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July 24, 2009 >> 10:48:25 AM
Photo of the Week
Sunset in Wilmore. photo by Krissi Carson
July 23, 2009 >> 03:40:29 PM
How Media Shapes the Church
These past couple weeks of summer I've been enjoying Shane Hippps' The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture.
With the precision of a brain surgeon he dissects the use of media
within all of life, especially the Church. He has this to say about
media- "[Media
has] dynamic forces with power to shape us, regardless of their
content. Such and approach invites us to ask different questions, and
moves us beyond the oversimplified but common belief that media forms
can be deemed good or bad based on how they are used. This perspective
is deeply entrenched in the assumption that a medium can be considered
"redeemable" if it dispenses the gospel or educational information, but
"evil" if it distributes sex and violence. It is imperative we move
beyond this paradigm and realize that our forms of media and technology
are primary forces that cause changes in our philosophy, theology,
culture, and ultimately the way we do church."
Chew on that today. It's the medium that shapes us, perhaps even more than the material it is sending.
July 22, 2009 >> 11:07:39 AM
Review of Dr. Witherington's new book, "The Paul Quest"
TheMourningdovecaws offers up a great review of Dr. Witheringtons new book here. If you are interested please check it out!!!
July 17, 2009 >> 10:48:36 AM
Photo of the Week
Good friends at the President's picnic on July 1st. Staff members Peg Hutchins and Sarah Jackson.
photo by Krissi Carson
July 15, 2009 >> 01:16:12 AM
Follow the Chapel office on Twitter!!!
Almost a year ago, the chapel office launched @twiturgy and we are close to 1,000 followers!!! To continue with our experiments regarding social media and the intersection point between advertising and participation we launched a chapel twitter feed @atschapel. If you use Twitter (if you don't these two things would be a great reason to start), just follow us and receive updates regarding chapel and some other really cool things.
July 09, 2009 >> 05:35:59 PM
Photo of the Week
July 08, 2009 >> 02:52:17 PM
Reason Pastors should blog #317
To embed themselves within the fabric of their community.
I imagine many pastors don't think their blogging can be influential to those who are not in their congregation. But, especially in areas with a large denominational presence, it can foster not only inner-church relationships, but respect. The Pastor that blogs for the sake of the kingdom, and not personal gain, isn't concerned with politics but with seeing the movement of the gospel.
By taking this stance, you are essentially destroying any walls that are built around your own church, and opening yourself up to everyone that is around you. Writing with this in mind, will connect you with other believers but also show an amount of openness and vulnerability that will draw people towards your Church. So instead of always concentrating on issues surrounding your church, or extra notes on your current sermon series, blog about how the Kingdom of God is taking root in your community.
July 06, 2009 >> 10:26:57 PM
Show us your Bibles!!!!
This is a little meme which makes its way around the web every now and then. It's time that we see Asbury's Bibles.
The blue bible on the left is a Zondervan Thinline NIV. I refer to it as "Ole Blue". My parents gave it to me when I was around 8 or so to celebrate my baptism. Somehow, I managed to keep up with it among the many times I dragged it all over the country when I was in youth group. I secretly imagine I kept up with it because I never really used it when I was young. I have had it for 20 years now.
When I hit college was the first time I ever REALLY used it. It was my bible for a year or so and then I got my first study bible and put it away. It ended up getting pulled out again and put away for a couple of more years. About the time I really started straightening out life I started using it exclusively. I felt attached to it since I had it as a kid (and there are tons of silly kid stickers inside it to show that era of my life), and it was small and handy to keep around. The wear and tear started to really break it down, so I ended up putting it in a box and replacing it with another thinline from Zondervan which I have lost. I pull it out of it's box when I can't find a scripture that I know I have read and studied. Chances are if I know I was really into it from the ages of 18-24 I will have it marked in there.
The maroon bible on the left is a ESV thinline. I really don't like the thinline, double column reference style, but these seem to be the Bible's I am attached to. I started reading ESV when I was 25 or so because I wanted to move into a more literal translation, and I don't care for the NASB. This was my third ESV and I got it randomly at a lifeway store because I had a coupon. I have tried to replace it, but it has so many notes from working at my first full time ministry position that I couldn't ditch it when I came to seminary. It is now filled with notes and starting to fall apart. Crossway really doesn't make a good bonded leather bible and it is not to far away from the state of destruction that "Ole Blue" is at. Until I find a suitable replacement I will keep on carrying it with me everywhere and hope I don't loose it.
Both of these bibles are very dear to me. They represent and serve as reminders of my spiritual journey. I have way too many bibles, lets say around 30, but these two are important. I can trace my spiritual growth using both of them, and I love going back to "Ole Blue" and seeing notes I made almost 20 years ago when I was a kid.
So what would my perfect Bible be? Either a NRSV or a Jerusalem bible with WIDE margins and nice leather, so I could use it for a decade and it still be in good shape, and my wife would give it to me so I wouldn't feel guilty about buying it.
Well there is my long expose on my favorite Bibles and what a new one would look like. Thanks for sticking around this long.
I really think this is interesting, so if you do a post about your bible, leave a comment.
-Chad Brooks
July 04, 2009 >> 02:00:18 PM
Where are they now? Asbury Seminary Graduates
July 01, 2009 >> 10:17:46 AM
Dr. Timothy Tennent, 8th President of Asbury Theological Seminary, Takes Office Today
Welcome Tim and Julie Tennent. Join us for Chapel today at 11:30 on our Wilmore and Orlando campuses or via live streaming on the web.
