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Virginia Tech
When I first heard about the shootings yesterday at Virginia Tech, it wasn’t real. It was too distant. Too outrageous. Too big. But hearing the names of the victims – the students, the professors, the RA – and thinking of the hopes and dreams that were shattered absolutely breaks my heart. There’s no “good” response…
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Christianity in vibrant colors
I’ve been listening to some lectures by Michael Frost, and want to share a metaphor he used. Most churches today paint in pastels, he said, but the world – life – is painting in vibrant, primary colors. A lot of times, to a lot of people, the church seems lifeless when compared to the spirituality…
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Leave it behind
My cell phone goes with me wherever I go. Most of the time, that’s a good thing. But there’s a downside. Sometimes, when I’m in the car, I just want to zone out, listen to music, and do very little else. I’ve been thinking all day. It’s time to just drive. But unless I act…
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Building momentum with balance (part one)
A = Lots of work’s getting done, but you’re not connecting with others, so there’s no real progress. B = You have dreams. You sit and talk about them. You share them with others. But no one’s moving toward them, so what’s the point? C = You’re working hard, you’re sharing the work. You’re busy…
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So two nuns walked into a bar …
I don’t know what I’d do in a job interview if someone said, “Now, tell me a joke …” (Craig Groeschel has been posting hiring tips over at Lifechurch.tv’s blog. Some sound a little less intimidating. All are probably useful. Here are parts one, two, and three.)
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The cross changes everything
It’s midnight, and I’m working on a paper about John Wesley’s views on salvation. For my breaks, I’m listening to parts of Tim Hughes’ new album. The first song, Happy Day, is about the resurrection. Greatest day in history Death was beaten, you have rescued me Sing it out, Jesus is alive The tradition I…
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Easter thoughts …
I’m a little behind the ball on this one, but I wanted to post a few post-Easter thoughts anyway. They aren’t super spiritual. If you’re looking for that, email me. I’ll tell you which blogs you should be reading :). Nothing really compares to the energy and feel of a church on Easter. There are…
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Missional linkage: on Jesus and dressing up the gospel
+ Alan Hirsch on Jesus: And then I come to that quintessential saying of Jesus in John 14:6 ““I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” And I realize afresh that this is exactly how I experience my connection with God—as a relationship mediated…
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Without vision …
I can’t get the verse that says without vision, the people cast off restraint (or are discouraged) out of my mind. Actually, in my mind it’s “without vision, the people perish” (still not sure what translation that is). Here’s the thing. It’s true. We need direction, a goal, a picture to work towards. We need…
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Starbucks challenges and church life
I like chain stores. I know that’s not really “cool.” But if I have a choice, a lot of times I’ll choose Target, On The Border, or Starbucks over the local, untested option. They’ve gotten big because they do what they do well. So small stores must not be doing something right … right? Well,…
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Catch up with Julia and Jennifer!
Grete got a little letter in the mail yesterday I just have to share. Here’s some of the text. It seems life is more hectic than ever. When you finally manage to wind down, the time is often fleeting. A quick manicure on your way home from work. A phone call to your best friend…
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My favorite spots for graphics
Although I do graphic design a lot less now than I used to, every once in a while I have to put together something that looks nice. And that thing that looks nice is typically low budget. So for those of you who may not have seen ’em, here are my top three stock photo…
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Just two more: Relevance and mission
I just can’t stop! Two more posts worth reading. That’s it. Promise. + Bob Hyatt talks about a post from Alan Hirsch on the “missional vs. attractional” approaches. An attractional church is one whose primary stance towards those it seeks to reach is couched in the expectation of a come-to-us mentality. And this expectation as…
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A Saturday hike
Grete and I took advantage of the beautiful Calfornia weather to go on a hike this weekend. One thing I love about Pasadena is that you can be in the middle of LA or the middle of nowhere with a 30-minute drive.
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Weekend reading: Atheism, space, and Vietnamese art
I have a lot I want to write about, but until I do, here are a few things other people are saying that stood out this week … + Rick Warren and Sam Harris talk about Christianity and religion in Newsweek. It’s a great conversation worth reading. + Ryan Bolger talks about how our concept…
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Jon Sampson 