You may sign HERE the following call against the possible implications of ACTA on the freedom of the Internet:

As concerned global citizens, we call on you to stand for a free and open Internet and reject the ratification of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which would destroy it. The Internet is a crucial tool for people around the world to exchange ideas and promote democracy. We urge you to show true global leadership and protect our rights.

You may also sign HERE an apeal against the implications of ACTA on access to decently priced medicine for poor people:

Petition to governments negotiating ACTA:
We urge you to oppose any deal that could cut off millions of people from access to essential medicines. We call on you to ensure that no agreement is reached via the secretive process in Tokyo, and to release current negotiating texts for public scrutiny.

* * *

Pentru cititorii romani

Cititi AICI mai multe despre ACTA.

This week’s radio programme On Being, by Krista Tippett, is dedicated to the Irish poet John O’Donahue and is titled ‘The Inner Landscape of Beauty‘. I have listened with fascination the interview, from which the poem/blessing above was extracted. I believe it is worth giving an hour for this.

In the next video O’Donovan is reciting the blessing during one of his conferences.

Finally, you may watch Irish landscapes, reading yourself the words of the blessing.

Here are also the words of the poem:

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

(Source, HERE)

This week I began teaching a preaching practicum at a local seminary. As a place to start, my students received and turned in the assignment of a short reflection paper on one of my favorite topics, “What is good preaching?” Since I made them reflect on the topic, it’s only fair that I do the work, too. Here are my reflections.

Good preaching is relevant. This does not mean the same thing as “Good preaching keeps up with the latest trends or what everyone seems to find cool.” Contrary to popular belief, a pastor wearing a remote headset does not automatically make people come to church. By “relevant” I mean: speak to the real lives and genuine concerns of your people. Be a real person. Reference the daily parts of life that have kept them occupied this week. Show them how the text informs their lives. There’s nothing worse than going to church on Sunday morning and leaving convinced that there’s nothing you heard, said or did that impacts life as you know it.

Good preaching is conversational. Preaching is not performance. Perhaps one day I will write and deliver a sermon that people would want to hear over and over again, but until then, I need an approach that works every week. An approach that helps me is when I can remember that good preaching is, at its most influential and meaningful core, conversational. That is, if you are up front preaching a sermon, it better have relevance and meaning, dialogue and interplay with the voices of your people. I don’t often ask people for a verbal response during the sermon (I’m not that brave), but I want them to feel that they are part of a conversation, not just witnesses to a performance. Can your people call or e-mail you after Sunday? Do they ask for or suggest books based on the ideas you present? Do you look out over the congregation and see faces eager to engage? That’s conversational preaching.

Read on…

‘ After nearly 40 years of polarization over abortion, two speakers at a Mercer University event said Jan. 24 it is time for people who are pro-choice and pro-life to seek common ground to reduce the current number of 1.2 million abortions a year.’

Abortion is a very hot topic, and rightly so, because it is about life and death. However, the way this issues was politicised by both liberals and conservatives has clearly not led to a reduction of the number of abortions in the US.

The search for common ground between the proponents of the two opposed positions on abortion is a must if this social problem is going to be addressed in an adequate way.

Un text superb. De citit neaparat, mai ales de cei ce sunt bunici.

A whiteboard video by Jeff Maguire and Brian Hurst. This is our take on what is meant by words like “church” and “gospel”. The concept comes out of the evangelism section of the Lausanne Covenant. Thanks to Brian Hurst for the drawings (check his stuff out at www.thequietsociety.com) and his wry sense of humor. The video will be shown at Mariners Church (www.marinerschurch.org) on October 22 and 23, 2011.

Thanks for this to my former LBC colleague David Tolhurst.

Greetings! Thank you for taking time to read this important message regarding the International Day of Prayer for the nation of Kosova. We want you to be informed about the prayer needs and opportunities across this nation. We hope you will join us in prayer and fasting and thank you in advance for your prayer support, love and generosity.                 The Kosova Protestant Evangelical Church Calls for INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, FASTING AND GIVING FOR KOSOVA January 31st, 2012 Where is Kosova? For those of you who unsure of quite where Kosova is located, have a look at the map below. We are east of Italy and north of Greece, surrounded by Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. It is believed that the apostle Paul was in the vicinity, as he mentions in Romans 15:19, “So From Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.” Illyricum was located in this area of the world, and Kosovar Albanians trace their roots to the Illyrian people.  You can see where ancient Illyria was located in the map below as well.   Daniel 9:18-19 “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.” Dear Brothers, Sisters, and Partners in prayer, Throughout the ages God has shown that He is moved by prayer and by genuine, repentant hearts. Our heritage as Christians is rich with a history of a relationship with our God who responds to our prayers. As Daniel cried out in these verses, calling on God in prayer and fasting, asking for His mercy and blessing, he made a deep observation.  He remembered that the source of answered prayer is always God’s mercy, not our own righteousness. James reminds us of the balancing truth that the prayer of a righteous man is effective, but the only reason such prayer is effective is that we have a merciful God. Kosova, is a nation, like any other, which is full of lost people in need of His mercy and salvation. Again this year on January 31st, we will together turn our hearts Godward, much like Daniel did, in fasting, praying and giving. This is a time to ask call on the Lord to prepare the hearts of people across Kosova to receive Christ, to ask Him to strengthen our faith and give us the courage to share it with friends, family and neighbors. We call on believers all across Kosova and across the world, inviting you to join us in this experience of seeking God’s face, His guidance and protection of His church here in this land. By God’s plan, the church truly is the hope of the world, and as Jesus said, no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl. The point of the light is to shine. God has put His light in us through His Holy Spirit, therefore please join with us in praying that His light would shine forth majestically and bring honor and glory to HIS name. Many of the churches across Kosova have compiled prayer lists with specific requests related to each fellowship. That list of specific requests can be downloaded here to print and share. We would be indebted to you if you would cover in prayer the general matters found below. The general list of prayer requests can be downloaded here  to print and share in your fellowships. May God bless Kosova as together we seek His face. General Prayer Guide 1.   The Spread of the Good News   Pray for a deep and inspiring gratitude for our salvation through Jesus Christ Pray for a greater sense of urgency in sharing the gospel with friends and family Pray for more opportunities to share Christ at every level of society Please pray for boldness, courage and wisdom in how best to articulate the gospel to each individual. A wise man once said “There is only one way to God: Jesus Christ, but in Him, God has as many ways to draw souls to Himself as there are people in the world.” Please pray that we would be led by the Spirit in each relationship so as to best share the Good News.  2.   The Political Scene in Kosova   Pray for the general dissatisfaction and anger that are deeply felt toward the widespread corruption   Pray for the hearts of Kosova’s leaders to be softened to listen and be receptive to God’s leading Pray for peace to exist between the various ethnic groups of Kosova, and for God-orchestrated peace to come to pass between Kosova and Serbia 3.   The Economic Situation   Official statistics for unemployment place it at 42%, however unemployment is believed to be as high as 80%! Pray for job opportunities and peace in the hearts of believers still searching for work. 37% of Kosovo citizens are living at or below the poverty line, with 13% living in extreme poverty (less than 1€ a day). Pray for God’s mercy for them and for the church to be a means by which they can experience it. The majority of the income in Kosova comes from Kosovars living abroad who send money back to their family in Kosova. Pray for economic improvement and that God will provide for the people of Kosova at this time of global crisis. Pray that the rampant corruption would be seen as a symptom of human brokenness and our need for God, and that such corruption would be torn down by the power of God.    _________________________________________Opportunities for Giving We invite you to fast and to pray about the matters mentioned above. Also, as this is a day of giving, we invite you to give financially as the Lord leads you. Any offerings you choose to give can be directed to the KPEC bank account and will be used to cover the financial needs of the organization as we work on behalf of the churches across the country. KPEC has two staff members who carry the full load of the work and ministry of KPEC. Naile and Lule are employed in faith; we believe that we will be able to support them, as they support the work of our organization, thanks for you. For more information about these ladies, their ministries and their needs, click here. We ask that you would please direct your gifts to the KPEC bank account below. Also, you can contact us for more information about how to give to KPEC if you reside outside Kosova. Bank info: Kisha Protestante Ungjillore e Kosovës ProCredit Bank Acct# 1110-2762-8900-0161   Church Specific Prayer Requests Thank you again for your faithfulness in prayer over the years. Many of you have held Kosova up in prayer for over a decade; some of you have been spiritually committed to blessing this land with your prayers for a shorter time, but all of you contribute to the work God is doing here, and we are grateful. Please continue to storm the gates with your prayers; we know many plant, many water, but it is God’s power that brings growth. Several churches have submitted various additional prayer needs specific to their congregations. As mentioned before, you can click here to download  a printable document of specific prayer requests for sharing with those who would join us in praying for these churches.

Coming Soon!  Together with alliances from 128 other nations, KPEC is a part of the World Evangelical Alliance. Soon an interview they requested with KPEC President Driton Krasniqi will be posted on their website which will outline prayer requests, victories by God’s grace and other information. Click here to visit their website, learn more, and familiarize yourself with this large community of fellow Christians that you are a part of.

We thank you in advance for linking arms with us on January 31st  to approach the throne of grace, and for joining with us as one worldwide community of brothers and sisters in Christ.

via Reflection – Known and called by name on Vimeo.

My son’s latest message in church.

This is superbly nuanced evaluation of the theology of Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Thanks to Scot McKnight for the link.

Here is the conclusion of the article:

…so much depends on how Williams is read. In OCT (pp. xii-xv), he speaks of three styles of theology. Accordingly, readers of Williams must be careful to always hear even his ‘critical’ theology as both ‘celebratory’ and ‘communicative’. Otherwise, we play back in monophonic mode what is necessarily heard stereophonically.