18th century email. “More than 200 years ago it was already possible to send messages throughout Europe and America at the speed of an aeroplane – wireless and without need for electricity.”

EyeWitness to History. “Your ringside seat to history – from the Ancient World to the present. History through the eyes of those who lived it, presented by Ibis Communications, Inc. a digital publisher of educational programming.”

Rick Phillips shares about the recent loss of their baby during his wife’s eleventh week of pregnancy. “The process of grief for this loss has been both difficult and insightful. With the latter in mind, I thought I would share some of the things we have experienced, with the aim of helping others and those who minister to them.” (HT: Between Two Worlds)

Sharon at Daily Writing Tips sums up the history behind the names of the days of the week. “Sunday was the day of the sun, whether you were Latin, Greek or Germanic, while Monday was the day of the moon. Tuesday is named after the God of War (who was Mars in Latin and Ares in Greek). However, the English form comes from Tiu/Tiwa, the Germanic/English name of the god of war and the sky.”

Erik Thoennes at ChristianityToday.com answers the question, “How can I know I’m a Christian if I can’t remember when I first responded to the gospel?” “For those who question their salvation, the best evidence is not the memory of having raised a hand or prayed a prayer. Nor is it having been baptized or christened. The true test of the authentic work of God in one’s life is growth in Christ-like character, increased love for God and other people, and the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25; James 2:18).”

David Frum reminds passionate political bloggers during this election season that very few American voters actually read blogs. “For those who participate in it, the blogosphere takes on the scale and reality of an alternative world—a world whose controversies and feuds are so absorbing, whose alliances and enmities burn with so much passion, that only the most level-headed of the participants ever seem to remember that somewhere between 97 and 98 percent of American voters have never looked at a blog in their lives.”

Albert Mohler comments on the current generation of young people in Japan called the “oyayubi sedai” — “the Thumb Generation.” “Scientists around the world are noting a change in the human body. The average human being now has a more powerful and accurate thumb. Why? As Edward Tenner, author of Our Own Devices: How Technology Remakes Humanity, explains, this phenomenon can be traced to the use of those tiny buttons on PDAs and cell phones. We are now using our famed opposable thumbs like no previous generation.”

Four Hands – One Guitar (video length: 1:44)

Antoine Dufour and Tommy Gauthier join hands to play Jerry’s Breakdown (by Jerry Reed) on a single guitar. (Related post: Four Men and a Cello)
 

Singing Backwards (Video length: 2:28)

In the first half of this video OneManSho sings a song backwards while popping balloons and knocking over blocks to authenticate what he is doing. In the second half he plays the video back for you backwards so you can hear what he was actually singing.
 

When Robot Programmers Get Bored (video length: 1:12)

I am guessing whoever handles workman’s comp for this company was not real pleased to see this video. You had better be pretty confident in your progamming skills to try this stunt. (Don’t try this at home!)

Make your own virtual snowflakes at Make-a-Flake.

The Real Story Behind A Charlie Brown Christmas (and why it almost wasn’t shown).

Sharon at Daily Writing Tips explains the origin of the greeting “Merry Christmas” as well as the origins of other festive words, such as mistletoe, tinsel, wreath and turkey.

Nicole at 168 hours reminds us that not everyone is happy at Christmas time. “For many of us, we need to be reminded that not all of us are bursting at the seams with excitement this time of year … Let’s pray for each other. That those of us who have a lot of sadness in their lives this Christmas would find moments of real joy in the middle of the sadness.”

Mark Roberts posts on Christmas Carol Suprises. “Okay, I admit it. I love Christmas carols. I love the way they sound. I love the memories they evoke. And, in many cases, I love the truths they celebrate. So in the next few days I’m going to do a short series on Christmas carols. I promise that it will be informative, fun, and maybe a bit inspirational too.”

Tony Woodlief quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s prison letters at Christmas. “From the Christian point of view there is no special problem about Christmas in a prison cell … A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does various unessential things, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.”

Tia at Desiring God shares 13 Ways to Bless Missionaries Without Paying for Postage. “Were you unable to send a Christmas present or care package to some missionaries you love this season? It’s okay. You can still bless a missionary this Christmas. Here are 13 post-office-free ideas to get you started, most of which you could do right now from your desk: Pray specific Scripture for them and their ministry, and then email it to them … Donate frequent flier miles to them … Call their local Pizza Hut and have pizza delivered …”

I have greatly enjoyed Dan Fogelberg’s music over the years and was sad to hear that Fogelberg died from prostate cancer this week. Steve Matthewson reflects on Fogelberg, his father and the gospel over at the Preaching Today blog. “The title track to Dan’s Christmas album, ‘The First Christmas Morning,’ contains a rather striking summary of the gospel. Dan penned these words after nights of listening to Christmas carols” —

The Lord in His wisdom, the Lord in His grace
Has given to man a redeemer
To save us from sin and to show us the light
That shines on this first Christmas morning
And will shine ever each Christmas morning

Television Tunes. Thousands of TV theme music and songs from yesterday and today. (HT: Presurfer)

Remove child before folding (baby stroller). Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch, M-LAW, has revealed the winners in its eleventh annual Wacky Warning Label Contest. This year’s top prize goes to the label on a tractor that warns: “Danger: Avoid Death.” Second place goes to the label on an iron-on T-shirt transfer that warns: “Do not iron while wearing shirt.” (HT: Don Surber)

Dr. Sam Lamerson shares some helpful quotes on dealing with criticism. “Preaching at Coral Ridge has taught me that no matter how hard you work, the critics will come out when you least expect them. I don’t mean those people who are really trying to help by giving suggestions; I thank the Lord for those people. I mean those who simply cannot be satisfied. Here are a few quotations that I have found helpful.”

Jesse Johnson explains why evangelism at Grace Church is a practice not a program. “The man [asked me], ‘What does your church do for evangelism?’ ‘We evangelize,’ I answered … At Grace Church, our philosophy of evangelism hinges on the idea that evangelism is not a program. A church does not transform a community through activities and events … Rather, a church impacts its community through the lives of its members.”

Jon Bloom shares 5 D’s that he has made a part of his daily prayers: “Whatever it takes, Lord, give me… 1) Delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart. 2) Desire to know you, be with you, and seek your kingdom above all else. 3) Discernment that comes from a renewed mind that I might know your will. 4) Discipline to plan for what I discern as your will. 5) Diligence to do your will with all my heart.” Read the whole plan complete with matching Scripture verses at Jon’s post over at Desiring God.

First ever quantum calculation. “University of Queensland researchers are part of an international team to have made the first ever execution of a quantum calculation, a major step towards building the first quantum computers … By manipulating quantum mechanically entangled photons – the fundamental particles of light – the prime factors of the number 15 were calculated … Although the answer to this problem could have been obtained much more quickly by querying a bright eight-year-old, as the number becomes bigger and bigger the problem becomes more and more difficult.” (HT: Neatorama)

James Howell, pastor at Ben Witherington’s home church, offers a different take on shopping (Christmas or otherwise): “Think about J.R.R. Tolkien’s hobbits: on their birthdays, instead of receiving gifts, they give gifts. When I shop, do I buy for others? If so, whom? Sometimes I buy a new coat for me, and give my old coat to the needy – which is an excellent thought. I have a friend who committed to a different discipline: when he buys a new coat for his son, he simultaneously buys a new coat for a child who can’t afford even an old coat. I know several families whose Christmas shopping tab is always matched by a special donation to the poor. Do I leave my faith at home, or take it with me, when I shop?”

Mythbusters:  Are Elephants Afraid of Mice? Apparently so.

My niece, Meredith, has started a blog. You can check it out at Irish Laughter. All the best, Meredith! (And go Sox!)

Nicki Adams at titus2talk shares some great frugal Christmas gift ideas. “If you’re a bit short of cash, or would like to get a bit more personal and creative, why not try out some of these random ideas.”

Justin Taylor draws attention to anti-religious bigotry in the mainstream media. “Whether or not you are a fan of Mike Huckabee and his candidacy for the presidency, it’s helpful to take a sober look at the transparent bigotry on display among some members of the mainstream media reacting to an evangelical who is unashamed of his faith and who has an integrated worldview.”

Bernard Lewis identifies the real issue at hand in the Annapolis summit peace talks. “If the issue is about the size of Israel, then we have a straightforward border problem, like Alsace-Lorraine or Texas. That is to say, not easy, but possible to solve in the long run, and to live with in the meantime. If, on the other hand, the issue is the existence of Israel, then clearly it is insoluble by negotiation. There is no compromise position between existing and not existing, and no conceivable government of Israel is going to negotiate on whether that country should or should not exist.”

Paul Edwards encourages Christians to engage Philip Pullman’s books and new movie, The Golden Compass, rather than run away from it. “It seems to me the proper response from those who are convinced of the truth ought to be to engage error, not run from it. Rather than fearing our children might read a book or see a film that challenges their faith, such a scenario presents us with an opportunity to teach them to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.” I would agree, with reservations. I would want to read the books or see the film first to know what error I was engaging. It would also depend on the ages of the children. Children are very impressionable, and books and films can make deep impressions. (For more on The Golden Compass, see Quick Takes – 11/10/2007)

Univeral Music Group CEO Doug Morris laments the impact of illegal music downloads on the music industry. “Really, an album that someone worked on for two years — is that worth only $9, $10, when people pay two bucks for coffee in Starbucks? People never really understand what’s happening to the artists. All the sharing of the music, right? Is it correct that people share their music, fill up these devices with music they haven’t paid for? If you had Coca-Cola coming through the faucet in your kitchen, how much would you be willing to pay for Coca-Cola? There you go. That’s what happened to the record business.”

More from the Doug Morris article above. “Universal is also experimenting with the subscription-based plans that many … see as the wave of the future. The idea is to charge customers a fixed monthly fee (which could get tacked onto their cell phone, cable, or Internet bill) in return for access to unlimited music from a given label and, say, the opportunity to hear new recordings a week before their general release. Morris is currently championing a version called Total Music.” (Hmmm, once again this sounds very familiar. See Media Access for the Next Generation | Subscription Services)

More on Amazon’s Kindle: check out the Newsweek article, The Future of Reading. “Books are the last bastion of analog … Music and video have been digital for a long time, and short-form reading has been digitized, beginning with the early Web. But long-form reading really hasn’t. Yet.”

Visual Dictionary Online. “When you know what something looks like but not what it’s called, or when you know the word but can’t picture the object, The Visual Dictionary has the answer. In a quick look, you can match the word to the image.”

Real Clear Sports. New sports information site. “RealClearSports, a sister site of RealClearPolitics and RealClearMarkets, is a sports page of sports pages. Everyday the RealClearSports team finds and selects the best sports news, opinion and analysis from publications in over 100 media markets.”

Tony Woodlief  reflects on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s prison letters. Quoting Bonhoeffer: “I believe that even our mistakes and shortcomings are turned to good account, and that it is no harder for God to deal with them than with our supposedly good deeds.”

Tony Kummer at Gospel Driven Children’s Ministry shares links to free Christmas craft ideas for kids. “Are you looking for a great craft idea for your children’s Sunday school class? Then check out these websites. They list many great kid’s Christmas crafts, ideas and projects … Try these for your Sunday school lesson, children’s church, or at home with your children.”

Comedian Steve Martin shares his memories of doing stand-up comedy at Knott’s Berry Farm on November 22, 1963 – the day John F. Kennedy was shot. “We assumed the performance that night would be canceled, but as show time neared, word came down that we were going on. We couldn’t fathom why; we believed no one would show up, much less enjoy us. I still can’t explain the psychology, why the very full house that night was able to roar with laughter. The obvious must be correct: our silly show was providing some kind of balm that soothed the ache.”

Tim Ferris tells you how to learn (not master) any foreign language in 1 hour. “How long does it take to learn Chinese or Japanese vs. Spanish or Irish Gaelic? I would argue less than an hour. Here’s the reasoning … Before you invest (or waste) hundreds and thousands of hours on a language, you should deconstruct it. During my thesis research at Princeton, which focused on neuroscience and unorthodox acquisition of Japanese by native English speakers, as well as when redesigning curricula for Berlitz, this neglected deconstruction step surfaced as one of the distinguishing habits of the fastest language learners.” (HT: Copyblogger)

Joe Carter shares the following facts about the importance of family dinners. “The more often teenagers have dinner with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, or use illegal drugs. In fact, compared with teens who have frequent family dinners, those who have dinner with their families only two nights per week or less are at double the risk of substance abuse. Compared with teens who have dinner with their families only two nights per week or less, those who have family dinners five or more nights in a typical week are more likely to report that they have never tried cigarettes (85 percent vs. 65 percent), almost 50 percent likelier to report that they have never tried alcohol (68 percent vs. 47 percent), and more likely to report that they have never tried marijuana (88 percent vs. 71 percent).” [Source: Family Facts]

Richard Rubin writes about Frank Buckles, the last surviving U.S. veteran from Word War I. “Of the two million soldiers the United States sent to France in World War I, he is the only one left.”

Stephen Purcell reflects on the positive side of disillusionment. “Of course it isn’t necessarily bad to be disillusioned. After all, doesn’t the word mean ‘getting free from illusions’? Perhaps dis-illusionment is a necessary part of growing in the truth.”

ABC presents The History of Mario. “In 1982, our unprepossessing little rescuer Jumpman was given a cheerful name rarely seen in the annals of heroes: Mario – in a sequel game called Donkey Kong Jr. In 1983, little Mario was given a shot at his own game, Mario Bros.” (HT: Neatorama)

Christianity Today surveyed more than 1,000 self-identified Christians 18 years of age and older on their religious beliefs and practices and identified five kinds of Christians in America. “Portraits of five distinct segments emerged from the study. We have named them Active, Professing, Liturgical, Private, and Cultural Christians.”

Bradley Wright offers a sociological review of Reveal, Willow Creek’s new book sharing the results of a three-year study on spiritual growth. “Spiritual growth doesn’t happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the age old spiritual practices of prayer, bible reading, and relationships. And, ironically, these basic disciplines do not require multi-million dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage.”

J.A. Ingold provides a helpful and comprehensive series of posts on selling books in the church. “Having books available for purchase in the church increases their accessibility. Many people, including church members and visitors, think more of spiritual matters when they are in the church than when they are about their daily business. Placing in the church something they can take with them to spur continued meditation on spiritual matters can be a great aid.”

Thomas D. Jones of Popular Mechanics discusses the benefits of running into problems with the International Space Station. “The space station is giving us a graduate-level course in how people and machines can survive in space for the long term. We’re pushing our own limits, forcing ourselves to react quickly to the unexpected, and gaining invaluable experience for dealing with surprises that surely await us on the Moon, the asteroids and Mars. We surely can’t live on other worlds if we can’t manage an outpost a couple of hundred miles from home.”

David Brickner (Executive Director of Jews for Jesus) comments on Ann Coulter’s statement that “Christians want Jews to be perfected.” “I imagine that people who were offended by Anne Coulter’s desire for Jews to be perfected felt she meant that Jews are imperfect while Christians are perfect. But when we realize it is our standing before God that is perfected or completed in Christ, it is no longer a matter of being Jewish or Gentile. In Jesus, God has declared us righteous; that kind of completeness or perfection is not achieved through our own efforts but though God’s mercy and by the righteousness of Christ. Without Jesus, whether we are Jewish or Gentile we are imperfect, incomplete and frankly, without hope.”

Physicist Garret Lisi proposes a theory of everything. “Lisi’s inspiration lies in the most elegant and intricate shape known to mathematics, called E8 – a complex, eight-dimensional mathematical pattern with 248 points first found in 1887, but only fully understood by mathematicians this year after workings, that, if written out in tiny print, would cover an area the size of Manhattan. E8 encapsulates the symmetries of a geometric object that is 57-dimensional and is itself 248-dimensional. Lisi says ‘I think our universe is this beautiful shape.'” (Note: Click on the picture for a larger image.)

“It is so dry in Georgia . . .”     “HOW DRY IS IT?”

Popular Mechanics writes about the future of Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP). “Space-based solar power may become an important energy source as fossil-fuel supplies dwindle in midcentury: A single 1-kilometer-wide solar array could collect enough power in a year to rival the entire world’s oil reserves.”

Wired reports on the proliferation of fake campaign websites. “A growing bag of tricks employed by tech-savvy amateur political operatives now includes a collection of spoofed online forums purporting to support top candidates, while damning them with praise for extreme positions they have never voiced. The operating principle: The best way to undermine a candidate’s supporters is to pretend to be one of them.”

Mark Roberts presented his 18 Theses on the Pastor as Godblogger at the GodBlogCon conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Here are the first five. “1. Some pastors should be bloggers. 2. Some pastors should not be bloggers. 3. Many pastors who are not bloggers today should become bloggers. 4. Some pastors who are bloggers today should stop, at least for a while. 5. Blogging can enrich a pastor’s ministry with the pastor’s own congregation, and this is sufficient reason for a pastor to blog.” (You can listen to the audio of Mark’s talk here.)

Ben Witherington warns parents about The Golden Compass, a new children’s movie coming out this Christmas season. The movie is based on the first book of the trilogy His Dark Materials, written by noted English atheist Phillip Pullman. Apparently the books have a stong anti-God and anti-Christian bent, alhtough that has been toned down for the first movie. “In short, avoid this movie like the plague this Christmas. It appears to be a Trojan horse for its sequels, and you will remember what happened to Troy when that horse was allowed entrance into the city and lives of the Trojans.”

Meteorologist John Coleman, founder of The Weather Channel, calls global warming the greatest scam in history.. “I am amazed, appalled and highly offended by it. Global Warming; It is a SCAM. Some dastardly scientists with environmental and political motives manipulated long term scientific data to create an illusion of rapid global warming. Other scientists of the same environmental whacko type jumped into the circle to support and broaden the ‘research’ to further enhance the totally slanted, bogus global warming claims. Their friends in government steered huge research grants their way to keep the movement going. Soon they claimed to be a consensus.” Come on, John, tell us how you really feel!

Nancy Beach shares about Bill Hybels’ “traffic light” invitation at the end of a service. “At the close of his message, Bill Hybels simply showed three lights on a flipchart – green, yellow, and red. He asked everyone to honestly decide which light represents where they currently are spiritually:

• Green: I’m a member of God’s family, trusting Him to be my Leader, Savior, and Friend.
• Yellow: I’m still in a searching place, and haven’t yet decided.
• Red: I am in a place of rebellion, or fighting God…

Bill invited anyone in the yellow or red categories who would like to come pray with us in Guest Central to show up right after the service.”

Dr. Sam Lamerson reflects on the sadness of doing something for the last time. “You never do anything, knowingly, for the last time without a feeling of sadness.”

Alan Nelson shares about the pastor who tells his paid staff: If we catch you doing ministry, you may lose your job. “Imagine getting fired because you were doing ministry. But if your job is to be developing others, then yes, it makes sense.”

The Internet World Stats web site provides you with statistical Internet usage data and population figures for over 265 countries and regions of the world, consolidated from various periodic surveys, presented in a unique and practical way. (HT: The Presurfer)

Matthew Cornell challenges you to read five books a week (and tells you how to do it). “This was just the whack to the head I needed! The essential idea I forgot? I don’t need to read the whole book. D’oh!” Matt’s post includes lots of luscious links related to reading more efficiently.

14-year-old McKay Hatch founded the No Cussing Club. Here is the club’s No Cussing Challenge: “I won’t cuss, swear, use bad language, or tell dirty jokes. Clean language is the sign of intelligence and always demands respect. I will use my language to uplift, encourage and motivate. I will Leave People Better Than I Found Them!” Way to go, McKay! What a great idea!

Curt Schilling thanks the many people out front and behind the scenes who helped the Red Sox win the World Series this year. “There are a litany of people that deserve huge kudos for what just happened. From a personal standpoint it starts with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What I have been able to experience, watch, be a part of, just adds to the already overflowing life of incredible memories I am totally undeserving of. To be able to participate in, and witness, events that millions of people around the world will never forget is pretty much indescribable.”

Jonathan Soros recommends a national primary with early voting allowed. “The only solution that treats every voter equally would be to establish a true national primary, with every state voting on the same day … Here’s one way it could work. Set a national primary date of June 30 and create a window for early voting that opens on Jan. 1. The early votes would be counted and reported at the end of each month from January through May … If we began counting and reporting the interim results in advance of a national primary, the voters who cast early ballots would play the same role as voters in Iowa and New Hampshire do now: they could signal viability or create momentum for their favored candidates. These early voters would be self-selecting, trading the opportunity to watch the campaign unfold for the ability to demonstrate early conviction.”

eBay is selling an unopened can of Bernard Dehydrated Water. “Empty contents of can into one gallon water. Stir until dissolved. Chill and serve.” You better hurry. The auction ends Monday, Oct-29-07.

Andrew Jackson unveils the Table of Contents to his upcoming book, “Mormonism Explained: What Latter-Day Saints Teach and Practice.” The book will be released by Crossway Books in early 2008.

Joanne Jacobs reports on the growing tend of educators requiring students to declare majors in high school. “To persuade teens that school matters, some states and districts are requiring them to choose a high school ‘major’ that will lead toward a college major or a career.”

Thomas Sowell explains why students may get a better education at a smaller college than at a big-name (and expensive) Ivy League school. “What you really want is not the ‘best’ college but the college that fits you best. For that, you need in-depth information, not statistical rankings.” (HT: Between Two Worlds)

Dan Edelen shares 100 things he has learned in his 30 years as a Christian. “1. Love God. Love people. It’s that simple. 2. Anytime we interact with another person, we should ask the Lord, ‘In what ways can I help this person grow closer to You?’ 3. Christians who take time to observe the world around them see God and gain wisdom.” Visit Dan’s site for the other 97.

Richard Barcellos shares his lecture notes on the Puritans. “Though the Puritans would be the first to say that they were not perfect . . . we learn that they were very theologically orthodox Christians, very passionate about the church, and, in many ways, provide us with an example of the serious-minded Christianity (so desperately needed today!) which seeks to live all of life for the glory of God and according to the Book – the Bible.”

David Brooks opines on the outsourced brain. “I had thought that the magic of the information age was that it allowed us to know more, but then I realized the magic of the information age is that it allows us to know less . . . A third of the people under 30 can’t remember their own phone number. Their smartphones are smart, so they don’t need to be. Today’s young people are forgoing memory before they even have a chance to lose it.”

Ken Fields shares five reasons why every Christian should be a student of church history (from RTS President Frank James). “Through studying Church History, we are granted the opportunity to sit at the feet of some of the greatest men and women God has given to the Church. There is great wisdom in the past, and we can benefit from yesterday’s wisdom. Don’t let a little thing like a thousand years get in the way!” Ken also lists some helpful online resources for those who would like to learn more.

Ben Shpigel discusses the role of Christian faith for many on the Colorado Rockies baseball team. “When you have as many people who believe in God as we do, it creates a humbleness about what we do,” [pitcher Jeremy] Affeldt said. “I don’t see arrogance here, I see confidence. We’re all very humbled about where this franchise has been and where it is now, and we know that what’s happening now is a very special thing.” I enjoyed reading about the Rockies’ faith, but I am still rooting for Boston. Go Sox! (I mean, “Go Soox!”)

Real-time salary calculator. Want to see how much money you make in real time? Just enter your payment amount whichever way you like: hourly, weekly, monthly or annually. Then the program calculates the money you make per day, per hour, per minute and per second. (HT: Presurfer)

Albert Mohler shares his most recent thinking on global warming. “Did human beings cause it? I’m going to be very honest with you, this is where I have had to change my thinking somewhat. This is where I have had to assume that it must be that humans have at least some contribution to this.”

Youth pastor Scott Greene reflects on his experience of going back to high school for two weeks at the age of 33. “After sitting on my experience for over a year and reflecting on this “Back to School” season, here are a few suggestions I would like to offer to parents if they want to have a better relationship with their kids.” (HT: MMI)

John Newton (1725-1807) shares his thoughts on public prayer over at the Resurgence. “The chief fault of some good prayers is, that they are too long; not that I think we should pray by the clock, and limit ourselves precisely to a certain number of minutes; but it is better of the two, that the hearers should wish the prayer had been longer, than spend half the time in wishing it was over.”

Tullian Tchividjian provides a brief list of five questions that can help you discern the reliability of a particular teacher or preacher. “Question 1: Does the preacher ground everything he says in the Bible? Does he, in other words, begin with the authority and sufficiency of Scripture? A reliable carrier of God’s truth … doesn’t simply use the Bible to support what he wants to say … He submits to what the Bible says.”

Alan Bevere expresses skepticism concerning the alleged miraculous appearance of the late Pope John Paul II in the flames of a memorial bonfire. “I believe in the miraculous, but I have always thought it odd that God would communicate with us in flame-like appearances, french toast, and tree bark.”

Dave Walker shows the two paths you can take if you want to become a famous blogger. (HT: Blogging Expertise)

L.L. Barkat explores how the blogosphere is transforming the way Christians connect. “In this new body-of-Christ scenario, anyone can spend a morning as an evangelist, or encourage someone who’s grieving, or enlist a prayer warrior, or infiltrate a group of wise and friendly grandmas.” (HT: Goodword)

Paul Edwards questions the appropriateness of ranking the 100 largest churches in America. “Can you imagine any of the inspired writers of the New Testament ranking the church at Ephesus above the church at Philippi, and Philippi above the church at Thessalonica based solely on how many people were showing up each week?”

Ben Witherington talks to his son about Halo 3 and its use in church youth group settings. “Should we play them at all in church? The truth is, we’ve all been playing racing, sporting, fighting, shooting games around youth groups for some time now. No less than table tennis, air hockey, gymnasium activities.” (David Witherington)

ESPN highlights NFL quarterback Jon Kitna’s Christian faith and influence on the Detroit Lions. “He is part of a team prayer group on Friday afternoons and hosts a Bible study for teammates and their wives at his home on Monday nights. Since he signed a four-year, $11.5 million deal in March 2006, about 20 Lions have given their lives to Christ.” (HT: Provocative Church)

Christianity Today documents the ups and downs of Fox Faith Films’ first year of business. “It’s been one year since 20th Century Fox became the first major Hollywood studio to launch a line of movies aimed specifically at a Christian audience. Since its debut last fall, Fox Faith has had hit-and-miss results, with poor box office numbers offset by strong video sales and rentals.” (HT: Think Christian)

Al Mohler reminds us not to take books and libraries for granted. “For most of the Christian centuries, books have been the possessions of the privileged few. All this changed with the Gutenberg revolution and the invention of movable type, but the mass availability of the book required other economic transformations as well. The mass availability of books and other printed materials is a fairly recent development, but we take it for granted.”