Random

• THERE are so many gaps in my education. I'd never even heard of Lesotho until I bought a Costco shirt made there. It's a landlocked country of nearly 2 million people completed surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. About a quarter of the population is afflicted with HIV/AIDS. Have any of you been there? ~ link

• A THREE year old ban in Malaysia on non-Muslims referring to God as Allah has been overturned by the high court. Christians there have apparently used the word Allah to refer to God the Father for hundreds of years. ~ link

• THE Assemblies of God has a new category for multi-site churches in their denomination. ~ link

• SADDLEBACK CHURCH is trying to raise $900,000 to end the year debt-free (link). I noticed that three of the listener-supported radio stations in Phoenix were holding extra last minute fund drives today, too.

• THE argument against developing a social media strategy for your church ~ link

• I FOUND a Phoenix area nursery which sells calamansi tress -- very nice 4 ft tall tress -- loaded with fruit. But with a $102/each price tag I'll continue to water my calamansi seeds.

• The US population grew about 1% last year. There are now 308,400,408 of us. "In January 2010, one birth is expected to occur every eight seconds in the United States and one death every 12 seconds." ~ link

• "FREE online university gets high first marks" ~ link

• SWEDES are changing their last names in record numbers. ~ link

Random

• AT&T has petitioned the FCC, asking them to set a deadline for phasing out all wireline services. Wow. Interesting. Not likely to happen but look who is asking. ~ link

• I'M feeling a little disappointed that I didn't feel the earthquake this morning. I've had some earthquake withdrawal symptoms since leaving Guam. ~ link

• SIR PATRICK STEWART. He has always struck me as a knightly fellow -- that Shakespearian voice and presence. ~ link

• "IN 1960, 75% of college instructors were full-time tenured or tenure-track professors; today only 27% are..." ~ link

• BIBLE reading plans for 2010 -- take your pick. ~ link

Random

• FOR some unknown reason the cute but obnoxious Sea Lions have abandoned Pier 39 in San Francisco. I think they finally figured out that the cost of living in "the city" just wasn't worth it. Or maybe we should just chalk it up to global warming. ~ link

• WE'RE enjoying some Australian Desert Lime cordial while we wait for our frozen Key Lime yogurt to firm up. Mal and Linda Hamill, feeding my lime obsession, sent us the cordial from Roma, Queensland. I was Linda's internship supervisor a few summers ago and I'm proud of her and her new Uniting Church circuit rider call in the Darling Downs farming region.

• THE advertising supported television business model is reportedly unraveling. Is this the end of free TV in America? I have my doubts. Reconfiguration, yes. End? Probably not -- at least not yet. No one has come up with a more workable alternative. ~ link

• "CORNERSTONE of evangelistic outreach to college students -- concerts and pizza parties -- are harder to find these days. One is just as likely to encounter nights spent with the homeless, meetings about human trafficking, and out-reach to gay students..." ~ link

• CHAOS in the streets of Tehran ~ YouTube video

• FIVE years ago this week a tsunami devasted parts of Asia. Here is a link to one of my posts with the email account of our friends Don and Lillian Dwight. Covenant World Relief is still involved in the redevelopment of the area. ~ link

• PREPARING to launch in 2012 -- C.S. Lewis College on an historic D.L. Moody related site in Northfield, Massachusetts ~ Christian History blog story | college website

Attention Chuukese students!

PIU has asked me to teach Spiritual Formation (CFOR 101) for the spring semester by distance education. The intention of offering this foundational class (required in all PIU programs) in this way is to reach out to some of the students on the islands who cannot get to the Guam campus.

We know that there are students living in Chuuk who need this class but so far none of the Chuukese have enrolled. (There are already students in Palau enrolled.) I am wondering if I might be able to enlist some of my Chuukese blog readers to encourage their relatives and friends in Chuuk who need this class to take advantage of it. Would you please either forward by email or print out this information and hand it to them?

Yes, this is going to be a distance education class using the computer. But it will be different than the other distance education classes PIU has offered. We will not be using the online discussion forums this time and there will not be the same kind of deadlines.

All interaction will be directly with me and will be done through email. (It will be like having your own personal teacher!) Instead of attending class in a classroom students will be doing lots of writing in response to the reading and spiritual development exercises. This means that you will have an opportunity to consider the important topic of how we develop into mature Christian disciples AND I will also be coaching you in your English writing skills.

I admire people who are doing college level work in a language other than their first language. I do not get upset when you make grammar or language mistakes. I am very happy if you can convey your ideas. However, because we want to help you improve your writing skills, too, there might be times that I return assignments and ask you to make some changes in your writing. If you complete the revisions you will be rewarded with class points. We believe that God will use PIU graduates to make important changes in the world -- if they are competent communicators.

Also, the grading system will be a little different. Students will earn points for each assignment they complete. They can choose how many points they want to earn during the semester. The grades will be based on the total number of points collected. Students will need to submit at least one assignment every 10 days in order to remain in the course.

I realize that some students will be hesitant to sign-up for a class that is different from previous school experiences. I understand the hesitancy. I would, however, encourage students to move beyond their fears.

Please contact the PIU office for information about registering for this class -- info@piu.edu. Or you can contact me directly if you have questions -- bboydston@piu.edu. We certainly have room in the class for more students from other places, too, but I especially want to make sure that the my brothers and sisters in Chuuk are aware of the opportunity.

Kinisou Chapur.

Random

• I SPOTTED a little Burrowing Owl foraging in our backyard this morning. The cloud cover today must have fooled him into thinking that it was still dawn. The picture I took of him checking out the passion fruit bush was through a window and thus a bit fuzzy.

• MATT NIGHTINGALE has an "I love the Covenant" post ~ link

• ONE of the things I appreciate about the Covenant is that they (we) are making a serious attempt to equip leaders for the future. The presidential scholarship program at North Park Seminary makes the seminary portion of pastoral formation quite accessible. ~ link

• BOOKSTORES are now history according to Seth Godin. What do you think of his logic? ~ link

• CRIME is down, in spite of the weak economy. ~ link

• "CHEMICALS found in in the skins of pomegranates could be harnessed to fight hospital superbug MRSA." ~ link (via)

• "HOW N.T. Wright stole Christmas" (interesting that the ultra-reformed Credena people have a positive word about Bishop Wright -- there is grace and hope!) ~ link

• FENG OFFICE -- another online alternative office suite. This one is from Uruguay -- and why not! ~ link

Random

• THE third day of Christmas!

• I RECEIVED a couple of Shaun the Sheep DVDs for Christmas. It didn't take but a minute or so to turn me into a fan. ~ link

• NICE story in the Turlock Journal about the churches on the Westside of that city where we used to live. ~ link

• ARE disinfectants training bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics? ~ link

• CARRIE GILLETT posted this ancient picture of Cheryl and me on her Facebook page today. I'm guessing that it was taken when we were at Fuller Seminary in the early 80's. Although it could have been taken at North Park Seminary because we were with the Gilletts there, too. Anyway, that was blast from the past.

Random

• ANGELS We Have Heard on High played on the angklung. Is that Sivin Kit on the guitar? That's fusion. ~ link

• THERE is a bit of chatter out there on the CNN article -- "Passions over 'prosperity gospel': Was Jesus wealthy?" The problem is that it asks the wrong question. We already know that Jesus was wealthy. His father owns the cattle on a thousand hills! The real question is, what did Jesus do with his wealth? He certainly didn't spend it living the lavish lifestyle of a prosperity preacher.

• CONSIDERING all the screening we go through to get on a plane, how did a man with known terrorists ties get an incendiary device on a plane? ~ link

• MORE frost tonight. I'm ready for summer.

• LCG's creative Nativity scene. ~ link

• THE Greek word for Christ is Χριστος. In many of the ancient icons and New Testament manuscripts the X was used as an abbreviation for Χριστος. It was a common and respectful abbreviation. That's how we got Xmas -- the Christ mass. IOW, Christ IS in Xmas.

Random

• REDEEMER COVENANT CHURCH in Tulsa had to cancel all of their Christmas Eve services because of a blizzard warning. Bummer. All that preparation! I wonder if they can save the bulletins for next year. :-)

• I'VE covered some of our plants again tonight -- chance of frost.

• THE headlines for a story on the decline of Christianity in America reads -- "Poll: Fewer Americans May Be Celebrating Christmas This Year" That makes no sense. People who don't identify with Christianity have been celebrating Christmas for years -- and will probably do so again this year. Likewise in Europe. You don't have to be a Christian to enjoy Silver Bells. ~ lnk

Random

• ANOTHER energizing model for empowering people to start businesses in developing Africa ~ link

• FREE breakfast at IKEA stores Saturday, December 27th - Sunday, January 3rd. ~ link

• ESTIMATION -- Even with a crazy economy Arizona has grown nearly 29% and Nevada 32% over the last decade. ~ link

• BORTA! The giant Christmas goat in Gävle, Sweden has once again been attacked -- and burned -- a tradition which is half-heartedly discouraged. ~ link

• NO Wood fires on Christmas Eve! The "Maricopa County Air Quality Department has issued No Burn Day restrictions from midnight Wednesday to midnight Thursday." Air pollution can be an issue in Phoenix during the winter months -- especially when all six of the houses in the county with fire places all light up at once. ~ link

• DETROIT homes starting at $10 ~ link

Random

• THE Swedish contribution to Christmas is Kalle Anka. No one is quite sure how Donald Duck waddled his way into Christmas but if you think about it, his presence is probably no stranger than that of the reindeer.

• I'M anticipating the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is broadcast in Arizona on Thursday morning. ~ link

• BREAKTHROUGH in combating malaria -- disrupt mating cycle of mosquitoes ~ link

• QUOTABLE:

Education is about humanness -- it is about making peers out of students. Colleges and Universities don't provide information -- they produce creative, thinking, persons. The single most important factor in this process is relationship -- the relationship between students and professors as people and the relationships amongst the students. Making a peer out of a student is an outcome, of course. But not one easily measured. ~ RJS discussing Education for Human Flourishing: A Christian Perspective

• ED STETZER: "I believe that if you can learn to order at Starbucks, you can learn theological language at church." (Actually, the theological language is a bit easier to handle than a "Cinnamon Dolce Frappuccino Blended Coffee -- whip.") ~ link

• 50 FOOT Santa goes up in flames ~ link

• SOUTH KOREANS are shelling out big bucks for growth enhancers to make their children grow taller. There is no evidence that any of these gimmicks actually work. ~ link

• SOMETIMES you can fly the denominational flag so low that no one notices it -- or the benefits it brings to the church or the related churches. This news story says that NewSong Church in Irvine, California is "non-denominational." In fact we are pleased that they are a part of the Evangelical Covenant Church family of churches.

• I'M still trying to figure out how the New Hope SouthBay/NewSong merger is more than a cooperative partnership. I certainly don't object to it. Cooperative partnerships are good! I just don't see how a multi-site "merger" really changes anything -- or adds long-term value. In my experience, so much of what we do -- things which seem cool, innovative, and cutting edge don't necessarily have that much impact in the over-all scheme of things. Yet, I'm hesitant to say "don't bother." A more Gamaliel-type wait-and-see response (Acts 5:33-39) is appropriate.

• WE'RE being reminded to pray for Michael Spencer (iMonk) who has been diagnosed with cancer. Mike Mercer has kept the iMonk blog active for Michael.

• ALSO, prayer is in order for Daryl Reichard, who was a part of our church in Turlock. He had brain surgery to remove a tumor but the mass was bigger than expected and they couldn't get it all. His wife Erlinda is trying to figure out the best way to care for him and his needs at this point.

Random

• WHAT I'd like for Christmas is an electronic tagging system. Every time I want a particular book or tool I'd tell the computer to send a wireless signal which activates a beeper on the item. This gadget would seriously affect how we organize things -- and help me find the two lost books for which I'm currently hunting. I know that they are here somewhere!

• GUAM is going to get a Chuck E Cheese. Now THAT is progress! Actually, all facetiousness aside, it's a fun place for kids and will be a good addition for the children of Guam. ~ link

• Twitter is already making a profit. ~ link

• "10 awful truths about book publishing" ~ link (via)

• George Barna's year-end summary is built around four themes that highlight our inconsistencies. There are no real surprises but here they are:

Theme 1: Increasingly, Americans are more interested in faith and spirituality than in Christianity.

Theme 2: Faith in the American context is now individual and customized. Americans are comfortable with an altered spiritual experience as long as they can participate in the shaping of that faith experience.

Theme 3: Biblical literacy is neither a current reality nor a goal in the US.

Theme 4: Effective and periodic measurement of spirituality – conducted personally or through a church – is not common at this time and it is not likely to become common in the near future. ~ link

• "REVOLUTION CHURCH hires new pastor" ~ link (CORRECTED LINK)

• WE used to say that churches "call" pastors. Is there a difference between "hiring" and "calling"? (The fact that I ask the question suggests that I think so.)

• NATHAN MYRHVOLD'S garden hose solution to global warming probably has a better chance of implementation than anything coming out of Copenhagen. Creative. ~ link

• THE Mayon volcano, about 300 miles south of Manila, in the Philippines, is about to erupt. Another possible solution to global warming? ~ link

How much do countries contribute toward global poverty relief?

I FOUND this chart in the notes of The Poor Will Be Glad: Joining the Revolution to Lift the World Out of Povertyby Peter Greer and Phil Smith (p. 273). The original source was Africa Doesn't Matter: How the West Has Failed the Poorest Continent and What We Can Do About It by Giles Bolton (p. 88).

I believe the information is in response to the American self-perception that we are the most generous people in the world. I've heard pundits say, "The world thinks our country isn't generous. But we don't provide our aid through the government, like the Europeans do, but through NGO non-profits. When you consider these charities we are the most generous."

This particular chart does not address how the aid is given nor what kinds of strings are attached to it. IOW, it does not address issues of effectiveness. Such are the subjects of books like The Poor Will Be Glad and Africa Doesn't Matter.

	Aid through taxes, per person	Aid through charities, per person
Australia	$92	$31
Canada	$110	$34
France	$164	n/a
Germany	$123	$16
Ireland	$207	$82
Italy	$74	$2
Japan	$98	$2
Netherlands	$319	$17
Norway	$592	n/a
Sweden	$397	$1
United Kingdom	$190	$9
United States	$85	$30

Random

• I'M enjoying the short films at the Responsibility Project. ~ link

• HEY! We might get some weather, too -- nothing like what the East Coast of the US has but I might have to cover plants for frost midweek. ~ link

• "VOLUNTEERS help rid Mesa of illegal signs" -- You hate to dampen the entrepreneurial spirit behind all the signs. But it is a bit out of control. We need some of these volunteers in Laveen. ~ link

Random

• MARK GOODACRE deals with the dating of Jesus' birth on his NT Pod 20 ~ link

• FROM CS Monitor story on religious freedom:

The majority of countries and territories across the world have laws or constitutions calling for freedom of religion. But religious freedom is not the reality for the majority of the globe’s people.

Nearly 70 percent of the world’s population lives in countries with "high" or "very high" religious restriction -- that’s the finding of a first-of-its-kind Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey. It notes that some of the strictest countries in the world are also the most populous. But no nation is fully free of religious restriction, it adds.

"We found that there’s sort of no discrimination in terms of who gets abused or discriminated against. Every religious group experiences discrimination of one sort or another..." ~ link

• "A MEXICAN Immigrant's take on American Christianity" ~ link

• THE trend continues -- more people leave California for other states than move in from other states. The loses are off-set by the number of people moving to California from other countries. ~ link

Random

• ARTHUR GLASSER, another great 20th century missiologist, has crossed the finish line. ~ link

• MARY & JOSEPH in Bed -- lame ~ link

• DAN WHITMARSH has a review of Ron Martoia's new book The Bible as Improv: Seeing and Living the Script in New Ways. I've added it to my Amazon cart. ~ link

• I'D like to know how to get hold of finger lime stock if there is any left in Arizona. ~ link

• BREAKING NEWS: (via) Rapture happening at this very mo

Economic and immigration shifts

LA Times:

"The country's financial meltdown and post-Sept. 11 immigration enforcement have slowed the growth of minority groups here. If those conditions remain the norm, whites would make up the majority of the population until 2050, eight years later than previously projected."...

A falling immigration rate means a decreased vital workforce to replace the nation's baby boomers, said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution. "Young people bring new ideas, especially new people coming in from other countries," he said. "They're more globally aware of what's going on."...

The latest projections, said demographics researcher John Pitkin, show "the stakes of immigration reform."

Pitkin said that if immigration continues to slow, it would affect planning and education. It also would mean fewer workers paying into Social Security and Medicare.

"The flow of immigration makes it more difficult to finance Social Security," Pitkin said. "It does slow down the economy a bit."

Random

• UNINTENDED consequence of new technology -- the new LED traffic lights don't melt snow. ~ link

• LIFE TOGETHER HOUSE in Calgary ~ link

• AS one who gently tilts toward Amillenialism, but who is not ready to dismiss the Millenialists, I found Richard Mouw's article "What the Millennialists Have Right" to be engaging. One thing to keep in mind in such discussions is that by definition Amillenialism is a broad fuzzy category but the categories within Millennialism are a lot narrower and defined.

• FIRST century Jerusalem burial cloth discovered -- "The researchers say the shroud is very different than the Shroud of Turin, with a much more simple, two-way weave -- not the twill weave used on the Turin cloth, which textile experts say was introduced more than 1,000 years after Christ lived." ~ link

• "CHIHUAHUAS overflowing Phoenix shelters" -- adoption fee $36 this weekend. ~ link

• NUMBERS are down but vitality is up in the English church ~ link

• AMERICAN seminaries are experiencing a growth spurt -- but most students don't see themselves as future pastors. That's okay -- theologically trained people will be better leaders -- regardless of titles and positions. God will raise up pastors. ~ link

• CHERYL and I both registered with the National Marrow Donor Program when we were living in Texas in the early 90's. And we're still active in the database, hoping that someday we can help save someone's life. Sign up. It's not complicated and there is often a local grant of some sort to cover registration. ~ link

• ARIZONA will pay half a million dollars to remove 52,000 dead citrus trees. ~ link

• BECOME a quiet revolutionary. ~ link

• I CAN'T attest to the validity of the study which shows that people living in sunshine states tend to be happier than those without much sunshine. But I do know that I'm a lot less of a grump on sunny days. ~ link

• SEA LEVELS could rise 6 meters -- which would make living in Florida quite a challenge. ~ link

• CHURCH EXECUTIVE NEWS has picked up the story on how the Covenant is bucking denominational trends. ~ link

• BETTE MIDLER with Jake Shimabukuro -- "In My Life"

Multi-site churches

Sigh.

"I do miss having a pastor at the door shaking hands in the 'check-out line,' " says Lauren Green, drawn to join Redeemer by Keller's preaching. "But I realize that model of a personal relationship with a particular pastor is probably gone."...

Green recognizes, "We're just not looking for that kind of relationship with a pastor anymore. Today, it's all about a personal relationship with God, not the culture of a church. And a megachurch or a multisite church can still offer this. If you are there to hear a message and it's a powerful one, it shouldn't matter how it's delivered."

"Even if people are just watching the senior pastor on a screen, they are still gathering, as the Bible commands, they are still serving the poor, engaging in worship and study, and encouraging one another," says Ed Stetzer of LifeWay Research in Nashville, which studies church trends. ~ USA Today story about multisite churches

There is a bit of paradox in this "multi-site" discussion. Pastor-centered churches, whether large or small, are unhealthy. The same is true where the pastoral presence is distant or underdeveloped. Healthy pastors work to keep themselves from becoming the center of church life. But at the same time they are personally and fully engaged with the people whom they lead and to whom they preach. It all has to do with the relational nature of the gospel and our theology of the incarnation.

The real issue isn't whether churches can function with multi-sites (they can!) but rather, what is the nature and role of healthy pastoral ministry?

Random

• IF the story is accurate, incentives mean that Oklahoma residents can get a $10,600 electric car for $865. Sweet! -- but not enough to get me to move from Arizona where it is currently 75° -- in the shade, on the patio. ~ link

• "EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Counters Denominational Trends" -- Hey, that's us! Usually no one outside the Covenant notices -- and that's okay. But it's interesting when someone does. ~ link

• SOMETIMES different works better -- "The Never Open Store is open only when Mata feels like unlocking it and allowing shoppers inside..." ~ link (via)

• WE might think of the Christian copycat Jesus junk as cheesy. Those outside the church find it baffling. ~ link

• McDONALD'S is going back to offering free Wi-Fi -- which means I'll probably ditch my Boingo account. ~ link

• I'M trying to remember if I lent someone my copy of Deliberate Simplicity: How the Church Does More by Doing Less (Dave Browning). I would hate to buy another if my copy isn't too far away.

• HUNDREDS of Arizona foster children are in danger of being homeless. ~ link

• A Phoenix area man killed a rabid bobcat with his bare hands after it attacked him. ~ link

Random

• LOOKING for a great summer gig? Mission Springs (where I worked for four summers) is looking for some great staffers. ~ Apply Online

• ORAL ROBERTS is dead at the age of 91. It's interesting that my Pentecostal friends on Facebook are remembering him as a great evangelist who led countless people into the fullness of the Spirit. Many of my non-Pentecostal friends are remembering him as a predator who used ministry to get rich and live a life of avidity and opulence. Are they all really talking about the same man? At times God in his grace chooses to use high-profile highly dysfunctional people. At times God in his grace even uses low-profile slightly-less dysfunctional people. It's his call. And I'm glad he's the one who sorts out our messes.

• GREAT Christmas prank and reaction -- YouTube video involving a lot of wrapping paper.

• COCA-COLA is flowing out the doors of Costco again. It appears that the big box warehouse got the price break it was seeking. ~ link

Buenas yan Håfa Adai!

REMEMBER this from way way back in 2006? -- a treat for delayed holiday travelers. Joe Guam is still making people smile in the Phoenix area. He has a website -- JoeGuam.com

Random

• I JUST put Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games With Godinto my Amazon cart. I'm not much into gaming nor am I interested in Second Life, but this collection of essays edited by Craig Detweiler looks like it will be helpful for understanding what has really become a cultural shift.

• THE high court in Malaysia is hearing arguments from Christian groups who are complaining that the ban on using the word "Allah" for any god other than the Muslim god is unconstitutional. ~ link (via)

• DANISH scientists have concluded that "people blessed with youthful faces are more likely to live to a ripe old age than those who look more than their years." Apparently, they say, it has to do with longer telomeres. ~ link

• INDEED, churches are rediscovering the power of hospitality, which goes back thousands of years — think of Jesus feeding 5,000 people by the Sea of Galilee... Today, congregations are trying to provide more than intellectual nourishment by putting restaurants and coffee bars in their buildings. In our polarized and fractured society, people of different backgrounds are invited to come together in these houses of God to have conversation over a meal or a drink — in spite of their differences. ~ Henry Brinton in USA Today

• SOMETIMES the sense of entitlement is so ingrained that the politicians down't even try to maintain an appearance of frugality. For example, Guam delegate to Congress, Madeleine Bordallo, spent $6,090 on food and beverages in one day at the Outrigger Resort -- at taxpayer expense! ~ link

• AS though Jesus were white ~ link

• ARE traditional, high-interest moneylenders keeping microfinance groups afloat? Perhaps so in India. We need to view the microfinance models all as beta. ~ link

• "WHY pay the preacher?" by Dan Hotchkiss at the Alban Institute ~ link

• MARTIN MARTY is noting that conservative churches are in decline. ~ link

Obladi Oblada

One more YouTube video from the world's favorite Japanese 5-year-old uke player:

Random

• LUCIADAGEN är här.

• IT takes a lot of homiletical creativity to wed St John the Baptist with Santa Lucia in a single sermon -- and do it so well. ~ link

• CHRISTMAS tree made from a tomato cage. Creative. ~ link

Random

• AND his uke gently weeps, too. He's even got some of Jake's moves and facil expressions down.

• BTW, Jake Shimabukuro will be playing at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix on January 15th. ~ link

• OUR controversial sheriff is the subject of an LA Times article. ~ link

• JEFF & MARY JOHNSON have entered the blogosphere. ~ link

• BABY Hope ~ link

Random

• HE can't really talk, yet, but the kid can play uke -- which should take him far in life. Some people are just born with the gift. Cute kid. (via)

• THE Skunk Creek Community Market, an outreach of our friends at New Hope Covenant Church in Peoria, is featured in the AZ Republic. ~ link

• I READ that Wendy's Hamburgers is pulling out of Japan. Because Japan is a rice culture, like Guam, it started me thinking about how Wendy's is a little different on Guam than in the States. For one thing they serve the big rice chili bowl -- a scoop of rice covered with their chili. I wish Wendy's in the States had the big rice chili bowl. ~ link

• THERE is a website for The Poor Will Be Glad. ~ ThePoorWillBeGlad.com

• WORLD VISION does microloans, too. Jump in online. ~ link

• CT'S article on "The Kiva Effect: Internet-based lender inspires innovation in Christian microfinance" ~ link

• QUOTABLE: "Those who yell their beliefs are trying to convince themselves. Sarcasm often reveals a weak position, guilt, or insecurity." ~ Rick Warren

• STEVEN EVANS is helping to organize an AM congregation in Oneida County, New York. Check out their website.

• A MOZILLA exec worried about Google is pushing Bing. ~ link

• 10 QUESTIONS for Garrison Keillor ~ link (via)

Most Eye-Opening Book of 2009

The Poor Will Be Glad:
Joining the Revolution to Lift the World Out of Poverty
by Peter Greet and Phil Smith
Zondervan / Hardback
$13.59 on Amazon.com

I came across The Poor Will Be Glad because an Amazon algorithm drove me to it. Otherwise, I'm not sure that it would have come up on my radar screen. This title by Peter Greer and Phil smith is my "Most Eye-Opening Book of 2009."

Here's a quick rundown on the details:

• Realistic introduction to microenterprise, microfinance, business as mission, and entrepreneurship as Christian mission.

• Alternative to the dehumanizing dependency that American churches have unintentionally created through mission-trips and sponsorships of various projects abroad.

• Basically they argue that we can make a major dent (but not totally alleviate) poverty by helping provide people with secure ways of saving money and access to affordable credit.

• The authors don't belittle the good intentions of what we've done in the past. That is, the tone is positive.

• Must read for every globally focused Christian, every church planning a mission trip, and every mission committee.

• Beautiful book -- almost a coffee table piece -- incredible photos by Jeremy Cowart -- easy to read.

• Very practical. This is not just somebody's theory but these principles are already in use around the world.

• Sample quote: "If people are always given things, they begin to expect the things, thereby negating personal dreams or aspirations of climbing out of their current condition. Always being on the receiving end encourages indigenous believers to see themselves as incompetent, unable to learn even if they did decide they wanted to learn." p. 68

I have on several occasions this year rolled my eyes at decisions made by Zondervan. This book shows that they are still serious players in the evangelical publishing game.

Random

• RICK WARREN is encouraging Uganda to back away from a bill that would make homosexuality a capital crime. Good word. ~ link

• FAITH COMES BY HEARING has a dramatized audio version of the Christmas story online. ~ link

• THE NLT folk also have an online audio version of the Christmas story online. Theirs is read by Matthew West, who also sings in the background. ~ link

• CHARLIE LEHARDY: "Danish designer Oliver Fabel's modern nativity scene. The baby Jesus is so precious!" ~ link

• THE new AOL.com website is actually pretty well designed. Is the phoenix rising from the ashes? ~ link

Random

• A STORE devoted to Peeps is opening in DC. Sometimes you don't know whether to cheer, laugh, or weep. ~ link

• MYSTERIOUS but cool blue spiral light display over Norway ~ link

• THERE are a growing number of more focused alternatives to the MBA. ~ link

• MEDICAL students and seminarians living in senior adult housing helps open their eyes to the needs of retirees. Creative. ~ link

• "AN image-rehab plan for Tiger Woods" -- wisdom from Rick Reilly ~ link

• THE rise of China was most important story of the decade, according to the Global Language Monitor. I agree. ~ link

• WHICH search engine ad systems are the most effective in driving traffic to a website? Click-throughs: Google -- .98%; Yahoo -- 1.37%; Bing -- 1.74%; Ask -- 1.76%; and the WINNER is AOL -- 2.5%. ~ link

• DNA testing plots out the origins of the ancient Samaritans. ~ link

• MANY American Christians are syncretistic -- mixing in elements of Eastern spirituality, according to a USA Today article. Tell us something we didn't already know. ~ link

Random

• TODAY is Lesslie Newbigin's 100th birthday -- and why you should care. ~ link | link

• "A leading Chinese religious scholar called the country ready for 'an institutional guarantee for the legality and quality of all religions,' according to a December article in China Daily, the official government English language newspaper." Change is in the air. ~ link

• IN one of his latest podcasts Mark Goodacre asks if Jesus was really a carpenter. If you've ever heard him before you can guess what he'll say. Either way, Dr Goodacre is always fun to listen to. ~ link (about 10 minutes)

• YET another use -- Cheryl has been using the Velcro plant ties, which I mentioned on Sunday, to hang Christmas decorations. BTW, I saw rolls this Velcro at Walmart yesterday for $3.

• CHROME extensions are now online. ~ link

• WHILE US citrus growers are struggling to keep their crops from becoming popsicles, in Australia some growers are losing fruit to heat and sunburn. ~ link

Random

• SETH GODIN on "how to protect your ideas in the digital age" -- In short, he says, "don't." ~ link

• DID the meaning of "sin" shift during various biblical periods? In the OT it was a load to carry but by the NT period it was a debt to pay? Implications for understanding atonement? Scot McKnight is discussing Gary Anderson's new book Sin: A History ~ link

• KIT KAT bars in the UK and Ireland will soon be made with Fairtrade chocolate. ~ link (via)

• TRYING to position a website for Google's algorithms just got more complicated. They're now tracking your personal browsing/search habits and attempting to deliver more personalized search results. All of this, of course, makes more than a few people nervous. Personally I don't care who sees where I've gone. There is no information that can be used against me. However, there are places in the world where the collection of such information in and of itself potentially endangers people. Not everybody is trying to play as fair and open as Google. ~ link

• WORLD VISION has teamed up with City Vision College to provide online courses in community youth development. What a great partnership! (They do need to create an "about" page with an overview of the program, basic details, accreditation, etc.) ~ link

• THIS coming weekend (December 12th-13th) admission is free to the Arizona Science Center -- including the "ROBOTS: the Interactive Expedition." Thanks to the Ford Motor Company. ~ link

• I TRIED to set-up a Christmas caroling stop for a few songs in front of a local grocery store. But the manager told me that it would require corporate approval with paperwork and proof of insurance. Sigh. Welcome to America 2009! The MasterPiece carolers will skip that stop on Sunday night.

• YOU'RE asking whatever happened to the Holy Bible: Mosaic blog tour that was supposed to stop by here last month? They're good folk at Tyndale, but I think they just bit off more than they could chew. So it looks like it isn't going to happen. Thank you to all who submitted questions. I apologize that they will go unanswered.

• CARL KASELL is retiring. NPR won't be the same without him. ~ link

• MY copies of the Daily Texts 2010 arrived in the mail today. ~ link

Japanese attacks

ON this date in 1941 the Imperial Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor, drawing the US into WWII. At about the same time as the bombing in Hawaii (except because of the dateline it was technically on December 8th) the Japanese attacked and eventually occupied the island of Guam.

The occupation was a particularly difficult time for the Chamorro people who suffered greatly under Japanese rule until the US retook the island in 1944.

I remember an old Chamorro man telling us about the hardships his family endured -- the hunger, abuse, and incarceration. He hadn't forgotten. Amazingly, though, there was no malice or anger in his voice as he told his story. He'd let all that go -- a good example of forgiveness. We don't want to dwell on the past or let the sins of the past define present relationships. But neither should we forget what happened. And that can definitely be a challenge.

Random

• SCHOOL nurses in Sweden are pushing for an energy drink age limit. ~ link

• "ZOTERO automates bibliographies for college students completing research assignments." Open source, drag and drop from George Mason University. ~ link

• STUPID and irresponsible thing to do -- but funny. ~ link (via)

• AN inexpensive way to deal with some of those out of control power and computer cords on your desk -- use Velcro plant ties to separate and wrap the cords. You can even use the Velcro to anchor them to the desk (or whatever you want). I also use pieces of Velcro to wrap hoses and power cords in the garage. If you buy Velcro in the office section you pay big bucks but you can get a 45' roll of ½" Velcro plant ties for about $4 -- maybe less. Good stuff -- relatively inexpensive.

• A PASTOR from India called me in the middle of the night. I hope he wasn't too offended when I said that I couldn't talk. Friends, Arizona is GMT -07:00. I have a hard enough time carrying on a coherent conversation in the middle of the day.

The grace of Christmas

JAY PHELAN nails it in his "Markings" column (December 2009, The Covenant Companion):

In the end Mary didn't understand what was going on. How could she? All she could do was lean back and trust God's grace: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me according to your word." Mary was showered with grace and ever since, we have been showered with grace. But we have tried to make sure it was all "fair." We have wanted to make sure that God and everyone else knew that we earned all this. It was our wisdom, our hard work, our planning that did it all. Wisdom, hard work, and planning are necessary. But in the end, when all is said and done, it is grace.

(Wouldn't it be great if Jay were blogging his column so it was accessible to a broader audience. Hint. Hint.)

Random

• GOOD NEWS -- "Measles deaths declined 78% in the last eight years as a global vaccination campaign inoculated 700 million children and saved 4.3 million lives." Measles is the world’s leading cause of death in children. ~ link

• HOWARD MERRELL has got me listening to the AOL Radio classical Christmas carols and songs station. Beautiful. ~ link

• TOMORROW (Sunday, December 6th) is the feast day for Saint Nicholas, third century Turkish bishop known for his generosity (and smacking Arius in the face at the Council of Nicea). Of course, his legend eventually morphed into that of Santa Claus. ~ link

• LDS & EVANGELICALS -- comparing and contrasting their views of creation and the cosmos ~ link

• IS SARAH PALIN a "birther" (someone who believes that there is a cover-up conspiracy related to the birth certificate of Barak Obama)? ~ link

Random

• WOW, North Park Theological Seminary had a lot of fans chiming in on Eugene's blog. ~ link

• WE received a "Welcome to our Parish" invitation in the mail from St Martin de Porres Catholic Church. I'm willing to overlook that it was crudely photocopied and not all that exciting in appearance. This is the first time that I've received a direct mail invite from a RC church. Good for them! You get the sense that they're interested in reaching out and growing.

• POTENTIAL for frost tonight -- The Sonoran Desert can get cold at night in December and January -- not as cold as Chicago but cold enough to do some plant damage. My citrus, bananas, and pomegranates are young and fragile so I've got most of the young trees covered with old bed sheets.

• GOOGLE is now in the dictionary business. ~ link

Random

• THE new Pacific Islands University website is now online at the new domain name ~ piu.edu

• WE had some snow today in Chicago -- nice big flakes. I'm in some meetings to help re-do the Covenant ministers and church profiles that are used to help match pastors with churches. We're going to a computerized system -- not quite eHarmony -- but a move in that direction. We'll be hiding out in the basement at North Park Theological Seminary until about noon Friday, if you want to poke a head in and give me an excuse to step out for a minute. I'm heading back home to Phoenix tomorrow afternoon.

• ARIZONA'S economic recovery is years out, according to the economists. But if we can get a bunch of solid and creative people to join us in Phoenix we can help move the recovery along. ~ link

Agnus Day for this Sunday

Agnus Day for this Sunday's Gospel lesson, Luke 3:1-6

Random

• THE Church of Sweden shrank about 1% last year -- likewise the Covenant Church in Sweden. ~ link

• HOW a mighty church falls: what it takes to prevent congregational decline by Gordon MacDonald ~ link

• "HOW to speak about the Emerging Church without sounding like a moron" -- Actually, as much as I love these guys and admire their passion, I've come to the conclusion that there aren't as many people talking about them as they think there are. ~ link

• WONDERFUL WWII Good Samaritan story ~ link

• THAT online English tutor may be coming to you from India. ~ link

• OUR limelight-loving sheriff is suing the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and a bunch of other county administrators -- AGAIN (Is this the 6th or 7th time?). Apparently they've all conspired together to stop him from doing his job -- thus halting the glorious wheels of justice. The political circus here is almost as entertaining as the one on Guam -- perhaps more pathetic. ~ link