Monthly Archives: February 2017

Are you the medium and the message?

Are you the medium and the message?

Marshall McLuhan was one of the most influential communication theorists of the 20th Century. Regarding media, he coined the phrase “the medium is the message.” But what exactly did he mean by that? Medium A medium is a vehicle through which something is communicated or conveyed. Television is one way to communicate a message and twitter is another. McLuhan’s theory purported that the means or medium of communication was intimately related to how its message would be perceived and that the way a message was communicated was as important as the message itself. For example, there would be a difference in perception of the same...Read more …
Talking through (not around) touchy subjects

Talking through (not around) touchy subjects

John and a group of men from his church decided last fall, that they needed to meet more regularly. Aside from a few interactions before and after their corporate worship gatherings, and a small group meeting here and there, the men came to the realization that they really didn’t know each other! And with a church culture excited about getting more involved on the mission of God in the New Year by sharing their faith with others, this group of men agreed: how would they be able to walk alongside and have spiritual conversations with those who believe differently if they didn’t...Read more …
On the Radio – Walk the Way

On the Radio – Walk the Way

This is Walk the Way. Brought to you by Q Place. I’m Jeff Klein. My daughter just returned from an amazing trip, tracing the footsteps of Paul and his companions on their missionary journeys. It was fun to hear Lenna share her discoveries about how these first disciples adapted their approach to the various cultures they encountered. For instance, in Ephesus, Paul begins his teaching in the synagogue, but when he finds obstinate people who refuse to believe, he heads to the local public lecture hall in town instead – and ends up holding daily discussions there for two years....Read more …
What’s the big deal about eating together?

What’s the big deal about eating together?

The President’s Choice concept was developed by a talented group of food-inspired people who knew back in the mid-80s that Canadians deserved better quality food choices for their hard-earned dollars. The premise was simple: develop unique or superior products that offer a better value. Since then, PC has become known as one of Canada’s best-known trademarks–some of us may have noticed the brand this side of the border, too, on our local supermarket shelves. A TV Ad? Evangelism? Are you wondering why you should care? Or, wondering how a food concept company has anything remotely to do with evangelism? Well, under normal circumstances it...Read more …
What makes your heart ache?

What makes your heart ache?

  • Posted on February 17, 2017
  • /Under Welcoming
We have had 22 healthy sheep born this winter, but the other day, all I could think about was this little one right here. We dripped syringes full of milk in her mouth, tried to get her warm, consulted the vet, and doctored her sick mama. (I will spare you the details of that.) Death has become something familiar since we started farming, but it still makes my stomach hurt. She died about 10 minutes after I took this picture. “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in...Read more …
On the Radio – Walk the Way

On the Radio – Walk the Way

  • Posted on February 15, 2017
  • /Under Loving
This is Walk the Way. Brought to you by Q Place. I’m Jeff Klein. My brother Scott loves sports and competition. His competitive nature and his over the top athletic ability earns him a lot of respect with guys who are athletes. And although he’s not a professional—I’ll do a little big-brother-bragging here—Scott has been inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame and is invited to play on all kinds of teams and in many different venues. These opportunities have put him in relationships with many others who don’t know Jesus. Yet, despite his competitive nature, Scott’s heart wants...Read more …
Why Christians need non-believers

Why Christians need non-believers

  • Posted on February 13, 2017
  • /Under Welcoming
George and Joann are my neighbors. My literal neighbors. We share a fence and they live right next door. And they are some of the best neighbors a family could ever ask for. They’re the kind of people who lend you their pick-up truck whenever you need to haul firewood or mulch (or even a great piece of furniture off the curb!), continually invite you to use their cabin in Wisconsin “whenever you can find the time” and have an “open garage” policy when it comes to borrowing tools. They’re also not believers. And welcoming them into my life—as they have welcomed...Read more …
Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me now?

  • Posted on February 10, 2017
  • /Under On Q
In my work as a hospice chaplain, I recently had an opportunity to be part of a little act of love. I arrived at a home to visit a 97-year old patient just as her caregiver—her granddaughter-in-law, Sally—was struggling to re-arrange the furniture in the living room to make room for our hospital bed. When I arrived, Sally was on the verge of tears, frustrated because she had been unable to get a straight answer from the VA about what to do with their hospital bed in anticipation of the swap. So, I helped her with that and soon enough we...Read more …
On the Radio – Walk the Way

On the Radio – Walk the Way

  • Posted on February 8, 2017
  • /Under Welcoming
This is Walk the Way, brought to you by Q Place, I’m Jeff Klein. And I’m Pam Klein. A friend of ours–you know how Facebook goes!–posted a video about Joey Alexander, the teen jazz prodigy. Wow. Joey’s growth into a world class musician was not traditional. His father, an amateur musician himself, didn’t demand that his son take a specific path–no lessons or study with a master. Instead, he nurtured Joey’s natural interests by exposing him to great artists and letting Joey determine his own direction, listening to the likes of Thelonius Monk, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane....Read more …
Shining your light

Shining your light

  • Posted on February 6, 2017
  • /Under Loving
“In the same way your light must shine before people so that they will see the good things you do, and praise your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16 Little acts of love or service are what can open the door, as Jesus said, to helping others “praise your Father in heaven.” What I love best about this way of sharing the Good News of the gospel is that it bears this truth: Most people do not care what you say unless they first know that you care. If we really want to participate in the Kingdom of Heaven, we should...Read more …
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