Welcome to the Weekly Town Crier where I gather some of the things that interested me over the past week for your browsing pleasure. Remember, just because I link something here doesn’t mean I endorse it, it just means that it made me pause to think for one reason or another. Sometimes you’ll see why, sometimes maybe you won’t. If not, just ask. I’ve been in Mexico for a week, so of course there is very little to pass along, but I wanted to go ahead and post these links rather than postponing them for a week. Enjoy.
See what I hear at Last.fm.
Sign up for eMusic, find lots of DRM-free downloads and help me earn free downloads in the process. Everyone wins!
Read Barna’s newest update which says that based on their recent studies, many churches fail to screen their workers.
Subscribe to Paste magazine and name your own price.
Read Christianity Today’s 5-star review of the new Sara Groves album, Tell Me What You Know.
Read this piece which meditates on the fact that struggling with God’s presence didn’t just plague Mother Teresa but Martin Luther as well.
Vote in the Christianity Today year-end music poll and register to win 15 CDs.
Participate in the “Relevant” magazine reader’s poll.
Read this piece from Wired which wonders if vinyl might actually be the last nail in the coffin of the compact disc.
Read about Google entering the mobile phone market.
Watch “The Reformation Polka” for a belated Reformation Day celebration.
Read and ponder as Doug wrestles with whether or not we should do “altar calls.”
Read about the recent “Global Christian Forum” held in Narobi.
Read about NJ voters rejecting a proposal to borrow $450 million for stem cell research.
Read about the Bakersfield school district that, after months of “contentious debate, voted to display the phrase “In God We Trust” on the walls of more than 2,300 classrooms, school libraries, administrative offices and the board’s meeting room.”
Read the NY Times‘ coverage of Pat Robertson endorsing Rudy Guliani for president.
Read about what Joseph Farrah calls Robertson’s “biggest blunder.”
Read about KY governor Ernie Fletcher ordering that the Ten Commandments be displayed in the state capitol as he faces re-election.
Read about Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee who “is looking into six television evangelists, including Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar and other “prosperity theology” adherents who preach that wealth is a sign of God’s favor.” Grassley is particularly interested in “whether the ministers have avoided taxes on for-profit activities or used their ministries for personal benefit.”
Read about the Vatican council studying embryo origin and development.
Visit the new NPR music website.
Read the Ottawa Citizen’s list of “Top 10 Musical Geniuses.”
Read this piece which examines the expanding intersection between video games and music.
Read about the recent study which found that wealthier nations are less “religious.”
Read about China listing the Bible as one of the things banned for 2008 Olympiads.
Read as David Mathis, John Piper’s “theological right-hand man” says that not everyone will want to read Piper’s newest book The Future of Justification cover to cover. Do you plan on reading it?
Meet the new president of Reformed Theological Seminary.
Read as Douglas Groothius ponders the connections between philosophy and jazz (ht: JT).
Read about the former Boston prison that has been transformed into a luxury hotel.
Read about trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board voting to censure and suspend member and blogger Wade Burleson.
Read as Mark Dever says of the idea of being “relevant” to culture: “I would like to suggest that the most fundamental problem in the church is not that we are not relevant enough in relation to the world, but that the church is not distinct enough from the world.”
Read about what Real Clear Politics is calling Fred Thompson’s “blunder” on abortion, upsetting many social conservatives.
Read this piece which notes that “Despite objections that gay “rights” are trumping religious rights, the House has passed the first federal ban on job discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals.”
Read as Mike McKinley ponders “cool” for 9Marks, beginning: “Show me a grown man with a goatee and I’ll show you a major league baseball player. Show me a grown man with a goatee wearing sandals and I’ll show you a youth pastor.”
Holy crap on that Paste nonsense! Very cool. Thanks for the heads up.
