Tag Archives: writing

Six-Pack (61)

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Welcome to the latest edition of the Six-Pack, delivered right on time! Grab your coffee, choose your comfy chair, and settle in!

This week’s collection features the usual mix of ministry, faith, and anything else that piqued interest. I think you’ll be pleased, provoked, and pushed.

If six ever feels overwhelming, start with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move out from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Dallas Willard Changed My Ministry Forever (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Dallas Willard’s books (particularly “Divine Conspiracy”) will forever hold spots on my “best of” list. Looks like Chris Nye might agree as he reflects on the late author and teacher impacted his life and work.

2) The Secret Pain of Pastors
For Churchleaders.com, Philip Wagner considers some of the challenges faced by those in ministry roles. Friends of mine have faced every one of these in huge doses — I know a few firsthand myself.

3) Are Sex and Religions Natural Enemies? (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
I like to think about religion. I like to think about sex too, sometimes I visit some website about it too. Naturally, this article struck my chords then. I think some of the basic premise is a bit goofy, but there are fascinating bits in here, all the same.

4) Here’s How Maria Popova Writes
I’ve long been fascinated with how creative people create — artists, musicians, writers, whatever. Here, CopyBlogger caught up with writer Maria Popova. There’s some great stuff in this interview.

5) The Disney Recipe
When Jeffrey Katzenberg became the head of Walt Disney Studios, he was given the task of fixing what was broke. For direction, he turned to archived wisdom from Walt Disney himself. He learned a few things. You might too.

6) How Much Can an Extra Hour’s Sleep Change You?
This study, summarized by BBC, says: Quite a lot!


May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Six-Pack (54)

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Welcome to the latest Six-Pack! I am so grateful for every reader who stops by to check out the latest assortment of “best links”.

As regular readers already know, these pieces are generally centered on faith or ministry, though we leave sufficient license to include who-knows-what as we discover it!

If six ever feels overwhelming, start with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move out from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Barak and Women Leaders (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
 David Lamb shares this brief piece about what we can learn from the Judges-story of Deborah and Barak.

2) When do We Cross the Line into Plagiarism?
Out of Ur features a number of scholars and preachers on this sticky issue from the realm of preaching.

3) Atheist Mega-Churches Looking for Non-Believers
What do you do if you want a weekly gathering or a community of non-faith? According to USA Today, you join an Atheist Church apparently. Or if you don’t, at least a lot of others do!

4) Seven Thoughts on Pastors Writing Books (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
As a pastor who hopes to write books, this article (from Kevin DeYoung) contained a number of great bits. To the rest of you, it may come off as the weakest “Pick of the Week” so far!

5) Ayn Rand Didn’t Understand Capitalism. Or Altruism. Or Christianity. Or Reality.
I can’t claim to be well-versed in Ayn Rand, though her name comes up occasionally in books I read. This thoughtful critique of her views should provide both a primer to beginners and a fueling to those already familiar with this provocative woman.

6) Marketing Jesus in Ukraine
John Frye shares why he loves representing Christ in Ukraine and how the experience delivers him from a Stars-and-Stripes-wrapped Jesus.

May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Meandering Mystic

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For years, I’ve stumbled across quotes and concepts attributed to “the mystics”. Much of the time, these findings have come like flecks of gold brightening and en-valuing the stream in which they sit.

I confess that this discovery has evolved into a minor obsession with mysticism. In a recent post, I acknowledged that blogging was being bumped backward in my priority list to free up time and energy for larger writing projects. One of those revolves around mysticism.

At one point, I had started a second blog aimed with the intent of focusing all of its content on mysticism. Would you believe maintaining two blogs was more work than maintaining one? So I will now proceed to move those posts over to this site one at a time. Here is the first post, originally written on May 30, 2011, as introduction to soon-to-be-extinct site: Meandering Mystic.

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A meandering mystic.

 

That might describe me.  At the least, it speaks of someone I hope to be.

 

The word “mysticism” planted itself in my mind years ago.  Each day, I see a few more sprigs of what has been growing ever since.

 

The term itself can cause confusion; the mere sound of the word sets off connections with “mystery”, translated internally as “weird” or “nutty” or “cuckoo”.

 

However, at its heart, mysticism speaks of experience with God, of tasting of His presence in a tangible way.  Pressed further, it can even allude to a sensed union of human with Divine.

 

Perhaps the phrasing of that last sentence does border on “out there”, but my soul feels a real need for more of God.  And if it isn’t real on an experiential level, then it feels like little more than intellectual consideration of concepts such as God.

 

And that type of spiritual life has nothing to offer this fellow, who has lived on that level for too many days already.

 

So I meander, with the word “mystic” to guide me.  Perhaps I’ll arrive there yet.

Saturday Six-Pack (40)

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Welcome to the final Saturday Six-Pack for May 2013!

Grab your mug and settle in. Here are are six of the best articles I’ve read recently.  Most are faith-focused or ministry-minded; others are just a bit of who-knows-what!

If you need help starting, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Six Recent Lessons from Turnaround Churches
Thom Rainer has discovered that 9 of 10 North American churches are shrinking or growing at a rate behind their communities. Here are six lessons he recently learned from such churches who are turning it around.

2) The Divine Dance (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Scot McKnight shares these Tim-Keller-filled reflections on the Trinity. What does it mean? A whole lot!

3) Learning the Gospel from My Children
A pastor named Jason Micheli recently preached this sermon, and I am a sucker for anything that revolves around Luke 15.

4) Daily Rituals of the Most Creative People (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
I am fascinated by how creativity works. This little essay, based on a full-length book, scratched that itch for a few moments.  For the record, I am unlikely to adopt many of W.H. Auden’s “labor-saving devices”.

5) Hotel Pornography and the Market of Morality
I found this piece, from The Public Discourse, ten months after its publishing. Well-written piece that uses a movement looking to ban hotel pay-per-view pornography as a case study on the strange dance between morality, economics, politics, and more.

6) 8 Habits of Highly Productive People
While the title looks like a knock-off of a best-selling classic, and the article contains a handful of typos, a few ideas here might help those longing to be more productive.

May your weekend be full of awareness and enjoyment of the God who already fills it with Himself and every good thing.  Blessings on you, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff with a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Saturday Six-Pack (20)

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Back from a two-month absence, I have a stash of articles waiting for their spots in the Saturday Six-Pack.  Let’s get rolling!

As per usual, this weekend’s Six-Pack features a half-dozen online offerings that I recently enjoyed.  These articles are mostly faith-focused or ministry-geared, with a bit of disorderly-pile-of-who-knows-what tossed in!

If you need help starting, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

For a more steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and enriching articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) 6 Reasons Why Mormons Are Beating Evangelicals in Church Growth
With the presence of Mitt Romney in the recent American election, Mormonism received even more media attention than usual.  David French, for the Gospel Coalition, offers this concise take on why the Mormon Church is “outdrawing” the Evangelical Church these days AND what we can learn from this.

2) Ranting is Not Preaching
The title says it all, but Tony Merida spends a few more lines fleshing out the temptation toward this lesser form of communication and the very real dangers that arise when pastors give in.

3) 10 Proven Practices for More Productive Leadership
In this guest post on Michael Hyatt’s blog, JD Meier offers a sharp list of practices relevant for every leader.  From his role at Microsoft to whatever role you fill, something (or likely SEVERAL somethings) from this list will speak to your current leadership challenges.

4) Lost in Translation (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
For Relevant magazine, Berlin’s Ben Stevens ponders why so few Christians, particularly those who tie great importance to the Bible’s authority, have ever considered learning Greek. His observations may surprise you.

5) Does Quantum Physics Make It Easier to Believe in God?
(*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
One more entry from TGC, this post summarizes a larger article posted at Big Questions Online by Stephen M. Barr, a professor of physics at the University of Delaware who specializes in theoretical particle physics.  To consider how cutting edge science intersects cutting edge theology, start here today. You’ll be glad you did.

6) Seven Habits of Highly Prolific Writers
This brief piece by Henri Junttila will inspire those of you thinking about putting words on paper to but your butt on the chair and get ‘er done!  If the thought of writing appeals to you, this post will nudge you toward the reality of it.

It’s good to be back, my friends!  Enjoy your weekend through renewing yourself and reverencing God.