|Multi-media

Last week I was sick for a stretch. As I began to mend, I took some time to finish a book and watch a film.

The Book: More Ready Than You Realize: Evangelism as Dance in the Postmodern Matrix (Brian McLaren). Through email conversations that model "spiritual friendship," McLaren demonstrates that evangelism in a postmodern world can't continue as it did in the modern era. I genuinely appreciated this book and highly recommend it.

"OUT: Evangelism as sales pitch, as conquest, as warfare, as ultimatum, as threat, as proof, as argument, as entertainment, as show, as monologue, as something you have to do.

IN: Disciple-making as conversation, as friendship, as influence, as invitation, as companionship, as challenge, as opportunity, as conversation, as dance, as something you get to do."

The Film: Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove: Readings from Voices of A People's History of (2006). This two-hour long reading was informative and dull. I'm sure the book is better. Most of the speakers seemed to just be reading, not orating or acting. Since the opportunity to add archival photos or video was ignored, the recording would make a better CD for the road than a DVD. Why sit for 2 hours and listen to people read to you? Odd. I was bored. Skip it and check the book out at your library. Or read the original, A People's History of the United States.

BONUS FILM: Then last night I watched my December Netflix choice, The Real Dirt on Farmer John, when my lady friend went to bed early. What to say about this one? What is it?

A tribute to the farm culture.
A tribute to family.
A tribute to mothers.
A tribute to community.
A tribute to the Earth.
A tribute to creativity and innovation.
A tribute to life.
A tribute to the family farm.
A biographical tribute to John Peterson.

You have to see it to believe it. The archival footage puts this one notch above the poor cinematography of The Gleaners and I. It consistently gets higher ratings on Amazon than I feel are warranted, but that's how people feel. The bug video was one of my favorite parts (also on YouTube).

[Spoiler Alert] Regular Pack Light readers will know that I value Community Supported Agriculture, so I was glad to see the story head that direction in the end. Viva CSA!

If you want more information, look to The Future of Food, but if you like your documentary with more flash and flare than data, this could be for you. You will still have plenty to think about.