Entries Tagged 'Uncategorized' ↓

A good discussion is getting started below, at the YHWH, El, & Golden Calves post. Michael the Boot is asking why God “needs” to be worshiped, going on to debunk original sin and other “old arguments.” Join tODD in helping him out.

I flew over Atlanta a couple of weeks ago and looked down on lakes shrinking and going dry. Atlanta has as little as 80 days of water left. Smaller places in Georgia are already trucking in water, but that is hardly an option for a huge metropolis. Not just Georgia, but other areas in the south, including here in Virginia, are facing a water crisis. So is the southwest, parts of the midwest, and countries around the world. Read this. Part of the problem has been an absence of hurricanes! The governor of Georgia is leading prayers for rain. Good for him, despite wide-spread mockery. But what will happen if the faucets run dry?

By the writers of “The Office,” along with some of the show’s stars: (HT: Cap Stewart)

I am taking no position on the writers’ strike that is sending late-night comedy shows into re-runs and halting some Hollywood productions. I will just draw your attention to a group that usually receives no attention, though they are the creative source of what makes money for the famous people.

Jay Leno is not funny of himself. He does not make up his jokes. He delivers them well, which is to his credit, but his jokes are made-up by writers.

As has been said elsewhere, many people seem to assume that actors make up their dialogue as they go and are responsible for the movies they star in. No, actors recite lines from a script that someone had to write.

People go to movies because their favorite movie star is in it. More sophisticated folks go to movies because of their favorite director. But almost no one goes to a movie because it was written by their favorite screenwriter. In fact, the screenwriter’s name can hardly be found, unless you are patient enough to sit through the credits at the end, where a sharp eye can note the screenwriters, along with the key grip, the gaffer, and the caterer.

Yes, movie and television scripts are usually the product of many writers working together and rewriting each other’s contributions. And the director does have the final say, often re-working the lines and the story as the movie is being made. This, of course, adds to the indignity of the writers’ position, since their original intention is seldom honored or even respected. Still, whenever you come across funny lines, plot twists, clever dialogue, and profound themes, thank the writer.

On the old site, we blogged about a church growth guru who came to admit that contemporary worship is NOT an effective evangelism tool. Now, the church growth pioneer, Bill Hybel of Willow Creek, is admitting that his techniques for building megachurches do NOT make for mature Christians. That confession is in a new book by Willow Creek staff members Greg L. Hawkins and Cally Parkinson entitled Reveal Where Are You?“>Reveal Where Are You?. Says Hybels:

Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back it wasn’t helping people that much. Other things that we didn’t put that much money into and didn’t put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for. . . .

We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between services, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.

The book apparently offers yet more suggestions to re-invent church. But untold numbers of congregations have adopted the Willow Creek methodology, which apparently gets people in the door, but doesn’t do much for them spiritually. Read this commentary.

HT: Paul McCain at Cyberbrethren.