You may correctly infer from the length of this list that I’m reading more feeds than I used to. I still held back a few posts that I want to interact with a bit more. These being random, they’re not thematic or in order of importance… they’re just in pretty much the order they got added to the list. Enjoy the weekend reading!

Update: The last post I linked (#24 Below) is one of mine, improved upon by the discussion following — Scot McKnight put it in the running for “post of the week” in his own Weekly Meanderings.

1. Scot McKnight’s advice to Christian leaders on reading and buying books, as reported by J.R. Briggs, an addendum to his own entry on choosing what to read.
2. In light of the fact that the old Fundamentalist vs. Atheism debate is getting new fuel, one fellow has composed The God Fuse, “Ten Things That Christians and Atheists Can – and Must – Agree On.” I have to say the pictures are disturbing. I suspect that the Christians who close their eyes to criticize each other aren’t going to be moved… not while the emerging church is smoking dope.
3. Image Mosaic Generator.
4. Bob Robinson suggests that A Culture that Revels in Denying the 10th Commandment is what keeps the economy so strong. If we followed #10, we might be in for a recession. He rightly — or wryly — observes that Christians on a PBS Religion & Ethics story about advertising got upset about the use of sex in advertising, but not about the fact it was fundamentally designed to make us covet. Hmmm.
5. Jennifer Jones writes a letter to God: “For many years I have sought you. Today, I give up. I thought I found you but the world tells me otherwise.” (HT: Bob Carlton).
6. David Fitch: 10 Signs That Christendom May Be Over …ya think? ;^) Amusing with a twinge of sadness.
7. More Missional Hermeneutics from Brian Russell, this time a set of selected links to to others on the same subject.
8. People are telling Michael (Internet Monk) Spencer, “You Need To Smile More.” I can relate, people keep telling me that as well… but monks don’t smile, it’s kind of a code we have. Okay, sometimes. Just a little.
9. Potential best advice to people considering careers in acting, writing, music, or ministry: get a career to fall back on. According to statistics posted by Mark Driscoll (with link to video file), 50% of pastors are so discouraged they would quit if they had any other way of supporting themselves… and that’s not even the most distressing statistic he offers. Yikes.
10. Profoundly moving, via Jazz Theologian: Amazing Grace, just the Black Notes.
11. Fred Peatross reviews Will and Lisa Samson’s new Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Wherever You Live; few comments, but they end with, “please, please purchase this book.”
12. You thought it was easy? A treatise on pouring ketchup (via Randy McRoberts).
13. Naked Pastor: 10 Tips For Increasing Church Growth and Income. There were 3 or 4 of these that my CLB didn’t do very well. It’s scary how well some of these do work.
14. I found a few of these weird signs LOL-funny.
15. Brevard S. Childs died last weekend, as noted by Brian Russell. The obituary will fill in the blanks for anyone not familiar with his work, largely in Old Testament studies.
16. I wondered if I should be offended at not making Andy Rowell’s list of The Best Blogs for Church Leaders to Read, which includes 70 blogs (many of which I do read)… go ahead and add a few of those to your stable of blogs to read; I found a couple of people I didn’t know were blogging and added them.
17. On the days you note that your imperfections are frustrating your ability to be as useful as the next person, it may help to consider the parable of The Cracked Pot.
18. Any book called Genius of Guinness will get my attention, but I didn’t know they also produced a heritage of missionary explorers, clerics, and pioneer social workers as well as a mighty fine beer.
19. Will Samson: Christians Forced Out Of Baghdad
20. Bob Carlton wants A Moratorium on the M Word: “Ministry” …and he’s right.
21. Rodney Olson flags a story saying that Aussies are losing religion. It’s a feature of Postmodern Western Civilization, why would they be any different? Still, I want to take note when a study give regional stats that aren’t for USA… those are much easier to come by. ;^)
22. Alan Jamieson talks about (Part 1 and Part 2) Steven Covey (Jr.)’s new book, The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything.
23. “The People Formerly Known As” keep resurfacing, but this time they’re Formerly Known as Wounded, which is a pretty good thing; Erin Word’s contribution to the meme.
24. Drew Goodmanson: Leading a Movement Not an Institution. Should fit in with the road the conversation takes following my post Church Structure & Leadership Smackdown: The Academy vs. The Business Model, where discussion is still going on from early in the week.