Since my injury things - particularly typing - have taken a bit longer. That’s why I’ve been slacking. So I’ll try to catch up with 3 Things.

1. JT has some interesting bytes about a move from some prominent leaders to jettison the term “emerging church”. I don’t know that it’s a necessary thing, but I certainly understand being upset when a term you used to describe yourself becomes a superficial label for people you completely differ with on everything important (think “evangelical”, or “graphic designer“). (continue reading…)

Yes, that is my hand. Yes, my cast is pink and blue. Yes, I did design this with three fingers on my mouse hand.  As Ali G. would say, “Respeck.”

Get the story here, and the followup here.

Oh, I forgot! Yes, I can still hold a controller.

Mark Driscoll @ the Resurgence:

Furthermore, in some sense, every Christian is to be a teacher who imparts biblical truth into the lives of others. For example, Colossians 3:16 is directed to an entire church: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

I think too many people pass this work off to others - their ministers, Sunday School teachers, and small group leaders - saying they don’t know enough, or it’s not their role.  But we all share this role, and not knowing enough is no excuse…learn it.

A new study out of Baylor has some interesting things to say about secularism and superstition.  Mollie from GetReligion has a piece out in the Journal that looks at the data.

The answers were added up to create an index of belief in occult and the paranormal. While 31% of people who never worship expressed strong belief in these things, only 8% of people who attend a house of worship more than once a week did.

Even among Christians, there were disparities. While 36% of those belonging to the United Church of Christ, Sen. Barack Obama’s former denomination, expressed strong beliefs in the paranormal, only 14% of those belonging to the Assemblies of God, Sarah Palin’s former denomination, did. In fact, the more traditional and evangelical the respondent, the less likely he was to believe in, for instance, the possibility of communicating with people who are dead.

I’m trying to work through how to consider this. (continue reading…)

I’m contemplating heading down to Abilene in a few weeks for Lectureship, since I have some vacation days available (it’d be short notice for my boss, so I don’t know if it’s possible at this point).  I checked the speaker list today to see who would be there, and I found the name of my favorite writer and preacher: Brian McLaren.

Right now I’m not sure what to think.  I’ve resolved (more than once) over the last year to dig a little deeper into McLaren’s beliefs than the blurbs, blog postings, and sound bites I’ve typically seen.  I do remember actually liking More Ready Than You Realize.  So I bought A Generous Orthodoxy, and I’ve tried to listen to some lectures/sermons, with my mind as open as possible. (continue reading…)