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Today’s Buzz:  Women Clergy, Pastor’s Magic, Excessive Complainers, and Barking Poodles…

In today's buzz we'll talk about women clergy; really annoying barking dogs, buttpaste, Sprint, excessive complainers, a pastor who works his magic, a church in trouble with the law, and mega-toilets. You won't want to miss this one...

Number of Women Clergy is Up
The number of ordained women in prominent leadership roles in “moderate to progressive” Baptist groups has grown to more than 600, according to a report released June 28 from Baptist Women in Ministry.  In its second “State of Women in Baptist Life,” the group found that 117 women serve as pastors, co-pastors or church planters (starters of new churches) in the Alliance of Baptists, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and moderate conventions in Virginia and Texas in 2006. In addition, the American Baptist Churches USA reported 490 women serving as pastors, co-pastors and interim pastors.  More here.

Barking Poodles and Buttpaste
Here are two great posts… one from Dan Kimball on watchdog Christians; and one by Perry Noble on whiny-butted Christians.  I think they both nail it!  Which leads us to our next story…

Sprint Boots 1,000 Customers for Excessive Complaining
Hundreds of cell phone customers are being given the boot, accused of being too high maintenance.  Sprint-Nextel is disconnecting more than 1,000 subscribers on grounds the clients call customer service too often and make “unreasonable requests.” The 1,200 people getting dropped will have to find a new carrier by the end of the month.  More here. Sounds like they should give them a free tube of buttpaste as well.  But really… I wish I had a dollar for every church I’ve heard of where this type of ‘chronic complainer’ sets the agenda.  Feedback is important in the church, especially when it is based on scripture.  But sadly, most of it isn’t.  And these squeaky wheels get most of the attention in many churches.  Have you ever felt like you’d love to pull a ‘Sprint’ and give your high-maintenance complainers a month to ‘find another service’?  Someone, please, give it a try (and let me know how it works!)

Police Arrest Pastor for His Magic Tricks
Ugandan police are holding a Ghanaian preacher over a stage magic device they fear may dupe people into believing they have experienced miracles.  Customs officials seized the Electric Touch device—which magicians use to give small electric shocks to volunteers—from “Prophet” Obiri Yeboah at the airport last week, the state owned New Vision daily reported Tuesday.  The pastor heads one of many Pentecostal churches in Uganda, receiving large sums of money from congregations seeking miracle cures for diseases or help with financial problems.  The Electric Touch device is usually sold in magic shops alongside card tricks, magic coins and disappearing balls.  “With a simple touch, make a fluorescent bulb glow on and off at your command, make confetti move, charge a spoon and watch as it shocks a volunteer!” says one online magic shop selling the device.  “People could be duped to think it is a miracle,” the New Vision quoted Civil Aviation Authority security chief Herman Owomugisha as saying.  Officials are worried about the proliferation of “miracle” churches in Uganda, many of which claim to cure HIV/AIDS.  Source.

Church at Niagara Falls In Trouble for Lodging Students
A local church hosting a Christ-centered volunteer missionary program is being cited for illegally lodging up to 50 visiting youths in its furnished basement.  State and city officials toured Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church at the corner of 10th Street and Michigan Avenue late last week and determined it is not in code compliance to provide temporary living quarters for members of the YouthWorks program.  An order to “cease and desist” the housing activities was sent out Monday, according to Niagara Falls Zoning Director Guy Bax. The ruling will mean alternative housing needs to be found for hundreds of youths, ages 13 to 15, scheduled to stay at the church this summer.  More here.

Comprehensive Guide to Baby Dedication
I’m sure this will be of interest to some.  A pretty good resource.

Now THIS is a bathroom
One of the best laugh attacks I had in the past year was at Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit.  I attended the main location in South Barrington with a couple of the staff members at our church.  During one of the breaks after lunch, we went into the Willow Creek men’s room, which is huge.  I’ve never heard so many gaseous men in my life.  It sounded like an orchestra in there.  And no one was laughing… all serious.  It just struck me (and Brice who was with me) as extremely hilarious.  (I guess that tells you a little about our maturity level… but after being in a conference for two days, I think our defenses were a little low at that point.).  Anyway, now I hear about this bathroom in China with 1000 stalls.  That’s right… 1000!  And it’s over 32,000 square feet.  Talk about a mega-toilet!  Let’s just say… I can’t even imagine.  You can read about it here.

How Could You Do This to an iPhone?
Thanks for the link, Scott… but how could anyone do this to an iPhone?  In the tradition of David Letterman’s “Will it Float?”, we present to you, “Will it Blend?”

OK… I think that’s enough for today!  Have a great one

Todd

PS—Know anyone who might enjoy today’s buzz?  Forward them a copy via email right now!

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This post has been viewed 1014 times and was added on July 11, 2007 by Todd Rhoades.
Filed under: Miscellaneous  Personal Items from Todd  
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  There are 8 Comments:
  • Posted by Daniel

    (the Dan Kimball link is broken)

  • Posted by

    Sorry bout that… it’s fixed now.

    Todd

  • Posted by

    I’m passing the buttpaste story around the office. Should have saved that one for Friday! (Do they have a buttpaste dispensor in that restroom in China?)

    Seriously, on the Kimball post. I wonder if the fact that these people are as conservative, theologically, as they say will ever make a story in slice. The link worked for me, btw, GREAT article, could someone please forward it to Ingrid!

    These “Today’s Buzz” columns get better all the time, Todd!

  • Posted by Camey

    Barking Poodles and Buttpaste? That combo alone is funny enough without reading the links. (Yes, I read the links)

    Comprehensive Guide to Baby Dedication? No doubt some great stuff there. One issue I still think is big for churches and church resources is a baby dedication when the mother is a teen and/or single. Talk about an opportunity for the church family! Anyone have any thoughts on this?

    1,000 stalls and 32,000 square foot bathroom? As the mother of three boys and the wife of one man… I can’t even begin to imagine cleaning that puppy. Oh, wait. My guys clean our toilets. Could that be why I will be teaching a class on parenting in the fall? hmmmmmmm lol

    Keep up the buzz!

  • Posted by Tony Kummer

    Todd,
    Thanks for the link. If you are every in the Louisville area we should get together.

  • Posted by

    I’m a bit confused by your comment Peter.  Are you saying that the “watch dogs” ignore the conservative theology, or proclaim that it (conservative theology) simply cannot be so of churches/pastors who have “emerging” characteristics?

    I think Kimball offers a good description of the watch dogs as poodles, but I’m afraid they have potential to inflict Doberman kind of damage to the kingdom, far worse than damage caused by Poodles.

    Regarding the article about women in ministry leadership, I am inclined to make sort of a “yea, and so . . .” statement.  However, I’m put off by the comment from the authors of “State of Women in Baptist Life.”

    “Although the NOVELTY [emphasis added] of women entering professions of law, medicine, and teaching has long since waned . . .”

    Novelty . . . come on now.  How does one expect to take women seriously if our presence in ministry leadership is put forward as a novelty?

    Wendi

  • Posted by

    Wendi,

    I meant that if the watchdogs ever really noticed that people like Kimball and McManus are actually theologically conservative, would they ever be honest enough to write a post about it. So closer to the second thing you said I guess.

    btw, don’t be too offended by the word “novelty”, as I think it was only meant as a “new thing” (which women in law, medicine et al was a short time ago), not a “cute new thing” in the context. Words and their meanings… the bane of our existence.

  • Posted by Rusty

    thanks for the complainer link. Can I complain for a minute?  I am up to my eyeballs with complainers.  That is all I have go to say about that, lets cut em off.  To bad the church can’t do the same thing, I guess we will have to go with the butt cream.

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