sustain:if:able kiwi

free downloads of out of bounds book

The internet rumours are true. Due to an administrative error, the entire text of my book was available as a free download on the internet over last weekend. Frantic emailing state-side and the error was corrected.

Which, when I paused for breath, left me pondering the question – if a person was to download it, would they still buy a hard copy?

OK, let me make that personal. If you downloaded a book, would you still want to read/own/possess the hard copy?

Is free downloads good marketing, or bad selling?

out of bounds bach

We have spent the last week sanding and painting our new bach. My sister-in-law arrived to describe it as “the ends of the earth.” An out of bounds bach, a place of peace and retreat.

We also brought it as a place for me to write. And these views are sort of inspirational aren’t they?

To see first the view from the bedroom window and second, the view out of the lounge window (both over 25K).

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Booked to San Diego

My tickets for USA arrived today. Zondervan and emergent/Youth Specialties are flying me to the US as part of the launch of my book – out of bounds church? learning to create communities of faith in a culture of change.

I am due into LA on Monday 31 January. (Any bloggers in Pasadena keen to keep me awake Monday?)

I am spending Tuesday at Fuller Theological Seminary, with Doug McConnell, Dean of School of Intercultural Studies. We are brainstorming around globalisation and emergent church and training. I am also doing a seminar for staff and students at Fuller – where I will try and present some sort of overview of the emergent tribes and suggest a range of metaphors that might stimulate mission in a postmodern world.

Wednesday, 2 February I fly to San Diego for the emergent convention. I am doing 2 seminars;

Out of Bounds: Mission in the Emerging Church
and
Text in a TXT World: Postmodern Communication

As a result, people are meant to buy copies of my books and spread the word that it’s hot! I’m looking forward to getting a close up view of emergentUSA and meeting some people that have until now only been blog names; and three cheers for zondervan and emergent.

life to the full

Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere comes wrapped in winter and (hopefully) covered with snow. It’s short days and long nights.

It’s the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where Christmas comes wrapped with summer and (hopefully) covered with sunblock. It’s long days and short nights.

I am now away on holiday. I have been wondering this week what happens to the Christ of Christmas as I leave for the beach and bach.

Then I reflected on the image of Christ in Hebrews 4 as the giver of Sabbath Rest. This makes the Christ of Christmas, the Emmanuel God-with-us, as the giver of rest and relaxation. This suggests that my summer relaxation and refreshment is a continued celebration of Christ as the Christmas gift. It’s a participation in the life of Christ, who comes that we might have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).

That’s my summer prayer for me and all my blog readers;
Enjoy the Christmas gift,
rest with Christ,
Giver of life to the full.