No-shave November!

Well, it is almost that time of year again and I don't mean Halloween! Nor do I particularly mean Reformation Day, although both of those are fast approaching.

I know it's early, but I cannot help myself. In a few days it will be "NO-SHAVE NOVEMBER!!" Come participate in the festivities.

Community for the sake of community?

Last thursday I wrote about community with a purpose. I think the word "community" and the idea of "community" and the desire to have "community" and the need for "community" is part and parcel with the human condition;

Community with a purpose

Below is an excerpt from a blog I occasionally read called Life Together. I don't know anything about Soma Communities (where the quote comes from), but as far as their definition goes, I'm intrigued. If anyone knows more about Soma, I'd be interested in learning.

What is a Missional Community?:

"A Missional Community consists of a committed core of believers (FAMILY) who live out the mission of God together (MISSIONARIES) in a specific area or to a particular people group by demonstrating the gospel in tangible forms (SERVANTS) and declaring the gospel to others—both those who believe it and those who are being exposed to it (LEARNERS)."

Step up to the challenge

The link below takes you to monergism.com (a huge resource of articles/mp3's/links).

"A Challenge from Roger Olson for Calvinists":

Read the challenge directly from Roger Olsen's blog here: Check out the links below too.

I don't know Roger Olsen, but you quickly see where he stands.

Honestly, I think it is a great challenge. We need to be able to articulate (in our speech and writing) all of what Scripture has to say. Communication is hard work; our intent should never be from the prideful ambition of merely "winning" the argument. However, Roger Olsen does have a point in his question. We must be writing stories that reflect the gospel's redemptive grace? Let's get crackin'.

This caught my eye in the first place because I will be reading two books for one of my courses during the next couple of weeks: Why I am not an Calvinist and its companion book Why I am not an Arminian. The latter book was written by two of my professors.

Use PayPal for international missions?

I got an email today from PayPal.  If you don't know what PayPal is, it is an internet platform for transferring money electronically (probably not its technical definition).  It can be used to transfer money for goods bought or sold from web-based companies; ebay immediately comes to mind when thinking about PayPal.

You can also use it like a Western Union where you "wire" money to someone else (except of course here it is "wire-less"). 

Which brings me back to the email I got today from them.

I wish I had this in college

Below is an article from a website I feed into my google reader. Click the link and check out the video. It would be a complete waste of time to actually put this on my door, but it would still be pretty slick.

DIY Key-Fob Front Door Opener [DIY]: "

Ever wished you could use the same technology that remotely unlocks your car with your front door? One clever college student did, and this DIY key-fob remote door opener accomplishes just that.

We're talking about some pretty heavy hardware hacking here, so this guide isn't for the faint of heart, but it is a fun idea. After all, who wouldn't want to perform some wireless-remote front-door unlocking? The results, as you can see in the video, aren't bad (if he weren't doing it to a dorm room, the author says he could have integrated the system a bit more seamlessly with the door and lock), but if you're really looking to impress, the previously mentioned guide to setting up RFID access to your front door won't disappoint.

Add a key-fob opener to your door [Hack a Day]

I am still here...wanting to write more

Hello. It almost feels like my very first post––what to write when you have no one reading? what to write when you maybe don't have anything to say?

It has been a few weeks (in the blogosphere that means that I probably have lost all momentum and starting from scratch) since I last wrote. Trust me, I want to write more. I have some ideas on what I want to do in order to develop this blog. Ultimately, I desire to be challenged in my thinking, clarify my communication; likewise, the past few months wrestling through what (and how) to contribute.