tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24215087.post115262830592689925..comments2023-05-14T07:51:18.017-05:00Comments on The Suburban Christian: Dispatches from the International Christian Retail ShowAl Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04407264726681695790noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24215087.post-54372103951747855532008-01-18T20:34:00.000-06:002008-01-18T20:34:00.000-06:00"100% of the proceeds from "Rich" will be donated ..."100% of the proceeds from "Rich" will be donated to charitable organizations that clothe the naked, take food to the hungry, and water to the thirsty."<BR/><BR/>Says so in the Nooma "Rich" dvd-booklet.. in case you didnt know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24215087.post-1152771666249091822006-07-13T01:21:00.000-05:002006-07-13T01:21:00.000-05:00I saw Rob Bell's Nooma video "Rain" over the weeke...I saw Rob Bell's Nooma video "Rain" over the weekend. Nooma is completely new to me. While I liked the video and thought it hit upon real truth I wasn't sure I was comfortable with the format.<BR/><BR/>His website says, "We can get anything we want, from anywhere in the world, whenever we want it. That's how it is and that's how we want it to be. Still, our lives aren't any different than other <BR/>generations before us. Our time is. <BR/><BR/>We want spiritual direction, but it has to be real for us <BR/>and available when we need it. We want a new format for getting Christian perspectives.<BR/><BR/>NOOMA is the new format. <BR/><BR/>It's short films with communicators that really speak to us. Compact, portable, and concise. Each NOOMA touches on <BR/>issues that we care about, that we want to talk about..."<BR/><BR/>It seems like we can only take God in via little bites. What's your impression?Tonyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10489783147809647659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24215087.post-1152644235955717602006-07-11T13:57:00.000-05:002006-07-11T13:57:00.000-05:00This post made me laugh, because I have attended t...This post made me laugh, because I have attended the CBA International trade show, and I remember the craziness of the whole thing! We would get together at dinner and see who found the zaniest giveaway or most bizarre book. But I will not pass judgment on the marketing folks. Their job is to get the product into people’s hands, and if silly trinkets bring more people into the bookstores, so be it.<BR/><BR/>Yes, we are rich! But to appreciate it more, we must stop comparing electronics, houses, or cars with our neighbors, and readjust to a global perspective. Short term missions is a great way to do this.<BR/><BR/>I once ate with a family of five near Manila. They always had rice—even for breakfast, and since they had a house guest (me), they also served three fish. They gave me the first fish, and split the second between the five of them, leaving the last fish on the table in case I wanted seconds. There were times that I just wanted to cry because they were so poor, but they gave so much…and then I wondered, <I>proportionately,</I> how much could America do? No, how much could Christians in America do? How about just my church? What about me, personally? I have dozens of memories similar to that one.<BR/><BR/>When I returned home, I was bothered by what we expect and what we sometimes think we deserve. It was shocking to see the television commercials and material distractions. I’m still struggling with materialism and trying to retain a more global perspective.Craver Viihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12882284402568264182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24215087.post-1152632249650016642006-07-11T10:37:00.000-05:002006-07-11T10:37:00.000-05:00The Christian book industry, at least in terms of ...The Christian book industry, at least in terms of marketing, seems to hold to par to other Christian subculture standards. Always a gimmick, never the Gospel - in marketing at least.<BR/><BR/>Granted, these are business, owned by people, probably more interested in the bottom line. What bothers me is that it takes cheesy gimmicks for people to buy good books. And it is cheesy gimmicks that keep Christians irrelevant and rather boring.<BR/><BR/>I look forward to reading your book, but I want to read it for content. I hope that IVP does not surround it with poor marketing.<BR/><BR/>Totally aside from my rant - I look forward to your book informing a ministry that I'm beginning through my suburban church. I have been impressed with your blog, and I anticipate being impressed with your book. The community demographic resources you provided about a month back has been really helpful for my ministry. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com