Sixth Circuit has ruled that a grade school teacher at a religious school who taught primarily secular topics falls outside of the “ministerial exception” to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”)

The “ministerial exception” allows religious entities to give “preference in employment to individuals of a particular religion” and to “require that all applicants and employees conform to the religious tenets of such organization.” 42 U.S.C. Section 12113(d). The First Amendment free exercise clause implies a safe harbor for religious entities to make employment decisions about staff free from judicial intrusion. For the ministerial exception to bar an employment discrimination claim, (1) the employer must be a religious institution; and (2) the employee must be a ministerial employee. 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 4891, *20 (citing Hollins v. Methodist Healthcare Inc., 474 F.3d 223, 225 (6th Cir. 2007)

The Circuit Court found that the school failed to demonstrate that the plaintiff was a ministerial employee. The Circuit Court reviewed plaintiff’s primary duties and found that “the district court erred in its legal conclusion classifying the plaintiff as a ministerial employee. The plaintiff  spent approximately six hours and fifteen minutes of her seven hour day teaching secular subjects, using secular textbooks, without incorporating religion into the secular material.” Id. at *26.

The Court also determined that the District Court erred in placing too much reliance on the school’s bestowal of a ministerial title on the plaintiff. “[T]he title of commissioned minister does not transform the primary duties of these called teachers from secular in nature to religious in nature.” Id. at *29 (emphasis in original).

So what does this mean? (Good Lutheran Response)

It means we are in trouble!  We need to be looking at our school and what and how we teach.  I have some questions like, why wasn’t this teacher action not reviewed earlier?  How can we have a CALLED TEACHER, not teaching the Law and Gospel in every class?  I taught from Secular books, but as Rob Jacklin will say, your textbooks is not your curriculum!

Where will this go?

If the worst happens, all Lutheran School Teachers will lose their ministerial  employee benefits.  For the purpose of Taxes, we would not have a housing allowance!  Schools would be open to more attack from disgruntled employees.  Non-Lutheran / non-Christians can now sue for not hiring them based on their religion .  The Divine Call would lose all of its meaning!
This is just a FYI… if someone is up-to-date on this court case or can give more information, please add comments

I was reading some articles about Christian Music and one said that the Christian Music World needed a Lady Gaga.  I don’t think we need someone that dresses like her, but someone who has the lyrics and beats, would be nice.  Then I heard the song “Life” from Beckah.  Right there I thought, this is the Lady Gaga of Christian Music.  Life is still my favorite song from Beckah.  I downloaded that song also.  Then after a week of playing “Here in this moment” and “Life” and finding out she was singing on “Funky Jesus Music” I did more downloading.  I downloaded her other two albums, “Joy” and “Butterfly” and I was not disappointed!

“Life” the album came out and I downloaded that also.  Again not sad about buying Beckah album.  I can’t wait to see what else Beckah creates for our Lord!  Her husband “Shock” is a producer and is doing a great job as well.

She is new, but she will be around for a long time!  Check Beckah Shae out!

The reason why I listen to Christian Music, is because I enjoy the uplifting praises to God.  Now Christian Music gets a bad rep.  Many people make fun of Christian Music, but there are some really good Christian Artists and FunkyMusic.  I will be posting who you must have on your iPod play list.  Again, this will be from all type of different genres.

To kick off my first Must have Artist, I had to go with someone who I have listen to the last 20 years (and no it is not Michael W. Smith, although I have been listening to him the last 20 years also.).  I am talking about TobyMac.  This guy is amazing and just keeps on getting better.  20 years ago, I heard Toby as part of the Christian Rap Group DC Talk, with Michael Tait and Kevin Max Smith.  I have seen Toby live including during a Billy Graham Crusade in Cleveland, OH.  Toby is a hip hop / rap / R and B / Funk Singer.  He has numerous DC Talk and Solo albulms out.

The latest album is “Tonight”.  You should go and buy it right now, tonight!  Stop reading and buy it.

I don’t agree with everything that Toby believes in (Rapture).  But, his music is PURE LOVE AND ROCKS!

Tonight is Toby’s 4th Solo Project!

1. “Tonight” (featuring John Cooper of Skillet) (4:20)
2. “Get Back Up” (3:14)
3. “Funky Jesus Music” (featuring Beckah Shae & Siti Monroe) (3:20)
4. “City on Our Knees” (4:27)
5. “ShowStopper” (2:51)
6. “Changed Forever” (featuring Nirva Ready) (3:36)
7. “Hold On” (4:00)
8. “LoudNClear” (TruDog ’10) (1:35)
9. “Hey Devil” (3:15)
10. “Wonderin’” (featuring Matt Thiessen of Relient K) (3:40)
11. “Captured” (3:38)
12. “Start Somewhere” (3:36)
13. “Break Open the Sky” (featuring Israel Houghton) (6:14)

Some of my favorite sonts (not in any order) Wonderin, Captured, Showstopper, Funky Jesus Music (Beckah Shae sings on this song, and she will be a future Coach Burk Feature Artist), and LoudNClear.

Toby has been rocking God’s word and the fight for Peace and Love between all men since the Late 80s!  If you haven’t heard him yet, where have you been!

Check HIM OUT “TONIGHT”!

I am fed up that computer classes across the nation are 1 time a week for 45mins.  INTEGRATION!  As Chris Lehman has said many times, “Technology should be like oxygen – Ubiquitous, necessary and invisible.”  My son is learning that there are certain tools that do a job better.  Just like he knows ask mom a question about cooking and me a question about sports or technology.  My son from an early age knew that our iPod was for music and movies.  He knew that cell phones was to talk to grandma and grandpa.  My younger son is learning these tools and what they are for now.  My older son knows that my iPod touch has his spelling game on it and he knows how to unlock it and get to his game.  I do not fear he will delete anything of mine.  My son knows how to trouble shoot technology… as he knows one of his DS games you have to blow in (reminds me of my days with the original NES) to get it to work.  Each classroom should be a trouble shooting department.  We should be troubleshooting curricular issues that will touch on the main topics we want to discuss in each class.

Schools need to be rebuilt, Teachers need to be retrained, Parents need to be retaught, Students need to be the most important aspect of Education and our lives… Sorry about the Rant, I just wanted to get it off my chest.  The picture is of my older son as he graduated from Preschool last night!

Microsoft introduced their newest addition to the Power Point program, “Microsoft Mouse Mischief.”  I saw someone mention it on twitter and had to check it out.

You do have to download the software, which is for PPT 10 and 07.   But after that it is as easy as creating any other PPT slide.  When you run your Mouse Enhanced presentation, you will have to go through a little exercise to get the mice all synced up.

So what does it do?

Mouse Mischief becomes a student response system with the use of a mouse.  When I tested I used my laptop track pad and a USB plugged in mouse.  It worked perfectly after I realize I had to have information on the slide.  What happens during the initialization slides, the program finds which of the mice is the teachers mouse and each child checks in with their mouse.  You can decide to have activities as a team or individually. Students can know which mouse is theirs by different characters that show above their pointer.  To work in a classroom you would need wireless mice and a USB hub to support.

But, it is FREE!  That is the best part.  It is engaging, it works, and it is free.  Educators can once again use PowerPoint without getting yelled at from Ed Tech Leaders.

What else is great from Microsoft?  To show support for this product they were having a contest on twitter to help spread the word.  Each week they picked one twitter user that retweeted their message.  I actually won!  I am now waiting for my free wireless mice and USB hub… THANKS MICROSOFT!

For more information about Mouse Mischief: http://www.microsoft.com/multipoint/mouse-mischief/default.aspx

Now that we somewhat realize they are not the same, wouldn’t it be just the smart move to bring in the best teachers out there.  So many professionals state if you want to be the best school, you need to have the best students, which means you need to have the best teachers.  So having the best teachers is that valuable?

We are in the middle of NBA Playoffs.  Sadly my team did not make it for the first time in years. But, a few years ago there was a team, the L.A. Lakers who arguably had two of the best players of that time and of all time. Kobe and Shaq.  They were suppose to be unbeatable.  In the finals that year they were playing the Detroit Pistons, who had a bunch of no namers and has beens.  You think about the Pistons that year, in the Draft they took Darko Milicic, by passing Dwayne Wade and Carmello Anthony.  They had Billups as their leader, someone who was nicknamed Mayor because he has been on so many teams.  You had Rip Hamliton playing with a broken face.  Tayshun Prince and the Wallaces (Ben and Rasheed) rounded off their starting five.

There was talk about how the Lakers were going to walk the floor with the no-talent Pistons.  But if you compare it to cards, the Lakers were holding a Pair of Aces.  and the Pistons were holding 3 threes and 2 twos.  If you follow cards you will know a full house will beat a pair of aces every time.  Pistons had role players.  Billups went on to win the MVP and was truly someone who deserved the MVP.

So what does that have to do with Education?

When we are looking at teachers, we don’t always have to have the  best teachers  (although it would be nice) to be successful.  Teachers that are truly valuable are the ones who do their best in the roles they are put in and want to expand their knowledge and in turn expand their roles.  Valuable teachers are the ones who are reading and learning when they can.  Valuable teachers are the ones who are teaching other teachers and suggesting ways to become better.

I want Valuable Teachers not just the Best Teachers, who do you want?

The picture on the left is a popup you will get in the bottom right of your screen and the picture on the right will be a pop up you get in the middle of your screen.  As you can see, they look like legit anti-virus software.  Do not let them deceive you.  They are in-fact annoying nasty little buggers that can destroy your computer if you do not take care of them fast enough.  I even had to fix a computer a few months ago with a variation of the Soft virus that would not let you do anything after you log into your computer.

Is there hope?

Yes.  The good thing is, this virus can be fixed pretty easily and you don’t have to pay anyone to do it.  The other good thing is, unless you let it get out of control or you become their victim by buying the software they are trying to get you to buy, your information should be safe.

Here is how I took care of this issue on my personal computer last night.

After I saw that I had the virus, I saved all my important documents and pictures on a portable hard drive.  I was not able to connect to the internet or at least any pages they did not want me to see ( so the porn sites and their software page would continually pop up), so I turn off my wifi connection.  I went to my desktop and looked up some information on Antivirus Soft (this was a new name to me, one I have not seen before).  I rebooted my computer in safe mode with networking.  You do this by repeatably hitting F8 until you get the options to start in safe mode.  This will bypass the virus to open and do its stuff.  I went into Internet Explorer (Something I do not use at all normally, I stick with FireFox and Flock (Flock is built on Firefox). Under Tools and Internet Options I clicked on the connection tab.  I found the LAN settings and made sure the Proxy Server option was unchecked. This is how the virus controls your internet.  These viruses can also disable your real antivirus software including AVG and Malwarebytes.  After I took the proxy server block off, I was able to download rkill command that will get rid of the virus application.  You can find this command at many websites.  I use bleepingcomputer.com.  I then ran Malwarebytes to clean up any additional files.  After the scan was completed and I got rid of any problems I was able to reboot my computer with no problems.  I then started a full computer scan in AVG. (which make sure if you use AVG you have the latest update).

I hope this will help any struggling IT tech out there that is facing the same problem.  If you have a better solution please share with us.

The cashier doesn’t say anything to the individual, the customer doesn’t admit they are in the wrong, they just push the grounds as much as possible.  I am sure the first time someone disobey the limit wasn’t by 10 or 20 items, I am sure it was by one or maybe two items.  The individual will rationalize their wrong doing by stating well the three jugs of milk is only one item because they are all milk.  Slowly and over time they go from 1-2 items over to 10 -20 items over.  By now they don’t even care if anyone says anything because they can fall back on, I have been doing this for years.

People are not responsible for their actions and the ones who have authority are not holding them accountable.  This issue is the same issue we suffer through our classes and schools every day.  Students pushing the limits until we break and the limit is increased, and then they break them again.  Students know their parents will get them out of trouble if only they tell them what they want to hear.  So a teacher gets blind sided by a parent because the student stretched the limit on “telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”  Students don’t want to be a trouble shooter and follow guidelines in front of them.

We need more trouble shooters out there in the world.  To be a trouble shooter doesn’t mean you disobey what you don’t like.  If a lane says 20 items or less and you have 30 items, you need to decide which 10 items you can go without for the time being or choose a different lane.

Last night my wife and I were talking.  As you all know I am leaving my current school to become principal at Holt Lutheran Schools.  The president of the congregation came to me after my Bible Study last night to ask about my time line for ending my call here and starting my call there.  He also asked me if I have written down everything I do that someone else will have to do.  I kind of stood there in shock, I mean I do a lot of things.  I don’t think I could write instructions for everything I do.  As we were talking I said most of the stuff I do can fall to our Computer Coordinator.  I also mention how I did create some videos for our online grading program for our computer coordinator and principal.  To me it sounded like he wanted me to create a manual.  When I was telling my wife this, what she said next hit me right in the head as yes, that is exactly who I am.  She stated that I am a trouble shooter and when I see a problem I do whatever I can inside my powers and the powers to be to fix that problem.  My principal has stated the same thing all the time… “if there is a way… I will find it,” she has said numerous times.

Isn’t that what we want our kids and students to be more like.  Trouble shooters?  Not someone who breaks the rules, but someone who uses what they know to apply it to the best of their abilities to the rules.  I don’t know, maybe it is just me that thinks this way.  It wouldn’t be the first time I am the only one to think a certain way.

What do you want? Do you want students to break the rules or to apply their knowledge to the rules?

Below is a quick view of what we talked about last time and what we will quickly cover this time.

• What is Evangelism?

• What is Social Networking?

• Why should we combine the two?

1 Peter 3:15 (New International Version)

15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Why is it hard for Christians to Share their faith?

What is social networking?

Connections!

Can Christians find a home in this secular world of Social Networking Sites?

We help unite the body of Christ by allowing you to connect with other Christians, Share the Gospel & grow in your relationships – ALL for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ as the Premier Social Networker
His command to “Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations…” ( Matthew 28:19 NIV) accomplished what today’s
social networks on the Internet may never approach.
His network, the Christian Church, developed through word of mouth by men who risked imprisonment and death to deliver his message of love, hope, and forgiveness. He asked nothing in return but encouraged adherence to the principles he taught, which include love and forgiveness:

• 1. “Love as I have loved you”
• 2. “Forgive as I have forgiven you.”

Facebook and Myspace are Mission Fields?

A perfect mission field?

If we were going to design the perfect mission field, here is what it might look like:

1. It would be filled with millions of unsaved and accessible youth and young adults.
2. It would be a place where people openly, regularly, and publicly share their opinions, thoughts, feelings, concerns, fears, and needs without anyone asking them to.
3. It would be a place where people connect with other people in community, and people like and expect to meet new people.
4. It would be a place where many people provide a picture and a little information about themselves so you can know a little about them before you communicate with them.
5. It would be a place where it is okay to be creative, different, and to just be you.
6. It would be a place where people openly debate, discuss, and exchange ideas including spiritual matters.
7. It would be a place where people like to go and hang out. It would be fun, sometimes silly, and people would smile and laugh.
8. It would be a place that is very close to our home so we could get there quickly when we have some time, and getting there would not require immunizations, or passports, or plane trips. And it would all be free.

Why Do we need to have a presence?

Cyberfaith – Pew Internet Project

• —“25% used the Internet for religious information (+3 million a day)
• —41% received email prayer requests
• —23% seeking information about Islam after 9/11
• —67% accessed information about their own faith.
• —50% have sought information about other faiths.
• —53% concerned that the Internet amplifies the voice of the religious fringe
• —64% think it is easier to get religious information online.

How can Twitter be used as a tool besides telling others what we ate for lunch

Get your twitter mosaic here.

http://lutheranblogs.blogspot.com/

Is Online Community Biblical?

Hebrews 10:23-25 tells us to “not neglect meeting together, as some in the habit of doing, but encourage one another.”

Online church is like fast food ~ http://blog.ourchurch.com/2009/07/09/online-church-spiritual-fast-food/
1) It lacks essential nutrients. Burgers and fries lack a lot of important vitamins and minerals you can only get through fresh fruits and vegetables. Similarly online church lacks a lot of important spiritual nourishment you can only get in healthy community with other people.
2) It’s processed. Fast food is processed with chemicals and preservatives. Similarly online church is produced. There’s little room for natural, organic moves of the Holy Spirit.
3) You get it your way. With fast food, you always get your meal the way you want it. Same is true for online church. It feeds the consumerism mentality prevalent in our culture that says I’m in it as long as it meets my needs. Healthy churches have mutual commitment where people participate out of love for each other rather than one they get out of it.
4) Little effort is required. If you want fast food, you just go through the closest drive through. They do everything for you. If you want online church, it’s the same deal. There’s little effort required, just show up and consume your spiritual meal. Healthy church involves not just feeding yourself, but feeding (serving) others.
Fast food is not all bad
If you haven’t eaten for days, getting your hands on a Big Mac and McFries is a good thing. It will prevent you from starving. It will save your life. Similarly, if a person is spiritually starving online church can be a lifesaver. Many people have come to trust in Jesus as their savior because of God’s work through online churches.
If you are physically unable to prepare a meal, a bucket of KFC can provide you with nourishment. Similarly, if you are physically unable to be a part of a local church community, an online church can carry you through with spiritual nourishment
In fact, it’s probably OK to have tacos or fried chicken or some other fast food 2 or 3 times a week your entire life, as long you’re getting healthier foods at other times. Similarly, there’s bad about online church as a part of a healthy diet that also includes community and serving in other settings.
But you wouldn’t advocate a diet consisting exclusively of fast food for the rest of a person’s life, would you?
Likewise I don’t think it’s healthy for anyone if their spiritual diet consists exclusively of online church.
Agree? Disagree?

The first time I did it I tried to Stream it live, not sure how it went, but I will try again this time.

Pray that everything will go well.  The first time I had a good group of people, ranging from never used a computer to proficient enough.  My biggest fear actually having them try the services is trying to teach them how to turn on a computer… Teaching Students these skills are hard enough, teaching adults will be worse!