January 2011
34 posts
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"Feed Your Flock": Communion or Consumerism
Pepsi and Doritos have teamed up to create the memorable, albeit sacrilegious, commercial that has brought about quite a stir. Word is that the commercial will be nixed from the Super Bowl due to the pressure of consumers who feel as if the companies have gone too far.
Is the video sheer marketing genius? The video has, after all, created a memorable scenario that has resulted in backlash;...
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More relevant than thou... →
In an article that was recently published on Duke Divinity School’s Faith and Leadership website, Timothy Larsen makes the following criticism at the church’s quest to remain relevant:
Maybe a better slogan would be “If you’re worried about whether or not it’s relevant, then your heart is probably still far away from the things of God.” Or maybe “If you’re thinking that something...
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Beefin’ Up : Awful Library Books →
You really need to follow the link and see the rest of the pictures.
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"Gay marriage isn't revolutionary. It's just the...
“Gay marriage isn’t revolutionary. It’s just the next step in marriage’s evolution.” At least that is what Stephanie Coontz claims in a recent article in the “Outlook and Opinions” section of the Washington Post. (The full text of Coontz’s article can be found here). In addition to claiming that gay marriage should be viewed as the next step in...
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Reforming the Faith →
The place where I will be sharing the lessons that I learn as I am on the journey to publish my first book. In addition to sharing these lessons, this blog will serve as a place for me to post various things that I have gleaned from my research.
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Parents Television Council Calls for Federal... →
Have you seen the show?
Should the show be banned?
Should MTV receive extensive fines for the show’s content?
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Here Comes $4 Gas, $5 Cups of Coffee - Newsweek →
Should there be a stronger and more concerted push for regulation?
How will $4 gas and $5 cups of coffee change your spending habits?
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Book Review: "Tithing: Test Me In This"
Having reviewed one of the other books (Joan Chittister’s The Liturgical Year) in “The Ancient Practices Series” from Thomas Nelson Publishers I was excited to receive Douglas LeBlanc’s Tithing: Test Me In This to both read and review.
LeBlanc’s approach to the topic is to provide his readers with a brief overview of tithing before parading before them stories...
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45% Of Students Don't Learn Much In College →
If you have graduated from college in the last ten years: Do you agree?
If you teach at an institution of higher learning: Is the educational system as flawed as these studies are seeming to indicate?
What can be done to remedy/improve things?
*Please click on the link and read the article prior to posting.
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For all of you book lovers out there...
Recently I came across an incredibly humorous website that is dedicated to exposing the dust jackets of those books that never should have been published. You should definitely check it out…
Click on over to AwfulLibraryBooks.net for more fun-filled and laughable publishing decisions.
thevacuumofhiseyes asked: This is a response to your "gigging it" post; I guess I just didn't think that 250 characters were enough to respond with. Also, I'm sorry if this gets a little long, or if it's downright wrong - it's just my thoughts!
Rather than beat around the bush, I'll be up-front as possible: I do think that "gigging it" with volunteers has a lot...
Rather than beat around the bush, I'll be up-front as possible: I do think that "gigging it" with volunteers has a lot...
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getting giggy with it...
A “gig” is a form or temporary work or employment. As such it is a form of employment that is appealing to: a) those who need extra cash, b) those who have some time to fill and want to do something productive and/or meaningful with said time, or c) those who find typical 9-5 jobs unappealing and desire to have a variety of work experiences.
Craigslist, among other websites, has...
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“Scripture brought me to the gate of paradise, and the mind stood in wonder as it...”
– Ephrem the Syrian
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STARTING FROM ZERO WITH $0
I recently came across the book Starting from Zero with $0 by Becky Garrison. Given that I am the pastor of a church that does not have an unlimited amount of resources, the title caught my attention.
Admittedly, I know nothing about Becky Garrison. What is more, I have heard and/or know next-to-nothing about this book.
I was wondering if anyone out there has: a) read this book? and, b) (if...
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on our relationship to time
In her preface to The Cloister Walk Kathleen Norris observes that,
In our culture, time can seem like an enemy: it chews up and spits us out with appalling ease. But the monastic perspective welcomes time as a gift from God, and seeks to put it to good use rather than allowing us to be used up by it.
There are so many ways that I can relate to Norris’ observation. Time, indeed,...
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discipleship and the need to plunge
In the preface to her book The Cloister Walk Kathleen Norris writes,
Ten years ago, when I became a Benedictine oblate, I knew two things: I didn’t feel ready to do it, but I had to act, to take the plunge.
This simple statement summarizes much of what I have learned both personally and as I walk with people as they seek to grow in their faith.
Discipleship, by definition, beckons us to...
The Postsecular City →
An interesting 12-part series of posts tackling the topic “The Making of the Postsecular City.”
"The Holy Spirit Changed My Lesson at the Last... →
An interesting and thought-provoking post regarding homiletical preparation.
What do you think? How would you respond to Patton’s assertions?
Bibliographic software for the Mac & iPad →
@targuman shares some great (and rather welcome) news regarding bibliographic software for the Mac and iPad. As an iPad owner who uses their device for reading and research this is exciting news.
Anyone know of any other good apps/software?
If you are an iPad user: Does this come as welcome news? Or could you care less?
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Psalm 26 and "The Trusting Prayer of an Innocent...
1Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and mind.
So pleads the psalmist in Psalm 26.1-2.
As I read those familiar words and as I sought to join the psalmist in his prayer unto the Lord, I have to admit that I both struggled to pray as he prayed. I found it hard to pray that...
Revival? →
Tim Keller writes about “revival” and how it comes to pass. What are your thoughts?
Does revival result from “stirring up the affections of the heart toward decision”? Or does it involve something else (such as those things mentioned by Keller)?
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Book Review: "The Liturgical Year" by Joan...
As a freshman at Houghton College I took a class in pastoral theology that opened by eyes to the beauty of sacred time as it is expressed in the keeping of the liturgical year. At that time I was introduced to a text, Preaching Through the Christian Year, that is a compilation of Karl Barth’s writings and meditations on the liturgical calendar....
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"Cracks in the Crystal Cathedral": Is the...
This past October, the megachurch prototype of the late 20th century filed for bankruptcy. A 24 percent drop in donations and a $50-$100 million debt owed to more than 550 creditors forced the Crystal Cathedral to file. It was a poignant moment in the history of modern evangelicalism. [1]
In many respects the Crystal Cathedral served as a model for those churches, leader, and denominations...
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I love(d) my iPhone...
We finally did it.
This week (after much deliberation) we switched wireless carriers. Our previous provider was AT&T, for the same reason that so many have AT&T- I had an iPhone.
Three things ultimately led to our decision: cost, customer service, and a recent announcement by AT&T that they will be focusing on developing a 4G network.
The cost rationale is pretty straightforward....
“The majority of tragically fallen Christian leaders during the past ten to...”
– Gary McIntosh and Samuel Rima from OVERCOMING THE DARK SIDE OF LEADERSHIP
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Epiphany 1: The Baptism of Jesus
In Matthew 3.13-17 we read,
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the...
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"Gaudete in Domino semper"
Rhone Joshua Article for the Daily News
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“Leading people is a demanding responsibility. Following Jesus requires total...”
– From Eugene Peterson’s introduction to Robert Fryling’s THE LEADERSHIP ELLIPSE
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Top 10 Books of 2010
During 2010 I read a few hundred books. Some were good. Others were not. A few stuck out. What follows, therefore, are my “top ten books” of 2010…
Honorable Mention: A Place for Truth and The Rise of Evangelicalism
#10: Surfing on the Edge of Chaos - an interesting read pertaining to organizational/systems thinking.
#9: The Cross in Our Context - a phenomenal read that...