"...as the centuries went on Christianity so permeated civilization that in the end slaves were freed voluntarily and not by force. Here is the tremendous lesson. It is proof that neither men nor the world nor society can be reformed by force and by legislation. The reform must come through the slow penetration of the Spirit of Christ into the human situation. Things have to happen in God's time, not in ours."
William Barclay (comments on 1 Timothy 6:1,2)
8.25.2008
8.22.2008
Font Conference
Watching the Men's Sand Volleyball gold medal game and found this...funny, funny stuff:
FONT CONFERENCE
FONT CONFERENCE
8.18.2008
8.16.2008
Is this what's wrong in churches?
I often read Leadership Journal's blog and this past week an interesting post emerged. It's one of those articles I'm not quite sure about but it made me think long and hard (and continues to). "Great is Thy Effectiveness" talks as aggressively about the current leadership "culture" dominating ministries everywhere and challenges the underlying assumptions and tenets this culture operates by as any I have seen. Here are some select quotes:
"Something’s wrong. We pastors are the stewards, the spokespeople, the advocates of a message of hope, life, and peace. And yet so few of us seem to be experiencing these qualities in our own lives."
"It seems too many of us have our identities wrapped up in the measurable outcomes of our work rather than in the life-giving love of the Christ we proclaim. Something’s wrong."
"...a pastor’s success and self-worth is inexorably linked to his/her measurable performance. Stewing in this toxic brew is it any wonder why pastors’ souls are shriveling. Something’s wrong."
There's plenty more to chew on and plenty of conversation in the "comment" section as well. I have always had a flag go up when a successful model of anything gets picked apart as being the opposite of what should be...selling of the soul for success per-say. But there are some interesting things to chew on and reflect. Let me know what you think too...
"Something’s wrong. We pastors are the stewards, the spokespeople, the advocates of a message of hope, life, and peace. And yet so few of us seem to be experiencing these qualities in our own lives."
"It seems too many of us have our identities wrapped up in the measurable outcomes of our work rather than in the life-giving love of the Christ we proclaim. Something’s wrong."
"...a pastor’s success and self-worth is inexorably linked to his/her measurable performance. Stewing in this toxic brew is it any wonder why pastors’ souls are shriveling. Something’s wrong."
There's plenty more to chew on and plenty of conversation in the "comment" section as well. I have always had a flag go up when a successful model of anything gets picked apart as being the opposite of what should be...selling of the soul for success per-say. But there are some interesting things to chew on and reflect. Let me know what you think too...
8.13.2008
Lala :: streaming music online for Macs!
My brother has been telling me for years about Rhapsody and his enjoyment of listening to music online without being out a ton of money, but, alas, Rhapsody didn't support Macs. Today I found Lala through the company I downloaded an application for my iPhone through...Lala. A groovy little site that so far has been a nice little find for streaming music of my choosing.
8.07.2008
Where's the landslide?
My brother shot me a great article the NY Times writer David Brooks about why Barak Obama should be blowing it out but simply is not. A very insightful look at why many Americans still hesitate to support either candidate.
Here are some excerpts:
"And the root of it is probably this: Obama has been a sojourner."
"American voters have trouble placing him in his context, understanding the roots and values in which he is ineluctably embedded."
"If you grew up in the 1950s, you were inclined to regard your identity as something you were born with. If you grew up in the 1970s, you were more likely to regard your identity as something you created...So, cautiously, the country watches. This should be a Democratic wipeout. But voters seem to be slow to trust a sojourner they cannot place."
Here are some excerpts:
"And the root of it is probably this: Obama has been a sojourner."
"American voters have trouble placing him in his context, understanding the roots and values in which he is ineluctably embedded."
"If you grew up in the 1950s, you were inclined to regard your identity as something you were born with. If you grew up in the 1970s, you were more likely to regard your identity as something you created...So, cautiously, the country watches. This should be a Democratic wipeout. But voters seem to be slow to trust a sojourner they cannot place."
8.06.2008
The Naked Truth
We're in the middle of working through artwork for our Fall series "The Naked Truth about Parenting" coming on September 14th. We're attempting to mix humor and meaning to draw in the curious. Check out some of the artwork in process...
8.04.2008
It's not the work...it's the relationship
" The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influences and qualities produced by that relationship."
- Oswald Chambers, August 4 in "My Utmost for His Highest"
- Oswald Chambers, August 4 in "My Utmost for His Highest"
Remembering Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a famous Russian writer and devout Russian Orthodox Christian, died yesterday at the age of 89. I remember reading Solzhenitsyn's Harvard Commencement Address from 1978 and thinking I was reading a "prophet" of sorts. His insights and observations stung me and the society I embrace to this day. They were words to mull over and possibly even act upon. Here's a small snippet of his address that's worth reading in its entirety.
"This tilt of freedom toward evil has come about gradually, but it evidently stems from a humanistic and benevolent concept according to which man – the master of the world – does not bear any evil within himself, and all the defects of life are caused by misguided social systems, which must therefore be corrected. Yet strangely enough, though the best social conditions have been achieved in the West, there still remains a great deal of crime..." (Harvard Address, 1978)
"This tilt of freedom toward evil has come about gradually, but it evidently stems from a humanistic and benevolent concept according to which man – the master of the world – does not bear any evil within himself, and all the defects of life are caused by misguided social systems, which must therefore be corrected. Yet strangely enough, though the best social conditions have been achieved in the West, there still remains a great deal of crime..." (Harvard Address, 1978)
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