Blogging is a strange thing. You write your thoughts down. Sometimes people read them. Sometimes people comment. Sometimes people email you. Over time, if you have struck a chord, you get some traction. More people are reading, commenting, linking, emailing, etc. The blog grows.
A LITTLE HISTORY
I was largely unaware of this whole process back in early 2006. My senior pastor and boss told me to write. So I did. He also told me to impact people with the gospel. And so I tried to. I would meet with guys and talk about what I was learning in the Scriptures. We would talk about the gospel and how we need to be more impressed with Jesus. I repeated myself often to these guys. They seemed to like it. So, in listening to Pat (my boss, mentor, & senior pastor) I wrote. My goal was to encourage these guys. I picked a funny moniker for the site, “Irish Calvinist”. This is funny because I am not from Ireland. I am from Massachusetts. In fact it is only my father’s side that is Irish (my mom is Polish—but, the jokes would be just too easy there).
As I mentioned above, the site got traction. Soon the ‘blog-father’ Tim Challies selected the site as ‘King for a Week’ (this was an award he gave to blogs he benefited from himself). I frankly had no idea that Tim read my blog nor who else did. So things changed. The audience grew. Impact increased. Over a thousand posts later, here we are. And I am thankful.
IT’S NOT YOU…IT’S ME
However, I quickly noticed that my moniker was not well thought out. I remember meeting Phil Johnson and he peppered me with questions about the name. I was at a loss. It didn’t make sense. Further, I don’t really write as an apologist for Calvinism. Sure, I am unabashedly Reformed in my Soteriology. However, the term Calvinism has so much baggage for people. I have found that the title and url tend to put people off a bit. Many have not even read this site to see that the goal is ‘compassionate, devotional Calvinism’. I try to write as one who is wearing out a path to the cross daily. (which is, incidentally what Calvin did as well, but that is beside the point).
As a result, I have decided to retire the name “Irish Calvinist”. I maintain my Calvinism of course, but I am sharpening my focus and hopefully mitigating against misunderstanding.
ORDINARY PASTOR
I am a pastor. That is what I do and who I am. I long to be faithful to the end and make a great impact for Christ. I am happy thinking about the gospel, writing about it, reviewing books and thinking through issues. That is what I want the site to be about.
I chose the name ‘Ordinary Pastor’ because that is what I think I am and really who I want to be. Some of you may recall the book that D.A. Carson wrote about his father Tom. It was called Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor. That book really impacted me (review here). It refreshed and reminded me. As Americans we love our superstars. Pastors are no different. Success communicates faithfulness. However, I don’t think I am going to be a big time author or speaker. I am just a regular guy in Omaha, Nebraska. I want to love my wife, kids, the folks at Emmaus Bible Church, pray, read my bible, think hard about the gospel and write about it. At the end of the day, I just want to block and tackle well (to use a football analogy). I want to be faithful at the basics. Tom Carson did that. He did it well. And he reminds me of what faithfulness looks like.
MY PLAN GOING FORWARD
I like the change. I think it will be good. In 2010 this blog was just about dead. It had slipped down to a very low level of activity from both me and the readers. That is when I did some serious evaluation. In the midst of this I came to the conclusion that I love to blog because it helps me articulate and promote the glory of Christ. It also seems to help other people to see and savor Jesus. This is what an ordinary pastor is supposed to do. Once I (re)discovered this connection, the site was reborn.
I plan to continue to write devotionally, offer quotes that stimulate us to love Christ, write book reviews, interact with issues, and pass along helpful information.
I remain humbled and truly thankful for all of the folks who read this site and provide me with feedback. You are a blessing and encouragement to me.
I think this blog’s best days are ahead of it because there are a lot of ordinary Christians who need to be reminded of and refreshed in their extraordinary Savior. I pray to this end that this blog will be useful.
a few notes:
If you are kind enough to link me on your site, would you please update your link to www.OrdinaryPastor.com , thank you.
The old url will forward here to www.OrdinaryPastor.com as should all of my old links.
If you subscribe via feed everything should be seamless.
Twitter will remain the same.
SDG–
Erik
Possibly Related posts:
- The Irish Calvinist blog turns a year old
- Book Review- Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor
- 100 Posts…man time flies
