This is the 777th post on BeDeviant.com. It’s also the last post on this site. There are also 777 words in this post. After seven years of actively posting, sharing, thinking, challenging and changing, I’ve decided to bring this journey to a close.

There are lots of reasons behind this decision, but I’ll briefly share three main ones.

Reason #1: Different Interests

It’s no secret that I’ve left my job working at a local church and joined the team at Monk Development. I’m also able to work with wonderful human beings like Charles Lee, Brad Abare and Tim Schraeder on a regular basis.

After graduating seminary, I realized very quickly that I did not want to be a local parish pastor. That might seem like the epitome of irony, or even that my experience at sem was negative. Quite the contrary, in fact. Bethel helped me to see, in fuller detail, the cost of being a pastor in the 21st century church. After graduating I quickly came to the conclusion: I am not a pastor.

Many of you reading this are, in fact, in pastoral roles. I cannot tell you how much respect and admiration I have for you. I’ve been in your shoes at one of the largest churches in the U.S. and can say, unequivocally, you have one of the hardest jobs on the face of the planet. The pressures, the demands, the struggles—you are most certainly gifted with a strength straight from God’s hand!

That said, BeDeviant.com was an online dialogue of the struggles I was facing as a pastor. The frustrations, fears and anxieties that I faced working for a church. Since I’m no longer on church staff, those struggles, thankfully, have disappeared. With that, most of my writing material has gone with it!

My focus is much more specific now, dealing primarily with web and online ministry. Rather than trying to continually morph BeDeviant into something it was never created to be, I decided it was best to simply stop the train.

Reason #2: Too Divisive

I was afraid this day would come because of the subject matter on this blog. My main intent through the years has been to challenge, but sometimes that’s difficult to do faithfully.

BeDeviant, by its very nature, causes eyebrows to raise. That can be a good thing until it isn’t. In the past 12 months, I’ve been asking the question if being divisive is what I want to be about. The answer, thankfully, is no. My intent, obviously, has never been to create conflict, simply reflection. Unfortunately, that hasn’t always translated well.

Some of  you have been hurt, angered and frustrated by the things I’ve written. I’m sorry for that. BeDeviant.com was started with the idea of challenging people to think differently about their relationship with God. I think BeDeviant has served its purpose in doing that, but at a price. Shutting this site down is me saying, “Holy Spirit, I trust you to challenge people where they need to be challenged. When appropriate, use me.”

Being a unified Body in this day and age, is more important than ever. I want to work towards doing that. I’ve tried to do that in the past few months, but moving in a direction is what’s need to make that happen more fully. Please join me!

Reason #3: Falling Flat

The traffic on this blog has plateaued for the past 12 months. I don’t think it’s reactionary to look at that and say, “This may be as high as the ceiling gets here.” If you know anything about blogging, you know that there are certain “niche” markets to get in to. I’m afraid the “Lutheran-postmodern-ex-pastor-theologically-generous” niche is all dried up .

That’s not to say the only reason that I write is for traffic, but the amount of time and energy that goes into writing a blog like this is, in a word, substantial. There are so many of you wonderful people who have read this blog since its inception and I cannot thank you enough for it. Your emails, notes, tweets and encouragement blesses me more than I can say. But sometimes, “You gotta know when to fold ‘em.”

So, What’s Next?

I’ll still be blogging. Quitting that would be next to impossible. I’ll be at JustinWise.net talking about blogging, social media, productivity, and my life (on occasion). I want to share what I’m learning in the space with all of you. I’d love it if you joined me or grabbed the RSS feed.

You can always reach me on Twitter as well. @JustinWise for those who don’t know!

Words cannot express what our conversations through the years have meant. I’ll simply wrap things up by saying “Thank you!”

May God bless you and yours.

Peace,
Justin

I refuse to believe in a God that would cause the Japan earthquake. Or the Haitian earthquake. Or the Indian Ocean tsunami. God weeps with Japan, Haiti and Southeastern Asia.

I refuse to believe in a God that enjoys sending people to a place of torment and punishment. God is the restorer, the renewer, of all things. To be uninvolved in that renewal is the choice to not be.

I refuse to believe that we, as humanity, have any ability whatsoever to discern someone’s eternal future. We do not know what transpires behind the veil between this world and the next.

I refuse to believe that any amount of self-initiated “purity” is enough to cleanse me from sin. It’s not. And never will be. No matter what they tell you (it’s what nearly drove Martin Luther insane).

I refuse to believe, after having a son, that God is ever mad at us (as New Covenant believers). Disappointed? Sure. Mad? Never. I repeat: Never.

I refuse to believe that the Bible is always prescriptive. The Bible chronicles the story of God interacting with his people. Sometimes those people do and say dumb things that need to be avoided, not followed.

I refuse to believe that God does not intend for women to be preachers and teachers. I have met too many gifted, Spirit-filled women who possess the unmistakable preaching/teaching gift to believe that it was not placed there by God himself.

I refuse to believe that God doesn’t want us to think.

What do you refuse to believe?

I know you’re out there. I can feel you now. I know that you’re afraid… you’re afraid of us. You’re afraid of change. I don’t know the future. I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it’s going to begin. I’m going to hang up this phone, and then I’m going to show these people what you don’t want them to see. I’m going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you. —The Matrix

Remind you that you have a purpose. There’s a plan for you. A reminder that you live in a world where your only fetter is your own imagination.

That desire way down, deep inside to be the best at something? That’s good. It’s holy.

I also posted this as a reminder that when you make a commitment to live out that purpose, you’ll encounter struggle, strife and flat-out evil. Nothing makes bullies feel better more quickly than chopping your legs right out from under you. They don’t hate you, they hate what your life means to them: Change.

Do whatever it takes to live out your purpose:

Read Seth Godin.
Enroll in Dream Year.
Go back to school.
Live in a tent.

Just do it. I need you to. I need to be surrounded by people who live intentionally—who don’t succumb to the doubts, fears, indecisions, bullies and cowards of the world. I need people who believe we live in a world where anything—anything—is possible.

Whether you’re the one with ash on your head or the person who thinks they’re seeing things, today marks a big day for the Church of Jesus Christ: We celebrate his death. More specifically, we celebrate our death with him so that we can more fully celebrate being raised to new life with Christ, much like his resurrection after his death on the Cross.

As a lifelong Lutheran, I’ve celebrated Ash Wednesday for as long as I can remember. I’m familiar with the theology, thought and purpose behind Ash Wednesday. Scripture doesn’t command us to celebrate it, it’s simply one of the oldest traditions in the Christian Church that has literally been celebrated since the beginnings of the faith.

Ash Wednesday Fun Facts

That being said, not every Christian is familiar (or comfortable) with the idea of talking about death and letting someone smear what looks like cookout-remnants on one’s forehead.  So we can all get on the same page about this ancient tradition, here are some Lent “fun facts”:

• Lent means “spring time” in Latin.
• Ashes are commonly used in mourning rituals throughout Scripture. They signify mourning for one’s sin and repentance from that sin.
• In the ancient church, Lent was used as a time of preparation for catechumens, or, those waiting to be baptized. Catechumens (i.e. “candidates” for the faith) studied church history, prayed and fasted and celebrated their faith with baptism on Easter Sunday.
• Ash Wednesday wasn’t officially Ash Wednesday until the 11th century when Pope Urban II rubber stamped the event and made it official. As we all know, if the Pope ain’t happy, no one’s happy!

How to Celebrate the Day

If you’re in the Des Moines area, I’d encourage you to celebrate Ash Wednesday in one of three ways:

1. Head to Lutheran Church of Hope’s West Des Moines’ campus at noon or 7pm.
2. Head to Lutheran Church of Hope’s Ankeny campus at 5 and 7 pm.
3. Join me and Gateway Church in downtown Des Moines at noon to celebrate Ash Wednesday at the Temple for Performing Arts.

Either way, take a steo pout of your comfort zone or continue in the tradition of your youth. Tradition, when connected to the life-giving power of the Spirit, is a powerful agent for change and a historical tie to our ancient roots.

Did you celebrate Ash Wednesday growing up? If so, what do you remember most from it? If you didn’t celebrate Ash Wednesday, what are your thoughts surrounding the tradition?

Sarah Palin recently called Kathy Griffin a 50-year-old bully. Seems Griffin has made a career out of harassing Palin and her kids, pushing the family around in the press and mocking their troubles. Griffin has even vowed publicly that it was “Willow’s [Palin's 16-year-old daughter] year to go down.” Classy.

Building one’s self up.
Tearing another down.

That sounds like the work of a bully to me.

Whether we’re young or old, we face bullies in our lives. Yesterday I wrote in TOMM,

The closer you get to doing what it is you want to do, the more people will try to bring you down.

The people who seek to bring you down as you get closer to your sweet spot are nothing more than bullies. They are trying to make their situation in life more tolerable by attempting to make you miserable. They use fear, politics, drama, cruelty and, in Kathy Griffin’s case, biting, sarcastic humor to enforce their bully rule.

Cowards.

You have to realize that’s what bullies are: Cowards. They see you taking chances, making moves, living a life that they want to be living and can’t be honest enough to admit it. Instead of honesty, they choose to cut you down to make their like more tolerable. They would rather demonize, marginalize and ostracize you than take a good, long, hard look in the mirror and ask the question, “What am I going to be about?”

Here’s the thing about bullies, about cowards: They almost always back down when you confront them head on. I’m not saying you need to physically confront bullies, but “confront” them in other ways:

• Lean into the talents and gifts you’ve been given.
• Love your family with bravado, enthusiasm and determination.
• Make mistakes. Lots of them. And then get back on the horse and try again.
• Live outside of their box. Bullies can only enforce their rule if you play in their box. Make a new one.

You get the idea.

I’m convinced that you were meant to live a life that is full of joy, peace, happiness and freedom. Don’t let the bullies, even well-meaning bullies, tell you otherwise. And for God’s sake, stand up to the Kathy Griffin’s in your world.

The awe that we sense or ought to sense when standing in the presence of a human being is a moment of intuition for the likeness of God which is concealed in his essence … The secret of every being is the divine care and concern that are invested in it. -Abraham Joshua Heschel

Atheist.
Muslim.
Hindu.
Buddhist.
Christian.

These are people made in the image and likeness of God. Are you okay with that?

The image of God in each and every person transcends the faith they practice. Are you okay with that?

God loves people of all faiths. He cares for them deeply and tenderly. Are you okay with that?

Jason Upton, Freedom.

It was the first time in nearly six years that I’d be lassoed by the po-po. Those blue lights started flashing and I panicked. “What in the world could he possibly be pulling me over for?” I thought.

Under the speed limit? Check.
Used turn signals at all appropriate intersections? Check.
Dead body stuffed under the spare tire? Check. (Kidding).

I pulled over and the policeman walked deliberately up to my window. “Sir, I’m pulling you over today for failure to wear your seatbelt.”

SEATBELT! Gah! How could I have made such a rookie mistake? I was about to get nailed for not strapping myself into the 2,000 lb. bullet also known as “my car.”

Rats.

Prepare to Be Punished

I knew from the experience of others that seatbelt tickets in Iowa weren’t the cheapest violation of the law one could commit. Anywhere from $100-150, depending on who pulled you over that day. “My wife is going to kill me,” I said aloud.

“Wait here,” he ordered as he causally sauntered back to his squad car. Three, four, five minutes. Just what the heck was he doing back there anyways? “Just give me my ticket and let’s call it a day!” I thought.

Then I noticed movement. Sgt. Seatbelt was coming back to my car, papers in hand, to drop the bomb on me. I was preparing from the worst. I was expecting to see my name, the words “Law Breaker”, and a hefty fine on the sheet of paper he was about to ask me to sign. “Assume the position,” as they say.

Only, when he got back to my window, there wasn’t a fine. There wasn’t even a ticket. “Sir, I’m giving you a written warning today for not wearing your seatbelt. Do you understand?” “Yes, Officer, very much so. Thank you.”

I signed the warning, put my seatbelt on, and drove away. Just like that. No ticket, nothing. Whew. Lesson learned.

What Punishment Does (and Does Not Do)

This, of course, got me thinking about breaking the law. More specifically, I started thinking about how I have responded to different types of punishment after I’ve violated a civil law:

• Break Law, Punished with Ticket, Fine or Class: Usually upset. Grumbling. Not thinking about the lives I endangered and more focused on the fact that I got punished. Cursing the officer under my breath even though I was the one who broke the law.
• Break Law, Not Punished: Usually joyous. Happy. Free. Cognizant of the fact that I could have been killed and/or killed others. Thankful to the officer for letting me go with a warning.

I can tell you that the first thing I did when I left the house this morning was put on my seatbelt. Chances are, I’ll continue in this discipline for some time. The officer’s grace in that moment struck me. He had the power to punish me, and would have been right in doing so, but he didn’t.

He didn’t.

I wear my seatbelt now because I’ve been given another chance to do so, not because I’m forced to. Compliance by punishment doesn’t usually last. Compliance by choice? Now there’s a powerful alternative.

What type of life are you living?

The good folks at eMarketer put together a killer webinar on social media ROI (return on investment). ROI with social media is a tricky thing because it both fits and doesn’t fit into the conventional method of measuring ROI.

Fits: Measuring how many people come to your website and go on to buy something.
Doesn’t Fit: What’s the value of a tweet? A tweet from a famous person? (Oddly enough, it’s not as high as you’d think).

There were lots of facts and figures shared, but I wanted to share the ones that stuck out to me the most.

Ready? Here we go:

• 88% of marketers will use social media marketing by 2012
• Six out of 10 Internet users have a social network profile
• The more experienced companies are, the more likely they are to integrate social media into their marketing efforts
• Pepto Bismol (yes, that Pepto Bismol) increased their online buzz 200% year-over-year after their partnership with Ken Jeong from The Hangover
• In 2010, there was an increase of social media users and social media usage across all age groups, including Milennials who already have a sky-high adoption rate
• 75% of teens use Facebook
• 85% of online users age 45-54 use some form of social media
• 47% of businesses using social media in their marketing have no idea how to measure their efforts

To contextualize this a little bit, what if the stats looked like this?

• Six out of 10 of your church members have a social network profile
• 75% of the teens in your youth group have a Facebook profile
• 85% of your church members age 45-54 use some form of social media

Does that change things at all?

These statistics present us with a cold, hard reality. When doing digital ministry, too many churches are content to merely be on Facebook and Twitter, not necessarily doing anything productive with those channels. We have online community pastors, digital pastors, social media directors in churches, but to what extent? What’s the purpose? What’s the point?

Increase weekend attendance?
Increase offering dollars?
Increase community engagement and involvement?
More people on missions trips?

Again, what’s the point?

Measuring social media ROI in the church is still in its infancy, mostly because no one knows how to do it large-scale quite yet. That’s okay. We’re still learning. But this vital and unavoidable communication shift must be paid attention to if we are to communicate our message effectively.

I’ve done the hard work for you, but if you want to watch the whole webinar in its entirety you can do so on eMarketer’s website.

Didn’t catch.

Grew tired.

You spoke.

They listened.

They fished.

They caught many fish.

What does this mean for our churches?