Earthquake in China. I am been shooting up some prayers but thought a blog post would be in order. I found out about the earthquake through Twitter. So did a lot of other people. One blog reports that Twitter has now come of age.
Once again, if you know worthy groups to donate to, or local communities who can help, please leave a comment or link.
Technorati Tags: china
While the post-charismatic movement gathers steam, its interesting to see hyper-charismatic movements still popping up.
HT: Steve Knight who is also a little befuddled by "The New Charismatics" and their spirit-drunken, moon-howling, slosh-till-u-drop “postmodern prophetic ministry". Its not exactly Steve's cup of tea either but he does point to some good outreach efforts by this group.
New words for your vocabularly, courtesy of John Crowder, author of The New Mystics:
- "Tokin’ the Ghost,”
- "Smokin' the “Jehovah-juana"
- "Sloshed" [in the Spirit]
- "Wasted on Jesus"
The theme this week is missional church. I am kicking it off by pointing to a hot blog post from last week. David Fitch hosts a very important conversation, having picked up from Bro. Maynard. I wish it wasn't so personal - ie - Mark Driscoll and mega church attractional model vs. emerging/missional/monastic/house-church model ala Allelon (USA) and Forge (Australia) but at the heart of the conversation is a few key questions:
Obviously the cost factor ratio favors emerging/missional startups (inherited churches cost between 100k and 1 million to start) but how do these new organic communities sustain themselves financially?
How do we measure their success without resorting to the old systems of measurement (bigger is always better)?
How long do they need to start bearing fruit? And what does that fruit look like?
Do mega-churches attract primarily de-churched people?
Have a read and join the comments over there. If you are new to the conversation, remember the emerging church world is now a vast world with models still very traditional in structure (paid professionals, buildings, attractional-based sunday service) and much of it very organic, centrifugual, embedded, and missional.
Related: Andrew Hamilton (Forge National Director) on Incarnational vs Attractional
Technorati Tags: emergent, emerging church
Thats what the guest pass looked like for the preview of Prince Caspian.
Obviously . . . you and I did not receive one.
My friends Bob and Allison Beltz did, and Bob has posted the world's first blog review. He also challenges the churches to get creative and figure out how to use it. In his words . . . .
"The release of Prince Caspian provides another opportunity for churches and ministries to utilize a resource that cost nearly $200 million dollars to produce. The awareness of the general public about the film is at the 95% level, which means almost anyone you talk to knows about the film. Go use it for the kingdom!"
Related: IMDB, trailer, Wikipedia, NarniaWeb
Technorati Tags: prince caspian
Note: I updated this poem from when I wrote it in 2005 with a few changes and greater commitment to the rhythm and meter. I am writing it from the point of view of some older Jewish men sitting in a courtyard in Jerusalem that Pentecost morning, watching and listening to the chaotic events around them, asking themselves what it all means. The theme of judgement through the tongues of foreigners (Dt. 28 and Isaiah 28) runs behind my thoughts. I will be reading this as part of my message at Stromness Baptist Church this Pentecost morning.
The Sound of Dust
by Andrew Jones
what does it mean?
this howling wind?
this sound of dust?
this courtyard scene of rushing men?
this rude awakening from rest
and memories of God?
what does it mean?
these laughing men
with shining face
and weakened knee?
will they tell our stories now?
will they don the robes of priests?
will they tell our stories now
from the lips of foreigners?
what does it mean?
this language game?
this teenage stunt?
this sound of blowing
life and death?
how dare they tell our stories well?
how dare they speak our language well?
how can they speak our language well?
how dare they tell our stories as theirs?
Something has ended and begun
and the dust will not settle today.
Technorati Tags: pentecost
"This day is called Wytsonday because the Holy Ghost brought wytte and wisdom into Christis disciples … and filled them full of ghostly wytte." — In die Pentecostis
Happy Whitsunday! In the UK, Pentecost is often referred to as Whitsunday which is a reference to the wisdom given to us by the Holy Spirit. I like the word "wit" - it speaks to me of a smart quick wisdom with an edge of humor. Some countries call it White Sunday (like Iceland) but since red was the traditional ecclesiastic colour for the Holy Spirit, I dont think the argument that the believers wore white is a strong one in determining the origin of "Whitsunday". Wisdom makes more sense to me.
This morning I am speaking at Stromness Baptist Church. My Pentecostal message will look at what Pentecost meant to Israel and the church that was born that day - themes of judgement, companionship, community, ecumencism (the whole earth as the scope of God's love and mission) and of course, wisdom and wit.
Interesting to note that the Italians sometimes sprinkle red rose petals to symbolize the tongues of fire, thus calling this day Pasqua rosatum.
I am wearing my red Copyleft t-shirt to church. It symbolizes not only the gift economy of the internet but on this occasion, the giving freely of the Holy Spirit despite the desire of the religious leaders to keep God for themselves.
Technorati Tags: pentecost, whitsunday
This year marks 400 years since the Evangelical Union (also called the "Protestant Union") was formed in Germany in 1608. It listed among its goals that "the council would be ecumenical and universal". The council would have the task of determining which articles were fundamental and the test would be the Word of God.
These quotes are from David Pareus (1548 - 1622) "Irenicum, sive de unione et synodo evangelicorum concilianda", Heidelberg, 1614, found in A History of the Ecumenical Movement, by Neill and Rouse.
- Peter Dietz has some good reflections on the Philanthropy 2.0 session (didn't someone want to drop that buzz word this year?) at Council of Foundations this week. Good links and a video
Related: TSK on Philanthropy, and Emerging Philanthropy
Technorati Tags: COF2008, philanthropy, social enterprise
From a $300 script to $30 million raised in a short time, Mashable tells the GodTube story.
Remember those commercials that my daughter Abigail went to Prague to shoot? They are about to hit American TV and the website is already up. KnowHow2Go.com/tough has the little videos with Abigail in it. [Mum] Watch out for the redhead and the little voice on the main commercial saying "Sign me up!" The larger website has helpful information on how to stay in school and get to College - which is the point of this pro-bono commercial.
Abigail in the "Biology" video.
My brother-in-law Eric Cosper has just turned up here in Orkney with his lovely wife Jenny. All the way from New York. Eric wrote this commercial which is one of the reasons why Abigail was invited to audition. Eric has been doing ads for American TV for a decade. Check out his recent stuff here. And he has just started a blog. He asked what he could do to help while here - ie, painting the Sorting Room . . and we suggested he helps us out in the creative area . . . like . . . make something up . .. DUDE!
Technorati Tags: knowhow2go
"Our philanthropy must be self-sacrificial, other-centred, and generously cooperative in contributing to a society in need . . . It’s all about giving it away to remind our society of the love the Father has for our world."
Mark Petersen, Bridgeway Foundation (Canada), blogging from PIGS.
Sean Stannard-Stockton of Tactical Philanthropy has asked me for a blog post on the Professionals in Grantmaking Society event in Florida. Sounds good to me. I am not at the PIGS meeting [I am not in DC either] but a good number of my friends are there in Florida right now.
There are actually two important philanthropic meetings going on simultaneously in USA and I would not be a conscientous blogger if I did not mention the OTHER one. You know about the Council of Foundations because its a GINORMOUS TEEMING MASS of 3000 participants and because it is being well blogged, thanks to Sean and his team of philanthropists with keyboards. Thanks goodness. Some of us are out of the country and need to hear what's going on.
But the other gathering is in Florida, a smaller, more intimate event, where a number of faith-based Foundation leaders have gathered for their annual Professionals In Grantmaking Sociey (PIGS) event.
Bridgeway's Mark Petersen is blogging from the PIGS event at Open Hands and just posted his throughts on "Slow Cooker Philanthropy". His Foundation recently helped an Emerging worship course launch in New Brunswick.
Philanthropist and blogger Mark Priddy is there but he is not talking. Yet.
Related:
TSK: Emerging Philanthropy and more Emerging Philanthropy, and How to Ask Foundations for Money
Technorati Tags: cof2008, philanthropy
USA Today says death toll rising above 22,000 after Cyclone Nargis. A million homeless. 41,000 missing. Its a massive tragedy! God help them and show us what to do.
- Pray for Burma
Which organizations do you recommend to give your donations?
Technorati Tags: burma
Tim Keller speaks about his book "The Reasons for God" at Google HQ. Worth watching and waiting for the Q and A at the end.
Technorati Tags: tim keller
"Together, we can create a model that is simple, sustainable, and successful. We call it "The Power of Us" and there's room, reason, and benefits, for everyone."
The End of Philanthropy, by Marc Benioff of the Huffington Post
- Diane Sieger is not coming and she tells us why.
- Carla Javits estimates 3500 participants at the Council on Foundations. Thats a lot of people! She has a good post thats worth a read.
Technorati Tags: cof2008
Its really sad. According to Google Webmaster Tools, these are the top results of people reaching my site through the Google search engine and then clicking through (%) to my site. I was hoping for something a bit more uplifting. A bit more . . . well . . you know. . . less disturbing.
Technorati Tags: google
"Use social networks to tell people what organizations your foundation is funding, and why. This will permit you to serve as a scout for citizen philanthropists looking to make informed decisions about where they can direct their philanthropic dollars."
Number 4 of Seven Tips for Foundations Looking to “Push the Envelope” of Philanthropy (Instead of Papers)
Here are some more of the best posts from the Council on Foundations Event.
- Impact and Future of Venture Capital
- Mission Related/Socially Responsible Investing
- Next Gen
Related: Philanthropy at COF: blogs, buzzwords and books.
The Skinny on PIGS: The Other Foundations Conference
Emerging Philanthropy and more Emerging Philanthropy
Emerging Philanthropy Spotlight No. 1: The Indian Taxi Fund
How to Ask Foundations for Money
Technorati Tags: cof2008, philanthropy
Pangea Day is May 10th. Described as a global campfire, and hosted in hundreds of locations in multiple languages, there will be a four hour internet broadcast involving an international film festival. The most northerly location in the UK will be at our Sorting Room. Yes - we are hosting an event here in Stromness, Orkney, streamed from internet and projected on a wall at our Cooperative space. If you live in Orkney, come over at 7pm. Find us by typing Orkney here on Google maps. Bring some drinks with you.
Technorati Tags: pangea day
"So here’s my modest/ambitious proposal . . . create a scale-free network that doesn’t rely on multiple lines going to one source. To get rid of the lines altogether and create spiders. And to leverage the crowdsourcing of blogs and the benevolence of businesses and individuals." Josh Brown, My Proposal.
A great example of emerging philanthropy 2.0 is what Josh Brown is doing in raising micro-loans for social enterprises overseas. He calls it The Indian Taxi Fund. It started off as a way to raise $7500 to help Amit (below, on the left) in India buy a taxi and be self-sustaining in his Christian based voluntary work but is now becoming something much larger.
Josh (right) has been donating a huge percentage of his work as a web designer but is also leveraging others into blogging, giving or loaning small amounts. He has raised $1000 in the past week towards launching social enterprises through these tiny loans. For those that lend $25, Josh is sending out a free book. I have just added "Wanting More" by Joel Vestal to that list because Joel sent me a number of these books to go to a good cause and I am sure he would be thrilled to hear about this project.
Josh is a web designer with Red Cowboy Designs, and co-conspirator of the successful Nic and Josh podcast which now has over 300,000 subscribers. They interviewed me and my Brazilian buddy Olgavaro in Chattanooga a few years ago.
Interesting Facts:
93 - the percentage of total rural borrowings among India's little people that came from private persons in the early 1950's.
100 - the minumum number of people needed to start a credit union in order to launch a successful Co-operative. [From Father Topshee's seven steps for missionaries.]
1854 - The year CMS missions executive Henry Venn recommended credit unions as a necessary step in establishing mission in Sierra Leone.
Related:
- "A New Kind of Hierarchy" (2006) for my thoughts on scale-free networks
- Mission and the Fourth Sector for more on cooperatives, credit unions and mission.
- Josh has just launched a magazine called Talk of the Bay
More spotlights on emerging philanthropy coming this week, to co-incide with the my thoughts on the Council on Foundations 2008 and philanthropy 2.0 discussions.
Technorati Tags: cof2008, philanthropy
“You are a better grantmaker if you do blogs.”
Susan Berresford (ex-Ford Foundation) at the Emerging Leaders Salon, Council on Foundations 2008
"Bloggers are not reporters . . .
they bring a multi-disciplinary approach to thinking about philanthropy."
Sean S.S, Tactical Philanthropy on bloggers.
Blogs to watch this week from the Conference:
- Tactical Philanthropy, whose 18-person blogging team at the conference is composed primarily of program officers and directors of Foundations.
- Philanthropy 2173
- Council of Foundation Blog
Buzzwords:
I submitted mine on the Philanthropy 2173 blog as part of a call for crowdsourcing. I suggested these ones.
local, micro-loans, tiny, for-benefit enterprise, fourth sector, Co-operative, gift economy, leverage, wisdom of crowds, transparency,
Books to buy:
"Grassroots Philanthropy" by Bill Somerville was published in Feb. Might be worth a read.
Creating Change through Family Philanthropy: the Next GenerationCreating Change through Family Philanthropy: the Next Generation
Technorati Tags: cof2008, philanthropy
We are all enjoying good weather and are preparing for our first summer in Orkney. Sam has a part time job working for one of the cafes across the road. Tamara is only 6 but she is becoming a great chef - She just made something yesterday without a recipe - just threw in all kinds of ingredients and it worked out. Tamara and Debbie took a horse and carriage ride yesterday through our town of Stromness as part of a Victorian Day at the museum. [Click thumbnails to enlarge].
You all know the ubiquitous South African Graeme Codrington from his many writings on Future Church, etc. But did you know that his dad, the venerable Dr Reg Codrington has written a great review and synthesis of 5 emerging church books, drawing upon his vast four decades of experience? He responds to books by Carson, Mclaren, McNeil, Claibourne and Sweet. Its about the most honest review I have ever read. He doesnt take sides and has no ax to grind. Behold . . . I give you . . .
Dr Reg Codrington on the Emerging Church
I just love the internet when it allows everyone a voice, no matter where they live. Its Web 2.0, for crying out loud! Its about DRIVEWAYS, not highways, connecting PEOPLE not organizations, its about tiny CANALS, not huge railroads. Its about connecting real people like Graeme's dad who has something important to say with the rest of us who need to hear it.
Technorati Tags: emerging church
The COF (Council on Foundations) Summit starts on Sunday. A Tactical Philanthropy blogging team is in place. RSS is here. Tag is "COF2008"
During next week, I will be exploring the idea of emerging philanthropy, the new ways in which web 2.0 is affecting the resourcing and reporting of social enterprise projects, and i want to highlight some excellent examples.
Technorati Tags: cof2008, foundations, philanthropy
"All the younger artists signed to Christian labels within the last 10 years or less will struggle to understand where they fit—if they fit at all anymore."
"Another whole group of “ccm” era survivors will continue to move country music forward with great success"
"The Tooth & Nail tribe of artists will continue on. It’s about touring and live music. T&N had that right from the beginning—here’s a van and an atlas—see ya."
Bloggable memes from Charlie Peacock as he lays out the future of CCM. HT: Addison Road.
Technorati Tags: ccm
- We are all OK. Weather changing every day.
- Radio Orkney came out yesterday and interviewed Debbie (my wife) and some of the others involved in the Sorting Room that launches in 3 weeks. Debbie was also in the paper this morning from an interview with the newspaper folk regarding starting up her pottery business. What a CELEBRITY!!
- Someone donated their dark room equipment to us - all in perfectly preserved condition from the 70's. We had just cleaned out one of the old toilet blocks to make room for the dark room that I will be using to develop my medium format film.
- Opening day is 22nd of May. Special events all weekend. Good time to come and visit.
- Debbie's brother-in-law Eric from New York and his wife Jenny are coming to visit next week.
Flight of the Conchords debut album hits Number 3 in USA. Well done! As you know I grew a beard so that my friend Derek (who looks like Jemaine) and I could do a take off for YouTube. We actually didn't have time for that. Well we did but we were too lazy. Anyway, I shaved off my Bret Beard yesterday and have gone back to being myself. Pretty pathetic beard though.
If you have never experienced Kiwi culture at its finest, check it out. Their YouTube videos get millions of hits. HT: Steve Taylor
Technorati Tags: conchords, flight of the conchords
Recent Comments