I noticed an interesting shift on the bus today.
As I sat down, with my laptop in it’s bag at my feet, my new Blackberry in my hand and my Zune in my pocket playing a new podcast an older gentleman sat down next to me.
Didn’t look close enough, but I’d say he was in his mid to late 50s.
I’m wearing dockers and a button down green shirt. I think I was told I should wear a tie to work everyday but I’ve tried to push that idea(l) further and further away from reality.
He was wearing a dark suit, white shirt and tie. He sat down and pulled out the Sports section of the Dallas Morning News.
He read the paper on our route downtown, reading each story of interest. Going from page to page.
I on the other hand listened to a podcast about GAP and GAP Baby using kids working in sweatshops to make their clothes and scanned the “headlines” of the day via my RSS reader.
As I put all my gadgets away before arriving at the bus stop I thought to myself, “I feel pretty wired and connected… but to whom?”
As he gets off the bus I imagine he’ll simply fold the newspaper and stick it under his arm or toss it in the trash on the way into his office.
Shift happens.
Tag: community
Missional living
I’m trying to tie my hands back some to keep from giving away too much from books I’m reading – especially those I’m still chewing on.
My latest read, A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren is giving me some great insight as of the last few days. First off, I love the sub-title:
Why I am a missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetic, biblical, charismatic/contemplative, fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, catholic, green, incarnational, depressed- yet hopeful, emergent, unfinished Christian.
Continue reading Missional living
Faith ideas :: Become a home for the homeless
We talked last night at our community group of some ways we can/should put the words of Jesus into real application and practice. CMS shared this idea today and thought it was a definite great idea for local churches.
It reminds me of a great point Shane Claiborne made in “Jesus for President.” He said that while many Christians will get up in arms against things like abortion, they’re rarely willing to actually put real action into their fight. He said that Mother Theresa (whom Claiborne spent several months with) was strongly against abortion, but rather than condemn a mother for considering it, or even possibly for the actions that conceived the child, she welcomed the mother and child into her home and cared for them specifically. She didn’t just tell an un-wed mother – abortion is sin – now go solve your problem. She said, “abortion is wrong but so is me putting you out on the street expecting you to deal with this issue alone. Let me help you in the midst of your crises.”
Continue reading Faith ideas :: Become a home for the homeless
Engaging your audience
As part of our community 2.0 ministry at encounter, we recently purchased copies of Andy Stanley’s book, “Communicating for a Change.” Loved the book. It really challenged me and the ways I’ve always been taught to communicate with folks (hense my Mass Communications major).
Rather then outlining a message or lesson with 3 points, each having 3 or 4 sub-points, Stanley suggests outlining your message with only one central point. And building the message around Me-We-God-You-We. I’ll let you start reading it to find out more ;-). Like I said – it’s challenged me for sure.
I’ve tried to share some of the e-mails I send to our leaders from time to time (where appropriate) and thought this was one of those times…
Continue reading Engaging your audience
Forging another way
Not sure who said this, but I thought it was a great point brought up in the 1st episode of The Homebrewed Christianity Podcast (around 36 min in):
“The church has been deeply resistant to accept it’s own failures…”
“The people who have had privilege, in this culture particularly, are whining miserably because they’re losing. And part of what you’re teaching is that the old system is that if you disagree with me over these major doctrines than it’s not just that we disagree, there’s a flaw in your character and I can’t talk to you because you will corrupt me if I spend anytime with you. The ability to say there’s another way of talking about this. We must forge another way…”
From the show description:
This is the first of two episodes taken from a conversation between Bill Leonard, Doug Pagitt, Tim Conder, Zach Roberts, and myself. I mostly just listened in to Bill Leonard, the Dean of Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity and professor of church history, have a fascinating conversation with Doug Pagitt and Tim Conder about the Emergent movement and American religion.
UPDATE: And for those of you who aren’t iTunes fan – you can listen to the file here.
Twitter in plain English
The folks at CommonCraft have put together a great basic video explaining Twitter in plain English.
Great stuff. I know my mom reads my Twitter feed (per some of the questions and conversations she brings up) but I think she reads it via the Casa de Blundell news feed – not going to the Twitter site per-say. Wonder if I can ever get her to sign up and start Twittering during the day…..
If you’re interested, I’m jdblundell on Twitter.
My best friend, (that doesn’t live with me) Matt, is Medicmml.
My buddy Thomas is headphonaught.
My good friend and pastor Brian is at Brian12345678 (although you won’t get much out of him).
You can get encounter news via encounterthis.
Anyone else out there that I should be following?
BTW – I love the simple video CommonCraft did as well. Nothing with fancy computer graphics – just fun paper images moved around with their hands and fingers.