Blogging
10 Classic Fallen + Flawed Posts on Christian Blogging
While some of you have been reading Fallen and Flawed since the beginning [December 2008], many of you are new.
So, to help you understand what this blog is all about, I created a beginner’s guide…
Think of it as a historical primer on the purpose behind this blog.
More importantly, see it as a guide to help you plan, launch and grow your own Christian blog.
My hope is I can help at least one person do just that. Let me know what you think.
Here they are:
Why You Must Endure My Half-Baked Ideas What are the payoffs to working through your doubts about Christianity? One is you won’t base your faith on half-baked ideas. There are more.
Have You Read the Book Behind This Blog? It’s still shocking to me how much a few wrong turns could change my life. Read the story behind this blog. And the book that started it.
I Am Orin Scrivello, Sadistic Blogger When someone blasted me on a blog post with foul language, it triggered a rather sadistic thought.
5 Reasons Why I Waited a Year to Launch This Blog This might sound strange to you, but I waited over 365 days before launching this blog. Why did I wait so long? The answer may surprise you.
Are Public Rebukes Okay? My Advice Do the rules for church discipline apply to the impersonal, disembodied world of blogging? My answer might surprise you.
The 5 A.M. Secret: How to Balance Blog and Family How do I manage to balance job, family, friends and blog? Simple. I use the 5 A.M. secret.
Why Reformed Bloggers Wear Me Out We need more Christians bloggers who will converse and confront atheist bloggers. Here are 4 ways to do that.
Tim Keller’s Guide to Vibrant Blogging Hard to believe that a 58-year old pastor in NYC could teach you anything about blogging. But he can.
Why I Blog [It's the New M.A., Dummy] Did you know you can earn a Masters degree by blogging? Okay, you can’t really. But you can come real close. Find out how.
My Unorthodox Copyright Policy [or, Why It's Okay to Steal This Blog] The content on this blog is yours. It’s yours to use however you please. But there’s a catch.
Note: Bookmark this post so you can take your time working through this list. There’s a lot of content here. And you probably won’t be able to read it all in one day.
Also, subscribe to Fallen and Flawed if you haven’t already. That way you can get all the latests posts.
What I Learned During My 31 Day Blogging Break
Thirty one days ago I logged out of WordPress, snapped my laptop shut and walked away from Fallen and Flawed.
I didn’t write posts, respond to comments, update Twitter, linger on Facebook or even peel through my blog reader.
I just sat out the online life for a while and just reveled in my lack of virtual responsibility.
If you’ve ever unloaded a hefty responsibility to someone else before, you know what I’m talking about.
Delegation can be sweet.
Kissing This Blog Goodbye
In fact, it was so sweet I wondered if I’d even return. There was no doubt in my mind that a chapter of my life closed…
The question was: Did I want to open that book again?
I mean, balancing the workload of a blog and wife and children and work–it takes a toll. That’s one of the reasons I developed the 5 A. M. secret.
More importantly, I kind of felt like I’d achieved what I was after: a thorough education in theology.
And while I didn’t walk away with a master’s degree, I grew more than I ever could’ve in a classroom.
So there I was, ready to kiss this blog goodbye. [Scary, I know!]
In fact, on November 7, two days into my sabbatical, I got an email from my blog hosting company telling me I was up for renewal…
Did I want to renew? A fraction of me said no.
However, from the very beginning I’d made a promise that I’d at least run this puppy for two years…
So I renewed it all the while wondering if I made the right decision. Fortunately, this feeling didn’t last.
The Heartrending Part of This Story
This ambivalence toward the blog eventually faded into a complete indifference. So much so I forgot I even owned a blog.
Then came the emails.
A handful of readers wrote with the most precious concern that they were pestering me but with the simple comment that they miss the blog and can’t wait until I return…
That got me rooting through the last blog post comments…and getting a little teary eyed.
It’s fascinating what a few words of encouragement can do.
And so with about ten days left in my sabbatical, I began to champ at the bit. Hungry to get back onto the turf. To rub shoulders–gritty and all–with my precious readers.
And that nervous energy only grew.
An Opportunity for YOU and Me
This story hasn’t quite arrived at this morning though. There’s one more episode I need to share…
And it concerns an article I read about Josh Hanagarn’s–aka, the world’s strongest librarian–stint to write 42 guest posts in 7 weeks.
What Josh’s post opened my eyes to was the world of “guest posting”. Both on other blogs and my own.
For whatever reason it never dawned on me to do this on a frequent basis. Only once have I given someone else the reigns on this blog.
That was a risk well rewarded.
But I’d also pretty much barricaded myself from ever writing for other blogs with the excuse that I didn’t have the time.
What clicked for me was the fact that guest posting will allow me to publish more content than I can on this blog.
Listen. I’m hardwired to write. And flush out ideas at a magnificent pace. Unfortunately, I don’t want to wear you or me out by posting every twelve hours here.
That means I’d be happy to write a post or two for you if you have a blog. In addition, feel free to send me any ideas or articles you might have for Fallen and Flawed.
All you have to do is email me.
Let’s see what we can learn from each other through this collaboration.
Wait. There’s One More Thing
Any reader who’s been with me from the beginning knows I occasionally struggle with the purpose of Fallen and Flawed.
I probably came the closest in my Gospel in 10 words or less post.
However, during my absence–as promised–I engaged in a lot of poetry writing and discussion with friends about Christianity in culture and creativity.
This led me to a little discovery: I was missing those last two C’s in my work here. I was missing culture and creativity.
What does that look like? Simply this: Expanding my borders to include posts on literature, the arts, music and popular culture…
The importance of our cultural mandate to build cities, governments, businesses, schools and museums…
And book reviews outside of the reformed boundaries.
In other words, emphasizing our prerogative to influence the world around us through what we create with our hands and minds.
Think of it as a quick and dirty guide to Christ, culture and creativity.
Are You Ready? I’m Ready
So, it’s great to be back. I’ve got a load of ideas for posts and I look forward to talking to you again. I hope you’ll join me.
And don’t forget: I’m available to write guests posts. Email me if you’re interested.
Fallen and Flawed Takes Month-Long Sabbatical
Suicide.
That’s what some social media pundits might call a month-long break from blogging.
So be it.
I’m deeming November “Sabbatical Month.”
A time of refreshment. Reflection. Restoration.
[And reading, of course. Can't forget reading.]
Needed, indeed.
Especially after eleven months of near non-stop blogging and community building.
Not that I didn’t love it. Loved it a ton.
And learned a ton.
Deal is, many months back I promised myself that I’d take November off to fling myself into National Novel Writing Month.
However, after a string of introspective moments I’ve decided that while I am taking November off I won’t be joining the writing frenzy that is NaNoWriMo.
Instead I’ll throw myself into other cares…
Like blank verse. [That's right, poetry!]
And my editorial work-play where I mentor writers [read: push 'em around in the interest of readers].
Things I deeply adore to do.
I’ll also do some running. Long distance running.
And naturally relax with my wife and two children–people who mean more to me than anything else on this earth.
I’ll miss blogging, no doubt about it. More importantly, I’ll miss you.
But it will be a good month where I’ll remember you in my thoughts and prayers during our time of separation.
Yes, this is goodbye for now. But not forever. So, stiff upper lip, you hear?
And see you on the other side of December 5.
Top Ten Blogs I Love to Read
Okay. Here’s the deal.
I don’t blogroll.
I don’t blogroll simply cause I’m lazy:
I don’t want to manage another sidebar module full of links.
But there’s another reason.
I think there’s a much better way to promote the blogs you read.
For instance, in a post such as this.
See, with a “Top Ten Blogs I Read” post I can tell you not only which blogs I’m reading…but I can also explain to you why they are my favorite.
And why you should read them, too.
Hopefully I do a good enough job at it. But you be the judge.
Anyway, here are my top ten favorite blogs. Some on writing. Marketing. Some on reformed theology.
Let me know what you think. And, please, after you scan this list, tell me your favorite blogs. I’m looking to expand my blog reading.
Copyblogger
Perennial favorite. No wonder, since by trade and by traction I’m a writer. [And it doesn't hurt that I've written a few of the articles.] In a nutshell, Copyblogger gives advice on copywriting for online writers and marketers.
The Book Bench
Great blog by New York Times writers. Heavy on the content push, but if you can learn to skim quickly, you’ll find some exquisitely odd and superbly strange information on books and writers.
Editor Unleashed
Former Reader’s Digest editor Maria Schneider drills you with a daily dose of tips on writing, publishing, querying, building community and how to use social media successfully. Her experience and wisdom are apparent.
Desire Spiritual Growth
Blogger and student Daniel C. Wilson will shock you. In a good way. Consistent, thoughtful blog posts on cultivating an appetite for God. And he’s not even 20.
The Resurgence
Blog from the people at Mars Hill Church that keeps the pulse on the growing Reformed movement, Mars Hill and Mark Driscoll.
Desiring God Blog
Abraham Piper and Co. [cough, cough, John Piper, Jon Bloom, Tyler Kenney, cough] publish a wide range of original content–from commentaries to poems to products. Then some.
Challies
Blogger and graphic designer Tim Challies gets big thumbs up from me for his book reviews and occasional interview. Oh yeah, and the five best links of the day. Then the occasional interview. The guy is a reading addict [I'm jealous]. And a blogging nut. [We must intervene.] He’s posted consecutively for 2,168 days.
22 Words
Speaking of Abraham Piper…. His experiment in micro blogging is a success. Grammar aficionado and culture critic, his pithy posts are often deep and insightful.
Flowing Data
Blog for people who love data and design. I love both. But do neither. So respect enormously the people who do. [No surprise here, you don't really "read" this blog.]
Parchment and Pen
It didn’t take me long to fall in love with Michael Patton. Theology scholar and President of Reclaiming the Mind gets blogging. He gets the transparency. The community. And then some. Mix of well written personal and professional posts.
Now it’s your turn. Tell me what blogs you’re reading. I look forward to hearing from you.
My Blog Defined [or, Is C. S. Lewis Really a Christian Novelist?]
This is abundantly clear to me:
Left-brained intellectuals can school me in sophisticated arguments–whether scientific or philosophical–just about any day of the week.
That’s one of the reasons why I’m not that great at debate…
I wasn’t born to wrestle with nuances. On the fly. Neither do I care.
Why am I telling you this? I’m on a perennial search for this blog’s voice.
And I need your help.
A Brief History of Fallen and Flawed
At first I thought I would treat the blog as a platform to chase a theology M. A.
Simultaneously I decided to craft a confessional guide to living a vivid, meaningful Christian life. And gear content toward that goal.
Then I toyed with the idea that this blog could be a place where believers and non-believers could debate Christianity. Kind of like a university.
But none of these felt quite right. Something was amiss.
The M. A. angle is not a great way to build community or conversation. The confessional guide was grossly centered on me. And the university debate theme was awkward, because, well, I’m not a scholar.
I might be an intellectual snob. But I’m no meticulous brain like Roger Nicole.
However, what’s become abundantly clear to me in the last nine months–as I’ve developed content in response to comments, discrepancies in my own thinking and discussions over apologetics with friends–is that what I’m truly after is a clear, graceful articulation of the gospel.
Everything else is peripheral.
What I Don’t Care About Too Much
I wish I could care about apologetics. Inferences. Logical arguments.
Don’t get me wrong: I’ve taken a stab at this a few times with posts like Do You Make These 6 Mistakes When Debating or 18 Books or Blogs You Shouldn’t Read.
Furthermore, I wish I could be immediately practical. At times I managed to do so with posts like 18 Tricks to Memorize Scripture or How to Read a 291-Page Book in 2 Hours.
But for the most part, I’ve been drawn to a relentless exaltation of Christ and that clear, concise articulation of the gospel. In other words, the eternally helpful.
Thus the gospel in 10 words. Thus the Messiah series.
Where I’m Struggling
Not too long ago I mentioned a sabbatical in the month of November to write some fiction.
With an overabundance of ideas I’m confident I can write a rugged and roughshod 75,000 word first draft in 30 days.
But I’m having a hard time seeing how such an adventure equals a clear, graceful articulation of the gospel.
How it threads into Kingdom building.
I’m here to serve Christ. By word. By deed. By thought. I can not think of a greater way to spend my life.
Backward for a man who at one time was hellbent on becoming a world-class novelist. And that’s the kicker.
I can’t seem to escape this passion to write a book. Or two. What do I do?
What Do You Think?
Yes, C. S. Lewis wrote extraordinary novels. But do they promote a clear, graceful articulation of Christ? Do they have to?
I’m still on the sidelines. Mainly because I’ve NEVER read the Chronicles of Narnia. I’ve read Great Divorce. Pilgrim’s Regress.
Nothing else, though.
So, what do you think: C. S. Lewis a genuine Christian novelist? How Christian does a novel from a believer need to be? What’s your take on Christian novels? Any good ones you can recommend?
I’m looking for ideas. Guidelines. Prayer. And a heart enslaved to my Savior. Let me know what you think. I’m looking forward to your thoughts. Have a great weekend.
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