October 30, 2016

Like a Dog Off the Chain

Posted in better disciples at 11:36 PM by alexlozada

unleash-love-commissioning-cardMCC’s Unleash Love initiative reached its halfway point with weekend services of commissioning to personal mission fields. Ben Cachiaras opened his message “Like a Dog Off the Chain” with a dog story, and then repeated the key verse for the initiative “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you” 1 Thessalonians 3:12. YouVersion-BIble.com Event notes, plus other highlights below:

October 29, 2016

Affinity-targeted marketing and church data

Posted in better disciples at 5:20 PM by alexlozada

The recent controversey about Facebook’s “Facebook’s racial targeting isn’t new, bad or always illegal despite renewed attention” I’ve chatted w/my MCC Adult Groups teammates about some of my responsibilities as Data Pastor — including targeting our team’s recruitment-into-groups campaigns (ex. mass email) and their similarities to the data mining and marketing of the Googles, Amazons, Apples, etc.

pm_house_pages_400_x_400_px_final_crest4 “I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” Matthew 10:16 — as my daughters tease me, maybe there’s a reason I’m sorted into Slytherin (and Thunderbird / Deerhound)?

October 25, 2016

Halloween – sigh

Posted in better disciples at 10:28 AM by alexlozada

I have several good family-saturated memories from Halloweens past: trick-or-treating with my two younger sisters in a “nicer” neighborhood half-mile away from the government housing projects couple of blocks down; my girls in costume for events at Pulaski Road School, Northport Christian Preschool,and our East Northport neighborhood trick-or-treating; several MCC Trunk or Treat events (including prize-winning Minions-themed one); and giving away candy in costume as a wacky (computer) scientist… speaking of– MCC again has Trunk or Treat at all three campuses (decorated car-SUV-truck trunks AND #UnleashCandy still needed!) 16971355655_a111bdcaf8_o.jpg
As an introvert, this isn’t my favorite kind holilday;-) Two more Jesus follower persepctives worth considering:
Bob Russell on Christians -vs- Halloween ” I’m of the opinion that Christians are wise not to waste spiritual ammunition on insignificant skirmishes. We can expend a lot of energy campaigning against Halloween and our kids eventually get the impression that we’re fun-hating legalists who are against everything.”

From the Verge Network “Simeple Ways to Be Missional This Halloween”

 

October 24, 2016

Cincinnati Christian U a year later

Posted in better disciples at 11:29 AM by alexlozada

Thanks to Ely Lozada for the RT of Steve Carr’s blog post reflecting on CCU upheaval a year ago, “Black Friday, Bright Sunday.” With the recent news about CCU’s possible merger w/ KCU, along w/ ongoing FB posts from long ago CCU friends, I think often about my alma mater — good memories from the past, hopes for the future.

October 23, 2016

Like an Elephant on the Loose!

Posted in better disciples at 12:21 PM by alexlozada

In the spirit of #UnleashLoveMCC Here, There, and Everywhere, Luke Erickson reminded us that “We are all the results of someone else’s “everywhere.” More message highlights from Tweets, and the YouVersion-Bible.com Event notes.

October 20, 2016

Religious freedoms leashed

Posted in better disciples at 4:59 PM by alexlozada

Popular culture prefers to highlight restrictions and impositions on Christians as correcting the intolerance of evangelicals. This National Review article “Religious Freedom? A judge bands a Jewish ritual in California” and this UK Daily Telegraph article ,”As a gay man, I’m horrified that Christian bakers are being forced to surrender their beliefs show that the governmental powers of this dark world are chaining all kinds of faiths. On a related note, Zineb El Rhazoui, the Charlie Hebdo journalist who survived the 9 Jan 2015 terrorist attack because she was away from their office thatday, writes about “Destroy Islamic Facism.” El Rhasouis is herself Muslim, and denounces indiscriminate apologists for radical Islam:”When we apply Islam to the letter it gives Islamism, and when we apply Islamism to the letter it gives terrorism. So we need to stop saying Islam is a religion of peace and love. What is a moderate Islamist? An Islamist who doesn’t kill?”

October 18, 2016

Philippines in the not-so-good news

Posted in better disciples at 12:43 PM by alexlozada

Sigh — when the land of my birth makes the American news, its mostly natural disasters or manmade crises. Last month’s Typhoon Meranti (a/k/a Ferdie in the Philippines), a recent increase in ISIS related activity through the local Abu Sayyaf Group. and ongoing tensions among the Philippines, China, and the US are three more melancholy examples …

October 16, 2016

Like A River Running Wild

Posted in better disciples at 3:41 PM by alexlozada

Ben Cachiaras continued MCC’s fall alignment series Unleash Love speaking about the ways that God’s Unleashed Love in us is “Like a River Running Wild” — including a river whitewater canoeing story. Check the YouVersion-Bible.com Event notes for Gaulley River pics, and message quotes from Twitter:

October 11, 2016

Instagramming Unleash Love

Posted in better disciples at 2:16 PM by alexlozada

I’m a late adopter on Instagram, trailing after my young adult daughters. I’m much more written words than images, but I did use it for last December’s MCC staff party. Thanks to the envelope-stretching initiative of MCC’s Creative team, led by James Ballard, we’re increasing our social media reach. For Unleash Love, I’ll push myself to post to Instagram (and shared from there to Facebook and Twitter) — but combining words from the daily readings with occasional pics.instagram-alexlozada4-161011

October 10, 2016

Unleash Love

Posted in better disciples at 11:49 AM by alexlozada

MCC’s Unleash Love campaign started with Ben Cachiaras message this weekend. You can download resources for the entire campaign from unleashlovemcc.org, including the campaign booklet (both personal daily readings and group study guides), group teaching videos, and more. All the weekend messages will be posted to MCC’s YouTube channel, along w/ each week’s YouVersion-Bible.com Event notes.

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