Great Sentinel Article

A Downtown for All:

Imagine a downtown where, on any given day, business people dine alongside artists, students stroll next to theatergoers and sports fans on the way to the game amble through close-knit neighborhoods.

The fact is, you don't have to imagine that downtown. It exists in cities all across the country -- in San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle and Washington D.C. Whether established successes or lately on the rebound, these cities have at least one thing in common. Their downtowns anchor the growth and prosperity of entire regions.

Orlando can be on that list. For the sake of Central Florida's quality of life, Orlando needs to be on that list.

Residents from Maitland to Leesburg and from St. Cloud to Deltona, ought to realize that all of Central Florida's future rises and falls with the fortunes of downtown Orlando. There will be 7.2 million people living in Central Florida by the year 2050, and decisions made in a matter of months will determine whether this region becomes a metropolitan community or an amorphous blob of Los Angeles-like sprawl.

To read the rest of this Orlando Sentinel article click here.

I for one think this would be fantastic and we'll need churches for all this growth.

Young, Restless, Reformed

Interesting cover story from Christianity Today. 

Here's an excerpt:

       

The evidence for the resurgence is partly institutional and partly anecdotal. But it's something that a variety of church leaders observe. While the Emergent "conversation" gets a lot of press for its appeal to the young, the new Reformed movement may be a larger and more pervasive phenomenon. It certainly has a much stronger institutional base. I traveled to some of the movement's leading churches and institutions and talked to theologians, pastors, and parishioners, trying to understand Calvinism's new appeal and how it is changing American churches.

Read the entire article here.

Praxis

The past couple weeks have been crazy busy, yet there’s been some good things happening. One of those things (work related) is getting the opportunity to lead an Equipping Center at our church (Orangewood). I am getting the chance to lead the 20-30 something’s age group. We are exploring the interaction between Gospel, Culture and the Church. You can check out what is happening by going to http://praxis.typepad.com

An unrelated aside...Boone is only a week away! http://booneweather.com

New Pics & Hail to the Victors!

No big blog entry here.  Just wanted to say Go Blue!  So glad they beat, should I say, pummeled the Irish!  Maybe we won't have to here anymore about this team that is afraid to join the Big 10.  Please no hate mail from Notre Dame fans, I'm just having a little fun with this.  Anyway, I've posted some new pics to your right under "September 2006" or you can simply click here.  Peace.

Jesus Camp Trailer

This ought to be interesting. Obviously a trailer doesn't give the full picture, but it certainly is a bit disconcerting if it's remotely accurate. Guess I'll have to watch it when it comes out. Let me know what you think or if you know anything about the film.

Conflicted Kid

Football season is here!

Heaven is not your home

Disclaimer:  consider yourself forewarned that the following message may radically alter your paradigm as an Evangelical Christian, and it's a thing of beauty.

The following sermon/teaching was delivered by Richard Pratt a couple weeks ago to the Central Florida Presbytery of the PCA.  Know that he is speaking to pastors and so some of the material may come off as "insider" info.  Just ignore that stuff and zero in on his teachings regarding the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.  Fantastic stuff.  Much needed teaching.  It's about 45 minutes long.  I recommend downloading, loading into your iPod and just soaking it in.  Just know that it may mess with your head.  Enjoy!

Download heaven_is_not_your_home.mp3