As of the last time I checked, I’m still alive

I’ve been on a blogging hiatus, or at least that’s what I’ll call it in retrospect. Mostly I’ve been tired and my brain hasn’t been functioning on a high enough level to share my thoughts with the world.

What has been encouraging is that there are still people who come to read stuff here. Not a tonne of people, but people nonetheless. That’s cool, thanks.

It seems that most of you are here for church planting stuff, more specifically Church Planting Sucks. While this thing is still more for my benefit than yours, I’ll try to write a little bit more about that.  If I can throw a little bit of hope out I’ll be more than happy to.

So, soon, something silly to get my feet back under me and back to the grind

tonight

Sorry I’ve been less regular.

Tonight is the night to get back on rythm

See you later

Blogs I read

I often see blogs with dozen of other blogs listed in their site. I wonder does this person actually read all of these different blogs? Do they know all these people? How do I get my blog on here?

In case I’m not completely strange I’ll tell you a little bit about the blogs to which I connect.

Beauty and Depravity – Eugene Cho

While the title of this blog lends to some interesting searches finding it, I found it through Jesus Creed when he was writing about the Korean missionaries who were kidnapped in Afghanistan. I’m new to his blog, but it reads well and he seems like a wise and Godly man. He’s also a pastor and church planter and barista and Quest seems to be doing some things in Seattle that we would like to attempt in Edmonton. Eugene was also on of my inspirations to have a website after reading this post. See, stories bear fruit.

Containers and Compartments – Teddi Taylor

Teddi is my wife, my best friend, my confidant, my administrator, my editor, my partner in crime,  the mother of my children and a darn good writer as well. She helps me to relive parts of our family’s life that I don’t notice, and she’s kind enough to send some traffic my way.

Dave’s Web-log – Dave MacIntyre

Dave is a friend that I talk about here. He’s just starting out and says nice things about me.

iProcess – Jeff Young

Jeff is a friend that I met through the Arrow Leadership Program. He’s also a pastor and a great writer. He’s also been walking tall through a tough time lately and has demonstrated to me how to behave as a man of grace and forgiveness and conviction. I’m blessed to know him, and he has great hair, of which I am jealous.

Jesus Creed – Scot Mcknight

We’ve discussed Dr. McKnight before as well, but I believe that Scot McKnight isn’t really a human being, but an incredibly prolific theology robot. He produces some amazing work on his site for free, but also has time to teach and write great books. His fashion sense leaves a little to be desired, but I try not to hold that against him.

Jordon Cooper

I’ve never met him, but I check his site every day, and I’m also part of Resonate.
He provides really neat links to great stories on the web, and he seems to be a thoughtful person. His site is really a gift that shortens my browsing time. He devote what seems to be a lot of time and effort to the church in Canada, and (I can say this as someone who spent four years outside Moose Jaw) he lives in Saskatchewan, which is hard for anyone.

Real Live Preacher – Gordon Atkinson

This was one of the first blogs I ever read, and man did I need it at the time. Gordon’s writing is beautiful, and as a pastor, I need to hear his crazy energy and hope in the midst of depression. He also has a book that I would recommend. I’ve emailed him a couple of times and he has always responded with care and grace.

So there you go. That’s why the blogs are in my roll. I read them all. I know some of them. I would probably put yours there if you ask nicely.

Another one bites the dust…

It appears that my humble little experiment has already begun to bear some fruit. My friend Dave has also decided to put his thoughts in some semblance of order on e paper. He talks in his first post about his reasons and also says some nice things about yours truly.

Dave is a good friend from college and we both work for the same nameless multi-national coffee company. He also is younger and prettier than me. I try not to hold these things against him.

I love storytelling because of the unintended consequences.  When I tell stories, be it through preaching or writing or performing or teaching something often happens that I never planned or could not possibly hope to control.  Sometimes people learn something about God that I didn’t know myself. Sometimes people decide to examine relationships and priorities I didn’t know they had. Sometimes people start web-logs.

Now none of this happens because I am a brilliant storyteller or because I carry with me the wisdom of the ages. It happens because there is something bigger going on.  . In the stories we tell with our words  and our lives we are pointing to the things we value most; the things we’re passionate about and love. My stories, hopefully, point to things inside us and outside us that are bigger than we dream.

Welcome Dave, may your stories be big and powerful and small and silly. May they touch people you don’t know in ways you never dreamed. May all of your words point our ears and eyes and hearts to something bigger going on.

and so it begins…

And so it begins…

I’ve decided to join the blogosphere in 2008. I’ve always been a closet writer and and now I’m going to take subtle steps out into the glare of the public eye. I turned thirty last month and that transition, amongst other things, made me take a long hard look at my life and what I’m doing. I came to the conclusion that I need some more discipline in my life, more structure, more accountability.

So thats why I’m here. This blog is going to be a way of disciplining myself to order my thought life and time. Mostly I’ll talk about books I’m reading, family life, probably some church stuff and faith. I hope it’s helpful and I hope it’s entertaining.