkah Hams!  In case you’ve missed previous editions, allow me to explain.  Hanukkah Hams are glorious acts of intelligence-gone-south.  Ideas that seemed to make perfectly good sense at the time, but leave you asking, “Huh?  What was I thinking? In honor of my shotgun-totin’ four wheelin’ Bambi-chaser friends in Alabama and beyond, this edition of Hanukkah Hams takes to the woods or the marshes, the fields and even the lakes to remind you – the Second…

• So Send I WHO?

  Andy Wood

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:46 pm

  (Tense Truth:  The perfect truth of the gospel was placed into the hands of a group of people whose lives were a complete mess.  Jesus knew this, but commissioned them anyway.) Picture the scene in that upper room on the day of the Resurrection.  Rumors and testimonies are flying!  A strange mixture of fear, joy, and disbelief.  Suddenly, according to John’s account, the Lord Jesus appears and says, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent me, so I’m sending you” (John 20:21).  Hello and head out!  Victory and a vision.  A Conqueror with a commission.  And now…

• If You’re Asking for Blood, What Can You Give in Return?

  Andy Wood

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:42 am

  Hanging on the wall at the Grace Clinic lab in Lubbock – addressed to people referred to as “patient.” Now that’s refreshing.  To a group of people (and it was a huge group on this day, smack in the middle of flu season) who would probably rather be anywhere else and had precious little time, somebody noticed – and planned to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.  The message:  We recognize you have a life outside what it is we do here. What if we reapplied that idea to other common experiences?  Imagine the signs you may see that reflect tiny investments in…

• I Need an Attorney – I Messed with Texas

  Andy Wood

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:32 am

  “Thank you for calling Killinger, Meeks, and Nowlin.  This is Brenda.  How may I direct your call?” “Hi, Brenda, this is Andy.  I need an attorney.  I’ve been busted.” “I’m sorry to hear that, sir, but I’m sure we can help.  KillMeNow specializes in not being picky at all in who we represent.” “Uh, thanks, I think.” “So I can assist you further, can you tell me why you’re behind bars?” “Well, it’s sort of embarrassing.  You see, I was taking the dog wannabes to the groomer…” “Dog wannabes, sir?” “Yeah – our little Malteses, Gabbi and…

• Dog Tags

  Andy Wood

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:10 am

  For every mother who saw her son off to something benignly called, “deployment,” For every pharmacist, plumber, or school teacher who learned the true meaning of “citizen soldier,” For every sailor who remembers Pearl Harbor, or Marine who stormed Normandy, For every soldier who remembers Fort Hood, Saigon, or Baghdad, For every mechanic who ever rebuilt a helicopter engine, or pilot who left a vapor trail in the name of freedom, For every broken heart, haunted in a cemetery by the last fading notes of “Taps,” For every tri-cornered flag, decorated grave, or salute rendered on…

• 
  Shawn Wood Writes...

• clever

  ShawnWood

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  I am reading  Clever: Leading your smartest most creative people by Goffee and Jones. The book identifies 9 common characteristics of “clever” people and I thought these were especially interesting: 1.  Their cleverness is central to their identity. For clever people what they “do” is rooted deep in their being and not just a job. 6.  They are not impressed by nor do they want to be led by corporate hierarchy. I can see this as a characteristic, but I am not sure it’s a “good” one or one we should accept. Authority is biblical. 9.  They wont…

• Micro sites and Christmas

  ShawnWood

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  want to get the word out about your Christmas service times? get rid of all of the clutter on your current website by going to a micro site for christmas. Check out cloversites for a great place to build one and tell em’ ShawnWoodWrites sent you…

• Pause

  ShawnWood

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  “be still and know that I am God.” God “I was so busy doing for God that I forgot to be with God” Anne Jackson “One of the most important parts of the ideation process that the church often skips is the pause” Carlos Whittaker Seems that God is trying to tell me something in the last few days.  It was something I thought he may be saying to you too… Have you paused today?

• Who should set your standards?

  ShawnWood

  12 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  not you. probably not your staff. definitely not your artists. most likely the most unlikely people that you would never choose. the stay-at-home mom who does not watch the HD channels because she wants to use her whole 4×3 television. the machinist who gets kinda weirded out when you sing worship songs about Jesus touching him and staring into his eyes and giving him a sloppy wet kiss. the 14 year old who knows that what you think is cool is not cool as of 3pm because it was cool yesterday and would rather you just be you anyway than try and be cool because trying to be cool is so not…

• You can’t see it.

  ShawnWood

  11 Nov 2009 | 9:37 am

  Do you evaluate your experiences?  You can’t, you are married to your work. Do you see the little details that are maybe “broken windows” for your organization?  You can’t, you are too connected. Do you realize that you are in a major creative funk?  Probably.  but you have no idea what to do about it. Bring in new eyes. You are blind to your blind spots (thus the name) This past weekend we brought my friend @loswhit to Seacoast – what he saw I could have never seen, what he experiences I could never experience and without the curse of knowledge he was able…

• 
  blog.worship.com

• The Real Islam

  The Editors

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:38 am

  From Boundless: Now it's true that there's a lot more to Islam than you'll glean from the likes of bin Laden. But it's also true that there's a lot more to it than strictly individual, spiritual struggle. What UNC may be trying to tell students about Islam is "hey, there's no reason we can't all just get along." And if that's their message, they're not promoting understanding of Islam so much as they're whitewashing it. Don't get me wrong. I don't think the story of the Middle East is a simple tale of noble Americans and Israelis…

• The Measure of a Man, The Peter Pan Syndrome, and Boys Who Shave: The Problem With Young Christian Men

  The Editors

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:30 pm

  Seattle's Mark Driscoll talks to the typical adolescent-minded twentysomethings and thirtysomethings in the church---and their girlfriends, Moms and wives.  Funny, yes, but sadly all too true.

• Chris Tomlin’s Journey to Bethlehem |

  The Editors

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:36 pm

  Worship Leader Chris Tomlin talks about his first Christmas CD, Journey to Bethlehem, at CCM.

• Message For Those In Ministry

  The Editors

  14 Nov 2009 | 6:44 pm

  Must-hear message from Matt Chandler delivered recently at SBTS to seminary students.  All pastors and aspiring ministers should find time to hear this one.  MP3 available here.

• Former Terrorist: Moderate Islam More Dangerous Than Islamic Fanaticism?

  The Editors

  14 Nov 2009 | 5:31 am

  Grace and Truth to You has posted an inside look at Islam as told by a former leader in the world's largest terrorist organization who now claims to be a Christian.  All of the posts are worth a read. In the first post, entitled Escape from Hamas: A Christ Honoring Story, the story of the conversion of Mossab Hassan Yousef is referenced as told through a Fox News Investigative Report.  "Yousef is the son of the only surviving founding council member of Hamas, the largest terrorist organization in the world."  This documentary focused on the extraordinary conversion to…

• 
  ReelWorship

• I am...

  Caroline

  I am the Technical Co-ordinator for i-church (www.i-church.org), an online Christian community that is rooted in the diocese of Oxford, but has members all over the world, and from many denominations. I am responsible for setting up and maintaining our websites, and also for setting up the resources we use for special projects - Advent and Lent have been the main two in the past year (they can be seen at http://www.i-church.org/adventcalendar/ http://www.i-church.org/publicforums/6lent.php" and http://i-church.org/wpmu/HolyWeek/). Our members contribute to these events, but I am the fallback…

• TheSyncast 62 Ft. Tech N9ne

  SyntaxRecords.Com

  Rapzilla Presents: TheSynCast 62 Host: MaxOne News: Matt Pelishek QJ Update: Jeremiah Bonds Engineer: Shane Newville Studio: Syntax Description: In this episode MaxOne gets down to the nitty grimey with the rapid fire staccato flowing Tech N9ne. Tech give his thoughts on Soulja Boy and the hip hop genre in general. If that isn't enough to get you to listen then you may want to consider this word...."Technology." Playlist: Theory Hazit – “Out With A Bang” (ft. Sharlok Poems) JustMe – “Made Me Think” Precise – “A Way Out” Cas Metah & MotionPlus – “Down Parascope”…

• It's Raining Again

  Dan Benedict

  For 13 of the first 15 days of June it rained here in the Black Hills. In fact, it rained more days in June than it didn't. Yesterday we had hail stones the size of the tip of my thumb and it rained last night as well. And, you guessed it, it's raining again. I remember spending those gloomy Summer days growing up wishing the rain would just quit so I could got outside and have fun. My siblings and I would sing "Rain, Rain, go away, come again some other day" and "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring - He bumped his head and went to bed and never woke up in the morning." That…

• Worship Media and Other Ramblings

  Dan Benedict

  I stumbled on to ReelWorship a month or so ago while looking for free worship media to use on Sunday mornings. I've been the pastor of my church for nine years as of a week or so ago and it took me until April of this year to finally get a video projector and screen installed. I guess some of us are a little slow in that department. I've wanted it for some time but this year we finally had that magical confluence of money, timing, and willingness of leadership that led to the opportunity to install the projector. We're in the midst of a lot of such changes in the church and it's interesting…

• Lakeside 2009

  Robin Hughes

  Tomorrow starts a week that all the teens at our church and other churches in our area look forward to: Lakeside Senior High Institute. I started this blog to post ideas for the interest group my son and I lead on Media and Ministry. Please pray that the campers get the information from us that they need and that what they take back to their churches helps lead others to Christ.

• 
  Reformation21

• Jesus Interrupted

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:52 am

  Jesus InterruptedBy Bart D. Ehrman304 p.HarperOne (March 2009)This review has been used by permission as appeared in WTJ 71, no.2, Fall 2009Just in time for Easter, Bart Ehrman has (again) offered another popular-level assault on the historical integrity of the Bible.  One begins to wonder how many different ways this can be done by Ehrman.  In Lost Christianities (2003) he challenged the Bible on the basis of theological diversity in the early church, in Lost Scriptures (2003) he challenged the Bible on the basis of the development of the canon, in Misquoting Jesus (2005) he…

• Preaching Ephesians

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:38 am

  'What makes a preacher choose any book or passage of the Bible to preach on?' That's the sixty-four thousand dollar question I tend to ask myself on not a few occasions and feel I have to answer to my congregation (usually when I'm beginning a new series). I suppose there is a degree of similarity in that to the mountaineer's question and answer: 'Why climb that mountain? - Because it's there!' The Bible is full of scriptural 'mountains' (some of which feel pretty Himalayan in their proportions and tend to scare us off as preachers), but they're there as part of that 'all Scripture' which is…

• O Day Most Calm, Most Bright

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:20 am

  Theology and literary flair. These days it seems never the twain shall meet. The former often suffers from clunky constructions and idiosyncratic pedantry; but when mixed with the latter, however, it turns sweetly succinct and yet able to ply the heart, catapulting it upward. It's no mistake that the most deeply theological (and thus doxological) portions of sacred Scripture are often the most brief and poetic.Surely examples of literary rich theology exist today; but yesterday the exception was the minister who showed little respect for the written word, for the lovely turn of phrase, who…

• Is Idolatry the New Sin?

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:15 am

  Is Idolatry the New Sin?"Just talk about idolatry and you'll be fine."  A mentor recently offered these words in my presence to a seminary student who was facing an assignment to preach on the topic of sin.  The student's sermon may, indeed, have been "fine" if he followed that suggestion, but the advice struck me as signaling something deeper than a single Sunday pointer.  It struck me as something more comprehensive--more a blanket orientation for today's Sunday preacher, a kind of homiletical compass that, if pointed properly, enables a preacher to navigate toward a…

• Welcome to Wherever You Are

  3 Nov 2009 | 11:46 am

  Anyone who has ever emigrated as an adult to a foreign country will tell you that, while the physical process of moving can be dispatched in a relatively short period of time, the emotional and cultural transition takes much longer and probably never quite comes to an end. For me, the distance from family was difficult at times, but at least it was something that I knew would be part and parcel of the deal.  With cheap phone calls and reasonable transatlantic flights, I probably spend more time in terms of hours at home with my mother now than I have done since graduating from…

• 
  Desperate for More of Him

• Remember and Persevere

  mom2olivia

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:50 am

  Hebrews 10:32-39 (New International Version)  32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you…

• Encouragement When We Are Faced With The Life Questions of WHY??‏

  mom2olivia

  12 Nov 2009 | 11:49 am

  God has a way of bringing me back down to reality as soon as I get a little cocky; and today was one of those days. In my walk, and now in Seminary my eyes are constantly being re-focused. There are many days, even in the midst’s of my own struggles and trials, I can find that I am flying high with my Spiritual gifts of faith and encouragement, and don’t get shaken by too much. But today my heart was broken when I got an update from a friends daughter who is 2, has recently been diagnosed with leukemia and now is undergoing long-term treatment in the hospital. Things like this…

• Get The Power of The Holy Spirit

  mom2olivia

  10 Nov 2009 | 2:44 pm

   The topic of The Holy Spirit has been a HOT one for me to say the least!  I have been walking in alot of its power for over a year now.  This past yer has been full of growth.  There have been many highs and many lows.  I have learned much in the way of discernment, wisdom, humility, and grace; just to name a few.  One of the biggest factors in all this has been my constant striving to live in total surrender and obedience to God.  No doubt this has led me to hear clearly my call to seminary and has allowed me to become a stronger intercessor of prayer for others, mainly the…

• This Is My Body, Broken. This Is My Blood, Poured Out For You

  mom2olivia

  4 Oct 2009 | 12:00 pm

  God did some really profound stuff with  me today.  Our church has communion once a month and I guess I lost track of time and forgot this is the first Sunday of the month, which we do communion.  It may not seem a big deal to you that I forgot this, but God has been dealing with me and the act of communion on a deeper level for about a week or so now.  I can’t get it off my mind.  Just understanding it somehow differently.  It’s like He peeled back a new level of understanding.  Growing up Catholic, Communion was always taken in the most literal sense, which was always a…

• Dole out the grace, because we’re all in this together!

  mom2olivia

  2 Oct 2009 | 12:54 pm

  Ok, Ok, I know it’s been awhile, and yes, I’ve had the itch to blog, it’s just gotta be a God led thing for me.   Many of you have heard my ranting on this blog over and over again on my “church issues” if you will.  I’m not going to take the time to repeat myself, but I do want to quickly share what God has brought to my attention.  That as churches, we are all working together for the same God, and I think our mission is to help people grow in their relationship with Christ, wherever that is on the journey.  I say this in such a crazy way b/c I…

• 
  Kingdom Calling Advisors

• This Blog: Moving Forward

  Wes Bridel

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, we’re moving!  We’re changing our web address from  kingdomcalling.com. We are making this switch on November 23rd. Important: if you are an RSS Feed Reader, your feed may be interrupted on November 23rd.  To continue receiving this blog feed, you may need to go sign up again at http://kingdomcalling.com/feed/ on Monday or afterward. It may be a small inconvenience, but we plan to make it worth the effort. Moving forward, we’ll get deeper into topics such as stewardship, your calling, and The Coming Storm, along with new areas of…

• What Other Bombs are Set to Explode on the US Economy?

  Wes Bridel

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Yesterday, we looked at the possibility of rising energy prices or residential mortgage defaults derailing our economy and destroying the value of the dollar and all of your wealth along with it.  Today we’ll look at a few more bombs set to go off in the near future. Commercial Loan defaults. Commercial loans are usually more short term than residential mortgages.  The government does not subsidize them, so bankers must make more prudent decisions about how and to whom they lend money for these buildings.  Over $2,000,000,000,000 (2 trillion) worth of commercial mortgages will mature…

• The Coming Storm – Audience Reviews

  Wes Bridel

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  On November 5th, Kingdom Calling gave our first presentation of ‘The Coming Storm,’ detailing the spiritual and financial turmoil that we believe is on the way.  Here is just some of the feedback we received from members of the audience: What was your impression of the material presented tonight? “Good stuff! First of all thanks! This was most beneficial. The recklessness of the US Government with the money is much worse than I feared. I would agree that we have thumbed our nose at God and become prideful (i.e. Nebuchadnezzar).” “I Should be concerned about US…

• More That Could Trigger the Storm

  Wes Bridel

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  The past two days, we looked at a variety of factors which could  derail our economy and destroy the value of the dollar, along with all of your wealth.  Today we’ll look at a few more bombs set to go off in the near future. What factors could destroy the value of our dollar? 1)    Tax Increases. President Bush and the Congress of that time put in place tax cuts during their terms.  These tax cuts are scheduled to expire January 1, 2011.  If they are allowed to expire, they will constitute the largest tax cut in history on the American people.  President Obama came into office…

• This Blog: An Update

  Wes Bridel

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  ...is coming We are excited to let you know about an upcoming change to our website. We originally wanted the web address kingdomcalling.com -  but it was not available, so we went with kingdomcallingadvisors.com. In the meantime, kingdomcalling.com has become available, so we bought it and are now moving there.  We are making this switch on November 23rd. We hope you’ll join us. One important thing to note: if you are an RSS Feed Reader, your feed will be interrupted on November 23rd.  To continue receiving this blog feed, you should sign up again at http://kingdomcalling.com/feed/…

• 
  exegeek::godmatic

• 7 Nov 2009 | 2:43 pm

  Jeremymcnabb

  7 Nov 2009 | 2:43 pm

  Let’s talk about confessions: I have two.  The first is that it’s November 7th, and I’m listening to Christmas music. Maybe that’s not a big deal, I’m never sure what time of year Christmas music becomes an acceptable staple. It’s not Thanksgiving yet, so I might be a week or two early. My second confession is that, in addition to this music being Christmasy, it’s also jazz. A friend of mine has a joke that jazz was born when a musician got frustrated and tossed his instruments down a flight of stairs. But recently, I was given a copy of The Greatest Gift, a Christmas CD, by…

• What is Faith?

  Jeremymcnabb

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:45 pm

  Guest Blogger: Greg Stokley The question of faith is ever present in our Christian walk. In a sense, it is a defining characteristic of such. Yet, often times we ask ourselves and others this question: “What is faith?” By no means is the concept and action of faith easy to define, or even grasp for that matter. This question was asked of those of us who were in Dr. Skip Jenkins’s Intro to Theology class. We were asked to give the first thing that came to mind whenever Skip asked what faith is. The responses were many and scattered across a broad spectrum.             Some…

• A Weather Update

  Jeremymcnabb

  1 Nov 2009 | 5:54 pm

  On October 14th, I ran a news update about Amazing Grace Baptist Church, who planned on spending their Halloween burning evil and Satanic books…you know, like the NIV bible and Billy Graham’s Just As I Am. My friend Jordan just shared the weather report, found here. Heavy wind and rain. Share and Enjoy:

• Monsters In The Pew

  Jeremymcnabb

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am

  Victorian literature has more original monsters that any other literary period. Modern tales, even those written by the likes of Stephen King, lack the never-before quality that you find in the nineteenth century. And while they’re quite numerous, most of today’s movie monsters are alike in some way. They’re demons, or angry ghosts, or vampires, or mutants. Where are all the one-off, one-of-a-kind creatures that were written about before the turn of the century? Frankenstein was nothing like Dracula; Dracula nothing like Mr. Hyde; Mr. Hyde nothing like the Invisible Man except…

• The Door Says Pull.

  Jeremymcnabb

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:55 pm

  Imagine the scene on a Sunday morning. Its 10:31 AM, exactly one minute after the worship service has started. Outside of the building, there’s a line of people—short, tall, emo, redneck, thug, young, old, black, blue, tanned, pasty, crazy, and sane—the first person is pressed fatally into the pane of glass. His eyes have rolled back in his head, his tongue is hanging out. The only reason he’s even standing is because the second guy in line is pressed firmly up against him, waiting for his spine to snap under the pressure of the girl being crushed into his back. Tracking backwards, we…

• 
  AGBM Blog

• Certificates of Baptism Available at bmhbooks.com

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:02 pm

  It is now possible to order certificates of baptism on the BMH Books website. The certificates indicate baptism by trine immersion and come in packs of 50. One pack is available for $10.50.Order now! Subscribe in a reader

• Prayer Requested for Russ Ogden

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:26 am

  David Ogden in Sebring, Florida, sends the following news and prayer request for his dad, Dr. Russ Ogden, who is a longtime Grace Brethren pastor including the Lanham, MD, Grace Brethren church which he pastored from 1975 until 1993.The Ogdens would appreciate your prayers for my dad, retired Grace Brethren pastor Russ Ogden. He spent the night at an emergency room in Indianapolis -- Monday night / Tuesday morning. They expect he had another T.I.A. ("mini-stroke") as he did a couple years ago. His speech was confused Monday evening and my mom called a neighbor (a male nurse who has been very…

• Christian Becker's Mother With the Lord

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:32 am

  Christian Becker, pastor of the First Brethren Church in Buena Vista, Virginia, has sent notification of his mother's homegoing. Here is Christian's note:As you may have heard, my mom had a major stroke on Wednesday that caused massive bleeding and swelling in her brain. She passed peacefully on Thursday afternoon into the Lord's presence.Thanks to all who prayed for my family.Here's the link to mom's obituary.www.northeastobits.com/posts.cfm?obit=30678 Subscribe in a reader

• Rick Clark's Mother With the Lord

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:37 am

  Word has been received of the death of Patricia Bush, mother of Rick Clark, former pastor of the Pike Grace Brethren Church in Johnstown, Pa.Rick writes: My mother fell 2 weeks ago and broke her neck. She was a quadriplegic. She had many challenges ahead. Tuesday morning (November 3) she went home to be with the Lord. She grew up and was saved and baptized at the Vicksburg GBC and was a member for many years at Leamersville GBC when my brothers and I were growing up.The viewing will be Friday (November 6) from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Leslie-Miller Funeral home in Claysburg and the funeral will be…

• Mother of Dan Ramsey, Nancy Kennedy, Dies

  2 Nov 2009 | 9:28 am

  Sympathies are expressed to Grace Brethren pastor Dan Ramsey (Grace Church, Loveland, Ohio) and Nancy Kennedy, wife of Pastor Dave Kennedy (Community of Grace, Richmond, Va.) on the death of their mother, Virginia Lois Ramsey, of Cincinnati, Ohio, a long-time member of the Grace Brethren Church, Canton, Ohio.She is also survived by her husband, Richard, of Cincinnati, and another daughter, Ann (Andrew) Ramsey-Moor of Ellicott City, Md.; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and brothers Harvey Lesh Jr. of Maine and Don Lesh of North Carolina.Services were held October 29 at the…

• 
  The Project

• World Toilet Day

  Cory

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:57 pm

  Today is World Toilet Day. Yep, you heard correctly. Why? Reason #1: Because 2.5 billion people worldwide are without access to proper sanitation, which risks their health, strips their dignity, and kills 1.8 million people, mostly children, a year. Reason #2: Because even the world’s wealthiest people still have toilet problems – from unhygienic public toilets to sewage disposal that destroys our waterways. To learn more, check out this article that my friend Richard Fleming wrote: http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/do-you-give-a-crap-about-world-toilet-day/ Give a crap!

• Quote #10

  Cory

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:52 am

  “Everyone thinks of changing the world, no-one thinks of changing himself” – Tolstoy

• “Change the World” Mondays (14)

  Cory

  15 Nov 2009 | 10:58 pm

  Give a Green Christmas Card Australia Post and Our Community have teamed up to develop the Green Christmas Giving Card – The Christmas Cards that Support Communities and the Environment, at a cost of only $3 per card. For every card purchased, $1 goes to a community group or school of your choice! It has been designed as part of the annual Australian Giving Week celebrations, which aim to focus attention on the many ways that individuals, families, businesses, and groups can make a difference to the community in the lead-up to Christmas. To find out more info, click here:…

• Some interesting stuff

  Cory

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:37 pm

  Free Store in Manhattan A shop front in Nassau Street, a couple of blocks away from Wall Street, would be utterly forgettable were it not for the two words stamped across its glass: Free Store. In the age of postmodern advertising, slogans like “free store” usually mean the opposite – they are probably being used to market hyper-exclusive shops selling nothing under $1,000. But in this case free store is precisely what it says. Every item on offer inside the small shop is free. Anyone off the street can browse through its goods, select an item, and if they think they need…

• The Myth of Redemptive Violence

  Cory

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:31 pm

  Last week I posted some stuff on the Machine Gun Preacher, Sam Childers. Ever since I posted that, I’ve been trying desperately to reconcile his actions with my theology of non-violence. If you’ve been reading this blog for some time, you’ll know that I’ve had an involvement with Invisible Children, an organisation aimed at raising awareness about the plight of child soldiers in East Africa. The violence and chaos in that region caused by Joseph Kony and the LRA is devastating. This madman continues to abduct children, massacre entire villages, hold sex slaves, and…

• 
  Connecting to Impact

• Light Friday Hit List (11/20/09)

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:17 am

  What a week! There was no shortage of needing God’s grace, and He supplies every time. I am very thankful… Keep reading for some of my favorites from this week. Oh and you may notice I’m not using the same categories like I have in the past. You may have noticed that I like to change things up, but I also liked the way Tyler Stanton does  "favorites" posts on his blog so I’ve stolen adopted his free-form approach. Hope you enjoy… Favorite Funny/Sad/Strange: Masswepray.com and Information Age Prayer (these came from some twitter conversation and links thrown…

• Why It's a Good Day

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:38 am

  This is a calendar of our weather here in Juneau, AK. It's a little hard to see, but you should be able to make out that our city enjoys lots of clouds.  Here recently we’ve also had the opportunity to get used to lots of snow (which I think is beautiful but a lot of work with all the shoveling, driving slowly, on and on). Also notice that I circled a couple days that are mostly sunny.  I draw attention to them because you almost miss them in the context of the monthly view of things.  They seem overwhelmed by the gray clouds of the other days. I could say with this, “keep…

• Community is Impossible

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:44 pm

  Today I’m participating in a blog carnival about “Community” started by Bridget Chumbley and Peter Pollock. This time it’s hosted by Bridget as well.  Go check out all the great entries here Community has many connotations and applies to many different things.  It seems that where we should feel a sense of community the most and often don’t is our churches.  Many certainly do, but others definitely don’t.  The gulf between the two seems to be very wide. Why is this? Community is hard.  It’s messy, time-consuming, people get hurt, it's hardly…

• No Take-backs

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:48 am

  I’ve been asking God for more.  You know, the good-intentioned prayers where we say, “Lord, I want to go deeper and know You more.  What I’ve experienced is not enough.” It’s sort of like when we sing those songs in church about the wonderful cross and “make me like Jesus.”  We smile and sing our hearts out sometimes forgetting that the cross where our redemption was purchased is also where my life ended and His began in me.  And if I want to be like Jesus, I’ll endure and overcome every evil thing with love and forgiveness, laying down my life in…

• I Am Famous

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:18 am

  God is in the business of truth, redemption, restoration, salvation… He longs for reconciliation.  We know because to accomplish this, He sent His only Son to bear the punishment, guilt, shame, and death that was rightfully ours.  We didn’t go looking for Him, He came looking for us. "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not…

• 
  Family Research Council Blog

• Stupak-Pitts Amendment Speaks Truth to Power

  Chris Gacek

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:18 pm

  There is much gnashing of teeth by abortion supporters over the inclusion of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment in the Speaker Nancy Pelosi health care bill – H.R. 3962.  Bart Stupak, Michigan Democrat, and Joe Pitts, Pennsylvania Republican, succeeded in amending H.R. 3962 so that no government funds can be used to pay for abortion.  Claims that Stupak-Pitts is out of line with current law or that it is unconstitutional are simply false. The Stupak-Pitts amendment (“Stupak-Pitts”) combines two principles.  First, it contains the core principle of the Hyde Amendment that the government not…

• Obama the Unready

  Robert Morrison

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:01 pm

  President Obama is said to be taking his time, carefully weighing all alternatives, “calibrating” our response to the situation in Afghanistan with precision and judgment. The point of all these statements is to reinforce the Obama administration’s theme that George W. Bush rushed off pell-mell and did not assess the situation properly before committing U.S. troops. Not since the famed King Ethelred the Unready have we seen such a long, drawn-out, and public process of decision-making. Despite his name, however, this ancient English king was not called “the unready” because he was…

• Trial by Terror

  Tony Perkins

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:33 pm

  In a heated exchange with the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, Attorney General Eric Holder stood by his decision to jeopardize–not only New York City, but 200 years of American tradition—by launching the trial of the century against 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and five other terrorists in the Big Apple.   Holder insists that New York is the best “venue to obtain justice,” but as Senators on both sides of the aisle argued, prosecuting terrorists minutes from the graveyard they dug for 3,000 innocent U.S. victims is “dangerous,” “misguided,” and…

• Seven Score and Six Years Ago

  Robert Morrison

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:24 am

  Today is the 146th anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. I was reminded of this date yesterday when I took some visitors from Australia and New Zealand to visit the Lincoln Cottage in Northwest Washington. President Lincoln spent almost a quarter of his four-year term at this rural getaway. He and his family spent summers and early fall days there in 1862, 1863, and 1864. It was at this refuge—a retirement home for old and disabled soldiers–that he drafted the Emancipation Proclamation during that fateful summer of 1862. Lincoln was not the featured speaker at the dedication…

• Obama’s Abasement

  Robert Morrison

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:48 am

  Once again, the Internet is alive with pictures of the President of the United States bowing low before some foreign monarch. Barack Obama first showed the world his behind as he bowed before the odious King of Saudi Arabia at a London summit last winter. That was bad. The king of Saudi Arabia rules a desert fiefdom where those who convert to Christianity are beheaded while the regime looks the other way. Bibles are banned. Jews are not allowed even to enter the country. That bow was atrocious. But Obama’s low bow before the Emperor of Japan over the past weekend was bad enough. Barack…

• 
  michael d. miller

• millerisms56: Adoption resources @NavPress http://tinyurl.com/yzak5yt

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:26 pm

  millerisms56: Adoption resources @NavPress http://tinyurl.com/yzak5yt

• millerisms56: @metman1 thanks for the help on how to disconnect!

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:24 pm

  millerisms56: @metman1 thanks for the help on how to disconnect!

• millerisms56: Thanks @LaurenLibby for the help! Trying to do it but still really hard!!!

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:31 pm

  millerisms56: Thanks @LaurenLibby for the help! Trying to do it but still really hard!!!

• millerisms56: Getting ready for a much needed vacation! Challenge can I unhook from all of this social media stuff? Any suggestions?

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:28 pm

  millerisms56: Getting ready for a much needed vacation! Challenge can I unhook from all of this social media stuff? Any suggestions?

• millerisms56: Praying for @metman1 on the loss of his mother! God knows where you are my friend!!!

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pm

  millerisms56: Praying for @metman1 on the loss of his mother! God knows where you are my friend!!!

• 
  Terry Storch

• TerryStorch: @nathansmith I am on our digerari test HTC mytouch device.

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:43 pm

  TerryStorch: @nathansmith I am on our digerari test HTC mytouch device.

• TerryStorch: My first tweet from Seesmic on Android! Wow, finally a good Twitter client for #droid

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:24 pm

  TerryStorch: My first tweet from Seesmic on Android! Wow, finally a good Twitter client for #droid

• TerryStorch: I totally agree! - RT @Scobleizer: Blog:why Google's Chrome OS has already won (why InfoWorld is wrong): http://bit.ly/4AlulW/

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:13 pm

  TerryStorch: I totally agree! - RT @Scobleizer: Blog:why Google's Chrome OS has already won (why InfoWorld is wrong): http://bit.ly/4AlulW/

• TerryStorch: Wondering if Christians will rise up against http://stuffchristianslike.net if they don't like that stuff. #deadlyviperINSANITY

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:54 am

  TerryStorch: Wondering if Christians will rise up against http://stuffchristianslike.net if they don't like that stuff. #deadlyviperINSANITY

• TerryStorch: I am at a total loss of words after reading this: http://deadlyviper.org

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:08 am

  TerryStorch: I am at a total loss of words after reading this: http://deadlyviper.org

• 
  Brad Powell

• bradpowell: Wknd talk written..."Broke...Our View of Others." 25 people trusted Christ last wknd. Praying for the same Impact this wknd.

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:19 pm

  bradpowell: Wknd talk written..."Broke...Our View of Others." 25 people trusted Christ last wknd. Praying for the same Impact this wknd.

• bradpowell: Fact: the day is a lot longer when you get up at 2:30 a.m. Here's to hoping that tomorrow's a bit shorter.

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:50 am

  bradpowell: Fact: the day is a lot longer when you get up at 2:30 a.m. Here's to hoping that tomorrow's a bit shorter.

• bradpowell: @DCadeau We have such a great team. Thanks.

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:49 am

  bradpowell: @DCadeau We have such a great team. Thanks.

• bradpowell: @cmc1of3 I'm still getting over the tie too. :-)

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:48 am

  bradpowell: @cmc1of3 I'm still getting over the tie too. :-)

• bradpowell: @annegardner Thanks for the picture of all the NR people turning in their "phone bibles" How awesome is that?!

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:48 am

  bradpowell: @annegardner Thanks for the picture of all the NR people turning in their "phone bibles" How awesome is that?!

• 
  Why God?

• Halloween: The Pagan Festival Of Death Celebrated By Occultists, Witches And Satanists

  admin

  31 Oct 2009 | 5:14 pm

  As tens of millions of children get dressed up for Halloween to get candy, and as millions of adults get dressed up in costumes ready to party the night away, little do they know that for over a thousand years Halloween has been celebrated by pagans, witches and Satanists as one of their most important holidays.  While many people (including many Christians) defend this holiday as a night of childlike fun, the reality is that there is more animal sacrifice and even more human sacrifice on this night than on any other. For occultists, pagans and Satanists, Halloween night is the night…

• Extraordinary Kid Preacher Tells The Truth About Creation And Evolution

  admin

  17 Oct 2009 | 6:07 pm

  Have you ever watched a kid preacher preach against the theory of evolution?  If you have, you have probably never seen any kid as good as the one in the video below.  The video is in Spanish, but English translations are provided at the bottom of the screen.  This little kid makes more sense than dozens of other preachers that I have seen who have tried to talk about this topic.  Perhaps if the majority of the pastors and ministers out there continue to compromise and continue to water down the gospel God will raise up little kids like this to make a mockery of us all.  I don't think I…

• Muslim Scientist Turns To Jesus

  admin

  5 Oct 2009 | 3:31 pm

  Dr Hormoz Phd a scientist tells about his his journey from Islam to Jesus Christ.  Hormoz  describes himself as an "independent thinker," he read the Koran, got some answers, but still felt empty.  He came across a Bible and started to read that.   At first he thought Jesus would be like the figure in the Koran, but the more he read it, the more he realized that "Jesus didn’t look like the prophet in the Koran." Jesus seemed strong and confident, he said.  Hormoz was drawn to the teaching at the Sermon on the Mount, but found it  the Sermon was nice but not practical. Who can…

• Dreams Draw 6 Million + Muslims To Jesus

  admin

  5 Oct 2009 | 1:50 pm

  One of the most dramatic developments in prophecy is seen in what God is doing through Muslims throughout the Middle East and even in the United States.  Many Muslims are seeing dreams and visions of Jesus.  They are coming into churches explaining that they have already converted and now need a Bible and guidance on how to follow Jesus. This is in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.  Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward,that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,your old men shall dream dreams,and your young men shall see visions"…

• A Buddhist Man Turns To Christ

  admin

  5 Oct 2009 | 12:33 pm

  By far, the most compelling reason that a great number of other religious faiths turn their lives over to Christ is the power of love that is within Jesus. Nearly half of all Muslims who have made a shift of faith allegiance have affirmed that the love of God was a critical key in their decision.  A testimony of a former Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist finds the master he was searching for.  "I was in a train station in Japan, making a pilgrimage to the head Buddhist temple Daisekiji at the foot of Mount Fuji, when a young man -- in perfect English -- warned: "Beware the winds of Himeiji!" Three…

• 
  Blogging Theologically

• Friday Funnies: Ted Kluck’s Day-long Rock Bender

  Aaron Armstrong

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm

  Ted Kluck, author or The Reason for Sports: A Christian Fanifesto and coauthor of Why We’re Not Emergent & Why We Love the Church, is working on a new book! This time, Kluck is delving into the seedy underbelly of Christian music with To Hell With the Devil: 365 Days of Christian Music, from Al Denson to Alice Cooper.  “The idea is that I’ll listen to nothing but Christian music (concerts, CD’s, videos) for a whole year.  This will be especially challenging for me since I haven’t listened to Christian music since 1991, when I was 15,” he wrote back in June when…

• Friday Funnies: The Ultimate Christian Novel

  Aaron Armstrong

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Yesterday, Tim Challies’ writing career took a dramatic turn as he shared his idea for the ultimate Christian novel: Cassidy: Amish Vampiress of the Tribulation No, your eyes do not deceive you. It’s an Amish Vampire Romance novel set in the end-times. “It’s an Amish novel; it’s a vampire novel; it’s an end-times novel. It’s the best of all worlds,” wrote Challies. Here’s Tim’s back cover text: He is handsome. He is romantic. He is Amish. Twenty-three year old Cassidy lives a simple life in the Amish countryside of Lancaster County. Simple, that is,…

• What do you appreciate about your pastor?

  Aaron Armstrong

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  Recently, I’ve been thinking about how undervalued pastors can be. Pastors have a hard job. A packed schedule of family obligations, weddings, funerals, couseling and all the other things that come with shepherding the flock God has entrusted to them. On top of that, they have to deal with a disheartening number of books & speakers who suggest the office of elder/pastor is unbiblical. People taking offense to something they say (perhaps because it points out their sin or it’s a legitimately poor choice of words) and trash them, and on and on it goes… It’s easy…

• Kindle comes to Canada

  Aaron Armstrong

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  more about “Kindle comes to Canada“, posted with vodpod   So there was some exciting news today: The Kindle is coming to Canada. But there’s a catch: It doesn’t have the full capabilities. No browser. No blogs. And it may not even have access to the full library of books available. I’ve been curious about the Kindle and e-book readers for some time, but have never really had an opportunity to see what one is capable of. Sony’s e-reader is interesting, and I’m really curious about the much rumored Apple iTablet or Mac Tablet (or whatever it may…

• Book Review-It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It

  Aaron Armstrong

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Title: It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It Author: Craig Groeschel Publisher: Zondervan Have you ever seen a church or a ministry that just seemed to have “it?” There’s huge numerical growth, lots of people becoming Christians, crazy innovation… Whatever the reasons, there’s something really special going on. And you may not know what “it” is, but you know it when you see it. Craig Groeschel doesn’t try to tell the readers of his latest book, It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It, what “it” is—he…

• 
  Bible Stories My Kids Love

• I Want My Prayers Answered!

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:39 pm

  Have you ever prayed for something and it did not happen? Have you ever asked for something you really wanted and did not get it?Well today's Bible Stories My Kids Love is for you! MP3 File - Click Here to Download Podcast GREAT DISCOUNTS FOR BIBLE STORIES LISTENERS!Get 10% off any order at GoDaddy bible5Get $5 off any purchase of $30 or more* bible6Get your own .com for $7.49* bible7

• Where is That Coin?

  1 Nov 2009 | 4:21 pm

  Jesus tells a story about a women who lost a coin and how she searched her home until she found it. From that story we learn many valuable lessons about our relationship with God and how He celebrates when we find him.Enjoy today's Bible Stories My Kids Love. MP3 File - Click Here to Download Podcast GREAT DISCOUNTS FOR BIBLE STORIES LISTENERS!Get 10% off any order at GoDaddy bible5Get $5 off any purchase of $30 or more* bible6Get your own .com for $7.49* bible7

• The Lady Would Not Give Up

  24 Oct 2009 | 9:50 pm

  Today hear about a lady who went to a judge to solve her problem and learned how prayer helps you day to dayEnjoy today's Bible Stories My Kids Love. MP3 File - Click Here to Download Podcast GREAT DISCOUNTS FOR BIBLE STORIES LISTENERS!Get 10% off any order at GoDaddy bible5Get $5 off any purchase of $30 or more* bible6Get your own .com for $7.49* bible7

• Jesus and the Lepers

  14 Oct 2009 | 7:23 pm

  The Bible teaches us a lesson on the importance of thankfulness as Jesus comes across ten lepers outside the city walls.Enjoy today's Bible Stories My Kids Love. MP3 File - Click Here to Download Podcast GREAT DISCOUNTS FOR BIBLE STORIES LISTENERS!Get 10% off any order at GoDaddy bible5Get $5 off any purchase of $30 or more* bible6Get your own .com for $7.49* bible7

• Jonah and the Great Fish

  25 Sep 2009 | 8:26 pm

  Jonah runs from God's will and encounters a Great Big Fish. Will the fish eat him?Find out on today's Bible Stories My Kids Love! MP3 File - Click Here to Download Podcast GREAT DISCOUNTS FOR BIBLE STORIES LISTENERS!Get 10% off any order at GoDaddy bible5Get $5 off any purchase of $30 or more* bible6Get your own .com for $7.49* bible7

• 
  Mission News from OM USA

• M.V. Doulos, World’s Oldest Ocean-going Passenger Ship to Stop Sailing

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:31 pm

  Mosbach, GERMANY – 20 November, 2009The ministry of OM’s ship Doulos will come to an end on December 31, 2009.Doulos is the world’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship, now 95 years old, with the hull built in 1914, just two years after Titanic. In spite of the year-round maintenance that has taken place, the amount of steel replacement and other repairs needed for her to continue sailing are

• Perspectives on the World Christian Movement

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  In less than 60 days from now a revolution will begin across the U.S. An epidemic of gargantuan proportions will be unleashed across our land. It will be a grass-roots, word-of-mouth outbreak infecting tens of thousands of people.Beginning in mid January in 170+ locations around the country, thousands of churches and hundreds of campus ministries will team up with the objective of raising up

• dancing worship: "Mighty Spirit"

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  OM Arts member Jon Simpson was a guest performer for two Refuge Dance Company concerts called "Stories". Here he performs a song called "Mighty Spirit". You can use your talent to help expand God's kingdom. Find a short-term dance trip here.

• Go to the Passion Conference in January

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  See what's offered: who will be speaking and leading worship in Atlanta January 2-5:

• Future of the Dalits: a featured outreach at 2010 Passion Conference

  13 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  In January, thousands of college students from all over the world will worship together in Atlanta as part of the 2010 Passion Conference. OM USA will be there to meet with participants as they begin to explore possibilities for ministry and mission. Also, one of the ministries of OM India will be featured as a possible outlet for students to sow into financially. Passion wants 2500 students

• 
  Missionary Confidential

• Reverse Furlough, Part 2: The Not-So-Great Stuff

  C. Holland

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:35 am

  Reverse Furlough, Part 2: The Not-So-Great StuffNew Post from: Missionary Confidential “Reverse Furlough, Part 1: The Good Stuff” is available here. Yet, like all things, there are some not-so-great things to consider about the Reverse Furlough: Adapting to Different Expectations Some sponsors just wanted a “look-see” and really didn’t need much in-depth information.  Others wanted all the info, background and history we could provide.  One group was more motivated to do repair work on our building than anything else.  The difficult part of adapting was that it was almost…

• Reverse Furlough, Part 1: The Good Stuff

  C. Holland

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:16 am

  Reverse Furlough, Part 1: The Good StuffNew Post from: Missionary Confidential A few weeks ago another set of our supporters visited us for a week, making them the fifth group to visit us this year alone.  Because they’ve somehow stacked within a few weeks of each other, most of this has happened over just a few months and has made for a lot of repetition in explaining what we do here.  I’ve honestly forgotten who hadn’t heard which ministry story before—and who graciously heard it again for the second (or third) time. I like to think of these as “Reverse Furloughs”.  As…

• Glad to Be Back

  C. Holland

  9 Nov 2009 | 4:35 am

  Glad to Be BackNew Post from: Missionary Confidential Regular posting at Missionary Confidential had been delayed slightly due to more supporters staying with us to inspect our ministry.  Add to that what might have been the Swine Flu (though I can’t be certain), and it makes for quite the interruption to daily life.  Thankfully things are falling back to whatever passes for normal in this missionary’s life, so more posts are forthcoming including: “Reverse Furlough”: my thoughts on the pros and cons of supporters visiting your ministry in the field…

• Missionary Etiquette 101

  C. Holland

  7 Nov 2009 | 2:28 am

  Missionary Etiquette 101New Post from: Missionary Confidential Kevin over at the “Life.Outpoured” blog talks about the importance of missionaries adapting (yet staying within God’s law) to the culture in which they minister, and it goes beyond clothing and acting.  He gives some great points to consider in “(Missionary) Etiquette 101″.  My favourite: “Begin to think like a citizen of heaven, not of a particular country.” If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed! Related posts:“I Can’t Call You a…

• MKs and “Fitting In”

  C. Holland

  3 Nov 2009 | 4:25 am

  MKs and “Fitting In”New Post from: Missionary Confidential Childhood is hard enough when you have your original culture to contend with, but MKs (missionary kids) have an additional culture to adapt to, yet try to maintain friendships and relationships back “home”.  I can’t imagine the struggle at such a young age, but the blog “The Other Side of Missions” gives a good perspective on this struggle: “My Peculiar MKs” If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed! Related posts:A Blog Written From the MK PerspectiveThe…

• 
  The Daily Voice

• The Rest of the Story

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25, NRSV) After saying these words, Jesus further explains that, just as God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies of the field, God will care for human beings. Don’t worry; God knows what you need.More...

• Letter to My Daughter (A Review)

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  When I first noticed Letter to My Daughter at the bookstore, there were three things that tempted me to purchase it. First of all, I was attracted to the cover; it is quite colorful. (I realize this may sound shallow, but after all, that’s the purpose of cover art, to get us to take a closer look. In this particular case, it worked!) Secondly, the title intrigued me. I have a daughter. I am a daughter. Thirdly, the author of Letter to My Daughter is Maya Angelou, a woman I admire and respect. As you’ve probably surmised, I did in fact buy Letter to My Daughter. Since I had high…

• Want to ride across Iowa with me?

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Summer of 2010 may seem far away, but to an avid cyclist it's only 248 days until the start of RAGBRAI®, the world's largest bike ride. Some 25,000 cyclists from all over the world come to Iowa and pedal their way across the state. Next year's ride will be held July 25-31, 2009...and I really need to start my training before long! So why in the world am I telling you about RAGBRAI® in a Christian education-related email? Because it's a great opportunity to... meet lots of interesting people (and this is definitely not an understatement) care for your body (1000 miles of riding = around…

• Easy volunteerism...too easy?

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  The web makes it very easy for people to do a bit of good each day. Sites like The Hunger Site have been encouraging people for years to just click on a button each day to donate a bit of rice to impoverished people. Some churches urge all of their members to use GoodSearch.com as their search engine, because doing so can generate revenue for the church or for another organization the church supports. Sites like these are proliferating rapidly as nonprofit organizations try to reach new audiences by blending a bit of education with a simple-to-do action and the power of social networks. The…

• The cure for rabbit trails

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Going off on a tangent. Chasing rabbit trails. Veering off course. Whatever the terminology, all teachers are familiar with the reality that discussions often get off topic. What's a teacher to do when that happens? Go with the flow, ignore the off-topic comments, force the conversation back to the main topic, or something else entirely? Knowing how to deal with tangents is a skill that is acquired with experience. Sometimes, tangents take the conversation in a more serious or personal direction, such as when a youth group begins to open up and share personal stories and raw emotions. When…

• 
  Ed Bahler's Blog

• Go Deep

  Ed Bahler

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:16 am

  “Superficiality is the curse of our age…The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent or gifted people, but for deep people.“ R Foster, Celebration Of Discipline I recently joined a bunch of college guys on Purdue campus for a Bible study on spiritual disciplines. We pondered what practices equip us to be “more than conquerors” in our daily lives. The Bible is full of great examples but Daniel, the lion’s den guy, stood out. Daniel was a young man from nobility, without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of…

• How to React to Chaos

  Ed Bahler

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:39 am

  Here’s some timely encouragement from Phil Cooke: Right now we’re in the middle of the greatest crisis of our lifetime. Media companies, and others are shutting down almost daily, and people who were industry leaders a year ago are now looking through the classifieds. Churches, ministries, and non-profits are no different. If you’re in that boat, and while it may look like there’s no hope, let me remind you of something really important. Do you know what the following companies have in common: Disney, GE, 20th Century Fox, CNN, MTV, Hyatt, Burger King, Microsoft, and…

• The Suffer Point

  Ed Bahler

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:14 am

  We had a jamb-packed pastor’s lunch yesterday in Chicago where Evan McBroom taught that we often communicate “Too Much, Too Little, Too late.” Here’s a key takeaway: Effective communication requires metaphors. That’s nothing knew. Christ often used metaphors like I’m the light of the world, I’m the living water, or I’m the bread of life. Metaphor’s are powerful tools. Another luncheon attendee, pastor  Tim Harlow, introduced me to this thought provoking metaphor this afternoon: “The Suffer Point” Tim shared how choosing a…

• Betrayal at Fort Hood

  Ed Bahler

  10 Nov 2009 | 3:43 pm

  After the tragic shooting at the Fort Hood Army base, we’re all wondering why Nidel Hasan’s classmates didn’t realize that he would betray them and get him some help before it was too late. This is what a recent Fox news article had to say about that: A classmate of Hasan, meanwhile, told FoxNews.com that the warning signs were all there — the justification of homicide bombings; spewing anti-American hatred; efforts to reach out to Al Qaeda — but that the military treated Hasan with kid gloves, even after giving him a poor performance review. This kind of oversight…

• Pulling, Coasting or Undermining

  Ed Bahler

  5 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm

  I found some interesting statistics from my friend Rex Miller recently: Churches struggle to get greater engagement from their staff and volunteers. In fact, they struggle more than companies. Gallup’s surveys show that only 17% of an organization is pulling the weight of the organization. 54% are going through the motions and 29% are undermining efforts. Our conversations with hundreds of church leaders validate these insights. But isn’t it troubling that at least 83% of people in church are coasting or undermining their church’s efforts. Especially when the Bible is filled…

• 
  Pastor Jeff Flowers | CincyMissionary.com

• Just a friendly reminder…

  Jeff Flowers

  9 Nov 2009 | 7:42 pm

  I am currently reading through the book of Acts again.  And I was reminded the mission of the church to the world. Jesus said in Acts 1:7-8: He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” I think we, as Christian believers, take way too much time worrying about the times and season of our lives, I know I do. We need to spend more time seeking the power of the…

• On Tentmaking…

  Jeff Flowers

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:32 pm

  This Saturday I start training for my new job at Apple, Inc.  I’ll be working part-time as a specialist in the Apple Store at Kenwood Mall in Cincinnati. I’m excited about it for several reasons. First, we’ve been praying about a part-time job to help make ends meet while we’re establishing a church plant. I’ve had a couple of opportunities come my way, but Apple was the best fit. The pay is great, the hours are flexible and quite honestly, Apple is a cool place to work. Second, I’m really looking at it as a “tentmaking” opportunity.  In Acts…

• Improvement

  Jeff Flowers

  28 Oct 2009 | 9:37 pm

  Today, I had a really enjoyable conversation with my friend, Shawn, from Texas today. We talked about a lot of things; ministry, life, following Jesus… Then, he asked me a question that is still ringing in my ear. He was curious to know why so many Christians think that church is just about self-improvement. “Where did we ever get that idea?” There is a scene in Luke 18 where a self-improvement junkie comes to Jesus seeking approval.  Of course, Jesus sees right through the young man and tells him that he’s still lacking — something a self-improvement junkie…

• The Bridge :: Connecting the City to Christ

  Jeff Flowers

  28 Oct 2009 | 8:19 pm

  I’d like to give you an update on how things are going at The Bridge and what’s coming up soon. We have been working hard over the past few weeks to forge a simple, straightforward strategic plan for 2010.  We really feel like we have a solid plan to plant 2 more churches in Cincinnati by the fall of 2010 and now working hard to secure partnerships and funding.  One of the most important things we’ve done is that we’ve discovered a church-planting model that really encapsulates our mission and vision. We’ve adapted the City-Parish Model (see Trinity Grace…

• The Law of Letting Go

  Jeff Flowers

  27 Oct 2009 | 8:13 am

  I have a hard time letting go of things. I have a hard time letting go of people. I have a hard time letting go of money. I have a hard time letting go of bad memories. I have a hard time letting go of bad feelings. I have a hard time letting go of fast food. I have a hard time letting go of harsh words. I have a hard time letting go of bad habits. I have a hard time letting go of the wheel of life. I have a hard time letting go of my agenda. I have a hard time letting go of my pride. I have a hard time letting go of my personal opinions. I have a hard time letting go of my sin. I have a hard…

• 
  The Wandering Shepherd

• Reading the Map: “Identifying Foundational Principles of God’s Plan” - Genesis 1-3

  Randall Smith

  7 Nov 2009 | 7:11 am

  My parents used to live along the "Outer Banks" of North Carolina, on a small strip of barrier islands that, on occasion, took the full force of Atlantic storms. Most houses were built upon stilts with pylon foundations that extended...

• Life in Plan B: “Delay of Game!”- Ezra 4:5-5:1 and Haggai 1:1-15

  Randall Smith

  4 Nov 2009 | 11:03 am

  One of the most frustrating positions professional sports players can find themselves in is a game that is delayed by outside and uncontrolled circumstances. This past Halloween, the Antonio Spurs needed Batman to help them when they were rather ironically...

• Knowing Jesus: “Illegitimate Replacement” - John 13:1-20

  Randall Smith

  31 Oct 2009 | 5:52 am

  You are driving down the road in a very unfamiliar and remote area and it is very late. You passed a house with some lights on the front porch about twenty-five minutes ago. A truck came toward you driving in...

• Life in Plan B: “Welcome to the ‘Four D’ Ranch!” - Ezra 3:1-4:5

  Randall Smith

  30 Oct 2009 | 11:27 am

  One of my favorite cowboy stories is the one about the New York city family that decided to leave the crowded city and head for the wide-open spaces. They bought a ranch out West, where they intended to raise cattle....

• Life in Plan B: “Getting the ingredients right!”- Ezra 2

  Randall Smith

  24 Oct 2009 | 8:22 am

  Photo from Fiddler's Green Farm Catalogue: www.fiddlersgreenfarm.com As my favorite chocolate cake made its way from the oven to the cooling rack, the house smelled like my version of Heaven! I could barely wait for the icing and final decorations...

• 
  It's Complicated

• An Amazing Church Experience

  admin

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:50 pm

  I just returned from an amazing church experience.  It touched me so much, I had to blog about it. It was very welcoming.  Before the service, everyone kept saying, “Welcome.  We’re glad you’re here.  It’s about to start.”  These comments seem to take down some of my barriers as a new person. During the music portion of the service, I overheard a conversation that someone from the church was having with a guy named Bryan.  Bryan was asking him a ton of questions about faith.  His main question was centered around God the Father.  He wanted to know if…

• Why Clean Water?

  admin

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  With our recent trip to El Salvador, many friends thought it was a noble cause, but would later admit to me that they didn’t really get it.  Why water?  Why travel outside of the U.S?  And there’s nothing wrong with that at all.  I didn’t get the whole concept of clean water until… Well, until this… Untitled from Floodgate Productions on Vimeo. The truth is this:  When God puts something on your heart, you just need to do it.  Many team members put the cost of the entire trip on a major credit card.  Good for them!  Two students missed a week of school,…

• A Different Kind of Christmas

  admin

  14 Nov 2009 | 11:08 am

  My wife and I have been doing a lot of talking lately - about Christmas, about gifts, and about changing it all.  As a result of our talks and prayers, we’re doing things differently this year.  We’re still putting together a Christmas list, but the items on it are changing dramatically. The truth is this:  My wife and I need NOTHING.  We’re not rich (by US stardards), but we’re not poor either.  When we need a jacket, we buy one.  When our kids need shoes, we buy them shoes.  If the roof springs a leak, we get it fixed.  When we want to go to Starbucks, we go…

• You Know You’ve Been Mentored If…

  admin

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:27 pm

  I’m at the National Outreach Convention, in San Diego, CA.  We’re introducing Sermolcious to the North American Church.  My partners at Floodgate - Jason and Dave - are with me.  We’re having some fantastic fun. While eating lunch in a busy cafe, I noticed that I recognized the guy eating at the table behind ours.  He was the Director of my seminary program in Los Angeles - an experience that was amazing for me.  This man, along with the help of some incredible people at Hope International University, pieced together a program that would change my life. This man would…

• Get Off the Couch

  admin

  2 Nov 2009 | 8:06 pm

  In the vast majority of my adult life, my couch has become a friend, a confidant, even a lover.  After what I consider to be a long hard day, the couch has become my resting place.  And I suppose there’s nothing wrong with allowing the couch to become a place where I can kick off my shoes, and simply relax.  That’s not the problem, though. The problem occurs when the couch takes precedence over serving the world. The couch, for me, has become a stagnant symbol of  pathetic inactivity.  I choose it’s comfort over the world’s grief.  I choose the ease of its…

• 
  Dad Talk

• The secret of tears

  David

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:23 am

  I watched from a reasonable distance as a family, I recently became acquainted with, wept tears of mourning for a wife and mother lost to cancer a few days earlier. Having been an acquaintance and not fully a part of the inner circle of this family, I was torn on how to respond. It was easier in the days and months that preceded this event. I could stop by, offer words of encouragement, perhaps offer a prayer or two, and offer to help in any way I could, but in the end the result was the same, a family struggling through their own “vale of tears.” Tears that would forever change…

• Your Favorite Veteran – Veterans Day 2009

  David

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:12 am

  Remember your Veteran Once again this Veterans day I am providing a place for readers to tell the story of their favorite veteran. Most of us had the unfortunate opportunity to have the ultimate sacrifice veteran have made over the years clearly broadcast and brought to mind through the Fort Hood attack and the resulting memorial service. Horrible as it is, it was a clear reminder to all Americans. Before you go, take a moment to comment on this blog about Your favorite Veteran. My readers and I would be extremely grateful and proud to read about those who have and still are putting their…

• Lesson of the Itsy Bitsy Spider

  David

  31 Oct 2009 | 1:17 pm

  When my daughter was very small, she had a favorite song she would sing, very loudly, often for hours at a time.  This song is one most, if not all, of us know very well. “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”. Just mentioning the song has many of you singing it right now.  Like many children, my daughter, when she was first learning the song, replaced some of the correct words she could not remember, with something else so she could continue the song.  In her case she added the words “whumpa whumpa”. Here is how it went:  “The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain and…

• The Extraordinary Man

  David

  14 Oct 2009 | 4:55 pm

  I was thinking about some things I learned a few years ago, back to February of 2005 to be exact. It was then I had the opportunity to hear a particular message from Rick Godwin. Rick’s message was about taking risks and how important it is to be willing to take risks in your life. There was one statement he made that hit me so hard, it still impacts me today. He said, “you can change the world…start with yourself, by becoming extraordinary”. One thing I have learned over the years is it is very difficult to become something unless you understand what it is.

• Your shoe size and success

  David

  7 Sep 2009 | 5:59 pm

  Recently, as we were driving home from church, my son, sitting in the back seat, was contemplating his shoe size. Reading the tag under the tongue of the shoe, he observed that in Britain his shoe was a 6.5, in the US a 7.5, in Asia a 26, and in Europe it was a 40.5. For a second he was silent, then he commented “in Europe, my shoe is sure big.” Although he knew it was the same size in all countries, he was attempting to say the European number sure is a different measure than here in the United States. Sitting here recounting his observations, it strikes me that this little…

• 
  After His Own Heart

• Souls transformed by the Gospel

  Zhey Chua

  3 Nov 2009 | 6:33 pm

  For almost four months now, Warren and I have been ministering to our neighbors and a month ago, after three months of daily devotions, Saturday in depth Bible Studies and Sunday fellowships, they finally came to know Jesus Christ. What joy it is to witness the transformation that only God’s powerful hands can do to their [...]

• “… baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…”

  Zhey Chua

  20 Oct 2009 | 1:04 am

  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And [...]

• New Chapter

  Zhey Chua

  20 Oct 2009 | 12:01 am

  We’re still here! We’ve been gone for months and we owe you updates, we’re truly sorry for the long silence. I hope that I would be able to fill you all in on the details in the next few weeks but for now, let me just tell you our situation. The Lord once more [...]

• LOCAL CHURCH, ORDINANCES, AUTHORITY, & PARA-CHURCH MINISTRIES…

  Zhey Chua

  11 Oct 2009 | 6:12 pm

  (A Feature article from Ed Franklin of The Word of God Is Not Bound) A friend and brother is leading a Bible study which, if God wills, might turn into a house church some day. Already he is up against an old question. He has a new convert who either is or soon will be a [...]

• Sola Scriptura!

  Zhey Chua

  29 Sep 2009 | 11:21 pm

  I just got off Facebook, mercifully, unscathed after an exchange with a Catholic priest. I did not mean to engage him in a debacle of words but he seemed to think that I was and golly, the fangs! He was almost raving mad about my stand on sola scriptura. I have not read much books [...]

• 
  New Leaven

• The Manhattan Declaration: Is It Worth Signing?

  T.C. R

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

  The Manhattan Declaration, a document that is floating around blogsphere, is enlisting the signatures of “fellow citizens, believers, and non-believers alike.” It already has the signatures of prominent evangelicals like J.I. Packer, Tim Keller, and Al Mohler: The Manhattan Declaration: Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family. We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at…

• Demon Possession: A Thing of the Past or A Thing of the Present?

  T.C. R

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:25 am

  In our home group last evening, we  found ourselves discussing demon possession: a thing of the past or a thing of the present? A couple shared what they believe  to have been a firsthand encounter with demon possession.  I was all ears with a few questions (you see, I’ve never had a firsthand encounter). Another sister shared about her own father’s encounters (though not her own).  Again, I was all ears with a few questions. Then I decided to share , not a firsthand encounter, but what a trusted pastor friend had related to a group of us while at dinner one evening. While…

• “The First President of Europe”: Belgium In Dispensational Eschatology?

  T.C. R

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:49 pm

  According to Dispensational Premillennialism, the anti-Christ would hail from Europe.  He would become leader of the world in times of crises. What better time? But I doubt it: Brussels, Belgium (CNN) — Belgium’s prime minister, Herman Van Rompuy, has been appointed the first “president of Europe,” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Thursday.  full article… This should give Bible Prophecy “experts” something to write about. 2012 and the Mayan Prophecy? Posted in Dispensationalism, Eschatology, Prophecy Tagged: Dispensationalism, Herman Van…

• The Freedom of Creation Is to Blame?

  T.C. R

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:38 am

  Not to be confused with the freedom of humanity. So instead of blaming the evil and suffering that we humans continue to both live with and complain about, seeking answers here and there, Why not blame the freedom of creation—the freedom that Almighty God bestowed on his natural creation? So the next time a tsunamai claims over 200, 000 and a hurricane takes lives and displaces thousands, Why not point the finger at Creation and its Freedom? But the brilliant William Dembski sees the irony: How can the freedom of creation, which results from a freely acting God who freely bestows…

• N.T. Wright is taken to task for His Exegesis

  T.C. R

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:10 am

  The November 2009 issue of Themelios features yet another review of N.T. Wright’s Justification: Paul’s Vision and God’s Plan, this time by one David Mathis. David Mathis calls N.T. Wright’s exegesis into question: Exegesis has two different flavors for Wright and Piper. Piper wrestles word by word, proposition by proposition, and then paragraph by paragraph. Wright moves much quicker through large chunks of Paul’s thought, refers frequently to whole chapters and paragraphs, and quotes phrases (often as technical terms) seemingly removed from their immediate context.

• 
  Wrecked for the Ordinary

• The Risk of Love in Africa

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Every day in Swaziland was a reminder of what true faith is. I would meet thirsty, hungry, lonely people who worshiped God, praised God, and gave him all the glory. Always. They sang. They danced. They smiled, even in the midst of extreme pain. One thing was certain: God is good, and they were faithful.   In the midst of all this faith, I was reading a section in the book Crazy Love about faith and risk. Author Francis Chan asks a bold question, "What are you doing right now that required faith?" In America, we are obsessed with safety. We love insurance, saving accounts, seat belts, you…

• To the Givers, this Holiday Season

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Here come the holidays. I've already got my Thanksgiving plans made, including where I am going and what I am cooking.  I'm working out what to do at Christmas. Some people I know already have their trees up and decorated.  Others are ticking off how many gift-buying days remain. A lady told me the other day that she's already done shopping and wrapping. Wow. With the holidays comes that special wave of giving.  This is, for me, what helps to offset the shopping frenzy and the multitude of things attached to Christmas that have nothing to do with Christ at all:  in the…

• Abiding: A Poem

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Abiding The branch, hanging low and proud on the tree, Stays connected somehow. Such a lifestyle is tangible, to say the least. You can look right at it and see the joint. And the tree, rising tall and steady, Stays connected to the earth, Into which it has sunk its roots deeply. And this connection too, Is a tangible one, One that eyes can turn toward     and see. And the earth, low and dirty, Is connected to every living thing, Finding life within it and upon it. Though this particular connection, This thing we so vaguely call gravity, Is slightly less visible, It is no less…

• Resolutions from the Unemployment Line

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  This past Friday, I joined the ranks of the unemployed when the shelter where I worked did some downsizing.  I had never been laid off before; that meeting was short, to the point, and absent the drama one might imagine.  Driving home that afternoon, I texted my kids.  "On my way home. Unemployed. God is good." The "God is good" was not so much a celebration (who celebrates losing a job?) as a reminder to myself:  the One who has carried me through to this point has not suddenly decided to drop me on my head.  In the days and nights since then, He has reminded me of…

• Tribes: Leaving Christianity as a Destination

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  You make your way through the long checkout and hand over the goods and use your medium of exchange to purchase some snacks for tonights' game. You communicate by using the language of the tribe. You use the tools of the tribe, like the bags they use to carry the goods. In that moment, you are a part of their tribe. The tribe of Wal-Mart.   You go to a football game and people in this tribe use screaming as part of their tribal language. They raise their hands. They buy beer. They hug people they don't know. But for those in the tribe, this is not odd behaviour. Its expected…

• 
  The Creative Ledge

• Can vs Should (Part One)

  14 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm

  Ok, leaders. This may stir up some controversy. I’m ready for the fallout. This may make you mad. It may make you defensive. Ready? Sure about that? Ok, I’ll just let it fly…Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.You have abilities. Your mastery of those abilities is what qualifies you for opportunities. However, your ability is irrelevant when you miss the point. Have you ever heard the term “overqualified?” The question here is not whether the task should be done. The question is whether you are the one to do it.As a creative team leader, I am capable of doing the…

• Spinning Plates

  14 Nov 2009 | 8:44 am

  I know you’ve seen them. They’re the ones who entertain and amaze us with their ability to spin plates and keep them spinning in the midst of chaos. No, I’m not talking about the professional acrobats or circus performers – they have a rehearsed “act” with very low calculated risk. I’m talking about amateur plate spinners. I may be talking about you.I’m talking about the unrehearsed, uncalculated agreement to take on more than we know for sure we can do. Why would we do that to ourselves, our projects and other people?FriendshipLoyaltyChallengeCompetitionAdrenaline…

• Rob Green: Tribute To A Friend

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:10 am

  Rob Green and I go back a long way. We were high school friends. Not just high school friends, but part of an elite group of young men and women. We both had the awesome privilege to be included in a comprehensive hands-on radio and television production program. This program was not just theory and history. It was real life, real world on-the-job training for being a media professional.We were surrounded with professional gear and taught by a knowledgeable, passionate man. He taught us to think like professionals, create like professionals and most of all, BE professionals. Looking back on…

• Are You Hiding?

  23 Oct 2009 | 1:47 pm

  Recently my wife (@Debra_Allen) re-tweeted this:"Yo balloon boy, I'm happy for you I'mma let you finish BUT, Anne Frank had the best attic hiding spot OF ALL TIME."Funny, but enough about balloon boy hiding in the attic already. It did get me thinking though…What about you? Are YOU hiding?Chances are you aren’t actually physically hiding in the attic, but you may still be hiding from us. Maybe you’re hiding in a company doing a "safe" job. Maybe you’re hiding in a church serving in a "safe" area. You may even be doing things that you enjoy with people you enjoy, but still hiding.

• Me? Retro?

  23 Oct 2009 | 1:31 pm

  What’s the beauty of being a rock star at the ripe old age of 21? Being a forty-something and showing up on a retro “favorite things” blog list by a respected church leadership guru.During Catalyst ’09, Tony Morgan posted Things I Remember that Most Catalyst Attendees Do Not. There I was, smack-dab right in the middle of that post… well, not me exactly by name, but my band. Actually, it was my former band from my former life as a rock star. You see, for the first several years of my adult life and ministry, I was a member of the Grammy and Dove award winning travelling circus known…

• 
  BMH Editor's Blog

• Friday Feature: Book Explores God’s Relationship With Man Through Worship

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pm

  Now available through Friday, November 27 at a discounted rate!Worship: The Golden Thread is a masterful exposition of scriptural teaching on worship along with examples from real-life, including Bruce Triplehorn’s work in Brazil and his use of marriage as a metaphor.“The Scriptures are a history of God’s relationship with man through worship,” Triplehorn says. “Worship is the underlying theme of every page and the glue that ties its long history together.” It is the key, he stresses, that unlocks both the meaning of the Bible and also the foundation of God’s redemptive plan.For…

• Don Shoemaker to be Parade Grand Marshal

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:11 pm

  Vicki Barilla, Director of Community Ministries for the Grace Brethren church in Seal Beach,California, has informed us that the Seal Beach Parade Committee has unanimously selected Pastor Don Shoemaker (pictured) as this year’s Seal Beach Christmas Parade Grand Marshal. Vicki said, "We were happy to be informed by the Seal Beach Parade Committee and Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce Board Member Brian Warner who attends Grace with his wife Jane."It is this year that Pastor Don has been serving the Seal Beach church and the Seal Beach Community for 25 years giving additional significance to…

• An Early Thanksgiving at ESL

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:42 am

  An early Thanksgiving dinner was served this Thursday morning to students and their family members who participate in an ESL (English as a Second Language) class offered by the Winona Lake (IN) Grace Brethren Church as an outreach.Carving and serving the turkey were (bottom photo, left) Dr. Don DeYoung, whose wife, Sally, is one of the ESL teachers, and retired GBIM missionary Diana Davis (right), who roasted the turkey and directs the ESL program. Bruce Barlow is lead pastor of the Winona Lake Church. (Sharon White photos) Subscribe in a reader

• Alta Loma Participates in Darwin Outreach

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:05 am

  Pastor Roy Halberg of the Alta Loma Grace Fellowship in California (pictured with books) participated in a program in which 170,000 students got a copy of Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species.”Copies of a special edition of Darwin's book were given away at 100 of America's top universities. The book was freely given in honor of its 150th anniversary, and contains a 50-page introduction by best-selling author Ray Comfort. According to Halberg, more than 1200 people across the country will be handing the landmark publication to our future doctors, lawyers and politicians, and…

• Worthington Christian Boys Win State Soccer Title

  15 Nov 2009 | 12:05 pm

  Congratulations to the boys soccer team at Worthington Christian High School, a ministry of the Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, Ohio. They defeated Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 2-1 to win the OHSAA Boys Soccer Championship, Division III. Below is from the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch. To read the complete story, click here.Worthington Christian beat Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 2-1. Trent Smith scored the winning goal halfway through overtime. It is the Warriors' second title."Trent is a special player," Worthington Christian coach Dan Roads said. "Give all the credit to Trent for…

• 
  Thoughts about Nothing

• Resource of the Day #75

  Kyle Reed

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:10 pm

  GodlySheep.com Today’s resource is a great blog that you should follow and interact with. Check out Gods Sheep and get some great info and thoughts. They are a collaborative blog that shares tips and ideas for church, ministry, and life in general Check it out here No related posts.

• Embarrasing TV

  Kyle Reed

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:32 pm

  Since yesterday I tore apart the DVR and its assault on a generation. I decided to ask an embarrassing and yet fun question for this Friday. Answer honestly and openly, this will give us a good chance to see a little bit more about who each and everyone of us really are. Here is the question…. What is one show that you watch on TV that you would not want anyone else knowing that you watch? and What is one show on TV that you never miss? Here is my answer… One show that I am embarrassed to say that I watch is a baby story. Ya, that show on TLC that goes through the life of a family…

• Mentor Me Project gets a Voice

  Kyle Reed

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:21 pm

  I had a chance to meet with DJ Chuang today about the mentor me project as well as some leadership advice. It was a great opportunity to talk to a great leader. Needless to say, DJ was more then helpful. He is a knowledgable man that gave me tons of resources, tons of advice and then gave me a voice on his blog. Check out this interview he did with me: I look forward to the conversation that is going to take place on his blog as well as in the future. Check it out and join in on the conversation that is happening and make your voice heard here or on DJ’s site. Question: Where are the…

• Resource of the Day #74

  Kyle Reed

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:15 pm

  wetoku.com You ever wondered how people do video interviews and then post them on their blog? Well here is the solution or answer to your question. Wetoku is a free service that allows you to host an interview and then take the embed code and put it right on your blog. Check it out here See it here in action Related posts:Resource of the Day #69Resource of the Day #68Resource of the Day #63

• How DVR has ruined our Generation

  Kyle Reed

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:59 pm

  DVR is an amazing invention (sure it is an adaption of tivo, but I have DVR so that is all I know). Seriously, being able to selectively watch TV is awesome. I find myself taping things that I probably would have never have watched before. DVR has changed the way that I view television and in all reality has changed the way I view life. We all have a perception of how things should be. This is how we know what is right and wrong with the world. We know that people should not be suffering and so we do something to make that right. As well,  in life we know that we want to be happy and…

• 
  Heart Choices

• Then Sings My Soul Saturday ~ I Will Rise

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:04 pm

  It's Then Sings My Soul Saturday. Yay; I really needed this today. Earlier this week I planned to post another song that a fellow blogger shared with me. I loved the song. However, I can't seem to get this song out of my head. I wake up to it in the morning and can't seem to shake it throughout my day. So, I had to post it for you. It's called "I Will Rise" and Chris Tomlin sings it so well. It is so good to be reminded that the victory has already been won. Jesus has overcome. I know the end of the story. I will rise when He calls ...my name (Debbie).Knowing this gives me such hope and…

• What Brings A Smile To Your Face?

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:39 am

  What brings a smile to your face? I immediately think of babies, puppies, family and ...God's love.Today I decided to leave the Fitness Friday posting in the capable hands of Sandy of God Speaks Today and Sarah of All Pain ~ No Gain. BTW, they are each responding to a letter submitted by "Unfit Girl". She admits she knows she needs to start exercising but doesn't know where to begin. I love how Sandy and Sarah each answered her letter in their own unique way.So, back to smiles. Here are a few favorite photos that make me smile. This is my friend Jamie's daughter Mary at her first appointment…

• Thankful Thursday ~ Life

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:28 am

  It's Thankful Thursday and Iris of Grace Alone is hosting. Iris is the founder of our Thankful Thursday meme so I'm very grateful and thankful for her.There are so many times during my week when I remember to focus on what I can be grateful for. I know I will be writing about thankfulness on Thursdays so I'm on the lookout throughout my week. Iris chose the topic of life for this week. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I have His Spirit within me. As I walk through this life while on earth, I can have abundant life but only as I live ...in Him.But I have a choice to make each day and often…

• Walk with Him Wednesday ~ Fear Not

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  For this Walk with Him Wednesday, Ann Voskamp of @ Holy Experience has asked us to share Scripture we've been memorizing.The older I get, the harder it is to memorize but I'm determined to not let that stop me. I need to do this now more than ever. And besides, I've stated it repeatedly on Heart Choices ...I am a life long learner.If I have to share one emotion that I struggle with most in my life, I would have to say it would be FEAR.I used to listen to Zig Ziglar tapes in my car on my way to work. I well remember the acronym Zig used for fear:F= falseE= evidenceA= appearingR= realAs I…

• I Love Thanksgiving

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:41 pm

  I love Thanksgiving! But when I took a walk around my neighborhood, I couldn't believe it. The gated entrance is already decorated for Christmas. And several of the neighbors are going all out on Christmas decorations. It's still another week before Thanksgiving and I want to enjoy it.There are many reasons I love Thanksgiving. (Photo credit: Country Living)I love the colors of the season. Fall is such a changing time in nature. Although I live in Phoenix and it's still in the 70's, I'm hoping for a drop in temperatures very soon. And of course, it's only a two hour drive north to Flagstaff…

• 
  Captain's Blog

• Unknown in '99, Indispensable Now

  Chad Estes

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Newsweek published a top ten list of items that our culture has become dependant upon in the last decade. It got me to thinking what has impacted my life in the last ten years. Here is my list.10. KindleI’ve always loved to read and usually have a book or two with me. Amazon’s thin, light, and connected reader allows me to cart around a library of books with ease. When I’m using it I forget that I’m not reading on paper. Usually the only time I remember is when someone wants to borrow a book from me and I don’t have a hardcopy to lend them.9. TwitterYou wouldn’t think that 140…

• Blogging Friends vs. Biblestudy Fellowship

  Chad Estes

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:18 pm

  Blogging creates new opportunity for community. I have been fortunate to pick up a few readers along the way. While some keep the interaction purposefully one-sided, others leave comments, some send email or private messages, and some readers have even come out from behind their computer screens to invite me to coffee or a meal. Today I had lunch with one of those guys who wanted both a sandwich and a conversation.We met at a deli and I shook his hand while looking him in the eye and telling him it was nice to finally meet him. The problem was, it wasn’t the first time. Not only had he…

• Shane Claiborne Addresses Non-Believers in Esquire

  Chad Estes

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:56 pm

  If you aren't familiar with Shane Claiborne you should be. His is simple, inspiring and believes that Mercy has come down to earth. He lives that way too.Esquire magazine, knowing that Shane's writing and his faith-in-action sometimes gets him in trouble with Evangelicals, asked him to write a letter to non-believers.He starts his letter with an apology, tells a story about a street-preacher in Philly, and then shares some scandalously, redemptive stories. It is a great letter and I hope you click here to read the whole thing."The more I have read the Bible and studied the life of Jesus, the…

• Did You Unfriend Me? Will I Unfriend You?

  Chad Estes

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:44 pm

  The New Oxford American Dictionary announced their 2009 Word of the Year is “Unfriend.” This new entry won over several other interesting words including:Zombie Bank – a financial institution with an economic net worth that is less than zero, but which continues to operate because its ability to repay its debts is shored up by implicit or explicit government credit support.Hashtag – Twitter users use a hash symbol (#) followed by a word for the purpose of categorizing their tweet.Intexticated – Driving-while-texting.Birther – Someone who doubts (despite the evidence) that…

• A Bowing President? God Forbid! Right?

  Chad Estes

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:44 am

  I’ve read a couple news reports regarding President Obama’s trip to Asia. I’ve also read several furious diatribes over the fact that he bowed to the Japanese Emperor and his wife. Apparently an American President should never lower himself/herself to show deference to another leader. A firm handshake, which is acceptable in our culture, makes it appear that we are on a level playing field; but every red-blooded, patriotic American expects our President to squeeze a little tighter than the world leader standing across from them—especially if they are from former, Soviet Bloc…

• 
  missional space

• Did William Carey choose wisely?

  Grady

  17 Nov 2009 | 2:57 am

  When I first got interested in missions his biography was one of my first reads.  I was so inspired by his courage and determination. He saw a need and heard the call to be the solution and overcame overwhelming obstacles.  He paved the way for modern missions in regards to funding, Bible translation, and language learning.  He truly is the Father of modern missions. The interesting thing about Carey is what the biographies didn’t mention…about his family.  When Carey felt led to go India his wife didn’t share the calling.  In fact she begged to stay in England…in…

• What if we flipped it all around?

  Grady

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am

  Do we truly value people?  Do you value people on your team?  Do you know their stories?  What fires them up?  Do you view people as a tool or a treasure?  What if we created an organization or team that asked people what they thought, what they valued?  What if we allowed people’s dreams and desires to feed into our overall vision? What if instead of asking them to conform to a sterile vision we allowed the vision to be fluid and organic as it evolves around our people? What if your church or organization led from the bottom up?  What if we allowed those closest to the work to…

• the Curse of the Sound System

  Grady

  4 Nov 2009 | 1:48 pm

  A few years ago I was asked to help with worship at a new church start.  The first few weeks were cool…we met in a neighborhood clubhouse.  We simply sat in a big circle, did worship with a guitar and hand-drum…and we engaged in conversation.  These weeks were rich as the church dreamed, discussed, conversed about who they were and who they wanted to be….then it happened…as Caleb Crider  says..we broke the sound system rule and everything changed. The church spent $20k on sound, lighting and media and suddenly the circle was replaced with rows….the intimate…

• Are there any French in Paris?

  Grady

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:08 am

  Paris has so much to offer those who visit….world-class museums, abundant cafes, amazing shopping, picturesque scenery…and of course delicious food.  One thing they are missing….French people.  I recently spent a week there on vacation with the family and I noticed there are two significant groups of people in Paris….tourists and immigrants…..with the French disappearing into the background as a minority. Over the past few years the conflicts around immigration in Europe have come to light in various ways.  Countries such as France with significant number of…

• I don’t want to be a dinosaur

  Grady

  29 Oct 2009 | 12:35 am

  I don’t want to be a dinosaur or a team player.  I just read a great post by Tony Kim and it definitely spoke to my creative side. He quotes Hugh MacLeod…. Com­pa­nies that squelch crea­ti­vity can no lon­ger com­pete with com­pa­nies that cham­pion creativity. Since the modern, scientifically-conceived cor­po­ra­tion was inven­ted in the early half of the Twen­tieth Cen­tury, crea­ti­vity has been sac­ri­fi­ced in favor of for­war­ding the inte­rests of the “Team Pla­yer”. There’s only one pro­blem. Team Pla­yers are not very good at crea­ting…

• 
  Tea With Tiffany

• Live Free

  Tea With Tiffany

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:38 pm

  Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. Galatians 5:1(The Message)

• Flashback Photo

  Tea With Tiffany

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:09 am

  (I'm the teenage girl with the blond feathered hair on the right, 2nd row. I'm above my mom with the polka dotted dress. One of my brothers is smiling the cheesy grin below me with his thumbs in his pockets. LOL) Today is one of those days. I'm behind on e-mails and behind on laundry. Not a good combination. My floors are dirty. I mean dirty dog dirty! Did I tell you I have a black lab that drives me crazy with her hair?My washing machine belt broke two days ago, so I had to ring out my kids' drenched hoodies. What a workout! I thanked God for having modern appliances and laughed it off in…

• Amazing Grace

  Tea With Tiffany

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:30 am

  Need I say more?*****(pic from my backyard during our last snow. Snow is stuck to our sliding glass door.)

• No Weapon Formed Against You

  Tea With Tiffany

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:26 am

  (took this picture at a friend's house. When I saw this on her garage fridge, I thought a BIG AMEN!) Are you under the gun this week? Do you feel like you are being hit with bullet after bullet? Is your heart weak? Are you feeling overwhelmed?I've been there. Here's the truth:NO weapon formed against you will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). You are victorious in Christ! Nothing will separate you from God's love. I don't care where you've been or what you've done, if Jesus is your savior, you are free from condemnation and shame. Forever free. Do you believe that? You are robed in righteousness. It's…

• The Best Part about Trusting God

  Tea With Tiffany

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  Where are you with trusting God? Be honest. You don't have to share your answers. Do you trust God a little or a lot? What percentage would you say if you had to? 25%, 50%, 75%, 99%, 100%? Over the past couple years, God is teaching me to truly trust Him. And I've never felt so free! I'm not sure I'm 100%(though I'd love to say that and mean it), but my faith is growing as I learn to trust Him.I no longer need answers to my past. My "why's" fade. I see God rebuilding the places in my life that were once ruins. A miracle!I no longer need answers about tomorrow. My "what if's" shrink because I…

• 
  Here I Blog

• Could Molinism Support Universalism

  Mark|HereIBlog

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:11 am

  Dr. William Lane Craig has an article called A Middle Knowledge Perspective on Biblical Inspiration. In this article he offers Molinism as the answer of how God can work with man to write inspired Scripture. This preserves man’s freedom while still giving God a level of control of the outcome. If this position is satisfactory for the inspiration of written Scripture, why is it not satisfactory for other areas in which God works in peoples’ lives? Taking Craig’s conclusion built upon Molinism of how the Bible was inspired and applying it salvation seems to offer no valid…

• Comfort in God’s Sovereignty and Goodness

  Mark|HereIBlog

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  My good friends John and Shannon Jordan are going through one of those unexpected trials of life. On October 31 their six year old son Gideon was diagnosed with a brain tumor. They started a Facebook group (link at the end) for prayers and updates on Gideon. In less than a month, over 1,800 members joined the group. This group allowed people to pray, keep up with Gideon’s progress and even gave a way for people to donate to the Jordan’s to help them financially. The bad news is that the Jordan’s are still recovering in some ways including financially. The good news is that…

• Do Scott Hahn’s Book Endorsements Offer Protestants Validity?

  Mark|HereIBlog

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:15 am

  Covenant and Communion: The Biblical Theology of Pope Benedict XVI by Scott Hahn has a few Protestant endorsements. The biggest stir was caused by Michael Horton’s endorsement. People are asking – Why endorse such a book? Would the Apostle Paul have endorsed a book on metaphysics by Aristotle? Dr. Horton has responded in his post Horton on Hahn. He explained that he is still committed to his Reformed convictions. Horton is not endorsing Hahn’s nor the Pope’s theology, but endorsing Hahn’s understanding of the Pope’s theology. The question really boils down…

• Lord’s Day 11/15 Petition and Confession

  Mark|HereIBlog

  14 Nov 2009 | 6:22 am

  Confession and Petition Holy Lord, I have sinned times without number, and been guilty of pride and unbelief, of failure to find Thy mind in Thy Word, of neglect to seek Thee in my daily life. My transgressions and short-comings present me with a list of accusations, but I bless Thee that they will not stand against me, for all have been laid on Christ. Go on to subdue my corruptions, and grant me grace to live above them. Let not the passions of the flesh nor lustings of the mind bring my spirit into subjection, but do Thou rule over me in liberty and power. I thank Thee that many of my…

• Lord’s Day 11/08 Faith Undeserved

  Mark|HereIBlog

  7 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  Many Christians around the world are preparing to worship. Nothing as powerful as God’s word to reflect on worship. When we understand just how sinful we are it is easier to truly appreciate God’s grace in saving us. It is a blessing to gather together as a community of Christians petitioning God directly. An undeserved blessing made possible only through Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Just how undeserving are we? How much do we realize this? People will talk about how they do not deserves things in life such as spouses, certain friends, family, etc. To the degree to…

• 
  daveingland.com

• A call to mentors/mentees

  daveingland

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:59 am

  Watched the interview below between DJ Chuang & Kyle Reed regarding mentors. It’s a sad story, but one that I think can be resolved. Watch the interview and then read my commentary below: This is sad, but it mirrors a lot of my own experience as a new Christian with a call to ministry. I actually had to go outside of my local church to find mentors. In my opinion, the biggest challenge in finding a mentor is getting people to understand the mentor/mentee relationship. Those asked to mentor think it means a big burden of their time and that they are being asked to teach someone in…

• an impromptu interview about The Idea Camp

  daveingland

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:45 am

  I was asked to be interviewed regarding The Idea Camp and some of my experiences leading up to the session happening in Portland on 11/20-21. As it was an impromptu interview, I didn’t have to prepare my responses. One of the main points that’s missing in the interview has to do with the collaboration and creativity that went into the planning of the event. It was quite an interesting time having the privilege to sit in on some of the planning meetings via tokbox. The planning sessions were handled almost like one of the workshops at The Idea Camp. The facilitator of the meeting…

• If Francis Chan is a sellout, I have no clue why

  daveingland

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:01 pm

  Long before the whole incident of the Deadly Viper/Zondervan use of Asian culture to promote a book arose, there was a lengthy dialog from the Next Gener.Asian Church blog about how white evangelicals were using Francis Chan because he was a safe spokesperson from the Asian-American ministerial community that would relate to a broad audience. It was titled: Is Francis Chan a sell-out? At the time of this writing, there are 162 comments in reply to that post and more are added each week. It’s a polarizing issue and one that is totally misunderstood. Due to some recent events, it seems…

• Fueling the fire of Christian celebrity

  daveingland

  9 Nov 2009 | 11:23 am

  Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. –1 John 2:15 New International Version I just Re-tweeted something I saw mentioning that my friend Charles Lee was going to be speaking at Exponential 2010. I was excited! Then I saw a tweeted link from the website on a national church planter’s conference announcing The Idea Camp being in Portland 11/20-21. I was excited! Then…it struck me like a ton of bricks. There it was. I saw an image of Rob Bell being displayed in a banner as if he was Elvis Presley circa…

• Don’t disrespect me because I’m Asian!

  daveingland

  5 Nov 2009 | 1:20 am

  Personal Tidbit: I rarely feel like I have much of a voice when it comes to being an Asian-American Christian or especially, when it comes to practical ministry to Asian-Americans. However, whenever I blog about such things, I get the most readership and the most feedback to the posts. Interesting! So, here is another post on an aspect of being Asian-American. However, this time I have to chime in and say I feel like I have a lot to speak to on the issue regarding the controversy between the guys at Deadly Viper and Soong-Chan Rah. If you haven’t heard enough about the issue already,…

• 
  Rediscovering the Church

• Child Sponsorship Week – Over To You

  Peter P

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:44 am

  In life, whether at school, at work, at church or wherever it may be, there always comes a time where you have to stop listening and start doing. Education, encouragement and exhortation can only take you to the starting line. There is a  point at which you have to start putting into practice what you have learned. This week, I have dedicated my blog to trying to educate you on the need for and benefits of child sponsorship but the time for talking is over. It’s time for action. It’s over to you now. The ball is in your court – and all of those other metaphors. What are you…

• Child sponsorship – Guest post by Caren Carter

  Peter P

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:42 am

  Todays post is written by one of my cousins, Caren Carter (check out her blog here). I was very excited for two reasons when she offered to write a guest post: 1) because I like my cousins and am honored and touched that she would want to write for me and 2) because she suggested that she should write about my uncle’s orphanage… something I didn’t know existed!. When the article arrived in my inbox, I couldn’t have been more pleased with it. This is Caren writing from her heart and sharing some of her true feelings about this vital issue. Thank you, Caren, for sharing…

• Child Sponsorship Week – Evangelism

  Peter P

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am

  A comment that Bernadette Gabon made on yesterday’s post really got me thinking and I want to share my thoughts with you today. I realize that quite a few people who read this do not believe in God, or at least, don’t believe in him in the way that I do but many people who are reading this do and most, if not all of them, will agree with me that there is nothing more important than sharing the gospel. Jesus was all about compassion. One of his defining characteristics was that he loved and had compassion on EVERYBODY – and he called us to do the same. The passage I quoted…

• Blog Carnival – One Word at a Time: Community

  Peter P

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am

  Welcome to the blog carnival. This is actually the fourth time we’ve done it and it never ceases to amaze me how diverse and deep the different entries to the carnival always are. This week’s topic is “Community” and you can see all of the other entries over on our host, Bridget’s, site We’d love for you to join us. All you need to do is write a post about community and then link to it using the cool little widget that Bridget has up and running. Here’s my contribution: Community This week is Child Sponsorship week here on my blog. We just got a new…

• A Little Boy From Kenya – Guest post by Glynn Young

  Peter P

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:38 am

  This week, this blog is dedicated to promoting child sponsorship. So many children in the world don’t have even the most basic food, water, medical care, clothing and schooling. In sort, they don’t have any prospect of a positive future. We can change that. If we’re willing to sacrifice just a small portion of our luxury, we can change lives. Today, the amazingly talented Glynn Young (blog | Twitter) has kindly agreed to share with us his experience of sponsoring a child, A Little Boy from Kenya: We first met him in the most unlikely of places – the Scottrade Center in…

• 
  Waiting For Sunday

• Sunday Seven

  Dennis Mullen

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:27 pm

  A septet of really good reading… The strong-willed leader.  John Ortberg (one of my favorite writers) says that a will that is surrendered to God isn’t supposed to be a weak will.  From Christianity Today’s Leadership Journal. Joel Osteen serves up recession-themed positive thinking.  A critique of Joel Osteen, and positive thinking in general, from the personal finance blog WalletPop (thanks, Dino!). Normal was never cool:  Inception of perception.  A meditation on self-image by sprinter and model Aimee Mullins, a double-amputee who stands between 5’8’ and…

• What frantic living says about our Shepherd

  Dennis Mullen

  15 Nov 2009 | 2:50 pm

  Still Waters 1 – What frantic living says about our shepherd No audio

• Sunday Seven

  Dennis Mullen

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:49 pm

  Seven not-so-stale sites for Christians (er, Christ-followers). A friend recently asked me what Christian sites I read these days.  Turns out I have been neglecting my newsy-type reading, so I went off in search of some new-to-me (or recently ignored) Christian sites.  Here are some that caught my eye. The Acton Institute.  This one promises to study religion and liberty.  Looks conservative or libertarian.  I plan to listen to some of their podcasts. Prodigal says it’s the #1 Christian men’s online destination.  Topics that jump out:  Tech, Baseball,…

• Love. Grow. Serve. Go. (Sermon)

  Dennis Mullen

  8 Nov 2009 | 2:40 pm

  The path of a disciple at MHCC

• NYC Marathon won by a True Blue American

  Dennis Mullen

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:29 am

  This past Sunday an American runner won the prestigious New York City Marathon, the first American male to win the race since my freshman year in college (1982).  It wasn’t Ryan Hall who restored American prominence.  Hall, the blond-haired, blue-eyed hope of USA running (a great runner and a devoted Christian) finished fourth.  No, the winner was Mebrahtom Keflezighi, a naturalized American citizen who was born in Eritrea. The New York Times has a refreshingly honest, non-politically-corrected look at the debate about whether Meb’s victory should count as an American…

• 
  Coffee Shop Journal

• Life happens at the Coffee Shop

  marla

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:38 am

  The kid was a 20-something surfer dude with flip-flops and tank top. In South Florida he’s a pretty common sight. He was tan and fit and thoroughly enjoying his Sunday morning coffee with his companion. And he was obviously deeply head-over-heels for his coffee buddy. The Kid’s face lit up at every word. We watched them for maybe twenty minutes while we sipped our pre-church Starbucks at City Place. What made this kid engrossing was his companion: a very elderly, very small grampa in a wheel chair. Grampa had bright yellow fuzzy socks on, with the side that should have been to the…

• Learning lessons from Mom again.

  marla

  12 Nov 2009 | 5:50 pm

  I’m still reeling from my whirlwind week last week: packing up Mom’s South Florida home, moving it to North Florida, unpacking it, and meeting my daughter for two days at Disney ! Every box is unpacked now, every picture is hung and all the furniture fit perfectly. David and I consider it to be a job well done, and it’s a delight to watch my Mom thrive in her new environment. She loves being where people have time to talk and honestly care about each other. I love thinking of her there, cozy in her TV room watching her shows at night. We learned a lot along the way, too,…

• Why in the world can’t I get this right?

  marla

  7 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pm

  We all know when we are strong willed. No one needs to tell us how to want our own way, it comes wired (or hot wired) into the general system. Lately I’ve been thinking about free will, stubborn will, our own will. In fact, everywhere I turn I see examples of just stubborn cussedness. Sadly, most of the time I’m finding those examples in my own self. Sometimes I wish God would stop holding up a mirror to me. It’s uncomfortable. Today was a good example. David and I are at Mom’s new house unpacking all her worldly goods. Mainly antique teacups and plates. And pie…

• My to-do list for the day…and yours

  marla

  3 Nov 2009 | 6:50 am

  Love others well, and don’t hide behind a mask; love authentically. Despise evil; pursue what is good as if your life depends on it. Live in true devotion to one another, loving each other as sisters and brothers. Be first to honor others by putting them first. Do not slack in your faithfulness in hard work Let your spirit be on fire, bubbling up and boiling over, as you serve the Lord. Do not forget to rejoice, for hope is always just around the corner. Hold up through the hard times that are coming, and devote yourselves to prayer. Share what you have with the saints, so they lack…

• Do I dare to be Dangerous?

  marla

  2 Nov 2009 | 11:43 am

  I love to tell stories. No big secret there. But I have discovered lately that the best and the worst ministry stories can rarely be shared. There is always a person who would be embarrassed or a desire to keep the left hand from knowing what the right hand is doing. Good things, those, but they prevent us from sharing the power of the gospel at times. I’ve been in a ministry phase like that. One that is kind of quiet on the public front, but overwhelmingly radical on the private front. I SO wish I could share what’s been going on in the lives of people around me, because…

• 
  sound of a soft breath

• No Beginning and No End

  Brad

  10 Nov 2009 | 5:56 am

  Not too far back in history when one would stand looking out across the ocean they would easily conclude that it had no end. The sea just went on forever, water and sky, on and on, with no end. Land has bounds but the sea was limitless. We know today that it does have bounds. The ocean has a beginning and an end. What Is Permanent, I Mean Really Permanent?So what around us, in our lives, is permanent? What goes on forever? What has no end? With age and a little life experience and maybe a little science most of us come to the conclusion that nothing on this earth is permanent. At best there…

• 038 | Kingdom Without Borders

  Brad

  13 Oct 2009 | 6:35 am

  The things Jesus taught brought very strong responses during his life on earth. His teaching still does. Jesus challenges people. He challenges me. | Read Luke 4:14-30 | Listen | Check out this account of Jesus in his hometown teaching in the synagogue. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the…

• 037 | Life is More than Flesh & Blood

  Brad

  22 Sep 2009 | 6:56 am

  "I've also seen the effect of the devil's work in the lives of broken and destroyed people, and as we see in Luke 4:1-13, the devil was attempting to destroy Jesus..." Whitney T. Kuniholm wrote this in his reflection titled "Deliver Us from Evil" in his book The Essential Jesus: 100 Readings Through the Bible's Greatest Story. As you may know I am blogging through this book. I am on passage reading number 37 of the 100 passages. | Read Luke 4:1-13 | Listen | I want to focus on the first four verses of this passage. Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into…

• Bible Devotions on Facebook

  Brad

  26 Aug 2009 | 1:21 pm

  Get to Know GodGod is so much larger than our human thoughts. Reading scripture expands our thoughts about God. Knowledge from the Bible pushes and pulls at who we understand God to be. Scripture explodes misconceptions and myths we have about our Creator. Get to know God by reading the Bible. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness... (2 Timothy 3:16) Bible Devotional on FacebookDo you use Facebook? Did you know you can find the Word of God on Facebook? Yes, get daily and weekly Bible devotions right on Facebook. You know…

• God Gave us Holes

  Brad

  8 Aug 2009 | 7:26 am

  Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. (Psalm 93:2 | Psalm 92) As humans we are limited by the world we live in. We are limited by time and space. We are limited by our own failings. We are limited by the blindfold of sin. As a result we often put our own human limitations on God. Perhaps not deliberately or consciously, but because we live in a box with limited views, we tend to pull God down into that box and relate to him like he is trapped in our box. Yes we have a few holes here and there that we can look through to get glimpses of eternity, but God is not in…

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  Thank Christ

• Being Grateful

  Give Thanks!

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:49 am

  Thank you God for the ability to appreciate YOU and all that you have done, are doing and will do in my life. Somedays that is the only think that keeps me going. Share this on del.icio.usDigg this!Share this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on TechnoratiShare this on FacebookTweet This!

• Thankful Thursday

  Give Thanks!

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:50 pm

  I look forward to “Thankful Thursday”, always an encouraging thoughts. Keep it up Jon, continue to be a thankful blessing! Amen Share this on del.icio.usDigg this!Share this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on TechnoratiShare this on FacebookTweet This!

• Thankful Thursdays

  Give Thanks!

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:50 pm

  I am thankful for Jon and his Thankful Thursday newletters. I always look forward to checking my email on Thursday to read them. I feel like the message is often tailored to me and what I need to hear from God that week. Share this on del.icio.usDigg this!Share this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on TechnoratiShare this on FacebookTweet This!

• Health

  Give Thanks!

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:43 pm

  Please pray for my friend who has been struggling with health issues. She goes to have surgery in December. She has been sick for almost a year now but she was able to witness to someone in similar shoes and she was not only saved, but saved from cancer! My friend had a purpose for being sick for a year. She questioned God but never gave up. Thank you Lord, for your time and healing. Please help anyone with health struggles to not lose focus. Share this on del.icio.usDigg this!Share this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on TechnoratiShare this on…

• My Nearest Exit

  Give Thanks!

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:43 pm

  I just read today’s (11/12) Thankful Thursday enewsletter and I got God-goosebumps! How wonderful it is to be able to FEEL the presence of the Holy Spirit and God at work in our lives. I read this and went, “WOW…” It was perfect timing. I’ve been studying ACTS lately and it is hard to think how persecution is good, but Saul/Paul, Stephen, Peter, John….All of them were down in the pits but never let it get to them. It’s so easy to forget how perfect everything really is, but when God means it, he’ll let you know. This has been a tough but…

• 
  BibleDude.net

• being present in your city [opening session]

  bibledude

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:07 pm

  @bibledude: the best ideas are formed in a collaborative environment… “i see your idea and raise you mine” – @charlestlee #icpnw @laurencetom: “I see your idea and raise you mine” The best ideas are formed in a collaborative environment – !deaCamp values #icpnw @DustinCross: I see your idea and raise you mine…whats left in the pot is ours. (poker terminology at #icpnw ) @laurencetom: “When we come to people with an agenda we can’t be present with them” #icpnw Being Present in the City @daveingland: there’s something…

• [scouting the divine] part one: the good shepherd

  bibledude

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  [There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.] by Don F Perkins It can be difficult to grasp the meaning of ancient stories written in a different culture, in another age, translated who knows how many times. Baptism, the washing of feet and many other concepts are just not part of our lives today. How do we relate to the bible? Margaret Feinberg’s book: “Scouting the Divine” does a great job of building a bridge between the 21st century God seeker and some of the rich life changing stories penned nearly two thousand years…

• [highcallingblogs.com] she stepped forward

  bibledude

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:01 am

  Note: This is an excerpt of the featured Faith post (written by yours truly!) at HighCallingBlogs.com. It was a typical Sunday morning. Good worship. Good message. Good time to finish up so that I could get some lunch. (Be careful not to throw stones, because you know exactly what I’m talking about!) Then it happened… At the end of his message, our pastor typically offers an opportunity for people to come forward for prayer. Sometimes it’s an altar call that’s related in some way to his message. Other times he calls people up for other special prayer needs as the Holy Spirit leads…

• [photo journal] children of africa

  bibledude

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm

  For more from this mission trip to Kenya and Uganda, check out [the africa diaries]. You can also check out the complete set of children of Kenya and Uganda on Flickr.

• [scouting the divine] introduction

  bibledude

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  [There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.] She’s one of my favorite authors… And Margaret Feinberg is one of the best storytellers that I know today. Whether I am listening to her speak, or reading something that she has written, I am always captured by her ability to connect people to ideas. So when she wrote a book on one of my favorite topics, then I knew that it was going to be a hot one! Anyone who has followed this site for a while probably knows that I feel like one of the biggest problems in the church today is the…

• 
  Biblical Preaching

• Improving Speech While Not Preparing – 2

  Peter Mead

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:39 am

  Yesterday I referred to Jay Adams’ suggestion that we can improve our language use best by working on it in everyday life so that it becomes natural.  He mentions another aspect of speech that many need to work on.  The unnecessary use of, you know, like, filler words.  These verbal pauses do a lot to distract listeners and lessen the impact of otherwise pointed and focused speech. The problem with filler words or verbal pauses is that they only seem to get worse when we focus on them in a time of tension.  So simply telling yourself not to say that thing you always say so often is…

• Improving Speech While Not Preparing

  Peter Mead

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:39 am

  Jay Adams suggests that improvements in speech should be pursued during everyday life, but not when preparing the message.  The reason he gives is that focusing on grammar, phraseology or pronunciation during preparation and delivery is a distraction from the real task at hand.  It is better, he suggests, to work on improving your speech during every day life.  Over the course of several weeks it is possible to master a new speech habit. For example, you might need to work on saying “He asks you and me,” rather than “He asks you and I.”  By concentrating on this…

• Of Bifurcations and Dichotomies

  Peter Mead

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:49 am

  Most people have a tendency to think in black and white categories.  Something is either right or wrong, good or bad.  In order to get from the complex world of reality to the comfortable world of clear categories, we tend to bifurcate inappropriately and end up with inconsistent dichotomies.  For example? Well, consider the two issues of communication style and biblical content.  These are two issues.  Yet for many people they seem to have been melded into a one or the other dichotomy.  So if a preacher has an engaging and natural style, then the content must be weak and lightweight. …

• A Tired Feast

  Peter Mead

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:25 pm

  Sunday morning I preached the last of the messages.  I’d taught class for four days, but then things got busier.  Between Thursday evening and Sunday morning (60 hours) I spoke six times, taught two sessions, and travelled many miles by car, train and aeroplane.  Not the busiest few days, but among the tightest in terms of the travel schedule.  So Sunday afternoon I got on the train to start the journey home. I was tired and knew that attempting to read or write would be borderline futile.  So instead I chose to enjoy a tired feast.  Stopping only to hand over my passport or order…

• Giving a Testimony

  Peter Mead

  15 Nov 2009 | 10:18 pm

  nugget from Richard Bewes’ book, Speaking in Public Effectively.  As a preacher, you may not be asked to give your testimony so much any more, but perhaps these guidelines might be worth giving to anyone you ask to share a testimony in church. First, it is a testimony to a Person and what he has done for you. You are not asked to be on your feet to pay tribute to a book, a Christian, a course or a church that may have helped you, though any of these may legitimately come into the story.  But it is Jesus Christ, and what he has so far done for you that you are wanting to focus upon…

• 
  MaxGrace

• Dunkfest Sermon

  maxgrace

  13 Nov 2009 | 6:24 am

  Here’s the first Dunkfest Video. After this message, 174 people came forward to get baptized, and 4 people received Jesus as Savior. This is part of a series called BirthRight: It’s Yours, Take it Back (based on Joshua). Posted in Bill Giovannetti, Maxgrace, The Gospel Tagged: Baptism, Dunkfest

• Non-spontaneous baptisms?

  maxgrace

  12 Nov 2009 | 5:39 am

  Click this for the kids/youth schedule this weekend! God blew us all away last weekend, when a huge crowd came forward for baptism. (See the previous two posts for the awesome stories.) By the way, we baptize by immersion. That means we dunk you all the way under water.  So this is a pretty big deal. For this coming weekend, we’re facing 2 big issues: 1) Integrity with regard to youth/children/minors — it has to be their choice, they have to understand the significance of baptism, and their parents or guardians most likely want to watch it! So last weekend, you had to be 18 or…

• Our Next Baptism Tank Will Be A Triple-Wide

  maxgrace

  11 Nov 2009 | 3:12 am

  Baptism tank is in the upper left corner... So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41, NAS95). Okay, so maybe we didn’t baptize 3,000 souls, but we’re still buzzing about 174. Hopefully, God is setting us up for 3,000 some time in the future… that would be our prayer!  In yesterday’s post, I shared about our Surprise Baptism Service at Neighborhood Church. Today, I’d like to share some memorable stories… vignettes that capture a little bit of what God was doing. I’d…

• Surprise! 174 Baptized

  maxgrace

  10 Nov 2009 | 4:23 am

  11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. (Colossians 2:11, 12, NKJV). Last weekend, our church baptized 174 people. They didn’t see it coming. (Neither did we, not in those numbers.) We sprung it on them. Here are some comments from Facebook: I was at the Saturday evening service and it was so incredible. Thank you Jesus! Thank you…

• My Presidential Platform: Replace Daylight Savings Time

  maxgrace

  3 Nov 2009 | 5:14 am

  My Fellow Americans, The time to right a grave injustice is NOW. I need your support. With God’s help and your vote, we will quench the hell-spawned fires of Daylight Savings Time. I am announcing that I will run for POTUS in 2010. I know that’s two years early, but desperate times call for desperate measures.  My platform is simple: Abolish Daylight Savings Time as we know it, and replace it with a new system called President Bill Good Times. PBGT is simple: Every Saturday, before bedtime – at the time of your choosing — turn your clock back ONE HOUR.  That’s…

• 
  Dad In The Middle

• Model Lesson for Teachers (Synopsis of Come Ye’ Children – Chapter 12)

  Wayne Stocks

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  In this chapter, Spurgeons offers 5 lessons for Children’s Ministry teachers on teaching kids about morality.  Spurgeon utilizes Psalm 34 as the basis for these lessons and begins the chapter with the following verse: Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. [Psalms 34:13-14 ESV] In order for kids to understand the holiness of God, we must teach them about morality.  However, we must be clear in our teaching that leading a moral life is not the way to salvation.  Instead, Children must be made to understand…

• Why I Believe the Bible #10 (Eyewitness Evidence)

  Wayne Stocks

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  At the time it was written, the Bible was widely circulated and viewed by eyewitnesses to the events it records.  As regards the New Testament, fragments of 5 books have been found from within 35 years of Jesus’ death.  These eyewitnesses would have been in a position to refute what the authors had written and the lack of any such refutation provides further evidence for the reliability of the Bible. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul explains that Jesus appeared to 500 and disciples and makes a point that many of them are still alive. Then he appeared to more than five hundred…

• What Do You Want to Be Known For? (Another Jacob Moment)

  Wayne Stocks

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  The other day my eight-year-old son Jacob and I were talking about whether or not he wanted to continue with Karate. Let me give you a little bit of background. Jacob begged to start taking Karate for a couple of years after he turned five. Because of schedules and whatnot, we weren’t able to actually sign him up for it until he was seven.  That was last fall. He was a natural (at least that is what he will tell you everyone says to him).  He picked it up quick, and what was supposed to be a once-a-week thing turned into and three or four days-a-week thing.  He couldn’t get…

• Monday Morning Prophecy #26 – The Messiah Would Heal the Deaf

  Wayne Stocks

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Last week we looked at the prophecies which indicated that the Messiah would heal the blind.  Those prophecies were recorded in the book of Isaiah hundreds of years before the birth of Christ.  In that same book, we find a number of prophecies indicating that the Messiah would also heal the deaf: In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. [Isaiah 29:18 ESV] Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and…

• Baptism by the Water Cooler

  Wayne Stocks

  14 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  All I can say about this one is it doesn’t help the cause of Christ to be “that guy!”

• 
  Crossway

• Overcoming Sin and Temptation on Trackback Thursday

  Staff

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:24 am

  Today’s trackback title is Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen, ED. by Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor. John Owen’s three classic works on sin and temptation are profoundly helpful to any believer who seeks to become more like Jesus Christ. “Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it while you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” (pp. 50) Here’s a reminder of how Trackback Thursday works: Simply link to the blog post from your blog, leave a comment on Crossway’s Facebook Page, or re-tweet…

• Deception and Confusion: The Serpent Spoke

  Staff

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:22 am

  From Vern Poythress’ New Release, In the Beginning Was the Word: Language, A God-Centered Approach An Excerpt from “The Fall Into Sin” (pp. 104-105). The events leading to the fall did not really begin with Adam and Eve, but with the serpent. The serpent said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’” (Gen. 3:1). The fall began with language. It began with an insidious question, framed in language that the woman understood. Language played a central role in the fall, and we may suspect that it continues to play a central role…

• 500,000 Share the Good News of Christmas Bags Sold

  Staff

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:43 am

  Christian Retailers all over the country have played a significant role in getting the word out about Share the Good News of Christmas. Paul Kuntz, manager of Arrowhead Parable Christian Store in Johnson City, NY, started off with an order of two cases which grew to 20 cases, then to 50. But he wasn’t nearly done. As of early November, Arrowhead Parable Christian Store has sold 180 cases of the Share the Good News of Christmas bags to churches all over his community. “The whole idea captured me,” said Kuntz. “When I saw the quality of everything in the bag—the Bible, the invitation,…

• The New Atheism demands Christian Attention and a Christian Response

  Staff

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:53 am

  A new atheism declares that it is impossible and even dangerous to believe in God. Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., President of SBTS and author of Atheism Remix, was invited by The Campus Church to address the new atheism at the University of Louisville. Tune in here as he discusses his book and addresses questions from a live Q&A.

• ESV Study Bible: A Word from J. I. Packer

  Staff

  11 Nov 2009 | 6:55 am

  I was recruited after the ESV had been launched to be Theological Editor of the Study Bible. What that has meant is that I have read the text of every article that has been submitted. There are 1.1 million words in the Study Bible. I don’t know who else has read them all, but I know that I have. The editing was a matter of ensuring that everything stated was factually accurate and that the articles flowed well. I’m excited now about the Study Bible—I believe it’s the best thing of its kind that’s going. The reason why I’m so enthusiastic about it is largely…

• 
  PurityRings.com

• Christmas Orders for Purity Rings

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  No worries about getting your Christmas orders on time !! Since we manufacture most of our purity rings and Christian jewelry, we stock them deep in all the different finger sizes, metal choices and gemstone combinations.  We ship the same day ...

• Must See New Movie - Sarah's Choice

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Sarah's Choice - the new movie starring Rebecca St. James is a MUST watch. Wow - an amazingly powerful message delivered with humility, grace and God's love ...

• Inspiring Purity Songs

  30 Aug 2009 | 5:00 pm

  Often when we are at a place of weakness in our lives, the Lord will use worship music to inspire and motivate us.  In my life, time after time it seems that God will play the right song on the ...

• Purity and Abstinence - is there a difference

  18 Aug 2009 | 5:00 pm

  There has been much debate between the difference, if any, on purity and abstinence.  There is a huge difference.  For some reason, the world insists that it is just about abstinence, virginity pledges as what we need to do, and then hope ...

• Purity Rings and Back to School

  3 Aug 2009 | 5:00 pm

  People often ask us when the best time is to give your teen a purity ring.  Realistically any time is a good time and “back to school” season does represent a very good time of the year to give them ...

• 
  Joyfully with Ruth Joy

• Thanksgiving

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:37 pm

  Yes that is actually my Thanksgiving "Tom" Turkey from 2008! :-) I do love to celebrate and this is a little tradition passed down to me by my Dad's Mom, Anna Kalis. We never sat down to Thanksgiving dinner without the bird being "dressed" with buttons down his chest (cranberries on toothpicks) and wax paper booties on his feet. I have no idea where she got the idea from but as you can see it has stuck with ME! While most people laugh pretty hard at this tradition, it does make a rather pretty picture, don't ya think? :-)Any one who knows me a bit knows how much I love to celebrate anything…

• Prayer - Thy Kingdom Come

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:58 am

  Prayer - just the word itself has a negative effect on many of us. Why? I think because humans have complicated it!God intended prayer to be simple.Ask - it will be givenSeek - you will findKnock - the door will be opened to youDirect asking, direct receivingEarnest seeking, abundant findingPersistent knocking - Doors openGod hears our prayers.This fact alone is something we all struggle with - we believe we have to be some kind of special perfect in order for God to even hear our prayers. Why do we think that? I want to suggest that we can only think that when do not KNOW our God well…

• Jesus Calls Us

  1 Oct 2009 | 9:15 am

  Myriad voices clamor earnestly and unceasingly for our attention! WHO are we listening to?"Tweet, tweet, tweet, ringtone, ringtone, ringtone, beep, beep, beep, ding, ding, ding, Mom, Mom, Mom, Hon, Hon, Hon, ......."From:TVIpodNews MediaMagazinesNewspaperBlogsTwitter, FB, MySpace, etc.EntertainersSportsPoliticiansEconomistsHealth AlertsHas there ever been such a time of CLAMOR for our attention?How about God's voice? tweet, tweet.....this is God speaking..... "delete" ? ? ? "skip" ? ? ?How about the voices within:I'm not importantMy life does not matterI'm basically blowing itI'm definitely…

• The Golden Portals

  23 Sep 2009 | 11:54 am

  Sweet is the promise, "I will not forget thee,"Nothing can molest or turn my soul away;E'en though the night be dark within the valley,Just beyond is shining an eternal day.Trusting the promise, "I will not forget thee,"Onward I will go with songs of joy and love,Though earth despise me,Though my friends forsake me,I shall be remembered in my home above.When at the golden portals I am standing,All my tribulations, all my sorrows past;How sweet to hear the blessed proclamation,"Enter, faithful servant, welcome home at last."RefrainI will not forget thee or leave thee,In My hands I'll hold…

• In this manner pray..."Our Father, in heaven"....

  16 Sep 2009 | 8:23 pm

  Jesus said, "In this manner, therefore pray, "Our Father, in heaven..."How easy it is to forget about heaven! Our lives are so filled up with the daily-ness of life. Many chores we do over and over and over and over and over. Routine days filled with mundane tasks. How differently would we live our daily routine if we really kept heaven in our focus? Jesus wanted his disciples (and us) to remember that we are on our way HOME! The details of our life are not all there is to our whole existence! Heaven is real and we are going there. Our heavenly Father is in HEAVEN!Our Father loves us…

• 
  jonathancliff.com : Life, Ministry, and Life Again

• Children Must Experience the Sweetness of the Forgiveness of All Their Sins

  Jonathan Cliff

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:15 am

  HT: SojournKids

• Bible + 90 Days = Whew!

  Jonathan Cliff

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:45 am

  Over the past 90 days my wife and I have been pouring all our energy into completely reading the Bible through.  I’m talking Genesis to Revelations in 90 days.  Cover to cover!  In actuality, we crunched the numbers and think it was more like 92 days.  So sue me! It was quite the experience and not something I made big news of while I was actually reading it.  Didn’t want to NOT do it, then have to look stupid.  By the way, that’s wisdom right there! (If you follow me on twitter @jonathancliff then you might have seen a few cryptic “35 of 90″ tweets here…

• I’ve Been Published

  Jonathan Cliff

  10 Nov 2009 | 1:25 pm

  I’ve had a long-hidden goal of writing something that may one day be read by others.  One could even rightly assume that is why I started this blog some 5 years ago.  Well, I officially got something published of the paper variety. My article is in Group Publishing’s Children’s Ministry Magazine.  Do you see it?  I wrote that second bi-line on the cover there.  See it now?  “Entice Your Parents to STICK AROUND.” I was approached a few months ago to elaborate on something I had written about here at www.jonathancliff.com.  They gave me a title, a topic, and…

• The Friday Bag

  Jonathan Cliff

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:58 am

  This is my recap of the past few weeks.  It’s not a brain dump, since I don’t usually carry more than baseball statistics in my brain and there are no baseball statistics included in this Friday Bag. I dedicate this video to my wife, who informed me after 11 years of marriage that she no longer liked Chicken Wings. I’ve been in 3 different creative meetings this week at church.  At some point they will figure out that I’m not nearly as creative as I am opinionated.  And on that note, I want to say that I really love my church.  I work with some real creative…

• Reflections on Being Myself

  Jonathan Cliff

  3 Nov 2009 | 12:59 pm

  I’ve been thinking lately that it’s really hard to be 100% who you really are in the online world.  I was reading this great Donald Miller blog post last week about his own struggle to promote a book that is about his promotion of a movie that is about a book that is about his life (that’s a mouthful.)  He says, I share what will make me look good. If I am vulnerable, I share just enough vulnerability to be perceived as vulnerable, rather than to actually humiliate myself so that others can talk more openly about their own insecurities. I also leak in my accomplishments,…

• 
  Lori's Book Reviews

• Perseverance: True Voices of Cancer Survivors by Carolyn Rubenstein

  Lori

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:40 pm

  Author: Carolyn Rubenstein Publisher: Forge Books (2009) Category:Inspiration, Non-Fiction Rating: 5 out of 5 stars I have one word…WOW. Summary: Can you imagine being in high school or college and suddenly learning you have cancer? You thought you had a lifetime ahead of you and the whole world at your feet, but suddenly you’re told… maybe not. How would you cope? That’s the question the twenty young people in this book had to answer when they were diagnosed with childhood cancer. Perseverance shares life lessons learned through their stories and educates the reader on how to…

• The Christmas Glass by Marci Alborghetti

  Lori

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:30 pm

  Author: Marci Alborghetti Publisher: Ideals Publications Inc (2009) Category: Fiction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars In the tradition of The Christmas Shoes and A Christmas on Jane Street, the heart-warming story of The Christmas Glass shows how, today as always, the Christmas miracle works its wonders in the human heart. In the early days of World War II in Italy, Anna, a young widow who runs a small orphanage, carefully wraps her most cherished possessions — a dozen hand-blown, German-made, Christmas ornaments, handed down by her mother — and sends them to a cousin she hasn’t…

• Fear Not Tomorrow, God Is Already There by Ruth Graham

  Lori

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  Author: Ruth Graham Publisher: Howard Books (2009) Category:Christian Living Rating: 5 out of 5 stars For most of us that is much easier said than done. We live uncertain lives in uncertain times. We long for security and answers but are filled with questions about the unknown. Who will…? What if…? Where can…? When may…? Why not…? Uncertainty all too often grows into worry, anxiety, and fear, which in turn fills us with turmoil, burns up whatever energy we have, and hinders us from enjoying the best of life. This book tackles the fear we face during times of…

• 
  Shooting the Breeze

• Friday Top Five 11/20/09

  Kevin

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:47 am

  Here are some of my favourite posts from this past week:1. Community (Blog Carnival) (35 awesome posts on "Community")Author: Bridget ChumbleyBlog: Bridget Chumbley2. Identity is the New GuiltAuthor: Paul Vander KlayBlog: Think Christian3. Finding Your VoiceAuthor: JasonBlog: Live Free: A Blog by Jason Salamun4. The Power of Talk: Spiritual VocabularyAuthor: Bonnie GrayBlog: Faith Barista 5. Why It's a Good DayAuthor: jasonBlog: Connecting to ImpactTake the time to check out these great posts!What were some of your favourite posts from this past week?

• Why do we miss opportunities?

  Kevin

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:12 am

  I love that quote from Wayne Gretzky! It is so true! We miss so many opportunities by simply failing to try. The fact is that we will never know if something will succeed or not it we never step out and do it. I read this very challenging post from Perry Noble's blog today where Perry lists five reasons why we miss opportunities. Here it is in it's entirety:Last month while reading the book of Jeremiah God slammed me with Jeremiah 46:17… Pharaoh was a leader…he had potential…but for some reason he MISSED his opportunity. It wasn’t that the opportunity wasn’t there…it was that he…

• I am a diabetic ... now what?

  Kevin

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:53 am

  Last week I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I know that this is a very common disease but it still was not the news that I wanted to hear. As a result, lots of lifestyle changes are in order. First and foremost I must lose some weight (44 pounds to be exact. Ugh!). This means changing my eating patterns and getting active again. The doctor (and dietitian) assure me that this change alone will make a HUGE difference in my battle against this disease. So far, I have been walking 20 minutes every night and I plan on continuing to do this and adding to this as I am able to.I know that I have…

• Benefits of community

  Kevin

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:24 am

  Community is something I am very passionate about. God created us to be in community! God never intended for us to go through life alone. In fact, after creating Adam, God said it was not good for man to be alone so He created Eve to be Adam's partner (Genesis 2:18). God has wired us for relationships. Sadly, many people will go through life without any community and this is very tragic. I can't imagine going through life without community.In this post I want to share some of benefits of community. Before I do though, I must say this first: attending a church does not automatically mean that…

• Sermon Synopsis 11/16 - How can we express our love to God?

  Kevin

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Today we are finishing our series on “40 Days of Community.” I trust that you have been challenged through this series because I know that I have. Before we get into our topic at hand, I have a question to ask you:“What does God want from us more than anything else?” What would you say? Moral devotion? Ethical behaviour? Religious ritual? The essence of the Christian life can be summed up in two words “love affair”. God wants to have a love affair with us. The Bible says that we were created as an object of God’s love. God made us to love us. He made us to be an object of His…

• 
  creativecommons.org

• Criticism: An Essential Part to Biblical Marketing

  Mike Holmes

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:11 am

  Everyone's a critic Sometime ago Pete Wilson (of Cross Point Church) shared how an internet radio host took one of his messages and tore it apart line by line. Naturally he was upset by it–as he should be; but he shrugged it off–as he should have. It’s bound to happen. If you’re in the limelight praise AND criticism will find you. But how is criticism an essential part to Biblical marketing? Easy. God uses it to raise you up and at the same time keep you humble. Billy Graham and Criticism Paul said there are people who have a “morbid craving for…

• The WOW Factor: an Essential Part to Biblical Marketing

  Mike Holmes

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:55 am

  The WOW factor! Nobody remembers ordinary. Ordinary is stepped over and soon becomes anonymous. According to Seth Godin “Remarkable” is a necessity in marketing today.  In other words, noticeable products have a WOW factor. Jesus WOWed People But this isn’t new. Jesus was doing this for years!! When He came on the scene He got people talking!  He didn’t just come preaching He also came with power–He went around healing the sick and raising the dead. Nobody else was doing that. Now He had the choice of using the WOW factor or being “ok.” But…

• Jesus and Biblical Marketing

  Mike Holmes

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:53 am

  We said yesterday that Biblical marketing differs from conventional marketing. Here’s how: Conventional marketing says, “Tell people how great great you are; Biblical marketing says, “Let others say how great you are.” Conventional marketing tries to find the best ways to get people; Biblical marketing finds the best ways to serve people. Conventional marketing focuses on a good products and services; Biblical marketing focuses on great products and services. And so on. So the question that comes up is: “What would Jesus do?” What Did He Do? It was simple.

• Why Biblical Marketing Differs from Conventional Marketing

  Mike Holmes

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:07 am

  I’ve learned there’s a stigma when you say the term “Biblical Marketing.” Some people can’t seem to combine the two. Although its not as bad as saying “Biblical Salesmanship.” With the latter you run the risk of dodging rocks while people are crying, “Stone him!! Stone him!!” Conventional marketing is where you swamp people with ads, tell them how great you are, and watch the orders fly in. Or so we hope. This, however, is in direct opposition to Biblical Marketing. The Bible says,  “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a…

• What Andrew Carnegie Could Still Teach Christian Entrepreneurs

  Mike Holmes

  13 Nov 2009 | 7:02 am

  Carnegie by Peter Krass is an excellent biography. Carnegie’s business acumen, determination, vision, ruthlessness, generosity, philanthropy make him a very contradictory and compelling figure. Like I said last time there’s a lot he could teach Christian entrepreneurs. Not from the tare but from the wheat (although the tare has its lessons too). So here we go: He was rabid about costs–He instituted revolutionary accounting methods that detailed the cost of every item–even small nails. He accounted for every single expense and then found ways to reduce them. If he…

• 
  The Life. Spiritual Refreshment for Christians & the Christian Curious

• Apologetics Sucks

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:50 am

  If there's one word that grinds my gears the most in Christianity it's "apologetics."  The word implies some sort of pansy, meekly trying to defend their faith against a bully. Explaining Christianity to someone who has questions is not an apology.  Explaining why you have faith is not saying you're sorry. ...

• Announcing the Official Launch of WTFDIB

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:42 am

  After months of planning, design and development I'm happy to announce the official launch of Zetify's newest app: WTFDIB. WTFDIB stands for "What The Flippity Flop Do I Believe" and allows people to ask any question they have about Christianity or the Bible.  Other Christians can then reply...

• A Salute to America's Military

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:32 am

  America has the most powerful military force ever created and it's powered by Christian men and women all over the world.  Many thanks for your past and continued contribution to creating a safe place for us to worship and live. Happy Veteran's Day.

• Church Architecture in West Texas

  10 Nov 2009 | 2:45 pm

  I recently visited my grandparents in the outskirts of west Texas.  On my way back to Austin I stopped to take some photos of churches along highway 90.  Here's a photo sampling of some of the church architecture along the way.

• The Yankees Love Jesus

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:31 am

  While watching the world series celebration last night I was happy to see how many Yankee player's thanked God and the people praying for them. The first words uttered from both Teixeria and Pettitte's mouth were of God and prayer.  What great role models for letting God lead your life and what a great...

• 
  WorldServe Ministries

• Lucianno’s Story

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pm

  During a recent trip to Cuba, I met a man named Lucianno. God is doing amazing things through him and I’d to share a little of his story.Before Christ found him, Lucianno regularly boiled over with anger. As a result, he frequently beat his wife.Then one day an amazing thing happened. Lucianno accepted Christ into his life and from that day forward, his life was transformed. He became a gentle,

• A Letter from Brianna Carson about Cuba

  4 Nov 2009 | 7:47 pm

  Hi There!I got home from Cuba this past week, and I just have to share with you what God is doing! First, it’s clear to me in a whole new way the importance of the work WorldServe is doing in these communities; we have such a different idea of church in North America than they do in impoverished nations. I have been going to church my whole life, grew up in a Christian home, I went to Bible

• Adopt a Pastor in Cuba

  28 Sep 2009 | 8:37 am

  Now is your chance to impact Cuba for Christ for as little as $50 a month through WorldServe Ministries’ exciting adopt-a-pastor program!By sponsoring a national church planter, you will provide practical assistance with their living expenses and access to seminary education. You will also bless their congregations with Bibles and teaching materials to help converts grow strong in their faith.To

• Cuba allows religion in prisons for first time in 50 years

  16 Sep 2009 | 7:49 pm

  What exciting news! Today it was announced on telegraph.co.uk that "the Cuban government has given permission for religious services to be held in the island's prisons for the first time in 50 years, a church official said on Tuesday." Click here to read the full article.Here's a brief history of religious freedoms in Cuba:1512 - the first missionaries with the Dominican Order arrived in Cuba,

• Ken Leggatt Interview

  14 Sep 2009 | 9:56 pm

• 
  The Word From The Hood

• Wordless Wednesday-Jesus Pumpkin

  28 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

• Ghosts & Hauntisngs: A Christian View

  27 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

  ShazooloThe philosophy of this Christian site is to endeavor to examine other beliefs, world-views and philosophies, in a respectful way. All individuals of differing beliefs disagree. To deny this is like denying the sun will rise tomorrow. It is only when we forget that we are all human, and brothers and sisters in Adam, that debate and disagreements become mean spirited and personal. Disagreement and mutual respect as individuals can go hand in hand. None of this means that truth needs to be compromised.Pt. 1 - Ghosts & Hauntings: A Christian ViewPt. 2 - Ghosts & Hauntings: A…

• Wordless Wednesday-Stop Leaning On My Face

  21 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

• The Parties Over

  16 Oct 2009 | 10:46 am

  The Latinos: Anyone who is still partying and having a good time, like there is no tomorrow...will probably not see tomorrow..if you continue with your ways.

• Testimony Thursday: Conquering Life's Mountains

  15 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

  (The Tina Barry Story) The young social worker opened the door of the abandoned building and could not believe what she saw. Trash was all over the floor, including rotten chicken bones and other rotten foods, and in the midst of this disgusting mess were four little girls. These girls were sleeping on old mattresses that were thrown on the floor and a baby bed with a mattress that was oozing its stuffing’s and covered in baby excrement.These four little girls ranged in age nine months to six years old. The social worker noticed the youngest was naked, covered in scum and near death from…

• 
  The Cracker Lady's House

• Wordless Wednesday-Fall Reflections

  28 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

• Wordless Wednesday-Praying Polar Bear

  21 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

• Wordless Wednesday-The Thinker's Stare Down

  14 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

• Wordless Wednesday-Protective Hands

  7 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

• Richmond Ramblings: Japanese Flower Industry Remembered

  1 Oct 2009 | 12:05 am

  Beginning in the early 20th century, flower-growing operations founded by Japanese immigrants were common El Cerrito and Richmond as well as in other Bay Area cities. The community in El Cerrito-Richmond grew over time to include 17 nurseries, as well as a Japanese school and church. A second group of nurseries flourished in what is now North Richmond and San Pablo, led by the arrival of the Nabeta family, who began growing roses near Brookside Drive in 1900.A sizable Japanese American community grew up around the Bay Area as Japanese laborers who had found work with the Domoto brothers’…

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  RELEVANT Magazine

• Jesus Is Not Political

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:45 pm

  We love to have Jesus on our side when it comes to our political agendas, whether it’s for a cause or a candidate–it gives us the feeling of validation and superiority. The conservative right convince themselves that Jesus is a Republican who supports their push to protect freedom of the individual and marketplace and protect the lives of the unborn. Meanwhile the liberal left convince themselves that Jesus is on their side as they lobby for environmental causes and governmental health care for the poor. I think we put Jesus on our side because it’s much easier to rally people when God…

• The Hard Question of Religious Radicalism

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:32 pm

  A badge of honor for Christians—or something dangerous? Do you want a radical faith? In a world where radicalism makes the news every day through suicide bombings, wars, terrorism, injustice and reckless violence—all in the name of God—is it even acceptable to say yes? Radicalism in the World One person who knows about the implications of radicalism is Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, the author of My Year in Radical Islam. Gartenstein-Ross converted to Islam in 1997 when he was in college, and after his graduation he took a job with the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation in southern Oregon.

• The Thorn in the Flesh

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:57 pm

  "When will it be over?" I asked myself this question as I stared at the fresh cut on my arm. I’ve been in and out of therapy for most of my life, so I should be cured by now, right? Then why do I always end up back here? The first time I knew something was wrong was in elementary school. I would often get upset at the smallest thing, from accidentally spilling something to getting an answer wrong. When I got upset I would smack myself in the head, cry, and scream. One time I got so upset that the principal had to be called into to calm me down. My classmates got a kick out of it,…

• Heaven Here and Now

  13 Nov 2009 | 4:10 pm

  We are all traveling somewhere. Traveling home from work. From Work. To the mountains. Away from the mountains. To a restaurant. Or leaving a restaurant. We have this idea that life is a series of arrivals and departures. Since we have arrived here on earth we have been waiting to get out of here. We have been pining away for the red light to turn green. For the seatbelt sign to turn off to inform us that the plane has stopped taxying and we can finally go. Yet, this pervasive language that has writhed its way into our culture and language has left a scar we can no longer see. The world is in…

• Gluttony: It's Bigger than You Think

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pm

  It's not just about eating too much. Gluttony is one of those ambiguous seven deadly sins—a warning for people who eat too much. Not really something most of us think about on a regular basis. But it’s a sin of gauntness more than obesity—a sin that affects most of us more than we could ever guess. And it’s a sin that had its start in the Garden. The refusing to eat the fruit—which Adam and Eve may have done for many years—had been the primary demonstration of their love for God. By declining the poisoned fruit, Adam and Eve affirmed daily that the world God had made was good,…

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• Criticism: An Essential Part to Biblical Marketing

  Mike Holmes

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:11 am

  Everyone's a critic Sometime ago Pete Wilson (of Cross Point Church) shared how an internet radio host took one of his messages and tore it apart line by line. Naturally he was upset by it–as he should be; but he shrugged it off–as he should have. It’s bound to happen. If you’re in the limelight praise AND criticism will find you. But how is criticism an essential part to Biblical marketing? Easy. God uses it to raise you up and at the same time keep you humble. Billy Graham and Criticism Paul said there are people who have a “morbid craving for…

• The WOW Factor: an Essential Part to Biblical Marketing

  Mike Holmes

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:55 am

  The WOW factor! Nobody remembers ordinary. Ordinary is stepped over and soon becomes anonymous. According to Seth Godin “Remarkable” is a necessity in marketing today.  In other words, noticeable products have a WOW factor. Jesus WOWed People But this isn’t new. Jesus was doing this for years!! When He came on the scene He got people talking!  He didn’t just come preaching He also came with power–He went around healing the sick and raising the dead. Nobody else was doing that. Now He had the choice of using the WOW factor or being “ok.” But…

• Jesus and Biblical Marketing

  Mike Holmes

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:53 am

  We said yesterday that Biblical marketing differs from conventional marketing. Here’s how: Conventional marketing says, “Tell people how great great you are; Biblical marketing says, “Let others say how great you are.” Conventional marketing tries to find the best ways to get people; Biblical marketing finds the best ways to serve people. Conventional marketing focuses on a good products and services; Biblical marketing focuses on great products and services. And so on. So the question that comes up is: “What would Jesus do?” What Did He Do? It was simple.

• Why Biblical Marketing Differs from Conventional Marketing

  Mike Holmes

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:07 am

  I’ve learned there’s a stigma when you say the term “Biblical Marketing.” Some people can’t seem to combine the two. Although its not as bad as saying “Biblical Salesmanship.” With the latter you run the risk of dodging rocks while people are crying, “Stone him!! Stone him!!” Conventional marketing is where you swamp people with ads, tell them how great you are, and watch the orders fly in. Or so we hope. This, however, is in direct opposition to Biblical Marketing. The Bible says,  “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a…

• What Andrew Carnegie Could Still Teach Christian Entrepreneurs

  Mike Holmes

  13 Nov 2009 | 7:02 am

  Carnegie by Peter Krass is an excellent biography. Carnegie’s business acumen, determination, vision, ruthlessness, generosity, philanthropy make him a very contradictory and compelling figure. Like I said last time there’s a lot he could teach Christian entrepreneurs. Not from the tare but from the wheat (although the tare has its lessons too). So here we go: He was rabid about costs–He instituted revolutionary accounting methods that detailed the cost of every item–even small nails. He accounted for every single expense and then found ways to reduce them. If he…

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  (re)made

• Known

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pm

  Everybody has a story. Everybody has a reputation. I am known as quiet and persistent. Quiet because I just don’t like talking. From an early age I was taught to not say anything unless it was... [[ If you want to know more about @jackalopekid come check the blog out. Good Stuff.]]

• Waiting

  14 Nov 2009 | 8:21 pm

  Lately I’ve been having to wait on God a lot. And you know what… I might have to wait a while, but I always get my answer. Maybe not right away, but it comes just on time. I’ve... [[ If you want to know more about @jackalopekid come check the blog out. Good Stuff.]]

• Perfect

  10 Nov 2009 | 10:12 pm

  I visit alot of churches. Some have really good musicians/singers, some have ok musicians/singers, and some should just go home. I get the “all things that exalt God is beautiful in His... [[ If you want to know more about @jackalopekid come check the blog out. Good Stuff.]]

• friends

  8 Nov 2009 | 4:54 pm

  Hanging out with some friends at Starbucks in Breckenridge, CO. Friends are important because you can share stuff with them. Friends are important for telling you like it is. Friends are important.... [[ If you want to know more about @jackalopekid come check the blog out. Good Stuff.]]

• Bang Bang

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:55 pm

  I’ve always wanted a gun. My grandfather had a lot of them. He was cool and it just seems like a cool man thing to do. I am out in the middle of nowhere quite a bit while climbing mountains and... [[ If you want to know more about @jackalopekid come check the blog out. Good Stuff.]]

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  Travel Deals Blog BestTravelDeals.net

• Travel Deals of the Day – November 20th Travel Podcast

  Wes Unruh

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:06 pm

  Travel deals for November 20th include reduced fares to China, Japan, and the Bahamas, deals on Mexican spa vacation packages, hotel deals in Europe, and much more.

• Free Nights and Resort Credits in Florida – Travel Podcast

  Wes Unruh

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:59 pm

  There’s no better time than now to celebrate in Florida with these great resort deals!

• Travel Deals of the Day – November 20th, 2009

  Wes Unruh

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:14 pm

  Reduced Fares to China and Japan, roundtrip starting at $736 & up to many destinations. See such attractions as Shenyang Imperial Palace in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, or check out the Hong Kong Highlights in today’s NYTimes for the end of December. Ten of the best Christmas markets: Susan Greenwood picks her top 10 festive fairs at home and away for The Guardian UK Looking for Europe Hotel Deals? Here’s a luxurious hotel with prime location – 5 star in Dublin, from £111.71 to £142.99 just steps away from the Cultural Quarter, Temple Bar, and the famous shops of…

• Free Nights and Resort Credits in Florida

  Melissa

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  Hey Art lovers out there, it’s time to marry your love of creative expression with the beach! This may not be the first thing that comes to mind but this year, you have no excuse to not experience the “best show on H2O.” The Winterfest Boat Parade has been held in Fort Lauderdale, FL annually for nearly forty years and is the largest, one-day, live audience event in Florida. What you’ll witness is 12 miles of of boats that local artists turned into “canvases of color and lights.” This year, the event will be held on December 12th. If you’re looking for a place to stay near the…

• Travel Deals of the Day – November 19th Travel Podcast

  Wes Unruh

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:08 pm

  NYC Restaurant Week coming soon, Grand Bahama Island Flight-hotel packages for $900, JetBlue Announces One-Day Sale from $29, and hotel deals in both the US and Europe in today’s Travel Deal podcast!

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  iChilly

• Holy Frustration

  Chilly

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:13 pm

  These two words are a pretty good description of what’s going on in my life right now… You may be asking – how can holiness and frustration live side-by-side? Yeah, I’ve asked that too… I guess we have to figure out IF frustration  is a sin? I hope it’s not – because IF it is – then I sin a lot! The dictionary defines frustration as: a feeling of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by anxiety or depression, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems. Hmmm, so it’s a ‘feeling’… yeah, I feel that! Ha! As I…

• sin sucks.

  Chilly

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:58 pm

  why do we try to find the “good” in sin? we say some pretty stupid things in order to defend and/or justify it…  like, “oh, you’ve got to see this movie – it’s amazing, and it only has a few sex scenes and hardly any swearing” – what?! or, “sorry I yelled at you, but I wasn’t feeling good, I had a bad day at work, and I felt like you were insensitive” – huh?! …how about saying: I walked out of that movie… it was sin. and, sorry I yelled, I was wrong. bringing up this kind of subject makes people…

• where’s your little child?

  Chilly

  15 Nov 2009 | 2:30 pm

  This weekend I am overjoyed & childlike as I praise God for the gift of Christ to me! I love the Christmas season!  As the air becomes cool & crisp, I find myself longing for some quiet time near a fire, where I can watch flurries and journey back in time to that little town in palestine where the greatest news ever told first began. I allow the ‘little boy’ in me to become a clay-mation character in the Christmas scene… shepherds, stars, angels, sheep, a stable and of course, the Baby!  AMAZING! The God who created the world including you and me – the God…

• FALL FRIDAY…

  Chilly

  13 Nov 2009 | 2:20 pm

  “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flowers FALL. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. 1 Peter 24-25. I’m sitting outside a little cafe & bakery in midtown Detroit – it may be the last warm day for a while … so, I thought I’d blog another survey. I started a new ‘Friday’ thing a few weeks ago  – something random – that would look at one particular focus — so far we’ve covered the subjects of FREE, FAITH and FEAR –…

• Betrayed by the Blue Bird…

  Chilly

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:50 pm

  The other day I came to the realization that I had been woefully misrepresented by the little blue bird (Twitter). Yeah, I’m choosing to shift the blame from myself but, obviously, I know I’m responsible for the little 140 character bread crumbs that he drops into mobile devices, facebook pages and blog headings…  IF all someone knows about me comes from those little blurbs, than I better be accurate… and NEVER assume they will see the bigger picture or give me the benefit of the doubt.  I now realize that even some who are around me all the time seem to disconnect…