miletwo::network

I’ve been talking about the concept of becoming a goer with a friend lately and have decided to put a few concepts in line prior to taking this to a larger audience. You, the faithful few who follow my blog will get to see it first.

I’ve been reading David Alan Black’s mini-book on the synoptic problem since this morning.  It’s almost done and I’ll be bummed when I’m through it. The bigger issue I’m having today is that I’ve been around the church for over thirty years and I’m just now getting to this stuff. Why is that?  I guess it’s probably my own fault.  Either somebody forgot to tell me that Paul and Luke were buddies, that Mark hung out with Peter and likely wrote his gospel as a shorthand narrative of Paul’s sermons to the praetorium, etc. or I was sleeping that day.  I guess this kind of thing doesn’t come up in a thirty minute sermon titled “STOP BEING SO DUMB!” which is about the level that pastors today are able to get to with their stubborn and inattentive congregations.

So, I’ve been studying the last week or so for this weekend’s innagural event… The Gathering goes weekly!  Henceforth my problem.  You see; it used to be whenever I had opportunity to teach when I lived in california and went to miletwo::church, I could harass Steve Folgheraiter or Scott Boren with my questions on deeper theological issues.  I have no formal theology training, never went to seminary, but MAN I love to read and so I do that… a LOT!  I have stacks of books on the bible and issues facing today’s Christians, but today I realized… the books are not enough.

Those of you who know me are aware that I have a special fondness for this spinning mudball I stand on. It’s not because I believe God is in the rocks and trees, or because I think the world will end if I keep driving my Land Cruiser.  I love the Earth because I love the one who made it.

According to a recently released report by the Barna Group, Evangelical Christians are finally getting on the Green band-wagon.  The cool thing to note is that, as I’ve mentioned in the past, we’re doing it for the right reasons.  Christians have a responsibility to be concerned for the environment because it’s GOD’S CREATION!

A new guide from the Church of England offers church leaders a template for a year-long programme of practical action to reduce their congregations’ carbon footprints, as energy prices head upwards.

My wife and I have been slaving away in the backyard of our new rented home for the last few weeks and now that sod and pavers are laid, it’s time for us to quickly get our raised bed garden planted before the springtime planting window escapes us.  With that in mind I’ve been ripe with anticipation to reap the benefits of my home garden and have begun dreaming of the meals and dishes I plan to make with it.

Good God I’m starting to sound like some bleeding heart liberal tree hugger but damn it if sometimes they just make sense! Today I came across the web site called The Story of Stuff. Annie Leanord lays it all out and draws a very compelling picture of the state of consumerism and the world we live in. This is definitely worth a watch.

What’s better than hypermiling? What’s more fuel efficient than driving a gas/electric hybrid? How about a gas/human hybrid! That’s right folks, I’m building a gas power assisted bicycle to drag me along on my 10 mile daily commute. I’ve been hypermiling in the Four Runner these days and I have the MPG up to about 34 miles per gallon. But, for a $10 broken weedeater and a few miscellaneous parts from the local hardware store, I’ll be getting closer to 150+MPG in the very near future.