In his book ground-breaking research book unChristian, David Kinneman reports that the number one description of Christians by the younger generation today (of those outside the church) is "anti-homosexual," followed not too far by "judgmental" and "hyprocritical." Out of twenty attributes that were assessed, both positive and negative, as they related to Christianity, the perception … Continue reading Christians and Homosexuality
Dare to be a Daniel
Daniel is a interesting book containing six stories followed by four incredible visions. We've also been sharing a series of messages entitled Living in Babylon. I think Daniel was a remarkable person. As a teenager he was taken from his family in Jerusalem and exiled to Babylon. Babylon was a pagan city where his captors sought to indoctrinate him and … Continue reading Dare to be a Daniel
Cool Toys – The Smart Pen
While we're talking about cool toys, I have to mention the 'smart pen.' One of my friends living in the USA has one and showed it to me. There are a variety of smart pens on the market. The one I saw was the Pulse Smart Pen created by Livescribe. It is quite amazing what it can … Continue reading Cool Toys – The Smart Pen
Cool Toys – The Kindle
I once heard that "the difference between the men and the boys is the price they pay for their toys." It's true and of course, women have toys too 🙂 Recently, while in the USA, I met a woman who had a 1st generation Kindle, created by Amazon. It's a really cool e-book reader. The latest … Continue reading Cool Toys – The Kindle
The Hooding Ceremony
The day before my graduation at Fuller Theological Seminary I attended a Hooding Ceremony. I wasn't sure what this was all about until I got there. Here is a brief history of the tradition of the 'doctoral hood' ... According to Nancy Stiehler Thurston and Hendrika VanDeKemp, "In the Middle Ages, lecturers and students at European … Continue reading The Hooding Ceremony
Doctor Mark!
Well, I did it. I finished my Doctor of Ministry degree at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Yesterday, I attended the graduation ceremony which was held at the Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, where over 400 people graduated with various degrees (80 from the Doctor of Ministry program), cheered on by friends and family … Continue reading Doctor Mark!
Cooking – from the Amateur Chef
I grew up in a home where my mum did all the cooking. Dad and us kids did the dishes and not much else in the kitchen (other than toast, cereal, and the occasional milk shake). When I got married, Nicole did all the cooking and she's good at it too (only two not so … Continue reading Cooking – from the Amateur Chef
Book Reading Update
I've been reading a few books lately (I love books!). Here are some comments about them: The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. This is one of the best books I have read for a while. Keller unpacks the story of the Prodigal Son and shows how it is really a story of two lost sons, or … Continue reading Book Reading Update
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Sleep - you've got to love it. However, I was so tired last night that I couldn't get to sleep. My brain was so active ... after preaching five times over the weekend and then finishing off the last few edits of a new book I'm writing called Prison Break ... my mind was so … Continue reading Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Christian History
The Christian History magazine has been an excellent source of information and inspiration about church history and influential people for many decades now. Magazine issues have included articles on people such as John Calvin, St. Augustine, John Wesley, Charles Finney, C.S. Lewis, and William Wilberforce, as well as topics such as Women in the Early … Continue reading Christian History