One of the results of my ongoing spiritual formation is an awareness of the importance of discipleship; specifically discipleship as a visible practice that manifests social and political conclusions. This has also led to the observation that the majority of contemporary worship songwriters are oblivious to the responsibility the church has towards “making disciples.” Or stated more bluntly, most contemporary worship songs, and consequently most American evangelicals, are so consumed with internal/personal spirituality that it borders on narcissism. Read the rest of this entry »
Sin, and the Beginnings of a Record Collection
I’m starting a record collection. And yes, I mean record in the original twelve-inch, waxy, wobbly, scratchy, prone to degrading, vinyl way. The endeavor is not so much consumed with fidelity (though that too is interesting) as much as it is a response to the absence of tangible content in the digital age and a meaningful way of recognizing art and artists. The plan is to collect a few 12" LP’s to display as art that is unique in both the autobiographical sense, and the fact that it doesn’t come from Target. Read the rest of this entry »
Why the Seeker-Sensitive Model is Neither Relevant or Biblical
I was curiously surprised to hear that Willow Creek has decided to retire the “seeker-sensitive” church model which has been its staple for the past 30 years. Read the rest of this entry »
William Cavanaugh’s Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire
Recent Christian approaches to economics tend to fall into two categories. Neo-Conservatives praise capitalism for its freedom of invention, autonomy, and individualism while critics, frequently from Social Justice streams, loudly protest the problems of greed, self-centeredness, and human rights abuses. Indeed, my own explorations on the subject of Christianity and economics have been informative but seldom helpful at suggesting a constructive way forward. In Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire, William Cavanaugh avoids the binary categories of having to accept or reject “the free market.” Instead, Cavanaugh suggests we should approach the issue by asking, “When is a market free?” Read the rest of this entry »
EPIC! Shoot 28mm RAW with the Canon Powershot SD800 IS
The Canon Powershot SD800 IS is a notable compact digital camera if only because of its 28mm equivalent wide-angle lens. However, with the recent RAW enabling firmware hack I think it’s fair to move the SD800 into the category of “epic.” Read the rest of this entry »
