Category: interesting stuff

After a warmer than usual June here in the sunny South, July’s temperatures have started out going in the opposite direction. We may see record low temperatures the next couple of nights. Of course, that makes the days and nights much more comfortable.

I know that all of you missed TGIF terribly last week, so we’ll get right to the links:

Ministering money the New Testament way.
The power of love.
Surprise!
This should be interesting.
This should be great!

Tough question.
Just in case you’re looking for a new way for your church to celebrate the 4th. Just be careful what you worship.
Christian porn.
Funny.

Great price for a “fixer-upper” of sorts. (HT: Scot McKnight)
Maybe some people have too much time on their hands.
Knit together by grace.
Discipleship and a lawn mower.

Have a great weekend! If you set off fireworks, please don’t blow yourself up.

I am spending most of this weekend coaching basketball at a team camp, so TGIF is taking a break this week.

This past week has been busy. I am driving a shuttle bus for a local camp. In the mornings I pick campers up in Charlotte, and in the evening I take them back. In the time in between I have been coaching my junior varsity girls basketball team in summer league. Tuesday night we got together with my friends at St. Thomas, and Thursday night we had dinner with other members of the camp staff. Along with that, Josh and I have been able to spend some time together watching World Cup matches. Good times.

Here is the good stuff:

Donald Miller has a message for Fathers’ Day.
Sometimes it’s just plain hard. (Tissue warning)
Put this guy on television.
Knowledge vs. knowing.
Longing for Paradise.

Wooden Gold.
A different way of seeing guardian angels.
Using the Bible to avoid God.
Eagles and hummingbirds.
Rethinking the “still small voice.”

Have a great weekend. Sunday is Fathers’ Day, so all you dads out there, have a good one.

The first week of summer vacation is in the books. The World Cup has started, and it will be interesting to see how the U.S. team does. They have been somewhat inconsistent in the games leading up to the tournament, but they hopefully will set a good tone in their first match against England. The greatest basketball coach of all time died this week. John Wooden was an inspiration to coaches and fans alike.

My blog reading has been a bit spotty this week, but here are some of the good ones:

My daughter Jennie talks about a really cool camera rig.
Lessons in communication.
Sailing in deep waters.
A sign of the apocalypse?

Spiritual, but not religious.
Another spill.
Another viewpoint on mission trips.
Christian bait and switch.

Wandering prayer.
What Jesus cares about.
The myth of the consumerist God.
Do you know your Bible? Part 2.

Thanks for reading my blog. Have a great weekend.

Today is the first Friday of summer vacation. School is out, and things have slowed down quite a bit. This morning Jan and I continued a tradition began when our kids were young, and went out for breakfast to celebrate the end of the school year. There is a possibility that the summer will bring some more changes, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Here is the good stuff:

Catharsis.
Turning charity upside down.
Perhaps.
Avoiding Scary Mary.

Time management fail.
Alan Knox on change.
Reimagining the slippery slope.
I agree with this.

The silence of God.
On being a stumbling block.
“We fail at life.”
David Sessions on the American cause.

The ethical gut.
This is pretty funny.
Lut’ran Airlines.
Chasing the wind.

Thanks for reading my blog. Have a great weekend.

Summer is almost here officially. The temperature is climbing and each day brings a chance of thunderstorms. The school year is almost over, and I don’t know if the students or teachers are looking forward to vacation more. Monday is Memorial Day, and we Americans will honor those who have given their lives in service to the nation, before we hit the great sales and have cookouts where we eat and drink too much. Hopefully, we’ll reflect on our freedom and those who have died.

Here are the links of the week:

Over at internet monk, Chaplain Mike has issues with evangelicalism. Part 1 of the series is here.
A “what if?” question.
Getting real about hate.
Prayer is always subversive.
Evidently, there’s not an app for relationships.
Training pastors.

A place in the Son.
Do you want to die?
Don’t you hate it when people do a bad remake of a song.
This is funny.
A new sport?
Scot McKnight reviews After You Believe by N.T. Wright.

I wonder if he’s going to sell this on ebay.
Heel grabber, Part 1.
What makes it “church?”
Great church sign.
Extraordinary churches (HT: Scot McKnight).
Modesty.

Have a great weekend. Thank you for reading my blog.

It’s Friday again, and another work week has come and gone. I read a preview for Michael Spencer’s book, Mere Churchianity a couple of days ago, and it is a definite must read. I have posted many links to Internet Monk so some you know the quality of the writing and the heart of Spencer, who went home to the Father way too soon. Just from the preview I can tell that this book is important. Buy it.

Here are the links:

A time to sow.
Too much heaven? Part 3.
The people behind the special effects in “Heroes, Season 3.”
Is doubt an eraser?
The creativity of questioning.
Reaching the pinnacle.
Why it’s not about morality.

A tale of two pigeons.
Alan Knox on Hebrews 2:9-11.
Jesus loves me.
A new tip from Bill Kinnon.
Ecclesial imagination.
Between church and state.
I guess I’m part of the problem.

Well, that’s it for this week. Enjoy your Pentecost Sunday.

This week has flown by. We spent the week doing state standardized testing, and the school year is winding down. Tomorrow, Josh graduates from the University of North Carolina – Charlotte with a master’s degree in architecture. It’ll be a busy weekend for all of us.

Here’s the good stuff:

I didn’t know this before. Evidently, Craigslist supports sex trafficking.
A defense of art.
Don’t waste your trials.
Pam asks, “What if…?”
Chaplain Mike on the Beatitudes.
Beyond the old soul.

A place for grace.
This is encouraging.
Spiritual experimentation.
Tim Hill on authenticity.
Jared Wilson reviews Holy Subversion by Trevin Wax.
Alan Knox on being more ready to submit than impose.

Graduation advice.
Keeping up appearances.
Scot McKnight has a series titled, “Perilous Times.” Part 1 is here.
Scot McKnight on a Barna study. He asks what it means for churches.
A funny story with a serious message.
The Prodigal Son – in the key of F. (HT: Scot McKnight)

There was a lot going on in the news this week. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continued to spread, New York City escaped a terrorist attack, and in case you missed it due to the inadequate coverage, Nashville, Tennessee was inundated by what was described as a 500 year flood. The estimated cost of the cleanup and reconstruction is one billion dollars. There are many who lost their homes and possessions. Please pray for the folks in Nashville.

Here are the links for the week:

Tim Hill on forgiveness.
Jared Wilson on maple syrup.
Dan Edelen on fuzzy church.
Erin on change.
Matt on a Christian enough nation.
Donald Miller on arguing.

This video showed up on a lot of blogs this week. It’s a good commentary on modern church.
God is holy and here.
Home.
$2 days.
I agree. This is not okay!
Church leavers.

Becoming a dangerous Christian.
Walking barefoot. Part 1, Part 2.
I don’t remember seeing this side of the sculpture.
Loving and leaving.
The elephant in the living room.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. I hope you have a great day Sunday.

Thanks for reading my blog.

It’s Friday already! This week has just zipped by. I spent today touring a university with a group of eighth graders. I always enjoy being on college campuses, and this was a nearby school that I had not previously visited. Tomorrow is the running of the Kentucky Derby. I usually don’t watch horse racing, but the three races of the Triple Crown capture my attention every year. I wonder if this year will bring a Triple Crown winner. Maybe.

Here is the good stuff:

Are we missing something?
Something in my size?
Dallas Willard on atonement. (HT: Brian McLaren)
Asking the radical questions.
Church on the Boardwalk.
When you don’t like what the government does.

Good words from John Bunyan.
Church in a coffee shop. Good discussion in the comments.
Are we this honest?
Good words from Mark.
Do you own your successes?
Good question. How would you answer?

Scot McKnight continues his series on changing culture. Part 9.
Options and doubt.
Awful Christian T-shirts.
Is N.T. Wright dangerous?
Just hearing, or doing?
Convinced in our own minds.

Thanks for reading my blog. Have a great weekend.