Author: Nathan Campbell

Nathan runs St Eutychus. He loves Jesus. His wife. His daughter. His son. His other daughter. His dog. Coffee. And the Internet. He is the pastor of City South Presbyterian Church, a church in Brisbane, a graduate of Queensland Theological College (M. Div) and the Queensland University of Technology (B. Journ). He spent a significant portion of his pre-ministry-as-a-full-time-job life working in Public Relations, and now loves promoting Jesus in Brisbane and online. He can't believe how great it is that people pay him to talk and think about Jesus. If you'd like to support his writing financially you can do that by giving to his church.

A trillion dollar tip

To say I’m not a fan of the Way of the Master evangelism methodology is an understatement. The name is misleading – unless by “Master” they mean Kirk Cameron or Ray Comfort. Because Jesus didn’t evangelise the way they suggest you evangelise. I share their enthusiasm for the great commission, and for looking for opportunities to evangelise, but to suggest that all proclamations of the gospel should begin with a proclamation of the predicament that requires the gospel is a little misleading (check out their “how to botch an altar call” article.

I don’t like their methodology. I’d say that for every one person they lead to the cross they’ve turned away significantly more by the way they present the message. They’re seasoned with hot chilli, rather than salt.

And perhaps the bit I don’t like most of all is their money tract. Used by cheap Christians instead of tipping all over the US. It’s products like this trillion dollar bill that make me glad I don’t live in the states, because I can’t imagine having to try explaining the lack of monetary tip to the waitress who has done a great job of serving a customer only to be left one of these in the place of actual money:

You can’t pay for your groceries with one of these – and yet there are bozos out there (and I’ve spoken to a few Christian waitstaff who have been given these) who leave these as a substitute for a tip. Perhaps because they’ve actually bought each Trillion Dollar Bill for $5. Here. Buy some of my fake money for $5. That’s a get rich quick scheme.

Ray Comfort suggests that this note is actually a “light hearted way to get the message across” – which it could potentially be, if the message on the back was an invitation to start building a relationship with a church that teaches about Jesus. Instead the blurb on the back reads:

“The trillion-dollar question: Will you go to Heaven when you die? Here’s a quick test. Have you ever told a lie, stolen anything, or used God’s name in vain? Jesus said, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Have you looked with lust? Will you be guilty on Judgment Day? If you have done those things, God sees you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous adulterer at heart. The Bible warns that if you are guilty you will end up in Hell.”

That’s the opening. Now. It’s all true. And they do get to Jesus. Eventually – but who is going to keep reading? I know one guy who was converted reading some tracts, but only after he’d spent so much time with the lady who gave them to him that he thought “maybe I should read that stuff she gave me”…

Here’s where the blurb goes next.

“God, who the Bible says is “rich in mercy” sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross for guilty sinners. We broke God’s Law, but Jesus paid our fine. That means He can legally dismiss our case. He can commute our death sentence: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Then He rose from the dead and defeated death. Please, repent (turn from sin) today and God will grant everlasting life to all who trust in Jesus. Then read your Bible daily and obey it.”

God loves you. He paid the price. Turn to Jesus. Trust and obey. Great. That’s the gospel. (though it does have huge potential to become pretty legalistic, doesn’t it? Is daily Bible reading really required for those who trust in Jesus?).

There is just so much wrong with the strategy behind this. It completely fails to understand the importance of medium in presenting a message. It’s just awful. How any Christian can not see how important and related medium and message are when we worship the Lord Jesus, God’s word become flesh, is beyond me. If that’s not a case of medium and message being all wrapped up together I don’t know what is.

The problem isn’t just “strategic” – in reacting against something bad (sloppy presentations of an “all loving God”) these guys have gone to the other extreme. And I’d like to see a passage in the Bible where Jesus deals with an outsider by treating them as an outsider. I’m writing an exegesis paper on the story of Zacchaeus today, where a corrupt outcast meets Jesus, who doesn’t turn to him and say “Zacc, you’re a horrible sinner and you must repent before I’ll have anything to do with you.” No. He says: “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” And then Zacchaeus responds by repenting. I just don’t get the “way of the master” part of the act of handing out fake money that tells people they’re going to Hell.

Talking the plank: an armchair guide to planking

Planking is taking the world by storm. And I’ve got to admit I’m a latecomer to the planking party. I’m yet to plank. But here’s what planking is, from the Facebook Page. Planking is going mainstream. You can tell, because somebody planked on Channel Ten news last night, and NineMSN and the SMH both have stories about the craze that is taking the world by storm.

Rules of Planking
When performing a Plank:

1/ You must always lay face down, ensuring your face remains expressionless for the duration of the Plank.

2/ Your legs must remain straight, and together with toes pointed.

3/ Your arms must be placed by your side, held straight and fingers pointed.

4/ You must make it known that you are Planking. Saying ‘I am Planking’ usually get this across. Sternly announcing it will ensure a good result.

5/ Your safety should always be considered. Properly thought through Planking procedures should always go to plan. Never put your self at undue risk, unless you are a seasoned Planker.

6/ First Aid should never be far away. Ice, Bandaids, Cast Plaster, needle and thread, emotional support and a quick escape route need to be on hand.

7/ Every Plank that is captured must be named.

Here’s a sample “plank”

Got a mad skill? I want to know about it

Remember Mad Skillz Week – that awesome fortnight last year when you, my dear readers, contributed your mad skillz for the benefit of others. Good times.

Well. It’s Mad Skillz time again. I’ve put the call out on Facebook, and now I’m putting the call out here too. If you have a randomly acquired ability, a professional skill, a piece of expertise, or something from your vast range of life experience that you think would benefit the eclectic mix of readers who visit this site – then tell me about it. Please. It doesn’t have to be amazing, just something that you know how to do but others don’t. I’ll publish it if it’s not something inappropriate and if it’s not boring. Maybe even if it’s boring.

Email me at my gmail address. It’s nm(.)campbell at gmail dot com. But without the brackets and with the requisite @ symbol.

Build your own Facebook conversations

This would have been fantastic for our Easter service at Scots, or for anybody who wanted to make a social media version of the Easter story, but alas, it comes a month too late.

However – I present to you “The Wall Machine“, it lets you produce your own multi-partied Facebook conversations.

It has a nice interface. I whipped that one above up in about 30 seconds.

Via ChurchCrunch.

Sci-Kea: Sci-fi meets the Allen Key

I wouldn’t know what an Ikea manual looks like. I never use them. I like the idea that Ikea furniture is what you make it (see Ikea Hackers)… so I have lots of installation art masquerading as furniture. But if I bought a lightsaber kit I’d be sure to follow the manual.

Arthur sent me this link on Facebook but it has been doing the rounds… it’s originally from College Humor.

Before I die: I’d like to make some cool interactive art like this

Take one abandoned building. Paint it with blackboard paint. Provide chalk. And a prompter for discussing a serious issue. Record the responses. And you have modern art.

If people are answering truthfully – and there’s really no reason to lie in a forum like this – then it’s an interesting insight into what people care about.

I wonder if responses change based on the socio-economic demographic of the location. I assume so.

I’m not sure why there’s a pirate here. Or what he’s writing. “Tried for pi…”

More info about the project at Candy Chang.

How to make incredible breakfast burritos in Six Steps

Last night, at some time around 11pm, I was talking to reader Tim Goldsmith on Facebook, and in an off hand comment (as he described a technical glitch he was having with this site) he mentioned two magic words. Breakfast burritos. I hadn’t had dinner at this point. I was inspired.

I’d had a breakfast burrito before. On the Sunshine Coast. It was delicious.

I had the ingredients. I still had the oil I’d used in the afternoon for the tortilla chips (I was planning to rebottle it to use again). I was hungry. So I made breakfast burritos. Here’s what I did…

Step 1. Cook the bacon and two eggs.

Step 2. Add some maple syrup and Worcestershire sauce to the bacon. This makes bacon delicious.

I just pour it on top of the cooking bacon – though beware, if you don’t watch it carefully it’ll coat your pan with a layer that’s almost impossible to clean. But it’s worth it.

Step 3. I had some sticky rib BBQ sauce in the fridge, so I put a dollop of that on the tortilla.

Step 4. I loaded up the tortilla with the bacon, some cheese, and then the egg.

Here’s about how cooked it was…

Step 5. Then it was into the frypan (with a bit of really hot oil – probably half a centimetre). It cooked/blackened really quickly. Heaps quicker than the chips.

Step 6. Plate up.

Delicious. It’s now on the menu if ever you come around for breakfast.

I am a Spartan. You can be too.

I realise that not everybody already owns a wicked awesome Spartan Helmet like I do…

So, if you want to be an awesome Spartan? Like me. But knitted, then by the power of SnorgTees, you can be. Join us.

Not limited to the first 300 Spartans…

You can also be a wooly viking.

Another day, another awesome timelapse

This one is from a mountain and has nice stars.

The Mountain from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

How to make awesome and amazing tortilla chips

There’s nothing like a hot snack on a rainy essay day. So today, in between essays, I made some tortilla chips. Which are amazing. Cheap. And delicious. Here’s how…

Heat some hot oil in a frypan. On the stove. I used peanut oil. On the highest temperature. With about three quarters of a centimetre of oil throughout the pan.

Wait till it bubbles a little.

Cut your tortillas into chip shapes.

Put them in oil – once the oil is hot enough each side will cook in somewhere between 20 and 40 seconds.

Put the cooked ones on a piece of paper towel.

Once they’re all done, pile them all up into a bowl and liberally apply sour cream and salsa. They’re also fantastic with mince as Nachos. And great by themselves.

In other news, watch this spider…

This sort of animal video is probably why the Internet (and in a more derivative sense, video sharing) was invented.

Spider attack from Ahmet Ozkan on Vimeo.

Love it.

Life at Ikea: A photojourney

This little photographic excursion to Ikea tightens the allen-keyed cockles of my heart.

Two guys made themselves at home in the Swedish superstore.

Via 22 Words, days ago. I’d find the link if I could be bothered.

Tumblrweed: Dads are the original hipsters

Hipsters. Love them, hate them, they’re here to stay. At least until something cooler comes along. But lets face it. Moustaches and tight clothes epitomise cool. I’d be a hipster if I could grow a mo. And if I didn’t want to mock them relentlessly. But I digress. Dads are the Original Hipsters demonstrates, photographically, that there is nothing original about our current generation of hipsters. They are just copying our dads.

The only difference is the lack of deliberate irony for most of these dads.

Che Obama: A meta shirt

From what I can gather this shirt doesn’t exist yet. But doubtless, by the power of the interwebs, it soon will. Here it is part of a “Rebranding America” design challenge.

How to launch a conspiracy theory: A flowchart

If there’s one thing the release of Obama’s birth certificate and the continuing speculation about the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden teaches us – it’s that conspiracy theories get great mileage on the internet. So here’s how to start one.

From MotherJones.com