The Ancient-Future Movement

I first saw this cartoon in February's Christianity Today. The issue was focused on Christianity's moving forward by looking back to history. I thought the cartoon was pretty clever.

Are you one of the seven people in this "evolutionary chain"? Which one? I'm probably somewhere between #3 and #4. I'm encouraged (at times) by #1 and #2. I'm intrigued by #7. I want to punch #6 in the throat.

Lessons from Buffalo (and 2 Random Videos)

This is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

You can see more of the Battle at Kruger here.

While I'm on a YouTube kick, here are two more videos that I've seen recently that are pretty hilarious. First, here is a video for all of you out there who have ever had to explain how to use a computer. I think I've been both people in this skit at one time or another. Both are frustrating positions.


Second, here is Frank Caliendo doing Charles Barkley. Perfect.

Proud of My Wife

Kim graduated from DTS this past weekend with her masters degree. Here are some pics...

A Life Aflame

Yesterday, my Greek professor passed out a copy of an article that appeared in Christianity Today on March 27, 1961. The writer, Floyd Doud Shafer, was addressing the problem of the pastors merely being "good Joes" instead of scholar-teachers who were once "equipped to bring God and man together in reasoned relation."

His article, entitled Preach As You Go!, offers his solution to the problem. The following (emphasis mine) is one particularly punchy excerpt from the article that I found both indicting and refreshing. (Remember - 1961!)

Rip out his telephone, burn up his ecclesiastical success sheets, refuse his glad hand, and put water in the gas tank of his community buggy. Give him a Bible and tie him in his pulpit and make him preach the Word of the living God. Test him, quiz him and examine him; humiliate him for his ignorance of things divine, and shame him for his glib comprehension of finances, batting averages, and political in-fighting. Laugh at his frustrated effort to play psychiatrist, scorn his insipid morality, refuse his supine intelligence, ignore his broadmindedness which is only flatheaded-ness, and compel him to be a minister of the Word. If he wants too be gracious, challenge him rather to be a product of the rough grace of God. If he dotes on being pleasing, demand that he please God and not man. If he wants to be unctuous, ask him to make sounds with a tongue on which a Holy flame has rested. If he wants to be a manager, insist rather that he be a manikin for God, a being who is illustrative of the purpose and will of God.

Schmitty

WVU had 3 guys go in the NFL Draft. Slaton went to the Texans, Owen Schmitt went to the Seahawks, and Ryan Mundy to the Steelers.

The folks up in Seattle, who previously didn't know who Owen Schmitt was, are starting to get pretty excited according to this Seahawks blog. In other Owen Schmitt news: (1) here is a comic that ESPN did on his story; (2) here is the "runaway beer truck" clip; (3) here is the clip of him beating himself with a helmet; (4) here is The Legend of Owen Schmitt video; and finally (5) I'd like to mention that I almost got run over by him before an FCA meeting last year in Morgantown when I mistakenly walked in front of him as he was headed to the locker room.

Go Schmitty!

Flopping Foreigners

It's been a long day... and Kim has gone to bed while I stay awake watching game 5 of the Suns/Spurs series. I have nobody with whom I can vent and I'm tired of yelling at my dog, so I figured I'd write a quick post about it...

I'm about to scream. I just sat here and watched both Tim Duncan and Tony Parker trip over their own feet on back-to-back plays... only to have fouls called on Phoenix. Of course, when they tripped on themselves like doofuses (sp?), the flailed a little extra for the fun of it.

A couple plays before that, Tony Parker was on a fast break and jumped into Raja Bell and then propelled himself headlong across the floor while flailing wildly. Not only was Bell called for a foul because Parker jumped into him, but the fans wanted a flagrant called.

I've watched entirely too much playoff basketball over the past week or so... and I need to stop because it is making me more and more angry. I am baffled how such a large man like Dirk Nowicki can be sent cartwheeling into the third row of the American Airlines center when someone places an index finger on his forearm. Get close to Dirk while he's shooting and prepare to be dazzled by some theatrical works the likes of which would impress Broadway. Same goes for Parker, Ginobili, Duncan, and many others.

American-born players are guilty along with players from other countries, but it seems like some of the foreign floppers are the worst. Many of these guys are from soccer nations (Germany, France, Argentina, etc) which leads me to wonder if a lot of these guys are flopping out of a "soccer-mentality" that somehow thinks it is OK to act hurt or do whatever else is necessary in order to gain an advantage.

This mentality has been seeping into my beloved sports for years now and it is driving me crazy. Thanks for listening.

Rap and DTS

Duce Branch (of the Cross Movement) graduated from DTS in 2004. Here is a well-done video explaining the training he received at DTS and his desire to take the Gospel to an urban context. I love the repeated line in this video that says, "We are trying to be and not just look like."