Ray Fowler .org

Christianbook (CBD) Adds Ebooks

Ray Fowler — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:03:17 +0000

Christianbook.com launched their new ebook store today along with the CBD Reader, their free online library and reading platform. You can now download ebooks directly from Christianbook and read them on your iPhone, Droid, iPad, Nook, Sony Reader, PC or Mac. Your bookmarks sync across all devices, and you can download free samples of any ebook before purchasing. Check out their featured ebooks here. They are also offering eight ebooks completely free here.

(Note: This blog is a Christianbook affiliate. You can help support this site by making purchases through the above links or the Christianbook link in the left sidebar.)

The Bible Memory Version Poll

Ray Fowler — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:05:29 +0000

Please help by participating in the poll below. (If your preferred translation is not in the list, please leave a note in the comments and I will add it to the poll.)

This summer I released the first book in The Bible Memory Version series, using the King James Version of the Bible. I hope to release The Bible Memory Version in all the major translations so that anyone can use this tool to memorize Scripture in their preferred translation. I have started contacting publishers to obtain permissions for other translations, so I thought it would be helpful to run a poll and find out which translation(s) people would most like next.

Which translation of The Bible Memory Version would you like to see released next?

Note: If you are reading this by email or RSS, click here to participate in the poll.

The Bible Memory Version is available for purchase here at my website (in ePub or Kindle format) and also through Amazon. If you don’t have an e-reader, you can download a free e-reader here.

Hurricane Earl as Seen from the Space Station

Ray Fowler — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:05:36 +0000

This is a pretty impressive picture:

“Hurricane Earl with its 125 mph winds spins toward the Outer Banks of North Carolina and onward to New England.” Photo Credit: NASA/Douglas Wheelock

Please keep the people in the Carolinas and along the East Coast of the U.S. in your prayers this weekend.

Recommended Books on the Space Station:

Click here for more International Space Station photos.
Click here for more Space related posts.

Spiritual Siskel and Eberts

Ray Fowler — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:05:30 +0000

Are you a spiritual Siskel or Ebert? If so, pastor C. J. Mahaney tells you what you need to do.

Too many churches are populated by spiritual Siskel and Eberts who think their function in the church is to observe, is to criticize, is to evaluate. They are self-righteous. They are self-appointed … They need to repent.

Play audio:
[See post to listen to audio]

C.J. Mahaney, February 2, 1999
1999 Desiring God Conference for Pastors

How to Sell Lots of Books

Ray Fowler — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:15:08 +0000

Here’s how Mark Twain did it with the dedication to his first book, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Cavalerous County, published in 1867.

“To John Smith: Whom I have known in divers and sundry places about the world, and whose many and manifold virtues did always command my esteem, I dedicate this book. It is said that the man to whom a volume is dedicated, always buys a copy. If this prove true in the present instance, a princely affluence is about to burst upon THE AUTHOR.”

Not a bad idea. If you’re writing a book, you may want to give it a try!

Note: If you have a book you would like to publish on the Ipad, Kindle or Nook, I can help: Ebook Formatting for the Ipad, Kindle and Nook

Roger Federer with Another Amazing Between the Legs Shot

Ray Fowler — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:10:42 +0000

He did it in last year’s US Open during the semifinals against Novak Djokovic. Here he goes again in the first round of the 2010 US Open, this time against Brian Dabul of Argentina. (When Djokovic was asked if he had seen the shot, he answered, “I’ve seen it live last year, passing next to me. That’s enough traumatic experiences for me.”)

Federer Between the Legs Shot – US Open 2010 (Video length: 2:33)

Watch to the end to see comparison shots between this year and last year. This year’s shot was further behind the baseline, making it an even tougher shot to hit.

The Hunt for Gollum Movie

Ray Fowler — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:11:56 +0000

I posted about this when it first came out in 2009, but a lot of people had trouble accessing the live-stream video feed and eventually gave up. However, I just discovered it is now available on YouTube. So, if you missed it last time around, and have some time this weekend, grab some popcorn and check out the forty-minute-long fan-made production of The Hunt for Gollum. (Note: Click on the four-way arrow in the lower right hand corner of the media player to watch in full screen mode.)

The Hunt for Gollum (Video length: 39:07)

Award winning unofficial prequel to The Lord of the Rings dramatizing Aragorn & Gandalf’s long search for Gollum. This 40-minute film, made by fans for fans is based on the appendices of LOTR and was painstakingly shot on a low budget as an homage to Peter Jackson’s trilogy and the writing of J.R.R. Tolkien. Costing less than $5,000 to make, with a team of volunteers, Independent Online Cinema is proud to have brought Middle-Earth to the screen once more. We hope you enjoy The Hunt For Gollum as much as we enjoyed making it.

Click here for more Tolkien related posts.

Photo of Earth and Moon Taken from 114 Million Miles

Ray Fowler — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:10:00 +0000

Ever wonder what the earth and moon look like from 114 million miles away? You can see it here in this amazing photo taken by NASA’s Messenger deep space probe. (For purposes of comparison, the sun is 93 million miles away from Earth.)

The Earth with Moon orbiting around it from a distance of 114 million miles.

Time Lapse Video of Perseid Meteor Shower Over Joshua Tree National Park

Ray Fowler — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:05:29 +0000

If you missed the Perseid meteor shower a couple weeks back, not to worry. Check out this beautiful time-lapse video of the night skies over Joshua Tree National Park. And for a real treat, be sure to hit the “HD” button on the media player below and then put the video in full screen mode by clicking the four-way arrow icon to the right of the HD button. (Depending on the speed of your internet connection, you may need to pause the video in HD mode for a brief time to let it load.)

Perseid Meteor Shower; August 12-15, 2010 (Video length: 1:05)

This time-lapse was shot over a period of three days by Henry Jun Wah Lee using a 5D Mk II camera at 6400 ISO, with 20 second exposures.

Click here for more Space related posts.

Coral Ridge Merger 2.0

Ray Fowler — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:10:19 +0000

On Sunday we just happened to be visiting Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale for their first newly combined worship service. Like many churches Coral Ridge has offered two services on Sunday mornings with two different worship styles — one traditional and one contemporary. But starting this past Sunday they have combined the two services into one, a venture that Pastor Tullian Tchividjian jokingly referred to as Coral Ridge Merger 2.0 (with reference to last year’s merger between Coral Ridge Presbyterian and New City Presbyterian churches).

Whereas many churches that offer a blended style of worship offer some hymns with the organ and some praise music with the praise band, Coral Ridge went a different route. As the congregation gathered, the orchestra played a worshipful rendition of the hymn, “This Is My Father’s World.” This was followed by a video presentation of the church’s new vision for worship appropriately titled, “One.” Next the majestic organ swelled as we all stood for the opening hymn. But then, surprise, the organ traded off for the drum kit, the orchestra and praise band joined in, and we sang “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” to a truly blended accompaniment of all the instruments together.

The service continued with traditional and contemporary elements blended together. We sang hymns and praise choruses with various instrumentation. During the offering the choir and orchestra presented a stirring rendition of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Pastor Tullian preached a convicting message on the importance of unity in the church from Ephesians 4:1-6. All things were done to God’s glory with excellence in keeping with Coral Ridge’s philosophy of ministry.

Kudos to the worship planners who pulled all the various elements together and also to the sound engineer who achieved a remarkable audio balance throughout the service. When I am in a church service, I like to be able to hear myself singing as well as the congregation around me. I found that even with all the instruments playing together I was able to distinguish the worship leader’s voice, the choir singing in the background, the orchestra, praise band and organ, as well as hear my own voice, the voices of those around me, and also have a sense of the whole congregation singing. That is no small feat, so thank you to whoever paid such careful attention to the sound.

For Tullian and Coral Ridge, this merging of their two services into one is not a matter of preference or convenience but comes from a theologically-shaped conviction rising out of the gospel. As Tullian shared in a blog post yesterday,

Building the church on stylistic preferences or age appeal (whether old or young) is just as contrary to the reconciling effect of the gospel as building it on class, race, or gender distinctions. In a recent interview J. I. Packer said, “If worship services are so fixed that what’s being offered fits the expectations, the hopes, even the prejudices, of any one of these groups as opposed to the others, I don’t believe the worship style glorifies God.” One of the leading ways the church can testify to God’s unifying power before our segregated world is to establish and maintain congregations and worship services that transcend cultural barriers, including age and musical styles. (Blog post: We Are One)

I am still wrestling with whether a single worship style service is a gospel imperative or simply a gospel conviction for Coral Ridge at this time, but I appreciate the conversation Tullian is opening on this issue, and I trust it will make us all think more deeply about church and worship together. Oh, and did I mention, I had a wonderful time worshiping the Lord with my brothers and sisters in Christ at Coral Ridge Sunday. All glory to God!