gdp's Comments

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : What do you do for a living?

Sat, 4 Sep 2010 15:32:33 +0000

I pastor a church in Timberville, VA. Its your picturesque small white country church, and the first church I am serving out of seminary. Because the ministry is part-time I also work at a group home for folks with developmental disabilities. I'm a volunteer firefighter and working on my EMT right now. I felt it was important to be involved in the community as a pastor, but I am just too young to be a Ruritan/Lion/old-people-social-club ;)

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Handbells.

Fri, 3 Sep 2010 16:05:19 +0000

I've always wondered why it is called handbell "choir." There's no singing in handbells...isn't it more like a handbell band? That might make for an interesting Christian spin-off from Rock Band.

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Fancy pulpits.

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 19:58:48 +0000

I guess our church is a little behind the times. I got overly excited 3 weeks ago when I discovered a wireless mic in my desk drawer which will free me from the pulpit (even the fancy ones).

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Wishing they'd stop releasing "unrated" editions of movies you want to see.

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 15:33:34 +0000

I can't tell you how many times I have rent or purchased a beloved movie from my 80s & 90s childhood only to discover that I enjoyed the TV-versions of those films: 16 candles (full frontal shower scene at the very beginning), Hear No Evil, See No Evil (wow those dudes are potty mouths), and Stripes (spying on the female barracks). They have nice story lines, I just wish I could buy the tv-version and not trick my mind into believing that my parents let me watch Coming to America as a 9 year old. Do TV-cuts still exist? I haven't watched tv since we got Netflix.

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Tangible Sermon Reminders

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:09:42 +0000

These days you'd have to give out ipods for that message.

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Tangible Sermon Reminders

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:06:02 +0000

During a youth Sunday (because that is the only Sunday we could have gotten away with TSR at my home church) they handed out filthy rags as people were heading into the service and they exchanged them for clean white cloths on the way out. It was supposed to be how Jesus took your sins and made them clean. pros: rags are cheap and abundant. The white cloths were a blank slate of possibility afterward: it could be a kleenex, a duster, a napkin, a flag, a towel, the choice is yours! cons: a TSR before the sermon made everyone ask "what is this about?"; perpetuates the idea that black=bad and white=good. Stinky middle school boys donated their old stinky clothes for rags. application: The white cloth was used for various household cleaning chores thus eventually reverting the token back into a filthy rag.

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Telling someone they shouldn’t tell you about their fast.

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 15:41:15 +0000

After you told us not to tell, then you ask if we've ever fasted - that's entrapment! I've fasted, and I believe there is benefit in self denial. Remember that Jesus said "don't let your right hand know what your left hand is doing" when it comes to good works but he also said "let your light shine that when others see your good works, they may praise God." If you reveal your fast for praise then that's a bad reason. But if you reveal your fast to others that they may also praise God then thats the whole point.

The Church of No People : The Marriage Doctor is In

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:31:31 +0000

The pastoral counseling professor in seminary said he always required premarital counseling before he would marry anyone...but then he would quickly add "it never worked" saying the couples are two drunk on love to hear a word you have to tell them. I guess it is like one of those Mother Theresa riddles "do it anyway."

The Church of No People : Who Has Better Better PR: Jesus or Beer?

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 15:46:01 +0000

We could use nets.

The Church of No People : Who Has Better Better PR: Jesus or Beer?

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 15:18:08 +0000

Advertising Jesus sounds like some dangerous territory to me. Its a bit more difficult than advertising beer, cause we live in a world that doesn't necessarily want Jesus, but beer more or less sells itself. Baptizing the Lord in the latest cultural fads and using the best advertising techniques will only advertise a non-Jesus.

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Can I write a guest post for your blog?

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 15:09:59 +0000

That sounds fun. My blog certainly isn't quite as humorous as SCL; so you would be a welcome change of pace on there. theprophetjoel.com (I'm not a prophet, I'm just named after one)

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Shameless Saturday!

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 14:55:49 +0000

My blog is http://theprophetjoel.com (I'm not a prophet, I'm just named after one). I post a Sunday Bulletin which is a synopsis of last week's church news, with a bit of commentary from me. I post my sermons, and every now and again I write an opinion piece about the goings on in church.

ChurchCrunch : Do We Need a Christian Social News Aggregators?

Thu, 7 Jan 2010 15:31:03 +0000

I guess I meant about its function. How does the purpose it serves any different than a tag on an existing site. Maybe there is some great benefit to having a separate site, but I see it as a risk at further isolating Christian content from everyone else.

ChurchCrunch : Do We Need a Christian Social News Aggregators?

Thu, 7 Jan 2010 15:20:32 +0000

How is it any different than a Christian tag at Delicious or Dig or whatever?

Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff : Wondering if the guy next to you will share gum once you've seen it.

Thu, 7 Jan 2010 15:14:33 +0000

You have to first answer the underlying question: "Is it appropriate to chew gum in church in the first place?" If so then when, where, and how? If not then who does this guy think he is chewing gum in church? What about gum & communion etiquette?

The Church of No People : I Have My Doubts About This

Mon, 4 Jan 2010 15:05:40 +0000

My problem with faith healing is that Christians seem to expect it; like there is no room in their mind for suffering or even death...well everyone dies sometime. Does that mean God failed? I don't think so. I am in a CPE class right now and I cringe when I hear someone pray for healing in an impossible situation. I think its more important for pastors to tell the truth, not always give comfort. If a miracle happens, then praise be to God, but don't expect it.

ChurchCrunch : Did Jesus Have an Affiliate Program? Do You?

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 15:56:30 +0000

I just checked my Commission Junction stats after reading this post: 6 clicks in the last 3 months! CTR of 0.08% with a big fat zero in commissions. I supposed I haven't been doing it right - basically just posting banners without any marketing. Where do you find your affiliate products?

ChurchCrunch : Ministry Web Technology Goals for 2010?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:53:40 +0000

Oh yes! I start a my first pastorate on Jan 1 and their current website leaves much to be desired. Well it does utilize all the latest technology....of 1997. It won't take much to upgrade.

ChurchCrunch : How Is Your Blog Making Money (and How Much)?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:51:00 +0000

I've had a few blogs over the years - the most successful has been my secular math tutoring blog. I've made quite a bit from it (mostly from client referrals). And then I have my "Christian blog." It's that second one I that I find difficult to monetize without selling out. Google AdSense promotes causes I might actively oppose in the post, and makes pennies a day anyways. I haven't found many good Christian affiliate marketing products, and selling direct ad space on my small site probably won't happen. I'm happy just for it to be a make-no-money-hobby for now. But please do write more about monetizing blogs, specifically Christian ones - without selling out.

The Church of No People : Ten Years Gone, and Ten New Year's Predictions

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:33:40 +0000

I predict the next generation (let's say around 2035) will abandon all of the social media technology of the present day and revert to meeting people in real life. I suspect this will be because the current generation will neglect their children in favor of facebook/twitter/whatever. You know, kinda like how cigarette smoking skips a generation.