The Culturally Savvy Christian
That was the title of the Cultural Impact Committee's first annual forum at College Church which was held last night and this morning. Dick Staub, author of the book by the same name, who has had a nationally syndicated radio talk show which was on the air for 15 years, was the speaker.
I went primarily to support Bob who is the chair of the CIC, and who has been sweating this forum (how was Dick as a speaker? Would people actually come? How much advertising should we do?) for months now.
From the first moment, I was totally engaged. First of all, Dick is a wonderful speaker. Secondly, he understands popular culture and is committed helping us understand and engage with it. (He doesn't like the term engagement -- romantic on the one hand, but combative on the other when you think of a "military engagement." Thirdly he's a huge fan of CS Lewis and Tolkein and L'Engle -- and what's not to love about that? Finally, he's a follower of Jesus.
He talked a lot about art and artists -- music, writing, "the arts." Whatever we are doing -- even if we don't have a grain of artistic ability (that would be me), we need to do our best and do it to the glory of God.
We were sitting with our friends Sean and Jenn. Jenn was our wedding coordinator for both Jill & Torrey -- I've mentioned her before. Sean has just started a photography business -- we got a packet of info this week about it. His website is www.timestandstillstudio.com. You can see some of his other pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/shimmel/. They are absolutely wonderful. So where was he when Torrey got married? Inquiring minds want to know (though he did a wonderful job of editing her wedding video!
I digress. During the forum I was thinking about Sean and this amazing gift God has given him with photography. What a wonderful medium to be an ambassador...
My niece, Liz Anne, is also artistic. She's a wonderful writer and has an amazing way of expressing herself. I'm hoping that if she does end up going to Moody next year that she'll spend lots of time nurturing this ability God has given her....
Check out her blog: http://www.pathofsprinkles.blogspot.com/.
I told Chris, our pastor of outreach that was moderating the forum that though I didn't have an artistic bone in my body, but I really resonated with all he said. Chris laughed and said that maybe I could be creative in the kitchen. Oh Chris -- I don't cook. I apply microwave to food.
Well, he said, apply that microwave to the glory of God.
Got it!
PS -- Dick's blogsite is www.dickstaub.com It's a good one! To listen to some of his interviews, they are podcast on www.thekindlings.com. Check it out.
Books, books and more books....
Over the last few years I've gotten a bit compulsive about listing all the books I read -- or listen to. You have to understand that reading is my most favorite pasttime. Beats watching TV by about a hundred-fold, going to the movies by about a thousand-fold, and exercising by about a million-fold. Two million-fold?
Anyway, at some point I started my book list. Since I read relatively fast and often don't remember WHAT I read, it is very handy to go back and find out -- "oh yeah, that is why this is familiar -- I've BTRT.
My "year" goes from September thru August as I started doing this in September of 2003. It is on the computer and is in color -- one color for novels, another for books of the Bible, one for audio-books, another for biographies/true stories, yet another for professional books (true confession -- THAT color is sporadic!!), and still others for Christian novels and Christian books (like by Yancey, McLaren, and others of that ilk).
One of the most fun books I read this year was "Glimpses of Paradise" by James Scott Bell. Not that I am all that excited about Christian fiction (which, for the most part, I find a bit dim), and not even that this was all that good (the plot left a bit to be desired), but -- this is true -- this is most likely The Only Novel Ever Written to Feature My Great-Grandfather.
My GGF is R.A. Torrey -- founder of BIOLA, Evangelist, first "president" of Moody Bible Institute (I think he was actually called "superintendent"), founder of Montrose Bible Conference, primary subject of R. A. Torrey Legacy on Facebook. (Now THAT'S an honor!!)
So to find a novel that has him as one of the characters was -- well, um -- really interesting. Especially since he died in 1928 -- long before I was born -- and this book was published in 2002.
Anyway, I've started my new "year" for reading. Last year was a banner year for number of books since I'm listening to books on tape/CD as well as reading -- I get to count all those fun driving hours listening to books -- much, much better than when I was driving listening to the radio or the same music tapes over and over and over and over.
FWIW: just finished "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the author of "The Kite Runner." Both books are excellent! I recommend them. And for listening? I'm up to book 5 in the Harry Potter series. There is not a single reader that can hold a candle to Jim Dale. He is outstanding!! And the books are great....
If you haven't done it yet, listen to the Bible on tape as well. "The Bible Experience" (I've heard the NT -- the OT comes out in October) is amazing. You will hear things you have never heard before. Try it! But get one that uses different actors and sound effects....like Paul ripping the pages from the epistles he is writing....
I have to learn how to listen to books on tape and do e-mails or write lectures at the same time. Haven't quite figured that out. They are great for cleaning house though!!
