It’s been something of a relief not to blog for a while. The original reason was that work got too busy.Â
But then I began to realise something else, which further stopped me. As the CEO/front-man of an up-and-coming company, I’m increasingly ‘public’. And any public role I take must be integrated with my private life as a Christian. Or rather, the way I am a Christian must be open to public view without shame.
And let’s face it. This blog has mostly been about the intracacies of church life, obsessions and theology as seen within (and in reaction to) the Reformed tradition in NZ. It has been largely ‘private’. But what use is that? Though helpfully informing my faith, and perhaps that of others, both the blog and the tradition are tragically ossified and eviscerated of relevance. Neither have any sense of ‘mission’, and both are ultimately self-serving. How do either integrate with me as a public businessman and CEO?
The guy 2 posts below is right. To most people not thoroughly inculturated in an inward-looking conservative Christian tradition, this blog is (that is, I am) just scary. And I’ve grown ashamed of it. If people deride me, may it not be because I’m weird.
I wish to be a public Christian. I wish to be someone who, with a fully integrated life, presents Jesus to people as the simple personal/public axiom that makes living coherant, hopeful, peaceful and joyous. And I want this to be part of the way I do everything, from structuring employment to prayer, from spending money to attending liturgical worship, from writing and speaking in public to writing and speaking theology.
So, look for changes. Sometime in the next few months I will completely overhaul this blog. Its primary focus is likely to become a kind of commentry on public events, public life, and public issues. Sort of like http://www.drury.net.nz/. There will possibly be a link to some section or part that is more personally reflective and may engage theology more directly, but likely made private to those to whom it will make sense.
Context is very important. And as St Paul said, let your words be edifying to those who hear. In expressing publicly what it might mean to align oneself with Jesus, I no longer want to be ashamed.
Don’t be surprised if the content of this blog disappears.
A+
Yeah, good calls.
(silence from the rest of the readership…)
I would suggest, in lieu of writing about life, you live – it’s good for regaining lost balance
At the same time I would welcome an intelligent Christian comment on current events.
Perhaps a balm for introspection might be the article written by Krister Stendahl entitled ‘The introspective conscience of the christian west’. I found it of value.
‘let your words be edifying to those who hear’ – St. Paul was a great man with much wisdom to those who would listen. Amen to the aforesaid changes.