Random

• THE POPULATION OF NORTH KOREA has grown. Life expectancy has declined. The infant mortality rate is up. But the biggest story is that the government has made its census information public. ~ link

• HIGHLAND PARK BAPTIST CHURCH in Jackson, Tennessee has set a new world record -- and it's not for baptisms. ~ link

• STATE SENATOR Frank Antenori is introducing a bill which would allow the production and use of old style incandescent light bulbs in Arizona. It's an attempt to challenge a federal law that bans most incandescent bulbs in 2012. IOW, Antenori is trying to create a state's rights case. Regardless of whether he has a legitimate point or not, this kind of splash will further damage Arizona's reputation as a less-than-progressive state when it comes to green business development. I wonder if he'd be willing to call out Washington over a different issue. ~ link

• I'M A TAD bit surprised at some of the comments that are appearing in Scot McKnight's discussion of creeds. People have some weird ideas about how they developed and how they function. I'd recommend Credo: Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition by Jaroslav Pelikan. ~ link

• DAVID FITCH sees Brian McLaren’s New Kind of Christianity, with all of its weaknesses, as helpful in that it further defines the streams in the emerging church movement(s). That opens the door for future conversations. ~ link

• TOP 10 smallest accredited colleges in the US. If PIU were in the US proper it would fit into this group. ~ link

• LATIN AMERICAN and Caribbean leaders are siding with Argentina. ~ link

• FORMER-VP Dick Cheney was hospitalized with chest pains -- which got me thinking, Oh yeah, I guess he is a "former." We probably have some other vice president now. Let's see, what is that guy's name?

• IT SEEMS that every pastor now wants to have their very own NGO or NPO -- so much redundancy and wasted energy. There was a time, not too long ago, when groups of churches got together and collaborated to do things like that. Of course, that meant sharing control of the vision and operation. It also meant a lot more lay input -- or even initiative. Do we really need pastors at the helm of all these things? Is that even healthy?

So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, "We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word." ~ Acts 6:2-4 (NLT)