Wed 5 Nov 2008
The other day I led a bible study not using my MacBook Pro - I’m having some battery issues. The people around the table looked at me and asked, “Where’s your laptop?” I said I was going to led the Bible study old school - paper and a book. Good to know there is tech support like this still out there on how to use a “book.”
Sun 2 Nov 2008
I can’t believe it - no podcast since August? Well, here’s a new podcast and more to come in the next two weeks. As I said in the previous post, 99 Balloons is a powerful video and once you see it, you can’t get it out of your head but for the best of reasons. Its a road on the spiritual journey worth traveling. ’nuff said. Read the previous post, listen to the podcast, and see where you end up. You may cry but you will find yourself on holy ground - a good place to be.
Links
Thu 30 Oct 2008
Yesterday my wife asked me if I had seen 99 Balloons on YouTube yet. I said no, but I saw it on MTV years ago in German.
Turns out she was not talking about Nena and 99 Luftballoons but rather something she had seen on Oprah.
I have to be honest. I’m not an Oprah fan. But Carla said I had to watch this video, there’s a sermon in it.
So being a good husband, I did.
There is not just a sermon in it. God speaks and if you watch it, you will find yourself on holy ground. I can’t say anymore than that about than that about this child, Elliot Mooney and his parents, Matt and Ginney. Its holy ground.
Even Oprah understood that.
Check it out and check out their blog page.
And yes, I’ve bought the video and it will be the sermon in worship sometime soon.
Thu 30 Oct 2008
Hello, one and all!
I’m up for air and just wanted to let everyone know that the transition to Ohio has gone well and we’re pretty much settled into the house and I’m finding my groove here at the new church. The people here have been remarkable friendly and receptive to Wired Jesus and there have been question here as to when a new podcast will appear.
This weekend.
Really.
Fri 19 Sep 2008
The moving truck arrived, the boxes are all in the same house, I had a good first day in the office with the staff, so life is good.
I’m not sure I will get a podcast off this weekend - I preach and Carla wants me to do something about all the boxes around the house and in the garage. But next weekend looks good to get a podcast up on internet streaming churches.
More to come but things are finally falling into place, which not only bodes well for me and the family, but also for Wired Jesus.
Wed 17 Sep 2008
Okay, I have seen the signs. Civilization is ending as we know it.
Not because of AIG and the subprime crisis. Not because of the Russian invasion of Georgia. Not because of the mideast conflicts.
The divine sign of judgment is the episode of Design Star that my wife just turned on where these aspiring interior artists must decorate a fallout shelter.
As one designer said, “The US built these because the Chinese were pissed when we dropped the atomic bomb on them at Hiroshima.” Ah, we are historians as well.
Top it off to a trip to Pier One for all your accessorizing needs to enjoy a radioactive wonderland because the Mad Max look is so 1980s.
As one designer said, “The US built these because the Chinese were pissed when we dropped the atomic bomb on them at Hiroshima.” Ah, we are historians as well.
Other great descriptions of their bomb shelter designs: “we wanting something soothing with colors”; “the bunker is cozy but rather airy”; “let’s fill the space with tea light candles”; “this tiny little room is difficult to work with to create a communal space”; “I don’t think our bunker has a cohesive look”; “in this bunker all my dreams are coming true;” and the classic “we wanted a space that even if a bomb is coming, you can chill out and relax.”
There is just something disconcerting about people comparing fabric swatches on what goes best with concrete and how to create a happy space with style… so you can enjoy a nuclear holocaust in comfort and with sophistication.
It almost makes me want to believe in a rapture. Right now. Take me home, Dr. Strangelove.
Thu 4 Sep 2008
Okay, this is just funny. Leave it to ebaum’s world. Thanks to Taylor Z. for having it on her Facebook page.
Thu 28 Aug 2008
Chicago is buzzing over the abrupt announcement by controversial sportswriter Jay Marriotti that he is leaving the Chicago Sun-Times because the newspaper business is dead and doesn’t want to go down with the ship. While there is a little more to the whole thing, I think his observation of the Olympics coverage was telling. The majority of reporters he saw there were either working for TV or Internet outlets, not newspapers.
“It’s been a tremendous experience, but I’m going to be honest with you, the profession is dying,” Mariotti said, “I don’t think either paper [Sun-Times or Chicago Tribune] is going to survive.
“To showcase your work … you need a stellar Web site and if a newspaper doesn’t have that, you can’t be stuck in the 20th century with your old newspaper.”
What to take from this? I think it speaks to a transition that many churches are struggling with when it comes to technology. Print hymnals are grudgingly giving way to projection screens but its not a technology/entertainment issue, its a communication. Newspaper and yellow page ads are poor investments when 70%+ of people looking for a new church home looks for a web page first. Education curriculum is now video dependent rather than books, overheads, etc… And the list goes on.
The early church learned to speak the Jesus story in languages other than Aramaic (the Hebrew that Jesus spoke) - Greek, Latin, and then beyond. So it is now. Print isn’t dead but paper as the primary delivery medium is rapidly dying. Web pages, projection, and Amazon’s Kindle all are pointing to a new language for the people of the Book to learn to keep it relevant.
Corporations have learned this. The news media is struggling to learn it and now the church. The message hasn’t changed but the medium must if the message is to be heard in future.
Wed 27 Aug 2008
Wed 27 Aug 2008
After much waiting, here’s a new podcast and its a review of the bestseller The Shack. If you haven’t come across it yet, it more than just a sentimental devotional book - The Shack has some real content that makes the very confusing doctrine of the Trinity come alive in a real relationship. Sounds a little weird, I know, but its a good book that deals with God, evil, tragedy, and authentic spiritual relationship with God. Enjoy.
I do need to warn you that there is a bit of a hum in the background that appeared in the final editing. I’m not sure where it came from but I’ll check so it won’t happen again. I just didn’t have time to re-record today and I thought you would rather have a podcast than none at all. 
Two new things with this podcast - one, a new theme song. I had a listener email me concerned that the RIAA might come after me for my 58 second use of Green Day, which goes back to three years ago when less than 60 seconds was considered fair use for a sound clip. Now its seems that is not the case but its hard to get any definitive opinion. So I played around on Garageband and put together a new intro that I must admit I rather like.
The other new thing is that I have accepted a new call as the Senior Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Findlay, Ohio, which is a small city south of Toledo. We will be moving from Chicago by mid-September, so things are very busy right now as we make preparations. Thanks to everyone for all the prayers and support during this past year during what was a very difficult time for me and the family. However, the people of Trinity have been very welcoming and are eager to have someone with my postmodern sensibilities to add to their ministries. I won’t be doing anything about Trinity here on Wired Jesus - its been my policy to try and keep my parish work separate from Wired Jesus but I know there are new listeners from Trinity now, so welcome. But do feel free to check out Trinity’s web page as that develops as well as my Facebook page.
