clear river

Dith Pran, ‘Killing Fields’ Photographer, Dies

One of my favorite movies of all time is "The Killing Fields", the remarkable story of Dith Pran and his survival of the Khmer Rouge genocide. He passed away yesterday after a long career as a photojournalist and activist. A video called "Last Word" is online and features Mr. Pran. It's well worth a viewing. The movie comes highly recommended. It is violent and the language is extremely coarse but the story is true and inspiring.

The Last Word:Video Interview and Profile

N.Y. Times Story on Dith Pran's passing

Farewell Larry Norman

Larry's last words dictated to his fans this past weekend:

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I wont be here much longer. I cant do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say  I love you.

I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Story from Christianity Today here.

This gives a whole new slant on the hymn "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus"

Christians Wrong About Heaven, Says Bishop

From Time magazine:

N.T. "Tom" Wright is one of the most formidable figures in the world of Christian thought. As Bishop of Durham, he is the fourth most senior cleric in the Church of England and a major player in the strife-riven global Anglican Communion; as a much-read theologian and Biblical scholar he has taught at Cambridge and is a hero to conservative Christians worldwide for his 2003 book The Resurrection of the Son of God, which argued forcefully for a literal interpretation of that event.

It therefore comes as a something of a shock that Wright doesn't believe in heaven — at least, not in the way that millions of Christians understand the term. In his new book, Surprised by Hope (HarperOne), Wright quotes a children's book by California first lady Maria Shriver called What's Heaven, which describes it as "a beautiful place where you can sit on soft clouds and talk... If you're good throughout your life, then you get to go [there]... When your life is finished here on earth, God sends angels down to take you heaven to be with him." That, says Wright is a good example of "what not to say." The Biblical truth, he continues, "is very, very different."  (Read Interview)

The wave is rolling in...

I remember attending my first National Pastor's conference sponsored by Zondervan and Youth Specialties in San Diego about 5 years ago. I attended the emergent track out of interest in some of the fresh things I saw going on within it's infancy. I remember being troubled by some of the comments and remarked to my wife at that time that the movement was going to really struggle with remaining orthodox. For a number of years I have taught about the difference between absolutes, interpretations and deductions. A great deal of energy is spent in the church trying to turn deductions into absolutes and it creates a great deal of heartache and division. The emergent folks concern me still because of their attempts to turn absolutes into deductions.  This video featuring Solomon's Porch illustrates the point.

Woody Allen and Billy Graham

Throughout the years I have been so impressed with Billy's gracious demeanor...

Blessed

The video here comes from a site called "The Work of the People." The name is the translation of the word "liturgy." This video is part of their visual liturgy series. I've looked at a good bit of their work and it's really outstanding.

IRead

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