Interviews
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A Boomer in the Pew author, David Porter
DS: What compelled you to start blogging?
[From David's site:] Well my life has been primarily centered around building and selling a successful business. Now I find myself in my early 50’s, semi-retired and asking myself lots of questions.
The first thing that I noticed, after selling my business, was that along with it went my “significance”. I was shocked to find out how much of my self-worth was tied up in my ability to run a successful business. Frankly, I was really more embarrassed. I am certain that my Heavenly Father isn’t going to say “well done” for running a successful business.
In the business world I was able to rub shoulders with very successful people from all over the country. I quickly learned that after the seminar was over, the real talking started around the dinner table. I gleaned that many successful business owners have been in such a pursuit of riches that they haven’t taken the time to see the HUGE hole that was in their hearts. Behind them was left a trail of broken marriages, alcoholism, and great despair.
I also learned that my Christian diet consisted of oatmeal. It is time for me to start eating “meat” so that I can have an impact in these peoples lives. This is the desire of my heart.
So…I am going to go back and start at the very beginning. With the most basic questions and dialog with myself here on this blog.
DS: How would you describe the purpose of your blog?
[From David's site:] It is a interesting fact that millions of people start a blog each year. Another interesting fact, is that millions of people give up on blogging each year as well.
Just as in starting a business, building a successful marriage, or any other enterprise one might endeavor, at the root you must ask, and answer, an all important question: Why?
Here, the question is: why am I blogging?
Here, therefore, is this blog’s mission statement:
- Resolved: to create a written legacy, of my life and faith, for my immediate family, as well as future generations of my family.
- Resolved: to force upon myself the habit of note taking, as I journey forward in my faith, so that I may learn well.
- Resolved: to seek other Christians, from around the world, whereby we may strengthen one another is our daily walks, and together keep ever pointing each other to Christ.
- Resolved: to communicate in a manner so transparent, that it may be possible for others to see and find Christ through me.
- Resolved: to give my friends a window into this man’s soul. Generally speaking, I have let a very few people into my heart. It is a deep desire that I learn to be more open so that people can better understand what makes this man tick. My deepest desire is that they find, at my core, God’s Holy Spirit driving all that I do.
DS: What unique responsibilities do you think Christian bloggers have?
There are too many people talking about what others are doing in the faith. It seems to me that people have this huge yearning in their souls. If one can be transparent, be willing to share your strengths as well as your weaknesses, then I think this brings a certain attraction. So, Christian bloggers should seek not their own gain (look how intelligent, good, etc., I am) but always let their lives point towards Christ.
DS: What are your own favorite blogs or news sites?
Tim Challies, John Piper, Albert Mohler, Ligon Duncan, Sinclair Ferguson, John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, and C.J. Mahaney to name a few.
DS: How would you be spending your extra time, if you didn’t blog?
Reading more.
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Tony Jones
DS: What compelled you to start blogging?
“I was actually one of the last emergents to blog (and to Twitter, and to buy a Mac). I was skeptical at first, but I ultimately became very fond of the type of communication that it allows. It allows you to be quick, opinionated, and engaged with your readers. I finally became a fan in 2006, when I was commuting to Princeton for PhD work and spending lots of lonely nights in an apartment. Those are still some of my best posts.”
DS: How would you describe the purpose of your blog?
“It’s a forum to express my opinion on any number of things: the church, religion, politics, etc. My friends say they also like the more personal posts, which I sometimes write. My blogging hero is Andrew Sullivan. He writes in the first person, and I feel that I have really come to know him through his blog. But his blog isn’t about personal matters, it’s about politics. So he’s really gifted in that way.”
DS: What unique responsibilities do you think Christian bloggers have?
“None. ‘Christian bloggers’ and bloggers who happen to be Christian have the same responsibility as any bloggers: contribute to the depth and civility of our society; don’t detract from it.”
DS: What are your own favorite blogs or news sites?
“I subscribe to about 250 blogs via Google Reader. I check GR about 5 times per day on weekdays, once or twice on weekends. My favorites include Andrew Sullivan and Mark Ambinder for politics. I like reading Mark Oestreicher — I think he ‘gets’ blogging; he writes two short posts a day. Scot McKnight, of course, is a rock star, but I’ll admit that I don’t often follow the multi-post series he does on books. I have Google feeds out there on all my book titles, so I see what people are writing about me. And I read the New York Times opinion page online every day.”
DS: How would you be spending your extra time, if you didn’t blog?
“Well, I actually consider blogging to be part of my vocation, so I don’t consider it to take away from things I do in my extra time. Outside of writing and speaking, I spend time with my kids, exercise everyday, and read as much as I can.”
