1 am on the wrong side of town quick steps lose their echoes down hard streets red lights hide black ice fish nets catch me slipping thank you from me to her. My good friend Phuoc-Tan, who you will know from previous posts and his Duo blog, has released his first book of poetry called…
Read MoreOffending Blogs: Should they Stay or Should They Go?
"Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm" . . . said Paul to Timothy, without fully appreciating the legal ramifications of such a potentially slanderous statement should Alexander object and take action. A BIG conversation going on over the last few days regarding two men who are both occasional commenters here, Ken Silva and Richard…
Read MoreAberdeen with Andrew Walls
This morning I am at Crown Terrace Methodist Church in Aberdeen to hear missiologist Andrew Walls preach and then I will be having lunch with Andrew. I hope he can cook! Really excited about this. Dr Walls is arguably the leading expert on the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh (1910) and how it panned out…
Read MoreSlow Sunday
Today is Slow Sunday in the UK, a day to celebrate slowness – slow food, slow pace, slow and enjoyable day. My family is cooking a slow stew with beef bones today but the fact is that we changed over to a slow food menu for Sunday a long time ago and have been sticking…
Read MoreBrian McLaren at Lambeth
“. . . decisions could be made in this gathering that I believe really could change history — of setting the challenge of entering this emerging, post-modern world as disciples, as apostles of Jesus Christ, we could change history.” Brian McLaren at Lambeth All the reports seem overwhelming positive about “Emergent Evangelist” Brian McLaren speaking…
Read MorePrayer for Jim Bublitz
Iggy is asking prayer for Jim Bublitz who has serious health problems and may need a liver transplant. Jim is also closing up his website OldTruth.com Jim Bublitz is a critic of the emerging church but we like him because he is a brother, a good man, a leader and someone that has taken the…
Read MoreThe bloke from New Zealand
This image is from my Aunty Olwen who lives in Queensland, Australia and keeps me updated with the latest Aussie chatter and funny JPEGs on the bulk emails. This one might just be the story of my life!!!!!
Read MoreGutenberg and the Press that Made the Bible
Recreating the printing press that Gutenberg likely used to print his famous 42 line Bible on a short TV series now on YouTube. Thanks to the people in my Yahoo letterpress printers group for the links. BTW – I managed to get my printer into my print shop last week after breaking down a wall.…
Read MoreShopping Week in Stromness
The 60th Shopping Week just started here in Stromness which is pretty much the biggest week of the year. Lots of activities and festivities. Free rides in the life-boat (our two youngest kids on the left) and of course the obligatory bagpipes. Technorati Tags: puppy
Read MoreIdeas4all – Launches Today
New website launches today called ideas4all.com. Share your ideas or your problems that need a solution. Easy. Teilhard de Chardin would be impressed with the global brain idea. Thanks Patricia for the heads up. I already posted my first idea (sunglasses with camera for streaming live video through phone networks to sites like QIK.com) and…
Read MoreGuns and the American Church
Tim Wright sends me an interesting story of a Baptist church in Oklahoma City that promised to give away a $800 semi-automatic assault rifle to a lucky teenager who attended their youth event. Really. I can think of ways to grow a youth group that are far better and will probably not backfire. I never…
Read More10 Tips for Euro Travellers
Its summer time and all over Europe there’s thousands of young people on walkabout, pilgrimage, historical quests, academic journeys and short term missions. Here are some tips for traveling in Europe from someone that has been doing it over 20 years and has already made most of the usual mistakes. 1. Your passport is king.…
Read MoreA walk around Hoy (this is where i show off yesterday’s photos)
We sailed over to the island of Hoy for a Sunday service with the youth camp and then i took off to take some photos around the north side of Hoy. Its a dramatic and forboding island, wonderfully deserted and isolated. I left the family with friends and went walking for the whole afternoon in…
Read MoreAre Short Term Missions a Waste of Money?
A Washington Post article last week entitled “Churches Retool Mission Trips” examines the criticism that short term missions are high cost and lack value. HT: Seth Barnes Its a good article and worth reading. I share many of the same concerns. Yes – a $2000 house built for $30,000 by an overseas mission team might…
Read MoreKids camp on Hoy
Sent off three of our kids today on a camp. YAHHH!! 4 days without the kids! . . PARTY AT OUR HOUSE!! – Everyone is invited!!!. But I think I will pop over tomorrow on this same small ferry to check on them and enjoy the island of Hoy where their camp is. I need…
Read MoreViva La Vida: What is Coldplay singing about?
“My missionaries in a foreign field” I have to confess: that line in Coldplay’s new song “Viva La Vida” caught my ear. I bought the album a few weeks ago and really like it. I have played the number one song Viva La Vida a few times with my kids, reading the lyrics, and taking…
Read MoreWeek’s end
I am still alive. I just haven’t blogged much. Very busy around here. Hoards of people coming around the house (school holidays and the house is full of kids) and the sorting room downstairs. Debbie’s birthday is tomorrow and we are celebrating with pizza tonight because some of our kids are off to a Christian…
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Read MoreWikinomics and Mission
I said a few words at church yesterday about transparency and generosity and made a reference to a book called Wikinomics as well as the Bible. It was an open mike session rather than a single preacher and I followed James Stockan, Councillor and Vice Convenor of Orkney. Which was a tough act to follow…
Read MorePunting in Oxford
Just punting down the river in our little punt. Nothing like a bit of PUNTING in Oxford on a nice summers day, especially when we were stuck inside all day in meetings with the Church Mission Society. I found out that the people in Oxford punt from the back, with the till forward, and Cambridge…
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