Articles by Timothy R. Butler

Timothy R. Butler is Editor-in-Chief of Open for Business. He also serves as a pastor at Little Hills Church and FaithTree Christian Fellowship.

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Tucker Carlson's Ironic Return

By Timothy R. Butler | May 10, 2023 at 11:37 PM

Tucker Carlson says he’s “back.” His three minute long Twitter video return is a tour de force argument on what’s terribly wrong in the media and the need for free speech. How desperately we need the whole truth and not just controlled bits of it. He’s right, but I’m hardly celebrating, because the setting is so ironic.

Living on the Subscription Clock

By Timothy R. Butler | Apr 26, 2023 at 10:58 PM

Just writing this column is going to make me uncomfortable, because I certainly don’t like thinking about how many subscriptions I’ve gotten roped into. Not that long ago if you’d said “subscription,” I’d have thought “magazine.” Now, I think “everything.” Precisely how many subscriptions can we stomach?

How to (Not) Save 24 Hours with Cell Phone Customer Service

By Timothy R. Butler | Apr 19, 2023 at 8:12 PM

I sometimes wonder how we get anything done at all. Usually, I wonder that while sitting on hold with customer service. I especially find myself wondering that when said customer service has to do with cellular service. I was wondering that today.

Has "Big Worship" Ruined Church Music?

By Timothy R. Butler | Apr 12, 2023 at 10:33 PM

Ah, the week after Easter, that season when we critique the music we’ve just been singing. My attention was caught when the New York Times religion reporter tweeted out a link to Bob Smietana’s piece published this week bemoaning the homogenous nature of the present worship experience and how many churches did the same music over Easter weekend (and, by extension, every weekend).

The Middle of the Week

By Timothy R. Butler | Apr 05, 2023 at 10:17 PM

Is it just me? It feels like 2023 has been a slog so far. I’m pretty certain it isn’t just me, because as I look around, everyone looks like they are struggling. Life is full of struggles, but I don’t remember them being so palpable around most people most of the time like now. We strive and yearn and wait. Like Holy Week.

Rogue Amoeba's Tools Gave Me Real Time Sound Isolation Everywhere. Even OBS.

By Timothy R. Butler | Mar 29, 2023 at 9:20 PM

Longtime Mac users who have any level of need for professional audio tools have probably encountered veteran developer Rogue Amoeba and their suite of tools. I use Audio Hijack Pro, Loopback and Farrago as the core of our workflow on Zippy the Wonder Snail. A series of little discoveries moved me to making those tools my one-stop-mic-enhancement shop for OBS Studio and beyond.

AI Meets Every Day Life

Bing's Chatbot and Quora's Poe are Contrasting, but Useful Tools

By Timothy R. Butler | Mar 15, 2023 at 10:33 PM

Some level of mainstream machine learning has been present in the lives of ordinary folks like you and me since iPhoto first did facial recognition well over a decade ago. Other AI or AI-like tech has become increasingly pervasive, but quite limited. Now, a flood of “experience this now” machine learning is drowning out past years’ “imagine if this were just a bit better” tech. Two tools to utilize such tech are worth your attention right now.

God's Flashlight

By Timothy R. Butler | Mar 08, 2023 at 8:52 PM

I remember a number of years ago, I was working in a storage warehouse at the university I was teaching at with one of my work study students. We were going through boxes trying to find something when a storm came through. We didn't even know there was a storm because there weren't any windows — we were completely dependent on lightbulbs for light. And then those lights went out. And it was dark. It was really dark.

Episode 35: I Knew It Was the “Ultra Bowl” or Something

By Timothy R. Butler | Feb 28, 2023 at 11:22 PM

The Zippy Crew speeds through a bunch of sports related topics — including the return of baseball — and then turns to the “He Gets Us” campaign, the Asbury Revival and controversy around the old praise song “Above All.”

What to Make of Lent

By Timothy R. Butler | Feb 22, 2023 at 8:35 PM

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of the season of Lent. Countless Christians around the world will receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead to mark the beginning of this time of reflection and repentance. Yet, for those who do not observe the season, this can look an awful lot like legalistic rule keeping or, even worse, an attempt to receive outward praise for superficial humility.

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