Wednesday Link List: A Homeless Wedding Reception, Billboard Ministry, and More

[B]link and you’ll miss it!

Usually the video links come near the end. But not when it’s a new song by Gungor.
So why does Compassion invite online writers to apply for one of their overseas trips if they only choose A-list faith bloggers?
Apparently a respected Canadian Bible college has some history with the world’s favorite funeral protestor.
If 150 churches donated $1,000, it would buy a home for Saeed Abedini’s family. Meanwhile, Billy Graham asks Iran’s President for Saeed’s release, as does President Obama.
Two architectural firms are set to begin the transformation of the former Crystal Cathedral into a Catholic-friendly facility.
Seven years later, the wife of the Amish schoolhouse shooter breaks her silence.
A Chinese pastor thinks Rick Warren needs a lesson in cultural sensitivity, while the blogger known as Naked Pastor discusses the same adapted Red Guard propaganda poster.
A Wisconsin truck driver has so far spent over half a million dollars funding a billboard ministry on major highways.
A pastor in Louisiana was shot to death during a Friday night church service. Then, after reading that, the story gets worse a few days later.
When their daughter’s wedding was canceled, the parents of the bride invited 200 homeless people to the four-course meal that would have been the reception.
Essay(s) of the Week: A tie between two pieces by Hannah Anderson, her piece on Childlessness, and an open letter to her insurance company.
Married people remember their single days with affection, but for those still single, their experience doesn’t match the stories.
Why clergy shouldn’t dispense medical advice: Women who drive automobiles risk damaging their ovaries.
A Church planter proves the axiom that hindsight is always 20/20 .
History Lesson: Once upon a time, people wrote music reviews of new albums.
Some pastoral leadership errors can be overcome, but there are three mistakes you really want to avoid.
Church. It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. But it’s the best because of what Jesus is doing.
Speculative Church History Department: Would U.S. President Barak Obama bomb the Canaanites?
Speculative Music History Department: What if The Beatles sang theology?
The problem with prostitution is that we sugarcoat it instead of seeing it as a form of rape.
Bible Translation of the Week: The International Standard Version, version 2.0 (that would be the ISV-V2.0)
Alternative Bible Version of the Week: God is Disappointed in You; by humorist Mark Russell along with a cartoonist from New Yorker magazine.
Also in the humor section of your local e-bookstore is Joel Osteen’s Jokes: Collection of Joel Osteen’s Funniest Short, Clean Jokes. Apparently this is the latest in the potentially copyright-infringing series called Joel’s Gems.
Seems like everywhere you turn, there is a television show with a faith-based theme.
On my own blog this week: Don’t even think about sinning.
Finally, there are some great articles online promoting Christian higher education, and then, on the other hand, there’s what some consider hype and propaganda.