Faith and fourth

Areopagus: what’s on the other side of the media’s collapse?

Bramwell Ryan is a journalist and producer. As a content creator and controller, an ex-publisher, ex-editor and ex-producer of newspapers, magazines and radio/television, Ryan is fascinated by the collapse of the media (as we know it).

There are parallels between the panic and angst in today’s media and the spiritual exhaustion with the state of the church when Martin Luther grabbed a hammer and headed to the cathedral in Wittenburg.

Ryan specializes in multi-platform content and creates video, audio, print, photographic and web material for media outlets and NGOs. His stories range from coverage of the largest caribou herd in the world to underage prostitutes in Bangladesh; grave robbers in Haiti to post-tsunami rebuilding in Sri Lanka.

In this podcast he offers an analysis of the current situation in the world of media and an invitation to the church to begin to imagine how this shifting reality might actually offer fresh opportunities for the shaping of the culture in which we live.

Bramwell Ryan is the editor of theRubicon and gave this talk at a public lecture series in April in Winnipeg, Canada.

There are two ways to hear this Areopagus presentation (runs 1:12:11) and the question period that followed:

• click on the arrow below
• click here to download the episode from iTunes

Tats… the SA way

Tattoos! People love them or hate them.

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his podcast features tattoo artist Don Ritson - former bandsman at The Salvation Army’s Heritage Park Temple corps in Winnipeg, Canada. We chat about why tattoos are so popular, how his faith and culture collide and whether Christians should be getting ink’d. We also asked him to share some crazy tattoo stories with us about weirdest designs, odd tattoo locations or famous people he may have worked on. Don works out of Xtensive Variations in Winnipeg.

There are two ways to hear this (runs 25:40):

• click on the arrow below
• click here to download the episode from iTunes

This podcast was prepared by SendtheFire - 24/7 FUEL FOR LIFE… a website of The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda Territory.
Used with permission.

Pernell Goodyear | Urban Forum

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he 2009 Urban Forum brought together Salvation Army urban ministry practitioners, and others, to talk about new ideas, new ways of reaching the poor and how to better support each other. The four-day event was held in Cleveland, USA in late January 2009 and was a joint project of The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory and The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda Territory. Over the next few months theRubicon will provide audio and written material from the conference.

Pernell Goodyear is the pastor of The Freeway, a Salvation Army church in Hamilton, Canada. For the Urban Forum he wrote and presented a paper entitled One Size Fits All? Context is Everything. There are two ways to hear this presentation and the questions that followed (runs 1:08):

• click on the arrow below
• click here to download the episode from iTunes

2009 Urban Forum | Opening session

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he 2009 Urban Forum brought together Salvation Army urban ministry practitioners, and others, to talk about new ideas, new ways of reaching the poor and how to better support each other. The four-day event was held in Cleveland, USA in late January 2009 and was a joint project of The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory and The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda Territory. Over the next few months theRubicon will provide audio and written material from the conference, beginning today with the plenary address on the opening night by Major Geoff Ryan.

Geoff is the convenor of the Urban Forum, the publisher of theRubicon and the co-ordinator of the 614 Network. Geoff and his wife Sandra minister in Regent Park, a social housing project in downtown Toronto, Canada.

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Tags: urban forum

The Devil made me do it…

… or did he?

The modern world has been unsure what to do with the biblical texts around the world of the demonic, and has often swung between total unbelief and a kind of unhealthy over belief. This Areopagus episode - recorded November 1, 2008 - takes us straight to the heart of this territory, to see if there isn’t maybe a sane and reasoned middle way.

In a measured yet engaged presentation Dr. Pierre Gilbert, of Canadian Mennonite University, takes us over some of the key points from his recent book: Demons, Lies & Shadows. A Plea for a Return to Text and Reason published by Kindred Press.

The presentation and questions that followed were recorded at ideaExchange, a monthly church-sponsored public lecture series held in a bookstore in Winnipeg, Canada.

There are three ways to hear this talk and the lively discussion time that followed (runs 1:02:22):

• click on the arrow below
• use the podcast widget in the right sidebar
• click here to download the episode from iTunes

Let the party roll on

Areopagus #36

Jeff Lucas returns to the story of the prodigal son, exploring a variety of themes from big brothers who have lost the plot to the need for corps/churches to be more dedicated to fun. This is the second of a three-part talk from the October 2007 ACC | Others event at the Box Hill Corps in Melbourne, Australia and is directed at the most engaged people in communities of faith, those making a difference on the frontline. Lucas warns people of passion to be aware that their passions can be hijacked.

But it’s not all admonition, because he also shows us how we can laugh our way into life.

Part one of this presentation - entitled Holiness… magnificent upheaval - was published on theRubicon/Areopagus in March. You can listen to it here.

Don’t miss this lively and thoughtful talk (runs: 53:54). Click on the arrow below, visit the Areopagus podcast widget in the right sidebar or download the talk from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

Speaker: See Lucas’ biography after the jump.

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The real world

Areopagus #35

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t wasn’t a reality TV show episode when Capt. Jay Davis recently appeared at Asbury College, in Kentucky, USA. During the chapel presentation he outlined the three things the world needs for real… not for the tube. The real world needs learners, leaders and lovers. In clear teaching Jay unpacks each need and tells us how we can be people who will go out into the world and be change agents for good and for God.

Find out more in this 15:35 Areopagus episode from Ragamuffin, theRubicon’s Monday columnist. Click on the arrow below, visit the Areopagus podcast widget in the right sidebar or download the talk from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

It’s the culture, stupid!

Areopagus #34

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oday we present one of the driving forces behind this year’s hit movie Amazing Grace, Dr. John Seel. He’s a writer and consultant to Walden Media, producers of Amazing Grace and other great movies such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Bridge to Terabithia and Charlotte’s Web.

John works as a cultural change agent and a moral entrepreneur, connecting great ideas with great business.

In John’s presentation he suggests that the ways Christians have gone about trying to change this culture haven’t been all that effective — and are becoming increasingly futile. Instead, John proposes a better way of asserting Christian influence through strong networks, intellectual power and access to the institutions that shape culture.

Don’t miss this fascinating talk (runs: 31:46) - click on the arrow below, visit the Areopagus podcast widget in the right sidebar or download the talk from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

This recording originally appeared in the think CD series by the Work Research Foundation.
Used with permission.

Holiness… magnificent upheaval

Areopagus #33

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eff Lucas says a parable is a “house to live in” and in this Areopagus episode he invites us all to move into a new home. The place he’s welcoming us to is kind of familiar but he’s done something to it; it’s not what we expect. In this wide-ranging talk, anchored in the story of the prodigal son as you’ve never heard it before, Lucas explains vital detail of the story that we all should have learned in Sunday School. He then connects this story of outrageous grace to the secret many of us harbour… that we live as guilt addicts, and that we’ll never reach others unless the impact of the gospel is deeply met with us. Paraphrasing C.S. Lewis, he challenges us that if God forgives us then we must forgive ourselves, otherwise we are setting up a tribunal against his grace.

Don’t miss this compelling, compassionate and timely talk (runs: 46:40) from the October 2007 ACC | Others event at the Box Hill Corps in Melbourne, Australia.

Click on the arrow below, visit the Areopagus podcast widget in the right sidebar or download the talk from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

Speaker: See Lucas’ biography after the jump.

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Jeff Lucas: no more managers

Areopagus #32

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eff Lucas is a regular speaker at the ACC in Melbourne, Australia. Last October he joined with other thinkers to tackle the key issues of catalytic leadership. In his opening presentation (runs 40:00) he outlines the four primary attributes of leaders who make things happen:

1. they point out what the issues are and help establish and clarify the agenda
2. they are networkers who gather people around to respond to those issues
3. they help others find solutions and strategies to challenges
4. they keep the fire burning

Listen to this brisk and thoughtful talk by clicking on the arrow below, or visit the Areopagus podcast widget in the right sidebar or download the talk from the Areopagus podcast on iTunes.

Speaker: Author and speaker Jeff Lucas travels internationally in a ministry of Bible teaching which carries a specific vision to encourage and equip the church. Originally a church planting pastor, Jeff understands the dynamics of local church life and has a desire to “build” rather than simply “bless” as he teaches and preaches.

His ministry is expressed in a number of different ways. He is part of the leadership team of Spring Harvest. Jeff is the author of fourteen books. He writes a monthly column for Christianity Magazine, daily Bible notes for CWR entitled “Lucas on Life Every Day” and broadcasts three weekly radio shows. Jeff and his wife Kay live in Colorado, USA, where he holds a teaching post at Timberline Church.