By: Richard Volzke on March 9, 2014
Religious Symbolism and the Church Miller’s book, Consuming Religion, summed up the consumer driven culture of many Christian denominations and theologies found in our world today Churches and Christian non-profit organizations have experienced great wealth and membership growth when they have been able to meet the demands of their constituents. This can be both positive…
By: Mitch Arbelaez on March 8, 2014
My title may be simply words to one of Madonna’s songs, as she sang about her own personal taste as a material girl. However, her conclusion is quite accusatory as she sings, “Experience has made me rich – And now they’re after me, ‘cause everybody’s…living in a material world.” Her statement implies that living in…
By: Carol McLaughlin on March 8, 2014
Growing up in non-liturgical churches my understanding and comprehension of Lent was filled with indifference. I remember my cousin giving up oatmeal-raisin cookies during Lent. I could not for the life of me understand why he would do such a thing especially since oatmeal-raisin cookies were not my favorite. Maybe he did it because his…
By: Telile Fikru Badecha on March 7, 2014
Starbucks Medium Ethiopia Whole Beans! Starbucks Medium roasted Ethiopia Starbucks coffee is my favorite coffee and I enjoy it every morning. It has the best flavor and aroma of all other coffee brands I have tried. A picture of a coffee pot with a cup on the brown foil packaging reminds me of home. However,…
By: John Woodward on March 7, 2014
On my early trips to Romania, I was captivated by the beauty and otherness of the Orthodox churches I visited. For a protestant, the mosaics, icons, candles and abundance of gold were all breathtaking and totally foreign to me. I found that one could purchase official icons in a number of stores throughout Romania. A…
By: Liz Linssen on March 7, 2014
Cavanaugh’s book, Being Consumed, explains to the reader some of the problems of Consumerism, while offering Christians informed, alternative ways of living. Miller’s book, Consuming Religion, on the other hand, focuses on what excessive consumerism has done to the practices of religion. That is, how the dynamics of consumerism have been brought into the playing…
By: Sam Stephens on March 7, 2014
Dr. Tony Campolo in one of his messages I heard many years ago, mentions the results of a sociological study done of 50 men and women above the age of 95. They were all asked what they would do differently if given the chance to live their lives over again. The responses as he points…
By: Julie Dodge on March 7, 2014
This week we had the great opportunity to read two, count them, TWO, books. Monday night I went to my book shelf to pull out the two assigned books. But wait! One was missing. Apparently I failed to order it. It was not on the shelf. What to do, what to do? I promptly turned…
By: Michael Badriaki on March 7, 2014
I thought of Ash Wednesday differently during the course of this week’s reading assignments. Miller’s book Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in A Consuming Market, and Cavanaugh book’s, Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire; bore the effects of a one-two punch combination. Ash symbolized the nostalgia with which I still think about consumption as…
By: Bill Dobrenen on March 7, 2014
In our reading for this week[1], Vincent J. Miller, Associate Professor of Theology at Georgetown University, writes about consumer culture. Unlike some of our other readings, Miller offers some suggestions/solutions for the Church to consider on how to flourish in the midst of the consumeristic bombardment experienced in the world around us. One of…
By: Phil Smart on March 6, 2014
My daughter is embarrassed when I try and imitate the “happy dance” done by an actor on a commercial for the Choice Hotels lodging chain. He is so happy after a nice night of sleep for a good price that he dances on his suitcase. It is quite enjoyable to watch – pure joy and…
By: Chris Ellis on March 6, 2014
If I were a ship at sea, Consider: Harnessing the Power of Reflective Thinking In Your Organization by Daniel Forrester would be a shot across my bow. I am, by design, an activist. I would rather be doing something than only talking and thinking about doing something. And that is my problem. As my natural…
By: Ashley Goad on March 6, 2014
While reading through Vincent Miller’s Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture and William Cavanaugh’s Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire, one image continually popped into my head: Don Draper. Don Draper, played by the dapper Jon Hamm, is the central character on the American Movie Channel series Mad Men. The series…
By: Sandy Bils on March 6, 2014
Lets make a game? Ok? I’ll tell you a story about a company and you have to guess, which company I was talking about. Ok? Go: I am talking about a large and global company, with stores in 117 countries. The company was founded in the 50’s and already in 1978 it approved a policy…
By: David Toth on March 6, 2014
“Describe in your own words the picture that best represents the process facilitated by your church/ministry that helps an interested follower to become more Christ-like.” I have asked this question of hundreds of ministry leaders, mostly lead pastors, and easily more than 95% do not include focused and/or regular times of reflective contemplation. If Forrester…
By: Deve Persad on March 6, 2014
Watching the Oscars last weekend I was struck by the number of commercials for Cadillacs. I’m not usually that perceptive, but I wondered aloud, “Why are they showing all these commercials? How many people watching the Oscars would be thinking, I need a car, and that seals it, I’m buying a Cadillac?” Then returning to…
By: Garrick Roegner on March 6, 2014
In 2005 we moved to Spain with our 1 year old daughter and a team of 4 Americans, 1 Mexican, and 1 Spaniard to do campus ministry. We were sent as Short Term Internationals, even though we were planning on staying long term. The idea was to go for two years as short termers, try…
By: Richard Rhoads on March 6, 2014
As we feel ourselves going under, drowning in the impossible multiplication of activities, responsibilities, relationships, and requirements, we end up all but abandoning the pursuit of happiness. Our new goal isn’t so much gentle, authentic happiness, nor are we apparently seeking joy, ease, pleasure or delight. Instead, when I ask people how they are, what…
By: Fred Fay on March 6, 2014
Recently, our church team has intentionally taking extra time to reflect on what we are doing in our church. Action without reflection can have dire effects. Course correction is constantly needed. Daniel Patrick Forrester’s compelling book Consider: Harnessing the Power of Reflective Thinking In Your Organization is an alarm for organizations to take time for…
By: Sharenda Roam on March 5, 2014
“Consider Reflection & Haiku” After reading “Consider” this week I must agree with Seth Godin in his statement regarding this book, “While the world seems to want you to go ever faster…it actually rewards you for being insightful and for doing work with meaning. I know it’s hard to slow down to read this, but…
