Thursday, May 15, 2008
Here's the latest five ... comment away
1. Manifesto Resistance
Last week, I posted a story about the “Evangelical Manifesto”, that attempts to separate the term “evangelical” from a political context, and bring it back to its theological roots (saying it describes belief in basic tenants of Christianity).
Here’s a story that looks at “Why Some Leaders Won't Sign the Evangelical Manifesto”. Among the more high-profile leaders not signing the increasingly controversial document are Billy Graham, James Dobson and Tony Perkins.
2. Tony Stark Lives!
If you liked
Iron Man, you’ll love this story: “
Robotic suit could usher in super soldier era” Warning: Picture highly disappointing
3. Down to Middle Earth
If you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, you may want to check out
this conversation between filmmakers Peter Jackson and Guillerno del Toro next week. The two will chat live online about the upcoming adaptation of
The Hobbit.
4. Show Me that Smile Again
Kirk Cameron fans, this one’s for you … a
Growing Pains reunion (sort of). The cast recently sat down with
The Insider to give an update about their post-primetime lives.
5. The Plague of Cable News
Legions … frogs … invasion?! Is it Old Testament-style plagues? No, just the front page of CNN.com. (Not only is it an
over-sensational cable-news video, but is
the link to buy the T-shirt really necessary? Seriously, you can’t make this up.)
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
I came across this story and couldn’t help but to post it. This has to be one of the weirdest headlines I’ve read in a long time: “
Vatican: It's OK to believe in aliens”
According to an AP story: “Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.”
I'm not sure what’s more intriguing: the Vatican making a moral statement about the belief in aliens or the fact that the Vatican has their own astronomer.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Hey everyone,
Hope you all had a good weekend. I’ve got a busy morning, so the post today will be a little bit different. Instead of five, full-fledged entries, I’m just going to do a rundown of some of the weekend’s most interesting stories … Thanks everyone; As always, I love to hear any comments you have!
Minstry marketing guru Chris Forbes has posted
a free e-book that looks at how pastors can you use Facebook to grow their churches
Beliefnet has posted their list of “
Reality TV’s Most Memorable Christians”. Among the "reality stars” are MC Hammer (from the first season of
The Surreal Life), Stephen Baldwin (for his roles on both
Celebrity Apprentice and
The Mole) and Elisabeth Hasselbeck (the
Survivor contestant who is now a
View co-host).
Here’s
an interesting profile of a church that meets in a local theater as part of its commitment to the community:
According to this story, because of the weakening dollar and raising oil prices, some missionaries are struggling to stay afloat
Saddleback Pastor and best-selling author of
The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren, was recently
interviewed about the keys to effective discipleship. The interview is aimed at church leaders, but it still has some good nuggets for average Christians.
The new
Indiana Jones movie sounds a little creepy. According to CNN: "
Real-life skull worship inspires new 'Indiana Jones' film"
Thursday, May 08, 2008
I'll be out of town until Monday, so I figured I'd leave you with a fresh post before I go. As always, I love to hear your thoughts and comments ... see you on Monday!
1. Christian Culture Vulture
I’m an occasional reader of
Slate online magazine. Their blog-style journalism tends to be a little hit-or-miss at times, but occasionally they do something that really catches my attention. (David Plotz, who describes himself as a non-observant Jew, had a cool “
Blogging the Bible” piece that ran for a while on the site. Plotz read the entire Bible for the first time, and blogged his response. It’s not exactly doctrinal commentary, but I enjoyed hearing a unique perspective.)
This week
they ran a feature that looked at the new book
Rapture Ready. The book is from a non-Christian author who stumbles upon Christian subcultures and writes about an outsider’s look at them. But more than a book review, the
Slate article itself read like it’s own indictment on Christian culture.
And to be fair, the author (however condescendingly) does bring up some legitimate concerns about Christian pop-culture. She points to products made and sold by Christians that only serve as an alternative to an original secular version. Not only does she look at the consumeristic nature of some Christian sub-culture fads, but how some products are completely unoriginal.
I think it’s important not to get defensive in the face of criticism (after all, the author had some descent points), but the one thing the article lacked was perspectives from actual Christians. There are second-hand references to things Christians said in the book and a reference to a letter she had once received from a Christian friend, but the article reads like outsider exploring the bizarre practices of some forgot society—not one that examines the practices of people in the world’s biggest religion. There’s no effort to actually talk to Christians who are involved in the culture she so strongly condemns.
One of my biggest concerns with some Christians is when they plunge into an “us-vs.-them” mentality, and this article is no different. Though she made her case about what’s wrong with Christian pop-culture, the tone and general “outside-looking-in” vantage point makes it easy to want to write-off (which I don’t think was her intention). Engaging people graciously—even people we don’t agree with—is always more effective than calling them out.
2. Read Before You Go on Vacation
Summer is almost here, and with lots of families planning getaways,
Newsweek has made this list of the “
9 Unhealthiest Summer Vacation Destinations.” Along with obvious factors like air pollution and high concentrations of allergens, the magazine also took in account things like crime statistics and restaurant health code violations.
After reading the article, you may want to reconsider that trip to Disney World. “In 2006 the Sunshine State saw 74 outbreaks of food poisoning traced to restaurants, leaving more than 300 sick and 36 requiring hospitalization.”
Along with the entire state of Florida, the cities of Detroit, Memphis and Phoenix were also included on the list.
3. China: The World's Leading Bible Printer?
Despite criticism of human rights violations and even religious persecution, China is opening what may be the world’ largest Bible printing facility. The Amity Printing Company, which is being established in collaboration by the United Bible Societies, will have the ability to print 12 Bibles a year—that’s 23 Bibles a minute.
The factory is state-approved and is an effort to supply Christians in the region (who make up seven percent of the population of one billion, according to
this story) with Bibles. If the factory prints to its full potential, it could make Nanjing, China, the Bible printing capital of the world.
4. Dwight for (Vice) President!
According to
this thread on the CBN Discussion Forums, many of you would like to see Mike Huckabee become John McCain’s running-mate. But McCain told
Daily Show host Jon Stewart that he had
his own idea of an ideal Vice President:
The Office’s Dwight Schrute.
5. The Evangelical Debate
USA Today has posted
this story about how a group of Christian leaders have released an “evangelical manifesto” that they hope will make the term separate than political preferences. From the
USA Today story:
“Evangelical" has been widely used to refer to Christians who have conservative political views, but the Evangelical Theological Society requires members to agree on just two points: inerrancy of Scripture, and belief in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as "separate but equal in attributes and glory" and essential for salvation.
The manifesto, which
you can read here, basically admonishes Christians who “use faith” push political ideas without taking in account Biblical truths.
Here’s a line from it: “Called to an allegiance higher than party, ideology, economic system, and nationality, we Evangelicals see it our duty to engage with politics, but our equal duty never to be completely equated with any party, partisan ideology, or nationality. The politicization of faith is never a sign of strength but of weakness.”
So what do you think? Do you think Christians are too involved politically, or do you agree with the current state of religion and politics? Leave comments, and let me know what you think …
Monday, May 05, 2008
Hope everyone had a good weekend. Here’s the Monday edition of The Morning Five ….
1. Superman Returns (Again)
Following the news of
Iron Man’s $100 million weekend, a report says that work on the follow-up to
Superman Returns will begin early next year. In an interview with
SCI FI Wire, the film’s own Clark Kent (actor Brandon Routh) said the script is coming together, and Bryan Singer will once again direct.
Superman Returns was hailed by many critics for parallels to Christianity and it’s overt use of Christian imagery and symbolism. We have a while to wait to see if the new film carries the same themes.
2. Is Newsweek Anti-American?
Newsweek magazine is getting some attention for their
latest cover story, which accompanied the cover-line “The Post-American World.” The article is actually an excerpt from a book by the same the name, but the seven-page feature posted on the
Newsweek website is lighting up with comments (many of which are more interesting than the actual story).
If the magazine was attempting to “stir the pot” (as one user suggests) they did a good job. The comments have exploded into arguments about religion, conservative vs. liberal politics, China and a laundry list of hot button topics. (Read with caution, some of the arguments get pretty heated.)
The magazine has also posted a double-whammy article that explores “
Why Oprah Winfrey left Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s church.” Nothing like starting your week off with some light reading.
3. Fired for Divorce
This story from
The New York Times looks at the morality code at one of America’s most prominent evangelical colleges, Wheaton, and why one professor is leaving the school because he is getting divorced.
The liberal arts school requires professors to sign an agreement about upholding biblical lifestyle standards, which includes not getting a divorce for reasons other than abandonment or adultery. Instead of being fired for ending his marriage of 34 years, one professor (who has been teaching at the school for 20 years), is resigning.
The issue has students and fellow university staff speaking out on both sides, and has sparked a debate on how Christian organizations should enforce tough issues like divorce and marriage.
4. The Beard That Gives Back
Philanthropy is a great thing; and living in the Bono-era, it’s always cool to see the ways high-profile people are setting examples by finding creative ways of helping those in need. But one German politician may be taking the trend
a little too far—he’s considering donating his beard to charity.
Kurt Beck, the head of the country’s Social Democrats, said that if his beard can be auctioned off for $1.5 million, he may shave it, and give the proceeds to the needy.
If this guy can over a million bucks for his beard, how much do you think Chuck Norris could get for his mustache?
5. The Mega-Church Liturgy
And finally,
Christianity Today has an
interesting article that looks at how traditional church practices and the liturgy are finding a home at some modern evangelical communities.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Hey guys, thanks for checking out the blog. Here's the latest. Be sure to drop me a comment. ...
1. An Iranian's Filmmaker's Passion
An Iranian filmmaker is gaining headlines for a movie that depicts the story of Jesus through the Islamic perspective. In the film, director Nader Talebzadeh says he uses the Koran as the basis for his story. And the plotline is dramatically different than the one Christians are familiar with. Though Jesus still performs miracles and counters the ideas of over-religious Pharisees, in
Jesus, the Spirit of God (the name of the Islamic movie), Jesus isn’t crucified and resurrected.
The movie’s historical perspective (which is based on the book of Barnabas—a writing most scholars believe is a false doctrine written hundreds of years after the cannon of Scripture) isn’t the only thing that is conflict with Western ideas. The filmmaker also supports the government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and is a 9/11 conspiracy theorist. But despite the ties to anti-Christian and controversial ideas, the film has been screened to some American and European audiences.
And though the film's message stands in obvious conflict with the Christian message, the director did give
an interesting quote that transcends any one religion when it comes to faith and films: “In the 21st century, the arts and the media have to create an area for more cordial discussions between faiths at a time when information is moving in the blink of an eye … If you enhance it with artistry, you can create a discussion."
I’m no way supporting the film or endorsing the filmmaker, but in a time when the world is conflict over religious ideas, Talebzadeh is using the same medium being adopted by many Christians to get his message across. And though he had ties to the Iranian army and nuclear program in the past, the movie isn’t citing violence; it’s citing dialogue.
Maybe it’s an unintentional move by Talebzadeh, but the movie is creating discussion between Christians who see what Muslims think about Jesus. And even if it wasn't intended for it, the movie may just be providing an entry point for Christians to talk to Muslims about faith.
2. Hollywood's Pro-Life Message
The movie
Baby Mama topped the weekend box office, taking in more than $17 million. The movie only received mixed reviews from critics, and the
SNL stars outing will most-likely be a somewhat forgettable movie. But what makes the movie notable for Pro-Life audiences, is that it is just the latest in a long line of films that promote raising children.
Though most of the pregnancy comedies (
Knocked Up, Juno, The Brothers Solomon, Baby Mama) also feature elements of promiscuity and raunchy humor, the underlining message of all of them is that even when unexpected, pregnancy can be a good a thing.
The recent Oscar-nominated comedy
Juno even features a scene where the film’s protagonist walks away from an abortion clinic when a fellow student (serving as a Pro-Life activist outside the clinic) reminds Juno that her unborn baby “has fingernails”. Juno ultimately decides to give the baby up for adoption.
Even the Dr. Seuss remake
Horton Hears a Who! was embraced by Pro-Life advocates for its subtle message of "a person's a person, no matter how small".
Christians may not agree with everything in the films, but it is interesting to see the Pro-Life undertones sweeping through Hollywood and weekend box office.
3. A Festivus for the Rest of Us
Here’s a cool story about the Share Jesus Pentecostal Festival planned for May 9-11 in London. The event organizers
explained the idea behind the festival, which contains film showings, art exhibits, music performances, sports competition sand even political debates." Acting as a platform for expression, relevance and prayer the Pentecost Festival will display the exciting diversity that is contained within the church body."
4. Big Questions
Here’s a thought-provoking post from Beliefnet’s “Blogalogue”. The format is basically a transcribed discussion between two religious thinkers. This time scholar Bart Ehrman and theologian N.T. Wright discuss God’s response to human suffering. I recently wrote a story about the same topic (you can
read it here), but it’s interesting to see the perspective of such established thinkers. Wright in-particular is a great writer and communicator, along with being a such an established voice in modern theology. The post is a little heady, but it’s a good read. You can
go here to read “Is Our Pain God’s Problem?”
5. Dancing Chimps
And finally, a more light-hearted post:
Riverdancing chimps. While updating
CBN’s GodTube profile, I stumbled on this little gem. I’m really not sure why, but for some reason, starting a day by watching chimps dancing just feels right.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Thanks to everyone who checked out the blog this weekend … as promised, here is the Monday edition of the Morning Five:
1. Jeremiah Wright’s Latest
The former pastor of presidential candidate Barack Obama, Rev. Jeremiah Wright—now infamous for his post-9/11 comments that condemned America’s support of Israel, the bombing of Japan in WWII and what he called “supported state terrorism” of South Africans and others—told an audience of 10,000 this week that he was not divisive, and the “corporate-owned media” made him out to be more controversial than he really is. Wright told the audience at an NAACP dinner that when he speaks about racial issues and American culture, he only seeks to “describe the conditions in this country.”
According to CNN, he said, “I'm not here for political reasons. I'm not a politician. I know that fact will surprise many of you because many in the corporate-owned media made it seem like I am running for the Oval Office. I am not running for the Oval Office. I've been running for Jesus a long, long time, and I'm not tired yet."
Wright, who has risen as one of the most polarizing figures in what is already an increasingly vitriolic political race, has even gained a following since rising to notoriety. What started off as a more sensational side note to the election has become one of the most buzz-garnering stories in the political season combining three areas Americans love to “talk” about, the hot-button trifecta of politics, race and religion.
2. The Church’s Immigration Support
Since we’re on the subject of politically-active churches, hundreds of United Methodists in Texas are joining to oppose an immigration enforcement bill. The open borders rally happened at massive denomination gathering of more than 3,000, and saw hundreds of church activists call congressional representatives to express their opposition of the controversial SAVE Act (that seeks to tighten border security and take other measures to enforce immigration policy).
I recognize that immigration is a complicated issue, but to me it’s interesting that it has become so divisive
with-in the Church. It seems like politically active Christians are passionate about the issue on
both sides. I think it’s great for Christians to support political issues they are passionate about, but what happens when believers are divided over grey area issues like immigration?
I just hope that as we get closer to the general election, that the division within the Church on immigration doesn’t further polarize politically opinionated denominations.
3. Pray for Gas
Here an interesting story from San Francisco about a community activist who is staging “pray-ins” with volunteers to ask God to lower gas prices. Rocky Twyman told reporters, “God is the only one we can turn to at this point. Our leaders don't seem to be able to do anything about it. The prices keep soaring and soaring."
Twyman, who is from Washington D.C., is known for taking up interesting causes—everything from trying to get Oprah nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize to trying to get more minorities to become bone marrow donors—but his latest seems to be a mix of sincerity and humor.
The story from The San Francisco Gate interjects its own political bent on the story, ascribing the problem of high gas price to government neglect. They quote one Consumer Watchdog spokesperson who said, “Given the complete inertia and silence of this White House on a crisis that has people feeling just hopeless, prayer is probably as good as anything … This is government's job - it shouldn't be God's job - but government is in gridlock or ignoring it."
Even though the subject of the article seems to emphasize prayer more than politics, the story takes jabs at Bush administration for the gas crunch.
Despite all the press though, Twyman doesn’t seem to be over-politicizing his prayer meetings. "I've seen him work miracles in my life," he said. "He told us that all we need to do is ask and believe. He can do it, and he will do it, but we have to ask him to do it." It's hard
4. Christian Movies-Makers
A paper in Alabama has published
this story about two brothers who have begun a successful Christian filmmaking business. The guys have an interesting perspective about their success and Christian filmmaking in general.
It’s no secret that post-
Passion Hollywood has been courting religious audiences with everything from C.S. Lewis remakes to biblical comedies like the “Almighty” series, but these Middle America entrepreneurs seem to see the trend as more than just a business opportunity, though they don’t deny the demand is there.
"The new buzzword in Hollywood is 'faith-based,'" one of the brothers said. "Hollywood wants to market films to the Christian community, but doesn't understand it. We feel that we can bridge that gap."
But unlike some traditional “faith-based” filmmakers, their projects aren’t explicitly evangelical.
"People go the theater to be entertained," he said. "With our films, we're attracted to the story first, whether it's faith-based or not. We don't take a story and cram a message in."
The view highlights the differing opinions of “Christian” art (including music, film and literature). These days, as Christian pop-culture gains more and more expectance, many artists see their work as an entrance point into the conversation about faith, not a one-stop avenue to salvation.
5. Franklin Graham Goes to China
Evangelists Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) has accepted an invitation by China to preach at a Chinese Protestant Church. Graham will also meet with Church leaders in the countries in an effort to further the dialogue with western leaders and Chinese Christians.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Thanks for checking out my new blog. I'll be out until Monday, but I'd love to hear your thoughts about the first posts so be sure to leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from everyone!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
1. God on the Go
USA Today has posted this story about the rise in popularity of religious podcasts. According to the story, religious-themed podcasts remain one of iTunes most popular content.
Christians have always been innovators when it comes to technology, and ever since the
Gutenberg Press, spreading the Gospel has been an engine for new means of communication. It’s good to see that Christians are still pushing forward when it comes to “new media” means of mass communications.
(Shameless plug: You can now download CBN programs at iTunes. Just search for “CBN” in the podcast section, and you’ll find shows you can download and put on your iPod to watch anytime … for free.)
2. Joseph the Exterminator
Researchers have found out how Joseph kept all those silos of grain preserved during those seven years of drought described in Genesis. Turns out Joseph, the same guy who rose through the ranks of Egyptian society after God gave him detailed dream interpretations, was a pretty bright guy.
The research team in Egypt have found beetles and tons of grains of wheat dating back to the time of Joseph, and say that the Biblical ruler was pretty savvy when it came to pest control. They say that he took specific measures to control the grain-eating bugs that allowed the people to have plenty of food even in scarce times.
3. The Serious Side of Stephen Colbert
Here’s an
interesting story about Comedy Central personality Stephen Colbert. The article talks about his influence in the current presidential race, and why his satirical character has connected with “the IM generation.” On his late-night show,
The Colbert Report, he plays a “character” (also named Stephen Colbert), who is a mock-version of cable news pundits. The idea behind the show, which is a hit among politically-savvy twentysomethings and college students, is to highlight the politicizing of major issues and the sensational nature of American culture—particularly when it comes how hyper-active cable news shows cover politics. “What we wanted to get at was the heart vs. the head,” he said in the story. “In the shoutfest, loudest wins. Feeling comes first in personality-driven media because facts don’t matter. It’s what feels right.” Through his loud-mouthed character, Colbert says he hopes to point to the danger of just relying on soundbytes and talking-points to develop a political opinion.
And though of his commentary can be crass at times, and his show often pokes fun at conservatives, the article went in an interesting direction when it talked about Colbert’s upbringing and a “crisis of faith” he experienced after he lost his father and two bothers in plane crash as a child. "I got pretty upset that Dad and the boys died, and didn’t have anything to do with my church for years ... But then I did, and the moments of reconnection and epiphany are too inexpressible to capture in this kind of an interview.” The comedian is known to occasionally teach Sunday school at his church and has even quoted scripture on the show.
Despite what individuals may think of Colbert or the views he disposes on his show, it’s always interesting when articles like this take time to tell about the faith of their subjects. It seems like more and more, mainstream outlets realize that faith isn’t just a side note, and it’s actual
part of the story. And though we might not agree with everything someone says, having their faith experience be a part of the conversation is always a good way to open up the deeper conversation—one that gets to the real conflict of the head vs. heart.
4. A Sign of the Times
A church in South Carolina has caused a stir for a controversial message it put on its marquee. The sign read, “Obama, Osama, hmm, are they brothers.” The pastor told
the local paper, “It's just something to try to stir people's minds. It was never intended to hurt feelings or to offend anybody."
I’m all for being edgy and provocative, but to me, this kind of comes across as a cheap shot. I’m not saying churches shouldn’t be allowed to voice political ideas to some extent, but there’s still something to be said for tact. It’s not wrong to be concerned about a candidate’s moral, political or religious agenda, and it’s certainly important for Christians to dialogue about politics. But is posting a message like this on a sign outside of a church really the best way to do it? As Christians, I think we should all be free to express any concerns we have about politics—but sometimes it’s not what we say, it’s
how we say it. We’re called to love our enemies—even if they are considered our “political enemies”.
After receiving criticism for the sign, the church unanimously decided to keep the sign up.
5. Third Day and the Pope
Christian music stars Third Day
accepted an invitation to play at a youth rally being presided over by the Pope during his recent visit to States. “It’s not every day that you’re invited to perform for a crowd being presided over by Pope Benedict XVI,” lead vocalist Mac Powell said. “This is a great honor for us.”
It’s pretty cool that Pope Benedict is a Third Day fan—maybe he'll also get a chance to
wear Bono's sunglasses.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Thanks for checking out the “Morning Five”! The idea behind the blog is to give you regular updates from a variety of news, entertainment and political stories getting headlines. In each post, I’ll feature five new stories, and I’d love to hear your response. Be sure to leave comments and let us know what you think. We want
you to be a part of the discussion, especially when it comes to some of the hot-button stories that are making news and effecting the lives of Christians.
First up …
1 - “W” in ‘08
Oliver Stone has begun production for his upcoming biopic of President Bush. According to
Variety, No Country Old Men’s Josh Brolin will play Bush Jr., and the role of Bush 41 will go to James Cromwell (that’s right, Jack Bauer’s evil father from season six of
24!). How will the controversial filmmaker portray the polarizing president? He told the
Daily Variety that he planned on making a “fair” movie. “I want a fair, true portrait of the man … I'll also cover the demons in his private life, his bouts with his dad and his conversion to Christianity, which explains a lot of where he is coming from. It includes his belief that God personally chose him to be president of the United States …” But remember, this is the same filmmaker who has relied on conspiracy theories to sell movie tickets to
JFK, and received flack for a somewhat flattering documentary on Fidel Castro. Sources including
Slate, who say they have seen earlier drafts of the script, have already warned that Stone has taken certain artistic liberties in his depiction of W.
2 - Capital Punishment
Yesterday Amnesty International released its latest report that tracks capital punishment, and the findings put the U.S. in odd company—especially when it comes to human rights. Amnesty said that five countries including (in order of the most executions) China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United States were responsible for 88 percent of all of the world’s executions.
The report underscores an interesting conflict among Christians in the U.S. who find themselves at odds over capital punishment. While some Christians point to Old Testament scriptures that they say justify state-practiced executions, others believe that the sanctity of life extends to even the worst criminal offenders. But looking at the United States on the same list as a so-called “Axis of Evil” nation (and several other countries often at odds with American foreign policy) shines an interesting light on the hot-button issue.
The justification of the war in Iraq remains a subject of debate here in the States (and points can be made on both sides as whether we should or shouldn’t be there), but its unpopularity around the world seems apparent. And for some Western allies, the creditability of the United States when it comes to moral issues may be strained because of it, but does Amnesty’s ranking further hurt America’s ability to speak into issues of human rights? Beyond the issue of moral justification for capital punishment among Christians (which may just be an endless circle of discussion), the another debate should be whether the U.S.’s international creditability is worth being put on the line over capital punishment.
3 - The Gospel and Matt Lauer
Recently, NBC’s
The Today Show featured an interview with two families who were involved in a tragic accident about two years ago. The story of mistaken identity quickly made national headlines. A van carrying students and teachers from the Christian college Taylor University crashed, killing five people. Workers on the scene mistakenly identified one of the students who was still in critical condition with one of the students who perished. It wasn’t until weeks later when the family realized that the girl (who was almost unrecognizable because of injuries sustained in the accident) wasn’t their daughter. A new book (
Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope) chronicles how the accident united two families and gives the heartbreaking account of a family learning that their daughter had died, and how one learned that theirs had lived.
The Today Show interviewed both families and the young woman who survived the accident. What made the interview even more interesting was the families’ constant references to faith and God’s will and grace. Obviously, it is an incredibly difficult interview to conduct, but both families' testimonies were powerful—especially to see on a mainstream talk show.
The Today Show in particular (my wife loves the show, so it’s on most morning in our house) tends to be a little more PC than a lot of talk shows and usually stays away from overtly religious content. But the role of the family’s faith was the main point of the entire of story. Host Matt Lauer did a commendable job handling the delicate story, but you could tell his questions were more geared toward the sensational aspects to the story. But despite the unusual nature of the incident, the testimony that the families kept going back to was in almost every answer. Hearing such an open testimony of how Christ helped people through tragedy is always amazing; hearing it on NBC is groundbreaking.
4 - Where Would Jesus Shop?
The Tennessean has posted this article that looks at how Christian bookstores are “evolving” in an effort to maintain their role in the marketplace. The story tells how in some ways, Christian publishing became “a victim of its own success.” After books like
Purpose Driven Life and
The Prayer of Jabez went on to sell zillions of copies, big-box stores and major chains took notice, and now stores like Wal-Mart and Borders often have Christian sections. Though Christian publishers continued to sell books, Christian retailers were hurt by the competition.
In an effort stay relevant, new types of Christian stores are selling food and coffee along with Christian books to create a “destination” for customers to go to. The story describes some new stores by comparing them to Panera Bread and Borders—which begs the questions,
why not just go to Panera or Borders? If Borders now carries the same Christian books, is it necessary to have a separate place for Christians to go to buy them?
I don’t want to condemn Christian retailers, because I don’t think they are bad or unnecessary—if there’s a balance. The story quoted Andy Butcher, an editor of
Christian Retailing magazine, who said, "If a Christian retailer can't create community, perhaps they are in the wrong business.” I think he’s right. Like a church, it’s great to have a destination where Christians can go to meet other Christians and be on the receiving in of ministry (whether it be a good book or coffee and fellowship with a friend). But also like a church, Christian retail customers and stores shouldn’t be so inward focused that they become the
only destination for Christians. After all, there might just be someone at the Borders across the street that had some questions whiling thumbing through a copy of that
The Purpose Driven Life book they’ve been hearing so much about.
5 – The World’s Biggest Story
... that is according to Jeffrey Sachs, director of Columbia University's Earth Institute. He’s referring to a food shortage that has sparked riots and desperation in poor countries around the world. President Bush has just ordered $200 million in emergency aid to suffering countries, and President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick asked for other countries to donate to help those in need. The U.S. continues to be the world’s top provider of food aid—the government delivered more than $2.1 billion last year alone.
CNN’s story contained this quote from Zoellick that puts the situation in perspective for many Westerners: "While many are worrying about filling their gas tanks, many others around the world are struggling to fill their stomachs, and it is getting more and more difficult every day."