Next week I will be participating in Blog Action Day 08.

Bloggers across the world will unite and do what is necessary to spread the word about poverty and create creative solutions to fight this unfortunate reality. If you blog I would encourage you to sign-up and share your story.

Last night Necole and I made our way downtown to see the viewing for Call & Response. After dropping off the kids at grandma’s and picking up some coffee at Medici we made our way over to the theater.

It was great to see Charles and his son. I also finally got to meet one of my favorite bloggers Texas In Africa.

As for the rockumentry. It was really good. I think they did a great job of creating beauty and pain through music & story. Was it heartbreaking? Yes! But I did not feel totally overwhelmed…But I did feel educated and I think that is vital to promote long-term activism is the sex-trafficking industry.

Justin Dillon is the man behind the film. I really sensed he had deep compassion for the issue. This was not about a movie but a cause. Along with many others including Gary Haugen if IJM,, David Batstone of the Not For Sale Campaign and actress Ashly Judd.

The music was awesome. Great performances by Matisyahy, Imogen Heap, Cold War Kids, Rocco Deluca, Natasha Bedingfield and Switchfoot. (Hope I did not forget anyone)

I love what Cornel West said:

Justice is what love looks like in public.

If you missed last nights show. You can still see it in Austin Oct 17-23. Call & Response opens nationally across America today.  Click here for your city’s showing. It’s vital for us to support this film and bring this tragedy out-in-the-open. Another way you can help is by adding a banner to your social media sites.

Something powerful happens when you add music, story and compassion. We can make a tangible difference. I hope and pray that the church will be on the front-lines fighting for justice and freedom for those enslaved. This is simply an issue that can’t be ignored.

photo posted from my iPhone

I just purchased my tickets for Call & Response Rockumentary this Thursday. The good news is the first show is already sold-out. I think it’s awesome that the issue of sex-trafficking is becoming mainstream.

It’s important for us to support this viewing so more theater’s will add it to their rotation and the news will spread. You can purchase your ticket by clicking here. Let’s support this amazing cause.

According to Vision Abolition there are:

As many as 27 million people … An estimated 12.3 million people are in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor and sexual servitude at any time; other estimates range from 4 million to 27 million. ~ US Department of State Statistics (Trafficking in Persons Report, June 2006)

10 million children and women worldwide … are enslaved within the system of commercial sexual exploitation, translating into some 30 million children over 30 years ‘who have lost their childhood’ through rape and exploitation. ~ United Nations

More than one million children … Each year, more than one million children are exploited in the global commercial sex trade. ~ US Department of State Statistics (Trafficking in Persons Report, June 2006)

We’re continuing our efforts for Hurricane IKE relief. Below are some picks that Studio 914 created for HELP and Vista this Sunday at church. 

I really think one of HELP’s future ambitions is to partner with various organization who are trying to rescue young girls from the sex-slave industry. I can’t imagine what makes the heart of God more angry then adults forcing children to be slaves and use their body to make money.

IT IS NOT RIGHT AND EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE MAD AS HELL THAT THIS HAPPENS. But for the most part we simply ignore the issue. I know I do…Because I hate that it exist.

That being said their is a new flick coming to Austin (and the nation) called Call & Response. Oct 9th their will be a showing here in Austin. I would some Vista peeps to get together and see the show. Then discuss how our church can respond.

I emailed my friend Steven to get his opinion on the current economy and how it will effect non-profits. His reply:

I’m sure there is some good research on this, but I haven’t seen it. My feeling is that the church/world needs a prophetic voice that encourages more and more giving to the poor, even in times of economic “difficulty” for the rich. “Difficulty” because we tend to measure our situation quite locally, and the prophet encourages a more global view.

Just my $.02 -

Whoa…very convicting thoughts. Its so easy to live by the standards of this world and allow fear to cripple a God-given-dream.

Really convicting and thought-provoking post by Todd Hiestand: » A Holy (Suburban) discontent » Missional Living in Suburban America.

Here is what I love about this post. Todd does not just present a problem. Instead he tries to focus on some solutions. We truly have become enslaved to culture. It’s like an addiction and the majority refuse to admit how this addiction is killing us. Because of this addiction we:

• Struggle to seek God on a consistent basis.
• Fail to live a missional lives via our actions. 
• Our marriages are in disarray. We sometimes feel like we don’t even know our spouse. 
• Our sex lives are unfulfilling therefore it leads us to frustration, online addictions etc. 
• Instead of loving our kids, we become managers. Do what we can do to get them/us through day-to-day life. 
• We rarely slow-down long enough to embrace the present and relax. 
• We constantly feel like we’re not doing the right thing. We feel like we let down God and each-other.
• We fail to exercise and eat right. 
• Our spending becomes compulsive (which is sinful) and we create debt. 

I’m sure I could go on and on. It’s not needed. What is needed is conviction to change.  Conviction to live different, slow-down, love more, give more, serve more and see life through a gospel-centric lens. 

BTW-I think this issue supersedes just suburbia. Urban folks tend to be just as busy and complicated. As Christ-followers me must show the world a new way to live life so they can see how relevant and life-transforming the gospel is.

Here are some of the books I’m currently reading or will read in the next few weeks. Reading is a passion of mine that has been lost these past few months. Not sure why. I don’t agree with everything these authors pen, but I do try and see the gospel through everything. 

Awakening The Entrepreneur Within, Michael E. Gerber: The author wrote the legendary book E-Myth. Title speaks for itself. Seems to be a pretty in-depth work and not self-help induced. 

Mavericks At Work, Why The Most Original Minds In Business Win: Another business book about innovation and leadership. Lot’s of raving fans. Hope it’s good. 

Made To Stick: Another book with lots of fans. We all have great idea’s. But very few stick. Creativity is vital in our information-driven world. How do I cause my dream to stick in other people’s minds/hearts so they will become partners in the dream. 

Tangible Kingdom, Hugh Halter: I love this book. Simple and effective. Creative writing and great storytelling. 

Vintage Jesus, Mark Driscoll: I like Driscoll a lot more as a writer. He’s raw, real and funny. I love his passion for theology, church and culture. Although he can still frustrate me; and that is why I read him. 

Jesus Wants To Save Christians, Rob Bell: Irony I know. I have no party line to toe, I’m not reformed or emergent. (I guess I’m a mix of Reformed-Pentecostal-Emerging). That being said, I think Rob Bell is brilliant and he’s made a difference in my life. One think I hate about Driscoll and Bell is all the cronies that follow these cats. Looking forward to reading this book and allowing it to challenge my thinking. 

What books are you reading.

I’m hanging at Flipnotics trying to hammer out some work in-between meetings. This afternoon my 6 year-old daughter (Kenzie) goes to see a specialist. They think she is having some-sort of kidney problems. Please say a prayer for her (really pray for me-she’s happy she did not have to go to school but I’m in full breakdown mode). I hate going through these life issues. But I also know I have to learn to continue to trust God.