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my first venture into online social networking was myspace…in 2002. i did it mostly for the music and to connect a little to kids in the youth group, who were just starting to get into it. i didn’t spend much time. i was a dabbler…and definitely not a stalker.
somewhere back in 2005 (i think), i got invited to join xanga. i became a fringe member of a small online community of young north pointers (and others), who were beginning to banter with each other from their keyboards. i’ll never forget the first time i wandered into writing for people to actually read what i thought about something.
…it was my explanation to brazos for why i don’t really like radiohead. it was deep and profound, from what i remember.
i liked the mental stimulation of putting my thoughts into words, so i created my first real blogging site with blogger… but i didn’t make it public for a few months. i just kinda practiced and got the hang of posting and editing…and then i went full-blown public on august 11, 2006. ( i switched from blogger to wordpress at the beginning of 2008.)
so here are some thoughts as i look back over 999 posts:
first off, i’m really humbled that so many of you take the time to read what i write. i’m no lady gaga (over nine million twitter subscribers) or john piper (over 30,000 RSS members), but i do have about 600 people i connect with each time i write. yeah. i’m definitely humbled. i am totally grateful to so many of you who take the time to comment. i wish i would take more time to comment back at you. i’m going to work on this. your comments encourage me and inspire me and make me laugh and give me perspective and insight that i wouldn’t have got on my own. i started out writing for fun, but it has turned out to be for so much more. about 80% of north point adults subscribe. it has been an awesome way for me to continue my teaching and discipling throughout the week. i have been able to say more than i can say in a weekly sermon. it’s been a place to rehash and restate and circle back to important things with the most important people in my world. it’s also been a place to say things that i wouldn’t or shouldn’t say in a sermon. i’m not being a chump here. i’m actually being sensitive to an audience that doesn’t want…or doesn’t need to hear my ramblings or my thoughts that go off the beaten path…on a sunday morning. the cool thing about a blog is if you don’t like or agree with what i’m saying, you can simply click. it takes time to write. i totally understand why so many pastors have no interest in blogging at all. it’s a discipline. it takes effort. but it forces me to look below the surface at the mundane…and often see what i would have missed otherwise. i have become a better wanderer…and student of the master…because of it. i think i’m a better bible teacher because of blogging. blogging forces me to make my thoughts concise and to the point. i am continuing to get better at saying important things in smaller spaces. although i’m rambling a little today, blogging has helped me keep from rambling when i preach…and learn to say what needs to be said and not just what i want to say.
so thanks for reading. thanks for commenting. i’m looking forward to the next six years of sharing the journey with you. mike
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