Wow, this is the way for people to remember your sermon. This guy puts it all out there.
A recent Pew Poll and study among 18-25 year-old adults found that parenting is more important than marriage. The majority of Millennials, (generally those born between 1982 and 1995) about 52%, said being a good parent is “one of the most important things” in life. About 30% said the same about having a successful marriage. This Pew Poll points out that there is a 22 percentage point gap in the way Millennials value parenthood over marriage.
Sometimes called “Generation Y”, Millennials differed from their Generation X counterparts:
When this same question was posed to 18- to 29-year-olds in 1997, the gap was just 7 percentage points. Back then, 42% of the members of what is known as Generation X said being a good parent was one of the most important things in life, while 35% said the same about having a successful marriage.
What does this mean?
This past week I’ve been running a contest to give away two great books, Russell Rathbun’s book nuChristian and Henri Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus.
It’s noon! The winners are:
Christine Smith – nuChristian
D Brown – In the Name of Jesus
Andrew Twiton – In the Name of Jesus
Contest winners: You’ll get an email or DM from me shortly.
Thanks for everyone who entered and look out for another giveaway!
Kristi Gustafson, social media strategist/staff writer for the Albany Times Union, recently asked me about a growing trend: giving up Facebook, Twitter, and other social media for Lent. I was glad to hear that Kristi was very familiar with the practice of Lenten fasting in the 21st century. Check out her article and my comments:
Chocolate, swearing, eating out. These are things Christians have given up for Lent for decades.
Now there’s something new to sacrifice.
Facebook.
The average Facebook user spends 4 hours and 35 minutes a month posting updates on their relationships, checking friends’ vacation photos and playing games like Farmville on the social networking site, according to a January report from Experian Hitwise, a New York City-based global research firm.
That’s more time than most of us spend doing anything other than sleeping, exercising or being at work.
In an age in which Facebook sees more monthly traffic than Google, some Lenten observers are leaving their “friends” behind as part of their commitment to the 40-day fasting.
“Giving up the same things year after year gets boring and you have to freshen it up,” says the Rev. Alan Rudnick with the First Baptist Church in Ballston Spa. “With the popularity of social media, people will say, ‘I like Facebook or Twitter just as much as I like chocolate.’ “
Feeling stressed out? Burned out? Or just down? Your iPhone can help you with that because… there’s an app for that. You can now download the “Holy Roller” app that finds encouraging scripture. The app profile says, “The Holy Roller is the best way to find the Biblical guidance to your everyday ups and downs. Simply scroll the Holy Roller to find what you are feeling, hit next or shake your iPhone, and your scripture will appear.”
The United Methodist Report describes the app:
Users start by accessing one of two lists: “Burdens” such as frustration, worry or doubt, or “Blessings,” such as friendship, family or health.
By tapping on the topic, the user receives one or more relevant Bible verses. For example, if the burden is “Frustration,” Hebrews 10:36 pops up on the screen: “For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” Or, if you’re looking for the blessing of “Inner Peace,” a few taps on the screen will take the user to Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Apparently, this $2 app is popular. Over 1,000 downloads already at the iTunes store.
REMEMBER: All this week you can enter to win two free books.
I’m giving away a free copy of Russell Rathbun’s book nuChristian (read my related posts here and review here) and two free copies of Henri Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus.
Interested?
There are two ways to win:
- Subscribe to my blog with the link to the right. Enter your email and click “subscribe” or if you are a WordPress user, click “subscribe” on the top of this page. (Subscribing allows an automatic email update to be sent to your email address. No spam, I promise. New subscribers will only be entered in this giveaway.)
- Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/alanrud
The winners will be picked at random. You can subscribe to On The Bema and follow me on Twitter, which gives you two chances to win. You have till Monday, March 28 @ noon Good luck!
Shane Claiborne, author and activist comments on nuChristian:
“I am convinced that if we lose a generation in the church, that loss won’t be because we failed to entertain them, but because we failed to dare them — to take the words of Jesus seriously and to do something about the things that are wrong in the world. Russell Rathbun offers us that dare — to renew a Christianity that reminds the world of Jesus again.”
If someone sends you a link to a video of a girl talking to the camera about how happy she is about the Japanese earthquake don’t worry… it’s fake. A young women named “tamtampamela” has been trolling the internet with fake personal testimonies about her crazy religious views on parody websites. “It’s so amazing to see how God can answer prayers like this,” she said. “I’m so overjoyed.” Somehow, people thought it was real.
If you are easily offended, don’t watch.
Here, she “explains” her fake videos:
Check out this video of Rob Bell talking about his new book, Love Wins – which you can order on Amazon – to his congregation. Listen to his talk. Please comment.
Image via Wikipedia
With this horrible tsunami many are trying to get word about their loved ones. Our American Baptist missionaries in Japan are safe. International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches U.S.A. reports:
Stan Murray, Area Director for Southeast Asia and Japan has sent this report:
Roberta is safe! She had to evacuate with the students (up to 22,000) at Kanto Gakuin University and will not be able to return to her home until at least tomorrow. Japanese practice for these events all the time and are cooperative in carrying out the plan. The Hwangs should be fine if they were home. Soshin School, where Lee Ann teaches and where they live, is a very high point in Yokohama.
E-mails from John Armagost and Leslie Turley have come in and they are safe. Alisen Armagost was at a different location at a soccer game but she has now checked in with her parents and is safe. Armagosts are far from the affected area. Turleys are also safe and do not expect much of an issue when the wave reaches Okinawa. I have yet to hear from Roberta Stephens and the Hwangs. While they live closer to the shoreline in Yokohama, they are both on pretty high ground so should be fine. I have tried repeatedly to phone and e-mail them. No success yet. I will let you know when I do hear. Continue Reading…
An Ash Wednesday prayer:
Lord,
The house of my soul is narrow;
enlarge it that you may enter in.
It is ruinous, O repair it!
It displeases Your sight.
I confess it, I know.
But who shall cleanse it,
to whom shall I cry but to you?
Cleanse me from my secret faults,
O Lord, and spare Your servant from strange sins.
St. Augustine of Hippo – (354-430 CE)
Christians all around the world commemorates Ash Wednesday today. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a period of 40 days (really 46 including Sundays) before Easter. It is a time of reflection upon our need for salvation, forgiveness, and the fundamental priorities of the Gospel.
It is customary for Christians to give something up for Lent. This act remembers Christ giving himself up and remembers his suffering. Many give up sweets, soda, or some type of rich food. While giving something up for Lent is a simple way to remember what Lent is all about, is it time we Christians try something other than deprivation? Continue Reading…
Several years ago, I read a dramatic billboard sign that compelled the reader to think about Satan. The billboard read:
Do you believe in Satan? He believes in you.
A striking message, isn’t it? Many of us choose not to think too much about the forces of evil or how Satan plays a part in the Christian story. However, Satan is very much a part of the Christian story, but he is not an inspiring character. Since the beginning of the biblical record, Satan (in Hebrew hasatan means “accuser”) existed in various forms. The presence or mention of the demonic is documented in Genesis, Job, Psalms, Zechariah, the Gospels, and Revelation.
As a way to prepare for the celebration of Easter, Christians all around the world will prepare through the season of Lent. For 40 days (not including Sundays) Christians mark this time through study, prayer, fasting, reflection, worship, service, and meditation on God’s word. Lent provides a way for Christians to change the rhythm of their life by contemplating the less glamorous Christian imperatives such as forgiveness, morality, repentance, suffering, and penitence.
Believe it or not, Satan can teach us about Lent in the Christian life. How? Beginning in the book of Luke, Jesus departs for the wilderness in chapter 4 and confronts Satan, the Accuser: Continue Reading…
Run for the hills! Rob Bell is heretical! Ahhhhh!!!
If you have not followed the story, famed pastor, speaker, author, and Nooma guru has a new book coming out entitled, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. A few chapters were released to a few bloggers and writers.
Those who have read the incomplete manuscript resolve that Rob Bell is a heretic and his career is over. The claims have ranged from he is an Universalist or he is the devil.
Here is the video that is causing the stir
Let’s all freak out about Rob Bell!
Folks, Bell has always been on the edge of Christianity and that is a good thing. More on that later. I have not read the book or seen the pre-released chapters, but let’s not jump to conclusions like some other big time Christian figures, authors, and pastors. Check out their comments: Continue Reading…
