A New Christian Manifesto ~Bob Ekblad

I am being rocked and deeply challenged by some of Bob Ekblad's ideas!  He approaches being a disciple of Christ as an invitation to sign-up to God's agenda of changing the world through the power of love.  Sounds fantastic.  The reality of that thought is tougher to stomach, as Ekblad challenges us that in order to do this we must lay-aside ALL other agendas, alliances, power structures and attachments.  He really focuses on nationalism as a type of idolatry, and, coupled with a radical non-violent theology, advocates swerving the poor, those on the margins, and the "others" or the "them".

Part of me says "Amen!" and part of me says "Ouch!"

Just finished reading Singing the Lord's Song in a Strange Land by Rev Dr Joseph E Lowery. This guy has spent his whole life fighting discrimination and racial inequality.  I really liked the book and it has stirred up the importance of fighting for justice, and for the healing of wounds and righting of wrongs. 

YET for all his accomplishments, I do confess that he will always be, in my mind, the "yella-will-be-mella" guy.  From President Barrack Obama's inauguration benediction:

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get [in] back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. Let all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen! Say Amen! And Amen!

Highly recommended reading.

I just finished reading this incredible book.  Part-biography, part-inspirational, part-business book, the incredible and impressive life and achievements of Texan Billionaire Sam Wyly.  From very poor beginnings he pioneered the fields of computing and electronic commerce.... and then went on to start, aquire or build businesses from oil companies to arts & crafts shops to green energy providers and carbon exchange organisations. 

Within these pages you catch a feel for many of the insights and principles that have allowed Sam Wyly to amass a fortune, take on monopolies such as AT&T, and escape unscathed from many of the pitfalls that have plagued many other businesses in the world.

Read it and be inspired to dream!!!!!

I have just finished reading Never eat alone, by Keith Ferrazzi. Some good points are to be found in this tome, worthy of immediate application. Ferrazzi sees a world in which your network, or circle, or tribe, now occupies the place that organizations used to occupy. This fluid tribe provides value, and demands the adding of value from us. It is a manifesto for the investment of our time, and energies, into helping others - The benefit that we receive is that we are helped along to achieve our own aims and goals when we do not manipulate the tribe to achieve these.

I for one will try to not eat alone as much in future.

I have recently finished this gem of a book that had been lying on my humongous reading pile for too long.  I have been really impacted by the message, and the heart behind, this little red book.  For those of you who want to taste the DNA of a movement (as opposed to the structure of an organisation) this is a must-read.

Providing a slight monastic tone to the evangelical scene, it effectively captures the essence of what a "European Move of God" looks like.  I say this, not because it is confined to Europe, but really because it was birthed in Europe, and consequently carries in it much of the European Evangelical world-view, rather than its North-American siblings.

If you want to turbo-charge your prayer life and want to sign-up to a post-modern subversive resistance movement, check out Red Moon Rising - you will be blessed to read how this God-ordained "accident" happened.