Sunday, April 13, 2008

Why This Blog

Why This Blog
Dave McGhee 7/29/2007

It has been pointed out that most blogs are probably not visited much and that they primarily meet the need of the blogger to express themselves publicly. An astute and mostly accurate observation! So why am I launching this experiment?

I would definitely classify myself as an introvert. In my old age and maturity I am functioning more extrovertly, but that is not my basic nature and it drains a lot of my energy. We introverts have to vent somehow though! I have found in the last few years that writing helps me organize my thoughts and has helped me greatly to express and grow my faith. You may say, “That’s what journaling is for.” And you would be correct. However, I have found that out of this journaling occasionally something really good comes forth. Something I feel that God has pressed on my heart to write down and send out! If it were just my journaling I would not be so bold to put it out on a blog! The articles I have come up with I have prayed about quite a bit and have tried hard to capture what I feel God wants me to say.

Galatians 6:1-10 along with other passages have some good advice on this subject. I would summarize these as a call to test our beliefs so that we are not deceived, either by ourselves or others. These verses also call us to gently seek guidance from our “brothers” and “instructors”. So by putting these blogs out there I am hoping to get feedback about my journey. I would be lying if I said I didn’t take pride when someone compliments one of my articles (maybe too much so, but that’s another subject). But I’m also looking for the “gentle restoration” in Galatians 6:1.

I consider Faith as my faith family. Even given that, being an introvert, these are not things that I can discuss easily face-to-face or verbally. Small groups and telephone calls are not my thing. An introvert needs to “chew” on things for awhile. I truly believe that some form of web based communication between Faith members would be a good thing; a means of extending and expanding our sense of community. Not as a substitute but as valuable augmentation. I don’t know of any other Faith blogs and if I am being called to plow the road, so be it. (Well, Pastor Steve has one now!)

I am trying very hard to structure this experiment so that it is not just me projecting outward. I very much want this to expose a new avenue for two-way communication. To offer ideas which have helped and grown my faith while also offering an avenue for others to connect with and find their own path; not to me and not to Faith, but through us to the faith in Jesus Christ that binds us.

In His service,Dave

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