School starts up next week; I’m ready to teach a new course on Women, Mary, and Jesus. Blessings on all you teachers and students. Have the greatest term of your life.
For my UK readers: I’ll be on Premier Christian Radio Tuesday, Jan 16, between 11am and noon, talking about Mary, mother of Jesus. The show is “Woman to Woman”.

New blog: John Stackhouse, a wide-ranging scholar with the capacity to make sense of it all, has begun a new blog. Add him to your blogroll.
Congratulations to Vincent Bacote, newly appointed director for the Center for Applied Christian Ethics.
Erika’s post is a sermon, believe me.
Jim’s post is for the discouraged pastor.
Stunning, heart-warming video. (HT: Denny Burk)
Oz readers: if you can keep me updated on this one, I’d appreciate it.
Marko at the pulpit examining David Hesselgrave’s critique of Brian McLaren. (I’ve not seen Hesselgrave’s piece; Brian’s stuff here is mostly from David Bosch and Lesslie Newbigin, so I hope they are involved in the discussion.) And, yes, Marko has bleached his hair blonde.

1. “Sometimes I miss,” he says.
2. Here’s hoping you don’t get plutoed.
3. Barna’s new study of church satisfaction and house churches.
4. A really fine post, and so succinct, by Bob Robinson on the Lord’s Prayer.
5. I’m not Polish; and I wasn’t there, but this story saddens me. Susan Wunderink has an excellent piece putting this all in context.
6. She’s a Bears Fan! (In all due respect. RIP.)
7. David Fitch wondered if the Willow Christmas service was a “spectacle” and I pushed back — but it’s been a good conversation.
8. Lukas trained for some long running, gave up lifting, and now is back at it: it hurts.
9. Tyler Smith got the phone call — the call up — only thing it was the wrong number.
10. Go Bindi — “when the hippo moves her hips”.
11. Trevin’s got a little Orwellian description in his story.

One has to be glad for the Caltech Beavers. What does the Bard have to say?
I know what David Beckham has to say: “Whew, I can finally play in the USA where the talent isn’t as good and maybe my ‘bend it like Beckham’ kicks wil find their way into the goal again. And, hey, the money ain’t bad either so now he can ‘spend it like Beckham’ (HT: local newspaper).”
On my plane flight home from Pepperdine, I met Ernie Banks — Mr. Cub. He asked what I do; I told him where and what I teach; he said he wanted to come hear me teach. Stay tuned.