Article: Being Authentic

It seems that Christians are not the only people struggling with issues of authenticity (i.e., Authentic Christianity).  The word authentic is gaining popularity with broadcasters and politicians.   Enjoy this fun and observant article from the New York Times.

"Authenticity seems to be the value of the moment, rolling off the tongues of politicians, celebrities, Web gurus, college admissions advisers, reality television stars. In recent months it’s been cited by the likes of Katie Couric (“I think I love to be my authentic self,” she said on CBS); Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (“I believe in being as authentic as possible,” she told Glamour magazine); former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania (who on Fox described himself as “being authentic”), even Pope Benedict XVI (more on that in a moment)."   (Continue here.)         

Week #2 - Between Showers - 1914 - Charlie Chaplin

One of Chaplin's early hits.

Week #2 - Life of an American Fireman - 1903

Another Edwin Porter classic.

Week #2 - The Great Train Robbery - 1903 - Edwin Porter

Video: The History of Copyright Law

This funny and visual video will walk you through the origins of copyright law.  Worth the watch.

Video: Chipotle + Green Farming + Cold Play & Willie Nelson = Amazing Video

I truly enjoyed this creative video from Chipotle.  Sure, it's a two minute commercial for the restaurant chain, but it's extremely creative, moving, and worth watching.  This is a wonderful example of visual storytelling.  There is zero dialogue yet you connect emotionally with the protagonist.  The experience is enhanced by the Willie Nelson cover of Coldplay's "The Scientist".  Watch and enjoy!  

(Feel free to let me know what you think.)

Video: Three Pros regarding the covenant of marriage.

Piper, Carson, and Keller on Sustaining the Covenant of Marital Love from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

Video: News story for Camp Erin

I produced this video for the 2008 Camp Erin held near Big Bear, CA.  It was picked up by the local news agency Instant Riverside.  I shot it on a Panasonic DVX-100b.  I also wrote and edited it.

Blog: Most Unreached People Groups are Illiterate

Desiring God recently wrote:

Over 70 percent of the world’s population consists of people who are oral learners — people who cannot or do not read. Most of the world’s unreached and unengaged people groups are preliterate. They are primarily oral learners who cannot read or write the language that they speak — often because their language has not yet been reduced to writing. Their lives are lived out in an oral fashion. They learn about events in their world, form their opinions, share knowledge, and entertain one another using only the spoken word.

Conclusion:

Our faithfulness to the Great Commission calls us to learn new ways of communicating the Word that are intelligle to those who sit in darkness. We must love the world's least reached peoples enough to share the gospel with them in ways they can understand. It's then when pagans will be won, believers will be discipled, pastors will be equipped, and the church will expand for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Article: Take back the liberal arts

Too often, liberal arts courses aren't attuned to undergraduates looking for a broader understanding of the world but toward professor's narrow interests.

Los Angeles Times Link

Blog: The Double-Reach of Self-Righteousness

The Double-Reach of Self-Righteousness

Challenging words from Tullian Tchividjian.

Video: Harvest Crusade 2011 Promo

I worked as a field producer conducting the interviews you'll see in the first two minutes of this video.  We shot back in March in Venice Beach and Santa Monica.  Our shooters were my brother, Noah, and Chris Banning.  They were shooting with the Canon 5D.

Video: Beautiful Time Lapse Videography of L.A.

My friend Justin Bleeker shared this beautiful time lapse videography on his Facebook page.  I thought you'd enjoy watching it as well.  It was shot on a Canon 5D and 7D.


LA Light from Colin Rich on Vimeo.

Article: Christianity without Christ?

A recent article by the BBC entitled "Dutch rethink Christianity for a doubting world" focused on a pastor in The Netherlands who "can offer his congregation little hope of life after death".  His church is a member of a "mainstream Protestant church" where they sing hymns and read the bible, but he does not believe that "God exists at all as a supernatural thing."  In fact, he believes that Jesus "may never have existed". 

So how can a Christian church teach that there wasn't really a Christ or God?  Perhaps the following quote might help us understand this strange reality.  Another church in Holland is trying to reach young people.  One of it's coordinators says

"The Church has to be alert to what is going on in society," he says. "It has to change to stay Christian. You can't preach heaven in the same way today as you did 2,000 years ago, and we have to think again what it is. We can use the same words and say something totally different."

This is Post-Modern thinking at its best, yet, it is not new thinking.  Paul warned Timothy to stay away from people who "[have] a form of godliness, but [deny] the power thereof: from such turn away."  (2 Timothy 3:5)

You can not have Christianity without a living Christ.  Paul told the Corinthians that "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain."  (2 Corinthians 15:14)

This biblical truth is contradicted by Dutch pastor Klaas Hendrikse who says, "You don't have to believe that Jesus was physically resurrected".

Christ is the Cornerstone of the Christian faith.  There is no "alternative" way of looking at it.  Believe that Christ lived a perfect life, died on the cross absorbing God's wrath, and rose again conquering death and sin.  Or don't believe it.  If Jesus wasn't the Christ, there is absolutely no point to follow a faith that is based on a fictional or finite character.  As Paul said, it is extremely vain.  There is absolutely no purpose.

Let's pray for the churches in The Netherlands and around the world who deny the living Christ.  May they "see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."  (2 Corinthians 4:4)

BLOG: Naugles Lives On

Naugles Lives On: This fellow blogger shares my passion for good food - especially Mexican food! This particular article is about a restaurant that still uses the original recipes from the old Naugles restaurant.

Article: Is Church Membership Biblical?

Here's a great article explaining the biblical nature of church membership by Pastor Matt Chandler.  Like him, I grew up in a church context that did not emphasize membership.  I had many of the same questions that he had regarding church membership.  If you aren't committed to a church, this article will gently explain the biblical call to "submit" to a local church.  We don't like commitment in our modern world, but let me say it is a true blessing to belong to a local church.

Link to Pastor Matt Chandler's article.

Words "carry the freight of truth and beauty"

"I love words. I rarely think of them as efficient, but as precious. God made them to carry the freight of truth and beauty. Nothing is more valuable than God’s truth and beauty."  John Piper

 Often in the field of communication you hear that words are "symbolic".  Though this is a true statement, many post-modern thinkers deconstruct this reality to the point of nonsense.  They would argue that words can mean whatever you want them to mean.  Since there is no true reality, you can bend them and shape them any way you want.

Yet, language was created by God to "carry the freight of truth and beauty."  I love how Piper expresses this reality.  You can almost picture the "train" of words traveling out of our mouths loaded with meaning and message.  Regardless of what language you speak, words are connected with the ideas and concepts that represent the way we view the world.

Naturally, we don't know how to speak of "beauty and truth" in a God honoring manner.  The Proverbs say, "The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things."  As harsh as this sounds, we are all born into sin and fall in the category of "the wicked."  Unfortunately, we don't see ourselves as wicked people.  Thanks to Hollywood, "the wicked" often look like horned creatures with blood dripping from their mouths.  Yet, the Bible clearly teaches "we have all fallen short of the glory of God" and that "none are righteous."  Romans chapter three explains why this is considered "wicked" and "evil" - because "no one seeks God" on their own.  Sure, we are religious and spiritual creatures, but only to the end of pleasing ourselves and not God.

Romans three addresses how this "wickedness" affects our words.

"Their throat is an open grave;

they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

 This does not mean that someone who does not know Christ does not see and recognize beauty and truth.  It does mean, however, that they fail to see that it comes from God.  As it says in verse 11, "No one understands; no one seeks for God." 

The Christian does not arrogantly state that only we can see "beauty and truth", however, by God's grace, we are able to give God the glory for such things.  We seek to load our words with meaning and understanding that honors God.  Do we always succeed in doing so?  Unfortunately, we don't.  But when our words "fall short of the glory of God" and are derailed, we should quickly look to the "author and finisher" of our faith for forgiveness and direction.  He is the source of all good things - even words.

Article: How the drugs of the 60s changed art

I haven't read all of this yet, but it looks interesting. 

Article Link

Slamdance Trailer Contest

The Slamdance Film Festival (yes, I used to work for the festival) has launched a new contest to help develop their new trailer for next year's event.  You must submit your "pitch" by August 31, 2011.  The winning idea will be turned into a one minute trailer that will play before each movie at the festival in January.  You will also receive a year’s supply of Good Health Natural Foods products.

For more information, click here.

Article: Find Your Creative Groove

Find Your Creative Groove - Todd Henry - Harvard Business Review

This is a great article focused on how to generate creative ideas and a challenge for myself - set aside time to develop ideas.

I'm Back!

Well over two and a half years ago I stopped blogging.  I'm not sure why I stopped.  Part of it was due to the fact that my family and I went through a rough year.  Several close family members died.  I changed jobs.  We bought a house.  Then we had a new baby.  We were busy with life.

Through it all, the Lord was faithful to watch over us.  We never lost our hope in Christ and we could honestly say we "rejoiced with hope" that he was being glorified.

Nevertheless, I stopped writing.

I also think there was another reason.  I began to use Facebook back in the summer of 2008.  I have to admit I like Facebook.  I know there is a lot of discussion as to the benefits of social networking.  I believe it is a tool and like any tool it can be used for good or bad.  I think for the most part, I've used it well.

That said, I limited myself to the world of what I will call "status update blogging".  You often have instant feed back and you don't have to spend a lot of time writing.  But I am a writer and I am itching to write more than my status update will allow me to do.

I also want to be able to find articles and video links that I post.  On Facebook, these links are quickly lost due to the constant strata being developed by each update.  I believe my blog will allow me to archive these things so I can find them for future use.  I also want them to be a resource for my readers (especially my students).

So, I'm back!