Blogging has become pretty important to me. Subsequently, I’ve read articles on blogging “best practices” and have tried to abide by most of them (besides the “keep your post short” one). So I know that I committed a pretty bad offense last week by only posting once. The statistics showed a steady decline in daily visitors and some people have even emailed me talking about, “What’s up with the blog?”
I’m still here.
I just lost my passion to write last week. I got tired of being a talking-head…critiquing or praising…analyzing or recommending…I just was tired. Last week, I was tired of hearing myself talk. Tired of reading my own words about “what we need to do”. I have a low tolerance for a lot of talk. I think dialogue is important, but I think it can become analgesic. At some point the talk needs to stop and we need to do something!
One of my latest attempts at “doing something” happens this Friday. Young Clergy for Social Change is having a launch party in East Baltimore. As we’ve gotten closer and closer to the date, the weight of the potential of this night has gotten heavier on my shoulders. I guess I’ve been one of the lead facilitators of this network…out shaking hands, sending numerous emails, meeting other young clergy of the city and surrounding community etc etc. So I just want this Friday to play out at least in some ways like I envision it in my head.
Leading up to this night, I’ve been reading Black Baltimore by Harold McDougall. I’m 3/4ths through the book and it really has been a delightful read. It’s filled with the “grassroots history” of this peculiar little city. I’ve really enjoyed reading about BUILD and the Interfaith Ministerial Alliance (IMA) – two faith-based advocacy groups. It became so clear to me that Young Clergy for Social Change is nothing new – not even a new concept. The only thing “new” about it is its context. We’ve not had an invigorating and exciting opportunity like this in this area for quite some time. Now while BUILD and IMA still exist, I would have to say that neither of them have connected with a significant number of younger Christians which would be crucial in presenting a different paradigm of how “church” can be in Baltimore.
More and more Christians that I converse with are getting tired of doing church the “same ol way” Sunday after Sunday. I’m praying that they find a way to connect with YCSC.
I’ll keep you posted…that is – unless I get tired of talking again.
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