A new blog that is sure to be a must read, an album that is a sermon, and a book about American Idols.

Blog of the Week:  The Reconciliation blog by Ed Gilbreath.  If you have enjoyed his writing for Christianity Today then you already know about this man.  If not, then check out his home page and then check out his blog.

Album of the Week:  The Sermon! by Jimmy Smith.  A friend (aka. the smartest writer in Hollywood) recently gifted me this gem.  The beauty of this album is that you have a man who is very talented on the Hammond B3 organ and yet he uses those skills mostly to back up and help other musicians shine.  When you first listen to it you would not guess that the star is the one you notice the least, that is, until you begin to listen to how he supports those around him.  There are some lessons in leadership in this one.

Book of the Week:  American idols:  The Worship of the American Dream by Bob Hostetler.  This one is in honor of my family’s favorite TV show.  It’s a cute play on words and for those of you who preach and teach it is a good source for homiletical material.