10 Mac Applications for $49.95
The good people at MacUpdate have put together one of the most incredible “Back to School” bundles of software, worth $621.45 for a special price of $49.95—but you can only get this amazing offer until midnight Eastern Standard Time. That’s fifteen hours away! You can read more about it at MacUpdatePromo, but if you have a Macintosh computer I wouldn’t wait too long. Even if you don’t have a Mac or you already own some/most of the software featured in this bundle, if would also make a great Christmas gift for someone you know.
I would have purchased this bundle just to get Bookends (a great bibliographic utility) and Mellel (one of the best-rated Mac word processors) alone; however, I now have eight other really cool applications. The last two have only recently been “unlocked” or added to the line-up, so this is a really sweet deal: it works out to 92% off the current price if purchased individually.
Taylor Mali really nails a problem with the increasing use of an “interrogative tone” at the end of our sentences: the unconscious adoption of a style of speech that shields us from the accusations that we are making declarative statements in a postmodern context where there seems to be no absolute truth. We have noticed this phenomenon over the past four years in Britain, but we didn’t know it was also happening in the culture of American speech patterns. Those who engage in public speaking should be aware of this tendency—just in case you find yourself guilty of doing the same thing—and take steps to keep your words from drifting off into meaningless drivel, especially if you have something important to say! Although the video is intended to be humorous, I believe the slam poet, Mali, is taking careful aim at something that needs addressing in our Western culture.
Recently, one of our supporting churches in the United States sent me a list of questions aimed at understanding our ministry in Wales more fully. After reflecting on my answers, I thought that others might be interested to read some of them and so I plan to post those here (slightly edited for a more general audience) over the next couple of weeks. This is the second installment of the series: click here to read Part 1.
Can you describe your primary strategies in fulfilling your role?
I will summarize my responsibilities at “church development worker” for Temple Baptist Church in the following way: (1) advising and working alongside the elders and wider leadership team in the local church, (2) intentional discipleship through teaching, preaching, & training believers, both formally and informally, (3) developing, implementing & overseeing a ministry internship program (two interns at the moment), (4) building a missional strategy that will enable and empower local believers to reach Continue Reading »
Surprising Medical Breakthrough or Prophetic Prescription?
Yesterday morning I phoned my doctor to see if he would be willing to continue my antibiotics for a recurring tooth infection that’s still giving me trouble. He asked if there was anything else I needed, so I told him I could use some more ibuprofen for the pain. So my wife stopped by the pharmacy to pick up the prescription as she was running a few errands anyway. Imagine my surprise when she arrived home and I opened the shopping bag from the pharmacy to find a box of Brufen Retard medicine. I certainly don’t mean to be insensitive or make light of those who suffer from mental illness, but I just about fell on the floor laughing! Actually, my wife and friends are probably relieved, thinking “That’s just what the doctor ordered!” Turns out, Brufen is a brand-name in the UK for ibuprofen and the term “Retard” describes the time-release nature of this particular medication. Mystery solved. Laughs all around. Bill is greatly relieved, in more ways than one, because the pills work like a charm!!
In his best-selling book, The Shack, author William Paul Young deliberately uses a fictitious story with a high degree of literary imagery concerning the Trinity and how each person within the Godhead might appear to a man drowning in a whirlpool of personal grief and pain. Did I mention that The Shack is fictitious? If not, please hear me, “The Shack is a work of fiction. The story is completely made up by the author.” While many people have found this a comforting way to portray and understand God’s love and grace, the appearance of God the Father as a large African-American woman bothers a lot of pastors and theologians, particularly some prominent and powerful men like R. Albert Mohler, Mark Driscoll, and Chuck Colson. But remember, God really didn’t appear to anyone as a woman…because it’s a work of fiction. I hope we got that straight.
Mackenzie Allen Phillips, the main character of The Shack, is also troubled by these things. Shortly after his arrival at the shack where his daughter had been brutally murdered by a serial killer, Mack expresses his surprise—even his discomfort—at relating to God the Father (Papa) as a woman:
Mack: “I think it’d be easier to have this conversation if you weren’t wearing a dress,” he suggested and attempted a smile, as weak as it was.
“If it were easier, then I wouldn’t be,” she said with a slight giggle. “I’m not trying to make this harder for either of us. But this is a good place to start. I often find that getting head issues out of the way first makes the heart stuff easier to work on later…when you’re ready.” Continue Reading »
