Singapore: A Very Short History: From Temasek to Tomorrow by Alvin Tan As a history lover, one of the side benefits of working on the other side of the world is a very real need to learn a bit (lot?!) more about the history of Southeast Asia. This is a topic that was barely touched… Continue reading Suggested Reading: Singapore
Category: Reading
Lenten Beauty
It may at first seem counterintuitive, that in the midst of Lent we could find and enjoy beauty. But contrition and repentance are not the same thing at all as boringness or repetition or monotony or ugliness. If anything, our Lenten contemplations should drive us in part by comparison – the aching awareness of our… Continue reading Lenten Beauty
January Newsletter Is Out!
I just sent out our January newsletter to everyone we have e-mail addresses for. If you would like to receive our newsletter, or if you think you should be receiving it already but aren’t, please send me a note. As we’ve traveled around meeting people and people have jotted down their e-mail addresses sometimes it’s… Continue reading January Newsletter Is Out!
Book Review – The Lost Temple of Java
The Lost Temple of Java by Phil Grabsky For a while, I was trying to make my way through a series of books on sociology and anthropology and missiology. All good stuff to be sure, but the cumulative nature of these books was a bit overwhelming and pretty detached from the logistical challenges of planning… Continue reading Book Review – The Lost Temple of Java
While You’re Waiting…
No new news this week, which is frustrating but all part of the process, apparently! Our eagerness to deploy doesn’t necessarily translate into other entities moving at the speed we’d like them to. A good reminder we’re not in charge of all of this. In the meantime, here’s an article about LCMS work in Washington… Continue reading While You’re Waiting…
Book Review – Muslims, Christians, and Jesus
Muslims, Christians and Jesus by Carl Medearis Gifted to us by life-long Bible translators, this book offers personal insights in how Christians can meet and build relationships with their Muslim neighbors. The author speaks with confidence and experience in this regard, sprinkling the book with real life anecdotes about interactions with a variety of people in… Continue reading Book Review – Muslims, Christians, and Jesus
Book Review (Partial) – Healthy Resilient & Effective in Cross Cultural Ministry
Healthy Resilient & Effective in Cross Cultural Ministry by Laura Mae Gardner, D.Min I call this a partial review for two reasons. The first is the copy I was gifted from long-term overseas Bible translators is a pre-release copy that only has the first eight chapters – roughly the first half of the book. Secondly, I… Continue reading Book Review (Partial) – Healthy Resilient & Effective in Cross Cultural Ministry
Book Review: Serving Well
Serving Well: Help for the Wannabe, Newbie or Weary Cross-Cultural Christian Worker by Jonathan and Elizabeth Trotter Recommended by a friend who had it recommended to him, this is not my favorite read. The style is not one I’m very fond of, overly friendly and informal with useful tips interspersed with emotional self-disclosures. I think this… Continue reading Book Review: Serving Well
Just the Facts
I’m too young to have seen many of the original Dragnet episodes. It was not nearly as favored in syndication where and when I was growing up. But the famous line of Just the facts, ma’am (even if erroneously attributed or cited) has become cultural parlance of a sort (or at least it was the… Continue reading Just the Facts
Reading Ramblings – October 17, 2021
Date: 21st Sunday after Pentecost – October 17, 2021 Texts: Ecclesiastes 5:10-20; Psalm 119:9-16; Hebrews 4:1-13(14-16); Mark 10:23-31 Context: A challenging group of readings in a culture where earning and buying is how we are taught to define our worth. In a culture where display of what we have accomplished (or what we want others… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – October 17, 2021
The Nelson Family Indonesia 