Saturday, July 26, 2008

The Problem with Anonymity

I hear many people in certain religious circles talk about how they are not ashamed of anything and how they take so called 'stand' after 'stand', yet they seem to be ashamed of their own comments here on the blog. I honestly do not care whether or not you put your name by your comments and I sincerely appreciate the fact that you take the time to read and reply, but if it's worth your time to write something then by all means let us know who you are. Especially if you're going throw a couple of hand-grenades and accuse us of things that we obviously have never done or never written. If you don't feel the necessity to do so then that is fine, but here are a couple of reasons that I believe you should...

1. It Gives Your Comments More Credibility.

If you say something that you feel is worth the time and effort then you should say it in such a way that you are not ashamed of placing your name at the end of it. If you do not place your name on it then that speaks volumes about the comment and perhaps about you. It says that you are ashamed of what you said because of the tone or the spirit in which it was said, or it says that you are afraid of the ramifications that your comments may bring. If for either of these reasons you are posting anonymously, then no one is going to take your comments with any seriousness and rightfully so. So add your name and add to your credibility with the other readers.

2. It Shows What Your Saying is Worth Saying.

I'm not saying your comments will have any worth whatsoever if you place your name by it, but it will say that you genuinely believe what you wrote is worth the time it took to write it. This will also add to the credibility as mentioned in point #1. If you are truly sincere and seriously concerned about something then you should put your name on it and let everyone know that you really believe in what you are saying. Whether you're penning down your random thoughts, trying to ask sincere questions, or trying to help in one way or another, adding your name to your comments will let everyone know that you believe in what you wrote. If you don't think it's worth putting your name by it then why would anyone think that your comments are important enough to take seriously.

Now, you may have some very real and legit reasons not to place your name by your comments, but in those cases the sincerity usually shines through in the spirit of the post. If you just want to throw out rude comments and try to accuse us of saying things or meaning things that obviously aren't true, then feel free to leave your name, but I believe we all understand the reasons that you do not as outlined above.

All that being said, let me apologize for my absence on both the blog and on the forum. It has been a crazy month or two for both me and Tony, but now we are back and looking forward to picking the pace up once again and attempting to glorify our great God and Lord, Jesus Christ. May we magnify Him in all we say, do, and write. May what we take time to write, as children of God, be said in such a way that we are not ashamed to place our name at the end of it.

Trevor

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Book Review - Crazy Love

My life has been a hectic mess as we are involved in alot of things right now. I feel as if even my time with the Lord has become hurried and has missed the depth of before. A week ago someone handed me a copy of Francis Chan's "Crazy Love." I was immediately curious as I have greatly appreciated the ministry of Brother Chan. I was able to be in a conference with him in '06 and hear him for a week, then at Passion '07 I saw the Lord use him powerfully as he challenged all of us on being Laodicean Christians. This book is very much in that vein. I have been challenged, humbled, encouraged, broken and left wanting more of my Savior as I have torn through these pages. This is the kind of book that could be used in a small group setting, etc to stir some serious conversation and soul-searching. Francis' heart beat is so foreign to our idea of Christianity that it does seem a little "crazy." But he's not just talking the talk! You have to check out this article in the most recent edition of WORLD magazine.


Sermons in the sun

Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., has a problem not unlike many fast-growing evangelical bodies: It is running out of room.
The 4,000-person suburban congregation hopes to construct a new facility soon on 138 acres of private land just west of the city limits. But building plans for the proposed 3,000-seat sanctuary defy church conventions. The blueprints include no foyer space or coffee bars, no windows or doors, and no walls or roof. Cornerstone intends to hold services outside.
The idea of constructing a massive outdoor amphitheater in lieu of a more traditional brick-and-mortar structure developed out of church leadership meetings on financial stewardship. Lead pastor Francis Chan, a resolute advocate for simplicity and generosity, has instilled the virtue of frugality into his congregation and staff. Chan has downsized into a 1,000-square-foot home for his family of six in the interest of devoting more personal resources to caring for the poor.


Check out his website as well:



And the website for the book:



With Francis Chan, Nashville '06
Tony

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

We're Still Here!

Just a little note to let everyone know that we are still here, but it has been a very busy month for both me and Tony.  I'll be out of town for portions of the next two weeks and Tony is in the middle of a large project at his church that is taking up much of his time.  As all of you know, with the sensitivity of the subject matter here, we want to take our time and be very measured in how we write and what we write about.  We will be back very soon.  Thanks

Trevor