The Press-Enterprise reports:

Mike Kendall, vice president of Turner Development Corp., has tried pitching his open restaurant space at Turner Riverwalk across from La Sierra University in Riverside 25 times before and invariably received the same response:

No hard liquor? No thank you.

On Thursday, May 1st the Evangelical Leaders Forum hosted David T. Olson, Director of the American Church Research Project and author of The American Church in Crisis. He spoke about ways to grow and multiply healthy churches that help people know Jesus and effectively fulfill his mission on earth.

Sponsors for this discussion included Bethel Seminary, Evangelical Covenant - NW Conference, Minnesota Baptist Conference, and Zondervan Publishers.

DONATE TO ADRA's BURMA RELIEF FUND HERE.

UPDATE II:

h/t to Johnny.

ADRA UK releases:

ADRA Myanmar is one of the few international agencies on the ground, bringing immediate relief. ADRA emergency workers are evaluating the damage and responding to the most critical needs in affected areas. ADRA is working on a network-wide strategy to respond to this disaster, with funds already donated by a number of countries.

The people of Myanmar are in mourning and in desperate need. ADRA has committed itself to assist in the relief and rebuilding efforts.

ADRA has had a long-term presence in Myanmar, implementing development projects in the affected regions since 1993. The ADRA Myanmar office has already commenced relief activities with the provision of food, medical supplies and shelter.

The ADRA network was mobilised into action within hours of the cyclone hitting Myanmar. ADRA-UK director Bert Smit has been planning the international response with partner offices across Europe and the United States. Mark Castellino, ADRA-UK Programmes Director is preparing to leave for Myanmar immediately to assist with preparing proposals for the long term assistance needed to help the affected region to recover.

Due to the nature and location of the disaster ADRA-UK will not be sending containers filled with aid supplies to the region. The supplies that are needed are available locally and it is far more cost effective to send funds and then request the local ADRA office to purchase these items. This procedure will save money and, more importantly, will enable the victims to receive aid as quickly as possible.

UPDATE I:

CNN is reporting "The death toll from the cyclone that ravaged the Irrawaddy delta in Myanmar may exceed 100,000, the senior U.S. diplomat in the military-ruled country said Wednesday."

These are personal photos from ADRA employees in Yangoon. As ADRA International releases more information on their response to cyclone Nargis, I'll update.

The Adventist blogosphere is buzzing with news about the Lord Our Righteousness cult.

On Stephen Eyer's Adventist Filmmaker site one of the cult members posted the following:

Peter Drucker (1909-2005) was a world-renowned management consultant, university professor and author of 39 books. Perhaps his most significant work was the book titled Management: Tasks, Responsibilities and Practices (1973). Many years back, when I was studying management – out of a mixture of personal interest and professional desperation

One of my favorite prophetic Christians here in the Bay Area is the journalist, Sara Miles. Her book, Take This Bread, tells about her communion induced conversion to Christianity - to me it opened up new ideas about how God does evangelism these days.

"The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life invited Laura Olson, author of the forthcoming book with the working title, Generals Without an Army: The Protestant Left in American Politics; Jennifer Butler, author of Born Again: The Christian Right Globalized; and Chris Korzen, Executive Director of Catholics United, to discuss the issue."

Dr. Russell Standish was killed in an automobile crash on May 2 2008, in Australia.

The wikipedia entry currently records:

The identical twin brothers were born on 27 October, 1933[1] to Darcy Rowland Standish (1912–1997) and Hilda Marie Joyce Standish née Bailey (1912–74).[2] Their hometown is Newcastle, New South Wales in Australia. In 1951 as seventeen year olds, they were impressed by an evangelistic meeting in Newcastle held by George Burnside.

"Southern Adventist University sponsored a student panel discussion on homosexuality and Christian community. The event took place on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 in Lynn Wood Hall.

Student speakers included Matt Burdette, Jeremy Morrell, Shane Akerman, and Raymond Thompson. The event was organized by students with the support of the School of Social Work and Family Studies, History Department, and Campus Ministries.

The views presented do not reflect official views and statements of those of the Seventh-day Adventist Church or Southern Adventist University."

Yes, I posted these on the first edition of the Spectrum Blog, but in light of some of the recent discussions, this informed commentary seemed germane.

Loma Linda University Professor Richard Rice provides an extremely balanced - and occasionally humorous - approach to religion and science.

Paradoxically, we trust even when we doubt.