Random

• Stan Friedman picked up my blog post on female church planters in the Covenant and turned it into a good story. ~ link

• Busy day -- we bought a stove, dishwasher, microwave, and frig. The previous owners of house we're buying gutted it of applicances before leaving. Now we need to get an AC, some light fixtures, and a room door.

• Billy Graham's 86-year-old sidekick Cliff Barrows tweets ~ link

• Survivorman takes on the Arizona desert! I thought I saw some frazzled guy filming himself out in the arroyo. Could have been a mirage. ~ link (YT)

• How to exegete your community ~ link

• Blue food-coloring -- a serendipity ~ link

Developing core values for a new church

I've posted some of the core values that I'm hoping will shape the discussion of how the MasterPiece Church will develop its ministry. (Like the church, the website is in a very early stage of development.) These are the same values that I hope to instill in all the churches we plant. It's hard to know how much to "dictate" upfront and how much to leave open for discussion and organic development.

The church planting pastor wants to provide a firm direction but at the same time be sensitive to how the new congregation develops its own way of doing things. It's very difficult to find the balance. Such is more art than science -- more Spirit-led than formula-driven.

The church planter who thinks that he or she can plant his or her own ideal church is in for a shock. Many successful church planters get depressed along about the third or fourth year when they realize that the congregation they've birthed isn't exactly what they had in mind. And at that point they're not sure what to do about it.

Someone worthy of support

We had dinner tonight with Karen Neiswender. She was a kid in the first church where I served as pastor (way way back) and is now an RN/MPH/public health missionary working with Food for the Hungry. In a few weeks she's headed back to Bolivia -- this time for a one year project which involves low tech water filters that they expect will dramatically reduce infant mortality. She's going out with less than the full financial support she needs. And she has no idea that I'm pitching her cause. I know that I'm probably embarrasing her (she's a regular reader) but she'll get over it. In the picture -- Cheryl and Karen.

Random

• Cool looking bald songbird discovered in Laos ~ link

• Free Jack-in-the-Box tacos ~ link

• Arizonians are draining their pools and building decks over them to try and save money. Now you know the economy is bad. ~ link

• John and Rebecca Kim are about to become the first Covenant missionaries in India. They leave in September. I suppose I should qualify that and say, the first Covenant missionaries from the North American Covenant serving in India. ~ link

• Yikes, Pastor Kevin David, from Cornerstone Covenant Church in Turlock (my successor) is in Doctor's Hospital in Modesto with a heart problem. His daughter is getting married next week. Pray.

• The PIU/PIBC Thai team has returned to Guam. ~ link

• Quotable:

What I do worry about in all of this is whether the evangelical churches are prepared to receive and nurture the students graduating from these colleges and universities (evangelical liberal arts institutions). On many of these campuses, Lilly-funded programs on the importance of seeing one’s daily work as “vocation” have inspired students to see so-called “secular” occupations as Kingdom service. They are looking for the kind of preaching and sacramental life, as well as continuing education, to which they have become accustomed on their undergraduate campuses. If the evangelical churches fail to meet their expectations, they will go elsewhere. It will not likely be in the direction of liberal Protestantism—more likely they will move toward Anglicanism, Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Or maybe they will contribute to new forms of evangelical church life. ~ Richard Mouw

• Wow, Southwest is trying to buy bankrupt Frontier Airlines. That would really change the air travel landscape. ~ link

Random

• Thank you to all who have been praying for our housing situation. We received word yesterday that an offer we submitted on Monday was accepted. Estimated date of possession is about August 20th. We'll need to put in an air conditioner (previous was dismantled by copper thieves), appliances, and some paint.

• I also picked up a bit of a cold yesterday -- but I'm feeling a lot better today -- although I sound a lot worse.

• We got adventuresome tonight and decided to try out the buffet line at the Indian casino down the road. Wow -- the casino was packed but I've never seen a gloomier group of gamblers and employees in my life. I'd have to say that it was the most unhappy place on earth. We left and found a nice little Chinese restaurant.

• I discovered today that they sell frozen durian at the Lee Lee Oriental Market in Chandler. At least it wasn't as fresh as the batch my friend Timothy Friend found in Stockton the other day. When we were staying at the Christian Guesthouse in Bangkok they had signs posted notifying people that they were not to bring durian into the building -- and certainly not into the rooms. You can't blame them.

• For all of you Puget Sound folks experiencing heat shock I just want you to that it is 8:30 p.m. and 102°. I'm sitting outside on the patio. Once you're conditioned you can take a field trip to Arizona. You get used to it -- global warming and all that.

Random

• Good article on the housing market in Arizona -- "Low-priced foreclosures incite bidding wars -- a feeding frenzy that is pitting investors against traditional home buyers." This is what we're dealing with right now. ~ link

• Mission trips to Thailand for Covenant Church high schoolers. ~ link

• The food bank is interested in your extra tomatoes and zucchinis ~ link

• Trouble brewing for the Antiochian Archdiocese -- the transition into the New World hasn't been easy. ~ link

• Trouble brewing for Scandinavian seminaries ~ link

• Does exercise help us feel closer to God? Mostly I just feel sore when I exercise. But Carolyn Arends' Gnostic busting article is still worth a read. ~ link

• ASU has dropped in the "party school" ranking -- which means the value of my BA just went up. ~ link

• Phoenix neighborhood pressuring church to stop feeding the hungry -- at least in their backyard. ~ link

• However, in South Phoenix a church is being commended for its outreach. ~ link

• You can see why this has become such a popular YouTube video. I'm guessing that the wedding rehearsal went a little longer than usual.

Update on our plans and situation

We sent the following out to our mailing list this evening.

- - - - - - - -

26 July 2009

Dear friends,

We are blessed! We returned to the States from Guam about 6 weeks ago and have been busy connecting with friends and family since then. This is what we mean by blessed -- so many friends -- so much family. And you all have been asking so many good question around the theme: "What exactly are you up to next?"

That's the point of this letter -- to try to answer some of the great questions that people have been asking.

Where are you living?
We spent a couple weeks with Brad's brother Gary and his wife Joy in Tempe. We traveled to the Pacific Northwest for the annual meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church and to visit family. Then we spent two weeks with Brad's parents in Mesa. We're currently condo-sitting for a few weeks at Jeff and Mary Johnson's newly refurbished place in Fountain Hills.

We've been bidding on houses in the Laveen area and hope to become homeowners again soon. However, most of the real estate in the area is "distressed." This means that buying is more complicated and protracted than what we we're used to. We are confident that something will come together but are asking prayer that it will be sooner rather than later. We're quite ready to give up our nomadic lifestyle. :-)

You're going to start a new church where?
Laveen is a "village" in Phoenix. It's on the south side of the city -- bordering South Mountain, the Estrella Mountains, and the Gila River Indian Reservation.

Why did you choose Laveen?
There are many reasons that we've settled on Laveen. We really like the area -- the mix of people from so many different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, "the buzz," the obvious potential with so few existing churches in a developing area. There are also a couple of families living in Laveen who are a part of Hope Covenant Church in Chandler. They've been praying that God would bring church planters to the area.

Laveen is a part of Phoenix which, because of so much recently-built housing, has experienced great financial stress. People are open and looking for some anchors in their lives. It is interesting, too, that even with the economic slowdown new homes are still under construction. Phoenix itself, in spite of the lay-offs and financial chaos, added 50,000 new people last year. It is the fifth largest metro area in the US with 5 million people.

We are very fortunate to have lots of connections and relationships in the greater Phoenix area. Brad's brother and sister-in-law live about 30 minutes drive to the east of Laveen in Tempe. His parents live about 45 minutes east in Mesa. We have friends living north, south, east, and west. Proximity to so many friends is important to us.

Is this a Covenant church plant?
Yes -- with the blessing of the Pacific Southwest Conference and with the encouragement of other Covenant pastors in the area. However, because of the economic downturn there are currently no conference funds available to add this new church to the list of conference-supported plants. Financial support is a possibility for the future but for now we are going to be self-funded missionaries. Once we get situated in Laveen Cheryl will look for a local job. Brad is already looking for some part-time adjunct teaching.

What is your time frame?
The tentative plan is to spend the rest of the summer looking for a place to live and getting settled. Once the dust settles in the fall we'll try to get together with people who live in Laveen for some vision-development gatherings. In the spring of 2010 Brad would like to have regular gatherings of the launch team, develop community, and to begin some all-church outreach and service projects. Hopefully we can start regular worship services in the fall of 2010. This is a fairly relaxed time frame to accommodate our "bi-vocational" approach.

How can I help?
Move to Laveen to help us form the launch team! Seriously! We also need people willing to pray for us and the community. And since there are no conference funds available at this time we need to raise all of the start-up money for the church. Financial contributions from individuals and churches would go a long way at this point. Checks can be made out to "MasterPiece Church" and sent to PO Box 1113, Laveen AZ 85339-1113.

Where did the name MasterPiece Church come from?
Ephesians 2:10 in the New Living Translation of the Bible says, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." The point is that the church is the premier work of God -- the "masterpiece" -- created for the purpose of carrying out his plans in the world.

What do you hear from Guam?
Pacific Islands Bible College is now Pacific Islands University. They're gearing up for the fall semester which will begin at the end of August. This is a time of change at the school -- but it is good for the students and the institution. We do miss our Guam friends, students, and church fellowship and are looking forward to island visitors once we get situated. Fortunately, we're able to keep in touch through Facebook and email.

We want to thank you all for your ongoing prayer and support. We are indeed blessed to be "surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses" and find joy in you and your faith.

Blessings!

Brad & Cheryl Boydston

Address:
MasterPiece Church
PO Box 1113
Laveen AZ 85339-1113

Phone:
602-903-5085

Email:
brad@boydston.us
cheryl@boydston.us

Web:
http://boydston.us
http://facebook.com/BradBoydston
http://twitter.com/boydston
http://CaminoMercedMusic.com
http://MasterPieceChurch.org (coming soon)

Random

• It's 100+°. I'm sitting outside listening to the thunder and watching a storm develop in the distance across the desert. The wind is hot -- blowing the storm this way. The birds are busy trying to get in a last song before the sun fads away.

• Kent Shaffer is making the case for the "Video Teaching Church" model. While I don't see harm in occasional video-pulpit input I still believe that the further removed the pastor is from the congregation, the harder it is for him or her to model incarnational ministry. I'd also like to see churches developing a richer sacramental theology, giving more room for mystery in worship and the life of the congregation. I'm having a hard time seeing how a church which relies on video input is going to do that well. Just because we can do something and it more or less works on some levels doesn't mean that it is wise for the long-term health of the church. ~ link

• We borrowed Lady in the Water from the library. Who can tell me how the fate of the film critic fits in with the story line?

• There are enough empty houses in the US that we could house the entire populations of both Israel and the UK? Mind boggling -- if true. ~ link

• 35,000 more displaced in Congo -- and they're the survivors ~ link

• Africa is not all bad news. The cable has reached east Africa bringing high speed internet. ~ link

Random

• Several factors leading to shut down of Christian schools -- economy, rise of charter schools, population decline ~ link

• CHIC flu warning ~ link

• One more house is out of the running as of today. This means that the only remaining bid/offer is the #1 house on our list -- the "expired" offer that we never got a response on.

• Our friend Daisy Ho is in town for a week. We may take tomorrow off from house hunting and do a quick drive to the Grand Canyon.

The Next Evangelicalism

The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity by Soong-Chan Rah is a title that should be on every Christian leader's reading list this year. It's not that Rah is tilling new theological soil or surfacing new truths. He just does a very fine job of bringing together theological streams, historical insight, and the new cultural realities. And he does so in a way that should challenge how we move forward as a church.

In a nutshell, Rah argues that the North American church is bogged down by a Western (racially white) cultural captivity. Such an approach was more or less functional (but not always just) in the past. However, given the current global environment and the growing influence of the non-Western world in the US and Canada, we've got to step back from white dominance and embrace a new reality. In doing so we will not only be correcting injustices of the past but we'll begin to experience freedom and revival.

At times white readers might experience Rah as shrill (I've read some reviews which emphasize this) but my sense, given the overall context of the book, is that he is not at all a whiner. Rather he is simply trying to help the reader understand how white culture is experienced from the outside. His intentions are good and just -- and those of us who are white need to quit writing people off when they point out how they experience things. We're way too defensive -- if we'd relax and listen a little more we might even learn something.

Rah doesn't just take swats at white-dominated culture as a whole but he takes some shots at the church growth and the emerging church movements. The problem, he says, is that we as Westerners are quick to embrace a theology of celebration without also embracing the theology of suffering. We can learn balance from the immigrant church. Second generation immigrants (and third culture children) can mentor us as we make the transition into a multi-cultural world.

I do have a few small bones to pick with Rah. The first is that sometimes the reader is left with the sense that cultural captivity is strictly a Western problem. It's not. Every culture ends up with prejudices and pecking orders -- and non-Western cultures have been as violent about maintaining those as Western cultures. We as Westerners do need to embrace the work of God in the Global South -- in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. But we don't want to go to the extreme of romanticizing the non-Western churches. They all have major issues. Perhaps the greatest lessons that Westerners can learn from other cultures are all related to how they deal with their captivities.

Secondly, Rah characterizes globalization as the spread of American culture. I would suggest that such was the case in the past but that with the flattening of the world we can expect that global culture will become characterized by more fusion. For example, you can eat at a Mr Pizza, a Korean franchise in Bejing or Los Angeles. Even though the idea of pizza is American, as adapted from the Italians, Mr Pizza is uniquely Korean in its marketing and menu (sweet pizza). This is the direction that the world is going.

There will be a natural decline of American dominance as Asian and African forms of affluence emerge (or dominance from any one culture). IOW, the future challenge of the church may not be so much about American (and white) captivity as it is related to this emerging global fusion culture. We need to be talking about this fusion wild card.

Thirdly, Westerners will not embrace the new reality because of demographic facts. We can talk until we're blue about all the studies which demonstrate that the over-all economic impact of immigration (both legal and illegal) is positive. But ordinary Americans still perceive that immigrants are a threat because they're taking all the jobs, sucking the health care system dry, and adding to crime-levels.

Contrary to perception most white Americans don't really make most decisions based on facts -- but on impressions. Before we change we're going to need to hear and see lots of moving stories of transition. And we need to hear and see it all in such a way that captures the heart, mind, and imagination. Facts alone won't do this. Theological outlines won't do this.

Rah is not unaware of the power of impression and he does utilize several stories at the end of the book. But we're going to need more stories -- lots more stories -- stories that emerge from the suburbs and the rural areas if we're going to challenge the church to envision a new healthier future.

Random

• I noticed a letter carrier today with the USPS logo tattooed on the calf of his leg. Talk about company loyalty!

• Since returning to the States I've noted a growing number of church buildings flying the American flag out front. This suggests:
a. churches are increasingly thinking of themselves as fire stations or schools
b. somebody must be questioning the patriotism of the churches
c. they've continued to drift theologically into a form of syncretism and civil religion

• LDS stake houses seem to be leading the flag flying revival. A growing number are sprouting flag poles. This is especially interesting given the historical tension that the Mormons have had with the US government.

• I've also noticed many more people have taken to memorializing their friends and relatives by adopting a section of highway for clean-up and posting their beloved's name on the roadside.

• Blame the missionaries? ~ link

• If I were the Protestant Pope I'd mandate that all CCM artists (the people who sing on KLOVE) have theological and biblical training before they are allowed to do their first recording. Furthermore, I'd require the same of all local church musicians -- especially in churches which utilize a "worship leader" who chooses music and then stands up front and makes statements about God and his people.

• Crocs on the brink... Quick growing trees are the most fragile. ~ link

• International travel to the US is up. ~ link

• Klyne Snodgrass (always worth reading) has stepped up his blogging. ~ link

Random

• ¡Feliz día del amigo!

• The Pacific island state of Tuvalu says that it is planning to be utilizing all renewable energy by 2020 -- an example for the world. ~ link

• Just got some new glasses. It might take a little time to adjust.

• I'm bummed about missing the Liberation Day parade on Guam this year. Hafa adai to everyone on island.

• Just found out that we didn't get the HUD home we bid on. We are, however, in the #3 backup spot. That's okay. This house is #3 on our list. #1 seems to be a non-option at this point but we bid fairly high on our #2 choice -- which we're still waiting to hear on.

Random

• The thermometer read 119° for awhile this afternoon. Even with 8% humidity that's hot.

• We saw a spectacular cardinal (non-football variety) on our walk this morning. I'd heard that there were cardinals in Arizona but they are not as common as in the Midwest. This was an Arizona first for me.

• Last evening we did the LifeChurch.tv "experience" in Gilbert. Indeed it was an experience. Good people. We also had a positive experience at CrossWalk in Laveen this morning. We even scored a $5 Stabbucks card in the visitor packet.

• We're making an offer on another house. This particular house is in the same neighborhood as the first house on which we bid. That offer (on the first house) was for cash. It was $8,000 over the asking price -- and the seller's agent didn't even bother to respond to it. This is such a bizarre real estate market.

Random

• From my father's silly sign collection.

• It really was a different world. Walter Cronkite was the most prominent anchorman when I was a child. He was the most trusted news image and voice on television. And I was there. With his death that world has come to an end. ~ link

• There is no internet or landline connection at the condo where we'll be staying for a few weeks. We move tomorrow. So my online activity will be limited.

• We submitted an offer for our #1 choice house earlier this week. The seller was supposed to respond by 5 p.m. tonight. We heard nothing so we now assume that it is a no go. We've now put an offer in on a HUD home utilizing their online bidding system. We should hear on that one by Monday. It would require a lot of work so we bid fairly low.

• Tonight's winds and humidity build-up have all fizzled with no rain.

• And you thought we were all a bunch of retirees! Seven Arizona cities have received the "Playful City, USA" designation. It has to do with kid-friendliness. ~ link

• Squid invasion off the San Diego coast ~ link

Random

• We've been outside watching a pretty spectacular electrical storm over the Superstition Mountains. That will keep the fire crews busy for at least a few days. No rain.

• Are you still trying to figure out what we're doing? We sent out a ministry update today. ~ link

• US government researchers have figured out how to use satellites to spot the leading edge of tsunamis. This is information that could save a lot of lives (228,000 people died in the tsunami that followed the 2004 Indonesian earthquake). And it is information to bring-up the next time someone starts whining about the US government. ~ link

• Quotable:

...We evangelicals never downplay the importance of individuals -- as individuals -- coming to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. We never say that an individual's very personal relationship to God is not important. What we do say is that individual salvation is not enough. ~ Richard Mouw responding to Katharine Jefferts Schori's accusations of evangelical heresy.

• Bunker Hill Community College, in Massachusetts, will be offering two courses between 11:45 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. (!) this fall. Should be interesting -- most college professors aren't used to the graveyard shift. ~ link

• I'm confused. We saw a little Smart Car for sale in the IKEA parking lot and the info in the window says that it gets about 34 mpg around town. Our Corolla gets over 30 mpg around town -- and it's twice as big. 34 mpg can't be accurate.

• The significance of Christian faith is not found in the moral change it produces. Our transformed lives are not the most important thing we offer to the world. So argues Mark Galli. ~ link

• The difference between hype and excitement ~ link

• "Guam gets $104M from USDA for new landfill" -- This is one thing that Guam has mastered -- the creative stall. If you ditz around and hold out long enough you know that the federal government will eventually bail you out. This is classic. ~ link

• "For the first time in its five-year history, the media arm of Campus Crusade for Christ recorded over one million decisions for Jesus Christ in a single month." We might argue over the long-term signficance of "decisions for Jesus" but I don't think we can object to the fact that there are millions out there searching -- and many are using the internet and related technology to help them sort through the important issues in life. Kudos to CCC for being there. ~ link

• The confusing, sort'a secret rise of capitalism in North Korea. ~ link

My definition of organic church planting

Starting new mission-focused congregations without using artificial fertilizer -- that is, without the levels of hype and activity that inadvertently tend to feed religious consumerism.

Random

• This is an ad for the restaurant where we ate this evening. We took the dine in discount.

• Grand Canyon University, the first "for-profit" Christian liberal arts university, is adding a Master of Arts in Christian Studies program. ~ link

• Eucharistic transelementation ~ link

Transition progress

We traded in our Guam driving licenses this afternoon. That means no more engaging conversations with store clerks and bank tellers explaining what they are -- or who we are. The new Arizona licenses expire on our 65th birthdays.

With the license application we also registered to vote. (I'm expecting the first jury summons next week.)

The Post Office in Laveen called today to tell us that they had a PO box available. So now we (and the church) can be reached at PO Box 1113, Laveen AZ 85339.

Yesterday we looked at another batch of foreclosures and short-sale houses (almost all houses on the market here are foreclosures or short-sales -- no normal ordinary sales). We still haven't heard anything about the house we bid on three days ago. We're now preparing to bid on a HUD house.

We did manage to squeeze in a movie this morning. We were the only ones in the theater for the 9:30 a.m. showing of UP! Like everyone else we loved it.

Random

• Aaron Taylor answers those who contend that Chris Leggett, who was gunned down by al Qaeda for the alleged “crime” of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity, got what he deserved. ~ link

• As Michael Spencer tweeted, "Houston, we have a problem." As I see it, it's syncretism on steroids. "I'm a born again American..." ~ link

• The NLT people have done something interesting. In addition to a daily text tweet they have added daily commentaries to go with them. You can sign-up to get the related NLT Study Bible comments or comments from the Life Application Bible. They're each separate Twitter feeds. ~ link

• The senators "interviewing" Judge Sotomayor all seem more interested in hearing themselves talk than in what she has to say. It's painful to watch.

• We tried the house brand dark chocolate bars at Fresh & Easy -- yum -- and only 50¢.

Random

• Ronald L Short has died. His 1965 best-selling book The Gospel According to Peanuts contexualized gospel for pop culture, a pioneering endeavor. ~ link

• Klyne Snodgrass is raising hell with his discussion of "Jesus and 'hell'" ~ link

• Shooting a volley back at Google, Microsoft is going to offer a free web-based version of Office -- including Word & PowerPoint. ~ link

• Small plot farming is back in vogue -- drawing in lots of suburbanites. The organic market is making it an economical option. ~ link

• New study: Naringenin, a flavonoid derived from citrus fruit "has shown tremendous promise for preventing weight gain." Time to go back on that grapefruit diet? ~ link

• The International Bible Society (formerly known as the New York Bible Society) is now Biblica. ~ link

Random

• Sears is hoping that we'll start our Christmas shopping early this year. This might make make economic sense for both the company and consumers -- if on December 24th we haven't forgotten where we've hidden everything. ~ link

• I want Zubbles for Christmas! "World's first colored bubbles" -- no stain -- now coming onto the market. ~ link

• Arizona is adding 8 new license plate designs to go with the current 37. I guess we're trying to catch up with Florida -- which chaotically has about 120 different designs available. ~ link

• Economist and energy expert expects dramatic drop in oil prices -- $20/barrel? You can only speculate on the ripple effect. ~ link

• Learn/practice/compete -- CPR on Wii ~ link

Random

• United Airlines can't afford this YouTube music video -- "United Breaks Guitars." The moral of the story is (in addition to take care of your passenger's luggage as though it were your own) make things right or your customers could go viral. This is the 21st century. ~ link

• On a happier note, I pulled my guitar from the cargo container this week. And not only was it in good shape but it was still in tune!

• On an even happier note, an Army sergeant jumped a wall to save a 4-year-old boy from choking. Go Army! ~ link

Random

• We've been back in the States for a month and I'm still feeling like Rip Van Winkle. So many changes in retail, fashion, colors, tattoos...

• Rip Van Winkle has now successfully procured a DVD from one of those red box thingys which have become as ubiquitous as Starbucks.

• I couldn't limit myself to a single quote from Chris Wright's "False Dichotomy of Mission." The whole article is so on target. ~ link

• 7-11 plans to give away 5 million free Slurpees this Saturday. ~ link

• The University of Phoenix is going to offer a PhD in nursing education. ~ link

A church called...

We have a small group of interested people -- a wide-open and very mixed community (village of Laveen in Phoenix, Arizona) -- and now a tentative name -- MasterPiece Church.

The name comes from the New Living Translation (NLT) of Ephesians 2:10 -- For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. The point is that collectively the church is the great work of God for the purpose of participating in the ongoing work he is doing in the world.

We're working on a first website.

Random

• In Phoenix mild springs often mean hotter than normal summers. They're predicting five straight days over 110°. ~ link

• I just discovered Kyle Strobel's (and his King's College cronies') Theology Forum blog through a IVP tweet. This is definitely worth adding to my Google Reader feeds. ~ link

• One of the many things I like about the Covenant is our willingness to risk -- to step out in faith. Putting a 36-year-old in charge of church planting is a great move that could bring new energy and perspective to an already successful operation. ~ link

• David Neff interviews Mark Noll on how American Christianity has affected the global church. ~ link

• For years people have speculated that Google was working on its own OS. For years Google has rolled their eyes at the suggestion. Now that Google has announced the release of their own OS it is all a bit anticlimactic. ~ link

• Anti-aging drug found in Easter Island soil. ~ link

Random

• Gmail is out of beta! ~ link

• We got up at 4:30 a.m. and finished unloading the cargo container. We couldn't have done it without my nephew Josh and niece Christy.

• We also took another step forward in reacclimation to American life -- new Costco cards!

• Americans discovering calamansis ~ link

• Erika loves the Covenant ~ link

• Covenant church planting in Las Vegas ~ link

• Good to great to gone -- Jim Collins' response ~ link

Random

• The cargo container from Guam has arrived! Now we have to shift things to the local storage container. 108° this afternoon. We'll wait until evening to start the work.

• Happy 76th birthday (on 7-6) to my father, Horace!

• Sill praying for Laura Ling and Euna Lee who are among the many prisoners in North Korea. Day 29 for them.

• I'm excited about an exotic fruit nursery in south Phoenix ~ bananas, mangoes, citrus, passion fruit, jack fruit, guavas... It can all grow here. ~ link

• God is a materialist. ~ link

• Friends Jeff and Mary Johnson are in the news ~ link

• Church attendance among Hispanics in the US has grown 10%/week over the last 15 years, according to Barna research. The growth is occurring in churches under 500 in attendance -- perhaps reflecting the shift from Roman Catholicism (where parishes can be huge). ~ link

• What do Christians have to offer the the world? ~ link

Random

• The University of Guam has been reaccredited for 8 years. This is good news! ~ link

• Our friends Josh and Aaisha have some great pictures of signs at UOG. ~ link

• Over half of the 1,600-year-old Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest known biblical manuscript, are now online. Time to bone up on my Greek. ~ link

• Ward Gasque mentioned on FB that the great NT scholar Martin Hengel has died.

• 5 dead, 30 injured in Philippine church blast ~ link

• Coffee may reverse effects of Alzheimer's. Caffeine may stunt the disease. ~ link

Christians and patriotism

• Don Johnson is asking the "flag in church" question again. ~ link

• Should Christians be patriots? I haven't changed my mind in the last four years. ~ link

Random

• Happy Independence Day! I enjoyed the fireworks.

• Here's a guy I'd like to know -- perhaps someday. A century before William Carey arrived in India, Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg, "the first evangelical missionary to India set out to prove that the gospel does not destroy culture but transforms it from within." Bart (I hope he doesn't mind me calling him that) was a Danish Pietist. ~ link

• RIP CompuServe. The online service had been under hospice care for several years. ~ link

• The under-construction Hoover Dam bypass bridge is a totally incredible project -- destined to become one of the great wonders of the world. ~ link

• It's good to be back home in Phoenix -- although we're actually at my parent's home this time. I suspect that until we get situated we'll be bouncing around a bit. Vagabonds.

• The license plate (Arizona only issues a back plate -- or "tag" for you East Coast folk) for our Corolla arrived in the mail while we were gone. At least one phase of the transition is complete.

• 14% of the children in the Democratic Republic of Congo will die before their fifth birthday. ~ link

Random

I picked up an "In-N-Out Utah" t-shirt at Utah's only In-N-Out Burger tonight. Is there no end to the coolness factor of this road trip?

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The thing that bothers me the most about Sarah Palin's resignation is that it might send the message that you can badger a politician out of office. The media and the opposition has been merciless -- taking pot-shots at her family rather than dealing with issues. ~ link
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Coming soon to the Roman Catholic Church (probably!) -- St John Henry Newman ~ link
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Mark Labberton is leaving First Presbyterian Church in Berkeley to teach preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary. ~ link
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Flanders wants out because "Belgium is too heterogeneous. There is too much diversity and too many different views..." Will the EU nations all eventually unravel creating a union of city or regional states (shifting more power to the EU itself because the members are all smaller and weaker)? ~ link
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"...is it possible to be proud of one’s country without being ethocentristic; can one humbly acknowledge our weaknesses without tearing down who we are as a people?" ~ link

On the road

The drive through Utah was beautiful. Southern Utah is spectacular. We're holed-up for the night in St George, Utah where the current temperature is 104° (no complaints -- it's dry and feels good).

Parts of I-15 south of Salt Lake City are posted at 80 mph. That's fun -- especially when there are no other cars or trucks nearby.

A friend from Pennsylvania commented with surprise on my Facebook reference yesterday to the fact that parts of Oregon are in Mountain Time. I think that most easterners do not truly grasp just how large the western states are. For example, Pennsylvania (one of the larger eastern states) has 46,058 square miles. Oregon (one of the smaller western states) has 98,386 square miles.

Another thing which challenges popular perceptions is the fact that most of both Oregon and Washington State are arid desert -- vast open lands, much of which is farmed. Part of the desert effect is related to the position of the Cascade Mountains to the west. The mountains collect most of the moisture before the weather fronts move east with little rain left to drop.

A crop that I had never seen before is the Pacific Albus. These versatile hybrid poplar trees are being farmed throughout the drier portions of the northwest.

Twin Falls, Idaho

We're over-nighting in Twin Falls, Idaho.

When did this place burst into the modern world? It was pretty rustic the last time I was here -- but now -- new Costco, new Walmart, you name the restaurant... I wonder which economic engine is driving all of this. Twin Falls is still somewhat in the middle of nowhere.

We left early this morning from Blanchard, Idaho -- drove into Washington State -- then into Oregon -- and finally 5 or 6 hours later returned to Idaho. (There are no Interstate highways connecting north Idaho with the central and southern portions of the state, so the quickest way to get south is to go through the adjoining states.)

Today I learned:

1. Idaho is a long state.
2. a significant chunk of eastern Oregon is on Mountain Time.
3. you can pump your own gas in Oregon -- if you're on an Indian reservation.

Random

• As of today Pacific Islands Bible College is Pacific Islands University. The Bible college will actually continue as one of three schools in the small university system -- Pacific Islands Bible College (undergrad biblical studies), Pacific Islands Evangelical Seminary (grad degrees), and Pacific Islands Christian College (undergrad liberal studies). ~ link

• Making tires out of oranges ~ link

• We're on the road again tomorrow. We just made our Motel 6 reservation for Twin Falls, Idaho. We should be back in Phoenix sometime Saturday afternoon.