Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup # 49

Here's the week in review in the Methodist blogosphere:

Adam Roberts wrote about a Christian view of greed.

Big Giant wrote about the virture of gentleness.

At Bandits No More, Steve Heyduck wrote about serving as an example to others and Richard Heyduck wrote about maneuvering for appointments at Annual Conference and the possibility of Islam reforming itself.

Ben Witherington reviewed the movie The End of the Spear and blogged about teaching the Bible in public schools and the type of teacher that the apostle James was.

Beth Quick wrote about using prayer stations and reading Martin Luther King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail.

Betty Newman wrote about the obligation that Christians have toward lift us those around us.

Will Willimon blogged about how modern transportation and communication has changed church affiliation.

Brian Russell systematically explained what the Sabbath means and how Christians should respond to it and wrote about the missiological theme in Paul's first letter to Timothy.

Bruce Alderman wrote about a mystical place for him on the Kansas prairie, microlending for economic growth in Africa, and presented a humorous look at a new Bible translation.

Clark Edwards confessed his sins to the blogosphere.

Contending for the Faith offered a checklist for phony Christianity.

Dave Warnock wrote about recumbent trikes and the vision for his church in 2020.

Derek Tang has lost all interest in football for the current season,

Donald Sensing compared the War on Terror to the Allied-German struggle for control of the Atlantic early in WWII, a questionable NYT photo from Afghanistan, and teaching high school Black History in Tennessee.

Steve Heyduck wrote a scathing critique of Jimmy Carter's new book, compared racist and anti-Catholic sentiments in American history, and the implications of being White.

Gavin Richardson blogged about Christian sea cruises and his recent experience quietly evangelizing to skaters.

Gerry Charlotte Phelps compared human and elephant societies, who God sends into ministry, the inefficiency of public education, the demographics of Europe, and the state of public education in Wisconsin.

Greg Crofford wrote about state laws regarding gay marriage and computer records privacy issues.

Greg Hazelrig found Jesus in the victims and rescue workers from Katrina and wrote about the unconscious practice of prooftexting.

Gregory Lee reviewed The Book of Daniel and found it to be a mixed bag (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!) and the theft of Christian identity.

Mike Holly wrote that understanding the problem of sin requires reading the Bible as a grand narrative rather that individual pericopes.

Jay Voorhees blogged about sexual morality in the UMC pastorate.

John Battern reviewed the book The Barbarian Way.

John Wilks wrote about living as if Jesus will return today, the assurance of salvation, and the experience of a youth lock-in.

Jonathon Norman wrote about his and Gavin's recent trip to a seminar at Epworth and his upcoming class on the theology of atonement.

Josh Tinley reviewed Barbara Ehrenreich's new book and remembering Martin Luther King.

Ken Carter reported in from a mission trip to Haiti.

Larry Hollon wrote about the rise of China as a global power and combating malaria in Uganda.

Lawson Stone blogged about Jerusalem University College, using archaeology to tell the Biblical story, and specifically, the story of Jesus at the Sea of Galilee.

Maobi wrote about the ongoing controversy about possession of a body of a Muslim apostate, Islamic courts in Malaysia, life under dhimmitude, and what Malaysians can learn from Martin Luther King (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!).

Mark Winter blogged about prayer as a way to ward off depression.

Michael Daniel is leaving his current appointment. He is skeptical of the prayer-in-schools movement and wrote about school voucher programs in Arkansas.

Mike Lamson explored the Jewish roots of the Christian faith from an emergent perspective and being humble when a church member lets you down.

Jeff Lutz wrote about Ray Nagin's prophetic call of God's judgment on America.

Olive Morgan blogged about the Methodist Church (UK) weeding out pedophiles among job applicants and the Make Poverty History campaign.

Peter Raser wrote about timing and the Kingdom of God.

Joe Tiedemann blogged about cynical attitudes toward God.

Dan Gates wrote that conservative Methodists should "just say no" to heterodoxy.

Lorna Koskela is concerned about liberals hiding under her bed. She also wrote about the Biblical portrayal of God as a parent and residential life at her Estonian seminary.

Sky Lowe-McCracken wrote about the vengeance of Elvis.

Stephen Fife blogged about the morality of homosexuality.

Steven Webster wrote about the White House Easter Egg Roll controversy.

Movable Theoblogical wrote about blogging like an authentic Christian.

Thoughts from a Clay Pot blogged about keeping up a regular blogging schedule.

Tony Mitchell preached on misunderstandings about the Rapture.

Shane Raynor wrote about the shutdown of a UMC congregation in Georgia.

Andy Stoddard lectionary blogged for the Second Sunday after Epiphany.

Andy Bryan wrote that the Christian faith requires heavy demands of its adherents beyond simply abandoning sin.

Chris Morgan blogged about the habit of tuning God out and labeling what's important in life.

Additions? Corrections? Do you know of a blog that should be added to the MBWR? Leave a note in the comments or e-mail locustandhoney2005 at yahoo dot com!

UPDATE: Chris Morgan and Andy Bryan added to the list. More material added to Bandits No More.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Severely misunderstood post of Olive Morgan corrected.