This change dramatically improved my life this year
In the last year I've lost I've lost 32 lbs. It's not the most I've ever lost nor the fastest I've lost it, but it is the easiest weight loss I've ever experienced. About a year ago I started applying Lean Startup experimentation techniques to my health. I didn't even...
A Theological Argument for Net Neutrality
Honoring the Poor by Giving them a Voice We often interpret the "Body of Christ" passage as meaning "everyone has a role" in the Kindom of God, but when I read it, I take it to mean "everyone should have equal access to the Kindom of God." "Those members we think less...
A Heart of Peace: How Reconciliation Can Trump Division
I preached this message on May 14th, 2017 Trinity United Methodist Church in Waverly, IA. It was designed to teach the congregation a form of mindfulness that could counteract dissent and disheartenment. In the message, I talk a lot about my own disheartening...
Wiki Leaks – When Too Much Information is Too Much
Ever since the DNC emails were released by WikiLeaks I've been haunted by a sinking feeling in my gut. As an avid Reddit user, I've been glued into dozen of stories about the DNC email leak. The shady nature in which these emails was acquired is troubling; the...
The Inclining Church
Social Capital: the capacity an average person has to organize into groups, giving that person the power to accomplish social change. The decline of the Church in the developed world has been debated ad nauseam. Many are quick to point out that their "global" church...
Luther Pressed On
Viral: when the transmission of a message takes on a life of its own, spanning far beyond the reach of the original sender. In 1455, Johannes Gutenberg produced 200 illustrated Bibles in Latin, using his now famous printing press. He didn't invent the press or movable...
The Promise of Pokemon Go Goes Beyond Hospitality
Pokemon Go is not a fad, it’s been a long time in the making. Go is currently surpassing searches for “porn” and “Donald Trump” on the internet. If your church isn’t paying attention, now would be the time. To by fair, countless churches have caught on, providing hospitality for players that are wondering into their territory. I approve.
Learning from Pets.com Failure
Bust: a startup that flames out, despite a strong and promising start. In the year 2000, the Super Bowl featured a commercial that starred a sock puppet. That puppet was the mascot for Pets.com, the poster child of Dot Com busts. Pets.com did everything right - if...
How to Use Social Media During a Disaster
A friend of mind asked me if I had any advice on this topic after the recent floods in her home state of West Virginia. I have witnessed what I consider to be “best practices” in disaster situations over the years and wanted to share them with you now.
Cyborg Zombie Christians
People spend more time online then at church. This may be the understatement of the century, but it's important to understand why this shift occurred. It used to take a lot of work to be social. You had to join a bowling league, a bridge club, or you had to go to...