New Bible for skate-boarders published in UK
February 3, 2009
Christian Today story‘What do you do when your mother isn’t a Christian and her advice isn’t biblically based?’
January 28, 2009
UK: Muslim boy scouts may pledge allegiance to Allah
January 26, 2009
In interview Katy Perry, singer of ‘I Kissed a Girl,’ discusses growing up as a child of two pastors
January 26, 2009
Study: Teen pledges of abstinence have little impact on sexual behavior
January 2, 2009
WORLD Mag (see ‘Inkblot Data’ story)
Two sad extremes: Western cultures over-sexualize young women, Islamic ones stifle their sexuality
January 1, 2009
Jonas Bros/Days of Our Lives
December 3, 2008
Gospel Soundcheck’s Joanne Brokaw comments on the hype over the Jonas Brothers’ dating relationships:
“I don’t care if Joe Jonas is dating Camilla Belle or broke up with Taylor Swift over the phone or was accused of cheating on a girlfriend. What I do care about is the message that this kind of gossip and innuendo sends to their young fans.”
Read her post, “Joe Jonas, Taylor Swift, Camilla Belle and the mixed message of celebrity romance”
Today’s (American) youth: high self-esteem in spite of low integrity
December 2, 2008
That’s what the findings of a recent study by the Josephine Institute suggest, according to a post by Heather Koerner at the Boundless blog:
“Stealing:
- 30 percent stole from a store
- 20 percent stole from a friend
- 23 percent stole from a parent or relative …
Here’s the kicker:
- 93 percent of students said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character
- 77 percent affirmed that ‘when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know’”
On a related note, blogger Bonnie discusses the obsession young people have with being stylish, at Intellectuelle.
Thanksgiving/Weekend Walkabout, Nov. 27, 2008
November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
26 posts from the week that escaped mention (almost!):
Advent on your iPhone - Father Z
“Those of you who have an iPhone may want to know about a fun application for Advent for $0.99.”
The Blind Spot of the Spiritual Formation Movement - Craig Brian Larson
“Read books on spiritual formation and you will be hard pressed to find anyone who lists listening to the preaching of God’s Word as a first-order spiritual discipline.”
Check out free downloads from Christian music artist Josh Garrels - Joanne Brokaw
“Like other indie acts with a blatant faith message but an unconventional delivery … Garrels doesn’t quite fit the typical Christian music mold.”
The Day I Schmoozed - Amy Scott:
“Just tell her what she wants to hear.”
Evangelicals Adopting Advent - Cathy Lynn Grossman (HT: SharperIron)
“They’re giving a new, personalized spin to the prayers, candles and calendars to track the building excitement, and set a spiritual tone day by day.”
Faith and Politics - Doug Pagitt
“I was asked by the folks at Conservative Reformed Mafia blog to discuss my thoughts on faith and politics in light of my interest in running for the Minnesota State Legislature. I responded to questions with a video …”
Gordon Brown sells the nation’s soul to Satan - Cranmer
“As Gordon Brown has already sold the nation’s soul to the EU, all further treaties with the Devil are subject to EU scrutiny.”
Helpful Books on Justification - Mark Driscoll
It’s Time to Rethink the Issue of Homosexuality - Ken Silva
“Yes, you read that right; I do believe the time has come to rethink how we’re handling the issue of homosexuality in the Body of Christ. But maybe not like you think.”
The Jelly Bellies of Christendom - Prodigal Jon
“Super Sweaty Pastor – usually wrapped in a monogrammed handkerchief, these beans are slightly salty and super sticky from perspiration, taste like licking a Thompson Chain Reference and smell like a locker room”
Kids and Philanthropy: Teaching Your Children To Be Charitable - Beth Kanter
Logos360 Announced - The Wait Begins - ChurchCrunch
“It is, without question, simply a matter of time before we see what’ll it’ll really do to the digital landscape for Church Management Software.”
Meditations on Thanks and Giving - Carolyn McCulley
“As I prepare for Thanksgiving, one image is burned into my mind …”
National Geographic on Qeiyafa - Todd Bolen
“Much of the story reports what has been covered elsewhere, but there are some problems with the article.”
Of Crusaders and the West - Joshua Claybourn
“Our understanding of society and the individual certainly has its roots in the Crusaders.”
Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day October 3, 1863 - Abe Lincoln/Worship.com
“In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict …”
Q 2009 - Greg Atkinson
“Q is a gathering where church leaders and cultural influencers from the fields of business, politics, media, education, entertainment and the arts are exposed to the future of culture and the church’s responsibility to advance the common good in society.”
Recessions Are Good? - Rob Moll
“Recessions, before the Great Depression, were often viewed as good things.”
Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints (review) - Rebecca Writes
“I’ve reached the age where I think more and more about getting old, and I’ll let you in on a secret if you promise not to tell …”
Twilight (Book Review) - Tim Challies
“Admittedly, this is my first foray into fiction written for teen girls.”
An Unwanted Detour - Suzanne Hadley:
“A week later I sat in a doctor’s office trying to hold back tears.”
Video Interviews with John Lennox - Justin Taylor
“Creator or the Multiverse?”
What is the Church Year? - Mark Daniels
“The Church Year is a human invention. Observing it won’t make us better than anybody else. Nor does keeping it ’save’ a person from sin and death. But …”
50 eXcellent Blog Footer Designs - Hongkiat.com (sorry, had to reach for this one)
“In the eye of a visitor, the footer is perhaps one of the most unnoticeable section but to a designer who knows how important user experience, navigation and designs, they are treated the same.”
You May Be a Hyper-Calvinist If … - Phil Johnson
“Within the militantly Arminian sector of the Southern Baptist Convention, it seems there are still those who insist that ‘by the definition of Phil Johnson,’ James White is a hyper-Calvinist …”
Zane Hodges (1933–2008) - Dan Wallace (I mentioned Hodges’ passing, but it means much more coming from an accomplished Greek scholar):
“Zane taught Greek and New Testament courses at Dallas Seminary from 1960 to 1987. I took him for more courses than from any other NT prof, and learned a great deal from him. His skills with the Greek text were breathtaking. I never knew a professor who could sight-read as well as Hodges (except for Johnson). And he thought through his positions well. I didn’t agree with him on everything; in fact, I would say that I disagreed with him on most of his positions. I was always a bit nervous coming into his class because I wasn’t sure what he would say that hour that might rock my world. But I enjoyed immensely how he structured the courses, how he argued his positions, and how charismatic he was in the classroom. He was a superb preacher and very persuasive. His electives always had the highest enrollment by far of any NT electives at DTS. … Zane Hodges will be dearly missed. But he now knows the joys of his Savior and is finally home.”
Weekend Walkabout: Nov. 15, 2008
November 15, 2008
26 posts from the week that escaped mention (almost!):
- Announcing Ligonier Academy
- Beautiful Earring Found in Jerusalem
- Church Marketing Podcast
- Desiring God Pastors Conference (2009)
- ETERNITY, EVOLUTION, AND EMERGENCE
- Female Christian Bloggers
- Gospel and Culture Project
- Have no Fear
- In Remembrance of Veterans
- Jessica Simpson’s gospel background
- Keeping a Promise In Spite Of Himself
- Let’s Go Christmas Shopping!
- Matisyahu on Music, Religion, and Charity
- Nollywood: The Nigerian film industry
- One Week After The Election …
- Picture of the year - bulls*#t or prophetic?
- A QUANTUM OF SOLACE– A QUOTIENT OF PAIN
- Reminded of the Power and Priority of the Word
- SC priest: Voted for Obama? No Eucharist for you!
- Ted Haggard Speaks on Scandal for First Time
- Ur 2.0: Get Farther Out of Ur
- Visit the Sick, A New Book from Brian Croft
- When the World Slanders, and Christians Follow
- X-Mas in Goa video (OK, not a Christian blog … but some great percussion)
- Young Adults Make Bad Jurors?
- Zealous Police Officer (again, not a Christian blog … but a decent joke)
[FYI: A sure way to get cited here is to write a post beginning with the letter X or Z. Those are especially hard to find. - HC]
“A Free Guide to Marrying Well”
November 13, 2008
A digital booklet for men at Boundless: The Line, by Steve Watters:
“I have great respect for all the writers whose wisdom appears in this guide — Dr. Al Mohler, Josh Harris, Scott Croft, Michael Lawrence, Gary Thomas, Dr. Scott Stanley and more — and I wish this kind of resource had been available for someone to pass along to me back when I was stumbling along my path to marriage.”
Get it here.
“Spirituality vs. Church”
November 12, 2008
At the Christianity Today liveblog, Mark Galli reflects on a recent news story reiterating that many people (still) prefer “spirituality” to the trappings of organized religion:
“Being real apparently amounts to meeting in a bar, sitting ‘at bar tables in near darkness while blinking lights bathed the musicians in bright hues,’ ‘where Miller Lite and Budweiser posters, not crosses, hang on the walls,’ and where the pastor is ‘forgoing suit and tie in favor of worn jeans, sandals and T-shirt.’
Again, not much new or creative here, and yet it speaks to an ongoing distrust among many people (and not just youth) of the church. Then again, we know from other stories, there is a counter-movement towards traditional churches with rich and even complex liturgies.”
Social media a boon for Obama
November 7, 2008
Rhett Smith discusses the Obama campaign’s use of sites like Myspace, Facebook and Twitter:
“Obama dominated the social media world…which is where the young voters live. It’s a world they inhabit, trust, socialize, converse, and confer with one another.”
Some election debrief
November 6, 2008
Beliefnet editor Steven Waldman shares some interesting ‘factoids’ such as the following:
- Turnout was up more among Born Again Christians than among youths….
- In Colorado, the base of James Dobson’s Focus on the Family, the percentage of evangelicals supporting the Democrat doubled since 2004.
Thabiti Anyabile offers some keen insights at Justin Taylor’s blog:
“There will no doubt be many associations made between [Obama's] skin color, assumptions about his race, and a host of successes or failures during his presidency. But let us Christians avoid such errors. Let us avoid saddling this one man with the responsibility of representing a “race” of people, or saddling the people with this one man’s failures or achievements.”
And Taylor Marshall blames Obama’s win on American Catholics.
3 year-old sex slave
November 3, 2008
A heart-breaking story about Michael Angelo, a toddler from the Philippines, posted at the blog of Marisa Banas (HT: Seth Barnes):
“On June 15, 2008 at 12:00am, mere hours before the child was scheduled to leave the country and fly to Japan, Michael Angelo was back in [his mother's] arms. I asked the social worker, do you think she will sell him again? She shrugged her shoulders and said, ‘We will notify the police to arrest her if she does. She is still thinking about that million dollars. …’”
