due to the continual overwhelming popularity of our interview with Mark Horvath (which was originally published in two episodes) we’re re-releasing the interview with Mark in it’s entirety in one complete episode.

Mark Horvath is a homeless advocate whose using twitter and other social media to increase awareness about the growing issue of homelessness here in America. not only does Mark see these issues daily on the streets, he’s also lived them himself.

Mark admits that some of the stories he shares are offensive — but he hopes they make the viewers mad enough they’ll get up and do something.

From invisiblepeople.tv ::

On the street I saw a small girl cold and shivering in a thin dress, with little hope of a decent meal. I became angry and said to God; “Why did you permit this? Why don’t you do something about it?” For a while God said nothing. That night he replied, quite suddenly:

“I certainly did something about it. I made you.”

I once heard a story about a homeless man on Hollywood Blvd who really thought he was invisible. But one day a kid handed the man a Christian pamphlet. The homeless guy was shocked and amazed, “what! You can see me? How can you see me? I’m invisible!”

It isn’t hard to comprehend this man’s slow spiral into invisibility. Once on the street, people started to walk past him, ignoring him as if he didn’t exist… much like they do a piece of trash on the sidewalk. It’s not that people are bad, but if we make eye contact, or engage in conversation, then we have to admit they exist and that we might have a basic human need to care. But it’s so much easier to simply close our eyes and shield our hearts to their existence.

I not only feel their pain, I truly know their pain. I lived their pain. You’d never know it now but I was a homeless person. Fourteen years ago, I lived on Hollywood Blvd. But today, I find myself looking away, ignoring the faces, avoiding their eyes — and I’m ashamed when I realize I’m doing it. But I really can feel their pain, and it is almost unbearable, but it’s just under the surface of my professional exterior.

if you’d like to listen to this podcast in it’s original presentation check out part 1 and part 2.

related ::
mark’s blog
mark on twitter
invisiblepeople.tv
invisible people on twitter
mark’s first night homeless
watch mark’s story

music ::
fast distance – heaven’s melody
derek webb – a king and a kingdom
brian lee and his orchestra – wake up
dave andrews – let justice roll

Yup, I’m taking a break. A sabbatical, leave of absence, vacation, or whatever you want to call it — a break from Web 2.0.

As of writing this, I’m not sure how long it’ll be. I’m thinking at least two weeks, but maybe the whole month of November. We’ll just wait and see.

No blogging, no Twitter, no Facebook.

I do plan to keep publishing the podcast during the month of November (that is if we can get some more stories), but otherwise…

A nice long break.

Why am I doing this?

• I’ve been blogging 4-5 times a week since April 2005 and I’m getting tired.
• I want to focus on finishing my novel and get it to publication.
• I want to prove to myself (and others) that I can live without staying in constant contact with others.
• I want to be sure that I can get by without the narcissism and ego boosts that come from having X number of readers and X number of friends or followers.
• Two weeks of vacation this year without Twitter were great. I need more breaks like that.
• There are other things that need my attention right now.

So there you have it.

I don’t expect to be legalistic about this.

You may discover me posting pictures to Flickr from time to time, or I may send out a Twitter update from time to time if an urgent need arises (especially to remind you that our friends are still in need of help to avoid foreclosure).

And of course, I’ll still be available on e-mail and phone — just don’t expect any updates on here, Twitter or Facebook.

And otherwise I’ll be on a Web 2.0 sabbatical for the next two to four weeks. See you on the flip side!

related posts ::

• A Christian Ethic of Blogging
• Social networking and the church
• Beating foreclosure
• Top 12 communication pet-peeves
• Helping our friends beat foreclosure – update
• With a little help for our friends
• Help a friend beat foreclosure
• My thoughts on church buildings
• Five things I did during the Great Crash of 2009
• Going dark

Just a brief heads up…

I’ll be back on Power FM Sunday night for Open Lines on Powertalk with Rick Walker. The show runs from 9 to 9:30ish PM CST.

It’s always a great time — and with Open Lines, you just never know what you’re gonna get.

In the past, we’ve talked about everything from cow tippin’, teen sex, masturbation, why God allows suffering and lots more.

In the DFW area, you can listen in on 89.7 FM KVRK or anywhere in the world, listen online at 897powerfm.com.

related posts ::

• I’m on a Powertalk Radio…
• Powertalk podcast

Wednesday of this week (10/28), was the third anniversary of my proposal to Laurie. I’m still thrilled that she said yes.

We were married six months later — April 28, 2007.

And only 2 1/2 years later, I finally got around to editing at least a couple minutes of our wedding video.

Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

related posts ::

• family-soon to be blundell’s
• How to worship (instructional video)
• San Fransisco’s People
• Muse – New Born
• U2 360 Tour in Houston :: Videos
• Greg Russinger at The Idea Camp #icdc #justicefriday
• Skye Jethani :: Where does our legitimacy come from?
• 7 is greater than 1
• Alan Hirsch shares during #thenines
• Wetoku – video interviews on the cheap

Over $4000 raised in just over a month!

Take a look at this map – it shows every city represented by at least one donation.

Awesome!

But we’re still not there yet. As of this morning we still need $450 to reach our goal.

We just need 45 more people to give $10 each, 90 people to give $5 each, or 10 people to give $45 each .

Donate online

Either way, I need your help.

I need you to E-mail this message, Tweet it, share it on Facebook, share it on Myspace. Send them to this page, or the original explanation page.

Get the word out so we can reach our goal and help a family avoid losing their homes.

Donate online

If you don’t think this is a real problem, take a few minutes and visit invisiblepeople.tv or watch these videos:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We can do this — together!

Donate online

related posts ::

• Helping our friends beat foreclosure – update
• With a little help for our friends
• Help a friend beat foreclosure
• My thoughts on church buildings
• Taking a break
• Top 12 communication pet-peeves
• Monday briefs
• Help the Joneses
• Some great Twitter peeps
• Five things I did during the Great Crash of 2009

Click here to view the embedded video.

HT to TallSkinnyKiwi for the video. Also be sure and read his post, “The Art of Not Getting Embarrassed at a Baptist Church.”

And yes, this is shared with a nice bit of sarcasm thrown in.

related posts ::

• God of this City
• 7 is greater than 1
• Social media’s impact and the Church
• My thoughts on church buildings
• The question of multi-site churches
• Tall Skinny Kiwi visits something beautiful
• Visual worship
• Jesus, Liberal Or Conservative?
• Let it out
• The one where we say ‘I do’

I do my best to offer grace and understanding to folks — no matter where they are, what they’re doing or how they’re doing it.

But sometimes when it comes to communicating, certain things get under my skin. I’m not sure why, they just do. So I thought I’d offer a little insight into my world with a list of my Top 12 communication pet-peeves.

(I know some of these might feel like I’m picking on you. I’m not. Trust me, there are more than one person that does each of these — and several folks do multiples of these. Consider this a confession on my behalf more than anything else. Perhaps this list will give you a little more understanding into my world — and then you can offer some insight into your world as well.)

1. People who call, don’t leave a voice-mail and then complain that you didn’t call them back. I know I have caller ID on my phone, but if you don’t leave a message that asks me to call you back, chances are — I won’t.
2. People who don’t listen to voice mail. I leave voice mail many times so that you don’t have to call me back. Sometimes its just to let you know something, or I just wanted to say hi. I might also leave a detailed message that I don’t want to have to repeat all over again when you call me back. I don’t mind people calling me back, but it makes things a lot nicer when they’ve listened to your voice mail first.
3. People who switch communication mediums – mid-conversation. I know some folks who like to respond to e-mails via chat, rather than e-mail. While I get that to some extent, they usually pick up mid-conversation and think I know exactly what I’m talking about. They’ve just read my e-mail and that’s what’s on their mind, but as soon as I hit send, I move on to other things until I see a reply in my e-mail. Also, I have some friends that will tell you something in Facebook, you’ll reply in Facebook, and then they’ll send their reply in e-mail, or chat, or Twitter. It makes it difficult to go back and track the progress of the conversation.
4. E-mail forwards. — especially political ones and/or those that have already been disproved on Snopes.com
5. Starting new e-mail threads, outside of the original one. This may not happen to you much, but in our office, an e-mail gets sent to a group of say 10 people. Three people hit “reply-to-all” and send their reply to everyone. Then someone else decides to only reply to one or two people and rather than replying to the original e-mail, they start an entirely new email (without copying the original e-mail into it), with an entirely new subject line. Then along the way other people in the group will get added to this new e-mail thread and eventually you have 4 or 5 different e-mail threads you have to search through to find what you’re looking for.
6. Over using “reply-to-all.” In a similar scenario, someone may send an e-mail to a group thanking them for a job well done. Then many people in the group hit “reply-to-all” saying thanks, you’re welcome, etc. etc. sending those e-mails to everyone in the group, rather than just the original sender of the e-mail. While it may not be intended, it often comes across to me as trying to be as public as you can in your kissing up to someone.
7. People who don’t follow me on Twitter sending me a direct message. For those of you who don’t know, there’s a “private” way to send messages on Twitter — it’s called a direct message. But you can only send direct messages to folks who are actually following you. And unlike Facebook, you’re not required to mutually follow people. I can follow 5,000 people if I want and not one of them is required to follow me. I understand using direct messages on Twitter. I use them all the time. It’s great for “private” messages you don’t want to broadcast to everyone else. But if you’re going to send me a direct message, in order to keep the conversation “private” at least have the decency to follow me for the time being so I don’t have to “broadcast” my side of the conversation as public replies. What this comes across as to me, is that while I’m taking the time to follow you, I’m obviously not good enough for you to follow me and I’m not even worthy enough to be mentioned publicly by you. You have to hide the fact that we’re having a conversation.
8. People who use Facebook as their only way to contact me, when they have my e-mail address, phone number and more (and if they don’t have it – it’s all posted on my Facebook profile). I’m don’t mind using Facebook, but it can be a bit annoying at times when you have to login to Facebook to get a message that could have easily been e-mailed instead. I guess I just don’t spend as much time on Facebook as others. I prefer e-mails simply because I can receive them and respond to them quickly and easily on my phone without logging into another site.
9. Extra long e-mails. This one annoys me not because I hate reading long personal e-mails, but I always feel like I have to write a full response to them. And usually when I get these long e-mails, I may have time to read them all, but not fully respond and thus I simply let them sit in my inbox and before long they’re buried and I’ve forgotten all about them (and my need to reply).
10. People who do nothing but whine and complain. There’s something about social media and Web 2.0 that makes complaining easy and tolerable by the masses. Suddenly you have an audience who is (somewhat) willing to listen to your ranting, venting and whining. But for those who do it constantly, whether its about politics, religion, how bad their life sucks, etc. etc. — uggh — it’s such a power drain.
11. Spam.

So there you have it, my Top 12 communication pet-peeves (in no particular order).

Oh wait, there’s only 11 you say? Well that’s because it’s your turn! Tell me what you would put in the number 12 spot.

What did I leave out on my list? Share it in the comments below.

Or maybe I’m way out of line with this list. Feel free to let me know that as well.

related posts ::

• Going dark
• Taking a break
• Beating foreclosure
• Helping our friends beat foreclosure – update
• With a little help for our friends
• Help a friend beat foreclosure
• Social media hacks for your website
• My thoughts on church buildings
• Five things I did during the Great Crash of 2009
• Church 2.0 forum

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sunday night at the Derek Webb show, I found out they were shooting a DVD of the concert. What intrigued me most about that was that they were using three Canon 5D DSLR cameras (forgot the exact model) for the shoot.

The main closeup shot was using a 32 GB card, that stored up to 80 minutes of HD video on it. He also had a small boom mic that attached to the camera’s shoe (where the flash normally goes).

Needless to say, I was smitten.

All of Canon’s DSLR cameras that shoot HD video are quite a ways out of my price range ($2700 for the 5DMarkII body), but there’s always hope… and either way… the technology is amazing!

Update: Found the site for the guy(s) who shot the Derek Webb show (@brignac – http://www.brignac.tv/). They’re using the Canon 5D Mark II and this was one of their initial videos — another beauty!

Click here to view the embedded video.

My first shots with the Canon 5D Mark II. Lensed with:
- Mamiya 50mm f1.4 (m42)
- Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L
- Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Macro

related posts ::

• Greg Russinger at The Idea Camp #icdc #justicefriday
• My life canon
• The one where we say ‘I do’
• How to worship (instructional video)
• Muse – New Born
• U2 360 Tour in Houston :: Videos
• The Butterfly Circus
• Lessons from the storm
• Skye Jethani :: Where does our legitimacy come from?
• 7 is greater than 1

300,000 women and children exploited for sex in our country each year.

The stats are astounding.

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never again say you did not know.” – William Willberforce

This demands attention!

Libby Spears, has devoted almost 10 years uncovering the sex traffic industry in lesser developed countries like the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. What she found out while filming there is that the United States is actually “influencing the global demand and growth of the sex trafficking industry.” That not only is human trafficking for sex apparent in less developed countries, but it is also “every bit as real in North America.”

After Spears’ discovery, she started filming “Playground,” which follows the story of victims in America and examines the United States’ influence by interviewing activists and experts in this field.

“The only way not to find this problem in any community is to simply not look for it.”

A special screening of this film will be presented by Dallas Women in Film and the Dallas Women’s Foundation on November 5th, 2009.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The event will be held at Studio Movie Grill – Royal Location, and begins at 6:30pm, 7pm screening followed by Q&A with director Libby Spears.

Studio Movie Grill
studiomoviegrill.com

11170 N. Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75243
214 361 2966
Get Directions

The first 80 people to RSVP will be admitted for free. RSVP to Sherri Galbraith at sgalbraith@dallaswomensfoundation.org or 214-525-5301.

Thereafter, tickets are $5 for members and SMU students and $8 for nonmembers.

Nonprofits are invited to purchase blocks of tickets at the discounted member price. For more information, please email chickflicks@wifdallas.org or publicity@wifdallas.org.

The screening is also brought to you in part by the SMU Department of Cinema.

HT to I Live in Dallas for the heads up! Read more about the film.

Becoming a slave is easier than you think
Becoming a slave is easier than you think
Becoming a slave is easier than you think
Becoming a slave

There’s always a price to pay
It’s gotta hit somebody’s back
Trust me, new worlds don’t just build themselves

Progress has more than one face
Even though it’s always itself
There’s nothing you can change that doesn’t change everything else

So it’s simple
It’s so simple
If they’re not like us

(Derek Webb – becoming a slave)

related posts ::

• Chipotle agrees to raise farmers wages 64%
• #justicefriday – Imprisoned journalists share their story
• Chipotle responds
• #justicefriday – the Vieled Community
• The Killers and MTV unite against Human Trafficking
• iPhones and dirty Coltan #justicefriday
• Obama administration looks at human trafficking
• adopt a Jesus
• A kick in the balls
• justice is what love looks like — in public

A quick summary of emergent Christianity… via @jonestony

Dispatch 1: Emergents practice a generous orthodoxy that appreciates the contributions of all Christian movements.

Dispatch 2: Emergents reject the politics & theologies of left versus right — they anticipate a more complex reality.

Dispatch 3: The gospel is like lava: no matter how much crust has formed over it, it will find a way to burst through.

Dispatch 4: The emergent phenomenon began when a group began talking about how postmodernism was affecting the faith.

Dispatch 5: The emergent movement is not exclusively North American; it is growing around the globe.

Dispatch 6: Emergents see God’s activity in all aspects of culture and reject the sacred-secular divide.

Dispatch 7: Emergents think that an envelope of friendship and reconciliation must surround all debates about doctrine.

Dispatch 8: Emergents find the biblical call to community more compelling than the democratic call to individual rights.

Dispatch 9: Emergent is robustly theological; the conviction is that theology and practice are inextricably related.

Dispatch 10: Emergents believe that theology is local, conversational, and temporary.

Dispatch 11: Awareness of our relative position—to God & one another—breeds biblical humility, not relativistic apathy.

Dispatch 12: Emergents embrace the whole Bible, the glory and the pathos.

Dispatch 13: Emergents believe that truth, like God, cannot be definitively articulated by finite human beings.

Dispatch 14: Emergents embrace paradox, especially those that are core components of the Christian story.

Dispatch 15: Emergents have a hope-filled eschatology: it was good news when Jesus came & it will be when he returns.

Dispatch 16: Emergents believe that church should function more like an open-source network and less like a hierarchy.

Dispatch 17: Emergents start new churches to save their own faith, not necessarily to make new converts.

Dispatch 18: Emergents believe that God’s Spirit is responsible for all good. Our task is to cooperate with God.

Dispatch 19: Emergents downplay—or outright reject—the differences between clergy and laity.

Dispatch 20: Emergents believe that church should be just as beautiful and messy as life.

I’m sure Tony will continue posting the rest of this list via Twitter (@jonestony)– or Tony’s book, The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier, is now available on paperback. It includes all these dispatches and it’s a great resource for those interested in understanding the history of the emergent church movement.

related posts ::

• What is emergent? Missional
• What is emergent? Centered set
• What is emergent?
• Hitler does emergent
• Top emergent books
• The marbles are on a roll
• Nine practices of the emerging church
• What is emergent? Trinitarian based values
• What is emergent? A generous orthodoxy
• The Great Disappointment

Solving real solutions in real, practical ways.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Be sure and check out the other GOOD videos from GOOD Magazine and be inspired.

related posts ::

• Working on a new Wordpress theme
• The Love Virus
• Playing with a new look
• My blog layout/design
• A prayer of benediction
• old school web design
• temporary shelter
• 7 innovative church buildings
• Lorem Ipsum :: Today’s random bit of worthless news
• Nerd olympics

In September, I publicly thanked Ken Silva, on my blog, for his two plugs for our podcast. I just realized I never took the chance to actually thank him here on the podcast site as well.

I know we won’t always see eye-to-eye with Ken, or many others. Even the three of us who host this podcast will not always see eye-to-eye on everything, but I hope that above all else, our love is evident to all.

I hope we spend our time, effort an energy building others up, rather than tearing them down. I hope that each time we sit down with a guest, or chat about a show, we put on love first and foremost.

And so to Ken Silva, I want to say, thanks again for continuing to raise awareness of Kingdom issues. Thanks again for your passion. May we all have a passion for Solo Dei Gloria like you do and may we always be reforming — realizing that no matter where we are on our journey — God is always reforming and bringing beauty from ashes.

“This is how God loves you. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts. And he showed it this way – by giving us his only Son. Believe that He loves you, period. That He loves you no matter what. And you will find life, now and forever.”

“And regardless of what else you put on, wear love.
It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”

- jdblundell

(HT to Jonathan Brinks for the graphic and reminder)

Already seeing Christmas/Advent decorations and sales at your local stores? Wanting to make a difference this year and ensure your purchases are slave free?

Be sure and check out NightLight’s and NotForSale’s online stores for products made by (and supporting) former slaves.

Both groups have some great jewelry and products for men, women and children.

Some info on NightLight:

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2

NightLight is an international organization committed to addressing the complex issues surrounding trafficking and prostitution by catalyzing individual and community transformation. NightLight’s vision is to offer intervention to sexually exploited women and children, to enable them to discover their dignity, and to provide a program of holistic transformation, empowering them to live and work in their community.

NightLight’s mission is to build relationships and provide hope, intervention, rescue and assistance to women and children exploited in the sex industry by offering alternative employment, vocational opportunities, life-skills training and physical, emotional and spiritual development to women seeking freedom. NightLight builds support networks internationally to intervene and assist women, men and children whose lives are negatively impacted by the sex industry.

In Bangkok, Nightlight operates as a business (NightLight Design, Co. Ltd) and a non-profit (NightLight Foundation). In the United States, NightLight operates as a 501c3 with branches in Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Visit the NightLight store.

Visit the Not For Sale Campaign store.

this week we talk to Mike Rusch, husband, father, follower, and one of the co-founder of the Cobblestone Project, a community movement in northwest Arkansas.

from the Cobblestone website:

The Cobblestone Project was founded in April 2008 by families who were committed to stepping forward to make a meaningful difference in their community. The motivation of this movement to action was the belief that every person has a unique and immeasurable value by virtue of their shared human story. These families believe that this human story is defined by a movement towards the restoration of the image that all people were created in. They believe that every human heart deserves dignity, respect and the opportunity to fully realize their beauty.

When a community of people engages together in bringing to light those whose image can not fully be achieved, true change begins to take place.

The dream of the Cobblestone Project is to work towards

“A Community Without Need”

related ::
mike on twitter
the cobblestone project
the cobblestone on twitter

music ::
moby – pale horses (apparat remix)
bifrost arts – i sought the Lord

this week we talk with Justin Snyder, storyteller, guacamole aficionado, founder of Abandon Films and all around great guy. Justin talks about his faith, film and how the two intertwine.

after spending a year as a media missionary for the Southern Baptist Convention, Justin joined with several friends to found Abandon Films.

Abandon Films began in 2007, launching with the quirky road trip documentary, The Great American Road Trip, and multiple projects for churches and non-profit ministries. Since then, the body of work has expanded to include three short films (one receiving an award for best graphics at the Richmond 48 Hour Film Festival), and an impressive portfolio of client work for non-profits and high profile organizations such as the Taubman Museum of Art and Geneva World.

Their client projects have taken them across the country, from disaster relief efforts in the California fires, to exclusive tours at the United Nations headquarters in New York. They have clients in Geneva, Nashville, Atlanta, Richmond, and Roanoke, and have collaborated on projects with various industry professionals including Access Advertising, Portnoy Media Group, and Red Cloud Productions.

so listen in, be inspired and then share your thoughts about Christians in film, Christian films, Christian art or anything else that comes to mind… and then share it with your friends.

also – huge props to Brooke Waggoner for giving our listeners an exclusive listen to her new single – which drops digitally on Oct. 6.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

related ::
justin’s blog
justin on twitter
abandon films
abandon films on vimeo
dei dox
the idea camp
the idea camp on twitter
charles lee on twitter
greg russinger on twitter
nooma
cool hunting

music ::
dm stith – morning glory cloud
ashley cleveland – the blessing
bluegrass orphans – bare kitchen floor
brooke waggoner – chromates soft love

this week we talk with Jason C. Dukes about his mission to Live Sent and how he’s found ways to practically live it out 168 hours a week.

From his blog:

I am a follower and a leader. a husband and a father. a son and a brother. a learner and a teacher. a writer and a dreamer. I try to listen to and live for Jesus everyday. I try to give my family more than leftovers, creatively and passionately investing into their lives. I try to think about the interests of others ahead of my own, but that’s really hard. I really enjoy seeing other people dream and live those dreams. I really dig Duke basketball, and I cheer for Jeff Gordon.

I currently serve on pastoral team with Westpoint Church, which my wife and I were asked to start back a few years ago. I also helped to start some really cool stuff since then: HouseBlendCafe.com, ReproducingChurches.com, theChurchofWestOrange.com and areopagus.tv and HumanityBeautiful.com.

Jason is also the author of Live Sent – You Are a Letter which was published this month, delving deeper into this idea.

related ::
jason’s blog
jason on twitter
jason on facebook
invitingconversation@gmail.com
livesent.com
westpointchurch.org
restorationconcept.com
HouseBlendCafe.com
ReproducingChurches.com
theChurchofWestOrange.com
areopagus.tv
HumanityBeautiful.com

music ::
horsefeathers – working poor
phil wickham – eden

Andrew Jones video via Bill Kinnon:

Click here to view the embedded video.

From Andrew’s blog…

Urgent Appeal: 5 Ways To Help the Jones Family
Thanks everyone for your suggestions on getting supported and on our way to the next 25 countries. So much opportunity. . . so little funds. You know how it is, especially in this financial crunch when things have dried up. We have just lost a huge amount of support and need to make it up really quickly. In fact, we really need a chunk this week for visas, ferry tickets and diesel so that we can continue.
Special thanks to Shannon Hopkins of Matryoshka Haus, who has generously allowed us to use her 501c3 account at Givezooks. We have launched a campaign called “Friends of the Jones Family” which we think will be a good short term solution.

5 WAYS YOU CAN HELP

1. Put a widget on your blog. Clicking on the widget will take people to our special campaign.

Widget code:

<iframe src="http://matryoskahaus.givezooks.com/campaigns/jonesberries/widgets/545" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; width: 200px; height: 187px;"></iframe>

2. Tell your church. They might have a mission fund that is looking for more opportunities. They can contact me directly about having me speak at their church to share what God is doing around Europe and beyond.

3. Join our email list and receive the top secret updates on our journey, adventures, prayer requests, and updates. Request it and I will put you on the list. This is the best way to see exactly what we are up to and where your funds are going.

4. Give. Yeah! You can use Givezooks or send me an email if you would like to support us directly or in a different way. tallskinnykiwi [at] gmail [dot] com

We hope you’ll consider doing what you can to help the Jones family continue on their mission. Thanks!

so here it is, in it’s entirety. listen to Rick’s story, enjoy the chat from Thomas and Stewart and then call in with your own thoughts :: 972-535-8980.

this week we talk with Rick Reynolds, who’s currently serving as the missions pastor for Lifechurch Reno, Nevada. Rick is also working to plant a new church (launching early 2010) in the downtown Reno area, with a goal of making Jesus real to the unchurched through loving and serving them in practical ways.

related ::
rick on twitter
rick on facebook
lifechurch reno

music ::
kings of leon – use somebody
yeah yeah yeahs – zero

I mean just look at this group ::

148 followers on Twitter. Don’t they look great?!

If you haven’t — be sure and join us on Twitter. Find out about our latest updates, news and more.

Follow @sbpodcast

(Get your twitter mosaic here.)

related ::
innes on twitter
stephen magill’s email

music ::
kevin macmeod – protofunk
shannon stevens – in summer in the heat

this week Thomas chats with our good friend Johnny Laird.

Johnny describes himself as ::

Follower of Jesus, Husband to my beautiful Janet, Dad to the wonderful Mia Alana & Noah Joseph, Salvationist, Scot with an English accent, International Director of sitting around & drinking coffee,

we just know him as a good friend and an inspirational chat who’s always encouraging us on our journey. listen in and then get to know Johnny online via his blog and twitter.

if you’d like to listen to this episode in 2 parts, visit drop.io/sbpodcast.

related ::
johnny’s blog
johnny on twitter
johnny’s facebook

music ::
helado negro – awe owe-deja
noah and the whale – first day of spring

this week our good friend Adele Sakler (@existentialpunk) shares audio from a chat with her friend, author Peter Rollins.

Rollins is the founder and coordinator of the experimental collective in Belfast, Ireland, Ikon. he is also a writer, speaker and blogger.

he’s the author of the books, “How (Not) To Speak Of God,” “The Fidelity of Betrayal: Towards a Church Beyond Belief,” and most recently, “The Orthodox Heretic and Other Impossible Tales.”

related ::
peter rollins website
peter on twitter
ikon website
adele’s website
adele on twitter
adele on the podcast pt 1
adele on the podcast pt 2

music ::
steven delopoulous – gospel plough
derek webb – my enemies are men like me

this week we talk with the first canadian to join us on our show, paula spurr (aka @cowpunkmom). we talk about her life as a preacher’s kid, her rebellious college life, becoming a pastor’s wife, her music, creativity and her unique nickname. we also throw in some legalism, grace along the way.

from her blog:

I am an artist. I am an actor. I am a musician. I am a dancer. I am a lover. I am a writer. I am not very good at any of these things yet, but I continue to do them. Why let mediocrity stop me? The things I’m good at, like rage and laziness, I’d rather stop practicing anyway.

related ::
paula’s blog
paula on twitter
paula on myspace
bluegrass orphans
laundry love people
ole slew foot
soul junk

music ::
bluegrass orphans – studebaker
bluegrass orphans – bare kitchen floor
bluegrass orphans – shining path

we hope this story interrupts you today. that you start thinking about what you’re saying with your wallet and you start standing up for those held in bondage and oppression.

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously — take God seriously. – Micah 6:8

the national human trafficking hotline :: 1-888-3737-888

UPDATE (9/3/09) :: Chipotle responds

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

related ::
humantrafficking.change.org
amanda on twitter
fairtrade usa (transfair)
fairtrade.change.org
tell Chipotle to stand up for the rights of farmers – UPDATE (9/3/09) :: Chipotle responds
madebysurvivors.com
chainstorereaction.com – see companies and their responses to human trafficking
Stop the Traffik
chaste.org.uk
salvation army anti-trafficking campaign

music ::
radiohead – all i need
dj haggis – funkyuniverse
mr. j. medeiros – constance

at the beginning of July Stewart and his wife Avril were asked to go to the Holy Land to help to lead a week-long summer camp for a very special group of young people. these young people are Arab Christians living in Israel/Palestine, many of whom have suffered due to the violence in that volatile region.

Stewart and Avril share their thoughts on a week that changed their perceptions of the Holy Land, its people and its place at the center of their faith.

related ::
stewart’s blog posts on the trip
stewart’s photos on flickr
avril’s photos on flickr
wikipedia for church of the holy sepulchre
wikipedia for the garden tomb
wikipedia for palestinian christians

music ::
spiritualized – angel sigh (alt mix)
great lake swimmers – everything is moving so fast
this is ivy league – crown of love

From Change.org

Right now, thousands of young children are held in slavery in Western Africa, harvesting the cocoa that is used to produce chocolate for many of the worlds largest candy companies. These children are beaten, raped, forced to work with untreated wounds, and denied access to schooling and medical care. They are not allowed to leave and are threatened daily with violence. They are child slaves producing what should be a delicious and simple joy of childhood: chocolate.

The best way to free these children and end child slavery in the chocolate industry is for major chocolate companies like Hershey to buy Fair Trade Certified cocoa. Other large chocolate companies like Cadbury and Mars have recently made the decision to end child slavery in Africa; it’s time for Hershey to do the same.

Sign the petition to ask Hershey to buy Fair Trade chocolate – or find out more

do you twitter at work? do you tweet your friends all hours of the day?

we want to follow you (and of course we want you to follow us too )! and we want others to have a chance to follow you as well.

simply leave your twitter name in the comments below so we and other listeners can find you.

also, if you prefer facebook, be sure and become a fan of our new facebook page and join in the conversation there as well.

this week Greg Garrett returns to the podcast to talk about his new book, “We Get to Carry Each Other – The Gospel According to U2.” Greg talks about his new book, U2’s Gospel and some of the spiritual insights we can gain from the band and their music.

related ::
greg’s blog
read an excerpt of the book
stuff christians like
U2
jon and kate plus 8 on wikipedia
10 (additional) spiritual lessons from U2 (jonathan’s blog)

music ::
dj earworm – together as one
u2 – zoo station (rock 2000 mix)
u2 – breathe
danyew – beautiful king