Farewell, Middle Class Morality: What Comes Next?

August 8, 2014 By The High Calling

The Middle Class is dying. So what? This question opens A.O. Scott’s fascinating response to Thomas Piketty’s bestseller, Capital in the 21st Century. “The book’s thesis,”Scott explains, is “that economic inequality in the developed world is increasing, with potentially dire consequences for social justice and democratic governance.” According to Piketty, the Western dream of an economically egalitarian world is naïve and, ultimately, untenable. His diagnosis hits the Democratic Idealist––for whom “the expansion of the middle class…unfolded according to something like... Read more

[VIDEO] Building a Platform: How to get your ideas to spread

August 8, 2014 By Dan King

How would Jesus build a platform for his message? I guess you could do it any way you want when, well, you know, you’re God. What I find fascinating it that he did it by doing some of the verythings Seth Godin speaks of in this video. He was different, and remarkable. It doesn’t take much to figure out that Jesus was different than the religious leaders of his day. As they walked around in their decorated robes, enjoying the luxuries... Read more

Who’s Influencing Whom? Making a Difference in the Workplace

July 28, 2014 By The High Calling

It was just a joke, guy banter in the break room. It was funny and very inappropriate. My conscience burned that night. I shouldn't have laughed. Why did I laugh? It wasn't the first time I acted in ways contrary to my Christian faith. Why are people able to influence me so easily? Read more

There’s No Such Thing as The Good Book

July 25, 2014 By The High Calling

[Another great article by The High Calling summer intern, Nathan Roberts.] “The Bible’s a mess,” declares a headline on The Verge. How does that phrase make you feel? If you’re a person of faith, it might make you livid. If not, you might think: finally, someone gets it! However, a quick read through the article shows that it’s not referring to “The Bible” as an abstract text, but as a variety of physical, reproducible volumes. Adam Lewis Green, a Santa... Read more

Diagramming Stephen Elop: Bad Writing Makes You an Easy Villain

July 22, 2014 By Marcus Goodyear

Last week, when I was talking about balancing honesty and humility in business communication, Stephen Elop had already sent the worst layoff announcement in the history of Microsoft. His email was so bad, it invites us to imagine Elop fiddling while Microsoft burns. In case you missed the story, the Executive Vice President sent a sprawling 13 paragraph, 1110 word email to announce the layoffs of 12,500 employees in his division. The email began with a generic and absurd “Hello there,”... Read more

Good Leaders Listen, God Help Me Be Good

July 22, 2014 By Marcus Goodyear

A few months ago, I was asked to lead The High Calling through an incredibly painful change. All of our editorial systems would need to change. All of our editors would need to approach their work differently. Even worse, the change was uncertain. I didn’t know if it would work. I didn’t even know if it was a really good idea or not. But the task was clear. Change your editorial processes, change your editorial production, and then we will... Read more

Making Money: Your Money Or Your (Spiritual) Life

July 21, 2014 By The High Calling

It’s nice to make money, isn't it? Now don't give me that look. A healthy desire to make money does not necessarily imply greed, or obsession, or that one is dedicating one’s life to serving the dreaded Mammon. All I'm saying is, as a practical matter, having money sure does come in handy. In fact, it is pretty much a requirement these days for getting around in our 21stcentury Western culture. Read more

Are You Ready for JIBO the Robotic Spiritual Advisor?

July 17, 2014 By Marcus Goodyear

What if technology could help you feel closer to God? Only July 15, Dr. Cynthia Breazeal and her team announced JIBO on Indiegogo. It is an impressive social robot that is priced to replace your tablet at home. After watching the video yesterday, my son said, "It's hard to believe something like that will be real next year." Fall of 2015 according to the site. Read more

What this Author Has Learned About Success

July 16, 2014 By Guest Contributor

Last year, I had a nervous breakdown. It was the day after I realized my third book hadn’t sold much of anything at all, and all of my dreams of being a successful author drained, even as I miscarried the child I’d been carrying. So I lost my baby and my dream in the same day. I had no real control over either. And as hard as it was, it was also the day I woke up and realized my heart was in the wrong place. Read more