Wax Ryan for Missions

This was definitely worth my investment!

Waxing Ryan from Mark Bergshoeff on Vimeo.

The big news

So the big news around here is that I'm opening a fly shop in Downtown Gig Harbor. We will be opening March 8th. I have hired our first employee, stayed up late every night for the past 2 weeks building store fixtures, and have now started stocking the shelves.

Our hours at first will be Sun-Fri 3-6pm and Saturdays 7am-5pm.

So if you're around the Harbor on the 8th stop on by!

Chicago Pizza

So last week I had posted a blog while in Chicago. I was surprised that the only comments I got were in regards to me mentioning Chicago-style pizza!

Well, to make you guys droll even more.....I had taken a picture of the heavenly goodness from Giordano's with my phone!

It doesn't get any better than this! (Did I mention I had this three times last week!?)

Sitting in a hotel in Chicago...

...and finding a few moments to reflect.

One, I'm reading way to many books at one time right now.

Two, I started and finished Phyllis Tickle's book The Great Emergence (review to come).

Third, Still blown away from Efrem Smith Monday night, Phyllis Tickle last night, and Klyne Snodgrass yesterday and this morning.

Fourth, The Covenant truly is a beautiful and unique family. I love it. The reading for my Covenant Church history class, not so much.

Fifth, I've had Chicago style deep dish pizza 3 times this week and I think I feel my heart straining to pump the thick sludge through my veins.

Six, Thank God for new friends like Matt and Evan, as well as old friends like Sean.

Seventh, Starting Scot McKnight's new book tonight. Ironically, I brought the book with me from home to read while I was here and Zondervan gave everyone at the conference a free copy. I'm going to read both of them at the same time and see how that goes, just in case I miss something.

Eighth, I miss Allison and the kids like crazy.

Ninth, It has been a good week with John and David, but I miss my partners in crime (Jen & Mike).

Tenth, bought a book on Fasting by Scot McKnight. I probably should wait at least a week to start it.

Eleventh, I should start blogging more. Maybe not as much as before but more than once a month would probably be nice.

Okay, maybe that's it for now. I'm going to do some reading.

Jesus Wants to Save Christians

I finished Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile over Christmas break. Rob provides a narrative and theological framework to the story of God and his people. I appreciated his work because parts of it drew from liberation theology without liberation theology's handicap of under emphasizing the spiritual. Though not necessarily a "theology" book, I appreciated the narrative theology and reminded me of a theology class I took at Point Loma Nazarene University called "Biblical Theology" (btw, how can theology not be Biblical? it was a running joke in our class). The Biblical Theology class taught by Dr. Wright used Dr. Lodahl's book The Story of God: A Narrative Theology. Quick Note: While grabbing the link online for the book, which was published in 1994, I noticed that Dr. Lodahl has come out with a second edition to the book and was published less than two months ago! I think I'm going to buy the new edition. The first edition was great and I'm looking forward to seeing the shift in Lodahl's argument.

Anyways, back to the original topic. Look at the topic of the book. If you are a Christian that thinks the church is still enjoying all of its luxuries and priviledges that it has horded during Christendom and especially the last 500 years, this book will anger you. Probably don't read it. If you are a Christian that recognizes our contemporary church without change is in trouble, you will find this book encouraging and hopefully, as well as convicting.

Oh, and the book cover is creative. You'll have to stare at it for a while to figure it out.

Say Hello to my little hairy friend!

His name is Ryan. And Ryan is the YWAM Mission Adventures Director in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ryan is a missionary and financially supported by people all around world. That's how he pays his bills.
Ryan wants to go to two YWAM conferences this year. One is in South East Asia and the other is Germany. Pretty cool eh? Well, they cost money, and instead of prying the last pennies out of the hands of his supports he has come up with a creative way to raise the necessary funds. Ryan is going to wax his very hairy chest. Here's how it works:
He is looking for 200 supporters that will each chip in $25. In return he will wax his chest AND you will get to support a missionary. I'm totally doing this and you should too. Unless you are a missionary, you probably have enough things to deal with...but the rest of you....you're rich! Fork it over.
Click here to give your donation through PayPal.

You can read more about Ryan and his dumb fundraiser on his blog here.

So I know most of you will support Ryan because this is funny, a great cause, and it's only $25. But some of you have more than $25. Ryan is totally not asking me to do this and I hope it doesn't tick him off (I don't think it will) but if you have the means, will you please consider supporting this guy on a monthly basis? Last year I took a group of students up to Vancouver and we participated in YWAM Vancouver's ministry. It is truly incredible. We're going again this summer and have twice the amount of students going. He is really making a difference in the lives of our students as well as the people of Vancouver. To support Ryan you can get all the info you need here.

Here's some controversy for you!

I had a friend send me a message last week (which I chuckled at and I'm that was his goal) and I thought I would respond. Below is the message.

Blake, I´ve been scanning your blog for controversial topics. I´m having trouble finding any! Can you help me out?

If one cannot find anything of controversy on my blog then I have failed. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most scandalous and controversial agenda ever. Followers of Jesus that deny this assertion, in my opinion, have made for themselves an idol of safety, security, self-preservation, and self-worship, with a Jesus veneer.
Perhaps my attempt to make a life in the way of Jesus has either not found its way onto the blog or I have not been living out my faith in my unplugged life. I guess it could be other things too, like the gossip train. Regardless, I hope you can eventually find here a broken person who is trying live a life in the way of Jesus.