When I began this blog a few years ago it was ostensibly to provide a place to distribute my sermons and, secondarily, to venture forth with a few random opinions on a variety of topics. I am amazed that this little hobby is heading to its 1 Millionth View sometime over the next weeks. I am also surprised whenever I go to a church event and have people come up to me and identity themselves as fans of the blog. Close to a hundred folks did just that at the Synodical Convention in July. I am also surprised when a blog post or portions thereof end up being reposted on other venues or copied and printed in parish newsletters and the like. What a surprise it was to end up being quoted and footnoted in a WELS paper presented to a WELC convention (or other gathering of that church body - I forget which)!
I do not use this blog to address things personal and I purposefully have left out family, friends, and parishioners as fodder for the post or targets for my rants. I do not mean things personally even when I mention people by name. I do intend to stir up the pot a bit, especially within my own Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, for the cause of confession Lutheranism at large, and for the greater ecumenical endeavor of truth relentlessly pursued, normed by Scripture, and faithfully confessed (which is the only real ecumenism worth our attention).
Even though it seems blogs have become somewhat dated in the sphere of technology, I will continue to crank out some things, guaranteed not to be well developed or well written theological or sociological opinions but, well, meandering thoughts of an LCMS Pastor. If I offend you, I apologize but I do not write to inflame. If I bore you, look elsewhere for your entertainment. If I hit a nerve with you, I hope you thought a bit more about that topic or issue and helped you form a more informed opinion on the matter. Well, that is about all. Thanks for listening, for your polite comments, and for making this a far bigger endeavor than I had ever imagined.
From an ELCA pastor and admirer: keep up the good work. It is deeply appreciated!
ReplyDeleteYour blog is an important and informative forum. I appreciate it very much. Congratulations on the size of your readership.
ReplyDeleteFr. D+
Anglican Priest