Tag: Christian

Death of an enemy

US Propaganda leaflet
US propaganda leaflet against Osama Bin Laden | Via WikiCommons

Last night just before heading to bed, I checked in with Twitter and saw a friend re-tweet from @USABreakingNews that Osama Bin Laden was killed. I checked for other mentions and quickly tuned in to CNN and then ABC as my Twitter stream filled with similar comments.

Laurie and I waited for 45 minutes or so before President Obama made the announcement himself, confirming that America’s Most Wanted man had been killed earlier in the day by US Special Forces.

As I watched my Twitter feed, I was struck by how different the responses were from so many of my friends.
Continue reading Death of an enemy

The secret to (Christian) leadership

Everett Bogue
Everett Bogue | Via Farbeyondthestars.com

One of the blogs I follow – far beyond the stars wrote this week about the Secret of Minimalist Freedom Success…

For some of you, you may think there’s nothing of real value in the post… but here’s the kicker…

I’ll make this as short as possible, so you can print it off and paste it right above your LCD screen on your laptop. So you don’t forget it when you’re globe trotting through the world with other people who have mastered the secret like the case-studies I will list below.

You need to lead a lifestyle that you want people to live.

As I read Everett’s post, it resounded more and more…

Anyone can get up and tell you how to live your life. I can write posts day and night about how we should love others, or how we should simplify our lives, or how our stories matter — but really hits home is when people can see you living that life.

Want to convince me to love my wife? Show me how to do it by loving your wife.

Want to convince me to give more? Show me how to do it by giving more.

Want to convince me to read my Bible more? Show me how to do it by reading your Bible more.

And not only show me – but tell me about it. Tell me all the great things that you’ve discovered in doing these things.

And not only that, but tell me when things don’t turn out as you’ve planned as well.

Be real, authentic and honest — and live it out.

Pretty simple really.

Now why can’t I do that?…..

#thenines 2010

Leadership Network is planning a repeat of last year’s #thenines event.

The event takes place for nine hours on Sept. 9, and features nine-minute messages from folks around the “Christian sphere” geared towards other Christian leaders.

Last year, they did a great job of mixing up the conversation, and this year they’re hoping to do more of the same — but allowing others to submit and vote for their “favorites.”

I could probably be nit-picky and say I think it’s silly that we’re voting for our “favorite Christian speakers” but instead I chose to take advantage of the opportunity and nominate some folks I think deserve to (and should) be heard and I invite you to do the same.

I nominated Greg Russinger, Jay Bakker, Mark Horvath, Shaun Groves and Cornel West.

I also voted for Andrew Jones (Tall Skinny Kiwi), Mike Rusch, Charles Lee, Shane Claiborne, Skye Jethani and Brian McLaren.

And I’m tempted to add Trucker Frank to the mix as well — but I have a feeling he’d turn them down :-).

Who do you think the Christian community needs to hear from? What voices have been left out?

You can vote online at http://twtpick.in/4k and you’ll apparently need a Twitter account to vote and nominate.

For more, you can read some of my thoughts from last year’s event:

ALAN HIRSCH SHARES DURING #THENINES
NOTES FROM #THENINES
SKYE JETHANI :: WHERE DOES OUR LEGITIMACY COME FROM?
“OFFICIAL” NOTES FROM #THENINES
VIDEOS FROM #THENINES ONLINE

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BTW… Everett Bogue’s new book, Minimalist Business, is now available. If you’re interested at all in building a business online, either full-time or part-time — it’ll be worth it to you to grab a copy. And if you buy it within the first 24-hours (before 10 a.m. PST, Wednesday morning) you’ll save some cash as well with his special “early bird pricing.” Get your copy here.

You can also read some of Everett’s other work, How to Create a Movement (FREE), The Art of Being Minimalist or his blog: farbeyondthestars.com

A Christian Ethic of Blogging

museum-ethics

Blake Huggins shared his thoughts on this great quote from NT Wright…

“It really is high time we developed a Christian ethic of blogging. Bad temper is bad temper even in the apparent privacy of your own hard drive, and harsh and unjust words, when released into the wild, rampage around and do real damage. And as for the practice of saying mean an unjust things behind a pseudonym – well if I get a letter like that it goes straight in the bin. But the cyberspace equivalents of road rage don’t happen by accident. People who type vicious, angry, slanderous and inaccurate accusations do so because they feel their worldview to be under attack.” – NT Wright

Blake continues…

I couldn’t agree more. Blogging is at the same time both great and dangerous. It brings out the best and the worst in us. I am grateful for the many friends that I have made through this platform but I get really put out with the slander and hateful words that are put forth under the auspices of speaking the truth or defending the faith, or whatever else. As Christians we have a great opportunity to have rich and robust conversation and to model what charitable dialogue and respectful disagreement might look like. At our best we do that well, but sometimes we blow it.

I totally agree with both. I’ve twittered and blogged several times in the past about how difficult it would be to go a whole day without complaining about something online.
Continue reading A Christian Ethic of Blogging

@existentialpunk on the @sbpodcast

Back in January I shared an interview/chat I had with Adele Sackler (@existentialpunk) via Twitter. Well Thomas (@headphonaught) has one-upp’d me with a great chat he recorded for our podcast (@sbpodcast).

It was a great chat and we broke it up into two parts for your listening pleasure.

from the podcast:

this week we share the first part of Thomas’ conversation with Adele Sakler (aka existential punk). Adele grew up in a typical Protestant Christian family but in high school and college began to struggle with the issues between her faith and her attraction to other women. she’s now come to peace with the fact that she’s gay and a follower of The Way and she’s become a bold voice about her faith, her homosexuality as well as her Chronic Lyme Disease.

we realize that like many of our guests, you may not agree with Adele’s theology — she realizes that as well — but we invite you to take the time to listen to Adele’s story and hear her story for yourself. take the time to hear her story and view it and her as an entire package, not just shunning her for what you may not agree with. then we welcome your thoughts and comments. drop us an e-mail or phone call and let us know what you think.

So get on over to the something beautiful podcast, pour yourself a cup of coffee or Scottish Whiskey and listen in with your friends and family. It’s well worth it – imho.

Part 1
Part 2

Jesus People

header

I’m not even sure how I found this now, but the web-isodes of Jesus People have been cracking me up today. It’s a mockumentary (think Spinal Tap and Waiting for Guffman) based on an up and coming Christian Pop group, Cross My Heart.

“Jesus People” started as a webseries on FunnyorDie.com with the description of “Spinal Tap” set in the world of Christian dance-pop. The web series found 1/2 million fans, thanks to a cast including Kate Flannery (“The Office”), Deborah Theaker (“Waiting for Guffman”), & Stephnie Weir (“Mad TV”).

They’ve now completed a full movie based around the webisodes that’s due in the theaters this fall. Should be quite funny from the trailer and the current webisodes ::

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6

Movie trailer
Movie Clip