Faith, Media, and the Power of Change
Engaging the Culture: Conversation #1 for 2009
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As 2009 begins, there are five areas that have been
significant stumbling blocks to the Christian community’s ability to
impact the culture. In today’s media-driven world, perception
matters, and regardless of your theological persuasion, it’s time to
realize that some of our efforts – even well intentioned efforts – can
have damaging consequences. From that perspective, this week I want
to discuss a five statements that I’d like you to think about and then
give me your response. For the next 5 days, I’ll toss out some
controversial topics and see if you agree if these are issues we need to
confront. Here's number one: ... read more
Two Important Reminders for 2009
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Have you linked to “The Change Revolution” blog? If
you have a blog or website, add us as a link. We need to expand the
global conversation about faith, media, and culture, and by adding our link
to your site, it will help spread the word. You can also use our
handy RSS
feed as well. And don’t forget to start the New Year off right
by adding “Branding
Faith” to your reading list. The message of the book is really
picking up momentum as more and more people of faith want to get their
message heard in this media-driven culture. And make a positive
difference for your pastor, youth leader, or other ministry and non-profit
leaders you know, by purchasing them an extra copy as a gift. There
are few ways you could make a more positive impact on your local church or
non-profit. ... read more
Book of the Year!
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Many thanks to "Choose the Cross" website in Australia for naming "Branding Faith" their
book of the year! ... read more
Job Hunting Tips for 2009
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For anyone looking for a new job in this challenging economy,
let me toss out a few ideas you might not have thought much about: ... read more
Are Your TV Viewers Ready for the Switch?
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Conventional wisdom says the majority of religious TV viewers
are 55 and older, so chances are – many of them are watching over the air
broadcasting rather than through cable or satellite. That’s
why it’s essential that your audience, donors, and supporters understand
their options regarding the digital transition. Over the last year, the ...
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Tried The Change Revolution Mac Widgets Yet?
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Steve
MoonReader Steve Moon at Lunamac,Inc, designed
two Mac widgets to keep you updated on all the posts on philcooke.com. The
first is a "News Feed" widget to keep you updated on stories I'm posting
throughout the day. The second is a "Video Podcast" widget to update you on
the latest Change Revolution podcast. Check them out (it's one more reason
to make the switch from PC). You'll find it at the bottom of the right hand
column. Just scroll to the bottom of this page - and many thanks to Mac
maven Steve Moon. ... read more
Become a Calmer Person in 2009
add new commentHere's a great reminder for 2009. ... read more
A Bad Economy Makes the Web More Frustrating
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We’ll be finding that as the economy worsens, more
boundaries will be falling away from online advertising. We’ll be
seeing banners get larger, more pre-roll ads before video clips, and more
spyware. That’s the downsize of a bad market. The pressure
builds, and the intrusiveness of the web expands. Ad
restrictions will be tossed aside in order to have more impact. In
the process, I predict that ... read more
Sunday Isn't So Segregated Anymore
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According to a new study by Duke University, religious congregations in the United
States are growing significantly more diverse. So the critics that
used to harp that “Church is the most segregated hour in America”
need to find something else to complain about. The study also
suggests that the larger the church, the more diverse it will usually
be. Immigration has had something to do with it, but ... read more
Ted Haggard Promoting New Documentary on His Fall
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The Associated Press reports that former pastor Ted Haggard
is out promoting a new HBO documentary about his rise and fall. He'll
appear at a press tour in January to pump the new doc "The Trials of Ted
Haggard." The film is directed by Alexandra
Pelosi (daughter of Nancy Pelosi and producer of an earlier and
controversial documentary on Christians called "Friends of God.") The new film is set to air on
... read more
Rick Warren at Christmas: We Don’t Have to Agree
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Yesterday, the LA Times reported on Pastor Rick Warren’s Christmas
message at Saddleback Church. I’m sure they covered it in light of
the recent controversy over his selection for the official prayer
at the Obama Inauguration. I think his most powerful statement
was: “Who ever came up with the idea that you have to
agree with everybody on everything in order to love
them?" That’s a message that’s worth getting out in
a huge way. I would encourage you to blog about it, Twitter it, and
share it with as many as possible. It’s especially important as I
read about ... read more
Disney Out of Naria Movies
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Citing "budget considerations and other logistics," the Walt
Disney Studios has pulled out of the 3rd "Chronicles of Narnia" film, breaking the longstanding
partnership with Walden Media to finance and distribute what once was
one of the most promising properties in their history. In my opinion, this
comes at the perfect storm of ... read more
Robert Schuller Exits Crystal Cathedral Update
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A number of readers have asked for an update, and
here's a story from last week's Orange County Register on the split at the Crystal
Cathedral. ... read more
Penn Jilette: The Gift of a Bible
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WATCH THIS CLIP. After a recent Penn & Teller
show, a man gave Penn Jilette the gift of a Bible. And if you know
Penn, you know he's an ardent atheist. But Penn's honest reaction is
worth hearing. Thanks to reader Allen Hendrix for sending this
in. I'd love to hear your comments. ... read more
Phil is on Twitter
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Check to see my random thoughts on any number of
things at my new Twitter address. ... read more
Religious Broadcaster of the Year?
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While too many American religious programs rely on the A-list
of fundraisers for telethon week, have family spats about the "direction"
of the ministry, sell "Jesus Junk," or preach shallow theology or
prosperity, Coptic Priest Father Zakaria Botros is creating television that takes Islam to the mat head-on. For his own safety, he
shoots in a secret location in the Middle East, and has up to 60 million
viewers in the Muslim world. He is also using ... read more
NBC Report on The Inspirational Network
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While I encourage people to investigate all sides of issues
and accusations, this is a report from local NBC station WCNC on The Inspirational Network based in Charlotte. ... read more
Mobile Phones Are Changing Our Behavior
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As I’ve written before, mobile programming is becoming a
more and more significant part of our lives. According to research
compiled even years ago, the cell phone is changing the way we live. In
fact, some are questioning how we ever got along without them. This is the
age of "anywhere, anytime communication." The cell phone first hit the ...
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Our Project for Benjamin Button
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Here's a little online project we did for Grace Hill Media in
association with the producers of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." While it's a
small project, the message is worth considering - especially at Christmas.
... read more
Passing the "Who Cares" Test
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Do Christians spend too much time making a big deal out of
things that don’t matter to the greater culture? If it’s solving
issues like human trafficking, global poverty, or abortion, that’s one
thing. But I wonder about the effectiveness of raising vast amounts of
money for legal issues like the right to pray before a high school football
game. Sure it’s nice, but are we wasting our ammo on something few
people really care about? I thought of that with the recent FCC broadcast obscenity case. There’s no
question that ... read more








