It’s been a while since I posted one of these and the reasons are mixed. Certainly one of them includes a month long roadtrip to the UK and back (6767km if you’re interested). We travelled through Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, England, Scotland and then back again. We camped, we watched the Euros, went to a wedding and I also watched my dad die in hospital. So you know, take the rough with the smooth. More on that last bit of news in due course. The north German coast is underrated by the way and highly recommended for a visit.

Now I’m back (although we’re heading to the UK next week for Dad’s funeral) and it’s time for me to get writing again.

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You Should Read These

I’ve saved a whole bunch of articles without posting anything for a month so there’s a bit of a backlog to be dealing with, starting with a few Olympic themed articles.

1. The opening ceremony, which I thought was long & dull, certainly provoked some talking points: Should Christians take offence? from Ian Paul and An (Eye) Opening Ceremony from Eddie Arthur stood out.
2. Penalty or No, Athletes Talk Faith is excellent by Brad East: “It’s not news that athletes thank the Lord for their success. But watching these public displays of piety made me wonder: Why is this still normal? The Oscars couldn’t be mistaken for church. Neither could large gatherings of writers, journalists, musicians, venture capitalists, or politicians. Sporting events appear to be the last refuge of “acceptable” public faith in our secular culture.”
3. I enjoyed this article about Swedish superstar Armand Duplantis: Armand Duplantis, the Timothée Chalamet of the Pole Vault
4. Then of course there is that amazing picture.
5. And lastly, No, You Can’t Beat an Olympic Table Tennis Player or even score a point.
6. On things not related to sport: What to Know Before Becoming a Missionary in Northern Europe
7. Stuck in the slow lane: Typical commute times across the globe revealed should you need another reason to move to Stockholm

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You Should Look At This

Mangroves are an underappreciated and critical part of our global ecosystem. Here’s some of their beauty and mystery: Powerful Winning Images From the 2024 Mangrove Photography Awards

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You Should Listen To This

This should probably be played really loud.

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You Should Watch This

I mean I don’t know that this is really worth 15 minutes of your time, or anyone else’s time but it is quite cool seeing what they come up with – so skip through and then get your kids/grandkids to make their own

HT: Kottke

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This Week’s Postings

Wednesday: Grateful for Newday
Thursday: The polyamorous future
Also Thursday: I will commit my father not to the ground but to the flames

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From The Archives

The decentralizing of Newfrontiers that took place in 2011 was a massive shift away from hierarchy towards the local. It brought apostolic ministry much closer to many churches in terms of relationship. It was a wise recognition that one person could not serve, know, love, partner with all the churches in a movement of the size that Newfrontiers had become. It was a studied and determined decision that rejected becoming a denomination by centralizing and institutionalizing the relationships through a HQ on the one hand or putting too much power into one man’s hands by appointing a single charismatic (or otherwise) successor on the other.

Apostolic hierarchy or empowered local leaders?

Have a great week and if you see something you think deserves a spot here let me know