Author: Jonathan Dodson

What Determines your Vote?

Posted on January 21, 2008

According to research done by Barna group, Evangelical voting concerns are quite different than the rest of the American population. In fact, the numbers are disconcerting…

Evangelicals’ top concern – by a wide margin – was abortion (94%). This was followed by the personal debt of Americans (81%), the content of television and movies (79%), homosexual activists (75%), and gay and lesbian lifestyles (75%). Evangelicals were more likely than other adults to be concerned about illegal immigration, but they were less worried about HIV/AIDS than virtually any other segment of the population.

Though Abortion is an incredibly important issue, culture of life issues should extend into other areas such as HIV/AIDS, Poverty, and Global Warming. Apparently, these issues aren’t of great concern to most Evangelicals. Evangelicals would do well to follow some non-Christian voter concerns, which included poverty (78%) and HIV/AIDS (76%).

The Housing Crisis, Demographically

Posted on January 21, 2008

Atlantic Monthly has a great piece on how the subprime mortgate market crash has affected the U.S. demographically. Here is a teaser:

At first, the subprime crisis stung two groups in particular—people of modest means who’d gotten in over their heads, and a wealthier crowd, people working at hedge funds and investment houses, who’d trafficked in the first group’s debt, fueling the market for exotic, unstable loans. One might find a measure of rough justice in the travails of the latter group (45 residences in Greenwich, Connecticut, home to many hedge-fund operators and investment bankers, were in foreclosure in the third quarter of 2007). But the ripples from the subprime crisis are now beginning to affect nearly everyone. A cooler housing market chills construction, consumer confidence, retail sales, and all the rest.

Acts 29 Austin…Texas

Posted on January 19, 2008

I recently met up with some other Acts 29 guys.to discuss the new A29 regional events intended to help equip church planters of all stripes. The spirit behind these events is remarkably kingdom-centered, with established churches aiming to listen to planters (to resource them), and planters eagerly learning from seasoned leaders and planters. A particluar strength of the upcoming regional events are the practical workshops, which cover things like establishing financial systems, spiritual formation, and courage in planting.
Friend and fellow planter, Jacob Vanhorn, provides more info on the regionals here.