A Convert to Short-Term Missions – It was the church choosing who would go that changed Jamie Wright's mind: "Most of us don't go to churches who let anybody who feels like it get up and preach on Sunday morning. We don't let the first guy to jump on stage with a tambourine lead us in worship. We don't let every volunteer who walks through the door feeling “called” hold our babies on their lap, or—God forbid—count our money! We are constantly making decisions about who should do what within the framework of the church, but we balk at the idea of choosing our missionaries."
Where's The Faith? – How is it that Downton Abbey, a show set in an era when religious faith was so much more central, seems to skirt the topic? "As a practicing Catholic, perhaps [the program's writer Julian] Fellowes is suggesting that faith and material riches are incompatible. If that is his point, he’s in good company. Jesus frequently talks in terms that should frighten the wealthy: the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16) or the story of the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12), to whom he said: ‘life does not consist in an abundance of possessions’(Luke 12:15)." "What remains unclear is whether [God's] omission is a strange oversight or if he’s actually been written out."
Seeker Sensitive Hindsight is 20/20 – At the outset: "I believe that the Seeker Movement was (and still is) a movement of God. It was not a movement without flaws and excesses, but it was a movement that woke us up to the fact that the primary mission of the Church is to make disciples, and that that mission begins with connecting Jesus to those not yet connected to him. … [T]he Seeker Movement put mission back into the center of the life of the church." On reflection however, there were some byproducts of that emphasis that the writer regrets.
One Last Thanksgiving Debrief – Remember that time your high school small group leader asked, 'What's the opposite of love?' and everybody said 'hate' and then he explained it's really fear? So what's the opposite of "thanksgiving?" This answer is both surprising and satisfying: "While this may be human nature, nothing good comes of it. Mark Twain said, 'Comparison is the death of joy.' For when we look and see someone else's blessings, we suddenly have no appreciation of our own."
Getting Back on the Horse – After being airlifted back to the United States and then surviving Ebola, Dr. Rick Sacra wants to get back in the game. The soonest he can go back to Monrovia is January and that's his intention, especially since he is now immune to the disease. He makes this observation: "I think this is going to have just as big of an impact [as the civil war]. When the Ebola epidemic is over there’s going to be a rebuilding of institutions."
Essay of the Week – First kiss at 24. Married at 36. "I wanted nothing to do with marriage and children of my own because of what I experienced growing up. I was terrified of being bound in a marriage like my parents' abusive relationship. And since I wasn't going to have a life partner, I figured that I wouldn't have children either. I wasn't about to raise a child on my own. I had to nurture my career first and foremost, because my career had to be number one in my life. I had to devote most of my energy to supporting myself, since I didn't trust a man to support me. Rely on a man, and he might trap you. Better to be self reliant and safe." The honest confessions of a late bloomer.
The Best Christmas Music in Town – If your church aims for artistic excellence, it's possible some paid, professional musicians are brought in to augment the church choir and orchestra. But this challenges the notion that God has given the people of that church all of the necessary spiritual gifts they need. Perhaps a lot depends on what exactly you mean by artistic excellence.
Canada's Best Kept Television Secret – Lorna Dueck is host and executive producer of Context, a weekly half-hour documentary format with a live studio audience. Her journalistic skills combine with a good sense of trending topics. On this recent episode, on the rise of "the nones" Canadian pastor Bruxy Cavey meets up with two of the country's best loved comedians for an interview and then she is joined by the two academic researchers at the heart of Regent University's Reframe film project. So … does God have a PR problem? (30 minute video)
A Great Script and an Incredible Story – This Kickstarter project is ambitious and involves people with solid experience in various aspects of the motion picture industry. How ambitious? They're looking for $300,000 just to make the trailer. That would then pave the way for a distribution deal. The animated movie would release in Fall 2017 and show the origins of good and evil began before humanity existed.
One for the Road – Three years later, Rob Bell gets his TV show.
Paul Wilkinson blogs daily at Thinking Out Loud.
