Author: Ben Meredith

Ben is a recovering pharisee, a web guy, a passable guitar player (as long as you're not near Nashville), and the type of guy you'd want on your team in a game of Mad Gab. Follow him on twitter.
Posted on

I Got an Award!

Don’t get too excited, mom.

My virtual friend Beth got an award from her virtual friend Elaine, and then she virtually gave one to me.  It’s called the “Versatile Blogger Award” and I think I am honored, or at least, as Beth put it, I don’t think it’s totally lame.

The rules involved with this award are that I have to declare 7 things that you don’t know about me, and then give up to 15 of the “awards” away.  Here’s the problem: I am an extroverted verbal processor.  If there is a lull in conversation, you can expect me to have it filled up in no time.  Anything that there is to know about me has already been said.  By me.  It took me a solid day to come up with all 25 things (remember those?).

So, with that in mind, I have changed the rules (and I’m not all together certain that’s a bad thing) and allowed for people to post 3 things.

Here we go:

  1. I’ve been to the “Ice Bar” in Stockholm, that is totally constructed out of ice, and even the bar and cups are made of ice.  I’ve been twice.
  2. Historically, I am extremely against having my hands dirty, and in the event that they get dirty, I hold them out to my side and don’t make a fist, because I hate the way it feels.  I don’t do it as much anymore, but I’ve noticed that my son does.
  3. If I could do any job in the world, and money were no object, I would do what I do with Campus Crusade for Christ.  I’d like to think that means I’ve already retired, at age 30.

And here’s some folks whose blog you need to read:

Bryan Allain

Jayson Whelpley

Beth Hopkins

What are you still reading for?  Those links are clickable.  Go on now.

Posted on

We’re On a Mission from God. And Our Obstetrician.

My wife is 32 weeks pregnant this week.  For the non-parent males in the audience, that’s 8 more weeks until full term.  Additionally, non-parent males, it’s not a cakewalk to carry around a child that is literally snuggling with your bladder, and punching it from time to time.

Yet today we hit the road on a support trip.  I’m carting her all the way up to Asheville for a few days, and then down I-26 on Sunday to South Carolina for a couple of days.  During that time we’ll be meeting with interested folks to share the amazing things God is doing around our region, and challenging folks to partner with us financially and prayerfully. On Tuesday we’ll be coming back through Winston-Salem.  How long we stay around here is up in the air.

Here’s where you come in.  I’d love it if you’d do one of three things:

  1. If you are into praying (I hear it burns calories and is good for circulation) I’d appreciate it if you’d pray for God to lead us to the right folks with whom to partner.
  2. If you are in Asheville or the Upstate, and you’d like to hear about all that God is doing in and through us, shoot us a message to holler@benandjacq.com and let’s schedule a time.  Better yet, see where you fit into our schedule (and propose a time to meet) by clicking here.
  3. If you are not in one of those places and want to see us get back to our assignment fully funded by August (our prayer goal), put your money where your heart is by clicking here. (follow a three step process that follows.  All the cool kids are doing it)

I’m carting around a very pregnant wife and a toddler, because I think this mission is worth it.  We’re so thrilled by what God is doing, and we really want you to know about it.  Prayerfully, this can be a trip that catapults us closer to being fully funded, so that we can be about reaching college students with the greatest story ever told. Now go on back up there and click a link or two.

Posted on

How listening to Christian radio could be hurting you spiritually.

I’m a parent of a two year old, so I reserve the right to change my tune on this fact in the coming years, but it bothers me when Christian radio calls itself “safe for the whole family,” because though it may be easier, I don’t think it’s any more safe to listen to Christian radio.

Derek Webb recently said in an interview (to paraphrase) that any time you hear the word “Christian” applied to anything other than a human being, it is nothing more than a marketing term.  Christian books, Christian music, Christian T-shirts, and Christian clubs are all misusing the word “Christian.”  What drives “Christian” marketing is the same thing that drives other marketing.  Dollars.

Webb went on in that same interview to highlight that fact by saying that on the “Christian” radio station, there are entire sections of the Bible that he would not be allowed to read on air.  Don’t believe him?  Check out Ezekiel 16:15-17, or the sweet little tale in Genesis 19:4-8.  The advertisers would have the head of anyone who read such terrible things on the air.  Why?  Because they aren’t “safe for the whole family.”  Nothing like a little gang-rape to spur some after-dinner discussion with your 10-year-old.

We do our kids a disservice when we gloss over the wickedness in the world, and especially the wickedness in our own heart.  And while I’m not mad at Christian radio stations for giving us a place where we won’t have to listen to a running stream of F-bombs, there’s an aspect to Christian radio that could actually be LESS safe for my kids: it promotes a subtle form of works-righteousness. Also, instead of actually having to parent, and shepherd our child’s heart, we are given the option of just ignoring that there are terrible things out there that are hard to explain.

Terrible stories of God-dishonoring things going on in the world provide excellent teaching moments about the terrible God-dishonoring stuff that goes on in my heart (and in my child’s heart).  And if I don’t see any God-dishonoring things in my heart, then I am afforded a chance to repent of my self-glorifying religious arrogance, and thinking I don’t need Jesus.  Instead of giving me a mirror to see my own sin (the way “secular” radio does), Christian broadcasting would have me believe that I am not so bad.  After all, I’m being a good parent by listening to radio that is “safe.”

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t watch what goes in the ears and eyes of our children.  But we most certainly should not assume that because a product was marketed with the word “Christian” in front of it that we are safe to turn off our discernment.

What do you think? Comment below.

Posted on

How to Score a Free iPad.

Once I got a free MacBook Pro.  Well, I had to spend 350 bones to get one, but I’d call that a win.  No, I can’t teach you how, because they changed the rules.  You’d probably have to spend $1000, and that wouldn’t be worth the headache (still getting calls once a year or so from folks claiming that I owe them money–but I kept the confirmation numbers confirming that I don’t. While I’m on this topic, don’t ever do business of any type with Active Periodicals.  It’s a total scam.)

But I love my computer (typing this into my pseudo-free MacBook Pro)

My new mission in life is to score a free iPad.  After noodling around on Jacq’s mom’s iPad this week, I can confirm that eventually I will own one.  If I have to save up for it, I will.

If you agree with me that an iPad could be of great use for the Director of Social Media (ahem… me) in the Midsouth Region, then let’s make my quest for a free iPad a reality.  An iPad is a reimbursable expense within Campus Crusade guidelines, but the catch is that we still have to raise that money with which we reimburse it.  So if you give a one-time gift of 300 bones or so, and a friend of yours does the same, I’ve got enough money to get my iPad and reimburse it.

This is not the place or time to defend why I think it is a great purchase and will be a huge help in my new role.  And if I’m being honest, there is about a 50/50 business to personal split in my motives for owning it.  But if you are one of the folks that agrees with me that I should have one, let’s make it happen. Click here (and write a personal note where you mention the iPad)

Posted on

Gadget Idolatry. My favorite of the idolatries.

I need to clarify that my last post was hastily written, poorly thought out, and not reflective of my heart at all.  While I do want an iPad, there are far more pressing financial concerns that have to be dealt with first.  In my zeal over having actually touched an iPad, I neglected to think about what it might look like to others for me to be simultaneously looking for funding to cover basic needs and funding to cover what, to many people, is a luxury item.  I can’t justify such a purchase right now, and I fear I may have caused people to rethink supporting us.  I definitely don’t want to do that.

About those more pressing financial concerns–pray that when I take the Minivan to the shop on Monday, I can afford to pick it up.  🙂

Proudly powered by WordPress