Boy, did we have fun going to see Burlap to Cashmere live in concert back in 1998 as freshman in college. They played, believe it or not, at the old New Union (before it moved downtown and became Club 3 Degrees). After their award winning full album release in 1998, which was warmly received and … More MUSIC: ‘Burlap to Cashmere’ is Back – 13 years later!!
We’re going! Why aren’t you?
Word on the street is that “The Hobbit” movie is indeed coming….
Here’s the notes from a message I gave to a youth group awhile back. Always a timely and tough topic. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images… … More American Idols (Rom 1:22-25)
Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed is exploring Christian Smith’s new book: Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults. Today the question is: What is the cultural world of the emerging adult? We’re talking about 46 million emerging adults… so generalizations need careful backing of evidence and all kinds of nuance. What … More Today’s Emerging Adults 1
This past summer my wife and I decided it was high time to visit Hogwarts and dabble in the dark arts. That is, we decided to watch the Harry Potter movies. I’m glad to report 6 months later I’ve finally recovered my faith. Ok, enough with the sarcasm. Alright Christian: Have you seen the films? … More Are We Done Picking on Potter?
Ok, first of all I’m not a TV guy. So, this post will not begin a new trend of television gossip and coverage. I basically watch two things: (1) NBC’s Thursday night comedy lineup featuring “Community”, “Parks & Recreation” and, drum roll and sound the trumpets please, “The Office,” the best show on the air, … More Save Conan, Leno Retire
I recently saw the latest apocalyptic global disaster movie out of Hollywood — “2012”. Special effects were better than ever. Disturbing yet awesome scenes of global upheaval and catastrophe kept coming for the entire 2 hours and 40 minutes of gloom and doom. First earthquakes whose “cracks” (if you can call them cracks) chased John … More MOVIE REVIEW: The Eschatology of “2012”
When it comes to studying the youth culture and the direction we’re going as a whole, my go-to expert is Walt Mueller. (That’s why he’s listed under my favorite blogs.) Here’s his latest observation and warning: Youth culture is a map and a mirror. It is both directive and reflective. We watch it to see … More Wisdom Gap: “Do what just feels right…?”
In my first review of this film I pointed out some of the underlying spiritual/psychological themes in the film: (1) the danger of letting a relationship take over one’s entire life, (2) turning a relationship into an idol which we cannot live without, (3) engaging in self-destructive behaviors (e.g., self-injury, suicide attempts) as a desperate … More MOVIE REVIEW: “Twilight: New Moon” – Part 2
This particular Friday night I was proudly wearing both my “good husband hat” and my “committed youth pastor hat” as I went to see the much anticipated “Twilight: New Moon” film on opening night. (Keri asked me to go to the midnight opener the previous night and I had to draw the line somewhere!) Gazillions … More MOVIE REVIEW: “Twilight: New Moon” – A Youth Pastor’s Perspective
The “My Top 3” series is your chance to get to know some of my personal favorites. Today, on a lighter note, I share my favorite 3 bands. These are not necessarily my vote for the BEST bands of all time. I would have to place The Beatles, Led Zepellin, Elvis Presley and many others … More My Top 3: Rock & Roll Bands
The following post is featured at Jesus Creed today. Join the lively conversation THERE. “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? Here’s what I want you … More Does God Have Season Tickets? (Jesus Creed)
This week our study in Romans (“The God Report”) takes us to what one pastor titled his sermon “The Dark Exchange.” Paul addresses the pagan metropolis of ancient Rome with the following critique — which is relevant today as 2,000 years ago: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave … More Mark Driscoll, Nightline & American Idolatry
Here’s a relevant topic for youth pastors. How do you address the topic of “cursing” with teens without sounding stuffy and pharasaic, old-fashioned and legalistic? I believe Brett McCracken comes at it from the right angle and with the right message. It’s not so much about the rightness or wrongness of actual words, but rather … More “Christian Cussing” (Brett McCracken)
Keri and I have spent some time this summer watching some movie series. We started the summer with the X-Men movies and are now working our way through the Harry Potter movie series. NPR’s All Things Considered recently ran a story that caught my attention. The piece focused on the mixed receptivity of Harry Potter … More Harry Potter Resurrected
Keri made me watch it. I didn’t want to. I watched it when it first came out in the mid 80s when I was about 8 years old. It was creepy. Do you remember The Neverending Story? Bastian is a boy bossed around by his dad and bullied by schoolmates, all the while grieving the death … More MOVIE REVIEW: The Neverending Story (1984)
If you like fun, action packed thrillers or light-hearted, heart-warming romantic comedies, then Revolutionary Road (2008) is definitely NOT for you. However, if you like well-acted, deeply moving stories that tackle the deeper issues of life such as the search for personal happiness and purpose, finding meaning and contentment in one’s current lot in life, … More MOVIE REVIEW: “Revolutionary Road”
From the DI archives. A while back I was researching the ways our brain processes messages in preparation for a series of messages I gave at a weekend youth retreat based on “The Matrix” movies. Here’s some of my reflections on our image-based culture. -JB “What we’ve introduced at MTV is nonnarrative form…We rely on … More A Picture Is Worth a 1,000 Words (& Millions of Dollars)
I have updated my original post (see italics) and added a direct quote from iMonk. Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk, has a post this week entitled “Is Evangelism Child Abuse?” He is responding to the newest attack on religious people and leaders — the view that attempts to evangelize and convert people (especially young teenagers) is … More Is Evangelism Child Abuse?
Are you a Facebook addict? Read Elizabeth Cohen’s Five Clues That You Are Addicted to Facebook to find out. Here is a short excerpt and 4 question test to find out your level of Facebook dependency. Take a moment and WATCH NEWS STORY. You know you’re a Facebook addict when … 1. You lose … More Are You Addicted to Facebook?
I love The Colbert Report. Colbert recently drilled Bart Ehrman on his latest book Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Didn’t Know About Them). Ehrman, a well-known professor of religious studies at UNC at Chapel Hill and pastor-turned-atheist has quickly become one of the most outspoken critics of the Christian … More COLBERT REPORT: “Bart Ehrman, Interrupted”
Have you seen any of these Jesus People webisodes? They are a hilariously depressing parody of some of the worst stereotypes and caricatures of the Christian subculture. These episodes are promoting the full “Jesus People” movie arriving in select theaters soon. Are you ready for the media buzz? What are your thoughts on these caricatures of … More Jesus People: The Movie
Any Office fans out there? My wife and I make this our 30 minutes of must-see comedy each week. If you are an Office fan, you probably have realized that it’s hard to put your finger on exactly why you can’t get enough of this kind of humor. It is a character-driven show for sure. … More The Office: Dwight and Christians
Jeremy L. Berg 