Some talks coming up…

Its not often that I find myself giving a lot of talks, but recently there has been a couple. I’d like to list them here for my own benefit, as well as for those who’d like to come, sit in and listen. 

Most of these talks are on invitation from a specific organisation, and as such will be tailored towards their unique brief. However, I’ll still speak only on what I can deliver with a decent amount of credibility and confidence, namely the intersection between technology, spirituality and creativity.

So, here goes.

1. 14 April 2013 [3rd Place] The subtle spiritual skills of seeing / a sermon at a church / 5pm, 6:30pm
2. 16 April 2013 [Tygerberg Radio] Consumer technology and its place in our everyday lives / A radio interview / 8:15am
3. 19 April 2013 [GAP Retreat: Talk 1] The art of sensing the ‘more’ / A talk on spirituality / 7pm 
4. 20 April 2013 [GAP Retreat: Talk 2] A conversation on practical sensing / Q&A on practical spirituality / 9am
5. 21 April 2013: I’m delivering a few words at a wedding for dear friends of mine - if you’re invited I guess I’ll see you there. ;)
6. 22-24 April 2013 [Ekerk Leadership Retreat] I’m doing two talks for spiritual and business leaders on cultural trends, both local and international. / Klein Kunkura Game Farm, Nylstroom
7. 25 April 2013 [Ekerk Learning Community] / New ways to work / Talking on the cultural trends and shifts in the workplace / Heidelberg, Gauteng
8. 26 April 2013 [Metamorpho East] How the media is impacting our lives / A talk on the intersections of media and faith / 9:30am
9. 6-7 May 2013 [Ekerk Leadership Retreat] Same as the one listed above - content may change, I guess.
10. 20-22 May 2013 [Radio Cape Pulpit] Pre-recording 12 episodes for a series on ‘Everyday spiritual living’. You can listen live if you want - its in Cape Town.
11. 24 May 2013 [Ekerk Learning Community] / Content TBA / Bloemfontein, Freestate

I hope to see some of your friendly [and encouraging] faces at these events - I’ll also try and keep everybody updated as the details change.

READING LIST [DECEMBER 2013]

The increasing accessibility to digital reading material recently has me buying more books than I’m actually reading.

It seems I have squarely stepped into the trap of thinking that it might be the actual act of acquiring the book that increases knowledge, instead of the tiresome process of reading, thinking and doing the book! 

However, the holidays are coming up, and for the sake of spending our free time meaningfully, here’s a very condensed reading list of some volumes I have had the pleasure of buying, and reading, lately.

I haven’t included links, so you can find them at your electronic book vendor of choice.

1. Cultivating Communities Of Practice (Wenger, McDermott, Snyder)
2. Platform: Get Noticed In A Noisy World (Michael Hyatt)
3. Born To Run (Christopher McDougal)
4. Graceful: Making A Difference In A World That Needs You (Seth Godin)
5. The Idolatry Of God (Peter Rollins)

Making for a good mix of technology, spirituality and creativity, I hope this informs, inspires and leaves you energised for a beautiful 2013.

SELF PHONES

We recently did a study at www.ekerk.org on how the global emerging mobile technology trends impact our humanity.

They were right when they said that first we create the technology, and then afterwards, the technologies we created, creates us.

We become slaves of our own creations.

I hope to share more of our research soon, but here’s just a couple of ideas on how mobile technology impacts how we live, work and relate to each other:

1. We’re becoming both more isolated and more connected. We’re slowly but surely gravitating towards the extreme opposites of human connection, and we populate those spaces simultaneously.
2. Information is becoming all-knowable, immediate and free. Those who trade in giving access to information should re-evaluate their business models, or risk extinction. 
3. We’re experiencing the first real disappearance of the boundaries of time and space. We use our connected mobile devices to time-shift our communication and learning experiences, whether to the present or the future.

There’s much more to be said about how technology, especially those of the mobile kind, changes the way we exist on this earth.

Maybe you can think of a few more yourself.

Happy tapping.