Random

• YES, CHINA has a labor shortage ~ link

• JOHN STOTT BIOGRAPHY out this month ~ link

• "WHERE'S THE BROWN M&M in your business?" ~ link

• TROUBLE IN THE WEST of the Democratic Republic of Congo. ~ Slideshow (no gore)

• MIKE ELGAN: "How I Learned to stop worrying and love Google Buzz" -- I'm one who just turned it off but he's tempting me to look at Buzz again as a way to reduce information clutter. Maybe, it will take some more convincing. ~ link

• QUOTABLE:

Why this obsession with massive Toyota recalls? For Toyota to admit that they are not perfect, but will redouble their efforts for customer safety and value, is like finding out that there is no Santa, but your mother will carry on in buying your presents. You may continue to practice Christmas, but something is lost that will never return. For some, to think that Toyota knew about sticking gas pedals is akin to finding out that the bishops knew the game all along in the recent Catholic scandals – and even that did not receive as much national coverage despite the fact that nearly one quarter of America is Catholic. This is a secular breach of trust at a deep level, and so a generational consciousness seems to seek healing by processing the trauma aloud in a kind of media therapy. ~ Frances Leap

• JAMES CHOUNG has pointed to Jonathan Liu's post on raising racists kids. The thing I would add to the discussion is that racial issues are more rooted in culture than appearance. The discussion needs to acknowledge but move past issues of skin color, facial features, and accents. Even kids can understand that people from different cultures have learned to value different things, think in different ways, do things differently, and aspire to different goals.

• FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY has restructured their masters degree programs. ~ link

• HISTORIAN DR BRUCE SHELLEY, a fellow Fuller alum, has died. His book, Church History in Plain Language, rescued me on numerous occasions in seminary. It wasn't on the reading list but I bought my first copy when it was released in 1982. I've worn one out, have a 2nd edition copy, and I've continued to recommend it. There is now a 3rd edition.

He was the first person I'm aware of to identify the "consumer church" as such. He wrote a book in the early 90's with his son Marshall, The Consumer Church: Can Evangelicals Win the World Without Losing Their Souls? He was (and is!) an engaging servant of Christ. ~ link