Athletes Trump Faith Leaders

According to a recent survey, two-thirds of Americans believe professional athletes have more influence on society than faith leaders. But don’t sack the pulpit for the gridiron just yet. Even though perceived influence is high, not everyone is convinced that public declarations of faith on the field actually do that much to change fans’ minds or hearts. According to Barna, “most Americans believe when an athlete talks about his or her faith publicly it does not make much of a difference for those who hear those comments.” Only about one third of those polled thought that displays of faith on the field really impacted viewers.—Barna.org

Marriage to Mars?

For some married couples, just the prospect of a cross country driving trip … trapped … in a vehicle … with the spouse … is enough to induce dangerously high blood pressure. So when millionaire space tourist Dennis Tito recently announced that his team was seeking a couple to man (and woman) a planned privately funded 18 month mission to the planet Mars in 2018, people recognized that the selected pair would need to have a special relationship.

Like that of Deborah Shapiro and her husband Rolf. They spent 15 months together on the Antarctic Peninsula, nine of which were in total solitude. Their secrets?

“Give the other person mental elbow room.”
“Show tangible signs of caring and of empathy.”
“Remain sensitive to each other’s moods and concerns.”
“Don’t belittle each other.”

Good marriage tips for this solar system and beyond.

—Source: BBC: “How to Get Along for 500 Days Alone Together.”

Googly Eyes

By early 2014, Google is expecting to be selling their groundbreaking Glass device to consumers. The unit, which looks like a sleek pair of lensless spectacles, will allow users to interface with data hands free, using voice commands to control a display just barely in the user’s field of vision. The project has many real world uses that will undoubtedly change the way people access and record data. As The Street’s Anton Wahlman wrote: “Google Glasses will impact societal behavior from the moment they arrive.”

The changes will raise many questions for church leaders.

Here are just a few to consider:

• How would you relate to someone wearing a device that could be recording you at anytime?

• Would there ever be a place for churches as “device-free” areas?

• What positives does this technology bring for church leaders or ministry partners?

• Does anyone really think that “halfhearted cyborg” is an appropriate fashion choice?

Have thoughts on these questions? Join the conversation and tweet them to us: @Leadership_Jnl]