Reading Neue

The 3rd edition of Neue is out, and as usual, it's great. With thought-provoking articles covering everything from sabbathing and social engagement to the miseducation of missions and how to avoid false Bible worship, the book/zine aims to give you the core content of 15 books in one publication. That sounds like a lot of good stuff and a lot of saved time. If you don't have Neue, you can find some stuff on their site at: www.neueministry.com

The Moleskine Bible

For fellow journal/diary-lovers the tried-and-true Moleskine won't be anything new, but recently Crossway released a Bible modelled on the Moleskine called the ESV Journalling Bible. With a third of each page devoted to free space for note-taking, these guys have finally found a way to make room for personal scrawlings without having to resort to scribbling all over the Bible text, or worse still, getting out the old flourescent pens and turning your Bible into a technicolour nightmare. I picked one up on Amazon for under £20 incl. shipping and have to say, it's changing the way I do the Bible!

To see more go to www.crossway.org

Inside Steve's Brain

A few weeks ago friend, colleague, and fellow-Apple-lover Fredrik bought me a book called Inside Steve's Brain. Part-biography, part-business book, it not only includes all the stuff you'd expect from a book about Jobs (that is the tantrums, the control freakery and the weird antics) but also some of what goes on inside the man's head, and why he behaves the way he does. Where other biographies cover the juice and skip the genius, this one's a bit more rounded, and there's stuff in here that will help you understand what goes on at Apple and Pixar and where they get the creativity from. If you're even slightly interested in tech, animation or business, this is worth a read for sure! I finished it in a couple of days, and already bought a copy for someone else.

Rio Rim

One of the things I did whilst "on tour" in Sweden last week was stop by a new clothing store in Alingsås where my old friend and part-time Skate Pastor Fredrik works as Store Manager. Apart from stocking collections by the likes of Ed Hardy, Affliction and a few other "LA rockwear" labels, the boutique is a showcase and retail outlet for an up-and-coming label based in Alingsås called Rio Rim. Specialising in unique upper end tees and tops for guys, Rio Rim draw inspiration from the traditional artwork of various ancient cultures, reinterpreting them into their own unique motifs and packaging them with the help of various different print techniques not often seen on the high street. I liked what I saw, and considering they now have retailers on board all over Sweden and beyond, I guess I'm not alone.

Check out their stuff and find a store near you here at www.riorim.se

I Am Second

I Am Second is a new initiative featuring a collective of celebrities featuring on billboards, advertisements and video sharing sites, all explaining why they are second.

The official I Am Second website has lists of various vices and addictions people struggle with, and famous people with corresponding issues who've come through them thanks to an encounter with Christ and help from clinics, charities and churches.

The campaign is intended to point people to a place near them where they can get help, and to inspire them to take the first step, having seen others who have fought through the same struggles and come out the other side.

To see the site, go to www.iamsecond.com

Christ Air

It's after midnight and I'm just back from an incredible day at Christ Air Skatecamp...despite the rain and subsequent lack of skate time in the park, everyone's having a great time. It's the 5th year Christ Air is running, and the weekend is jammed with 120 kids and a good few turn downs due to lack of space in the church and the park. The meetings have been great, and Chad Tim Tim and the Christian Skaters crew have brought loads to the camp, just chatting with the kids and inspiring them to skate and live life with purpose. More on Chad and Christian Skaters later, as well as some info on a couple of nice projects that Jönköping's Lonka Boardriding Club and my old buddy Daniel Månsson (of Faces of Skateboarding fame) are invloved in. Right now I need to get some zs.

It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright!

Now that I've had a little over a day to consume, digest and consume again, I have to say that the new mewithoutYou album is an absolute beauty! Whether you're a fan of their earlier - and substantially angstier - stuff or not, this one's definitely worth a lash. You can get it free on Spotify, or support the lads and pick it up cheap on iTunes. For a sneak peek, check the trailer above...unless you've already done so of course, in which case you might like to watch it again.

Frontline Facelift

Frontline Youth Ministry is part of RCC Church Solihull and home to a couple of hundred young people from around the Solihull/Birmingham area. Frontline is also now the name of the annual youth event formerly know as Momentum. In keeping with the times, Frontline have coupled the name change with a snazzy new site...and it's even got fancy inter-changable backgrounds.

Check it here

Get Relevant

The May/June issue of RELEVANT Magazine arrived in the mailbox yesterday and I have to say the publication just keeps getting better. With spotlights on Kings of Leon and Jon Foreman, some great book picks and all the usual goodness, it's well worth a read. What's better, for all you cheapskates who don't want to spare some change to support a good cause, you can view the whole thing online here

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