blogging with @thehighcalling

A couple of years ago I joined a startup network of Christian bloggers. I wasn’t sure if I would get anything out of this thing, or if I’d be able to add any value to it either. As it turns out, it was one of the best things that I’ve ever done as a blogger. I’ve discovered an online community where not only am I encouraged by some of the best Christian content on the web, but where I have an opportunity to be able to bless others in many ways.

I’d like for you to meet HighCallingBlogs.com, a part of TheHighCalling.org…

TheHighCalling.org is a ministry of the Foundations for Laity Renewal. We seek to connect people with the faith that supports and sustains all that we do. That’s why it is the high calling of our daily work. We believe God cares about our work. And we believe Christians are called to glorify God through their work. For us, work embraces all aspects and activities of daily living—including home, community, leisure, as well as occupation.

Recently I’ve taken on a new role with the Editorial Team as the network’s Social Media Editor. In this role I’ll be working on the network’s Twitter accounts (@thehighcalling and @highcallingblog), encouraging discussion on the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/TheHighCalling), and sharing occasional posts on the website about engaging community online through social media.

The rest of the Editorial Team is made up of some amazing bloggers, authors, and people who take seriously the high calling of their daily work. And as we develop our team, each of us have been introducing the others on our own blogs, and I’d love to share some of these introductions with you here so that you can get to know this incredible team…

Gordon Atkinson (Real Live Preacher), Founding Editor

• BibleDude.net: [12 days of awesomeness] day six: real live preacher
• The Wellspring: Community Treasures
• Seedlings in Stone: One More Reason to Join HCB (sorta

Marcus Goodyear (GoodWordEditing.com),  Senior Editor

• BibleDude.net: [12 days of awesomeness] day seven: goodwordediting.com

L.L. Barkat (Seedlings in Stone), Managing Editor

• BibleDude.net: [12 days of awesomeness] day twelve: love notes to yahweh

Chris Cree (SuccessCREEations), Senior Community Manager

• GoodWordEditing.com: Meet Chris Cree, Senior Editor for the High Calling Network
• The Wellspring: Our Guru: Meet Chris Cree

Laura Boggess (The Wellspring), Book Club Convener

• BibleDude.net: [12 days of awesomeness] day eight: the wellspring
• Seedlings in Stone: Loving Monday: Show, Don’t Tell

Ann Kroeker (AnnKroeker.com), Family Editor

• BibleDude.net: [12 days of awesomeness] day three: not so fast
• The Wellspring: Slowing Down With Ann Kroeker
• Green Inventions Central: Shoes, Twitter, and Wild Kingdoms : Talking with Ann Kroeker

Bradley J. Moore (Shrinking the Camel), Work Editor

• BibleDude.net: [12 days of awesomeness] day five: shrinking the camel
• The Wellspring: Not a Spitting Camel
• Seedlings in Stone: The Spirituality of Business

Sam Van Eman (New Breed of Advertisers), Culture Editor

• BibleDude.net: tebow, barna, and culture [an interview with sam van eman]
• NotSoFastBook.com (Ann Kroeker): Paying Attention & Listening for Motives: Interview with Sam Van Eman

And if you want to get to know me a little bit better, then check out these introductions of yours truly through the eyes of others on the HighCallingBlogs.com Editorial Team…

• The Wellspring: Dude! It’s the BibleDude!
• AnnKroeker.com: Getting to Know HCB: Meet Dan King (an interview)
• Green Inventions Central: Welcome to Dan’s House (an interview)
• Shrinking the Camel: My Other Job:Content Editor at The High Calling Blogs (whole team introduction)

I encourage you to keep up with what’s happening with the HighCallingBlogs.com network. I think that you’ll be glad that you did! This is definitely a crew that will inspire you in the high calling of your daily work.

[12 days of awesomeness] day twelve: love notes to yahweh

As I wrap up this list, I want to point out that there are SO many great Christian blogs out there! And this blogger would be one of the first to jump in and agree with me.

I’ve always known L.L. Barkat as ‘the poetry chick’ from the HighCallingBlogs.com network. And since I’m not really one of those artsy kind of guys, I only casually glanced at her work every once in a while. But recently, I’ve started paying more attention to her.

L.L. actually has several blogs (Seedlings in Stone and Green Inventions Central), but it is her blog Love Notes to Yahweh that I want to bring your attention to. The content itself is pretty cool, but what I think is even cooler is how/why she started this blog. In the comment discussion on a recent HighCallingBlogs.com post she shared that, “When I did the daily outdoor solitude, I was so overcome by God’s Presence that I had to start a whole new blog just to hold my praise.” Amen, L.L.!!!

I’ve already determined that I’ll be spending much more time at L.L.’s blogs, and will let her stretch not only my mind, but also my heart. And knowing what has driven her to start this blog has helped me to appreciate the act of worship that it is.

This has made me think more about what drives many Christian bloggers to do what they do. Regardless of what they might look like on the surface, they are essentially an act of worship to our King. And I think that’s what makes them all so beautiful! L.L. has challenged me in lots of ways in the short time that I’ve known her, but her challenge to do this little exercise has really helped me to take a closer look at other Christian bloggers, and together I think that our collective voice must sound pretty awesome to our King!

Thank you L.L.!

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Check out the complete list!

[12 days of awesomeness] day eleven: rich kirkpatrick’s weblog

I love worship! I’m not much of a musician…   Actually, most people that know me understand that I am about as far from being a musician as it gets. Even still, I love to worship. I love the music associated with worship. I love that we can come into the presence of God through our worship. I only wish that I could do it more often!

This next blog is another one that falls into that category of people that I don’t know really well, yet. I actually just discovered Rich Kirkpatrick’s Weblog after joining the HighCallingBlogs.comteam with him. Rich is the worship leader and worship pastor at Sunridge Community Church in Temecula, California. 

On his blog he regularly shares tips and other thoughts on worship, and I particularly enjoy his Worhsip Mythbusters posts. But you will also find a great deal of videos of Rich leading worship in his church, and I think that these posts are priceless! I love that he’s taking his talents and sharing them well beyond the walls of his church!

When it comes to Christian blogging, there is definitely not a shortage of people who have something to say. But I think what I like so much about Rich’s blog is that there doesn’t seem to be nearly as many Christian bloggers out there who have something to sing. And this makes Rich’s blog rare. Rare, but awesome!

I totally intend to follow Rich much closer into the next year, and I already anticipate that doing so will help me grow as a worshiper. Amen to that!

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Check out the complete list!

[12 days of awesomeness] day ten: charles lee

Some people are just natural leaders. It probably has to do with their unique abilities to take an idea, shape it, and then shout it from the rooftops that makes people take notice…  and follow.

I first encountered Charles Lee on Twitter. I noticed some mutual friends talking about this crazy new event called The Idea Camp, a project that started with and being run by Charles. The Idea Camp is a new Christian unconference that several people I know seemed to be getting pretty excited about. So I figured that I would have to check out what these guys were up to. I was blown away!

Eventually, I’ve attended (remotely) two of the three Idea Camp conferences that were held in 2009, and have connected with Charles to share ideas with each other. In fact, I actually blogged the entire stream for one of them and plan to bring more of their stuff closer to the BibleDude.net community…

live blogging @theideacamp conference

I have since found Charles Lee’s blog to be one that is full of great ideas and great questions. This guy is an amazing catalyst for social action in the church today, and this is where much of that discussion starts. I love seeing tweets and blog posts from Charles talking about some of the cool activities that he’s getting himself into. Dude, this guy has a servant’s heart like few others.

If you are a Christian who is into (and we should all be into) social action, then this is a great place to get into the conversation.

Check out the complete list!

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