First Blog Post

Why start a blog? Here is a list of questions that I asked myself before starting this.

Q: Realistically, who is going to read this?

A: No clue.

Q: Seriously though, in the age of YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, who is going to read this?

A: At the very least, my mom will! Thanks mom!

Q : Do you have anything to say that’s not already being said out there on the interwebs?

A: Probably not. There are many excellent blogs out there.

• The C&MA has amazing articles on its website.

• TheRabbitRoom has a great blog full of well-read, thoughtful thinkers and artists.

• TheGospelCoalition has a Mary-Poppins-Bag blog on pretty much any topic that modern Christians are asking.

• 9Marks has a great blog about all things ecclesiology and it’s super practical and encouraging.

• TheVillageChurch has a treasure trove of online resources. And they’re purdy.

• Biola has a daily blog.

• TheFailingPastor blog ministers to the sufferer’s soul in a profound way.

The list goes on.

Q: What about James 3:1, don’t you want to be careful before you say something wrong?

A: Yes, yes.

Q: You’ve had your words thrown back at you before and you didn’t like it; are you sure you want to do this? Plus, you’re conflict averse, why make your thoughts public?

A: All good points.

Q: Can you keep it up? If this blog won’t be sustainable long term, why start it at all? We’ve all seen outdated websites and those are no fun.

A: Not sure.

Q: Do you really want to do this, or are you just doing it for the sake of doing it and because online content is supposedly a great tool?

A: I think so. But I’ve been “sure” about things in the past and have been proven wrong. Of this I’m sure - the Christian life is full of sanctifying lessons of humility.

Q: What about issues of local church authority? Isn’t putting your voice out there distracting from local church ministries? Don’t we want to push people to their local church bodies?

A: You’re right (self.) I’m no expert in how an online, unrooted world has affected us sociologically, philosophically, and spiritually. In our speed to adopt technology, we clearly didn’t anticipate the cost.

And yet, here I am. What sealed the deal? I ran across this quote from Robert Jaffray, C&MA missionary.

“Do you ask, ‘In view of the terrible economic depression of today, dare we go forward in these new fields and commence new work?’ Yea, rather may we ask this: ‘Dare we, in the face of the command of the Lord Jesus and in the face of the encouraging miracles He is working in our behalf, hesitate for one moment?’” 

- Robert Jaffray, 1929

God is answering prayers here at South Bay Christian Alliance, and I want to share those stories. There’s also a lot of mundane stuff going on too, and that is just as much worth sharing.

Can I make a request, dear reader, whoever you are? As this blog continues, could you be charitable? I know we’re going to disagree. Can we disagree well? I am human, flesh and blood, no stranger to suffering and the emotions that come with it. I also make mistakes and may retract some posts. Being charitable with ideas (and people) goes a long way. 

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Romans 14:19

My prayer is that this blog edifies and encourages. My prayer is that it glorifies the Lord Jesus. My prayer is that Jesus - Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King - will increase and I will decrease. Jesus is alive and He can do far more than we ask or imagine (Eph 3:20). Help me Holy Spirit.

Here we go!