Broke Phi Broke Ministry

Spiritual Growth

2008-02-19T06:30:00.000-08:00

I was home over the weekend so went to The Summit church. It's always a pleasure to hear J.D. Greear deliver a sermon. He's a very dynamic, funny, engaging, Biblically-driven preacher.

The topic of Sunday's sermon, well the latest series really, has been the difference between "mechanical change"- going through the motions and rituals of being a Christian and "organic change"- a more internal change.

J.D. talked about the "cultural mandate" that God gave us in the Bible to go out into the world, take the earth's materials and make something beautiful out of it to glorify God. In short, the people of God are supposed to restore the earth and preach the gospel.

We Christians should take God to the people. J.D. noted that Christianity is the only religion with a vision for the world. We are supposed to be stewards of the earth. J.D. talked about how Armageddon is the battle for influential places in the world.

In the Triangle area and most other places, the spheres of influence will occur, not in the church, but in arts and communication, family, government, agriculture, justice, economics, religion, science and medicine, education and other sectors.
65 percent of our life is spent at work, according to the pastor. When it comes to work, J.D. outlined four options

1)paycheck-driven
2)passion-driven
3)philanthropy-driven
4)purpose-driven

The sermon also talked about four characteristics of a "Christian" business:
1)God-Honoring
2)Others-benefiting
3)Redemption-demonstrating
4)Global-encompassing

I know this summary is disconnected. But these are the snippets of notes I have. I don't really have a "point" to this post rather than to share some salient ideas. I guess the bottom line is eat at Chick-Fil-A.
Just kidding. Although I do love eating at the sort of ultimate example of a "Christian" business.
Spiritual growth is important. Without there is definitely a disconnect.
That's why I'm particularly thankful for groups like Grad Resources while I'm in college.

Response to GG

2007-01-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad to hear about your spiritual progress, GG! I read Mere Christianity in college and it is one of my favorite books on Christian theology. C.S. Lewis knows how to break it down, especially on the Trinity and eternity of God. Good luck on the Bible reading. I have probably read most of the Bible so far, with a lot of it required reading back when I was in college. But I definitely need to revisit it. A couple apocryphal boooks that you might like are the gospels of Thomas, Phillip and Mary Magdalene. I've just recently read those. I'm heading toward a different track in my faith now (Christianity is supposed to be more of a journey and lifestyle than formulaic answer to life). Keep me in prayer as I do likewise for you. MJ

Growing In Christ

2007-01-19T22:14:00.000-08:00

Greetings fellow BPBer's,

Y'all are so much farther along in your faith than me. I'm slowly but surely taking steps to grow in my faith. I thought i'd share with you some of the latest things.
I'm reading Mere Christianity for the first time as part of a small group.
As part of that group, we're also making prayer cards and praying for five people we hope to bring to Christ.
I haven't finalized my list yet, but I do know that I will be praying for four of my journalism classmates who are international students to come to know Christ. Their names are Stephanie, Jiran, Ming-Lan and Ekaterina.
As you also know, I've never read the BIBLE! At least not the WHOLE Bible. This year I hope to read the whole Bible. So far I've stuck to following my one-year plan.
Please pray that God grants me the guidance and wisdom to stick with it.
That's what is going on in my life now. How about you guys?
I'd love to hear how God is working in your lives! God BLESS!

-GG

It's time to simplify!

2007-01-11T05:28:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

Following are some of the resources I have mentioned when it comes to the Voluntary Simplicity movement. I will also include those I've found recently about Green Living, Peak Oil and Global Warming. I will just type if the book's name or Web site to save time. Read up (even though some of it may be depressing at first)!

Simplicity: simpleliving.net (be sure to check out the podcasts on Simple Radio!); slowfoodmovement.com; slowlysheturned.net; sustainablog.blogspot.com; eatlocalchallenge.com; everydaysimplicity.blogspot.com; http://www.frugalforlife.blogspot.com/

Books: Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vickie Robin; Circle of Simplicity by Cecile Andrews and Simplicity By Richard Rohr (a Franciscan priest)

Green living: http://greenerside.typepad.com/my_weblog/; coopamerica.org; greenkarat.com; http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/homemaking/vinegar.html; eatwellguide.org; www.thegreenguide.com

Global warming: climatecrisis.net

Peak Oil: www.kunstler.com (James Howard Kunstler wrote Geography of Nowhere and the Long Emergency; energybulletin.net; endofsuburbia.com; http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/7203633/the_long_emergency; http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/; poweringdown.blogspot.com

I'll add more later!

GG Update

2006-12-25T20:28:00.000-08:00

This winter break has been enjoyable after completing my first semester. Thanks to hard work and almost certainly some divine intervention by God, I got all A's my first semester! Although it has been a lot, and I mean, A LOT of work, i've thoroughly enjoyed graduate school. I definitely feel like I'm in the right place right now. My studies are heavily centered on theory and research, rather than anything practical. But that will help prepare me for a PHd program if that's what God has in store for me.
My non-church related small group this semester has been a Christian group for grad students dedicated toward exploring ways to blend our academic studies with our faith. Whereas last year was the BPB ministry, this year my small group has been this Grad Resources group. We divided into two groups. The group I was in has been reading "The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex and The Meaning of Life" by Dr. Armand M. Nicholi, Jr. It's a very good book and I thoroughly recommend it. It's interesting to see the two competing worldviews. I don't know if I'll ever pull it off but I thought it would be interesting to get a Freud expert and a Lewis scholar to actually debate each other on these points in an educational forum on campus. That could be used as a good tool to draw non-believers. I think it's a good idea for someone to do, even if I or my group never does.
Anyway, it's been a good experience.
The other thing that has touched my heart is international students. One-fifth of the students in my master's program are international students. I've enjoyed befriending and learning about other cultures from my classmates from Korea, China, Taiwan, Russia and Africa. We play badminton together weekly, play basketball some, eat dinner together often and even go to church regularly (with one girl in particular). Some of the Koreans are already Christian, but I'm hoping some way God might use me to help share the gospel with the nonbelievers.
As for the principles of the BPB ministry, I'm the exact opposite of all of you: I'm taking on more and more debt, rather than eliminating it. But it's for school, which I'm hoping will pay off in the long run.
I'm also hoping to take advantage of all the opportunities afforded to me. I hope to take part in a study abroad program to France in May. I'll also go to New York as a student judge for the Peabody Awards. I'm not worthy of any of these opportunities so I must definitely give all the praise and glory to God for all of these things.
I have set this goal for New Year's past but I hope I actually acheive it this year: I want to read the Bible this year. I've never read the whole Bible. I hope I can remain faithful and grow in Christ as I consume the holy Word.
Yes, let's definitely get this blog going again. It can be a great resource. If nothing else, I enjoy hearing how everyone's doing. :)

Putting the Christ Back in Christmas

2006-12-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

For the first 25 years or so of my life, Christmas meant presents, rampant commercialism, Santa and so forth. Lately, I've focused more on Christ at Christmas than I have Santa and presents under the tree.
It's somewhat shameful, I'll admit, that I become a better Christian at Christmas time. I should strive to act and focus my efforts on Christ 365 days a year, not just a few around Christmastime.
I just feel this year I've been much more focused on Christ. Since Christmas Eve fell on Sunday, I went to my church service on Sunday morning. That was an enjoyable experience.
Today, I was also in more of a spirit filled mood. After listening to some John Legend songs (some of which talk about God), I listened to some Canton Jones, some Kirk Franklin, some Fred Hammond and some other Gospel songs.
I've also found myself praying a lot more lately. Over the holidays, I've spent time with my grandmother, who has Alzheimer's. There are good days and good times and bad days and bad times. But the bad times are painful. I pray for her, for all the suffers of this dreadful disease, for peace for my mother who must care for her and other families.
I've also been touched by foreign ministry of sorts. Just last week, I had four Asians come visit me at my parents' house. Three of them are classmates of mine at Georgia. I felt bad for them, being alone in a foreign land, over the break and holidays. They are not Christians but I hope slowly in time at least one of them may come to know Jesus Christ.
Do you all have any suggestions or resources that could help me minister the gospel to international students? I have a tremendous opportunity being in a college town to reach a few people from foreign countries.
These have been the things on my mind this Christmastime: international students, Alzheimers, and Christ.
I don't want to sound all negative though. It's amazing to me to think what a difference a year can make. Last year at this time we were all in Gastonia. Now look at us! We all seem to be well off in our respective locations. God bless!

-GG

Mojo update

2006-12-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Wow, I finally made my way back to the blog. I have been quite busy these days with my transformation. I moved into an apartment (finally!) in November. I love it; the complex has brick exterior apts with hardwood floors and plaster walls (built in 1950s). It's also closer to my job downtown and right next to an arboretum and a few blocks away from the rec center and pool.

I'm on vacation now just taking it easy, handling some tasks and doing a lot of reading. I also cut my hair off! I have a TWA (teeny weeny fro) as they say. I got tired of the relaxers and want to relearn my hair in its natural state. I'm also changing my diet and going more green. I have a host of resources if you guys are interested. I'm hoping to start a simplicity study group soon. If you want to know what I'm reading, it's ceruleansanctum.com, simpleliving.net,unconventionalideas.com and coopamerica.com.

K-Young, glad to hear of your progress. I just canceled two credit cards this month, leaving me with one for emergencies. I am reading Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin, which is excellent. I'm quite disallusioned by the prosperity gospel and am looking for Christian teachings that align more with the message of Jesus as humble servant instead of victorious king (for balance-sake).

I hope we can revive this blog! Ttyl. Mojo

Dormant is Not Cool

2006-12-03T11:24:00.000-08:00

Good Lawd! This site has become as "dead as a doornail." Whatever that means. We need to fire this back up. ESPECIALLY after our good conversation on all these "bpbministry" topics, MoJo. Post some links to all those readings, you were talkin' bout. K-Young, WHERE ARE YOU?!?!! What's kickin' down in Nawlins'. We want to hear what's up with you. Keep in touch, kids. Keep in touch. I've done a poor job of posting too. Let's get this thing up and running again.
If I can find the AJC article on the wealth ministry stuff, I'll post it. HOLLA!

-GG

Your Crescent City connection

2006-10-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

I've been getting reacquainted with my hometown over the past couple of months, and I have no regrets. New Orleans is nothing like what it was, even with the parts of the city that have been restored. But there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now.

That said, the APME convention was held here this week and I was invited to attend one of their sessions and an afterparty. I met numerous editors from Louisiana and elsewhere and now have a promising job opportunity. I talked with the editor of a newspaper in Lafayette, La., which is a two-hour drive from my parents and a one-hour drive from my sister. From what I understand, the newspaper recently went through some changes similar to the ones that took place at The Gazette -- including staffing and several new publications. But it seems in Lafayette, their goals are aimed more at long-term solutions to industry issues. And they have the budget to reach those goals. This could mean the end of my unemployed status.

In other news, my financial future is looking up. Since selling my house, I've had the pleasure of closing seven accounts, including one credit card account. And come December, I'll be able to close another credit card account. I have to tell you, the closer I get to financial freedom, the more free I actually feel. With my next career move, I'm going to do things a whole lot differently. I'll keep you posted on my progress. My favorite read right now: Mary Hunt's "Debt-Proof Living: The Complete Guide to Living Financially Free." My financial plan for the future will be based largely on what I've read in this book. Until later ...

k-young

Repost of "State of Affairs"

2006-09-27T04:58:00.000-07:00

Friends and family,
I am writing some of you with concerns I have about the world we are living in, which as the year passes on I find more disturbing. I am concerned about a housing market that some believe will tank any day now and a country that is increasingly becoming a slave to other nations. What kind of world are we living in now? One where we chase an "almighty" dollar that is absolutely worthless, backed by nothing and at any point in my life could become worth less than the paper it is printed on (remember Germany after WW1?) One where the US debt and inflation just keeps on growing and growing without the government giving us the true numbers or even allowing the economy to correct itself (which would involve a depression). Instead, some predict the US dollar will eventually hyperinflate, causing the country to eventually abandon the dollar for an American form of the euro (one step closer to a one world currency).

We have fallen away from the Founding Fathers' intentions and the principals of God: Prov. 22:7 "The rich rule over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender."

How many of our friends and family would be able to ride out a severe recession if they lost their jobs and not have to file for bankruptcy or be foreclosed on? How many of us own our homes outright and are debt-free? I know I'm not. Some of us move around to follow jobs instead of protecting and investing in our communities over the long haul. We build disposable subdivisions, run up housing prices through speculation and our mortgage industry has devolved to the point of lending 100 percent on a loan or allowing people to even add to their principal through negative amortization! I recently read a statistic that 42 percent of homebuyers are putting down 0% on their homes (I can attest to that as I basically did the same thing and am paying the price for it). Others are doing adjustable rate mortgages and are in for a rude awakening when interest rates reset. And according to the California Association of Realtors, only 18 percent of the households in California can afford to buy a median priced home with a conventional 30-year mortgage. In a balanced economy that number should be 50 percent.

Meanwhile, our church is fiddling, with many preaching a prosperity message that if you do everything right God is going to bless you with a business, a new job, new car, etc. Only thing is we use the world's system of credit and debt to get what we believe we deserve. We are behind the eight ball. Why aren't we preparing ourselves for the misfortune this country will reap? I have been to many churches but haven't heard a plan that spans demoninations and locations that will provide for our people in the event many of us lose our jobs or the price of goods increases to the point where life is a struggle. On a smaller scale, our families need to be making plans to assist one another in the event of trouble. Like a disaster plan it should list where folks would go and the 411 on employment possiblities. Think about Hurricane Katrina and what happened when all those people flooded the other states, seeking refuge. Imagine a Hurricane Katrina (whether a terrorist attack, disease, war, etc.) on a grander scale. The fact is the country knew a Katrina-type hurricane was coming and basically did nothing. We are doing the same thing now with our economy. I remember writing stories about Katrina, talking to crying people who fled Louisiana with basically the clothes on their backs; others who lived on credit cards for weeks. In July I visited New York where Queens had been without power for more than a week and people were baking in the 90-degree heat. That was just a power outage and people were freaking out. But we forget.

I don't want to ramble, but I hope that we can start discussions about what we can do to help each other out. The Lord calls his people to sacrifice for one another and to live prudently. The End times is drawing near and only the faithful who can endure will survive.

MJ

Pretty Cool Experience

2006-09-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

It's not everyday you get to have dinner with a five-time Nobel Prize nominee.
I'm fortunate to have had that opportunity tonight. As part of the Grad Resources Christian group I joined (and have small bible study with each week), I got to go to Dr. Schaeffer's home and listen to some of his stories of how he has blended God and academia.
He's absolutely brilliant but funny and down to earth and devout in his faith. It was a neat experience to say the least.

For all you creative class aficionados

2006-08-31T11:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.city-journal.org/html/14_1_the_curse.html

Just a little update

2006-08-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you guys know that I have a verbal offer on my house! Now I'm just doing the counter-offer thing, praying that everything works out on my house. I am so glad to hear how God has blessed both k-young and gg -- such great testimonies to how God can show up and show out RIGHT ON TIME!!! I'll update when I get an offer on the house in writing. This has truly been a test of patience and faith.

All Praises, All Glory

2006-08-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

As y'all know, when I decided to go back to school, I planned on taking on tens of thousands of dollars in debt in financial aid to pay my way through graduate school. I had some money saved up, but as school approached, the enormity of the expenses involved with school was becoming ever more evident. It seemed like a daunting task and honestly was kind of stressful just knowing how much debt was looming. I also needed to find a job to have some sort of income to pay for non-educational expenses, like food and rent.
Well, God has provided for me in more ways than I could ever have hoped or imagined. In a completely last-minute move, on the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, I was awarded an assistantship that not only waives tuition and pays a portion of my health care, but also pays me a pretty decent income!!!! I feel so blessed. I can't believe it. I can't express how thankful I am.
My per-hourly wage actually amounts to more money than I was making as a reporter! HA!
God's truly awesome. I just hope I can fulfill my obligations to the assitantship, which is totally different experience for me.
My assistantship isn't with the journalism school. It's actually funded by a federal grant through a project called PRISM, which stands for something like Project to Reform Instruction in Science and Mathematics.
I'm working with a biology professor and an educational psychology professor to develop case studies to supplement curriculum for a biology course for non-science majors. I have to write articles/case studies that use the concepts in this biology for nonmajors class (which I have to sit in on as part of the assistantship) and ties into careers for non-science majors. It's really never been done before so it's challenging but also exciting.
I'll also get author and/or co-author credit for this curriculum aid that will be used by 700 students at UGa each semester!
So that's what's new with me. :) Hallelujah and Go DAWGS!

-GG

Just gettin started

2006-08-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

Y'all better come visit me in N.O. Right now I'm playing house guest, and to get online on my own time I have to come to Panera Bread. (I've been here for "lunch" every night this week.) Only one more week to go at the Gazette and counting. Slowly turning over the reins of the training team and may have found a newby to continue Gazetteen. In the meantime, I've been trying to figure out how to make the little money I'm making from the sale of all my things grow. I'll keep you posted. Big decisions ahead. K-young

Strange Drama

2006-08-06T15:37:00.000-07:00

So this was the first weekend I was in Athens after getting settled into my new apartment. I decided to check out the baptist church up the road five minutes from my place. I went to the "contemporary" service because I like that type of music better than traditional services.
I really enjoyed the experience. The music was awesome. They opened with the "God is Good" (and his mercy endureth forever!) song that's from that gospel movie we watched. They played lots of other songs I knew/recognized/enjoyed. Then, the pastor gave an interesting, informative, educational sermon.
So I filled out the visitor card and was seriously considering joining this church (I still may; haven't decided yet, will check out some others and go back in a few weeks) and then....
The strange stuff happened. So, at the end of the service, the senior associate pastor announced his resignation. He spoke in generalities about staying in Athens and opening a new ministry here. Ok, nothing odd with that.
THEN- the main pastor came to the stage and read a resignation note for the musical praise director. AND THEN, the pastor himself announced his resignation!
I couldn't believe it. I have no idea the circumstances, but I couldn't believe all the drama!
Basically, the entire leadership staff at this church is leaving to start their own church in Athens!
It was interesting to say the least.
Now, all the main parts that appealed to me about the church (chiefly, the music and the pastor) are gone. Hmmm. Oh well. I'll let y'all know other Athens church updates as I continue my tour. MoJo, you find a church home in "the other G-town" yet? How's your house sale going?
K, congrats on selling the house. Can MoJo and I come visit you in Nawlins'!>?!

-GG

This.Is.Hilarious.

2006-07-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

Check out this YouTube clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TskSLM50FY&search=reverend%20alecia

AMEN!

I'm baaaack...

2006-07-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted and it was good of GG to get this going again. I can concur with GG that this summer has not been the most productive spiritually (or at least it seems). Actually, this summer has been one of testing and on some days, spiritual fatigue. It's kind of like my mind went numb with all of the things going through my brain. Sometimes I felt like a failure; other times I felt confused or frustrated because of my lack of control. I realize that all of us will go through these things at one time or another for there are seasons to spiritual growth.

I'm still searching for a church home, haven't really found churches I'm completely comfortable in. It's weird how we are all in a transition (even some of my family is). The good thing is I do have some family here that I was able to connect with.

I've been seeking God about what is really important to Him. What about you guys? As I approach age 25 (gosh, I'll be 30 in five years!) I think about what my thought patterns and expectations were when I was 18 and what they are now (and what they will be later). There is somewhat of a disconnect there.

Oh, btw, if you get a chance check out news-record.com and the online feature on Wendover Ave. The video is cool.

Idol-ization

2006-07-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

I know my high school/middle school friend was the runnerup on "American Idol" (whose title actually kinda proves the point....) but anyway, this blog is not in deference to my pop singing friend, but to God, so here it goes...

My church sermon today focused on idolatry. I thought it was very good, so figured I'd share some of the basic points with you gals. The pastor was focusing on 1st Corinthians 10: 1-14 in which we are told to "flee from idolatry."
Idolatry is the silent, subtle, almost invisible sin that causes the other sins.
Through idolatry, we are depending on something other than God for happiness. John Calvin once said "the human heart is an idol factory" because we never run out of things we want.
I can't do the service justice, but here was a breakdown of how idolatry "works."
1)You decide what "hell on earth" would be.
2)You turn to a "savior" to save you from that hell.
3)You'll compromise anything to stay in right relationship to your "savior."
4)You discover that your "savior" hasn't really saved you, it has only taken you to a new hell:
-pride or despair
-dissatisfaction
-enslavement
-the spirit of works-righteousness

A lot of the ideas from the sermon came from "When people are big and God is Small" and John Piper's "Desiring God."

It was very interesting. Anyway...

On more positive notes, it was good seeing you last weekend, K and MJ. :)

-GG

I Shall Not Walk Alone

2006-07-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

K wanted to know why I haven't posted in awhile. The main reason is I haven't been around. But also I haven't really had much to say. (Until now). Such is the life of an unemployed bum in transition to grad student. I try to limit my posts on here to the goals of the "ministry"- God and religion topics as well as financial solvency and indebtedness; and also to journalism topics.
I figured this blog can chronicle our spiritual and professional growth over the years, but also be a good resource to share with each other the latest developments in these areas.
I've definitely felt somewhat "out of touch" with God over the summer. I haven't regularly attended church since I've been traveling so much. I've slipped with my devotion to God.
But tonight I went to my church's weekly Young Professionals Bible Study. Prayer can be powerful and group prayer is an awesome experience. It's also good reflecting, studying and learning God's word.
I'm somewhat apprehensive about finding a new church home, and believers to grow with in Christ once I move to Athens. I know God has already provided those tools and Christian brothers and sisters for me to bond and serve with and that it's just a matter of time before I discover them.
I'm also happy to report that God has placed one of my high school friends in Athens. So I won't be alone. I'll know at least one other person living in Athens. A good friend of mine from high school who grew up in my neighborhood and who I've sort of mentored over the years (he's two years younger than me), has gotten a job as a sports writer at the Banner-Herald. I'm so thrilled to have a friend making the move to Athens at the same time as me.
So that's what's new with me. How are you all? What's the latest with work and church and God and other stuff?

-GG

On Myspace

2006-07-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

Add me as a friend; I can't add you because you're set to private. I'm "MD"

2006-07-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Yeahhhhh, mojo. I need some more friends. I'm still_have_joy.

Hey K-Young, what's ur myspace name?

2006-07-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

I finally started a myspace account myself. What are you and GG's myspace handles?

The Traveling Geo

2006-06-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

When two of my friends and I went to Seattle for Dave Matthews Band concerts at The Gorge Amphitheater last year we set up a blog and called it "The Traveling Trio." That was last year. This summer, now that I'm unemployed, finished with statistics and still a month and a half away from starting graduate school, I'm hitting the road again. Since it's just me doing the traveling you can call me the Traveling Geo. :).
That title would be even more appropriate if I still had the first automobile I owned, a 1995 Geo Prizm. But I digress...
I just got back from five days in Wilmington, N.C., where I visited my cousin and his fiancee and of course hit up Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach. While I was there, I went to the church that was founded by the pastor who performed the wedding ceremony for a good friend of mine. I'm going to visit him in Virginia Beach over Fourth of July weekend and then it's off to Washington,D.C. for Independence Day. Then I come home before it's off to Athens and Atlanta for a few days over July 13 or 14 with possible stops in Gastonia and Charlotte. When I was in Wilmywood, I had some relaxing time on the beach for reading. I finally finished reading
The Rise of the Creative Class that was mentioned during a GAIN session. A good read. I look forward to the followup, The Flight of the Creative Class.
Next up on my plate, just checked out from the good ole Wake County Public Library is The Vanishing Newspaper by UNC journalism prof Phil Meyer and The Carolina Way. ...
Yep, this has been a busy summer indeed with all the trips. In addition to what's on the horizon was the trip to Greensboro over Memorial Day and a weekend at Emerald Isle the week before, and a day trip to Charlotte for a concert sandwiched in as well. If I ever stay home over a weekend, I'll be able to go to my own church here in the Triangle...
That's all I've got for now :)
-GG

Hooked

2006-06-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

OK, gg! You told me and I didn't listen, but since you've been gone I've done a little research and now I'm hooked. I've been bitten by the MySpace bug ... and it's your fault. On the serious side, I'm ready to take down the Gazetteen site. Any objections? I'm also about to create my own profile. Any suggestions?

The plague

2006-06-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

Congrats on the New York training. I'll put you near the top of my prayer list -- especially now that you're listing the house. After nearly five weeks, I'm finally going to have two home viewings. I prayed to God for multiple offers and, as sure as my grass is green, I'll have them.

Meanwhile, we had an "invasion" of mayflies last night. Apparently, hundreds of thousands of the flying beasties took over McAdenville for about 24 hours -- the number of hours in an adult mayfly's lifespan. People were calling it a plague of "Biblical proportions." As they mated and died, the bugs piled up on the sides of streets and around lampposts. Check it out on the paper's Web site. THERE'S VIDEO FOOTAGE. It's actually pretty disgusting, especially the crunching sound when DOT workers start walking on the dead.

New York, New York

2006-06-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

Well I found out this week I was accepted to an education seminar at Columbia University in July. I hope I can see some fam during the short time I'm up there. I've also been considering and praying about whether to find a cheaper place to live to save money or stay where I am. I plan to list my house this week. Got prayer?

Nice Timing

2006-06-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

I was excited to see the post about the new Gazette website. Nice timing cause I was going to share this news article with you.

Yay for blogs!(?)

It's a whole new world (for the Gaston Gazette)

2006-05-31T16:38:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe the Gazette has finally changed its Web site. And KE has started a blog. It'll be interesting to see where all this goes. Be sure to check it out! www.gastongazette.com.

I'm back y'all

2006-05-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the hiatus. It's been crazy, what with starting my lawn from scratch, planting flowers, finishing my decorating jobs and painting to get ready for an open house. This house never looked so good. My roommate has already started packing. She found out she can move on campus at GWU by the second week in June. So as not to feel left out I started packing, too.

So you still want to know about New Orleans? Other than a few telltale signs, the suburbs seem normal. In the habitable parts of the city, there are still a lot of empty, boarded up buildings and houses, but traffic is definitely up. But the uninhabitable places are still just that -- uninhabitable. Hopefully, with the mayoral race out of the way (and a most surprising outcome), the areas of recovery that have been dragging will pick up, especially with the new hurricane season just days away.

As for my family, they've never been so blessed. Almost everyone has way more now than they had going into the storm. New or renovated houses, new cars, money in their pockets. Talk about the people of God being blessed.

Ben and Amanda just went down there last weekend with a group of Ashbrook seniors, their adviser and school principal. They were just a hop, skip and jump away in Pass Christian, Miss., so they traveled the extra miles to see New Orleans. Those kids raised $30,000 to help the graduating class of Pass Christian High School. Amanda did a couple stories and Ben e-mailed back some photos. It was pretty neat. Wish I could have gone with them, except for the charter bus.

And now for an interesting read that I picked up a couple weeks ago and couldn't put down. It's called Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. It's actually an allegory about what it's like to really walk with God. Do read it. You'll really be blessed by it.

K-

Blogs, Beaches, Lockdowns, Memorial Day, etc.

2006-05-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

MoJo,

Yeah, I heard about the lockdown. Jonathan and others were talkin' bout it over the weekend. It seems like I spent the weekend with about a third of the N&R staff.
Jonathan invited me and a few other folks to his parents' beach house in Emerald Isle. It was fun. There was Jonathan and Jamie, their dog Wilbur, High Point reporter Kory Dodd, Maggie Mae, and Rockingham County reporter Sonja Elmquist. An N&R beach bash and certainly a journalistic retreat!
We even played Scrabble! hahaha. Such journalists.
I plan to hang out with 'em next weekend when I'm in the Triad for four days for Memorial Day weekend! I can't speak for your main office bretheren, but the bureau folks are cool peeps.
See ya next weekend! What church we going to?!?!?

-GG

No GG, you are not the only one using this thing...

2006-05-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

The school meeting went fine; we stayed civil and didn't have to do the whole "agree to disagree" thing. I just finished reading another finance book called "Using Your Money Wisely" by Larry Burkett which was very good (written in 1985 but still timely). I would recommend hitting up your local library and checking it out.

Covered a school lockdown today, that was pretty interesting. Getting my hair wrapped for $10 tomorrow and checking out a Beautiful Black Women Festival. That really should be interesting.

I sure will be glad when I meet some friends. It gets kinda lonely going to festivals by yourself.

Anyway, toodles!

Ten Things I Hate About Commandments

2006-05-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Ten Things I Hate About Commandments from youtube. This is pretty funny. Warning though, an f-bomb is dropped toward the end. You also have to have seen the movie "Ten Things I Hate About You" to really understand the humor in the clip.

-GG

Am I the Only One Using This Thing?

2006-05-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

hehehe. Come on peeps. Step it up. While I await some posts from the other BPB ministry core folks, i'll make a few more observations/comments:
K-Young, saw the final teen page. Well done. Way to pull that content together and make lemonade out of lemons or something like that. Are you glad to be done? You should be proud of the four months of producing a stellar product! Kudos to you.
MJ, how'd the big meeting with the school peeps go?
And to keep this thing on a Christian tip, I'll let y'all know I went to one of my old church in Durham's small group bible studies last night. That was nice. It's nowhere near as good as the BPB ministry bible study of course but it was good to get my group prayer on again.
Looking forward to the Chapel Thrill festivities in June with Brother Bill and Brother Chuck. "The Cosby show" so to speak should be hilarious. :) Amen.

-GG

"God's Calling. You Need To Connect"

2006-05-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting article from the LA Times:

God's Call Comes by Cellphone
Bible verses on a BlackBerry, sermons on an MP3 -- an explosion in digitalized spirituality is making true believers of online e-vangelists.

By Stephanie Simon, Times Staff WriterMay 16, 2006

A recent national poll found just 17% of adults view the local church as essential for developing faith.Small wonder.
Sitting in a pew on Sunday morning seems almost embarrassingly old-fashioned in an era when you can watch a video recreation of the Last Supper on your Palm or get God's word text-messaged to your cellphone.Bored with your pastor's ramblings? Select a peppier sermon from among hundreds of "godcasts" online. Just pick a topic: Christian dating? Old Testament prophets? Then download it to your MP3 player.Finding the old leather-bound Bible a bit cumbersome? A quick download from Olive Tree Bible Software and you'll be able to search Scripture on your BlackBerry.
"At first blush, it may seem a little peculiar to connect with God on your cellphone," said Christopher Chisholm, a TV-executive-turned-digital-evangelist. He recently helped launch FaithMobile, a service that will send a daily Bible verse to your cellphone for $5.99 a month.In this harried age, he asks, how else are you going to "get in touch with the Word?"The explosion in digitized spirituality might seem likely to make the traditional sanctuary obsolete. But pastors are not giving in. They're fighting back with some high-tech tricks of their own, turning to the Internet to save souls, renew faith, inspire hope — and, not incidentally, to fill their pews.An evangelical church in Granger, Ind., put up billboards a few months back showing a rumpled bed, entwined feet and the address http://www.mylamesexlife.com/ . That site linked to an artsy mini-movie with shots of a seedy motel and a man sunk in morning-after regret."Is your sex life a bore? A chore? … Why does it seem like everyone else is having all the fun?" the text asked. As the movie ended, viewers for the first time saw the logo of Granger Community Church, which was sponsoring five weeks of sermons on sex, lust and porn. The tagline: "We're not afraid to talk about it."Pastor Mark Beeson credits the campaign with boosting attendance 70% the week he gave a sermon entitled "The Greatest Sex You'll Ever Have." Six weeks after the series ended, weekly church attendance still topped 6,000, up from 5,000 before the ad campaign."We dare not change the Gospel. But the method of delivery? We better change it for each new generation," said Beeson, who preaches in front of a floor-to-ceiling video screen. His latest sermon series, which starts next week, is called "Finding God in Your iPod;" he promises to analyze spiritual yearnings in songs from Coldplay, Kenny Chesney and other artists.Like Beeson, many of the pastors leading the push for high-tech evangelizing run large, non-denominational churches. Several big-name ministries also support the effort; they include Focus on the Family, Campus Crusade for Christ, Promise Keepers, the Billy Graham Center, and associations of Southern Baptists and Pentecostals.Those groups formed the Internet Evangelism Coalition, which offers advice on using the Web to spread the Gospel. The coalition's top tip: Don't sound preachy. Avoid "churchy jargon" — words like ministry, salvation, redemption, even faith. Draw nonbelievers to Jesus (or attract "unchurched" Christians to your specific congregation) by presenting the church as an upbeat, uplifting community of friends.Mark Batterson, the pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., posts zany video blogs on his website; one shows him tap dancing in the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Other pastors post MTV-worthy clips of church bands. Many offer free downloads of their most popular sermons, including PowerPoint presentations."People often think the church is boring, judgmental, not relevant," said Richard Reising, president of the Dallas firm Artistry Marketing, which specializes in church advertising. "New media's a great way to reposition ourselves."Nearly 60% of Protestant churches have websites now, up from 35% in 2000. More than half use e-mail blasts to communicate with their congregation — and 12% let the faithful tithe online, according to the Barna Group, which conducts research for Christian ministries.In the sanctuary itself, more than 60% of Protestant churches spice up their services with video clips shown on oversize screens.Even the tradition of praying for your neighbors has gone high-tech. No more waiting for your pastor to announce who's suffering from kidney stones and who just had a baby.Log on to http://www.worldprayerteam.org/ and you can intercede for the parents in Singapore who want their son to practice violin; for Christine in South Africa, who needs to sell her house; for Bill in Nevada, who'd like the Lord to send him a sympathetic auditor from the Internal Revenue Service.Andrew Careaga, a youth pastor in Salem, Mo., welcomes some of these advances. Yet he worries that when spirituality migrates to cellphones, it becomes just another item to check off the to-do list — "a five-second spiritual fix, you've seen the verse of the day and you're done.""Technology always seems to be a Faustian bargain. It encroaches on our ability to unconnect with the world and connect with God," said Careaga, the author of "e-Ministry: Connecting with the Net Generation"Theologian Philip Kenneson voices another concern: When churches measure success by how many times a sermon is downloaded, Christianity becomes just another consumer product."There's a danger that it encourages people to see the church as a service agency, there to meet their particular needs" rather than to help them serve God, Kenneson said."It's easy to reassure yourself that you are, in fact, a Christian because you're … consuming Christian products," he said. "Then I don't have to love my neighbor or pray for my enemy or … take on any of the messy, difficult demands of the Gospel," said Kenneson, an associate professor at Milligan College in Tennessee and co-author of "Selling Out The Church: The Dangers of Church Marketing."E-vangelists respond that the church, and its mission, survived the advent of radio ministry in the 1920s and the televangelism boom of the 1970s, and will no doubt make it through the iPod era as well.They see the gadgets of the 21st century not as distractions, but as a vital means of broadening Christianity's reach."You can sit in an ivory tower and whine all you want about 'This isn't the way it was done in 1500,' " said pollster George Barna, who runs the Barna Group. "We're here to help people. If there's a tool out there that can help us reach them, why wouldn't we use it?"Barna's firm is a partner in FaithMobile and also sells Christian images and videos for churches to use in multimedia sermons.Barna's survey on religious trends turned up the statistic that only 17% of adults see the local church as a key factor in spiritual growth.But he has also found that such cynicism doesn't mean empty pews. In fact, the number of adults who attend weekly worship services has been on the rise in recent years.There's something special about face-to-face fellowship that no website can replace — at least, "not until they come up with a device that will squirt water out of your computer and baptize your kid," said John P. Jewell, an assistant professor of ministry and technology at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Iowa."A basic principle of Christianity is incarnation," Jewell said. "The word became flesh. It didn't become digitized."Out on the plains of Oklahoma, Pastor Craig Groeschel aims to update that ancient principle.He's the senior pastor of a church that's so high on high-tech, it built the concept into its name: LifeChurch.tv. Groeschel founded the church 10 years ago in a two-car garage.The congregation outgrew a middle-school cafeteria and a bicycle factory in quick succession.These days, Groeschel preaches to 6,000 people a week in a traditional Oklahoma City church.Those sermons are then broadcast by satellite to 12,000 far-flung members of his congregation, who gather in a middle school in Texas, an office building in Arizona and several other venues in Oklahoma.It's common these days for mega-churches to have suburban satellite campuses, but just a few spread their congregations across several states. Last month, LifeChurch.tv cast its net wider still by launching an interactive online campus. More than 160 people from as far as Vermont, California, Pakistan and Indonesia logged in to watch the inaugural Internet service Easter Sunday.Among them was Terry Vallandingham, who gathered his wife and their three kids, still in their pajamas, to worship in front of a flat-screen computer monitor in their home in Shawnee, Okla.When Groeschel asked questions, the Vallandinghams responded by clicking an icon. When the band struck up, they all sang aloud, right there in their study, sprawled out on the leather couch. After the last "Amen," they surfed into the online "lobby chat" to wish the pastor a good holiday.The only thing they missed were the free Krispy Kreme doughnuts at the church door."It was amazing," Vallandingham said. "My wife even said, 'Church doesn't get better than this.' "Nineteen virtual congregants were so moved by the service, they clicked an icon to indicate they were accepting Christ, or being "born again."At FaithMobile's office in Sherman Oaks, Chisholm hopes to inspire the same spirit of transformation — via text message.His cellphone service sends out sermon clips that subscribers can use as ring tones (his favorite is a stern voice demanding, "You need to decide: Is Jesus Christ my friend?").He also offers Christian-themed computer wallpaper (a crucifix glinting in the sun, a hand resting on a Bible) and video reminders to stay on the straight and narrow ("Put God's work first and do what he wants")."Christians aren't known for being on the cutting edge, but we think this is a slam dunk," Chisholm said. "We want to remind people: 'God's calling. You need to connect."

Back in Class

2006-05-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day of class at summer school at UNC. It was weird being back in the classroom after five years. Since I'm taking an introductory stat class, I'm mostly with a bunch of undergrads in my class.
I had a few "first day" woes. Since i've been out of school for several years, the information for my account to access email and computers at UNC had to be re-entered. i had to go to the computer help people THREE times because they couldn't get it right. Kinda frustrating.
And my parking pass didn't open the deck either.
Oh well. Those are minor inconveniences.
Everything else about campus was great. I went and worked out at this new fitness center that's on top of my parking deck. It has three basketball courts, a suspended track, a climbing wall and cardio equipment. Very NICE.
Chapel Hill is a beautiful place and it's nice to be back in Tar Heel land for the summer. It's a good warm-up to UGA!

-GG

Can anybody say church?

2006-05-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

I found this site on shopping which I find quite amusing. Can I get an amen somebody?

Amen to that!

2006-05-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

What? That was it.

BPB Weekend Shoutouts!

2006-05-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

What a fun weekend! I wanna send some shout outs to:

-Las Palmas Columbian restaurant in G-Town. That's some good, fillin' eatin'.
-"OG"-Original Gospel music- Kirk, Hezekiah, Fred and such
-Springfest
-Tony's Ice Cream: At long last, I've finally eaten there. Joy!
-United 93- what a powerful film
-Tabernacle Baptist Church
-K-young. You been holdin' out. You can SING! Nice solo with the church choir. You go girl! :)
-MoJo: What a busy but enjoyable Saturday. Hope you had a good time back in G.C.
-Hosana- just cause I got that song stuck in my head now
-NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Rev. Hinton knows how to drive home a message)

That's about it. I'm off to pack. TTYL.

-GG

You Take the Jello and the Pudding and the Ay Ay Ay

2006-05-08T07:16:00.000-07:00

I bought three tickets today to....

The UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication proudly presents “An Evening with Bill Cosby,” Saturday, June 10, at 8 p.m. in Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill, N.C. Tickets go on sale May 8 at 10 a.m. at the Memorial Hall box office or by phone at 919.843.3333. Prices range from $25 to $50.
All proceeds from the show will benefit the Chuck Stone Citizen of the World Fund, honoring Professor Stone, who retired from the School’s faculty in 2005. The fund will provide a deserving School student with the opportunity to study abroad or pursue an independent international learning opportunity related to journalism and mass communication.
The School will host a reception for Chuck before the show at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A ticket purchase is not necessary to attend the reception.

Holla!

-GG

This is good too

2006-04-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

Btw, check ou this little book on spending. You may have to give your email address to access it.

Six days and counting...

2006-04-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry GG, probably won't get to the audio file until the weekend but I did want to update folks on the week I've had at my new job. Had my benefits "training" today and was interested to learn that the company we use for our 401K is so serious about retirement that it will automatically sign you up for 3% deductions if you don't sign up and the company still has a pension plan. The overall medical plans and what not are also very good. We even get discounts at movie theaters, gyms, Carowinds and other places. And if you opt out of their medical plan to use a spouse's they will reimburse you for not buying theirs. Pretty cool. I got my first accolate from the editor for posting so many blogs entries and they are taking it easy on me by having another reporter help me cover meetings (although she said she thinks I can handle it).

I also found it interesting that most folks in the newsroom try to bring their lunch to work. The refrigerator stays packed. I think part of it is practical-- it's hard to find a lunch hour on some days to spare. The computer system is quite complex but I'm learning. I'm also getting used to talking to the superintendent on pretty much a daily basis.

Couple of Things

2006-04-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

Came across this website on Poynter:

http://www.thefrugallife.com/

Seems very on point for our frugal minded ways.

Also, I want to make a recommendation. If you haven't read "A Hope in the Unseen" by Ron Suskind, you should. I highly recommend it. I just finished reading it and it was amazing. Suskind, who works for the Wall Street Journal, won a Pulitzer Prize.

The book follows Cedric Jennings, who was a student at Ballou High School in D.C. Straight up hood. He wound up going to Brown University. The book follows him from his sophomore year at the really bad school in a tough environment to his freshman year at the Ivy League School.

It's impressive on two levels. First, it's good journalism. A very compelling read and as a reporter I marveled at the access Suskind had to Cedric and his mother, Barbara, and all the other main "characters."

Also, it's neat from a spiritual aspect. Cedric and his mother are very religious and his faith in God helps propel him to success. It's a truly touching book.

So, there it is. That's all I got for today. I look forward to seeing Morgan's church clip posted and reading about Kierra's Nawlins' adventures in the days to come. Yes other BPB blog posters, I'm calling you out! Ooooh. :)

-GG

Good Good

2006-04-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

Good Friday was, well, good. Thoroughly enjoyed "Jesus Rose and He Lives!", an Easter play by University Park Baptist Church Pastor Claude R. Alexander, Jr.
I think it's fitting MoJo's last day of work at the Gaz was on Good Friday and she's moving to a new town over Easter Weekend. Fitting cause it's so clear this is God's doing. Hope everyone has a blessed Easter holiday.

-GG

Got summo fo ya

2006-04-14T04:23:00.000-07:00

I have found some additional Web sites on Christian stewardship and debt, which are good. I have also read Christian fiction by Randy Alcorn, he is good. Holla!

mojo

Well looky here...

2006-04-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

Yeaah! K-Young is finally on board and what a way to make up for it. I totally agree with your post. I hope you guys are ready to discuss your goals for our last meeting! It will be pretty casual. I am excited that we were able to complete it and learn so much. This has truly been a blessing and has prepared me for quite a step up in my career as well as a major financial challenge. As my uncle said last night -- Heeey shawty... get yo finances in order! I hope the next good news we hear is that GG is going to New York City!

Another interesting site to read on stewardship.

Fiasco in Charleston

2006-04-07T00:39:00.000-07:00

So here goes! It pays to obey God. Or maybe I should say there's payback for not obeying God. I let someone talk me into going to Charleston because I felt like I "needed" a mini vacation. Never mind that I didn't have the extra money, had tons of work to do, and I was already exhausted from a busier-than-usual week. I also pushed aside what I learned with the first bed & breakfast I called -- that there was a special event that weekend and all the hotels would be at their peak rates. So what happened? First we checked in at our hotel, which from the outside looked like a war zone because of a major renovation. Next we set out to find a place to eat because we were both starving. I had studied the AAA book up and down for this trip. So how come the restaurant that I had my heart set on was closed for a private party? Then ask me why it took us an hour to find parking before we spent two hours walking around looking for a place to eat in a city known for its restaurants. My companion and I took turns asking why it was so hard to find somewhere to eat that didn't have a dress code and didn't require reservations. I quit asking when the Holy Spirit reminded me that I wasn't supposed to be there. Then I started praying for mercy. When we finally couldn't walk anymore, we ended up at a popular seafood restaurant where the wait time was about 30 minutes. The temperature started dropping really fast while we were waiting outside in the line and we were icicles when they called us in. When we finally sat down I ordered shrimp and grits because I heard so many times how good it was. So ask me why I wanted to cry after my first bite of shrimp and grits because I was so grossed out. For the first time in my entire life I sent back food at a restaurant, even though my stomach was trying to digest itself. And while I waited the 25 minutes for my new order to come out, I filled up on hush puppies. By the time the food came, I wasn't hungry anymore and my slight sniffles had turned into an all out sinus infection. When we got back to the hotel I was burning up with fever. I tossed and turned all night and barely made it out of the bed the next morning. Our first tourist stop was at Eckerd's, where I stocked up on fever reducing medicine and cough drops. By this time I was just praying that God would help me make it through the day without passing out in a strange place. Things started looking up after breakfast. Walking did me some good and a Fort Sumter boat tour made me feel like our time wasn't totally wasted. But then we left Charleston late and somewhere during the drive home I started getting feverish again. In the end I paid for Charleston four times over. I ended up working seven hours on my day off to make up for work I didn't do over the weekend. I ended up on strong antibiotics as my sinuses were so infected that my face was beginning to swell. I missed the BPB outing to the basketball game because I felt like crap. And I missed two days of work to recuperate, marring my perfect attendance record and missing a meeting that I had called. So what did I learn? God may let me live after I've been disobedient, but He won't let me get away with it. And it's much easier to suffer for the sake of righteousness than it is to suffer the consequences for sin.

Blog within a Blog

2006-04-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

Check out the blog below! :)

http://blog.news-record.com/staff/jrblog/archives/2006/04/weve_hired_morg.html

About stewardship

2006-04-04T08:29:00.000-07:00

Here is another Web site I found that talks about Christian stewardship (focused on married couples). FYI

It Really is a Small World (Afterall)

2006-04-01T10:25:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, me and "MoJo" presented a training session about the movement toward online journalism. We showed this package from the News and Record as an example of using multimedia, video, podcasts, etc. to supplement stories:

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060212/NEWSREC0101/602110327/1001/NEWSREC0201

Well, today I covered the first Gaston Kidney Walk at Gaston College and Cassandra Elliott, who was featured in the presentation above, spoke at the event. She received her kidney transplant four months ago.
Pretty neat occurrence and yet another example of how God works in mysterious ways.

-GG

Game Day!

2006-03-24T16:39:00.000-08:00

It's on! The BPB Ministry crew will be going to the Hawks-Bobcats game Tuesday night in Charlotte. Four tix have been purchased for the following folks: -K-Young, GG, MoJo and Morning.
Tix cost $11.25 each. Game starts at 7:30 p.m. We'll leave after work. I plan to wear a Marvin Williams Tar Heel jersey with Bobcats shirt underneath. Go team go!

Some good news links

2006-03-23T18:41:00.000-08:00

Here is some of the stuff I mentioned in the Bible study for your reference: Bank Rate (go down to calculators section to use the various tools), Generous Giving, and Gift of Giving. Also here is a site that gives a good biblical breakdown on wealth vs. poverty.

--Mojo

Strange News Articles

2006-03-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting article about strip clubs and Wall Street. Certainly not the most efficient use of money. Such "investments" defintely don't adhere to the principles we've been studying:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2006-03-22-strip-clubs-usat_x.htm

And I found this amusing article about "Jesus" on Fark:

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3353

Interesting reads. Enjoy!

-GG

Welcome

2006-03-21T21:02:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's the blog for the "Broke Phi Broke Ministry." We're just a group of Christians who work together in Gastonia, N.C. The Lord moved one member to start a small group bible study devoted to understanding financial principles through a Christian viewpoint. The goal is to impart an appreciation for our Godly potential and a respect for God's resources.
We're all journalists so when it comes to money, we're all broke phi broke. We ain't got it!
We've had four weeks of what is meant as six weeks of class. It's been very educational and enlightening. We basically are starting this site to communicate with each other about some of the principles we've been studying and to share other examples of websites, resources as well encounter them. Since this is really meant for internal discussion, God help you if you stumble upon this sight. Just kidding. You're more than welcome to view the info as well. We hope you can learn something. Thanks for stopping by. And welcome.

"A simple man believes anything but a prudent man gives thought to his steps." Prov. 14:15

"Plans fail for lack of counsel but with many advisors they succeed." Prov. 15:22