Authors Putting their Faith into Action

This past weekend, I had the opportunity along with Marc McCartney to interview some really gifted authors at the Christian Book Expo here in Dallas. The questions in our interviews focused on small group ministry and what it looks like to put our faith into action. Each author answered the questions with their particular message and passion in mind. The interviews will be posted online at SmallGroupExchange.com and Rightnow.org as free video training.

On Friday, our line-up was Max Lucado (see photo), Andy Crouch, Alex & Brett Harris, Sue Edwards, and Dawn Herzog Jewell. On Saturday: JI Packer, Kevin Leman, Jimmy Dorrell, Ron Hall, Denver Moore, Steven Arterburn, and Bill and Kathy Peel.

I helped with the Friday portion. It was great to hear from Andy Crouch about his passion to help others create culture rather than criticize it. He has some great insight in his book Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling. I was able to personally interview Alex and Brett Harris, authors of Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. These guys were exactly what I thought they would be- full of passion for this generation of teens and mature way beyond their years.

When Max Lucado walked in the room, he had a smile on his face and was genuinely interested in who we were and what we were doing. He talked about how God can use ordinary people for extraordinary purposes and he helped define what "missionary" means in our culture today. He remembered all of our names at the end. I think every Christian on the planet knows who Max Lucado is so it was definitely an honor for him to offer his wisdom to us.

I also loved meeting Dawn Herzog Jewell, author of Escaping the Devil's Bedroom: Sex Trafficking, Global Prostitution, and the Gospel's Transforming Power. She answered questions as to how people can get involved in the heavy topic of sex trafficking and how God gave her the passion to write on the topic and inform others.

We're really excited to have each of these authors on SmallGroupExchange.com and Rightnow.org.

Read More......

Rethinking the American Dream

I don't usually read the magazine Vanity Fair, but it caught my eye on Friday night and I am glad it did. I was standing in line at the bookstore and noticed an article titled "Rethinking the American Dream" on the cover. I was very intrigued but didn't want to dive into my kids' college fund to pay for the magazine. After reading the article online today, I realize it would have been well worth the money if I had forked it over on Friday night. It's a GREAT article.

It's a long read, but traces the roots of the "American Dream" concept and how it has evolved over the past 70 years. As a 30 year old it gave me some perspective on why I think the way I do and why my generation has so many questions about life.

By the way, a phrase or mantra we have adopted at The RightNow Campaign is "a generation trading in the pursuit of the American Dream for a world that desperately needs Christ."

Along with millions of jobs and 401(k)s, the concept of a shared national ideal is said to be dying. But is the American Dream really endangered, or has it simply been misplaced? Exploring the way our aspirations have changed—the rugged individualism of the Wild West, the social compact of F.D.R., the sitcom fantasy of 50s suburbia—the author shows how the American Dream came to mean fame and fortune, instead of the promise that shaped a nation.

Read the whole article here.

Read More......