Wednesday, February 22, 2006

One Year, 205 Posts Later

Today marks the one year anniversary of kerux noematathoughts of the preacher... this blog. I determined one year ago to blog for 12 months then to evaluate. So, you get to view my evaluation! What has blogging taught me?

1. Check your Greek before you post.
When I started blogging I had no idea how many people would actually read this thing. Had I known, I would have checked my English to Greek work before going public! In my consultations with the cowboy, I have realized that “thoughts of the preacher” in Greek should really look more like “noemata tou kerukos” or “noemata kerukos.” I thought about changing, but that would be like getting a tattoo removed – too painful, and who really looks at the thing anymore anyway! Besides, even kerux is misleading... but if you spell it “correctly” as keryx, people pronounce it all whacky. Just for the record, I am a “kay-rukes,” not a “kee-rux” or “care-ux” or “kie-rix.” Please pronounce it correctly in your head.

2. If you want attention, dare to say what you think is wrong or weird.

3. If you want a lot of attention, offer a critical evaluation of youth pastors or Bono.

4. The best part of blogging is the people it has introduced to me. Many of these “cyber-introductions” have led to real flesh and blood meetings – the scariest of which was with the challster. I mean, you have to figure that anybody who blogs as much as this guy must weigh in at 600 lbs and have an office like this! Suffice it to say that he was not half as odd as one might expect.

5. Blogging has also taught me to think more clearly. This is by far the most personally beneficial thing. Having to write out thoughts and communicate ideas forces me to think through matters more fully (I know, it is not that evident!). I have also tried to keep my posts small. (If you are like me you just don’t have a lot of time to read long essays.) So, unlike this post, most of my writing has been only a few paragraphs. This also has the advantage of stirring up lots of comments since I have to leave so many ideas undefended!

6. Another great advantage of blogging has been the comments I receive from “viewers like you.” I would say that 80% of these comments are pure cream – refining and challenging my own views and teaching me much. There is always that 20% of drivel, but I have yet to see a blog that doesn’t have that! Besides, the drivel is enigmatic of popular evangelicalism and thus instructive on another level. (Did I just say your comments are poppycock?)

So, is blogging worth the effort? Have 205 posts and 537 comments in one year accomplished anything of substance? Anything that promotes the work of God on the earth? In many ways that is an unanswerable question. So, I am forced to consider... will these noemata continue?

12 comments:

  1. Maybe someday when you're big like "the Challster", you too can have someone just delete the 20% of drivel, and then you'll never have to see it! :)

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  2. Love you blog and being able to keep up with you and what God's doing! Did you make the Bethlehem Pastor's Conf this year? Did the Canadian's convene? I didn't make but heard it was good! God has graciously provided a way for me to be at Together for the Gospel - any chance you'll be heading south for that? Keep up the great bloggin to the glory of God!

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  3. "I mean, you have to figure that anybody who blogs as much as this guy must weigh in at 600 lbs and have an office like this! Suffice it to say that he was not half as odd as one might expect."

    Well thanks. I think.

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  4. you simply must stay

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  5. "Write on", Kerux!

    I didn't realize that my comments added up to 20% of the total.

    Happy Anniversary.

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  6. Paul -

    I've never read your blog before today, but I followed all the links on this page, and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. By all means, keep blogging.

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  7. Sorry brother,
    You're too big to stop blogging now! Too beneficial. It'd be like a hockey player retiring when he's just coming into his prime! Some thoughts:
    - I love the short(er) posts. I most often read while taking a 15-20 min break from morning sermon prep. Helps get my mind ready for more study. Also exposes me to things that I wouldn't normally deal with (here in big Binbrook).
    - The pastoral/theological/cultural content is very beneficial. Partly because you're about 12x more mature as a pastor than me (literally!) - I need all the wisdom I can get my hands on!
    - I've been forced to refine my blog reading because of time restraints, but yours is worth the time! So keep blogging, brother Paul. By this medium you can mentor many from afar.
    - I do reserve the right to not comment on controversial things. No time to argue in cyber space.
    - Having said all this, I'm probably never going to start a blog. I don't know how you preach twice a week, pastor a growing church, AND keep up with this thing.

    In Christ, Ian.

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  8. Whats Poppycock? I can understand hoogley, but poppycock...whuz up wit' dat? I think I just learned a new word(not that I know what it means...well I could look at the context, context, context but that would be too easy..."I think this blog is about love, I feel that its all about love, that this blog is tolerent, nice and non-offensive...I think my shoe is a blog..but its true if you belive it"...NOT! sorry, I think I just went on a post-modern relativistic non-literal, all-inclusive, universal rant)Im back from the world of dreams...I vote stay...even if it is just to teach us cool new words :-) keep preaching brother and keep posting :-)

    Twin#2

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  9. 1) Glad you decided to keep blogging.

    2) Hopefully that will keep Odius Herodias over here and away from me. :-)

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  10. DR -
    Don't you think there should be, like, blogger bonus points or something for every time the O.H. commments on our blogs? Then double points if we reply!

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  11. I really have nothing to say to Kerux about his comment other than he seems to be caught up in some works thing, a little disturbing.

    It's rather strange to be leaving comments for Darrin on Kerux's blog, but I suppose I must defend my name within the context of the original aspersion.

    Darrin, your posts are so solid, so worthwhile, that adding OH comments would be akin to a Toronto street artist attempting to touch up Mona Lisa. On the other hand, Kerux's musings sometimes generate questions that practically beg for clarification. I think my role may be to help Kerux develop tighter patterns of Biblical thought, clearer articulation etc...

    After that last sentence, I don't think there's any chance a reader will surmise that 'OH' is short for 'overly humble' will they? :-)

    Smooches to all.

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