Subversive Hospitality...

I'm in the throes of sermon prep on The Sheep and the Goats (Matt. 25:31-46). Here's a sampling of some ideas I'm playing around with in my brain:

• God is THE gracious host, and He calls His people (Old and New Testaments) to participate in the sacred act of hospitality.
  

In the Land of Plenty...

Do you think we should start sharing some of it?


photo courtesy of unaesthetic.net.

In the Land of Plenty...

Do you think we should start sharing some of it?


photo courtesy of unaesthetic.net.

Community...

"A Christian community is evangelized
in order to evangelize
A light is lit
in order to give light.
A candle is not lit to be put under a bushel, said Christ.
Is is lit and put up high
in order to give light.
That is what true community is like.
A community is a …

Thinking Blogger Award...

I find it ironic that in the midst of my blogging dry spell (I admit I haven't put a lot into it lately), I've been awarded the Thinking Blogger Award, nominated by Becky at Flip the Pig (a great philosophically oreinted blog, by the way). Per custom, I am now able to …

Slate.com on Church Signs...

Great little article and slideshow HERE on the history of church signs (courtesy of Slate). Huh. I think I wrote about this, once upon a time. Oh yeah, I DID.

New family blog...

We've begun the process of merging our adoption blog and Ben's blog into one new family blog. We've already left Ben's blog behind, at his 2 year birthday, and as soon as our adoption is complete, Eloisa will join him. Check out the brand new custom header, courtesy of

The tortoise wins...

I'm no techie, but I'm going to stick my neck out there and make a tech prediction: Facebook has won the social networking war.

MySpace won the initial battle over media content, allowing for anyone to post videos, picture slideshows, etc.

Facebook took the slow, gradual …

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

In continuing my reading on Islam, I thought it would be interesting to find out more about The Nation of Islam. So I picked up www.amazon.com%2FAutobiography-Malcolm-X-Told-Haley%2Fdp%2F0345350685%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1180449253%26sr%3D8-2&tag=ruraprax-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Fascinating, fascinating read...very enlightening for this middle-class white midwesterner.

A few thoughts …

It's about empowerment, not just handouts. . .

I firmly believe that the key to eliminating extreme poverty is empowering the poor. I'm not opposed to handouts; I probably have a more favorable view of handouts than most people. I believe most people justify not dropping a dollar in the homeless man's coffee cup not …

Recent Reads...

I'm way behind on my book reviews, but the beauty of a blog is that there are no deadlines.

Why watch The Office?

Though season 3 is done...I encourage you to catch up on The Office via DVD, iTunes, or reruns throughout the summer. The Office is one of the few small glimmers of hope left when it comes to television. Why? Read THIS. It sums it up best (warning: there are some veiled …

There's this girl...

...who grew up the youngest of four in the rural midwest. She attended Anderson University to study marketing/business. She quickly rose to the top of her class in the business school, and was offered prestigious internships that would allow her the opportunity to climb …

The Least of These...

I'm preaching in a month on The Sheep and the Goats (Matt. 25:31-46).

Gulp.

Any thoughts? How does a pastor handle a text like this with authenticity and faithfulness? In middle class America? Any resources you would recommend?

Aside: I feel sorry for goats today, who are …

Hitting the nail on the head....

Tall Skinny Kiwi on Anabaptism and the Emerging Church. Bingo! There's a revolution brewing. The question remains: Do anabaptists realize the resurgence? Is a stream of Christianity (anabaptist) which is historically not exactly cutting edge when it comes to culture and …

Souls with Soul

TOMSShoes. This is one of those ideas that makes me want to drop everything and be a social entrepreneur. Buy a pair of TOMS Shoes, and you also pay for a child in Latin America to also receive a pair of shoes (who would otherwise be barefoot). Neat, eh? Cool website, …

Book Review: Catch-22

I finally finished www.amazon.com%2FCatch-22-Joseph-Heller%2Fdp%2F0684833395%2Fsr%3D8-2%2Fqid%3D1172414550%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks&tag=ruraprax-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Catch-22, by Joseph Heller. It's the book that coined what is probably the most well known phrase used by people who don't have a clue as to its origin. Set during WWII, this book was unlike any I've ever read. 440 plus pages of brilliantly penned …

Incarnation

The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.--John 1:14 (The Message)

I love Eugene Peterson's take on this verse. One could unpack the significance of the incarnation (God becoming flesh) for a lifetime. On second thought, maybe we should all …

Long Lost Brothers?

Rainn Wilson and Rob Bell? You be the judge...

Off to the windy city...

We're off for a few days of Chicago goodness. Here's the itinerary:

• Friday: BodyWorlds2 exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. We've heard that this exhibit is a 'must see'.
  
• Saturday: Intelligentsia Coffee Roasting Tour. Mmmmm....
• And of course, the obligatory …