Thursday, July 28
What is worship? -- #1
A few weeks ago we were having a discussion in one of the Covenant Church Facebook groups about what constitutes corporate worship. Someone was suggesting that worship should be seen more as a relationship and less as labor. Worship should be seen as something that happens to us or for us rather than something we have to do -- a duty or obligation.
I offered the following definition.
However, I would suggest that there is fulfillment in good work. As serendipity to the work we discover joy and freedom. We are built up and encouraged -- all the things which if we pursue them on their own become fluffy and shallow.
My point -- We should not shy away from the work of worship, for in our focus on the God who is truly other but who graciously reveals himself, we find our own place in life. It IS something we work at. What the Apostle Paul says of his own preaching is true of worship in general -- "I work hard and struggle for this goal with his energy, which works in me powerfully." ~ Colossians 1:28 (CEB)
Worship is work.
I offered the following definition.
Corporate worship is the work we do together of bringing honor to the Triune God, to whom we are connected through our collective and individual relationships with Christ Jesus. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we together honor him through adulation, prayer, by listening to his Word, and by sharing in the sacramental means of grace he provides. Sometimes we are deeply moved by and find joy in the sense of his presence. At other times his presence is troubling and disconcerting. And even when he feels distant, by faith we believe he is present at the gathering of his people and we continue on with the work of worship.So, I obviously come down on the side of seeing worship as work. And I would point out that even the most intimate of human relationships requires work. Love is not something that just magically happens between two people. That's infatuation. Love requires work -- at times being there when you're distracted, pitching in when you'd rather be doing something else, staying close when you feel frustrated and distant... Our relationship with God is similar in nature.
However, I would suggest that there is fulfillment in good work. As serendipity to the work we discover joy and freedom. We are built up and encouraged -- all the things which if we pursue them on their own become fluffy and shallow.
My point -- We should not shy away from the work of worship, for in our focus on the God who is truly other but who graciously reveals himself, we find our own place in life. It IS something we work at. What the Apostle Paul says of his own preaching is true of worship in general -- "I work hard and struggle for this goal with his energy, which works in me powerfully." ~ Colossians 1:28 (CEB)
Worship is work.
Wednesday, July 27
Random
LEONARD SWEET at his best -- asking provocative questions -- looking at things from just a slightly different angle. ~ Video clips
MIKE ELGAN has generated a lot of discussion through his post on the cushiness of the Norwegian penal system. I suppose we, the American experts, need to chime in to tell the Norwegians how prisons should work and how they should re-write their laws. ~ link
ALL THE SCANDINAVIANS that I've heard during interviews on television and radio are more articulate in English than most Americans -- more vocabulary, better word choices, more interesting sentence structure...
THE TEA PARTIERS ARE RATTLING their sabers -- still believing that they have some kind of massive mandate from the people to throttle the government. But I wonder if voters will simply cast them onto the political trash heap in the next election after perceiving that their approach compounds the economic problems we face. The latest polls seem to indicate that the Partiers are out of touch with the wishes of the people on the debit ceiling issue. We need leaders who can pull people together. Our problems are more psychological than financial. ~ CSM | WP
I'M AUDITING A CLASS in cross-cultural relationships at the Fuller Seminary Southwest campus. It's fun watching Judy Lingenfelter, a master teacher, lead the class. It's energizing to see the creativity of the students as they do their presentations. It re-ignite the optimism in me.
MIKE ELGAN has generated a lot of discussion through his post on the cushiness of the Norwegian penal system. I suppose we, the American experts, need to chime in to tell the Norwegians how prisons should work and how they should re-write their laws. ~ link ALL THE SCANDINAVIANS that I've heard during interviews on television and radio are more articulate in English than most Americans -- more vocabulary, better word choices, more interesting sentence structure...
THE TEA PARTIERS ARE RATTLING their sabers -- still believing that they have some kind of massive mandate from the people to throttle the government. But I wonder if voters will simply cast them onto the political trash heap in the next election after perceiving that their approach compounds the economic problems we face. The latest polls seem to indicate that the Partiers are out of touch with the wishes of the people on the debit ceiling issue. We need leaders who can pull people together. Our problems are more psychological than financial. ~ CSM | WP
I'M AUDITING A CLASS in cross-cultural relationships at the Fuller Seminary Southwest campus. It's fun watching Judy Lingenfelter, a master teacher, lead the class. It's energizing to see the creativity of the students as they do their presentations. It re-ignite the optimism in me.
John Stott has died
John Stott, the most influential evangelical of the 20th century, has died.
I do wish he was more influential. I heard him speak several times, read his books, and used his book on preaching to teach. He was not flashy, domineering, nor a "celebrity," but was clearly a statesman style leader and scholar. Perhaps his death will spark a renewed interest in his writing.
John Stott died today at 3:15 London time (about 9:15 a.m. CST), according to John Stott Ministries President Benjamin Homan. Homan said that Stott's death came after complications related to old age and that he has been in discomfort for the last several weeks. Family and close friends gathered with Stott today as they listened to Handel's Messiah. Homan said that John Stott Ministries has been preparing for his death for the past 15 years. "I think he set an impeccable example for leaders of ministries of handing things over to other leaders," Homan said. "He imparted to many a love for the global church and imparted a passion for biblical fidelity and a love for the Savior." ~ link
I do wish he was more influential. I heard him speak several times, read his books, and used his book on preaching to teach. He was not flashy, domineering, nor a "celebrity," but was clearly a statesman style leader and scholar. Perhaps his death will spark a renewed interest in his writing.John Stott died today at 3:15 London time (about 9:15 a.m. CST), according to John Stott Ministries President Benjamin Homan. Homan said that Stott's death came after complications related to old age and that he has been in discomfort for the last several weeks. Family and close friends gathered with Stott today as they listened to Handel's Messiah. Homan said that John Stott Ministries has been preparing for his death for the past 15 years. "I think he set an impeccable example for leaders of ministries of handing things over to other leaders," Homan said. "He imparted to many a love for the global church and imparted a passion for biblical fidelity and a love for the Savior." ~ link
Tuesday, July 26
Monday, July 25
Only in the South
A) Laugh
B) Cry
C) Rev my engine
D) Question the existence of God
E) Other
And the rain came down
Saturday, July 23
Random
"PROFILE: The Christian Extremist Suspect in Norway's Massacre" ~ The Atlantic
A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus advocated non-violent responses to evil (turn the other cheek, loving enemies, etc). Therefore, a "Christian extremist" is someone who is extremely non-violent. Based on his alleged actions Anders Behring Breivik is not even a Christian -- let alone a "Christian extremist."
If we who are Christians would be more consistent in our own peace-making there wouldn't be room for confusion.
REBUTTAL to the latest batch of anti-Obama lies. You don't have to like him, agree with him, or vote for him. (I'm not sure who I'll vote for next time.) But, no matter what, libel is unacceptiible. ~ link
"HOW TO TURN Republicans and Democrats Into Americans: An insider’s six-step plan to fix Congress" -- The legislative system itself is the problem in need of reform. ~ The Atlantic (via)
A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus advocated non-violent responses to evil (turn the other cheek, loving enemies, etc). Therefore, a "Christian extremist" is someone who is extremely non-violent. Based on his alleged actions Anders Behring Breivik is not even a Christian -- let alone a "Christian extremist."
If we who are Christians would be more consistent in our own peace-making there wouldn't be room for confusion.
REBUTTAL to the latest batch of anti-Obama lies. You don't have to like him, agree with him, or vote for him. (I'm not sure who I'll vote for next time.) But, no matter what, libel is unacceptiible. ~ link
"HOW TO TURN Republicans and Democrats Into Americans: An insider’s six-step plan to fix Congress" -- The legislative system itself is the problem in need of reform. ~ The Atlantic (via)
Thursday, July 21
Random
NO HABOOBS, no rain, no lightening or thunder last night -- just heat. It's getting kind'a boring around here. Mind you, I'm not complaining. The poor people in the Midwest are suffering under high temperatures and high humidity. Meanwhile I'm laying the wet laundry out in the house to try and increase the humidity. It's good here.
CAMPUS CRUSADE has changed its name to "Cru." Okay. I'm sure that communicates something to someone. ~ CT
GOOGLE BUYS g.co -- shortest url into thier system. ~ link
HAVE WE GIVEN IN to the temptation of missionalism? Skye Jethani has two really fine, reflective posts on this topic. ISTM that the danger comes when we shift toward doing things for God instead of with God. ~ Part 1 | Part 2
MIKE ELGAN, who like many of us has been captured by Google+, writes:
CAMPUS CRUSADE has changed its name to "Cru." Okay. I'm sure that communicates something to someone. ~ CT
GOOGLE BUYS g.co -- shortest url into thier system. ~ link
HAVE WE GIVEN IN to the temptation of missionalism? Skye Jethani has two really fine, reflective posts on this topic. ISTM that the danger comes when we shift toward doing things for God instead of with God. ~ Part 1 | Part 2
MIKE ELGAN, who like many of us has been captured by Google+, writes:
Google has created in Google+ the foundations for a utopian society that strikes a rare balance between freedom, responsibility and social consequences for one’s voluntary actions.
Compared with Google+, other social networks are repressive and authoritarian.
No, Google+ is not an anything-goes society of anarchy, but one with very gentle incentives that are user controlled, rather than arbitrary rules dictated by the company. Take post size. Twitter famously limits posts to 140 characters. If you type something that's 500 characters long, the "Tweet" button is disabled. If you try to post a 500-character status update, Facebook tells you "Status updates must be less than 420 characters..." ~ link
Wednesday, July 20
Random
ONE OF THE cool things about being a Fuller Seminary alum is that I can audit classes for free. But I've never lived anywhere close enough to a campus or center to take advantage. However, much to my delight, I'm taking a two week intensive class from Fuller Seminary in Phoenix. Judith Lingenfelter is teaching Insights for Cultural Understanding. It would be hard to find a finer teacher.
THE GOVERNORS OF the CNMI & Guam are still working on a unification proposal. I'm convinced that some kind of union could bring about long-term benefits to both territories. The parallel challenge to the political process is to get these cousins who have competed and resented so much for so long to start looking out of the good of each other. United they stand, divided they each struggle to crawl. ~ http://goo.gl/DiqsQ
RESURRECTION MINDSET -- "If you believe your qualities are carved in stone it will determine how you approach (and avoid) challenges throughout your life. If you believe that growth is possible and desirable, you will face your days with a fundamentally different set of thoughts and emotions." ~ John Ortberg,
PEOPLE ARE SCAMMING THE US government through the purchase of $1 coins. Come on people -- where is your sense of patriotism? Don't say that you're concerned with the national debt when you're manipulating the system like this for your personal gain? We need some grassroots restraint. At the very least, put those coins into circulation where they're going to save Uncle Sam some money. ~ link
"'MISSIONAL' does not mean creating churches for disillusioned evangelicals. If we aren’t seeing new disciples of Jesus made who weren’t part of churches before, then we are simply creating a new form of consumer churches based on our own preferences and personal theological needs." ~ Dan Kimball
THE GOVERNORS OF the CNMI & Guam are still working on a unification proposal. I'm convinced that some kind of union could bring about long-term benefits to both territories. The parallel challenge to the political process is to get these cousins who have competed and resented so much for so long to start looking out of the good of each other. United they stand, divided they each struggle to crawl. ~ http://goo.gl/DiqsQ
RESURRECTION MINDSET -- "If you believe your qualities are carved in stone it will determine how you approach (and avoid) challenges throughout your life. If you believe that growth is possible and desirable, you will face your days with a fundamentally different set of thoughts and emotions." ~ John Ortberg,
PEOPLE ARE SCAMMING THE US government through the purchase of $1 coins. Come on people -- where is your sense of patriotism? Don't say that you're concerned with the national debt when you're manipulating the system like this for your personal gain? We need some grassroots restraint. At the very least, put those coins into circulation where they're going to save Uncle Sam some money. ~ link
"'MISSIONAL' does not mean creating churches for disillusioned evangelicals. If we aren’t seeing new disciples of Jesus made who weren’t part of churches before, then we are simply creating a new form of consumer churches based on our own preferences and personal theological needs." ~ Dan Kimball
Tuesday, July 19
Random
STRIKING VIDEO of the haboob which rolled over us last evening --
"WHY YOU SHOULD QUIT your technology job and get a PhD in the humanities" ~ CHE
"CHRISTIANS ARE OFTEN risk averse, but if you want to be creative - to break the status quo - you have to risk failure." ~ link
AMAZON BEGINS RENTING textbooks for Kindle ~ USA Today
STRAW MAN -- big government isn't where all the money is going. ~ The Atlantic
"CHRISTIANS ARE OFTEN risk averse, but if you want to be creative - to break the status quo - you have to risk failure." ~ link
AMAZON BEGINS RENTING textbooks for Kindle ~ USA Today
STRAW MAN -- big government isn't where all the money is going. ~ The Atlantic
Monday, July 18
It's happening in the burbs
If you are called to minister on the cutting edge in America, the suburbs are the place to be right now. The Brookings Institution:
Non-whites accounted for 91% of US population growth... Suburbs diversyfying faster than the city centers... Suburbs are aging faster than cities and at the same time are more child friendly... Immigrants have suburbanized... The economy has suburbanized... Even Section 8 housing has suburbanized... Poverty has suburbanized... Cities and suburbs are dead, long live metros ~ link | link (.pdf)
Sunday, July 17
Random
CHOPSTICKS MADE IN AMERICA -- exported to China ~ link
WHICH AMERICAN accent do you have? Mine is "Neutral." That apparently means that I'm "not Northern, Southern, Western, or Eastern... just plain -American-." I guess I don`t really have a local accent identity. I think it just means I'm a linguistic mut. ~ link
THERE IS NOW a short-cut to my Google+ -- gplus.to/boydston. Thanks to Gil Ribal who pointed me to this.
DAN KIMBALL nails it -- "Should the church accountant be the one called the 'worship pastor'?" Perhaps the primary language of worship should be that of sacrifice. ~ link
AGREE/DISAGREE? -- "Institutional myth: more Bible knowledge and better sermons will resolve all our problems. I am not rooting for biblical illiteracy, just saying that the myth of more Bible won't save us." ~ Alan Hirsch
HOW DID WE end up with this financial crisis? Perhaps some historical perspective would be helpful as we start to think through the mess. There was a Frontline episode from March 2009 which provides a lot of background information. It is well worth watching again.
WHICH AMERICAN accent do you have? Mine is "Neutral." That apparently means that I'm "not Northern, Southern, Western, or Eastern... just plain -American-." I guess I don`t really have a local accent identity. I think it just means I'm a linguistic mut. ~ link
THERE IS NOW a short-cut to my Google+ -- gplus.to/boydston. Thanks to Gil Ribal who pointed me to this.
DAN KIMBALL nails it -- "Should the church accountant be the one called the 'worship pastor'?" Perhaps the primary language of worship should be that of sacrifice. ~ link
AGREE/DISAGREE? -- "Institutional myth: more Bible knowledge and better sermons will resolve all our problems. I am not rooting for biblical illiteracy, just saying that the myth of more Bible won't save us." ~ Alan Hirsch
HOW DID WE end up with this financial crisis? Perhaps some historical perspective would be helpful as we start to think through the mess. There was a Frontline episode from March 2009 which provides a lot of background information. It is well worth watching again.
Saturday, July 16
Random
MOONBOWS See also AccuWeather.com
"THE BEST USE OF $404.25 EVER" -- kindness events ~ link
ANGELINOS are making light of the freeway closure this weekend -- lemons into fun lemonade. "Bicyclists challenge JetBlue to crosstown race." They don't take themselves too seriously. ~ LA Times
HOW IS IT that the researchers who have discovered a new way of tracking tsunami's are from the University of Illinois? They can't even practice in Lake Michigan? ~ link
WE DID A test run on the Google+ "hang-out" feature. Fun. Of course, Kent was in the room next to me but once they get that thing ready for prime time (it was a bit slow) it could become the feature that overshadows the postings to the various circles. Email me (boydston@gmail.com) if you need a Google+ invitation.
OPEN CULTURE has links to about 400 free movies -- many classics -- that you can watch online. ~ link
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL candidate Tim Pawlenty's wife Mary has a Covenant Church background. But they wandered far from the faith and became Baptists. That mistake could have major implications in his quest for the White House -- especially when considering the reputations of past Baptists in the White House.
Bill Clinton was a Baptist but he was impeached and there were those other indiscretions. Jimmy Carter was a good Baptist but the consensus seems to be that he didn't do a very good job in the White House. And then there was Harry Truman. What can we say about Harry, other than that like Clinton and Carter -- he was a Democrat!!!
However, if you reach back far enough, President Warren G Harding claimed both the Baptist and Republican labels. And I ask you -- do we really want another Warren Harding in the White House? ☺
"THE BEST USE OF $404.25 EVER" -- kindness events ~ link
ANGELINOS are making light of the freeway closure this weekend -- lemons into fun lemonade. "Bicyclists challenge JetBlue to crosstown race." They don't take themselves too seriously. ~ LA Times
HOW IS IT that the researchers who have discovered a new way of tracking tsunami's are from the University of Illinois? They can't even practice in Lake Michigan? ~ link
WE DID A test run on the Google+ "hang-out" feature. Fun. Of course, Kent was in the room next to me but once they get that thing ready for prime time (it was a bit slow) it could become the feature that overshadows the postings to the various circles. Email me (boydston@gmail.com) if you need a Google+ invitation.
OPEN CULTURE has links to about 400 free movies -- many classics -- that you can watch online. ~ link
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL candidate Tim Pawlenty's wife Mary has a Covenant Church background. But they wandered far from the faith and became Baptists. That mistake could have major implications in his quest for the White House -- especially when considering the reputations of past Baptists in the White House.
Bill Clinton was a Baptist but he was impeached and there were those other indiscretions. Jimmy Carter was a good Baptist but the consensus seems to be that he didn't do a very good job in the White House. And then there was Harry Truman. What can we say about Harry, other than that like Clinton and Carter -- he was a Democrat!!!
However, if you reach back far enough, President Warren G Harding claimed both the Baptist and Republican labels. And I ask you -- do we really want another Warren Harding in the White House? ☺
Friday, July 15
Random
DEVELOPING $25 student computers in the UK -- Raspberry Pi ~ CSM
IT SOUNDS LIKE there are people in NorCal who would like SoCal to secede.
Why should those of us who want to live in a civilized society be held hostage to a small cadre of right-wing nuts who have paralyzed the Legislature and are interested only in destroying the public sector?..
Those counties vote for Republicans who vow to cut taxes and spending -- and, of course, those counties also get more in state money than they contribute in taxes. That is, San Franciscans and people in Los Angeles are subsidizing with our tax dollars counties that elect people who don't want taxes. ~ link"THE GOPHER population is out of control. It is by far the worst I've ever seen." I have not seen any sign of the critter than tunneled under the slab of our house -- and which I hosed the other day. ~ link
LUANDA, ANGOLA -- currently the most expensive city in the world in which to live ~ TIME
Thursday, July 14
Random
DO CHURCHES need to have their own mission statements? Probably not. ~ link
BARNA STUDY:
HAPPY! #2 SON, KENT, arrived last night from Europe where he has been traveling for a few weeks. He took the scenic route home from Asia where he has been working and studying. He was home in the States last August for a few weeks. But he's looking for a Stateside job this time around and he's hoping to go to grad school.
AMAZON.COM is coming out with its own tablet that runs on Google's Android platform. ~ WSJ
DRIVE-IN THEATER reopening in Tucson -- through the efforts of a non-profit corporation. ~ link
15 POINTERS to maximize G+ ~ Huff
CANCER & ALLERGIES --
BARNA STUDY:
The nationwide study shows that three-quarters of U.S. adults believe the presence of a church is “very” (53%) or “somewhat” positive (25%) for their community. In contrast, only one out of every 20 Americans believes that the influence of a church is negative—either very (2%) or somewhat so (3%). That leaves about one out of six adults (17%) who are indifferent toward the role of churches... ~ linkWHY THE University of the People is the real thing -- and why I believe that 75% of what universities will do in the future involves validation of learning, rather than directly providing it all themselves ~ CHE
HAPPY! #2 SON, KENT, arrived last night from Europe where he has been traveling for a few weeks. He took the scenic route home from Asia where he has been working and studying. He was home in the States last August for a few weeks. But he's looking for a Stateside job this time around and he's hoping to go to grad school.
AMAZON.COM is coming out with its own tablet that runs on Google's Android platform. ~ WSJ
DRIVE-IN THEATER reopening in Tucson -- through the efforts of a non-profit corporation. ~ link
15 POINTERS to maximize G+ ~ Huff
CANCER & ALLERGIES --
Since allergic reactions are essentially heightened immune responses to often benign compounds, such as dust or nickel or other agents, people with allergies might already be primed for any foreign intruders, including tumors. "People with allergies seem to have less cancer or have fewer different cancer types than patients who don't have allergies"... ~ TIMEFROM MASSIVE DESTRUCTION to signs of hope in Japan -- progress ~ link
Wednesday, July 13
Random
THE WEBSITE STORY
UN STRUGGLING with growing Somali exodus ~ link
NEW BOOK: "The Pietist Impulse in Christianity" -- I do wish more academic titles were available for Kindle and the other e-readers. ~ link
THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC is running a series of articles this week about the place of guns in Arizona culture. ~ link
THE UPSIDE OF SMALL: The hidden benefits of micro-ministry. (It took an economics book to wake me up to this reality in the mid-70's -- Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered by E. F. Schumacher is still a must read.) ~ Leadership
BEYOND LOTTIE MOON -- Fascinating interview with Baptist Archbishop Malkhaz Songulasvili of the Georgian Baptist Union -- and how the Baptists in the Republic of Georgia have contextualized themselves to function in a culture strongly influenced by Eastern Orthodoxy. ~ link
THE SECRET BOOKSTORE -- tucked away in an upper eastside apartment ~ link (via)
PHOENIX COULD BE the next boom town, according to an article in Forbes magazine. But I have my doubts. Phoenix has a pretty dismal and short-sighted attitude right now. The optimism of the past has been replaced by cynicism. We're anti-so-many-things -- immigrants, education spending, government, government-spending, taxes... The only thing that we're for seems to be guns. You can't build a whole economy on guns.
NO WONDER THE Bolsheviks were able to get their foot in the Russian door. ~ link
IS GOOGLE+ the beginning of the end for Twitter, Facebook, and all the other social networking sites?
UN STRUGGLING with growing Somali exodus ~ link
NEW BOOK: "The Pietist Impulse in Christianity" -- I do wish more academic titles were available for Kindle and the other e-readers. ~ link
THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC is running a series of articles this week about the place of guns in Arizona culture. ~ link
THE UPSIDE OF SMALL: The hidden benefits of micro-ministry. (It took an economics book to wake me up to this reality in the mid-70's -- Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered by E. F. Schumacher is still a must read.) ~ Leadership
BEYOND LOTTIE MOON -- Fascinating interview with Baptist Archbishop Malkhaz Songulasvili of the Georgian Baptist Union -- and how the Baptists in the Republic of Georgia have contextualized themselves to function in a culture strongly influenced by Eastern Orthodoxy. ~ link
THE SECRET BOOKSTORE -- tucked away in an upper eastside apartment ~ link (via)
PHOENIX COULD BE the next boom town, according to an article in Forbes magazine. But I have my doubts. Phoenix has a pretty dismal and short-sighted attitude right now. The optimism of the past has been replaced by cynicism. We're anti-so-many-things -- immigrants, education spending, government, government-spending, taxes... The only thing that we're for seems to be guns. You can't build a whole economy on guns.
NO WONDER THE Bolsheviks were able to get their foot in the Russian door. ~ link
IS GOOGLE+ the beginning of the end for Twitter, Facebook, and all the other social networking sites?
Here's a better question: Why overwhelm yourself with a dozen services when you can consolidate them all into one? For most people, Google+ can replace every single medium of online communication. The benefit is clear: One site, one log-in, one feed is better than many for ending social networking fatigue... And by using Google+ for all your online social activity, you can radically simplify your life. ~ link
Tuesday, July 12
Random
NATIONS RISE AND NATIONS FALL -- Watch 1,000 years of change on the European map in five minutes. It is pretty humbling for those who think that they're building something that will be impervious to change.
(via)
MAKE A STARBUCKS Frappuccino for 32¢ ~ link
MY TWO MAIN CONCERNS with politicians in Arizona is their apparent lack of common sense and their obsession with guns -- a lethal combination.
ABC RADIO NATIONAL is doing a series of stories to commemorate the 100th birthday of Marshall McLuhan (July 21st). McLuhan, a Canadian, was the one who figured out the whole "global village" thing and its implications before anyone else really saw it coming. ~ ABC
NASA has figured out how to turn urine into a "tasty sports drink." When I was a kid Americans flew pioneering flights into outer space. But now we just make sports drinks. I suppose that with the space program winding down they needed something else more profitable to do. ~ GlobalPost
"IN REPEATING the 'missional' truth that 'God is a sender,' we've failed to say, 'Here I am. Send me.'" ~ Ed Stetzer
"SUPREMELY RIDICULOUS" says a spokesman for Gov Jerry Brown at the announcement of yet another proposal to carve out a 51st state from like-minded counties in "South California." Noticeably absent from the proposal is the left leaning Los Angeles County. "'It's a supremely ridiculous waste of everybody's time,'spokesman Gil Duran told the LA Times. 'If you want to live in a Republican state with very conservative right-wing laws, then there's a place called Arizona.'" ~ link
MAKE A STARBUCKS Frappuccino for 32¢ ~ link
MY TWO MAIN CONCERNS with politicians in Arizona is their apparent lack of common sense and their obsession with guns -- a lethal combination.
Republican Sen. Lori Klein was showing off her raspberry-pink handgun when she aimed it at a journalist who was interviewing her in the lounge just outside the Senate chambers.
According to the story that was published Sunday in the Arizona Republic, Klein's .380 Ruger was loaded and did not have a safety to keep the gun from going off.
But Klein told the reporter, Richard Ruelas, that he didn't need to worry because, "I just didn't have my hand on the trigger." ~ link"TO WORK WITH a 'not proven option in theology is not to succumb to theological indifference or relativism..." ~ Richard Mouw
ABC RADIO NATIONAL is doing a series of stories to commemorate the 100th birthday of Marshall McLuhan (July 21st). McLuhan, a Canadian, was the one who figured out the whole "global village" thing and its implications before anyone else really saw it coming. ~ ABC
NASA has figured out how to turn urine into a "tasty sports drink." When I was a kid Americans flew pioneering flights into outer space. But now we just make sports drinks. I suppose that with the space program winding down they needed something else more profitable to do. ~ GlobalPost
"IN REPEATING the 'missional' truth that 'God is a sender,' we've failed to say, 'Here I am. Send me.'" ~ Ed Stetzer
"SUPREMELY RIDICULOUS" says a spokesman for Gov Jerry Brown at the announcement of yet another proposal to carve out a 51st state from like-minded counties in "South California." Noticeably absent from the proposal is the left leaning Los Angeles County. "'It's a supremely ridiculous waste of everybody's time,'spokesman Gil Duran told the LA Times. 'If you want to live in a Republican state with very conservative right-wing laws, then there's a place called Arizona.'" ~ link
Monday, July 11
Random
RYAN IMAMURA and Mel Cruz jammin to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
MY OLD SEMINARY friend Bob Cornwall asks, "Can one be a follower of Jesus and be an admirer of Ayn Rand?" I am without a doubt sure that both Ayn and Jesus would give the same answer to that question. ~ link
"RUMORS OF BLOGGER'S DEATH have been greatly exaggerated and re-tweeted." ~ link
"AGING BABY BOOMERS strain America’s cities designed for the young" -- Of course, it was the aging baby boomers who designed the cities, assuming that they'd never get old. And contrary to rumor, boomers are not aging faster than everyone else. ~ link
FAMOUS BOYDSTONS (an episode in the continuing saga which proves that in spite of the fact that there were so many clan scoundrels, that Boydstons are at least capable of gallant behavior) --
HIGH-NOON SHOWDOWN IN QUARTZSITE -- Arizona's quirkiest town, seems to be having some quirky legal troubles. ~ link
FREE SLURPEES at 7-ELEVEN today (Yes, it is 7-11-11) ~ link
MAPPING BIG FOOT'S DNA ~ link (via Brandon Bowers FB)
WHEN DID "Cali" become accepted short-hand for California? To those who grew up there it sounds like someone from the other coast trying to sound cool -- close, but no cigar -- kind'a like calling San Francisco "Frisco."
THE HARVARD CLASSICS -- free, digital collection ~ link
GUAM'S WEDDING CHAPELS ~ link
SOMEWHERE ALONG the garden path we lost some of our common sense cells. "Julie Bass is facing serious jail time for growing veggies in her front yard." ~ link
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE -- "Terrafugia's flying car, the Transition, has been officially approved for driving on roads and highways. The driver-slash-pilot can now fly between local airports and drive on any road." ~ Huff
FISH USING TOOLS caught on camera ~ link
MY OLD SEMINARY friend Bob Cornwall asks, "Can one be a follower of Jesus and be an admirer of Ayn Rand?" I am without a doubt sure that both Ayn and Jesus would give the same answer to that question. ~ link
"RUMORS OF BLOGGER'S DEATH have been greatly exaggerated and re-tweeted." ~ link
"AGING BABY BOOMERS strain America’s cities designed for the young" -- Of course, it was the aging baby boomers who designed the cities, assuming that they'd never get old. And contrary to rumor, boomers are not aging faster than everyone else. ~ link
FAMOUS BOYDSTONS (an episode in the continuing saga which proves that in spite of the fact that there were so many clan scoundrels, that Boydstons are at least capable of gallant behavior) --
In 1900 "Private Erwin Boydston and ten other Marine privates plus a Marine drummer were awarded the Medal of Honor for the continuing actions from July 19 until the scaling of the walls at Peking, rout of the Boxers, and rescue of the civilians and their Marine Guard on August 17. Under a heavy fire from the enemy during this period, Private Boydston braved heavy enemy fire and assisted in the erection of barricades, earning the Medal of Honor."~ link
HIGH-NOON SHOWDOWN IN QUARTZSITE -- Arizona's quirkiest town, seems to be having some quirky legal troubles. ~ link
FREE SLURPEES at 7-ELEVEN today (Yes, it is 7-11-11) ~ link
MAPPING BIG FOOT'S DNA ~ link (via Brandon Bowers FB)
WHEN DID "Cali" become accepted short-hand for California? To those who grew up there it sounds like someone from the other coast trying to sound cool -- close, but no cigar -- kind'a like calling San Francisco "Frisco." THE HARVARD CLASSICS -- free, digital collection ~ link
GUAM'S WEDDING CHAPELS ~ link
SOMEWHERE ALONG the garden path we lost some of our common sense cells. "Julie Bass is facing serious jail time for growing veggies in her front yard." ~ link
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE -- "Terrafugia's flying car, the Transition, has been officially approved for driving on roads and highways. The driver-slash-pilot can now fly between local airports and drive on any road." ~ Huff
FISH USING TOOLS caught on camera ~ link
Sunday, July 10
Random
STEALING TIME
WHILE SPEAKING ENGLISH is a survival skill in places like the US, in developing countries it can be a way to get ahead. "A study on the economic impact of learning English in developing countries has concluded that the language can increase the earning power of individuals by around 25% and that developing economies need access to English if they are to grow and position themselves in the global economy." ~ link
"GEN Y BECOMES GEN G – the gourmet generation" -- I don't think it is just the 20-somethings. ~ CSM
MOSTLY WE JUST IGNORE HIM. He only has influence if you give it to him. ~ link
"SLUGGISH GROWTH IS NO MYSTERY: No one has any money" -- because we somehow misplaced the middle-class and "the prosperity of the middle class has been the chief engine of growth in the economy for a century or more... While the rich recovered the middle-class did not." Perhaps we need to build a new, wiser, and more stable middle-class. ~ Rex Nuting
WHILE SPEAKING ENGLISH is a survival skill in places like the US, in developing countries it can be a way to get ahead. "A study on the economic impact of learning English in developing countries has concluded that the language can increase the earning power of individuals by around 25% and that developing economies need access to English if they are to grow and position themselves in the global economy." ~ link
"GEN Y BECOMES GEN G – the gourmet generation" -- I don't think it is just the 20-somethings. ~ CSM
MOSTLY WE JUST IGNORE HIM. He only has influence if you give it to him. ~ link
"SLUGGISH GROWTH IS NO MYSTERY: No one has any money" -- because we somehow misplaced the middle-class and "the prosperity of the middle class has been the chief engine of growth in the economy for a century or more... While the rich recovered the middle-class did not." Perhaps we need to build a new, wiser, and more stable middle-class. ~ Rex Nuting
Saturday, July 9
Random
HOW MOBILE PHONES are becoming the new credit card ~ link
OF THE ADULTS online, blacks and Hispanics outpace whites in Twitter use. Why is that? ~ link
QUIZNOS is in deep financial trouble. Hopefully they'll call in Dave Ramsey. ~ WSJ
MORE ON THE HABOOB dust storm that covered Phoenix ~ link
LITURGICAL PLANKING ~ link
"THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, one of the largest Pentecostal denominations, is growing faster than the US population." ~ link
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH is growing at a comparable pace. "During the past decade, the Covenant has grown in size by 32%. During the past 19 growth years, the Covenant has increased 89% in size. From 1996 to 2010, the number of ethnic churches grew from 81 to 215, representing 25% of congregations and making the Covenant one of the most diverse denominations." ~ link (.pdf)
"IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE who you are or where you're from -- if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open." ~ the Apostle Peter, Acts 10:35 (MSG)
CHINESE BUILDING BINGE stirring concerns over debt over-load ~ NY Times
HOW IT IS that so many Hawaiians settled in Canada -- even without palm trees? ~ link
"BP WANTS TO LIMIT Gulf oil spill claims" -- They started out so well, saying and doing the right things after the disaster, but strikes me as an attempt to weasal out of responsibility. ~ CNBC
Friday, July 8
Republic of South Sudan
Random
JUST FOR FUN -- I won't dance:
USE A LASER -- go to jail ~ link
AMAZON.COM will be opening a fourth distribution center in west Phoenix. ~ link
THE LA NIÑA PATTERN, which started to fade about seven months ago, appears to be reforming. That means dry for us in the Southwest deserts and wet for you guys a bit further north. For those of you in my other place, on Guam, La Niña often means average or above rainfall and a longer than normal winter pattern. ~ link
STRANGE NEW TWIST -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange says that it is considering a bid to buy the bankrupt Crystal Cathedral's mega-structure in Garden Grove and converting it to a real cathedral -- you know, the kind with a bishop. ~ LA Times
SUCH IMAGINATION --
USE A LASER -- go to jail ~ link
AMAZON.COM will be opening a fourth distribution center in west Phoenix. ~ link
THE LA NIÑA PATTERN, which started to fade about seven months ago, appears to be reforming. That means dry for us in the Southwest deserts and wet for you guys a bit further north. For those of you in my other place, on Guam, La Niña often means average or above rainfall and a longer than normal winter pattern. ~ link
STRANGE NEW TWIST -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange says that it is considering a bid to buy the bankrupt Crystal Cathedral's mega-structure in Garden Grove and converting it to a real cathedral -- you know, the kind with a bishop. ~ LA Times
SUCH IMAGINATION --
Just this past year in Philadelphia, there was a congregation that was doing what Christians do—hospitality. As many congregations do around the world, they had begun opening their church building to the homeless so they could have a warm, safe place to sleep overnight. The city government got wind of it and began to crack down.
The pastor was told they were not allowed to run a shelter as they did not have proper permits, nor would they be granted them because the city did not want a shelter there. So the congregation prayed, and the Spirit moved. They announced that they would not be running a shelter, but they would have a revival from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. every night. The city did not dare stop a revival. It was brilliant. I attended the revival one night. It began with great singing, worship and sharing, and transitioned around 10 p.m. to a 10-hour period of “silent prayer.” ~ Shane Claiborne
Thursday, July 7
Random
THE BEST EDUCATORS are leaving the system -- to sell cupcakes. ~ WP
HAVE YOU ordered your John Maxwell ringtones, yet? Me either. ~ link (via)
WILL AMERICA'S budget deficit bring an end to world peace? ~ TIME
THE CHANGING FACE of America's youth -- This is not your parent's America! ~ CNN
IT TURNS OUT that Tuesday's dust storm was wider and higher and thicker than most. ~ NY Times
THE US is not printing as much money these days. We didn't print any $10 bills in 2010. ~ TIME
IN CASE you had trouble opening the Flash link (Flash websites should be banned!) to the Bishop Kallistos Ware interview in Christianity Today a few weeks ago -- here is an html version. ~ CT
AGNUSDAY.ORG
HAVE YOU ordered your John Maxwell ringtones, yet? Me either. ~ link (via)
WILL AMERICA'S budget deficit bring an end to world peace? ~ TIME
THE CHANGING FACE of America's youth -- This is not your parent's America! ~ CNN
IT TURNS OUT that Tuesday's dust storm was wider and higher and thicker than most. ~ NY Times
THE US is not printing as much money these days. We didn't print any $10 bills in 2010. ~ TIME
IN CASE you had trouble opening the Flash link (Flash websites should be banned!) to the Bishop Kallistos Ware interview in Christianity Today a few weeks ago -- here is an html version. ~ CT
AGNUSDAY.ORG
Wednesday, July 6
Random
CHECK OUT the incredible time-lapse images of the approaching wall of dust ~ Scott Wood Photography
ENGLISH BISHOP tells pastors to cut services down to 50 minutes. Church specialist Todd Rhoades says even that is too long and is calling for 9 minute sermons. What do you think? ~ link
THE FIRST SOLAR-COOLED light rail stop debuts at the Third and Washington streets station in Phoenix today. The station will utlize "solar power with air from NRG Energy's Northwind downtown cooling system to cool the stop for passengers waiting on the Metro light rail." Cool! ~ link
ROBERT H SCHULLER has been voted off the board of the Crystal Cathedral, the church he planted in 1955. ~ link
IF YOU thought like a missionary (and you should)... link
INDIANA SCHOOLS no longer required to teach cursive writing ~ link
DIABETES problem in the Western Pacific Islands is worsening ~ link
SO, PRETTY SOON Blogger will be history -- sort'a ~ WP
HAPPY BIRTHDAY today to my father, Horace, and brother-in-law Charlie Bickerton. We're taking my father out for dinner tonight at Ted's Hot Dogs. Charlie, who lives in NorCal will have to wait for his.
Tuesday, July 5
Random
EUCHARISTIC "FLASH MOB" - regardless of what you think of "eucharistic adoration," this is interesting in that it moves the devotional practice outside the walls of church buildings. Note the varied reactions of the passing pedestrians. (via)
SOUTH KOREA expects that their schools will be completely digital ("paperless") by 2015. ~ link
COLLEGE EDUCATION PAYS OFF according to David Leonhardt:
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW. I was glancing at the stats for my Fresh Fish Food blog, which is where I park the transcriptions of my sermons, talks, messages, and stories. And I was surprised to learn that 57% of the downloads go to Russia. Only 23% to the US. And then 10% go to Guam; 5% to Malaysia, 3% to Germany -- and the remaining 2% to various other places.
"MOTORCYCLIST in helmet protest ride hits head, dies" -- Tragic and unnecessary but he made his point. ~ USA Today
GUAM -- "For the first time since its creation in 1998 the Guam Waterworks Authority has achieved two consecutive years of positive earnings." And that's with half of the water pumped, leaking away before it gets to the customers. All kidding aside, this is commendable and an encouragement for all of those who are working to address the infrastructure issues on Guam. Progress is slow but sweet. ~ link
BETH BILYNSKYJ has some really choice quotes from her husband Steve's sermon on Sunday. For example:
SOUTH KOREA expects that their schools will be completely digital ("paperless") by 2015. ~ link
COLLEGE EDUCATION PAYS OFF according to David Leonhardt:
The evidence is overwhelming that college is a better investment for most graduates than in the past. A new study even shows that a bachelor’s degree pays off for jobs that don’t require one: secretaries, plumbers and cashiers. And, beyond money, education seems to make people happier and healthier... ~ NY TimesAND THERE ARE still lots of inexpensive educational options through which you can avoid college debt. Do community college and then transfer to one of these schools. Or if you want an adventure and a cross-cultural experience go to Pacific Islands University on Guam (Guam is so fusion that it is cross cultural for everyone!).
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW. I was glancing at the stats for my Fresh Fish Food blog, which is where I park the transcriptions of my sermons, talks, messages, and stories. And I was surprised to learn that 57% of the downloads go to Russia. Only 23% to the US. And then 10% go to Guam; 5% to Malaysia, 3% to Germany -- and the remaining 2% to various other places.
"MOTORCYCLIST in helmet protest ride hits head, dies" -- Tragic and unnecessary but he made his point. ~ USA Today
GUAM -- "For the first time since its creation in 1998 the Guam Waterworks Authority has achieved two consecutive years of positive earnings." And that's with half of the water pumped, leaking away before it gets to the customers. All kidding aside, this is commendable and an encouragement for all of those who are working to address the infrastructure issues on Guam. Progress is slow but sweet. ~ link
BETH BILYNSKYJ has some really choice quotes from her husband Steve's sermon on Sunday. For example:
...Law is like adult diapers. It’s a treatment for the symptoms of moral incontinence, not for the problem. And like a diaper it probably only makes you that much more aware of what you can’t control. Like a diaper it only makes you carry around your sin with you that much more closely. What’s needed is a cure for sin, not a better diaper to hold it in.Read her post || Read the whole sermon
Monday, July 4
Random
"A NEW STUDY shows that the desert tortoise, thought to be one species for the past 150 years, now includes two separate and distinct species, based on DNA evidence and biological and geographical distinctions..." ~ link
JIM GRESSINGER: "Five Reasons Why I Am Not A Christian!" I don't know Jim, but my experience has been that when people have five reasons to not believe, they won't change their minds even if you give them 500,000 reasons to believe. What do you think? ~ link
48% OF CNMI residents surveyed say that they oppose political reunification with Guam. "Many of the respondents on Saipan and Rota believe that reunification with Guam will result in CNMI residents becoming the minority. They also contend that Guam has more to gain with reunification than the CNMI." That does not make sense since Guam already has the stronger economy and the better infrastructure. If anything, for them the CNMI is perceived as a liability. The fact is that all those islands are so isolated that anything they do to work together will benefit everyone. They need each other for a stronger future.
NEW BAR SET in the uke world
Sunday, July 3
Random
I POSTED THIS VIDEO a few weeks ago and have been thinking about it -- and thinking that I should post it again and again until it sinks in.
THE END OF THE GREAT COMMISSION ~ link (via)
MARS HILLS GRADUATE SCHOOL is changing its name to The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. Well, at least now no one is going to confuse them as being associated with that other Mars Hill institution in Seattle. ~ link
IT'S HARD TO think about Christmas when it's 120° outside (unless you live in the Australian outback where 50C on Christmas happens) but the Goodwill stores in Phoenix are having a big sale on Christmas decorations this month. Well, maybe that's just what the doctor ordered to help you get through the next two months. ~ link
WONDERFULLY CRAFTED line from Scot McKnight -- "To many, sin has fallen into grace." Read his whole article on how we have become apathetic toward sin and uninterested in holiness. We've become more presumptuous of God's grace than grateful for it. ~ Relevant
GOOD BUS NEWS if you're a Laveenian -- Councilman Michael Nowakowski has announced that Valley Metro Route 77 on Baseline Rd is going to extend west to 75th Avenue. I'll be able to walk a couple of blocks south to catch the bus. There is no indication, yet, of exactly when the extended service will begin. ~ link
I HAVEN'T mentioned it recently but Cheap Dog Printing is my brother Greg's website which highlights inexpensive commercial printing options. I've used them for banners, business cards, invitations, door hangers, and more. It would be hard to beat the prices.
THE WASHINGTON POST has an article on how Muslims in America are faring 10 years after 9-11. They don't worry me. I do believe that the Muslim understanding of God is fundamentally flawed. And I believe that there are some who have taken advantage of those weaknesses to create fear and terror. But the fact is that I have encountered more people from a Christian background (I hesitate to call them Christians) who have a screwed up understanding of God and who have used their shabby theology to do damage to others. Bad theology can be dangerous -- regardless of the religion. ~ link
200 MILLION TWEETS a day. No wonder I can't keep up. ~ link
COUNTER INTUITIVE: The growing racial, ethnic, and demographic diversity of American cities and metro areas appears to be the cause of the crime decline.
THE END OF THE GREAT COMMISSION ~ link (via)
MARS HILLS GRADUATE SCHOOL is changing its name to The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. Well, at least now no one is going to confuse them as being associated with that other Mars Hill institution in Seattle. ~ link
IT'S HARD TO think about Christmas when it's 120° outside (unless you live in the Australian outback where 50C on Christmas happens) but the Goodwill stores in Phoenix are having a big sale on Christmas decorations this month. Well, maybe that's just what the doctor ordered to help you get through the next two months. ~ link
WONDERFULLY CRAFTED line from Scot McKnight -- "To many, sin has fallen into grace." Read his whole article on how we have become apathetic toward sin and uninterested in holiness. We've become more presumptuous of God's grace than grateful for it. ~ Relevant
GOOD BUS NEWS if you're a Laveenian -- Councilman Michael Nowakowski has announced that Valley Metro Route 77 on Baseline Rd is going to extend west to 75th Avenue. I'll be able to walk a couple of blocks south to catch the bus. There is no indication, yet, of exactly when the extended service will begin. ~ link
I HAVEN'T mentioned it recently but Cheap Dog Printing is my brother Greg's website which highlights inexpensive commercial printing options. I've used them for banners, business cards, invitations, door hangers, and more. It would be hard to beat the prices.
THE WASHINGTON POST has an article on how Muslims in America are faring 10 years after 9-11. They don't worry me. I do believe that the Muslim understanding of God is fundamentally flawed. And I believe that there are some who have taken advantage of those weaknesses to create fear and terror. But the fact is that I have encountered more people from a Christian background (I hesitate to call them Christians) who have a screwed up understanding of God and who have used their shabby theology to do damage to others. Bad theology can be dangerous -- regardless of the religion. ~ link
200 MILLION TWEETS a day. No wonder I can't keep up. ~ link
COUNTER INTUITIVE: The growing racial, ethnic, and demographic diversity of American cities and metro areas appears to be the cause of the crime decline.
It might be hard to wrap your mind around this -- especially with all the demagoguery about immigration. But the numbers tell a different story than our alarmist pundits and politicians do. "Since 1990, all types of communities within the country's largest metro areas have become more diverse," Elizabeth Kneebone, one of the authors of the Brookings report, wrote in The New Republic. "Crime fell fastest in big cities and high-density suburbs that were poorer, more minority, and had higher crime rates to begin with. At the same time, all kinds of suburbs saw their share of poor, minority, and foreign-born residents increase. As suburbia diversified, crime rates fell." Along with their entrepreneurial energy and their zeal to succeed, immigrants are good neighbors -- cultural and economic factors that militate against criminal behavior, and not just in their own enclaves but in surrounding communities as well. ~ The Atlantic
Saturday, July 2
Random
FISH CAN BE SCARY! I once had a fish jump into my lap when I was floating down the Salt River in an inner-tube. I remember thinking that my heart was going to jump out of my chest.
I THINK THE answer is fairly obvious. The reason that kangaroos produce less methane gas is because they bounce (that's what roos do). If we could figure out how to make cows bounce we could eliminate global warming altogether. ~ GlobalPost
HATE CRIME against Native Americans ~ link
SOME PEOPLE ARE going to worry over this: "...for the first time, there are more non-white babies than white babies in America." But it's really a global trend -- population shifts, declining birth rates among affluent white people... ~ link
I'VE ORDERED copies of the Parable of the Dancing God by C. Baxter Kruger to include in our MasterPiece Church visitor gift packets. I'm excited to find a booklet that has a lot of narrative, is blblically solid, and which presents Jesus in a way that should free a lot of oppressed minds. It is also available online as a .pdf.
"THE VERY MEN that worried about becoming the slaves of ol’ King George, perpetuated the worst system of slavery in the world!" ~ Kurt Willems
AREN'T PRISON TENTS in which the inside temperature is 130° considered "cruel and unusual punishment?" ~ link
PLEASE "LIKE" ME! What do you think? Does Neil Strauss nail it or is he over-reacting a bit? --
I THINK THE answer is fairly obvious. The reason that kangaroos produce less methane gas is because they bounce (that's what roos do). If we could figure out how to make cows bounce we could eliminate global warming altogether. ~ GlobalPost
HATE CRIME against Native Americans ~ link
SOME PEOPLE ARE going to worry over this: "...for the first time, there are more non-white babies than white babies in America." But it's really a global trend -- population shifts, declining birth rates among affluent white people... ~ link
I'VE ORDERED copies of the Parable of the Dancing God by C. Baxter Kruger to include in our MasterPiece Church visitor gift packets. I'm excited to find a booklet that has a lot of narrative, is blblically solid, and which presents Jesus in a way that should free a lot of oppressed minds. It is also available online as a .pdf.
"THE VERY MEN that worried about becoming the slaves of ol’ King George, perpetuated the worst system of slavery in the world!" ~ Kurt Willems
AREN'T PRISON TENTS in which the inside temperature is 130° considered "cruel and unusual punishment?" ~ link
PLEASE "LIKE" ME! What do you think? Does Neil Strauss nail it or is he over-reacting a bit? --
...As a result, we can now search not just for information, merchandise and kitten videos on the Internet, but for approval.
Just as stand-up comedians are trained to be funny by observing which of their lines and expressions are greeted with laughter, so too are our thoughts online molded to conform to popular opinion by these buttons. A status update that is met with no likes (or a clever tweet that isn't retweeted) becomes the equivalent of a joke met with silence. It must be rethought and rewritten. And so we don't show our true selves online, but a mask designed to conform to the opinions of those around us.
Conversely, when we're looking at someone else's content—whether a video or a news story—we are able to see first how many people liked it and, often, whether our friends liked it. And so we are encouraged not to form our own opinion but to look to others for cues on how to feel.
"Like" culture is antithetical to the concept of self-esteem, which a healthy individual should be developing from the inside out rather than from the outside in. Instead, we are shaped by our stats, which include not just "likes" but the number of comments generated in response to what we write and the number of friends or followers we have. I've seen rock stars agonize over the fact that another artist has far more Facebook "likes" and Twitter followers than they do.
Because it's so easy to medicate our need for self-worth by pandering to win followers, "likes" and view counts, social media have become the métier of choice for many people who might otherwise channel that energy into books, music or art—or even into their own Web ventures. ~ Nil Strauss in the WSJ"DO YOU THINK I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or curry favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave." ~ Galatians 1:10 (MSG)
Friday, July 1
Random
BONNE FÊTE du Canada!
"IS YOUR CHURCH Too Cool? -- How a pursuit of relevance can undermine authentic community." I don't think that anyone can accuse us of that -- except for perhaps the ukulele player.
STUDY: Airports experience more rain and snow when airplanes take off and land. ~ Time
I LIKE the new cleaner look on Google calendars. ~ link
THE AMAZON KINDLE fairy got into my reader and corrected a publishing error (for free) on the Common English Bible that I bought from them. It now has a table of contents. That's something you can't do with a paper edition -- correct the mistakes in everything published. Cool. Still only $4.76 for the recently released translation. ~ link
I PICKED UP a box of SkyFlakes at the Mekong market in Mesa. That Mekong market/mall is a hidden gem in the Phoenix area. I walk in there and I feel like I'm in Asia. Somehow they parachuted a mid-level Asian community market into north Mesa. Beautiful ceramic tile -- spacious -- clean -- Asian produce -- lots of places to eat.
COULD STEPHEN COLBERT become the Republican candidate? So far he's the best clown out there. ~ link
GOOD NEWS PAKISTAN -- New website with "amazing, awesome and inspirational news stories coming from Pakistan..." ~ WSJ
"IS YOUR CHURCH Too Cool? -- How a pursuit of relevance can undermine authentic community." I don't think that anyone can accuse us of that -- except for perhaps the ukulele player.
STUDY: Airports experience more rain and snow when airplanes take off and land. ~ Time
I LIKE the new cleaner look on Google calendars. ~ link
THE AMAZON KINDLE fairy got into my reader and corrected a publishing error (for free) on the Common English Bible that I bought from them. It now has a table of contents. That's something you can't do with a paper edition -- correct the mistakes in everything published. Cool. Still only $4.76 for the recently released translation. ~ link
COULD STEPHEN COLBERT become the Republican candidate? So far he's the best clown out there. ~ link
GOOD NEWS PAKISTAN -- New website with "amazing, awesome and inspirational news stories coming from Pakistan..." ~ WSJ
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