Weekly Web Roundup (11/5/16)

Photo Credit: barbasboth

Here are some interesting stories that I have noticed from around the web this past week:

3 Growing Needs in Missionary Education by Ed Stetzer (Christianity Today)

"Thinking about educational needs for missionaries inevitably leads to questions about the role of traditional institutions in their training. As we begin to develop new pathways for “limitless” sending, we open the doors of missions not only to seminarians, but also business people and students and artists and . . . We will no longer be sending only people who have completed years of formal theological preparation. We will be sending people who have asked for international transfers within the workplace. They will have new jobs in brand new cultures, which will most likely make much formal training within an institution prohibitive. Obviously, creativity is needed. Some institutions have already begun to develop programs to meet the minimum requirements of mission organizations, and that’s good. Yet, more needs to be done to get to the kind of limitless sending we desire."

The New Evangelical Moral Minority by Kelefa Sanneh (The New Yorker)

Here's a lengthy profile from The New Yorker on Russell Moore, the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Dr. Moore is a leading evangelical voice and, like me, a member of Generation X. I find his approach on how to engage our culture a welcome departure from some of the more combative postures that many Christian leaders of recent generations have demonstrated.

TV's making progress on diversity, but it's motivated by money by Gary Levin (USA Today)

"“People have begun to recognize how much money they can make by targeting underserved audiences,” says Courtney A. Kemp, the creator and executive producer of Power, a popular Starz series about a black nightclub owner. “The color that’s relevant here is green.  It’s not about any kind of altruism, or a sea change in how people are feeling about diversity.” Instead, it reflects demographic shifts, and TV executives' need to chase viewers as Hollywood faces radical shifts in how and where they find their entertainment.  U.S. Census data projects the percentage of blacks, Hispanics and Asians will continue to grow in coming decades, while the percentage of whites declines.  And amid steadily declining ratings, blacks are among the most loyal viewers, watching nearly 50% more TV each week than the general population, Nielsen says."

Lux in Tenebris: How God Is Moving on Secular Campuses by Owen Strachan (Patheos)

"It can feel to the church today like the darkness is closing in. If you close your eyes, all can seem lost. But if you open your eyes, you see points of light. You see gospel advancement. You see strategic initiative. You see local churches leading ministries to students while also calling them to meaningful membership in the local church. This is the model I believe we need moving ahead. Parachurch ministries can do great good, but I believe they will do most good when partnering closely with local churches. This is especially true as campus access grows dicey in places."

No, Most Black People Don’t Live in Poverty - or Inner Cities by Alana Semuels (The Atlantic)

"There might have been a time when conflating inner cities and African Americans was appropriate shorthand, but it’s just not accurate anymore. The majority of African Americans are living both above the poverty line and outside of the inner cities, rendering Trump’s comments misleading and factually inaccurate."

Fan Reactions to the 2016 Cubs World Series Win

As you're probably aware, the Chicago Cubs ended over a century of futility by winning their first World Series championship in 108 years. As a Detroit Tigers fan, I am not personally invested in the Cubs winning. But as a baseball fan, I am happy to see lifelong fans of the Cub finally enjoy a title.

This video compilation shows reactions from a number of Cubs fans after their win in Game 7 over the Cleveland Indians. For sports fans, it doesn't get much better than experiencing the pure exuberance of a long-awaited title.