Sacred Digital: Chuckk Gerwig

My yellow Labrador Retriever is named YelloDog (which is an excellent name for a dog colored yellow). YelloDog is really mad at my wife because my wife bought THIS toilet paper.

Somewhere some canine hate machine designed toilet paper with this image to insult Labs everywhere.

My dog recently quipped “hey do you know what they wipe with that kind of paper!?!”

Domestic tranquility has been breached in the Gerwig household because of this incident; pray for my dog to repent of bitterness.

On the iPod: Genesis - Nursery Cryme

Join the discussion at The Digital Sanctuary

The new Microsoft Zune has buzz factor. Will it slay the mighty iPod? Who knows what will happen. Watch the complete Zune interface walkthrough video at Engadget's site now.

IF Jesus was dead He'd roll over in His grave when He heard about THIS. A new "bible" for rich people with all the social justice and care for the poor passages removed.

Luckily He's NOT dead, and I think He's probably pissed about this one...

from Greenflame

Guy Kawasaki just blogged about this brand new web 2.0 app called Razz. Being the cat who has to try everything I immediately tested it out. Razz lets you place voice audio files with drag and drop music and sound effects into a player that can be uploaded to MySpace or your blog.

Youth workers here's an application idea: you could make an AUDIO MySpace bulletin announcement for your crew. You could remind students of upcoming event registration deadlines, leave prayer reminders or personal intestinal distress updates. Here's an example of the way I used it on a MySpace bulletin to alert my students to this week's end of the series message. This audio test message only took about 5 minutes to complete -wiki wiki, yeah!

Make your own Razz!

World Race is one of the most exciting mission challenges ever. Check out the update HERE

On The iPod: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Ecstacy

I now know where on this globe we're headed and what we'll be doing on our epic chaos discpleship mission journey known as Summer Mission '07. I'll be letting the cat out of the bag THIS Sunday. The image above is a hint...

Amish folk are now officially allowed to use mp3 players... as long as this is the one they use.

Surveys show most Amish are listening to NIne Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral and Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar.

...check the Holy mp3 rig out at Engadget Espaniol

One of the practices of modern Christianity is a worrisome trend towards using the Bible in quiet times as some kind of assignment making God’s word a tiresome duty. Have you ever found yourself doing your personal Bible study or quiet time and rushing to get it over with? There have been times in my life where this has been true is. Has the Bible ever become an assignment or burden for you? Have you ever done a Bible reading plan and felt the desire to read a bunch to catch up and just rush though to check off a check box? Have you ever had a time where you memorized scripture as a pure cranial exercise, bypassing the heart ? A scripture heart-bypass is almost a sacrilegious toying with the life changing soul shaking words of the Creator. God didn’t ask us to hide the Word in our head, but to hide in our heart. The heart is where we really are, and where we feel. - our core

A familiar Old Testament passage:

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your HEARTS. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (from New International Version)

I surmise the following:

God’s words are to be in the heart - at the core of me not just in my head

God wants me to talk and process his words when I’m at my house or away from it, (that’s pretty much everywhere) Not ONLY in a specially compartmentalized time called quiet time.

I should be dealing with them if horizontal or vertical which is the pretty much the 2 main coordinates I find myself in :: unless I am in the process of falling down.

AND THEN...

There’s this idea of putting the Word on the door frame.

Last July I took a group of my students to the Czech Republic on a mission adventure. Here is a short Quicktime movie one of the students from the team put together.

See the 2006 Czech Republic Mission Movie

Moby thinks it's okay for vegans to use meat terminology, so I guess it's okay. Read all about it in Moby's Blog

On The iPod: Tangerine Dream - Green Desert

Here's a little known fact : The song Ring of Fire is actually about an unfortunate incident after a dinner at a Tijuana Mexico taco stand - I can relate Johnny, sing about life baby

...a street sign I spied in Ostrava, Czech Republic last July...

George Barna says:

The Baby Boomer generation placed its unique stamp on the nation, including its application of morality. But how is the subsequent adult generation – the Baby Busters – reshaping the nation’s norms regarding morality and sexuality? How does their lifestyle compare to biblical standards? The latest Barna Update examines the lifestyles and perspectives of adults who are in their twenties and thirties and provides challenging insights about the imprint Busters are putting on morality.

Read the Barna Report

Video games are a major player on the culture field, they even draw crowds. Youth ministry needs to utilize video games beyond just having an Xbox in the youth room corner. If your church can handle it, consider hosting an all-county video game tournament. Give away a Wii as a prize?

Here's a video worthy of running before a youth group meeting. This is just unreal.

Posted By:x*N4T£*x

Get this video and more at MySpace.com

...and no I don't think this is really proof of evolution in general ... just that some French guys come from apes.

If you are part of mySCBC Youth Horde the parent / student info meeting will be happening this Sunday Nov. 19th from 1pm-2pm in the Student Center.

This will be an epic viking voyage. Stories will come of it and God loves stories!

There's a NEW MySpace Instant Message program; it's a SEPARATE DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL. This one actually works, unlike the original IM feature that came with your MySpace program (that one was basically a Hoover upright)

The new IM program also alerts you when you have new mail, comments, friend requests etc - this is really helpful

I installed it: and talked to several friends today-- try it out and we can IM chat while on MySpace.

Here's where to get it : My Space's New Instant Messenger

Speak to me...

LISTENING to the Bible can allow you to get larger context and new insights into old news. I'm a believer in adding Bible listening to a rotation of personal Bible study, Bible memorization / meditation, Bible reading and Bible learning through gifted teachers. Redeem some of your iPod time, your car stereo, your commute or workout time with fresh wind.

In an earlier post I pointed you towards the Man in Black's reading of the Bible. In this post let me signpost you towards a fully dramatized audio extravaganza of the Word of Life. You gotta love any recording of the Bible that casts Samuel L. Jackson as the voice of God, Cuba Gooding Jr. as Judas and Denzel as Solomon - all voices in The Bible Experience are African American. BTW: Samuel L. Jackson does have experience with quoting God's Word from the film Pulp Fiction if I remember correctly...

Check out The Bible Experience

On The iPod: Arc Angels:Arc Angels This album is the Schnitzel, Texas Blues that sound like Jesus is in the band.

A new church plant is rumbling just beneath the surface of the Tijuana dirt. Read all about it at the Palau's blog :: Church Plant Tijuana Mexico

God is A L L O V E R T H E S E P E O P L E ! --- get involved: take a team to help? give financially? tell your Mission Board to support the work?

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There is an interesting article about Ted Haggard's sad fall written by a man who has been there; Gordon MacDonald. It's worth reading if you are a Christian leader.

When these things occur many people chant the simple mantra "more accountability". Is the modern accountability movement a deterrent to serious sexual sin?

...here's quote from the article:

No amount of accountability seems to be adequate to contain a person living with such inner conflict. Neither can it contain a person who needs continuous adrenalin highs to trump the highs of yesterday.

"DANGER WILL ROBINSON...
__________

Send up a fresh prayer for the Haggard family and for the protection of your your local pastor too.

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Sacred Ink our Internet-faith-art-story web site has just had it's 50,000th visit today. Sacred Ink has been visited from over 97 countries so far. It's been fun to watch the site minister to people all over the globe in unique ways.

The idea behind Sacred Ink is to allow people of a specific tribe (tattooed folk) tell the Jesus story through their tribal customs. There are many other tribes who could use the customs of their tribe to speak forth the Jesus story on the 'net : golfers, sailors, soccer moms, 12 steppers, 2 steppers, people who play World of Warcraft... How might you utilize YOUR tribal affiliations to speak Jesus globally thru the 'net?

COMING SOON : We're working on a new featured "blood spot" for Sacred Ink right now.

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It's interesting how HD once tried their hardest to distance themselves from the outlaw image of motorcycling but now embraces the black sheep image.

See the Harley Davidson Black Sheep Video

On the iPod: Alice Cooper - Killer ...oh nostalgia

Here's a repost from an earlier time, since the movie just hit home DVD players - I thought I'd get it back in circulation!

This video looks into the accuracy of many of Dan Brown's claims recorded in the Da Vinci Code such as:

-Did Christianity borrow from pagan religions?
-Is there a real Priory of Scion, was Leonardo in it?
-How does the Bible you read compare with the original documents and all historic ancient texts?
-How did the books we read in the New and Old Testaments make it into your Bible?
-Did Jesus marry Mary Magdalene?
-Did the Bible you have get pieced together in 325ad at the Council Of Nicea at Constantine's request?

The latest Sacred Digital Video has just been released. This month’s installment was filmed in a dusty windblown junk yard in Tijuana, Mexico. We shot it guerilla style and got caught just after we got 1 full take in the can and were asked to leave. It is a wrecking-yard contemplation about how do to deal with the memories of your past wrongs towards others and the wrongs done you. See “Wreckage” exclusively at my iTunes video cathedral.

We also just released a past video called the Life of Brian (featuring sultry love god Brian Martin) on Google Videos, Yahoo Videos, YouTube this week. Google looks grainy - Yahoo and ITunes are the best looking. Roll Film.

On The iPod: Sarah McLachlin – Fumbling Toward Ecstasy

Ever need free LEGAL music for a youth group video you’re editing? Ever want to find new bands and fresh musicians to listen to? Check out Jamendo. Jamendo allows you to find new bands, listen to their music, exchange and burn their tunes and USE their music in your projects free of charge. And it’s legal.

In the news Church site or porn site?

as seen on church marketing sucks

On the iPod: Psychedelic Furs - Forever Now

Tomorrow will be Thanksgiving; the Great American Cholesterol Shindig. I have so much that I am truly thankful for!

- - - - BUT

Since it’s not yet the special day for thanks-giving I thought I’d note some things I’m not so thankful for.

I’m not so thankful for:

The nasty skin that forms on pudding when you don’t put plastic wrap over it.

My dog’s recent $714.00 ear operation. As I handed the vet my Visa card I decided that when my dog does finally die we WILL eat her carcass.

THE Crusades and the fact that the word crusade is currently used to describe a “large scale evangelism event”.

The recent classic recordings of pop singing sensation Paris Hilton.

Pelicans who crap in your ear at the Santa Cruz Wharf… Pelicans carry a truly ear-FILLING load of pungent fish-based kahkahski. …not that I would actually know from experience…

Family members who run away from you screaming when a pelican gives you its organic high impact inner-ear cleaning treatment.

The sad jihad between emergent and modern church leaders.

Faithlessness – Hopelesness – Charitylessness

Pink motorscooters being sold in Harley shops.

Internet porn and how it devastates the inner life of so many teenagers.

The spicy zesty scent of humans with gingivitis.

The American Divorce Epidemic and the smoking ruin it leaves in its wretched wake.

The veins between babyback ribs…are they more purple or black? I can’t decide. Nasty.

Did I mention that dog ear bill…

Here’s an email I sent as a reply to some folks in my church asking if we should host a concert for little known Christian band as an outreach event. What do you think? Are Christian Concerts a big draw for non believers in your town?

Hi Guys, regarding the idea of bringing in a fairly unknown Christian rock band as an outreach... Since no one knows them and the kids have a wide degree of taste / style differences it would probably be very poorly attended. Since our students listen to a wide variety of styles and often hate styles they don't like almost any style of music would leave most of the students cold.

In a town like Santa Cruz with a thriving music scene kids are in a place where there are already concerts to attend so most kids go to shows of their chosen style of music by bands they know and like all around town -they don't have a lot of interest in church concerts.

I have some experience in church concerts and have found them to be something that had draw in the past but very little draw in these days, especially in Santa Cruz. We'd have to try to convince our students that this band or any band that they don’t already know is worth seeing AND worth taking the chance on bringing friends to see. No one wants to bring a friend to a show that might turn out to be lame and then they would feel uncool and embarrassed.

The exception would be if we brought a BIG name act and then we could do draw a crowd but it would cost LOTS. Bands like David Crowder, POD, Chris Tomlin would draw well. Even then, if the purpose is outreach not a lot of non Christians would attend because even big Christian bands mean little to those outside the Christian subculture and hence are pretty weak vehicles for large scale outreach. There would be lots of people from other churches coming to see a big Christian band they know well but then the question would be why we would invest the time and money to entertain folks from the local churches.

So I think Christian rock concerts as big event are simply a thing of the past unless you live in Orange County / Sand Diego or the Bible Belt where there is a high concentration of people deeply involved in the sub culture of Christianity:: and even in those places the concerts are full of "already Christians". These events in my experience around Cali are simply not very effective. New types of events need to be employed if we want to reach out effectively to the unchurched in our communities through attraction based events. Times have changed and it's time to be creative.

-Chuckk

Thoughts?

When I get old and immobile I want one of these, and a I want a turbo charger kit for it.

________

I may need to place an order sooner than I think, they just told me the pain in my shoulder is arthritis – falling apart at the seams. It’s funny getting older, because inside my head the talking machine says “Chuckk you are certainly about 22”. On the other hand, my birth certificate states I will be 47 years old in about 5 weeks.

I’ll just listen to the talking machine for a while longer but I would like one of these instead of an aluminum walker when the time's right.

seen on Gizmodo

This is the proper use of an iPod with your Thanksgiving Turkey

The now ubiquitous iPod is changing the way we live, its importance can’t be overlooked. How might your church or ministry use the iPod as a communication tool, a worship tool, a teaching tool?

My dirty little secret is...

I love romantic movies.

Last night I watched The Wedding Planner and My Best Friend’s Wedding. I am a hopeless romantic AND A VOLATILE TOUGH GUY BIKER SO DON'T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE AND ...kiss you.

Pravda.

There’s a fake silicon “jesus” around these days it’s Mr. Drive-Thru Fastfood Jesus of late 20th century. He is employed at Our Lady of the Immaculate Convenience Burger over on Ocean Street. He’s evidently a pretty busy guy rushing around making sure everyone’s drive through order is correct, hot and delivered fast. I guess he makes minimum wage because as a convenience service guy that’s all He’s worth to the consumer. But hey! He probably gets the soggy left over fries as a tithe / bonus – it’s important to make sure we give to Jesus! His customers are often demanding and impatient because they know it’s His job to make sure they “have it their way”.

The real Living Christ is inconvenient, and I love it. He’s not available to make sure I get my order fresh, hot and fast. He’s not available to make sure I get good celestial service. He’s available to be my Soul’s King; not the Burger King.

I love the fact that many people seem to be moving away from the idea that God exists to fill my order and meet my needs. There are rumblings that God is huge and mysterious and the world revolves around Him and His Glory, not our convenience and comfort. This is the God worthy of our worship, worthy of dying for and more importantly worthy of LIVING for.

On The iPod: Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American ..........