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.: BLOG ARCHIVES :.
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 OK. I need to download my experience from last week's trip to St Louis to be a part of Search Party.Things I enjoyed most:
1. Sharing a room and hanging with my good friend Doug Pagitt of Solomons Porch. We always have a blast together.  We have chased gators in Florida, rollercoasted in Dallas, and have tested the food in a dozen cities (best was beef in Sante Fe and chinese in San Francisco). We also climbed the William Wallace Memorial in Stirling, Scotland (see photo for proof)
2. Speaking with Len Sweet. This was a real honor. Len has written, like 18 books, and I have a problem holding a thought for more than 2 pages - which is why I blog and write short articles. Len is a great thinker and it was fun to do a dialogue with him. We had an hour on stage together. Len kicked off with some thinking about the need to "double boot" our systems in order to cope with the multi-dimension world of global/local realities that some call "Glocal". I was coming more from the receiving end - I call it "Lobal" - which was very protective of local cultures around the world while enjoying the freedom and opportunities that the global tools give us. We had decided that any disagreement would be a postive thing - add a little tension - but as it worked out, we ending up agreeing and supporting each other all the way through. Who would have thought?
3. Meeting Heather and some others from the mainline denominations, especially United Church of Christ. I didnt realize that I had more in common with my Catholic friends (like Brian - see yesterday's blog) than with the Mainliners. Heather told us that she had never heard the Holy Spirit referred to as "He" before - she was responding to Todd Hunter's excellent message - and I told her that many people at the conference had never heard the Holy Spirit called a "She". Amazing how distant our worlds can be in the same country, and yet there is a real desire for us all to learn from each other and move forward together.
The team from Levis Table who led the conference did an amazing job in organizing it all. Thanks to Rob Graham, Ryan Hale, and the guys.
 I gave Doug a shampoo bar from the Lush store in England. For his wife, I got a bar of exfoliating soap that takes dimples away. It's called "Buffy The Backslide Slayer." Hope she is not offended. This picture is Doug consoling his wife after she receives my gift. Hey - I dont know if she has dimples or not - I just liked the name of the soap!!!
Andrew Jones at 1:53 AM
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Friday, May 10, 2002 |
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In his latest book, "The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity," Philip Jenkins offers his perspective on Christianity and world demographics.
"By the year 2050, six nations will each have over 100 million Christians, Jenkins projects. Only one, the United States, represents the "advanced industrialized world." The other countries are Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)."
Thanks Iggi for the link found on his promising new blog called Iggie's Corner
Andrew Jones at 11:49 PM
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Wednesday, May 08, 2002 |
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The .pro web address got the green light today.
Quote - "Right now, those who register .pro addresses must submit credentials to prove they're doctors, lawyers or accountants. In exchange, they'll get a set of enhanced security measures, including encrypted e-mail and a certificate that will be used to verify their identity."
Here is what bugs me - there is no mention of ministers or missionaries, who were America's first "professionals". A professional, someone who "professes" a higher faith and carries the high ethical standard of their calling/career, had to train for a long time to become professional. America's first universities were created to train Professionals for the profession of the ministry of the gospel. Medicine and Law were included along with ministry as "professional". Much later, the business world entered and borrowed the credentials of the word "professional".
But now, pro.com is offered to professionals and ministers are not mentioned. Accountants are professionals and ministers are not. Maybe we should come up with another word and another concept.
Andrew Jones at 6:34 PM
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Last week at St Loius I met Brian Mitchell from 
Celebration last night at our household when Jessica (my PA) graduated from the International Baptist Theological Seminary. Go Jessica! She has been here in Prague for one year and is part of our family and community. Jessica is originally from North Carolina.
Last weekend was the International Book Fair. Some of our group did a reading of Song of Solomon. We had a professional actor and musician perform the book on our circular red carpet and a mountain of cushions. It went really well and conversations with people about God went on to midnight. The book is published by Sasha's publishing company "Biblion". We now have lots of offers to perform the book in clubs around Prague. 
We are thinking of publishing the book, with its paintings by Chagall, in the German and English languages.
Today I am in London where I am introducing some Japanese friends with some English friends. The Japanese are doing cell church and the English are doing alternative worship. Both are interested in training and technology to be used for equipping the next generation. 
Should be an interesting meal. I only have enough time to rush from Heathrow to eat for an hour and then back to the airport again to get to USA. Major rush but I just love it when a plan comes together.
My daugther Abigail got herself a cell phone today. She is 6 years old and has been saving her money for 3 months. We now have about 7 cell phones in the family and more if we include the community. We now have a phone charging station the size of a Walmart parking lot.