"Why do you write?"
"To tell people about my life". "No, not really - that would be far too boring."
"Well, if you don't know, tell me why you started?"
"Easy enough. To let the girls (Karen and Liz) know what's going on at home."
"There's a but coming?"
"but, since then it's changed ..."
"How"
"Well I've added the reviews blog, for example, and I post my sermons there (most of them)"
"So you do think you have something to say to the rest of the world?"
"Yes, some of it at least, why else would I train to be a preacher?"
"And what you have to say is important?"
"No"
"So why bother?"
"OK, well, Then I'd have to say 'a bit'."
"That doesn't work, it's either important or it isn't"
"Well, as a preacher, I am trying to bring Jesus message to his Church (that part that meets in Perry Street, Billericay, England), and that must be important."
"But that doesn't explain the blog"
"No, it doesn't, but I promised people in the church I would keep them up-to-date with what's happening in my training. I write articles for the 'Spotlight' monthly magazine, I tell people what's happening, both in the notices section, and face-to-face. Some of them must be fed up with me. The blog is part of that as well - especially when I was on placement at Hutton."
"there's more, isn't there"
"Yes, I've read so many sermons on the web in preparation, I'd like to have my say"
"so, how do you make sure you get read?"
"I don't. It's there for people to find, I do use 'Ping-o-matic' when I remember, to make it easier for people to find the things I have posted."
"So, will play the meme game? Sounds like it could increase your readership?"
"The clue is in the title, it makes me uneasy saying HERE I AM. I'm happier pointing people somewhere else - to Jesus, in the case of my preaching. I don't want to be the target of the 'I follow Apollos, or I follow Paul', read the rest of the verse, and check the blog name' "
"So, what will you do?"
"I remember a quote from the bottom of someone's e-mail, that said:
'If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got'.
It made me think. How do you just start doing things differently - it may be OK for you, but I've grown into my habits, and I comfortable in them.""And where is God in this?"
"Jesus would not let anyone settle, He was constantly doing and saying things to challenge those who thought they knew how life worked. This for me is just another of his challenges. It means changing my habit and commenting on other blogs, not just commenting on mine. The evangelists would say that we should meet people where they are, not wait for them to find us. Twice recently, once last Sunday, by Mark, and once during the discussion with my new Spiritual Advisor, I have been reminded that I'm supposed to be a missionary at work. That's another habit, but it's one that I have got out of."
...
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Well done if you got this far......
I've just read the Dilbert cartoon (probably not completely accurate quotes):
Pointy haired boss to secretary: "I've decided to start a blog, I will write my thoughts about our company and our business".
Secretary with head in hands
Pointy haired boss to secretary: "I need you to write the first entry by lunchtime"
Pointy haired boss to secretary: "I can't wait to see what I'm thinking"
Waht a great conclusion, Pete. I need to hire that secretary!
ReplyDeleteYour messages reach further than you realize. Thursday, a visitor and I sat in my backyard here in Florida and our much of conversation centered around your blog. She lives in a retirement community and said she would tell some shut-in there about your postings. See, your sermons and messages do reach into the very back pew.