Finding God in Advertising

Last updated on: October 26, 2012 at 10:37 am By Bob Robinson

In a profound chapter in A Matrix of Meanings: Finding God in Pop Culture, Craig Detweiler and Barry Taylor look at how advertising has shaped contemporary society. The authors offer “Ten Commandments of Advertising,” all of which point to an overarching question that people in this (and every) culture ask: “What is it to be fully human?” “This is the question that advertising seeks to answer, a question that was one the pursuit of philosophers and theologians. Advertising is an incredibly powerful... Read more

Essential Books on WORLDVIEW

Last updated on: October 24, 2012 at 9:48 am By Byron Borger

The biblical narrative [ (1) Creation, (2) Fall, (3) Redemption, (4) Consummation ] explains more and carries more useful freight than most of us realize. It is the story of the fully good creation invaded by profound sin and curse but being fully redeemed and restored by the God of faithful covenant. Albert Wolter’s Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview (Eerdmans; $14.00) explores the significance of the full-orbed realities of this Christian worldview. His famous chapter on “structure and direction” is essential reading... Read more

Meaning Matters

Last updated on: October 23, 2012 at 1:37 pm By Dr. Steven Garber

Purpose and its Relation to Work. I have long wondered about “Wednesday cars.” Do you know the story? The locals have long known that it is not a good idea to buy Friday or Monday cars off the assembly lines in Detroit; rather the street wisdom is that one should always choose a Wednesday car. The reason is that on Friday and Monday good cars are not made, because the weekend is in-between. And as life is lived for the... Read more

Cloud Atlas and The Matrix

Last updated on: October 16, 2012 at 11:05 am By Bob Robinson

What has The Enlightenment done to Christianity? “Cloud Atlas” is debuting on October 26. According to Mike Metzger at his site “Doggie Head Tilt,” it is a creative re-telling of the principles explored in The Wachowskis earlier classic movie, “The Matrix.” Mike writes, “René Descartes was a leading spokesperson for the Enlightenment, or what is called modernity. ‘The Matrix’ is a story of Westerners being placidly mollified inside the Matrix of Modernity.” To dive deep into the philosophy of modernity, Left... Read more

Singing Songs Shaped by Truth in a Language All Can Understand

Last updated on: October 10, 2012 at 1:23 pm By Dr. Steven Garber

Can you sing songs shaped by the truest truths of the universe, but in language the whole world understands? It is a question I have been asking for many years. And while it has meaning for musicians, it reaches into every sphere, every vocation. People who spend their days in business, for example. Can you do business in ways that are shaped by the truest truths of the universe, but in language the whole world understands? And the same is... Read more

Is Full-Time Vocational Ministry the Highest Calling?

Last updated on: October 10, 2012 at 12:30 pm By Bob Robinson

I recently wrote an article for our friends over at The High Calling. The High Calling is the internet and media arm of Foundations of Laity Renewal (also known as The Laity Lodge), a ministry that since the 1960s has helped believers in Christ fully engage in doing God’s work in every aspect of their lives. Read it here: http://www.thehighcalling.org/hcb-community/work/full-time-vocational-ministry-highest-calling [image source_type=”attachment_id” source_value=”2822″ align=”center” width=”700″ autoHeight=”true” link=”http://www.thehighcalling.org/hcb-community/work/full-time-vocational-ministry-highest-calling” linkTarget=”_blank”] Read more

“How has the Church informed your work?” – Steve Norris

Last updated on: October 3, 2012 at 9:14 am By Bob Robinson

In this video, Steve Norris, President of Norris Realty Advisors, talks with the folks over at The High Calling about how our daily work can have great Kingdom value. TRANSCRIPT: One of the church’s big failures is that they are silent about work to a large extent. A lot of what we do in our work has great Kingdom value, but it’s not the kind of stuff we learn in Church. It’s very different than that, and it’s much more... Read more

Are you one of the Next Christians?

Last updated on: October 2, 2012 at 10:22 am By Bob Robinson

In this video, Gabe Lyons observes that the church has moved to the periphery of society and no longer has influence in the culture. He challenges us not to be on the defensive but to instead rediscover the heart of the gospel: That Christians are called to use our talents and gifts to participate with God in his restoration of all things. For more, check out The Next Christians. Read more

Searching for Happiness but our Dualism Gets in the Way

Last updated on: September 28, 2012 at 2:13 pm By Bob Robinson

Two Dualistic Extremes–From Our Culture and From Our Churches. David Naugle, in his book Reordered Love, Reordered Lives: Learning the Deep Meaning of Happiness, writes, “The genius of the Christian faith…is that it does not call upon us to eliminate our love for things on earth out of our love for God in Heaven. (p.21) The happy life…consists of learning how to love both God supremely and the world in the right way at the very same time. In fact, the world and... Read more

3 Resources to Help You Listen

Last updated on: September 26, 2012 at 5:21 pm By Bob Robinson

by Marcus Goodyear Originally posted at TheHighCalling.org Last week, I messed up at work. Publicly. In a meeting with some colleagues, I became defensive when a conversation wasn’t going the direction I wanted it to go. I took it personally. I got frustrated. And I shut down. The folks in the room weren’t sure what happened. Heck, I wasn’t sure myself, so I spent some time this weekend reflecting. I asked for forgiveness. I sent notes of encouragement to everyone... Read more

True or False: David killed Goliath with a sword.