After only one week, a new biography written by the former lead guitarist of Korn, Brian "Head" Welch, has become one of the top 20 books on the New York Times Bestsellers list. Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story, released on July 7, is a reflection of the ex-band member's amazing conversion story. In it, he shows how God can work inside even a hardcore rocker. Read the article here.

What is Missional X? It's short for the "Missional Experience." Missional is not a model, nor a strategy, or a tool, but more of a way of living and being. The basic idea is that missional is the "activity of a missionary." This is a conference designed to explore that thought... what would it look like if we were to truly to adopt the mindset of "living sent" here in North America? How would we act? What would we do? What would our priorities look like? Journey with us during Missional X as we hope to uncover this way of living... September 20-22, 2007. Tucson, AZ. Check out the site here.

Check out this article by Mike Metzger from the Clapham Institute. Rather than competing within the confines of the existing industry or trying to steal customers from rivals, Metzger highlights businesses that have reinvented the wheel and created what some are calling a "blue ocean." Metzger says, "Businesses that keep using the same language are fishing in red oceans - where the market space gets more crowded, the lines get tangled and the competition turns the water bloody." He goes on to say, "Over the last two hundred years there has been a long-term decline in how Europeans and Americans imagine Christianity. This does not mean people no longer attend churches and Bible studies. They do. But Christianity is relegated to a day called Sunday and a place called church. It's pretty much incoherent and inconsequential Monday through Friday." He says, "Talking about Jesus, church and faith in the same old way and expecting things to get better is a red ocean faith." Metzger goes on to say, "Curves, Southwest Airlines and Cirque du Soleil all saw the wisdom in reframing an all-too-familiar message. How about Christianity? In the blue ocean, we reframe the historic gospel in language that connects Sunday to Monday."

So, what are you doing this summer? Laying by the pool and working on your tan? Taking a road trip with friends? Working 9 to 5 at that killer internship? Chaperoning at youth camp? Whatever your plans, remember that summer is the perfect time for play with a purpose (see Kevin Carroll's article). Here are a few ideas our team came up with (some silly and some serious) to help you and your friends build relationships and engage culture in your community! Check out the rest of the list in Catalyst Monthly. *Get all your friends' old stuff together and have a garage sale. Use the money to help a poor family locally. *Do a progressive dinner: eat appetizers at one person's house, eat the main course somewhere else, and dessert another place. "Go green" and carpool between houses or walk - it's good for the environment. Share your ideas with us...

Prestonwood Baptist Church, a 26,000 member church in Dallas, is focused on leading the charge in going green. Check out this article in the Dallas Morning News regarding the church's approach to conserving energy. Click here.