Category: interesting stuff

February is the shortest month, but it always seems to last the longest. I think someone added a day to this week. It’s cold here in the sunny South, and we haven’t seen a whole lot of sun lately. With four games left, basketball season is winding down, and softball is about to begin. Although, if it doesn’t dry up a bit, the team will have to play in waders.

Here is a sampling of what I’ve seen this week:

Worship without walls.
A manifesto?
Just dust.
Chasing Amy.
An interview with painter Makoto Fujimura.
Getting beyond billboard Jesus.

Sometimes, kids just have trouble with words.
Pam on mega-churches.
Continue to pray for iMonk.
Rules of engagement.
Dangerous questions.
Speaking to the church.
Rethinking running shoes. (HT: Scot McKnight)

TGIF will be back next week, if I don’t float away in the meantime. Enjoy your weekend.

This week, like most others, has gone quickly. I have a rare Friday night and Saturday off. There is supposed to be some sort of winter storm hitting the area tonight so our basketball game tonight was postponed and tomorrow’s practice has been canceled. So far, our town has received exactly zero inches of precipitation. 🙂

On to the good stuff:

Communities or churches?
Getting out of the insurance business.
Two weeks.
How to pursue justice without losing your soul.

Here is an update from iMonk.
The 20th Century’s biggest change in evangelicalism. A change for the better, in my opinion.
The only doc. (HT: Scot McKnight)
Doubters, arise!

Life vs. news.
Legalism? Good?
When good motives go bad.
Learning to dance in the rain.

Like clouds and wind.
Losing Jesus?
What are you chosen to suffer for?
Brother Maynard prognosticates.

Have a restful weekend.

This week has seen a terrible disaster hit the nation of Haiti, and the tremendous response of many governments, organizations, and individuals. More help will be needed, as the earthquake exposed and exacerbated the problems already there. Please continue to pray and help in whatever way you can.

Here are the links:

Dan Edelen has a vital warning for charismatics.
First hand info from Haiti. (HT: Annedroid)
One story of preventing child trafficking.
An update from iMonk.
Who is my neighbor?

A reminder that the earth is the Lord’s.
I found this to be interesting.
A gentle tension. (HT: Scot McKnight)
Economic indicator? (HT: also McKnight)
Christian joy.

Kansas Bob on Scott Brown.
Jeff McQ wonders what to do now.
Mark Scandrette is living in the questions.
Christianity beyond belief.
No matter which side we’re on, it’s always good to seek to understand those on the other side.

A good question.
Haiti, poverty, and Christianity.
More from Alan Knox on edifying others.
Matt on the B-I-B-L-E.
A missional way for the pro-life passion.

Have a great weekend.

It’s a warm and sunny Friday here in the South. The temperature is actually going to be about normal, but compared the the chill we’ve had the last few days, it feels warm. Please pray for the folks in Haiti, and for those that are seeking to serve them. Consider helping in any way you can.

Here is the good stuff:

The unasked question of terrorism.
Women and religion.
I will build my church.
Jason Boyett had a 5 sentence story contest. The winner is here.
John Armstrong on house churches.

Where is God in the Haitian earthquake?
Jeff McQ weighs in on Haiti and Pat Robertson.
Brother Maynard on the emerging church.
A Haitian perspective on God, Satan, and the birth of Haiti. (HT: Tall Skinny Kiwi)
Embracing the adventurous way.

Alan Knox on mutual edification.
Say something good.
The scheme of God.
Born to dance with abandon.

I hope your weekend is filled with love and grace.

This first week back from Christmas vacation has actually gone quicker than I thought it would. It was a nice two week break and we were able to spend some good time with family and friends. I hope your Christmas season was a good one.

Here is some of the good stuff floating in cyberspace:

Here we go again. (HT: Brian McClaren)
Thoughts on the Church and the economy.
Story.
An Ordinary Man.
There are days when I think this would be a good idea, although it probably wouldn’t work very well here in the sunny South.

5 reasons not to make New Year’s resolutions.
2009 tech fails. (HT: Scot McKnight)
Matthew Paul Turner is going to Uganda.
One way postmoderns are right.
Geese.

Ripples and discipleship.
Matt looks back, and then ahead.
Limping while dancing.
Jared Wilson tells us to chill out.
Tim Hill has an interesting discussion.

Don’t sit with the mockers.
But believe more boldly still.
Four posts on the emerging church. Here, here, here, and here. (HT: Tony Jones)
Good thoughts on Christmas.

It’s supposed to warm up here during the next week. I hope your week ahead is warmer as well. Have a great weekend.

Today is not only Friday, it is also the last day of school before Christmas vacation. It’s cold here in the sunny South, relatively speaking, and there’s supposed to be a “wintry mix” hitting sometime today.

Enjoy the links:

Shaun Groves replies to those people.
An Advent confession.
New Year’s resolutions.
Lessons from EPCOT.
The truth behind suffering.

Six floors of Sunday School?
Are you putting any of these on your tree?
Christmas vegans.
A good post from Bob Hyatt.
Live nativities.

What or who?
John Armstrong asks if we’ve missed Jesus.
Quotes on learning.
Scot McKnight found this article depressing.

This will probably be the last TGIF of 2009. Next Friday is Christmas Day and I’ll probably not be blogging that day. Enjoy your weekend.

We had one fairly warm day here in the sunny South, but the rest of the time it’s been colder than normal. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, this winter will be colder and wetter than normal. I believe they might be right. The basketball team I coach is undefeated. I know it’s only two games, but still…. We play tonight, so we’ll see what happens.

Here’s the good stuff:

Statistics and mustard seeds.
Interesting question.
Karl Barth meets the emerging church.
This is good.
Re: Tiger Woods.
Have you ever felt like this?
Looks like this might be a good read.

Just in case you haven’t bought your Christmas tree yet.
Donald Miller’s Christmas list.
Annoying gifts.
I know he’s my son, so I may be biased, but this is good.
The mood of advent.
Entering the story.
How to avoid consumerism at Christmas. (HT: Scot McKnight)

Is Advent Biblical? (HT: also Scot McKnight)
Jason Boyett is not “standing” for Christmas.
Jonathan Brink on bottled water.
Table fellowship.
Have you been inoculated?
Brant Hansen sings.
The Road.

Have a blessed weekend and a good third Sunday of Advent.

Another week has come and gone. Basketball season is in full swing, and the days and evenings are packed full of activity. There are two weeks left before Christmas break, and then I’ll have two weeks to relax with family and friends.

As is my usual practice, here are the links:

Imperfect love.
Shane Claiborne in Esquire (HT: Brian McClaren)
What Scot McKnight thinks of The Manhattan Declaration.

Did Jesus ever go to England? (HT: Scot McKnight)
Does anyone remember this?
The Gospel in all its forms.

Heretics changing the world.
God’s best bit of multi-media.
The reconquest of creation.

Camels and needles.
Putting Satan back in Christmas.
The Abominable “O Holy Night.”

Eggnog!
Unifying faith and praxis.
Have a merry fair trade Christmas. (HT: Tim Hill)

Good thoughts on the season.
Evangelicalism and special seasons.
This is a good song.

Faith or fear?
Kansas Bob on eschatology.

This Sunday is the second Sunday of Advent. Remember the anticipation of the Jews that the Messiah was to come, and our own waiting for him to return.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It’s a bit chilly here in the sunny South. Tonight we’re going to go watch a football game between two of the local high schools. The winner plays for the state championship next week. Should be a good one.

Here’s the good stuff for this week:

Consider this as an alternative to the consumerism of the Christmas season.
Good thoughts from the Watchman.
Jake Belder reviews (sort of) Heaven is Not My Home.
Tearing down walls.
Lightening the load.
Thanksgiving, stray dogs, and good invitations.

iMonk has a series on his experiences with an absent Gospel. Part 1 is here.
Required behavior modification and the Gospel.
Three questions.
Listening.
Kingdom leadership in the postmodern world.
Going tribal?

5 trends affecting the church. (HT: Scot McKnight)
This brings back memories – bad ones.
Where Jesus would live if not for heaven.
This is for the SEC football fans out there.
This is simply amazing.
The great dilemma.

Have an enjoyable weekend.

The risk of love in Africa.Why dogs don’t like Halloween. (HT: Brother Maynard)
Best Christian t-shirt like, ever?

Further thoughts from Dan Edelen.

Thoughts on the end of the world.

Kairos..chronos..

The Bubble.

Fringe benefit to being a pastor?

Event or truth?

The Rapture?

Some of these are just scary.