“I would just like to thank……”

A big thank you to Thomas AKA The Headphonaught awarded me with a Subversive Blogger Award here: I feel like an Oscar Winner!

This meme was initiated by Thomas' buddy Jake Bouma.

Subversive bloggers are unsatisfied with the status quo, whether in church, politics, economics or any other power-laden institution, and they are searching for (and blogging about) what is new (or a "return to") - even though it may be labeled as sacrilege, dangerous, or subversive.

I like it!

Thomas tagged me along with the following guys, who may well be worth checking out, too:

1. Pernell Goodyear - He’s a top Canadian chappie, and one of my blogging faves as well
2. JD Blundell - New to me, but Thomas’ recommendations are normally on the button.
3. Matt Wilson - Ditto
4. Royzoner - I’m an occasional visitor here, and it’s usually interesting

So, in turn, I’m going to tag these guys:
Duncan McFadzean
Gordon
Lard
Matt
Paul

The rules of participation are pretty straightforward:

1. If you are tagged, write a post with links to five subversive blogs
2. Link back to this post so people can easily find the origin of the meme
3. Optional: Proudly display the "Subversive Blogger Award" somewhere on your blog (images below) with a link to the post that you wrote.

Take the image from the top of this post [courtesy of Josh Brown and Red Cowboy Designs] Download it but... please... upload it to your own server (Jake has another design on his blog

Plywood People

Glad to see that all round top man Duncan McFadzean is part of the Plywood People tribe.

I’ve been a fan of Duncan’s entrepreneurial & socially aware initiatives for several years now as evidenced by the multiple blogposts mentioning his name , so it’s good to see that he’s has a strong connection with the equally inspirational Plywood people.*

Plywood People: An innovative community addressing social needs. We hope to inspire conversation between the privileged and impoverished through communal places, social experiments and awareness campaigns.

*I highly recommend a visit to their site. There’s a whole raft of stuff you may want to get involved in

Hoping for a meet up next week, bud!

HT to Plywood for the image

Shuffle

It’s time I had a shuffle, and updated the blog roll.

INs

In comes Darren Plummer, Pastor of Mosaic Community Church in College Park Maryland, and Peppermint-Filled Piñatas Group originator on Facebook.

I’m also going to include Duncan McFadzean’s next door neighbour-but-one, Duncan MacLaren just because they must deserve some kind of recognition for living so close, and both having aesthetically pleasing missional-stylee blogs, and remarkably similar names to boot!

I’ve been meaning to include the wonderful brace of blogs from Self Confessed Septuagenarian, Joe Noland - Slightly Irreverent and Slightly Irregular. Joe is a California based retired Salvation Army Commissioner, which kinda means he’s a bit of a deal in our little Sally Army world. Jim’s two blogs are refreshing, challenging, funny, progressive & pretty inspirational. Plus, I have to thank Joe for the funky-as-anything shot accompanying this post.

Chris Hinton stays, but in his Council of War guise.

OUTs

Sad to say, but I’m going to remove a few dormant blogs:

Chris Parker goes because his blog ground to a halt after his trip to Africa. You should start blogging again, Chris. I’m sure you’ve got lots of good stuff to share

Glenis at Pocket Mummy has succumbed to the Facebook disease, and seemingly abandoned the blog! ;-)

Tim’s blog seems to have given up the ghost, but Mrs Tim AKA Lucy is going strong, with regular thought provoking posts.

If you are lurking, and would like to be included on the blogroll, just bounce me over a comment, and I’d be happy to oblige.

J

He’s on a roll….my blogroll

A little while back – in April 07 - I became intrigued by a conference that was being held in the States called Q, and blogged about it here:

One guy, who as far as I can figure out, had clocked whatever info was around about it before the event, and took himself over from Scotland to attend Q in Atlanta, Georgia.

So, Duncan McFadzean clearly is a resourceful guy, so worth giving some of your blog reading time to you his blog What’s Your Point Caller?

TwentyTen: I am released!

OK.

This is a biggie.

During all of the time I’ve been blogging, using Facebook and Twitter etc I’ve been very careful with my online presence to say very little about my previous day to day working life in the electronic music, audio & video product industry…concentrating rather on my life as a follower of Jesus trying to live as authentically as I can.

This was not some secular/sacred issue. I made that online separation simply because I wanted to be defined not by what I “do” in my career, but rather by what I “am”. In fact over the years I have become ever more convicted that it is this attempt at walking the way of Jesus that defines me; weak, faltering and broken as I am.

Now that maxim will apply more than ever:

Here at the beginning of 2010 I become a free agent.

I am released!

My employment came to an end just before Christmas, due to a merger within the corporate group I have been a part of for many years.

Together with my family – and with a lot of prayer – we’ve just been trying to discern where we go from here.

We feel this is gift of God (perhaps more accurately a hefty kick) to make myself more available to Jesus stuff in whatever form that takes. Expecting that there will perhaps be more time than before, I’ve already stepped out and started to take the initiative to get involved in a few things that I have a passion for, and are close to my heart.

It’s time to recalibrate.

Early signs seem to be focussed towards authentic missional discipleship, connection and some kind of increased & enhanced online activity - influenced in part because I have been inspired by those over the last little while who by their living, writing, sharing, creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, grace and love have impacted me more than they will ever realize.

JD, Thomas and Stewart are among that number with the Something Beautiful Podcast and JD’s book, St Peter's Brewery - Chris with Geek-Speak - Sam Radford with his Awaken stuff, Duncan McFadzean with his Seven Men projects, Chris and Dana at Blue Door TV, the remarkable transitional journey of Chick and Margaret Yuill...the list could go on and on!

I've never been much of a bread head, so it will be my passion that will drive this thing. In many ways I want it to be a vehicle to help others, as much as help myself. I'm excited to see how it evolves.

Also, I guess I've been recently quite inspired by former pastor, Problogger and friend of Tall Skinny Kiwi, Darren Rowse, and although I don't expect to be earning 6 figures anytime soon(!!), I am interested to explore just a little of what might be achieved. Over the longer haul, though, I've really been taken by how many of my buddies have just gotten off their butts, and taken leaps of faith...

If we’ve connected in any way since I started blogging YOU are part of my story, for that I thank you.

There’s a phrase that I picked up from renowned missiologist Mike Frost that has real resonance for me and my family at the moment. We are

“Following the Missio Dei into Strange Places”

I am excited about what God has in store for us!

If you want to join me on the journey or think I can in some small way support you on yours, feel free to get in touch with me on Facebook or Twitter

We would ask for your prayers.

Much love...in his dust

2020

CNN currently have a fascinating feature called "JUST IMAGINE…what will life be like in 2020?” on their site.

It includes a feature on the inspiring Majora Carter of Sustainable South Bronx, who I first learned about though Duncan McFadzean’s What’s your point caller? blog at this post. Thanks for the heads up on this, Duncan!

There’s also piece on Community from Worldchanging’s Alex Steffen.

…a lot of good stuff to dig into in this feature, which means you may need to keep going back to revisit it.

If this kind of eco and urban renewal stuff floats your boat, you might also be interested in The High Line in NYC – an initiative to turn the historic High Line rail structure into a one-of-a-kind recreational amenity: an elevated public park cutting though a district in the city, above street level. I’m all for greening the city – makes sense to me.

The High Line blog
The High Line site
The High Line portraits

Pic straight from CNN

Karl at Q

Glad to share this little vid from this year’s Q conference, which Duncan McFadzean posted at What’s your point caller?



The speaker is Karl Martin of Edinburgh’s MBC.

…really good stuff….and inspirational if you are involved in Church transition.

For a little more background, check Duncan’s post here

Thanks, Duncan!