Sneak Peeks

Mark Oestreicher announced last night at the end of the second general session that Youth Specialties is launching a website called YS Underground, which will be a home for downloadable Bible study material, graphics, video, and things like that. The advantage is that there's no shipping costs and only seconds of wait time for the downloads; prices are much lower than buying a whole book, and when you only need that one perfect item to complete the program you're working on, this is the place. Well done, YS! Can't wait to see how this collection will grow.

We also got a first look at the new NOOMA video, from Rob Bell. It's volume 14, called "Breathe," and I'm really impressed (having not worked with these videos before) with the quality of the production and the earnestness of the narrator. At the same time, the message feels fuzzy, and I wonder (probably I'll give one a try with my group to check) if it has the solidity to live up to the promises the series makes.

And to close this morning, I have a service I'd like to suggest to Marko and the YS team. You all give such great advice at the beginning of the conventions-- sleep in, don't go to everything, skip a general session, pick a seminar you disagree with, and walk out of bad ones; ask out that cute girl next to you. When we go home again, we'll miss your sweet voices telling us those sweet things that keep us healthy for this one weekend. There should be some kind of a phone number we could call and hear that message again, when the church council is wondering why "we don't see enough kids here," the accountant is denying our NYWC expenses because spas don't count as ministry, the senior pastor's kid took up smoking and our dogs are looking like they might run off or die at any moment (it's a country music reference, since I'm in Texas!) Then, it would be great to call and hear "You are more important than your program!" again.