When Billy Graham, spoke at a Ted Conference. Over 20 years ago…
What should I listen / watch next?
Alternative Sermon of The Week: On Technology and Faith – Billy Graham
The Church Sofa Weekly Roundup – The Getting Millennials into Church? Edition
My regular round up of random things found online this week
Something on Getting Millennials into Church
Foxnews.com has a piece on what churches need to do to engage “millennials”. It seems to be that using technology is key.
In an unrelated piece of news, the guys behind the ChurcHome app have published a piece on Foxnews.com.
Something not funny…
Sojo.net have made an interesting argument as to why Christian Nationalism is destroying America.
Something to watch…
This weeks theological Twitter low point…
Well.
Submissions are open for something a little more positive for next week…
When Pastors Fight?
My Jesus, My Valentine…
The Church Notice Board of The Week
Trump, Phil Robertson, and Eternal Health Care.
The Late Night with Seth Meyers had a recent segment looking at Donald Trump, Socialism, and Health Care… Its safe to say it went places.
(Please dont watch if easily offended.)
As a Brit, living in Britain, my personal take on it is that I thank God for our free health care. Eternal Health Care may be something… but when I need advice for my asthma, or more importantly, when either Mrs or Little Sofa are sick, I quite like the idea of free accessible health care that we can turn to on this plain of existence.
Them: Live biblically
Every now and then, Twitter plays a game. Recently a game has been played which I’ll call “Live biblically”.
I don’t know how “Live Biblically” started, but it seems to be based around people being told to live biblically, then actually thinking about what it means. (In their own personal opinion…)
Here’s some some of my favourites…
Have a look over at Twitter for… quite a few more.
For a slightly different take, check out the What Would Jesus Do Generator.
Alternative Sermon of The Week. The Doctor Who Edition.
Have a moment?
Want to hear about Doctor Who, and Christ?
Even if you don’t. Do yourself a favour and listen to this. Twice.
At least .
What else should I listen to?
A Week In The Internet – The MAN edition.
This is The Church Sofa Week In The Internet. A quick roundup of stuff that caught my attention in many ways.
Play the MAN You Are
Satan tries to obscure sins by rendering them nearly impossible to define. He smuggles effeminacy into the church by forbidding any specific definition.
Desiring God
The Desiring God guys have put together a super long piece on why they believe effeminacy is wrong, and indeed a sin.
As a result of reading the Desiring God site, I kinda want to grow long hair and wear a pink shirt.
A Public School Swagger?
About this tweet from the good old C of E…
Dearest C of E. I do like you. Your online stuff is generally quite good. But please don’t be that Twitter Account. Is a “public school swagger” really seen as a good thing?
Unless of course you mean that tweet ironically, and you actually have an interesting opinion about people with a “Public School Swagger”? In that case. Well played.
Social Media Firms and Mental Health.
Well. After the tragic suicide of a young teenager, Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care called on Instagram to deal with images of self harm on its site. Instagram has thankfully reacted positively to this call.
Church Times has written on this with the title “Social-media firms are failing to protect children from harmful content online, says bishop”, and within the text of the article say…
Young people had expressed to her a desire to report harmful content themselves, she said, but they did not want social media to be “demonised”, either.
Church Times
Isn’t there a hint of demonization in the title?
There’s something about how the media is treating this story is grating on me a little. I guess in the field of mental health I wonder if we’re looking in the wrong direction?
Perhaps we should be discussing unrealistic images of life put across by not just digital media, but media in general? How about cuts to Mental Health Services and other services around the country? Could we talk about pressures on the family unit in general?
What do you think?
#5Weekstoolong
For those who haven’t heard. Imagine you need to sign up to benefits. Imagine you’ve lost your job and you need some money to get you sorted whilst you look for another job? (For one example).
Imagine being told you have to wait for 5 weeks at least before anything comes through?
Does that feel too long? Join the campaign hosted by The Trussell Trust (The foodbank guys). Help them do something about it.
Thats it.
Thats it. I’m done. That all felt a little ranty this week.
Sorry about that.
Is there anything I should of ranted about instead?
Maybe this should be called The Church Sofa rant of the week?