A good post on blogging. Definitely worth your read, and see the comments.
Blogging has me in a kind of quandary. I like it, and I dislike it (love and hate, too strong).
Real community is both what we all need in Jesus, and what the world needs to see from us. It's to be a community not turned in on itself, a missional community, like Jesus welcoming all the outsiders in. Allowing for the fact that conversion normally (and probably always, even if we can't see it) involves a process.
Back to blogging. I guess I'm in kind of a mini-identity crisis, and naturally that involves everything, including my blogging. I'm just not sure what I'm going to do, or how it matters. Having my own blog benefits me in thinking through some thoughts, sharing with others from what God is teaching me, and in having an outlet for writing. If there are any readers, and among them some commenters, that's a bonus. I am thankful for each of you. I do have at least a couple commitments, so I will fulfill them through this blog.
But I'm wondering if I haven't been too taken up with friendships online, to the neglect of friendships in my face to face, everyday world.
But go to the link, above. A most interesting read.
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
writing
L.L. Barkat has an interesting post on writing, and how on the one hand it can't be forced, but on the other hand it can. A good read, as is all of her blog. And I look forward to her second book, her first book truly a keeper.
For me writing needs to flow, and that is why at this time I don't like to figure out what I'm going to write on until I'm at the computer. Because assuredly the thoughts that come to me will be long gone by the time I get there. Of course what I do write on is related to my life, reading, and thinking.
Usually I not only do not know what I am going to write, but just how I'm going to write it. Or write at all, for that matter. So just to write most any post is a kind of discipline for me. True of this one, as I told myself I need to go to the computer and type- I know not what- for a post today.
But for us writers and creative people who have our blogs, your blog is simply an expression of who you are. Along with what you want to accomplish in your blogging.
My title sums up what I want to do: experience "Jesus community." But that experience can embrace the entire spectrum of human life, and really everything that can be considered, in light of the truth in Jesus. I enjoy sharing what is most important to me, and hearing from others the same. As well as working through theological issues. And lighter things as well, as no part of life is insignificant, really. But just as high is getting to know others, as limited as that is. Though I hope such fellowship doesn't push out, or replace getting to know others better with whom I have contact in day to day life, or on a regular basis, in person.
What about you? What thoughts do you have in how you do your blog- and goals you have in doing it? Or any other thoughts, here?
For me writing needs to flow, and that is why at this time I don't like to figure out what I'm going to write on until I'm at the computer. Because assuredly the thoughts that come to me will be long gone by the time I get there. Of course what I do write on is related to my life, reading, and thinking.
Usually I not only do not know what I am going to write, but just how I'm going to write it. Or write at all, for that matter. So just to write most any post is a kind of discipline for me. True of this one, as I told myself I need to go to the computer and type- I know not what- for a post today.
But for us writers and creative people who have our blogs, your blog is simply an expression of who you are. Along with what you want to accomplish in your blogging.
My title sums up what I want to do: experience "Jesus community." But that experience can embrace the entire spectrum of human life, and really everything that can be considered, in light of the truth in Jesus. I enjoy sharing what is most important to me, and hearing from others the same. As well as working through theological issues. And lighter things as well, as no part of life is insignificant, really. But just as high is getting to know others, as limited as that is. Though I hope such fellowship doesn't push out, or replace getting to know others better with whom I have contact in day to day life, or on a regular basis, in person.
What about you? What thoughts do you have in how you do your blog- and goals you have in doing it? Or any other thoughts, here?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
having eyes to see
Many of my posts are composed when I get up in the morning. And a good number of those are related to ways I've sense God is at work in my life. Or areas I need to work on. Firsthand kind of things. As I reflect on the day before.
Jesus taught us that we need to have eyes to see and ears to hear. We need to work at developing a sensitivity toward God, not dependent on anything except God's grace. Reading Scripture, and good books is helpful for us in this. Listening to others, Christian fellowship, and listening well to everyone (Bonhoeffer). These and more will help us begin to have discernment toward having a sense of what God is doing and speaking into our lives.
As we keep going through Scripture, we can get perspective on our own lives by viewing the lives of others. This is an important part of learning to "see" and "hear" well. Seeing God's work and will in the lives of ordinary human beings like ourselves.
Am I seeing and hearing well now? I wouldn't say that, in fact I believe at times I am not. But I think it's good to be aware of this need, so that we can work on our focus as well as to what and how we are listening: where our attention lies.
What thoughts might you like to add to these few thoughts here?
Jesus taught us that we need to have eyes to see and ears to hear. We need to work at developing a sensitivity toward God, not dependent on anything except God's grace. Reading Scripture, and good books is helpful for us in this. Listening to others, Christian fellowship, and listening well to everyone (Bonhoeffer). These and more will help us begin to have discernment toward having a sense of what God is doing and speaking into our lives.
As we keep going through Scripture, we can get perspective on our own lives by viewing the lives of others. This is an important part of learning to "see" and "hear" well. Seeing God's work and will in the lives of ordinary human beings like ourselves.
Am I seeing and hearing well now? I wouldn't say that, in fact I believe at times I am not. But I think it's good to be aware of this need, so that we can work on our focus as well as to what and how we are listening: where our attention lies.
What thoughts might you like to add to these few thoughts here?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
when Christians disagree
In my early blogging days, maybe around four years ago, I ran into this phenomena called blogging, and I began to run into "Christian" blogs. Of course anyone can start a blog, and there are numerous blogs like my own, which have minimal blog traffic, at least comment-wise.
I soon ran into Christian blogs which either had some comment traffic, or some which spent alot of time taking other Christians to task for not being true to God's word. Of course there's a place for correcting each other, but such blogs were all about just how lukewarm and rancid Christians had become, and just how error prone Christian leaders are.
I would leave my comments on such blogs, or in such discussions, challenging some of the assumptions made. But seeking to do so in a civil manner. Finally, I may have been about ready to give up blogging, or at least set it to the side, when I ran into Scot McKnight's Jesus Creed. I already appreciated Scot McKnight quite a bit, having read his two commentaries in the NIV Application Commentary series, on 1 Peter and Galatians. I found this blog not only an opportunity to keep learning, and learning alot, but a place of civil and loving discourse. There was plenty of disagreement on the blog, but most of the time it was done with words carefully chosen. Sometimes Scot would moderate in various ways, always making sure the thread was one of not only seeking truth, but of doing so in grace.
When Christians disagree, it's important for us to really hear each other out. We tend to easily move into a debate mode which we could possibly win, without really proving we have the better case. And that ends up being about who is right. This leaves "winners" and "losers" and all too often neither may be that close to the truth. But even if the winner of the debate is closer to the truth, at what expense?
Is there a place for debate, even vigorous debate in the midst of discussion? Of course there is, Paul employed it in Acts (and Apollos), and the early church fathers on their way to hammering out the creeds. In the midst of doing so, we may need to take back some of our words, just as I did this morning on my own blog (comment #12). We need to listen well to what the other is saying, and then present our case.
When Christians discuss issues, oftentimes we find we can learn quite a bit from the other side which we will need to account for. We may end up altering or refining our own view in the process.
As I get older, I really like to steer away from areas in which we Christians disagree, because I believe what we have in Jesus and in God's kingdom in Jesus is so much more important and central. But with theology being in the flux in which it's in today, there's bound to be some differences among us, differences on how to look at difficult issues.
I'm thankful to be doing so with people who adhere to and follow the Jesus creed. So that at the end of the day, it's really not about who won or lost, or who was right, but about us all following Jesus- even when, in this life, we don't see eye to eye on everything.
Just a few thoughts on this. What would anyone like to add here?
I soon ran into Christian blogs which either had some comment traffic, or some which spent alot of time taking other Christians to task for not being true to God's word. Of course there's a place for correcting each other, but such blogs were all about just how lukewarm and rancid Christians had become, and just how error prone Christian leaders are.
I would leave my comments on such blogs, or in such discussions, challenging some of the assumptions made. But seeking to do so in a civil manner. Finally, I may have been about ready to give up blogging, or at least set it to the side, when I ran into Scot McKnight's Jesus Creed. I already appreciated Scot McKnight quite a bit, having read his two commentaries in the NIV Application Commentary series, on 1 Peter and Galatians. I found this blog not only an opportunity to keep learning, and learning alot, but a place of civil and loving discourse. There was plenty of disagreement on the blog, but most of the time it was done with words carefully chosen. Sometimes Scot would moderate in various ways, always making sure the thread was one of not only seeking truth, but of doing so in grace.
When Christians disagree, it's important for us to really hear each other out. We tend to easily move into a debate mode which we could possibly win, without really proving we have the better case. And that ends up being about who is right. This leaves "winners" and "losers" and all too often neither may be that close to the truth. But even if the winner of the debate is closer to the truth, at what expense?
Is there a place for debate, even vigorous debate in the midst of discussion? Of course there is, Paul employed it in Acts (and Apollos), and the early church fathers on their way to hammering out the creeds. In the midst of doing so, we may need to take back some of our words, just as I did this morning on my own blog (comment #12). We need to listen well to what the other is saying, and then present our case.
When Christians discuss issues, oftentimes we find we can learn quite a bit from the other side which we will need to account for. We may end up altering or refining our own view in the process.
As I get older, I really like to steer away from areas in which we Christians disagree, because I believe what we have in Jesus and in God's kingdom in Jesus is so much more important and central. But with theology being in the flux in which it's in today, there's bound to be some differences among us, differences on how to look at difficult issues.
I'm thankful to be doing so with people who adhere to and follow the Jesus creed. So that at the end of the day, it's really not about who won or lost, or who was right, but about us all following Jesus- even when, in this life, we don't see eye to eye on everything.
Just a few thoughts on this. What would anyone like to add here?
Saturday, September 06, 2008
For Better, For Worse: 5 Ways Blogging Changed My Life
L.L. Barkat tagged me with a meme she invented herself. Here are the rules which she herself cheerfully broke:
1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you
3. link back to this parent post (L.L. Barkat is not so much interested in generating links, but rather in tracking the meme so she can perhaps do a summary post later on that looks at patterns and interesting discoveries.)
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them
How blogging has changed me:
1. Through Scot McKnight's blog, Jesus Creed, I have been challenged theologically both in mind and life. I found his blog and found some friends through it. But especially his writing and my participation on that blog were teeth cutting for me in learning the art of blogging. Allan R. Bevere, himself a pastor, professor and writer, has been a big encouragement to me, and his blog is a great one, as well.
2. Rusty Peterman urged me to consider starting my own blog. I pondered that and then I think to my surprise, began.
3. I can't recall exactly how I met everyone in the blogging world, but it was primarily through connections. So I can't recall how I met L.L. Barkat, except my guess is that she found me over at Jesus Creed, came over to my blog, and began dropping comments there, especially it seems (according to my memory) when no one else was at least on that particular post. So I began going to her blog and found it intriguing- she is quite creative and good with words, but oddly enough, for the longest time, I thought she was a man! I think it was something of a shock when I learned that that is not the case! I've been blogging through her book- ponderously in the eyes of readers, I'm afraid, but I do think through that, the book has gained at least a couple of readers. It has been a great book for me to work through- wonderful writing and challenging in its application to life, L.L. sharing continually from her own story and life.
4. By and by, and maybe through L.L., I met Halfmom, AKA, Susan. I found her blog intriguing, and good in exalting the sovereignty of God in our lives and how we can trust him. And she, being a scientist wrote in an intriguing way. She also was painfully vulnerable in being open about her life both on her blog, and as I recall on other blogs. What she said connected well with me and my own struggle ongoing for years. And finding out she is a counselor I believe beforehand, I emailed her and shared my own story. She has helped me immensely through her gift, and God has done and is doing a work which only God can do. So this has certainly been a life-changer for me. And Deb and I are now friends with her, though we haven't yet met in person.
5. I've made other new friends, and continue to do so. I like the balance between fellowship and learning. I'm not only into thinking through God's truth in Jesus for life, but wanting to do so with others, and getting to know others. Generally, I think guys seem to be more into sharing truth as they see it, while gals seem to be more into sharing relationship- with truth in that. Not to say I blog with Christian bloggers only, because not all the blogs on my sidelinks belong to Christians. I like a balance between sharing our lives and truth in Jesus with each other and the world. And simply getting to know others through their blogs.
6. Okay, especially early on I spent too much time blogging. But that was better than the one NFL football season I spent playing fantasy football, and I put alot of effort in that and made it to the championship game which I lost (my recollection is that it was the final championship game, though it may have been the championship game in my league; my memory sometime flatters me, unfortunately). But still, though more to my liking (though fantasy football is amazingly fun, at least it was for me that one season), I've learned to cut back. Reading and thinking through words is a big part of who I am, and in a pastoral way trying to be responsible theologically. Now Deb is reading my blog and likes what I do, and is helping me towards better balance in it, and in life, I think. :)
7. I have to end on a good note. Lately I've thought about pulling the plug on my blog, or curtailing it. I tend to do only what I do most everyday, barring Sundays. But it occurred to me, especially through this post over at Not Ashamed, that this is kind of a spiritual discipline for me. I have thought of that before, but being reminded of Bonhoeffer's thoughts on prayer in private and in community in a disciplined manner, helped me see that this is the closest I come to that kind of experience, at least for the most part.
Now I will tag some friends, and this won't be easy because I could tag alot more. But here goes, in alphabetical order:
Allan R. Bevere
Andrew Hall
Bill Williams
Crowm
Every Square Inch
Halfmom, AKA, Susan
Nancy
Preacherman
1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you
3. link back to this parent post (L.L. Barkat is not so much interested in generating links, but rather in tracking the meme so she can perhaps do a summary post later on that looks at patterns and interesting discoveries.)
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them
How blogging has changed me:
1. Through Scot McKnight's blog, Jesus Creed, I have been challenged theologically both in mind and life. I found his blog and found some friends through it. But especially his writing and my participation on that blog were teeth cutting for me in learning the art of blogging. Allan R. Bevere, himself a pastor, professor and writer, has been a big encouragement to me, and his blog is a great one, as well.
2. Rusty Peterman urged me to consider starting my own blog. I pondered that and then I think to my surprise, began.
3. I can't recall exactly how I met everyone in the blogging world, but it was primarily through connections. So I can't recall how I met L.L. Barkat, except my guess is that she found me over at Jesus Creed, came over to my blog, and began dropping comments there, especially it seems (according to my memory) when no one else was at least on that particular post. So I began going to her blog and found it intriguing- she is quite creative and good with words, but oddly enough, for the longest time, I thought she was a man! I think it was something of a shock when I learned that that is not the case! I've been blogging through her book- ponderously in the eyes of readers, I'm afraid, but I do think through that, the book has gained at least a couple of readers. It has been a great book for me to work through- wonderful writing and challenging in its application to life, L.L. sharing continually from her own story and life.
4. By and by, and maybe through L.L., I met Halfmom, AKA, Susan. I found her blog intriguing, and good in exalting the sovereignty of God in our lives and how we can trust him. And she, being a scientist wrote in an intriguing way. She also was painfully vulnerable in being open about her life both on her blog, and as I recall on other blogs. What she said connected well with me and my own struggle ongoing for years. And finding out she is a counselor I believe beforehand, I emailed her and shared my own story. She has helped me immensely through her gift, and God has done and is doing a work which only God can do. So this has certainly been a life-changer for me. And Deb and I are now friends with her, though we haven't yet met in person.
5. I've made other new friends, and continue to do so. I like the balance between fellowship and learning. I'm not only into thinking through God's truth in Jesus for life, but wanting to do so with others, and getting to know others. Generally, I think guys seem to be more into sharing truth as they see it, while gals seem to be more into sharing relationship- with truth in that. Not to say I blog with Christian bloggers only, because not all the blogs on my sidelinks belong to Christians. I like a balance between sharing our lives and truth in Jesus with each other and the world. And simply getting to know others through their blogs.
6. Okay, especially early on I spent too much time blogging. But that was better than the one NFL football season I spent playing fantasy football, and I put alot of effort in that and made it to the championship game which I lost (my recollection is that it was the final championship game, though it may have been the championship game in my league; my memory sometime flatters me, unfortunately). But still, though more to my liking (though fantasy football is amazingly fun, at least it was for me that one season), I've learned to cut back. Reading and thinking through words is a big part of who I am, and in a pastoral way trying to be responsible theologically. Now Deb is reading my blog and likes what I do, and is helping me towards better balance in it, and in life, I think. :)
7. I have to end on a good note. Lately I've thought about pulling the plug on my blog, or curtailing it. I tend to do only what I do most everyday, barring Sundays. But it occurred to me, especially through this post over at Not Ashamed, that this is kind of a spiritual discipline for me. I have thought of that before, but being reminded of Bonhoeffer's thoughts on prayer in private and in community in a disciplined manner, helped me see that this is the closest I come to that kind of experience, at least for the most part.
Now I will tag some friends, and this won't be easy because I could tag alot more. But here goes, in alphabetical order:
Allan R. Bevere
Andrew Hall
Bill Williams
Crowm
Every Square Inch
Halfmom, AKA, Susan
Nancy
Preacherman
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
