Nutrition prof sheds 27 pounds on Twinkie diet – Chicago Tribune.

A few things to note:

• The professor isn’t recommending this diet, just observing the effects of calorie reduction.
• Not only did he lose weight, but his body chemistry (LDL, HDL, Triglycerides) all improved on the junk food.
• Exercise wasn’t mentioned.  It’s all about the intake of calories.

I’m sure the professor would encourage exercise as a part of everyone’s overall health.  It’s just that he studies nutrition, so that’s what he measured and reported.

The bottom line, though… Stop eating so much.

Where’d I put those Twinkies?

Related posts:

• Wal-Mart Employee trampled to death on Black Friday
• Losing weight again, or trying anyway
• A CP Diet
• Phriday foto 03-28-08
• Spiritual Discipline: Fasting

Having yo-yo’ed my weight over the last four years in an attempt to get back into shape, I found this article very interesting.

Nutrition prof sheds 27 pounds on Twinkie diet – Chicago Tribune.

A few things to note:

• The professor isn’t recommending this diet, just observing the effects of calorie reduction.
• Not only did he lose weight, but his body chemistry (LDL, HDL, Triglycerides) all improved on the junk food.
• Exercise wasn’t mentioned.  It’s all about the intake of calories.

I’m sure the professor would encourage exercise as a part of everyone’s overall health.  It’s just that he studies nutrition, so that’s what he measured and reported.

The bottom line, though… Stop eating so much.

Where’d I put those Twinkies?

Related posts:

• Wal-Mart Employee trampled to death on Black Friday
• Losing weight again, or trying anyway
• A CP Diet
• Phriday foto 03-28-08
• Spiritual Discipline: Fasting

He’s just released a new single paralleling the desire of homosexuals’ to marry and the struggle to do so in America with the 1960′s era struggle of a white man’s struggle to marry a black woman detailed in the 1967 Supreme Court decision from the suit “Loving v. Virginia,” in which Chief Justice Warren wrote, “Marriage is one of the basic civil rights of man, fundamental to our very existence and survival.”

You can read the lyrics, hear the song and read what Boltz has to say about it on his blog:  Ray Boltz Blog.

I’ve heard it several times predicted, and Ray seems to agree, that this issue will be the next great civil rights struggle in America.

*NOTE:  No bashing in the comments.

Comments

• February 5, 2009, Kevin Bussey writes: no bashing. I just feel sorry for him.
• February 6, 2009, Bob Cleveland writes: If ".....fundamental to our very existence and survival” is the explanation offered for “Marriage is one of the basic civil rights of man...", I'd observe that's hardly the case with homosexual or lesbians unions. Bob Clevelands last blog post..Is The Curtain Rising?
• February 7, 2009, Quinn Hooks writes: There will be no bashing from me. I just have a sincerely sadness for the direction he has taken. Quinn Hookss last blog post..Funny Animation
• June 16, 2009, Bobby writes: No where in scripture does the Bible say that it is wrong for a black to marry a white (Check to see who Moses married). However, scripture does say that relations between men and relations between women are wrong. If Ray Boltz wants to live the lifestyle of a homosexual that is his business. He should not, however, try to make it compatible with Christianity. There is no way you can reconcile homosexuality and scripture. To try to is theologically dishonest. If Ray wants to be religious, he can be as religious as he wants but don't call that religion Chrisianity because it is not.

Related posts:

• Ray Boltz confesses he is gay
• Don’t waste your… Business Card
• Leveraging your job to share the Gospel
• Mark Driscoll on Evangelism: Not Imposing but Proposing
• Don’t buy Duren’s Book, Journeys

You may recall that Ray Boltz “came out of the closet” last year and openly confessed that he is living a homosexual lifestyle in Florida now.  You can read my article and the link to the Washington Blade magazine that carried the news in an interview with the singer:  Ray Boltz Confesses He Is Gay.

He’s just released a new single paralleling the desire of homosexuals’ to marry and the struggle to do so in America with the 1960′s era struggle of a white man’s struggle to marry a black woman detailed in the 1967 Supreme Court decision from the suit “Loving v. Virginia,” in which Chief Justice Warren wrote, “Marriage is one of the basic civil rights of man, fundamental to our very existence and survival.”

You can read the lyrics, hear the song and read what Boltz has to say about it on his blog:  Ray Boltz Blog.

I’ve heard it several times predicted, and Ray seems to agree, that this issue will be the next great civil rights struggle in America.

*NOTE:  No bashing in the comments.

Comments

• February 5, 2009, Kevin Bussey writes: no bashing. I just feel sorry for him.
• February 6, 2009, Bob Cleveland writes: If ".....fundamental to our very existence and survival” is the explanation offered for “Marriage is one of the basic civil rights of man...", I'd observe that's hardly the case with homosexual or lesbians unions. Bob Clevelands last blog post..Is The Curtain Rising?
• February 7, 2009, Quinn Hooks writes: There will be no bashing from me. I just have a sincerely sadness for the direction he has taken. Quinn Hookss last blog post..Funny Animation
• June 16, 2009, Bobby writes: No where in scripture does the Bible say that it is wrong for a black to marry a white (Check to see who Moses married). However, scripture does say that relations between men and relations between women are wrong. If Ray Boltz wants to live the lifestyle of a homosexual that is his business. He should not, however, try to make it compatible with Christianity. There is no way you can reconcile homosexuality and scripture. To try to is theologically dishonest. If Ray wants to be religious, he can be as religious as he wants but don't call that religion Chrisianity because it is not.

Related posts:

• Ray Boltz confesses he is gay
• Don’t waste your… Business Card
• Leveraging your job to share the Gospel
• Mark Driscoll on Evangelism: Not Imposing but Proposing
• Don’t buy Duren’s Book, Journeys

We like this model because it is a step toward decentralizing our “programs” and creating more opportunities for conversation.  Eventually, we would like to get to a place where each small group chooses how to incorporate our Missional values into its own gathering and use the Super Bowl as it chooses.  (We are not yet utilizing small groups, but hope to transition within the year.)

As I told the church the week prior, it isn’t about the game, but about conversations that build relationships that open doors to the Gospel.  It’s always about the Gospel.

Well, what did you do?  Why did you do it?  How did you do it?  What happened as a result?

Comments

• February 2, 2009, Kent House writes: Art, we have 10 LIFE groups (cell groups) which meet on Sunday night in lieu of Sunday evening church services (we have no evening services on our church campus proper). Each LIFE (Living In Fullness Everyday) group was asked to tailgate during the ball game, which was shown on a "whited" wall in our family life center. The LIFE groups were designated a table with members of that LIFE group bringing food of their choosing. Door prizes (footballs, jerseys, etc.) were given only to guests who had been invited by LIFE group members (no church members were eligible for door prizes). Everyone "grazed" on each LIFE table. We registered 24 guests and enrolled 17 more people in our LIFE groups (14 church members and 3 non-church members). Our goal was three-fold - to promote our LIFE groups to church members and non-church members; to introduce our new spring studies in LIFE groups, which begin Feb. 8; and to involve our church in relational evangelism. One other thing; we produced our own commercials prior to Sunday's game, some of them being silly and some promoting different church ministries, and played them during the commercial time of the Super Bowl.

Related posts:

• The NFL relents under pressure over Super Bowl ban
• Super Bowl Quandry
• Vietnam 2010: Hot Pot
• And Now For Something Completely Different
• Tad and Frank Q&A

Even though the NFL relented from its harsh stance against churches showing the Super Bowl, our church decided that we would be better to spin out our gatherings to homes of members in hopes that unchurched friends might feel more welcome and more likely to participate.  We had two sites last year and branched out to 5 sites this year.  Also, our sites were age graded 1st – 5th grades were invited to the home of some faithful children’s workers so they would have something special and their parents would be free to mingle at their parties.  Youth went to another house, Young adults, Median adults and Senior adults all had other gathering places.

We like this model because it is a step toward decentralizing our “programs” and creating more opportunities for conversation.  Eventually, we would like to get to a place where each small group chooses how to incorporate our Missional values into its own gathering and use the Super Bowl as it chooses.  (We are not yet utilizing small groups, but hope to transition within the year.)

As I told the church the week prior, it isn’t about the game, but about conversations that build relationships that open doors to the Gospel.  It’s always about the Gospel.

Well, what did you do?  Why did you do it?  How did you do it?  What happened as a result?

Comments

• February 2, 2009, Kent House writes: Art, we have 10 LIFE groups (cell groups) which meet on Sunday night in lieu of Sunday evening church services (we have no evening services on our church campus proper). Each LIFE (Living In Fullness Everyday) group was asked to tailgate during the ball game, which was shown on a "whited" wall in our family life center. The LIFE groups were designated a table with members of that LIFE group bringing food of their choosing. Door prizes (footballs, jerseys, etc.) were given only to guests who had been invited by LIFE group members (no church members were eligible for door prizes). Everyone "grazed" on each LIFE table. We registered 24 guests and enrolled 17 more people in our LIFE groups (14 church members and 3 non-church members). Our goal was three-fold - to promote our LIFE groups to church members and non-church members; to introduce our new spring studies in LIFE groups, which begin Feb. 8; and to involve our church in relational evangelism. One other thing; we produced our own commercials prior to Sunday's game, some of them being silly and some promoting different church ministries, and played them during the commercial time of the Super Bowl.

Related posts:

• The NFL relents under pressure over Super Bowl ban
• Super Bowl Quandry
• Vietnam 2010: Hot Pot
• And Now For Something Completely Different
• Tad and Frank Q&A

For an example, check out this picture, entitled “evangelicals.jpg” used in an article slanted harshly against Christians in general and evangelicals in particular:

You can find the article here:

Evangelists: Cashing in on Hard Economic Times

Most of the Evangelicals I know NEVER look like this, and those that do, only for a couple of moments per week.  Do people think we really walk around like this all day long?

Comments

• December 17, 2008, Rick Boyne writes: If they were come and take a picture of my church during the most intense worship we've experienced since I've been here, you might accidentally catch a smile or two. There is one lady that raises one hand almost as high as her shoulder. Rick Boynes last blog post..Gas Prices Going UP?
• December 17, 2008, art rogers writes: I know! We have a total of 3 hand raisers in our church, and we are fairly progressive in our worship. High energy, happy to be here, focused on God kind of stuff. It seems to me that the pictures are not intended to represent reality, but to present an ecstatic expression as the "norm" which makes us look cult-like, discrediting us.
• December 19, 2008, Eric Vardeman writes: we need more pictures of believers eating mexican food and cleaning the house and mowing the lawn and watching football games and sitting behind their desks at work. We live normal lives...we just live them in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. I think that's in the bible somewhere :-)

Related posts:

• Until I Die…
• Vietnam: Microfinance
• Idolatry?
• 10 things we don’t mention …
• Spiritual Warfare

Just curious, but why is it, especially among media writing negatively about Christians, but even among those writing more “neutral” stories, are pictures shown of a group at a point of ecstatic worship (speaking in tongues optional)?

For an example, check out this picture, entitled “evangelicals.jpg” used in an article slanted harshly against Christians in general and evangelicals in particular:

You can find the article here:

Evangelists: Cashing in on Hard Economic Times

Most of the Evangelicals I know NEVER look like this, and those that do, only for a couple of moments per week.  Do people think we really walk around like this all day long?

Comments

• December 17, 2008, Rick Boyne writes: If they were come and take a picture of my church during the most intense worship we've experienced since I've been here, you might accidentally catch a smile or two. There is one lady that raises one hand almost as high as her shoulder. Rick Boynes last blog post..Gas Prices Going UP?
• December 17, 2008, art rogers writes: I know! We have a total of 3 hand raisers in our church, and we are fairly progressive in our worship. High energy, happy to be here, focused on God kind of stuff. It seems to me that the pictures are not intended to represent reality, but to present an ecstatic expression as the "norm" which makes us look cult-like, discrediting us.
• December 19, 2008, Eric Vardeman writes: we need more pictures of believers eating mexican food and cleaning the house and mowing the lawn and watching football games and sitting behind their desks at work. We live normal lives...we just live them in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. I think that's in the bible somewhere :-)

Related posts:

• Until I Die…
• Vietnam: Microfinance
• Idolatry?
• 10 things we don’t mention …
• Spiritual Warfare

The study detailed Americans’ deep and broad religiosity, finding that 92 percent believe in God or a universal spirit — including one in five of those who call themselves atheists. More than half of Americans polled pray at least once a day.

This is what comes when attending church becomes the culture instead of the Church shaping the culture via the proclamation of the Gospel which results in the salvation and then sanctification of the lost.

Read the whole thing here: Most Americans Believe in Higher Power, Poll Finds

Related posts:

• Losing Trust in the Church
• Simple Things Learned
• Missional Minatrea: Continuum of Perspective
• Partnering with the Unholy
• Leaving Church, Remix

Here’s a quote from the Washington Post Article:

The study detailed Americans’ deep and broad religiosity, finding that 92 percent believe in God or a universal spirit — including one in five of those who call themselves atheists. More than half of Americans polled pray at least once a day.

This is what comes when attending church becomes the culture instead of the Church shaping the culture via the proclamation of the Gospel which results in the salvation and then sanctification of the lost.

Read the whole thing here: Most Americans Believe in Higher Power, Poll Finds

Related posts:

• Losing Trust in the Church
• Simple Things Learned
• Missional Minatrea: Continuum of Perspective
• Partnering with the Unholy
• Leaving Church, Remix

Anyway, if you call the IRS’ automated hotline, with a few easy questions, you can find out when your check is due to be mailed.  The number is:  1-866-234-2942.  You should know where you stand in a few minutes.

Now, what will you do with yours?

Comments

• June 24, 2008, Bob Cleveland writes: I'm going to do just what I'm supposed to do with it, and spend it (on attending the SBC convention in Indianapolis). See? I was planning ahead, that's all. Bob Clevelands last blog post..It's Hard To Call This A "Changing Paradigm"...."
• June 24, 2008, brad andrews writes: art- so looking forward to speaking with you soon... on a completely different side note, i noticed something in my feed of your blog that i absolutely love. within the feed were the comments. i've never seen that before. i've always thought that would be a great feature... is that something you can only set up with your own feed to do? brad andrewss last blog post..today’s tweets
• June 24, 2008, art rogers writes:

  brad,

  It's because I got mad skilz. And a cool plugin called copyfeed, which allows for that, the copyright paragraph at the end, the related posts and the comments. And mad skilz.
• June 24, 2008, Micah Fries writes: Art- Not only do we have ours, but we got it a month ago. Ours was used to help pay for our recent 3,000 mile jaunt across the Eastern US. As an aside, mad skilz? Really? That's interesting..... :-) Micah Friess last blog post..Church technology just keeps coming
• June 24, 2008, art rogers writes:

  Micah,

  You can't deny. Don't hate.
• June 24, 2008, Micah Fries writes: What was that sbclover? Micah Friess last blog post..Church technology just keeps coming
• June 24, 2008, art rogers writes:

  Micah:

  Hater.

Related posts:

• Small, Hidden Economic Stimulus
• Page says ’20/20′ segment one-sided
• Pastoral Blogging pt. 4
• Church Staffing: The Search
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Have you gotten your “Economic Stimulus Check” from the government yet?  If not, like me, there is a pretty easy solution for finding out your check’s status.  The website has a printed schedule, but the IRS seems to be behind in sending out the money.  Hmmm.  Surprised?

Anyway, if you call the IRS’ automated hotline, with a few easy questions, you can find out when your check is due to be mailed.  The number is:  1-866-234-2942.  You should know where you stand in a few minutes.

Now, what will you do with yours?

Comments

• June 24, 2008, Bob Cleveland writes: I'm going to do just what I'm supposed to do with it, and spend it (on attending the SBC convention in Indianapolis). See? I was planning ahead, that's all. Bob Clevelands last blog post..It's Hard To Call This A "Changing Paradigm"...."
• June 24, 2008, brad andrews writes: art- so looking forward to speaking with you soon... on a completely different side note, i noticed something in my feed of your blog that i absolutely love. within the feed were the comments. i've never seen that before. i've always thought that would be a great feature... is that something you can only set up with your own feed to do? brad andrewss last blog post..today’s tweets
• June 24, 2008, art rogers writes:

  brad,

  It's because I got mad skilz. And a cool plugin called copyfeed, which allows for that, the copyright paragraph at the end, the related posts and the comments. And mad skilz.
• June 24, 2008, Micah Fries writes: Art- Not only do we have ours, but we got it a month ago. Ours was used to help pay for our recent 3,000 mile jaunt across the Eastern US. As an aside, mad skilz? Really? That's interesting..... :-) Micah Friess last blog post..Church technology just keeps coming
• June 24, 2008, art rogers writes:

  Micah,

  You can't deny. Don't hate.
• June 24, 2008, Micah Fries writes: What was that sbclover? Micah Friess last blog post..Church technology just keeps coming
• June 24, 2008, art rogers writes:

  Micah:

  Hater.

Related posts:

• Small, Hidden Economic Stimulus
• Page says ’20/20′ segment one-sided
• Pastoral Blogging pt. 4
• Church Staffing: The Search
• Youth Ministry is (sometimes) Inverse Missionality