Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
In this episode of Balancing the Christian Life I
talk about the upcomingBalancing the Christian Life
conference.
Welcome to Balancing theChristian Life.
I'm Dr Kenny Embry.
Join me as we discover how tobe better Christians and people
in the digital age.
So the summer is winding downand I've had several people ask
(00:22):
me when the conference is goingto be.
Hal Hammons has been overseeingmost of the development since
I've been busy doing otherthings and I'm thrilled he has.
Hal is a very good guy.
If you're interested in thedetails of the conference, I'll
save that for the last fewminutes.
To kill the suspense, I'vemoved it to October 10th through
12th.
I'll explain why we shifted alittle later, but I want to tell
(00:44):
you why we'll have one at all.
I suspect you know severalproblems of the internet.
If you can't think of any, thenlet me help you.
The internet often helps lonelypeople feel more lonely.
It gives people the illusion ofhaving friends without
sacrifice.
It allows people theopportunity to look virtuous by
writing a comment supporting acause without having to do
(01:07):
anything more than typesomething on a keyboard or
clicking, like Some people havecalled this virtue signaling,
and I get it when you are ableto align yourself with a popular
cause without actually havingto do anything.
Well, that's a very popularthing to do.
Likewise, when you have accessto the world's knowledge in your
pocket, you might feel like youknow more than you do.
(01:31):
The internet is great atillusions it gives you the
illusion of having friends, theillusion of being loved, the
illusion of being smart and theillusion of getting something
done without costing anything.
So in many ways, it is theultimate in virtual experiences,
(01:51):
with nothing to show for it.
You can watch someone make adelicious meal.
You just can't eat it because,well, you didn't make it.
You can visit the wonders ofthe world without having to meet
all those pesky people orgetting tired along the way.
I've called these legitimatecriticisms of the internet the
(02:13):
loss of context.
An old student of mine, ryanCummings, showed me a recent
meme that I think perfectlysummarizes the problem.
It says we are drowning ininformation while we are
starving for wisdom.
In short, there's too muchstuff and not enough direction.
I think that's all true.
(02:35):
The content on the internet isaddictive like any drug.
It invites abuse because theamount of content is endless.
Most businesses on the internetmake money when you give them
your attention.
Facebook, google, instagram,youtube, linkedin are all free
(02:59):
because you and your attentionare the product.
If all that is true and I thinkit is should we simply ditch
our smartphones and computers?
Should we warn others to stayaway because some bad actors are
not looking out for you?
Well, no, first of all, if youfind yourself spending too much
(03:23):
time on social media, then limityour exposure to social media.
I have, and I'm glad that I am.
But the drug analogy is helpful.
Some drugs help us when takenthe right way, hurt us if we
consume too much and force us toneedlessly suffer if we abandon
them altogether.
My consistent advice has beenthe online tools need to be
(03:48):
intentionally used to help us.
It's easy to criticize anddifficult to build.
The idea behind the conferenceis to build a community that
uses the advantages of onlinestuff.
Not a church, not an onlinecongregation, but a way to make
(04:11):
connections, which are, frankly,impossible any other way.
I think there are at leastthree defenses we have for doing
a conference like this.
First, it allows us to talkabout spiritual things with more
people.
I'm not looking for masses ofpeople, but I am interested in
(04:33):
looking for more than a half adozen people around me that
might be interested inparticipating.
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he told his disciples they
would be his witnesses to theends of the earth in the first
chapter of Acts.
Well, the internet gives usaccess to so many more people.
(04:53):
Second, I think the conferenceis optimistic.
It takes no creativity to teardown with criticism, but it
takes courage to make something.
If God decides to bless it,that's up to Him, but to me,
(05:14):
this is worth it.
The first chapter of Jamestells us to not merely be
hearers of the Word, but doers.
This is me trying something fora third time.
I'm trying to build something Ithink builds each other up and
allows us to get to know Godbetter.
I think that's a worthwhilecause and I'm thrilled to be a
(05:38):
part of it.
Third, the online conferencegives us an opportunity to use
these tools for their advantages.
Online communication is, firstof all, permanent.
The content you make livesforever yes, I've heard that
said in a sinister way, becausethere's always a way to see if
(05:59):
you've changed your mind.
But it's permanent is also anadvantage.
We can share a message and thenwatch it again, see if you
understand something better thesecond time.
It's ultimately a smart way tosee if you understood something,
if it bears repeating or ifit's something that you would
(06:21):
just like to hear again becauseit encourages you.
It's also accessible.
In a way, only onlinecommunication is no matter where
you live, whether you talk inreal time or watch the content
after the fact.
You can get access to this fromyour computer.
You can watch it while you'relistening on a walk or folding
(06:42):
laundry.
It's there when you want it tobe.
It can be shared with many oras few people as you wish.
It's not like a physical bookyou check out of the library and
have to wait until someonereturns it.
Digital tools can be watched bya few or by millions, with no
pre-planning at all.
Finally, online tools allow usto make friends, learn what
(07:09):
others think and to talk to themdirectly.
As I said, the conference haschanged from early August to
October 10th through 12th.
The reason for that wasprimarily me.
This year.
I didn't have time to organizethe conference as early as I
needed to Further the platform Iused for the first two
(07:29):
conferences.
Hoova is excellent software,but its price went up
considerably for the first twoyears and I simply couldn't
afford to continue with them,which meant I had to choose a
new software platform.
I still love Hoova and theywere really good to us, but I'm
just too small for them.
(07:49):
I'm using new software thisyear called AirMeet.
I'll have details about thatnext week as well as how to sign
up for the conference, but Ithink AirMeet is simpler
software and I think it will bea better experience for you.
Airmeet isn't free and I'm goingto ask for your help to find
(08:11):
sponsors.
The first year of theconference, I cleared a little
money to pay for the second year.
The second year I lost moneyand this year I hope not to,
which is why I want to get somesponsors.
So if you know someone whowould like to sponsor a track,
please let me know.
I am happy to talk aboutsponsorship with anyone
(08:32):
interested.
Like last year, I plan to havean option for people to
financially support theconference by donation, but I
also plan to allow anyone toattend the conference without
charge.
You will need to sign up forthe conference prior to
attending, but if you'd like todonate $50, that would be much
(08:55):
appreciated and welcome.
The theme for this year isCitizens of Heaven and
corresponds with Hal Hammond'spodcast.
By the way, hal is our featuredkeynote speaker for the first
day on Thursday.
As of right now, we have ninetracks each with about eight
speakers.
Yes, that's a lot of speakers.
The people heading up thetracks include Mark McCrary,
(09:17):
cindy Dunnigan, mark Dunnigan,hal Hammond, sean Highfill,
steve Wolfgang and Miles Hester.
One of the tracks new this yearis a Spanish-speaking track.
This was a recommendation fromSean Highfill and I was happy to
try it out.
This year, steve Wolfgang isputting together discussions
about Galatians and I know hewill have excellent material
(09:42):
because he's got some excellentspeakers like John Weaver,
nathan Ward and even myfather-in-law, dan Petty.
The speaker grid should beavailable next week, as well as
a website to sign up for theconference, but for right now,
you need to know the date haschanged.
Another change from last year issomething I need to apologize
(10:02):
for.
We had three tiers last year,two of which included a
conference book.
Well, the conference book endedup being a bigger problem than
I anticipated.
In short, I dropped the ball onthat.
I've reached out to those whopaid for a conference book at
both levels and I have refundedwhat they paid.
If you were one of those anddidn't receive a refund, please
(10:26):
contact me immediately and I'llrefund you immediately.
There were four of you I couldnot contact.
Because of that.
I'm not going to try aconference book for this year.
Putting this together isn't easy, but I want you to hear this
from me directly.
As long as I am able to do theconference, I will.
(10:47):
I was talking to a friend andhe asked me if I should just
hand it over to someone else.
I'm not against that, but Ialso don't know anybody who
wants to take it on.
Let me be clear I couldn't dothis alone.
I never have.
Good friends have done hardwork to make this work.
For example, this year, theefforts of Hal Hammons have been
(11:11):
largely responsible for gettingthis started again, and he has
been incredibly instrumental inthe first two years as well.
But because I'm not doing thisfor a congregation, as a
preacher, because I'm not acollege or an institution, I
don't feel like there's anyconflict of interest or any
blurring of lines.
I'm a guy with a microphone anda podcast who wants to build a
(11:35):
community of Christiansinterested in talking about
spiritual things.
For a few days, I'm trying toillustrate what using online
stuff well can look like, likeeverything I've done for the
podcast.
I hope this is helpful for youand it helps you live a better,
balanced Christian life.
I am happy to support anybodywho has a similar interest and a
(12:00):
similar goal.
So that's what we know aboutthe conference at this point.
It will be October 10th, 11thand 12th.
I have a website where you cansign up for it next week, as
well as an overview of all thespeakers that should be speaking
at this conference.
(12:22):
The thinking behind theconference is it is both
presentations that you'll watchand listen to conferences.
It is both presentations thatyou'll watch and listen to, but
also an opportunity to talk withother people and to make
friends.
I remember as a child going tothe Florida College lectures and
there was a large part of thereason that you went was to hear
the content and a larger reasonto go and meet the people and
(12:46):
see people that you know andlove, and a larger reason to go
and meet the people and seepeople that you know and love.
That's what I want this to be,as well as for next week.
I had a recent conversationwith Andrew Roberts about why we
focus on acapella music.
I thought it was a greatconversation.
I also plan to talk toorganizers of the conference.
So you know what we plan andwhat will happen this year.
So until next time, let's begood and do good.
In this episode of Balancing the Christian Life I
talk about the upcomingBalancing the Christian Life
conference.
Welcome to Balancing theChristian Life.
I'm Dr Kenny Embry.
Join me as we discover how tobe better Christians and people
in the digital age.
So the summer is winding downand I've had several people ask
(00:22):
me when the conference is goingto be.
Hal Hammons has been overseeingmost of the development since
I've been busy doing otherthings and I'm thrilled he has.
Hal is a very good guy.
If you're interested in thedetails of the conference, I'll
save that for the last fewminutes.
To kill the suspense, I'vemoved it to October 10th through
12th.
I'll explain why we shifted alittle later, but I want to tell
(00:44):
you why we'll have one at all.
I suspect you know severalproblems of the internet.
If you can't think of any, thenlet me help you.
The internet often helps lonelypeople feel more lonely.
It gives people the illusion ofhaving friends without
sacrifice.
It allows people theopportunity to look virtuous by
writing a comment supporting acause without having to do
(01:07):
anything more than typesomething on a keyboard or
clicking, like Some people havecalled this virtue signaling,
and I get it when you are ableto align yourself with a popular
cause without actually havingto do anything.
Well, that's a very popularthing to do.
Likewise, when you have accessto the world's knowledge in your
pocket, you might feel like youknow more than you do.
(01:31):
The internet is great atillusions it gives you the
illusion of having friends, theillusion of being loved, the
illusion of being smart and theillusion of getting something
done without costing anything.
So in many ways, it is theultimate in virtual experiences,
(01:51):
with nothing to show for it.
You can watch someone make adelicious meal.
You just can't eat it because,well, you didn't make it.
You can visit the wonders ofthe world without having to meet
all those pesky people orgetting tired along the way.
I've called these legitimatecriticisms of the internet the
(02:13):
loss of context.
An old student of mine, ryanCummings, showed me a recent
meme that I think perfectlysummarizes the problem.
It says we are drowning ininformation while we are
starving for wisdom.
In short, there's too muchstuff and not enough direction.
I think that's all true.
(02:35):
The content on the internet isaddictive like any drug.
It invites abuse because theamount of content is endless.
Most businesses on the internetmake money when you give them
your attention.
Facebook, google, instagram,youtube, linkedin are all free
(02:59):
because you and your attentionare the product.
If all that is true and I thinkit is should we simply ditch
our smartphones and computers?
Should we warn others to stayaway because some bad actors are
not looking out for you?
Well, no, first of all, if youfind yourself spending too much
(03:23):
time on social media, then limityour exposure to social media.
I have, and I'm glad that I am.
But the drug analogy is helpful.
Some drugs help us when takenthe right way, hurt us if we
consume too much and force us toneedlessly suffer if we abandon
them altogether.
My consistent advice has beenthe online tools need to be
(03:48):
intentionally used to help us.
It's easy to criticize anddifficult to build.
The idea behind the conferenceis to build a community that
uses the advantages of onlinestuff.
Not a church, not an onlinecongregation, but a way to make
(04:11):
connections, which are, frankly,impossible any other way.
I think there are at leastthree defenses we have for doing
a conference like this.
First, it allows us to talkabout spiritual things with more
people.
I'm not looking for masses ofpeople, but I am interested in
(04:33):
looking for more than a half adozen people around me that
might be interested inparticipating.
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he told his disciples they
would be his witnesses to theends of the earth in the first
chapter of Acts.
Well, the internet gives usaccess to so many more people.
(04:53):
Second, I think the conferenceis optimistic.
It takes no creativity to teardown with criticism, but it
takes courage to make something.
If God decides to bless it,that's up to Him, but to me,
(05:14):
this is worth it.
The first chapter of Jamestells us to not merely be
hearers of the Word, but doers.
This is me trying something fora third time.
I'm trying to build something Ithink builds each other up and
allows us to get to know Godbetter.
I think that's a worthwhilecause and I'm thrilled to be a
(05:38):
part of it.
Third, the online conferencegives us an opportunity to use
these tools for their advantages.
Online communication is, firstof all, permanent.
The content you make livesforever yes, I've heard that
said in a sinister way, becausethere's always a way to see if
(05:59):
you've changed your mind.
But it's permanent is also anadvantage.
We can share a message and thenwatch it again, see if you
understand something better thesecond time.
It's ultimately a smart way tosee if you understood something,
if it bears repeating or ifit's something that you would
(06:21):
just like to hear again becauseit encourages you.
It's also accessible.
In a way, only onlinecommunication is no matter where
you live, whether you talk inreal time or watch the content
after the fact.
You can get access to this fromyour computer.
You can watch it while you'relistening on a walk or folding
(06:42):
laundry.
It's there when you want it tobe.
It can be shared with many oras few people as you wish.
It's not like a physical bookyou check out of the library and
have to wait until someonereturns it.
Digital tools can be watched bya few or by millions, with no
pre-planning at all.
Finally, online tools allow usto make friends, learn what
(07:09):
others think and to talk to themdirectly.
As I said, the conference haschanged from early August to
October 10th through 12th.
The reason for that wasprimarily me.
This year.
I didn't have time to organizethe conference as early as I
needed to Further the platform Iused for the first two
(07:29):
conferences.
Hoova is excellent software,but its price went up
considerably for the first twoyears and I simply couldn't
afford to continue with them,which meant I had to choose a
new software platform.
I still love Hoova and theywere really good to us, but I'm
just too small for them.
(07:49):
I'm using new software thisyear called AirMeet.
I'll have details about thatnext week as well as how to sign
up for the conference, but Ithink AirMeet is simpler
software and I think it will bea better experience for you.
Airmeet isn't free and I'm goingto ask for your help to find
(08:11):
sponsors.
The first year of theconference, I cleared a little
money to pay for the second year.
The second year I lost moneyand this year I hope not to,
which is why I want to get somesponsors.
So if you know someone whowould like to sponsor a track,
please let me know.
I am happy to talk aboutsponsorship with anyone
(08:32):
interested.
Like last year, I plan to havean option for people to
financially support theconference by donation, but I
also plan to allow anyone toattend the conference without
charge.
You will need to sign up forthe conference prior to
attending, but if you'd like todonate $50, that would be much
(08:55):
appreciated and welcome.
The theme for this year isCitizens of Heaven and
corresponds with Hal Hammond'spodcast.
By the way, hal is our featuredkeynote speaker for the first
day on Thursday.
As of right now, we have ninetracks each with about eight
speakers.
Yes, that's a lot of speakers.
The people heading up thetracks include Mark McCrary,
(09:17):
cindy Dunnigan, mark Dunnigan,hal Hammond, sean Highfill,
steve Wolfgang and Miles Hester.
One of the tracks new this yearis a Spanish-speaking track.
This was a recommendation fromSean Highfill and I was happy to
try it out.
This year, steve Wolfgang isputting together discussions
about Galatians and I know hewill have excellent material
(09:42):
because he's got some excellentspeakers like John Weaver,
nathan Ward and even myfather-in-law, dan Petty.
The speaker grid should beavailable next week, as well as
a website to sign up for theconference, but for right now,
you need to know the date haschanged.
Another change from last year issomething I need to apologize
(10:02):
for.
We had three tiers last year,two of which included a
conference book.
Well, the conference book endedup being a bigger problem than
I anticipated.
In short, I dropped the ball onthat.
I've reached out to those whopaid for a conference book at
both levels and I have refundedwhat they paid.
If you were one of those anddidn't receive a refund, please
(10:26):
contact me immediately and I'llrefund you immediately.
There were four of you I couldnot contact.
Because of that.
I'm not going to try aconference book for this year.
Putting this together isn't easy, but I want you to hear this
from me directly.
As long as I am able to do theconference, I will.
(10:47):
I was talking to a friend andhe asked me if I should just
hand it over to someone else.
I'm not against that, but Ialso don't know anybody who
wants to take it on.
Let me be clear I couldn't dothis alone.
I never have.
Good friends have done hardwork to make this work.
For example, this year, theefforts of Hal Hammons have been
(11:11):
largely responsible for gettingthis started again, and he has
been incredibly instrumental inthe first two years as well.
But because I'm not doing thisfor a congregation, as a
preacher, because I'm not acollege or an institution, I
don't feel like there's anyconflict of interest or any
blurring of lines.
I'm a guy with a microphone anda podcast who wants to build a
(11:35):
community of Christiansinterested in talking about
spiritual things.
For a few days, I'm trying toillustrate what using online
stuff well can look like, likeeverything I've done for the
podcast.
I hope this is helpful for youand it helps you live a better,
balanced Christian life.
I am happy to support anybodywho has a similar interest and a
(12:00):
similar goal.
So that's what we know aboutthe conference at this point.
It will be October 10th, 11thand 12th.
I have a website where you cansign up for it next week, as
well as an overview of all thespeakers that should be speaking
at this conference.
(12:22):
The thinking behind theconference is it is both
presentations that you'll watchand listen to conferences.
It is both presentations thatyou'll watch and listen to, but
also an opportunity to talk withother people and to make
friends.
I remember as a child going tothe Florida College lectures and
there was a large part of thereason that you went was to hear
the content and a larger reasonto go and meet the people and
(12:46):
see people that you know andlove, and a larger reason to go
and meet the people and seepeople that you know and love.
That's what I want this to be,as well as for next week.
I had a recent conversationwith Andrew Roberts about why we
focus on acapella music.
I thought it was a greatconversation.
I also plan to talk toorganizers of the conference.
So you know what we plan andwhat will happen this year.
So until next time, let's begood and do good.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.