Babel's burning

• Genesis 1 - "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it." 
• Babel - Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. ... Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." ...its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
• Pentecost - "Stay in the city until you're clothed with power from on high, and you will be my witnesses... to the ends of the earth." 
• When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

Communication into many languages is key in the evangelization of the world. So I'm rather excited that the Lausanne Global Conversation website, designed to facilitate evangelicals globally in discussing topics related to evangelisation... now has multilingual features. Read someone's post in Spanish, find a comment in Norwegian, another in Kiswahili... and translate all into English if it's your preferred reading language. Take part in a truly global conversation! 

100 Days until Third Lausanne Congress

Cape Town 2010: The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, is now only 100 days away. Marking this milestone is the launch of The Lausanne Global Conversation in eight languages. This enables evangelicals from all continents to prepare for the Congress, which will be streamed online. The Congress will be held 16-25 October in Cape Town, South Africa, with 4,000 selected participants. Advance papers are already available at www.lausanne.org/conversation.

Lindsay Brown, International Director of The Lausanne Movement, said, ‘We will gather in Cape Town from 200 nations, a truly global Congress to strengthen the cause of the gospel worldwide. Please add your voice to the Lausanne Global Conversation. Let it be iron sharpening iron, as we share the insights Christ has given us, and listen to those he has given to his Church around the world.’

Naomi Frizzell, Director of Digital Media for Cape Town 2010, commented, ‘Multi-lingual features enable the whole church to dialogue on a common platform. We look forward to evangelicals world-wide bringing their unique experiences, insights and perspectives.’

During the Congress, evangelicals may also gather at official GlobaLink sites, across 68 nations, to watch broadcasts of key addresses and share their reflections with others around the world. To host a site, go to www.lausanne.org/globalink

Cape Town 2010 is the third major Lausanne Congress and the first since 1989. It is to be held in collaboration with the World Evangelical Alliance. Dr Geoff Tunnicliffe, the WEA’s International Director, said, ‘As the 100-day countdown to the Congress approaches, I sense there is growing excitement and anticipation around the world. This Congress has the potential for shaping and impacting a whole new generation of leaders.’

Lindsay Brown urged churches around the world: ‘Please help us by your prayers. Our goal in every aspect of the Congress is to strengthen the Church in fulfilling Christ’s final command on earth, which has never been rescinded - to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of all nations.’

We don't know the Bible

A few isolated names and stories, but little idea of how it all fits together. That appears to be many people's experience of the Bible - on the basis of which, some have rejected it by default, while others claim to believe it but don't read it. For those who do read it, many evangelicals don't know how to read it apart from making nice phrases into promises or trying to use the characters as examples to follow - or not, as the case may be. 

A new website project, using World Wide Open (like the Lausanne Global Conversation), is due to launch in June, to address this problem: BibleMesh. Using talks, videos & articles to guide through the Bible, it looks rather good! 

They say: 

The Bible is the infallible Word of God and is the central book in the history of Western civilization. The basis of the faith of billions of people around the globe, it has inspired countless works of art, literature, and charity. Yet many people express frustration over their attempts to understand the Bible. They have picked up a smattering of information over the years and know certain parts of God's Word better than others, but they still do not see how the story fits together. And yet, when we open the pages of Scripture, we discover One God, One Book, and One Story. BibleMesh aims to help people understand the big picture as well as important facts of the Bible.

Contributors include Peter Akinola, Alistair Begg, Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Joshua Harris, Tim Keller, Vaughan Roberts, Phil Ryken and Terry Virgo. You can sign up on the site to be told more - presumably when it launches.

Table Talk

The first of Theology Network's Table Talks has appeared:

In the mid-1500’s the Reformer Martin Luther and his wife Katie became famous for their hospitality. In their home, a big old ex-monastery called “The Black Cloister”, they hosted students, colleagues and friends for meals. With good company, good food, and Katie’s home-brewed beer (and their children tearing about after the dog), Luther and his friends discussed theology, life, and everything - a regular gathering which was recorded as his “Table Talk”.

In the spirit of such refined pursuits, Theology Network is proud to present our very own Table Talk. We’re taking time to settle down by the fire with key evangelical leaders and chat about issues that matter - and we’re releasing it as a podcast so you can download our conversations direct to your ipod. So come and join us at the table - there’s plenty of room!

This one gives us Mike Reeves and Andy Banister on Islam. It brings together a number of things I've gathered over the years as I've looked at Islam, chatted with Muslims and tried to help Christian students know better how to engage with their Muslim friends. In fact just the other night after Birmingham CU's meeting we were chatting about such things. Well worth a listen - because 1) it's good stuff, 2) it brings together many things you'd only get by reading several books and 3) it's easy to listen to even if you'd never think of reading those books!

Design and develop

Web Designer and Web Developer
2 posts
£15K - £18K pa each.
Leicester

Check out our fabulous websites at www.uccf.org.uk, www.bethinking.org and www.theologynetwork.org – could you be the next Designer or Developer working on these sites?

UCCF: The Christian Unions is a vibrant charity which works with students. We are seeking two key individuals to provide design and development of UCCF’s websites. Our websites play a major part in our ministry enabling students to live and speak for Jesus by providing them with opportunities to connect with the different aspects of our ministry, to engage with apologetics and to think theologically, in order to reach their friends and their university and college campuses for Christ.

In the Designer we are looking for someone with an abundance of creativity. In the Developer we are looking for someone with analysis design and project management skills. Both need to be clear communicators with experience of XHTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL, and Dreamweaver and Fireworks or similar. The successful candidates will need to be Christians, as these roles have a Genuine Occupational Requirement.

For an application pack contact Cally Scholes, Recruitment Manager by phone 0116 2551700 or email. Closing date for applications is 5pm Thursday 17 July 2008.

Ha ha ha... ah.

Carl Trueman (in the Ref21 blog) writes the most hilarious stuff I've read on the web. Made all the more pointedly humourous (and humourously pointed) by being contentful. That is, I simultaneously find his posts some of the most insightful / nail-on-the-head about theology, church & life, as well as frequently bursting into laughter.

He's recently been speaking through alter ego Jeremy Plectrum-Smith, who's made some insightful comments...
From the Campaign for Real Thoughtfulness - a slight dig at those who complain about his sense of humour. It seems that many (Americans?) don't appreciate it, take him seriously (at the wrong points), and complain. Oh dear. I didn't quite believe this, but it's true.
The introduction of interviews with Reformed innercity cab drivers - on Ref21
Catholicus Sardonicus - on Rodney Trotter, another of his personae. Yes, they interact!
The View From the Cab - has the contemporary church embraced relativism at the expense of truth?

A spoof reformed magazine agony column exchange between a concerned reader and Rev.Dr. Nicky Mauss on the several apologetic schools of thought regarding rock music. His other characters to date include Tony 'the Gent' Pinnochio (Open Theist), Rt Rev Sanc T Monious, and Gareth Baudrillard-Jones. Sometimes he's even known to post as himself. Scandalous.

The only trouble with Carl's posts is that he invariably gets me wanting to read something more. P T Forsyth is the latest. Before that, it was the early church fathers, and I'm behind on that - studying some patristic history and reading Athanasius this term. Ah, it's dangerous to get advice on books from a helpful person.