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Effective Altruism
  • Living Well
May22

Effective Altruism

posted by DJL

I’ve been reading Peter Singer on and off for about fifteen years. He is a philosopher and ethicist whose writing is clear, incisive, thought-provoking, challenging, provocative, and sometimes quite controversial. This TED Talk is no exception, as he challenges all of us to examine the lives...

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Luke 8:40-42a
  • Daily Bread
May22

Luke 8:40-42a

posted by DJL

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying. What would...

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The Church Has Left the Building!
  • Church Matters
May21

The Church Has Left the Building!

posted by DJL

I love the picture Spirit of Christ Lutheran Church (St. Louis Park, MN) has come up with under the leadership of their new pastor, Amy Orstad, to describe its life and mission. I love the picture because it reminds us that church is supposed to prepare us to meet God the rest of the week. I love the picture because it reminds us that God is out in front of us, waiting for us to catch up to where God is already at work in the world. I love the picture because it invites a new generation of Christians and seekers to imagine church differently. I love the picture because it’s the “good kind of crazy” that invites all of us to think...

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Luke 8:38-39
  • Daily Bread
May21

Luke 8:38-39

posted by DJL

The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him. So they guy who had the demons driven...

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Change or Progress?
  • Culture
May20

Change or Progress?

posted by DJL

I found the following two-minute video simultaneously intriguing, stimulating, and just a little disturbing. First, a little context. The Glossary is a group that produces videos to promote books. They put together the video I highlighted a short time ago called “This is Water.” This one...

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Luke 8:32-38
  • Daily Bread
May20

Luke 8:32-38

posted by DJL

Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. When the swineherds...

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The Land of Beginning Again
  • Poetry
May18

The Land of Beginning Again

posted by DJL

Read Louisa Fletcher’s wonderful poem “The Land of Beginning Again” and then ask yourself if this is heaven. Heaven not as some distant and cloud-filled paradise but rather that place where all hurts are mended, all griefs comforted, all regrets repaired, all insults undone, all relationships restored. In painting a picture that reminds me a bit of C. S. Lewis’ Narnia, Fletcher reminds us that life – both here and in the world to come – is about relationships. And she reminds us that forgiveness – which is, in fact, releasing a claim on another so as to begin again – is the secret ingredient of life. But then ask yourself...

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Luke 8:26-31
  • Daily Bread
May18

Luke 8:26-31

posted by DJL

Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at...

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The Art of Making a Violin
  • Creativity
May17

The Art of Making a Violin

posted by DJL

I am fascinated by the art of making. Whether it be the art of making a guitar, or bread, or whatever, I think our creative capacity is one of those things God had in mind when in the Genesis story God declares, “Let us make humankind in our image” (Gen. 1:26). God creates. From the very first verses in the Bible God is creating, calling the world and universe into being. And in the very last verses, God is still creating, this time making all things new. So whenever we make something – whether it be a piece of art or dinner tonight, a project for work or a card for a friend – we are joining God in the creative task that connects us...

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Luke 8:22-25
  • Daily Bread
May17

Luke 8:22-25

posted by DJL

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A gale swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him...

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Peter Rollins and The God-Shaped Hole
  • Theology
May16

Peter Rollins and The God-Shaped Hole

posted by DJL

After the post on the origins of the “It’s Pentecost” video went up, my creative partner-in-crime Ben Cieslik directed me to the actual Pete Rollins quote that inspired our work. I’m pretty sure this was the first time I’d seen this video, so I’ve probably been misquoting him second-hand for years! In any event, I thought I’d post the video below. As is often the case when I listen to Pete, I have two reactions. The dominant one is a sense of gratitude and appreciation for how he regularly frames the message of the gospel in a compelling and surprising way that therefore not only gets my attention and but stays with me. Often...

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Easter Gratitude: 47
  • Faith
May16

Easter Gratitude: 47

posted by DJL

50 Days of Easter Gratitude 47) Teamwork. The event in Nashville has been tremendous. And throughout the week I kept thinking about how much planning and organizing it took, how many details were involved to make it all work. And things like that don’t happen without a great team like we...

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Luke 8:19-21
  • Daily Bread
May16

Luke 8:19-21

posted by DJL

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do...

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Escaping Education’s Death Valley
  • Teaching & Learning
May15

Escaping Education’s Death Valley

posted by DJL

There are few people I enjoy listening to more than Ken Robinson. An educator and expert on creativity, he is the author of the excellent book The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, and his TED Talk on schools and creativity has been watched by more people than any other Talk. In this presentation, he offers both a candid description of why our current education is failing us as well as clear suggestions for making it better. The reason education is such an important topic, of course, is that it doesn’t just affect children and their parents, but all of us. Education shapes the emerging generation, the generation we will...

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  • Effective Altruism Effective Altruism Posted by DJL on May 22, 2013
  • Luke 8:40-42a Luke 8:40-42a Posted by DJL on May 22, 2013
  • The Church Has Left the Building! The Church Has Left the Building! Posted by DJL on May 21, 2013
  • Luke 8:38-39 Luke 8:38-39 Posted by DJL on May 21, 2013
  • What Is Baptism? What Is Baptism? Posted by DJL on Jan 8, 2013
  • Five Reasons Denominations are Passé Five Reasons Denominations are Passé Posted by DJL on Jun 19, 2012
  • What Is Prayer? What Is Prayer? Posted by DJL on Feb 4, 2013
  • Help!  My Daily Bread Dilemma Help! My Daily Bread Dilemma Posted by DJL on Feb 7, 2013
  • Mark 12:1-12 Mark 12:1-12 Posted by DJL on Sep 26, 2012
  • Teaching with Story Teaching with Story Posted by DJL on Feb 20, 2013
  • Mark 12:1-12 Mark 12:1-12 Posted by DJL on Sep 25, 2012
  • Jamie Oliver Sings the Sugar Blues Jamie Oliver Sings the Sugar Blues Posted by DJL on Jun 6, 2012

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