The Palm Application that Rocks

I've been a Palm user for years ... starting with the original Palm Pilot. I like that it does a few things very well and tends to be a pretty bullet-proof machine/software combination. Like most, I use it for maintaining my calendar, to-do list, contacts and a huge array of information through the memo feature. I've now moved up the the Tungsten T5 which has lots of great features but runs very slow ... hopefully a fix will be coming. Seems that they have some problems with the new flash memory. Anyway, the killer app for me on this platform has been Iambic Agendus for Palm coupled with Agendus for the desktop. The latest version (I've been with them for the last 4) can be used to sync with Outlook or the Palm Desktop. If you don't need to use Outlook, the Palm desktop is less quirky. What does this product do? First, it lets you look at your data in a variety of ways ... adapting to your style. You can use a straight 1-5 number system, or arrange your tasks through a Covey-like matrix. Add Icons to every task or meeting. Include pictures for your contacts, add colors and rearrange views on the fly. It is primarily a "front-end" for Palm or an addin for Outlook that rearranges the view. A very cool program -- on the desktop and on the palm. The thirty day trial makes it very easy to test everything out and if you find you don't like it you can delete the program but all your info stays intact in the originating program. I rarely recommend software. This is one of the few exceptions.

NieuCommunities

Character development and intentional training for life in ministry is something that I have long thought has been missing from much of our church and mission leadership processes. NieuCommunities looks to help change this. A small, intentional community (located in English speaking cities) comprised of deeply committed spiritual leaders who will live together with those seeking to find and understand God's call in their lives. Since my daughter Jenny is going to join the Glasgow team in September I'll pass on more as we discover the inside scoop. I know we'll be interested in how it might help us as we develop our own missionary training at Crossroads Bible Church NieuCommunities Home

A Magazine that Makes Sense

I've read newsmagazines for years, includingTime and Newsweek . I'm intrigued by the news they contain, but frustrated by the bias against evangelical Christianity and the conservative side of the news. Thats why I'm so pleased with World Magazine ... without being preachy they write the important news from an evangelical and biblical worldview. A bit pricey, but then again they don't have the subscriber base or ad revenue of the big boys, but the magazine is worth the extra few bucks. World Magazine - Weekly News | Christian Views

Plumbing and Me

I hate plumbing. It is one of the few things that can drive me to using words that I never use. No matter how easy the box says the installation of a brand new faucet will be something always goes wrong. Of course,the easy part doesn't seem to include the removal of the old fixture (which is normally rusted completely immobile), nor does it include the fact that the new fixture has to be connected from under the sink and requires significant contortions. Ah well, I actually got this one installed without removing any skin, saying any words I regret, and not one drip! So, while this means little to most men, it is an accomplishment for me and I now have a place to brag about it. Doesn't matter if anyone actually reads it. I'm happy. Thank you Price Pfister!

PyroManiac

A great blog in the making. Phillip Johnson is always provocative, biblical and sincere ... and often funny to boot. PyroManiac

The Purpose Driven Church - An Appraisal

The Purpose Driven Church - 9Marks: "Yet as much as we want to see Warren's work enjoy continued success, we cannot help but be lovingly candid about our concerns. While his passion for biblical fidelity and evangelical commitment are obvious and infectious, we fear that his interpretive methods lead to applications that do not always represent the intention of the text he's using to support his model. While his evangelistic zeal is exemplary, his evangelistic methods tend to make genuine repentance unlikely and can have the effect of rounding off the naturally sharp edges of the Gospel. Sharing his desire for numerical growth, we are reticent to use numbers as a barometer of God's blessing. Realizing the relative safety of rooting his model in the biblical purposes of the church, the tendency of purpose to replace the primacy of the Gospel has implications for the life of the church that we are confident Warren would not intend. " I found this review of Rick Warren's book of church growth and found it quite insightful. Like others (maybe only a few it seems), I find myself concerned with the uncritical acceptance of this church growth model. I think that Rick is totally and sincerely commited to the methodology as a biblical one and implements it consistently. There is no doubt that it is behind much of the growth that he has seen, but I find myself somewhat troubled by the faddish nature of the churches adopting it around the world. When we adopt "church growth" as the goal we often fall into the law of unintended consequences that take a toll on our biblical integrity. This article is one of the more reasoned and respectful critiques I've found. Quite helpful in clarifying my thoughts.